Morton's Steakhouse

Morton's The Steakhouse at the Mandarin Oriental is an institution in itself. Despite the likes of all those celebrity chef restaurants and what have you across the river at Marina Bay Sands, this legendary steakhouse has still held its own - and I'm sure will continue to do so for a long time. From the impeccable service to the thorough show-and-tell of the steak cuts, seafood and vegetables on offer for the night, Morton's is the place to be in Singapore for that perfect steak dinner.

Onion Loaf


Morton's mythical Onion Loaf is as huge as many have described it to be, and in all seriousness should be shared else you won't even get to appetisers. This soft, fragrant and considerably light bread is extremely addictive. With this baby on the table, you can't quite keep your hands to yourself in between all the courses - have it your way with olive oil, butter or soup. Oh, soup. Now, let's talk about soup.

Lobster Bisque


The Lobster Bisque was absolutely delicious. I couldn't have imagined that such a seemingly plain-looking soup could be this flavourful and rich. The generous serving of (what I believe to be) at least a third of a lobster was firm, fresh and sweet. Perfect.

Onion Soup


The travel buddy loves his Onion Soup, and if he couldn't get enough of it in Italy (or anywhere else) you can expect him to have another go at this as well. It was good meeting up with him after so long because we're already planning our next big trip to *___________* at the end of the year. It's still far away but I'm so excited! :D

Jumbo Lump Crab Cake


Morton's signature Jumbo Lump Crab Cake may be pricey, but such indulgences are more than justified with delectable fresh crab meat packed so tightly and neatly together. I liked the light hint of herbs that went into this as well.

Steak Fries


The Steak Fries were very much the wedges-type of "fries" compared to the shoestring or medium-cut ones, and would please those who love their fries more "potatoey" than crispy. It wasn't anything exciting, but the serving was impressive - even the two of us couldn't finish this.

Sautéed Button Mushrooms


The desperate attempt to balance an otherwise meat and carb-filled meal resulted in the (half-hearted) side order of Sautéed Button Mushrooms. In retrospect I'm glad we ordered this, because the mushrooms were moist and juicy and accompanied my steak well.

Did I say steak? :)

Presenting to you, the star of the evening!

New York Strip


When at Morton's, don't go kiddy and order a burger at the bar, or pretend to be shy and get the "smaller steaks". Go all the way and have that New York Strip! It's a big cut no doubt, but this was just amazing. Tender at every slice, and bursting with beefy goodness at every bite - I loved it from start to end. For those who like a little bit of bone, you're strongly recommended to try the porterhouse steak.

Filet Mignon


The travel buddy had his done the more moderate way, a Filet Mignon that is as good (but I'm sure, not necessarily as satisfying as mine haha!) as steak can get. As you can see, his is accompanied by the classic French Béarnaise sauce.

Crème Brûlée


Just too filled with bread, soup, crab cakes, fries, mushrooms and those awesome steaks, we shared a Crème Brûlée for that mandatory sweet round-up to the meal. While the vanilla-bean speckled custard was really good, the caramel crust was a little too thick and overwhelmed it quite a bit. Still, a decent attempt.

Service
Excellent.

Price
Newsflash! Morton's $95++ "Seafood and Steak Menu" set is back by popular demand, and will only be around till 31 March 2011.

* Take your pick and change your appetisers, sides and even steaks as you please!
1) No extra charge for change of Morton's salad (eek!) to Onion Soup; $5++ supplement for upgrade to Lobster Bisque.
2) No extra charge for change of "Signature Potato" to Steak Fries or Sautéed Mushrooms.
3) $22++ supplement for change of single cut Filet Mignon to the New York Strip.

$20++ for the Crème Brûlée.

Place
Mandarin Oriental Singapore, Fourth Storey.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D;
Pictures are blur because of low-light conditions.

Bloggers Outing: Shashlik

It's been a long while but I finally found time to meet up with some of the bloggers for dinner at old school Shashlik. I really did miss coming to such gatherings of food, cameras and good company, and was delighted to see them all again. The bloggers' roll of the evening is as follows:

Xin Li from The Four Moose
Frances from Foodies Queen
Jer Lin from Le Petit Connoisseur
Harris from The Simplest Aphrodisiac
Daniel and Lay Sian from Memoirs of Food
Fen and Yuan from Indulgence After Work-Out

And without further ado, let's head on to the food, food, food!

Buns with SCS Butter


The Warm Bun was soft and light, pure and simple.

Garlic Bread


The crispy Garlic Bread was a perfect accompaniment to the soups. Even more so when some of them were terribly bland and needed some finishing up to do (see below).

Mushroom Soup


The Mushroom Soup was sadly quite tasteless and diluted. It tasted like it was out from a can and had too much water added to it. I couldn't go past half of this.

Borsch Soup


Shashlik's Borsch Soup received more favourable comments from the table. The dollop of sour cream gave this tomato-based soup of potatoes, beef, carrots and cabbage a more creamy feel without being too over-powering.

Black Pepper Steak


My Black Pepper Steak, though tender, was overwhelmed by the thick sauce. There was nothing spectacular to it and in fact merely reminded me of a Jack's Place-type of steak, complete with the hot-plate. For the price I'm paying, I would take Astons Prime anytime.

Chicken Shashlik


The Shashlik, the Russian rendition of the Shish kebab, is where this restaurant got its name from, and is one of the most popular items on the menu. Here's what Xin Li had to say!

"The Shashlik of Chicken was served on a hot plate with mixed vegetables and fries. In humble opinion, it was palatable. The chicken was quite tender with a nicely charred skin. Unfortunately, at this price, I felt that it lacks flavor or the punch to set it apart from what a Western Food hawker can reproduce. In fact, certain parts of the chicken have a very mild gamey aftertaste." (Xin Li, 2010)

Chicken A La Kiev Imperial


Jer Lin's order of the Chicken A La Kiev Imperial was an interesting one, in large part because of that sprout of paper at the tip of the battered chicken. Lying on a thick toast, it seemed like a king on his bed.

"The chicken breast meat was satisfying tender, and was, interestingly, stuffed with butter. However, the toast was too stiff for my liking, though it was deep-fried to a golden crisp." (Jer Lin, 2010)

Chicken A La King


In contrast, Frances' Chicken A La King did not seem fit for royalty (unless perhaps it's for a really old king who needs a slightly softer diet). This is stewed chicken served with mixed vegetables and steamed rice. Not something I would order or enjoy.

Fish en Papilotte


Daniel and Lay Sian's order of the baked Fish en Papilotte seemed somewhat soft and healthy. I'll let you know what they thought about it when they get their post up heh.

Baked Ikan Kurau with Cheese


For a Russian-themed restaurant, they seem to have adopted the use of the Malay language too. The Baked Ikan Kurau with Cheese was like a baked rice dish but I'm not sure if it was good, or not.

Service
Good. On a packed evening, be prepared to wait a bit for your food to be served.

Price
$6 for the Mushroom Soup
$7 for the Borsch Soup
$26 for the Black Pepper Steak
$18.50 for the Chicken Shashlik
$19 for the Chicken A La Kiev Imperial
$19 for the Chicken A La King
$22 for the Fish en Papilotte
$21 for the Baked Ikan Kurau with Cheese

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

Place
Far East Shopping Centre, #06-19.
Note: This is beside Wheelock Place, not the Grand Hyatt Singapore.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Beijing, China: Cèpe @ Ritz Carlton

My love for all things Italian knows no bounds. No matter where my journeys will take me, I am sure little Italy will have a special place in my heart. On food, there is nothing pretentious about the cuisine, for what you find is something both hearty and heart-warming, and one which takes pride in delivering richness in almost intricate simplicity. It is little wonder then that even in a roast duck-filled holiday in Beijing I craved for pasta, more than I thought I should and more than I expected myself to be, and for that reason alone I found myself in one of the best places in China that could possibly satiate that intimate longing - Cèpe at Beijing Financial Street's Ritz-Carlton.


Cèpe is a modern and posh Italian restaurant which prides itself in quality food and service that one would naturally expect from The Ritz-Carlton. Its setting, sleek and classy, is also at once cosy and even romantic, and is perfect for that special occasion you've been trying to plan all along. Pure love.

Bread Basket


There is nothing more welcomed than a warm Bread Basket to whet your appetite. From the all-too-familiar fragrant foccacia to the crisp breadsticks and to the soft and supple ciabatta, these breads were quite simply a delight to have and to indulge leisurely in.

Amuse-Bouche


The Amuse-Bouche arrived in the form of a smoked amberjack atop a small bed of greens and a piece of herb-crusted bread. It was delicate and pleasant.

Zuppa di funghi porcini con castagne e rustico di ragu’ d’anatra al tartufo
Porcini mushroom soup with chestnuts


That Cèpe was named after porcini mushrooms, a traditional mainstay in Italian cooking, was no coincidence or gimmick. Chef de Cuisine Eugenio Iraci takes this ingredient seriously, and even oversees a mushroom humidor which houses a premium selection of dried and fresh mushrooms. The marks of care and quality was immediately evident from the Zuppa di Funghi Porcini, as it bore the rich flavour of the mushrooms from the very first spoonful. Thick and savoury, this soup is undoubtedly one of the best mushroom soups that I've had the honour of trying.

Linguine con astice, pomodoro fresco e basilico
Linguini with Boston lobster, fresh tomato and basil


"Sorry, what was that?" I asked puzzledly, as the well-groomed Italian manager leaned forward and suggested something in Chinese.

"Oh," he blinked, and then grinned, "Would you like to have some black pepper?"

Chuckling, I nodded and watched as he sprinkled some pepper on the pasta. When he was done, I thought it would only be gracious to address him in a way more familiar to him.

"Grazie," I smiled.

Taking an about-turn, he looked at me and laughed, "I speak to you in Chinese, and you speak to me in Italian."

"But I'm not Chinese, I mean, I'm not from China," I explained, "I'm from Singapore".

"Ah, Singapore, you come all the way here? On holiday?"

"Yes, but I'm missing Italian food... a lot." Then I added, "Been having too much Peking ducks as well."

Nodding, he smiled, "Then you must enjoy dinner tonight."

And boy, did I.


The Linguine con Astice was nothing short of amazing. It may even be possible that this is even better than Otto Ristorante's rendition of the Boston Lobster Linguine. While similarly done to al dente perfection, the pasta scored on its rich sauce which was thick, sweet and most importantly of all, authentic. And although I ordered a serving for one, it seemed to me like a whole lobster was used, but not that I'm complaining of course. Firm, juicy and fresh, the chunks of lobster were simply delicious. At one glance this dish looks simple, but each forkful was a magical weave of flavours, and pure pleasure.

Apple Crumble Tart with Vanilla Gelato

"Can I get you some dessert then?" the same Italian manager offered as he wheeled in the dessert trolley.

I paused. Desserts are always difficult.

"I can't decide between the tiramisu and the apple crumble," I admitted, "But I'm leaning towards the crumble... I think."

"Ah, the apple tart." His eyes twinkled and he made small wave at the tart as if he was a magician. "I know the best way to eat it."

I knew what was the best way I would eat it, but I wanted to be sure. "Tell me."

Clasping his hands, he said, "I'll warm it up till it's really hot, and then put a delicious scoop of cold vanilla gelato on the side."

This man knows his desserts too.

"I would love that please," I smiled.


And true enough, the Apple Crumble Tart with Vanilla Gelato turned out to be a winner. The tart was crisp on its ends but not overly crumbly, while fresh caramelised apple slices adorned its middle like priceless gems on a crown. The cold and creamy vanilla gelato, so beautifully dotted with vanilla beans, matched the hot crumble tart wonderfully.

Service

"Excuse me," I waved to the waiter, "You left out my dessert in the bill."

The Chinese waiter took a look at the bill, frowned and disappeared for a moment with it. When he returned, he was smiling, "Our manager would like you to know that desserts are on him. He hopes you liked the dessert."

"Oh, I loved it," I said, as I got up, "But please, let me see him so I can thank him personally."

In all Italian warmth and hospitality, the manager put whatever he was doing aside and shook my outstretched hand with both of his. "If you return to Beijing, please come again," he said, "And maybe, try more desserts next time."

We exchanged cards, and with all honesty I said I hoped to return to Cèpe someday. Turning the card, I looked for a name - Alberto Michieli. A true Italian gentleman indeed.

This was definitely one of my best meals of the year.

Price
110RMB for the Zuppa di Funghi Porcini
325RMB for the Linguine con Astice
90RMB for a glass of Italian white wine
60RMB for a bottle of still water

* Prices subject to 15% service charge.

Place
The Ritz-Carlton Beijing, Financial Street
Xicheng District, Beijing.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

The Bistro @ NUSS Suntec City Guild House II

You may have read about my dinner at NUSS Suntec City's The Bistro, but here is a post on its new August set menu that features a fusion theme. In case you hadn't known, entry to The Bistro is for NUSS members only, but of course you can always get a member to bring you in. The Suntec City Guild House also has a grill night on weekends, and I do hope I can find some time to try that soon!

Complimentary Garlic Bread


Dinner this time round at The Bistro was with Ms Sugar Elaine, who I must add is a grand pastry chef in the making. I have every faith in her that she will be a big name in the industry in the years to come.

Cream of Wild Mushroom


The Cream of Wild Mushroom was not too bad, the kind with grainy mushroom bits that I very much prefer to the white, soupy types. A good blend of portobello, shiitake and button mushrooms.

Grilled Prawns & Baby Scallops with Goma Chilli Jam on Agedashi Tofu


I felt a little "cheated" with my choice of appetiser. The name Grilled Prawns & Baby Scallops with Goma Chilli Jam on Agedashi Tofu was a bit of a misnomer in itself because there was only one prawn and one scallop to speak of. Simple but with little flavour to it.

Cured Sichuan Pepper Salmon with Sweet Wasabi Dressing on a Bed of Fresh Mesclun Leaves


Ms Sugar's choice appetiser looked pretty but probably too healthy for me haha.

Five-Spice Honey Roast Duck with Peppercorn Cream and Boiled Red French Beans


You know I love my duck, like the awesome duck confit at The Black Sheep Café, or the roast Nantaise duck from the Michelin-starred Il Ristorante Trussardi Alla Scala in Milan. The Five-Spice Honey Roast Duck with Peppercorn Cream is definitely something worthy of mention as well, because I really liked the tenderness of the duck as well as the addictive peppercorn cream sauce. I do wish there was more duck to indulge in!

Oven Roasted Chilean Cod Steak


Ms Sugar wanted a change for her main course, and chose the Oven Roasted Chilean Cod Steak from the à la carte menu. It was a big chunk of cod for sure, and she did say it was quite good.

Baked Almond Peach Tart with Vanilla Ice-Cream


I gave the set menu's dessert a chance but it turned out to be quite disappointing because of its (tiny) size. While I liked the flaky crust and sweet insides, it's just too small to be satisfying at all.

Orange Cheesecake


Best advice? Order from the à la carte menu, and besides all you pay is 50% of its labelled price. Ms Sugar's choice of an Orange Cheesecake was as good as my Mango Passion Cheesecake from my previous visit, and for almost the same reasons too. We liked how the sweet and tangy orange flavour (with orange bits too) mixed so well with the slightly sour and smooth cheesecake.

Service
Excellent.

Price
$28++ for the four-course set meal(comes with free flow soft drinks as well as coffee or tea at the end of the meal),
Additional $3.50++ for the cream of wild mushroom soup,
Additional $14.00++ for the oven roasted chilean cod steak,
Additional $3.50++ for the orange cheesecake.

Place
Suntec City, Level 5.

Additional Comment
For members only. Members, however, are allowed to bring guests.

Pictures taken with the Canon Ixus 80 IS.

Rome, Italy: Piazza Navona

The thing about being on holiday is that oftentimes I don't really bother about getting the best pictures of my food, because what I really want is to savour it all hot and fresh. At times, as was the case here, I didn't even take notice on what the name of the restaurant was! Hopefully the picture of this place could be useful enough, and it's just one of the few restaurants at the ristorante-end of the peaceful Piazza Navona.


The food here, and regrettably so, wasn't that much big of a deal. So if you're planning a trip to Rome and thinking of food places, Piazza Navona is probably just good for its Tartufo. Food-wise, the restaurant featured in this post is in the same row as The Scalini. Food-wise, the bread was tough as usual, while the Zuppa di Cipolle (onion soup) was a bit too salty for our liking. James thought his simple Lasagne al Forno was just about alright without being overly impressive.


Perhaps not too surprisingly, I once again got the better end of the meal, with my Spaghetti Frutti di Mare being quite satisfying. Fresh mussels, squids, cuttelefish and a couple of prawns adorn this dish, but what was more worthy of mention was the firm texture of the pasta. Loving it done al dente in Italy :)


I like the way the Piazza descends into its own comfy atmosphere with nightfall, and this is perhaps one of the best times that you can indulge in the sinfully good Tartufo and then sip on a good cuppa of cappuccino.

Service
Very good and helpful.

Price
€5 for a (good) cup of cappuccino
€8 for the zuppa di cipolle
€11 for the lasagne al forno
€14 for the spaghetti frutti di mare

Place
Piazza Navona,
Rome, Italy.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Invited Session: Food Republic

This is the first of the last three invited sessions 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 next week. For now, let us feast our eyes on what the latest addition to the Food Republic family at 313 @ Somerset has to offer us.

Nonya Chap Chye & Ayam Buah Keluak


The Straits Chinese Nonya Restaurant is one of four "mini restaurants" at 313's Food Republic and is run by the owners of Guan Hoe Soon, a notable Straits Chinese restaurant in Joo Chiat Place. In the couple of hours that I was here I spotted numerous orders of their signature Nonya Fish Head Curry and it did look quite good. The Ayam Buah Keluak meanwhile is a common Nonya dish and the rendition here was quite good with that balance of sweet and spicy.

Price: $6.80 for the nonya chap chye, $12.80 for the ayam buah keluak


Yong Tau Foo


For those who would love something healthy, there's always good ol' yong tau foo from Cuppage Plaza stalwart Orchard Yong Tau Foo. But, if you would prefer something unhealthy (whilst pretending to be healthy), go deep-fried and ampang at my favourite yong tau foo stall at Suntec City. [Price: $0.70 per piece (minimum 6 pieces)]

Prawn Noodles


I've not eaten much prawn noodles in my life, so I can't give much of a commanding opinion if this met the mark. Nevertheless, this bowl of prawn noodles from 3rd Generation Laksa and Prawn Noodles arrived hot and with a pretty enticing fragrance surrounding it. I also hear the hearty prawn broth comes with added collagen which is great for your complexion, interesting stuff. [Price: $4 / $6.50 / $8]

Mutton Gulai with Rice



Dapur Padang hails from West Sumatra and sure does serve a fairly authentic Indonesia-style curry. Most of the meat chunks I got were tender and a joy to chew on, while the thick gravy went well with white steamed rice. [Price: $7 (with rice)]

Stir-Fried Ma La


We are normally familiar with ma la soups but I personally think this stir-fried variation from Piao Xiang Ma La Xiang Guo is really quite good. Choose from a variety of seafood, meat and vegetable ingredients and they would whip it all up for you with the homemade ma la sauce, herbs, dried chillies and nuts, to name a few. This is definitely something worth trying if you like things spicy. [Price: Seafood: $5.50-6.50 per 100g / Vegetables: $1.50-$3.00 per 100g / Meat: $4 per 100g / Mushrooms: $4 per l00g]

Mixed Sliced Fish Soup


The mixed sliced fish soup from Ed's Fish Delights has always been a central feature of my meals at Food Republic outlets because of the delicious fish slices and tasty soup. If you find beauty in simplicity, this would be it. [Price: $5 (with rice)]

Chendol

After a hearty (and oftentimes, spicy) meal, do save some room for something sweet to keep everything in perfect harmony. Thick and creamy chendol works fine for me any day. [Price: $2.80]

Place
Food Republic, 313 @ Somerset, 5th Floor.

Additional Notes
1. Thank you Veronica and Food Republic for the food tasting invite :)
2. First picture property of Sixth Sense Communications.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.