Manhattan Fish Market II

Get crabby this Christmas, because we're gonna save some turkeys! Manhattan Fish Market gives a seafood-take on the traditional Christmas feast with a crab-filled menu featuring items like crab bisque, chilli crab spaghetti and even a crab platter. Alaskan King Crab, anyone? :)

Crabilicious Crab Bisque


The Crabilicious Crab Bisque was thick and creamy without being overwhelming. Not much crabmeat detected though, but I wasn't expecting too much for the price I was paying. Some at the table commented that there was a very slight sourish aftertaste but I didn't quite notice it since I spent most of the time dipping the fried mushrooms (below) in the soup. Thoughtful addition of croutons for the added texture.

Fried Country Mushrooms


I liked the Fried Country Mushrooms. These came fried to a crisp golden brown, and were all juicy and succulent inside. Nom nom.

Alaskan King Crab Platter


My favourite item at Manhattan Fish Market is actually the Flaming Platter for One, but I thought I should give the "dish of the month" a try. The Alaskan King Crab Platter comes with fried calamari, fried crab pincers (fishcake-like), chilli crab salad and of course, Alaskan King Crab legs. I thought this was okay, the crab legs especially, but the fried calamari and crab pincers were too... close on taste that it got quite monotonous after a while. My recommendation? Give an option to have your calamari grilled; I'm sure the staff would have obliged if you asked anyway.


Personally, I'm not a fan of having a cold dish side by side the other hot items, but this is what you get with the chilli crab salad right in the middle. I did feedback that MFM may like to consider having a hot salad option (same thing, just served hot instead of cold), but I was told it was really meant to be this way.

Grilled Gala Platter for Two


The table also had the Grilled Gala Platter for Two, which I thought fared much better than the other deep-fried platter - the Manhattan Seafood Platter for Two. I suppose it does come down a lot to personal preference, but grilled fish, prawns, calamari and mussels seem to go better with the (delicious) garlic-butter rice and fries. Hate to compare, but I prefer the rice here as compared to Fish & Co's.

Grilled Salmon Fillet


It's usually served with garlic herb sauce, but we asked for sambal instead and I thought it came out quite well actually. The thick slab of Grilled Salmon Fillet was sweet, fresh and very tender indeed.

Baked Fish in Garden Herbs


I'm afraid you will never find me eating something so healthy as this. Turned out to be a little too salty for the palate.


She's not meant for eating, but I couldn't resist posting a picture of my adorable niece Lucia here. Carrying her around made me want to be a Daddy as well haha!

*****

Thank you to Manhattan Fish Market for the earlier invite to a tasting session. As I (i) was leaving for Beijing when the email came, and (ii) had long quit the (free) food tasting scene, I left a note to say that I would be back in future. Of course you wouldn't expect me to have MFM honour its previous invite (and for me to bring more people now too!) and as much as they offered in all generosity to take the tab for all six of us I insisted otherwise. It's nice enough to have early info on their promotional menu, and for that I'm grateful :)

The Alaskan King Crab Platter may not have blown my mind away, but I'm sure I'm heading back to try that chilli crab spaghetti. The Pasta Shop's rendition of this is quite decent actually, but I'm curious to see what MFM comes up with. Look out for an update on this on my food-only Twitter.

Price
$55.90 for an Alaskan King Crab Platter Set (comes with two crab bisques, soft drinks and two servings of ice-cream)
$46.90 for the Alaskan King Crab Platter
$4.90 for the Crabilicious Crab Bisque
$7.90 for the Fried Country Mushrooms
$35.90 for the Grilled Gala Platter for Two
$17.90 for the Grilled Salmon Fillet
$14.90 for the Baked Fish in Garden Herbs

* Prices subject to the usual 7% GST and 10% service charge.

Place
Marina Square, #02-182.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Bonifacio

When Loraine from The Hungry-Trotting Couple suggested we have a go at Filipino food for our mini-bloggers' dinner, I jumped at the idea. It's always exciting to try something new for a change, and with such enticing items on Bonifacio's online menu I was more than eager to make the necessary dinner reservations. May was a terribly packed month for many of the bloggers as most of us were actually on holiday in various parts of the world, and so I was really happy that I managed to find time to meet Loraine and Xin Li (from The Moose), even more so that it was the very first time that we were meeting one another.


I like Loraine and Xin Li, they're nice people. They're the sincere type of food bloggers who are just in it for the love of food and that thrill of gastronomic adventures. I've grown tired of food bloggers trying to outdo one another, so you can imagne my delight to meet such pleasant people for dinner, just sharing good food and good conversations. This is what I like most about food-blogging.


I couldn't ask for a better place for dinner. Bonifacio is located along the relatively quiet Keong Saik Road and is just about five minutes walk away from the Outram Park NEL MRT Station. The interior, though simple and not necessarily large, is still warm and inviting. Service here is also worth mention, as I especially like how the staff is confident about the authenticity and taste of the recommended dishes without appearing arrogant or aloof. Friendly Filipino service at its best.

Sago't Gulaman


The Sago't Gulaman is a sweet Filipino drink that has tapioca pearls, sago and jelly. I was told the Filipino "version" is very sweet and may not sit well with some Singaporeans, but anything is game for someone like me and I asked for the real deal. It didn't turn out as sweet as expected, but somewhat balanced enough. For a gross simplification, it's like drinking bubble tea, but better. Loraine's Fresh Yellow Mango Shake was even better, as it was awesomely (but naturally!) sweet from "authentic" mangoes specially air-flown from the Philippines.

Tuna Sisig


This was my favourite dish of the night. While it's typically pork sisig, my dinner companions were very nice to choose the Tuna Sisig instead just so I could try it, and boy was it good. The small chunks of spicy tuna were served on a sizzling hot plate, and what you've to do is to add some lime juice and soy sauce for flavour and then cook it all together with an egg. This is the first time that I've tried sisig, so the novelty was there and I found it really satisfying.

Himagsikan


Himagsikan actually means "revolution", and partly fits with the theme of Bonifacio and his role in the Philippine Revolution. For our purposes here, it was a delicious seafood dish that features aromatic Java rice (why "Java" in the Philippines eludes me) and extremely well-grilled seafood. What stood out the most was the grilled tuna, which was wonderfully tender and was still pinkish in the middle.


Ah, here's another look at my yummy Himagsikan. Lovely.

Daing na Bangus


The Daing na Bangus is actually deep-fried marinated milkfish served with mango tomato salsa. Loraine seemed to like it, and I'll (very conveniently so) quote her comments here: "Bonifacio's version was well marinated, and with the dip of native vinegar (pinakurat) [it] completed the works. It was cooked the Filipino way, fried until it's crispy (see how the fish ends were curled), just the way i like it. It was air flown from the Philippines, [and] thus it's a bit on the pricey side."

Chicken Inasal


It did look very simple, but the Chicken Inasal, grilled chicken marinated in annatto oil, turned out to be surprisingly very good. Xin Li's apt comments were as follows: "In Bonifacio’s Chicken Inasal, the breast meat was quite tender and slightly juicy. In addition, there is this sweet salad like thing that paired very well [with] the chicken as well as the accompanying sour and spicy sauce. In addition, the chicken was flavourful, [and] the meat was well-marinated." I couldn't agree more.

All-in-all, a good dinner at a place that demands a revisit for sure :)

Service
Excellent.

Price
$4.95 for the sago't gulaman
$5.95 for the fresh yellow mango shake
$12.95 for the tuna sisig
$22.95 for the himagsikan
$22.95 for the daing na bangus
$11.95 for the chicken inasal

* Prices subject to the usual 7% GST and 10% service charge.

Place
35 Kreta Ayer, along Keong Saik Road.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Invited Session: Oasis @ Grand Hyatt

This is the very last invited session that you will be reading on this blog. Thereafter, this blog will no longer be taking any more food tasting invites, for reasons that would be explained in further detail very soon. Interestingly though, I'd never meant to go on a tasting session at Oasis. It actually began with an e-mail reservation for an ala carte dinner for two, but it turned out that the Hyatt staff got wind of me and Glenn's Hyatt series posts and we were subsequently invited for Oasis' weekend grill buffet.


Poolside dining here at Grand Hyatt Singapore's Oasis Restaurant, with all the peace and quiet that you can ever ask for. Watch as this place gently descend into the night amidst the backdrop of jazz music, the soft lapping of waves, and the clinking of wine glasses.


And if you're the sort who worries about the rain spoiling your meal, rest assured, there's shelter as well as indoor seating available. Overall, Oasis is another testament to Hyatt's unpretentious dining environment, with only good food and good service to be found here. You can say I was quite impressed already.


And so, ladies and gentlemen, let us begin with dinner :)

Complimentary Garlic Bread, Cold & Hot Appetisers and Sides






There's such a range of appetisers here that I have no idea where to begin. The Toasted Garlic Bread was really good - light, crisp and flavoured as I like it to be, and it went pretty well with the Grilled Skirt Steak with Beansprouts. Glenn particularly adored the Smoked Ocean Trout which was very fresh and delicious indeed, but I stuck to my simple but satisfying Baked Potato with Turkey Bacon Bits.

There's Vegetable Fried Rice and Fried Kway Teow here as well, but seriously, who would want to load up on the carbs when you got grilled seafood and meats in waiting? And yes, there's Fresh Greens too for those who like to pretend that they're on diet.

Grilled Seafood Platter



Oh my, this is like a platter from the heavens, just like the meat platter coming up next. I honestly wanted to pay for this meal because I just want to rave, rave, and rave about it, but to insist on the bill at the end might have seemed rude, especially when it was so nicely arranged by Ms Rina, the marketing manager for Grand Hyatt Singapore.

The Grilled Squids and Prawns were really large and juicy, but the highlight definitely has to be the amazing Grilled Salmon Skewer which was done to perfection - fresh, sweet and oh so tenderly moist. The Grilled Seabass was good stuff too, chunks of delicious white meat that you just want to have more and more.

Grilled Meat Platter



There were undeniably some hits and misses on the meat platter. The Grilled Steak and Grilled Chicken were quite ordinary and in fact were really quite dry on some parts. The Lamb Chops and Chicken Sausage were alright, but the real and main highlights really were the Beef Sausages and most especially the Marinated Beef Ribs. If I'm back here again for dinner, I would just eat the salmon skewers and beef ribs the whole night long I tell you.

The beef ribs were so tender that I constantly amused myself tearing at the meat with the slightest of touches with my fork, while the beef sausages had herbs in them that made each bite bursting with flavours. You can't really see the sausages in the pictures because they're hidden under the thick slabs of meat, but they're definitely worth that precious tummy space.

Desserts






Speaking of tummy space, there's quite a fair bit of desserts on offer too. The Caramel Custard Pudding and Marble Chocolate Cake though were too simple and should not be allowed to take up even a millimetre of space in you. Try instead either the Blueberry Crumble Tart or the Baked Apple Tart, both of which fared way better on taste, texture and sweetness. Last but definitely not least, treat yourself to some Vanilla Bean Ice-Cream, or better still, my personal favourite Raspberry Sherbet that was so wonderfully light and refreshing.

I don't normally rave in such a manner for an invited tasting session, and you can imagine my dilemma when I was holding on to my wallet eager to take out my card to swipe for this well-deserved $80 meal ($68++). Nevertheless, it was a very satisfying meal indeed, so satisfying in fact that me and Glenn had trouble walking comfortably to Wheelock's Borders nearby because we were just so full. For this one and only exception, I'm going to add Oasis to the hall of fame in my precious A List.

Sincere thanks must definitely go to Ms Rina and Grand Hyatt Singapore once again for the generous invite to Oasis. I'm actually turning down the follow-up invite to Straits Kitchen (no offence Ms Rina!), and this is only because I would like to pay for my own meal as any respectable food blogger would. I know I will enjoy Straits Kitchen's buffet dinner for sure, so it makes it all the more necessary that I pick up the tab and present to you a fresh, non-invited post. If you are keen to know the reasons behind this new direction, stay tuned for that, it's coming up next :)

Price
$68++ for the weekend dinner buffet, inclusive of beer, wines and margaritas.

Place
Grand Hyatt Singapore, Level 5.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Manhattan Fish Market

I brought my family to the Manhattan Fish Market outlet at The Central because my sisters wanted some fish and chips, and having eaten at Fish & Co. only recently I suggested that we give Manhattan a try.


For those who frequent Plaza Singapura, you would agree with me that there's almost always a long queue waiting outside Manhattan, so the thought of such a wait can put some people off. I suggest you try the outlet at The Central at Clarke Quay then, which is bigger and has the option for al fresco dining as well. You have "booth" seats inside meanwhile, with cushions and comfortable seats.

Garlic Bread: 6.8/10
My sisters liked the bread, though I found it a bit uneven, soft at some sides, crisp at other ends. The garlic spread was a bit too strong on some parts too.

Flaming Platter for One: 8.1/10


Here's a little show for my dinner! Manhattan really gives the real meaning to flame-grilling by using a burner, but the prawns turned out really nice! They seem a tad charred, but it's really the butter and it doesn't taste burnt too.


Naturally, with identical menus (in fact, Manhattan was opened by a former operations manager of Fish & Co., and there was even a court case that ensued) you find yourself comparing between the two restaurants. Well, at least my Flaming Platter was something that Fish & Co. doesn't have, and this one from Manhattan was pretty good. The prawns, as I've mentioned, were delicious, while the grilled fish was very fresh. The fries are the same here, but the rice suits those who prefer it more buttery.

Fish and Chips: 7.5/10


Both of my sisters ordered a pacific dory fish and chips each. They found it alright, didn't see much difference to Fish & Co's. The fish tasted good, nicely fried on the outside. It's cheaper here though, at $9.90 compared to around $10-$11.90.

Seafood Platter for Two: 6.3/10


If you follow my link to Fish & Co. above, you can see that I had a similar Seafood Platter for Two. My parents had this dish at Manhattan, though they couldn't finish it by themselves and I had my fork in a few times. I think the presentation of the platter at Fish & Co. is better, and it's more generous with its prawns and oysters. Of course, I realised the platter at Manhattan is $3 cheaper, but this translates to 4-5 prawns as compared to Fish & Co.'s 10.


And then, I was thinking where's the mussels? Well, the mussels here come without the shells, but are instead deep fried, which I didn't like very much (personal preference). The deep fried calamari didn't taste as nice as Fish & Co.'s as well.

Service
Very good and polite.

Price
$2.90 for the garlic bread
$17.90 for the flaming platter for one
$9.90 for fish and chips
$34.90 for seafood platter for two

* Prices subject to the usual 7% GST and 10% service charge.

Place
Clarke Quay, The Central #02-79/90
Also: Plaza Singapura #06-70

Fish & Co.

The best seller at Fish & Co. has to be its platter for two. Perfect for couples or for trios of (weight-watching) ladies.

Platter for Two: 8/10



We requested for fried calamari instead of the usual grilled ones because the Daphne doesn't like them too chewy (or "rubbery" as she tried to explain it). These were not too bad, and the fish was very fresh too. Loved the prawns, quite a generous portion, though the baked mussels was ordinary and nothing to shout about. The rice wasn't too dry, adequately moist, while the fries were nicely crisp. Add in the chilli and tartar for more flavour!

Service
Very very good. Polite and attentive even when it was packed.

Price
$37.90++.

Place
The Glass House, Park Mall
For more, see: http://www.fish-co.com/loc_singapore.htm

Barnacles Restaurant

The highlight of Project Cookie Love, a special celebration named by yours truly for Daphne's 22nd birthday, has to be our dinner at Barnacles Restaurant at Rasa Sentosa Shangri-La Hotel. It took me a long time trying to arrange this dinner, but I really have to thank the manager, Ms Angel Lim, who attended to me and was very pleasant and accomodating with all the calls and emails. Thumbs up for service even before we actually stepped foot on this restaurant.


The fantastic and amazing thing about Barnacles is really its ambience. I had reserved a seat on the patio, and my goodness, what a beautiful view we got of the sea and yes, the sunset. The sea breeze was so refreshing and the gentle music playing in the background (and later, by the band) just keeps your mind completely at ease. And when the sun went down, the ship lights came up, lighting up the sea with dazzling colours against the velvety night sky. Simply beautiful atmosphere, and one of the perfect places for a romantic date really.

Bread Basket: 9/10


The complimentary bread basket was simply a joy to behold, especially for Daphne who really loves her bread. Dip into one of the two unique sauces - avocado and chilli crab - and you'll be asking for more and more!


In fact, I liked the chilli crab gravy so much that they happily gave me a whole bowl when all I asked was a small serving. They even asked us which bread we would particularly like more, all free of charge.

Ying Yang: 9.5/10


This appetiser is voted one of the top ten appetisers in Singapore, and we have no objections at all! The honey crispy squid was sweet and yes, crispily yummy, while the mayonnaise prawns had an awesome "invisible-like" batter that crunches in your mouth. The both of us were joking if we could order ten of this appetiser to fill in as our main course haha.

Chef's Mixed Grill: 8.8/10
"Grilled beef tenderloin, lamb chop and king prawns with potato gratin dauphinois served with porcini and morel sauce"


I like this picture because it shows how much aesthetic work goes into the food at Barnacles. The potato gratin was so soft and potatoey, and helped to complement the beef tenderloin and lamp chop, which were grilled close to perfection.

Mixed Seafood Skewer: 9/10
"Tiger prawns, salmon & butterfish with white wine butter sauce and vegetable ratatouille"


How good can a skewer get? Barnacles shows you how with its freshest array of seafood. The salmon and butterfish were so sweet and good, while the tiger prawns were definitely fatter and tastier than my king prawn. A tad burnt on a few corners, but that's not stopping us from giving this a high rating because of its quality taste.

Tiramisu Birthday Cake: 8.5/10


I pre-ordered this and it came as a surprise for the birthday girl. It was amazing how the staff got it done so fast when I told them it was time to spring the surprise, and how they arranged with the band the way we were all going to pop out from behind with me holding the cake, and everyone singing a birthday song.


On taste, it wasn't all too bad, but we had to take out the all too generous helping of whipped cream. The tiramisu mousse/cake was sweet, smooth and gets you on a high. Actually, I had pre-ordered a chocolate truffle cake, but they made a mistake and got out tiramisu instead. While it was quite alright to me, I realised later that they had actually decided to waive the cost to us because of the slip up. I called them up to say that I wouldn't mind tracking back on the shuttle bus to pay them, but they were sooooooooo awfully nice about it that you have to really admire Barnacles for its great service and how it values its customers.

Service
Perfect.

Price
$22.00 for the ying yang appetiser
$38.00 for the chef's mixed grill
$36.00 for the mixed seafood skewer
$15.00 for a 300gm chocolate truffle / tiramisu cake

Prices subject to 7% GST and 10% service charge.

Place
Waterfront (Level 1)
Rasa Sentosa Resort, Singapore
101 Siloso Road, Sentosa

Additional Comment
Not only was the food and service good, so was having the NUS DBS Mastercard. I found out only on the day itself (since it wasn't listed on the restaurant website) that I was entitled to a 15% discount. So now, the price was great too =)

Thumbs up to Barnacles Restaurant!