db Bistro Moderne, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

New Year saw us in Singapore and what better place to have dinner than at Marina Bay Sands!

After scanning through the celebrity chef restaurants, we decided to have dinner at db Bistro, as the menu piqued our interests.

“db Bistro Moderne offers an exciting mix of traditional French bistro cooking with contemporary American flavors, and a world-renown collection of signature burgers. Chef Daniel Boulud reinterprets the classic Parisian bistro while sharing the energy and style of his acclaimed db Bistro Moderne in Midtown Manhattan.” - http://www.dbbistro.com/singapore/about/

Let’s start with the appetizers!

Prosciutto Ham, 20 grams (SGD 35)

Gaj: The ham was nothing short of amazing! I have always loved prosciutto and this did not disappoint! Definitely will have seconds!

Shiv: A fantastic way to start our meal – the prosciutto was cured to perfection, with a good balance of brine and meat. It was not too dried out, and the accompanying rocket salad and bruschetta made for a magnificent marriage of flavours.

Kav: Generally love prosciutto, but this one just elevated that feeling of love to obsession. Savoury, brine-y goodness!

Seafood and Vegetable Aioli, Olive Oil Poached Cod, Tiger Prawns, Market Vegetables, Garlic Aioli (SGD 18)

Gaj: The cod was very disappointing as it lacked flavour and the garlic aioli was equally flavourless. The prawns were alright, but unfortunately, it was not enough to make up for the disappointment.

Shiv: The prawns and mussels were fresh and the assorted vegetables were dressed well. However, the unacceptably stale cod completely put us off this one! And, is it just me, or who serves breadsticks at a place like this?!?!

Kav: Shock through my heart!!!! Bad Bad Bad!!! Cod was dried out (It’s an oily fish, hardly needs any help), garlic aioli - blah blah blah, the rest - blah blah blah

Escargots Persillade, Herbed Garlic Almond Butter Roasted Tomatoes (SGD 25)

Gaj: Not the best escargots that I have had, but the herbed garlic almond butter sauce was divine!

Shiv: Good, but certainly did not blow my socks off! The earthiness of the herbed-almond butter provided a nice contrast to the pungent garlic flavour, but the texture of the flesh itself wasn’t as palatable as can be. I have certainly tasted better. (Try: Acme Bar and Coffee)

Kav: Loved this dish, garlic-almond butter was earthy and savoury at the same time, which made for an explosion in my mouth.

Oliver’s Alsatian Tarte Flambée Fromage Blanc, Bacon, Onion (SGD 18)

Gaj: This was a simple dish and it was good!

Shiv: Nice take on the classic Italian pizza, this French favourite was sublime in its simplicity. The chef relied on the perfect union of gruyere, bacon and thinly-rolled bread dough to carry the dish, and rightfully so, as it needed little else.

Kav: The most amazing part of this dish was that there was almost nothing in it. Just goes to show that the medley of a few key ingredients makes for an incredible dish. Cheese, bacon, chives & onion... Yum!!!

Now on to the mains!

Saffron Tagliolini, Fresh Spanner Crab, Tomatoes, Chili Italian Parsley, Lemon and Olive Oil (SGD 38)

Gaj: This dish was really disappointing, the crab was not infused in the pasta and the lemon and olive oil was not enough to carry the dish. Overall, there was a general lack of flavour.

Shiv: This dish looked and sounded better than it actually tasted! The pasta lacked oomph, and the spanner crab, which was expected to do all the work in rendering flavour to the dish, fell short of doing so. Shame!

Kav: Agree with Gaj that there was a general lack of flavour. I din get no crab flavour, y’all! This made for bland pasta!

Duck Confit, Brussels Sprout Marmalade, Roasted Potatoes, Grilled Sweet Onions, Natural Jus (SGD 36)

Gaj: The duck confit was amazing! The flesh just fell off the bone and the accompanying sauce was nothing short of perfection! Really really good!

Shiv: Possibly the best duck confit I have ever tasted! The duck was beautifully brined, and the skin was crisped to a perfect brown. The flesh was sublimely savoury and moist without being too lardy, making the meat magnificently moreish. This main DOES NOT NEED sauce or sides, for that matter.

Kav: This was just so fatty, greasy and salty, and the skin… Mmm… So help me god if I have to be that sinful again!!! The skin was just cooked perfectly, without being dried-out, and accompanied the tender duck meat beautifully.

The original db Burger, Sirloin Burger filled with Braised Short Ribs and Foie Gras served on a Parmesan Bun (SGD 42)

Gaj: True to its reputation, this place does serve world-class burgers! This is definitely one of the best burgers that I have ever eaten. The meat was done perfectly, and who knew foie gras and beef would make such a good couple!

Kav: What on earth?!?!?! Are you telling me that I have been through 28 years of life, and not tasted only the most incredible meat in the world? %$#!$!$%! It was truly the most amazing burger I have ever tried. The patty was so juicy and savoury, with just the right cook (medium rare – no better way, trust me.), and the flavours that came through, ooh… It was almost like having a pork and lamb patty all at once. TOOOOOOOO GOOD!!!

Now for the best part of the meal... Desserts!

Profiteroles (SGD 15)

Gaj: This is definitely the best profiteroles that I have ever tried - the chocolate sauce was soo good, I must have died and gone to heaven – totally AMAZEBALLS!

Shiv: Tasty, but not the best I’ve tried (La Vie En Rose makes ‘em better!). The pastry was fluffy, and filled adequately with custard, and the chocolate ganache topping coated the pastry balls nicely, without overwhelming the dessert.

Kav: One of the best profiteroles I have tried, as the chocolate was smooth and a tad bitter (just the way I like it) and the cream puffs were light and fluffy, which carried the heavy ice cream and chocolate perfectly. Also, love the fact that it was not too sweet, as most profiteroles are.

Crème Brûlée (SGD 12)

Gaj: Very very good crème brûlée. Would definitely have seconds! Yums!

Shiv: A very well-executed dessert! The subtle orange-flavour infusion and the texture of the custard base were perfect, without being too egg-y. Also, the burnt caramel layer on the top was flambéed faultlessly – no annoying burnt bits! One of my favourites of the French dessert variety, db’s version hit all the sweet spots. Only wish it came in a larger portion!

Kav: Probably one of the best crème brûlée I have tried, in a long time. It was creamy and smooth, without being overly sweet, plus the flambé was done just right, without burning the sugar, that is.

Verdict: WOK ON!

PRICE: Expensive. SGD426.07 for 7 dishes, 2 desserts, 4 glasses of wine and 1 fruit juice. However, this is expected for an establishment such as db Bistro Moderne, not to mention, it is one of the cheaper celebrity chef restaurants at MBS, Singapore.

AMBIENCE: Cosy, warm with a modern bistro vibe – perfect for a date or business lunch/dinner, or even for family get-togethers. There is also a 15-seater bar as well as an informal lounge area for casual dining and a private room seating up to 20.

SERVICE: Food arrived promptly and the service was excellent, despite the restaurant being very busy for New Years Eve. Kudos to the staff of db!

FOOD: Good. The original db burger, duck confit and desserts are a MUST TRY!

db Bistro Moderne

B1-48 Galleria Level (across from the theater)

Marina Bay Sands,

10 Bayfront Avenue

Singapore

Tel: +65 6688 8525

Website: http://www.dbbistro.com/singapore/

Opening Hours:-

Lunch
Monday - Friday 12:00pm - 5:00pm

Weekend Brunch
Saturday - Sunday 11:00am - 5:00pm

Dinner
Sunday & Monday 5:30pm - 10:00pm
Tuesday - Saturday 5:30pm - 11:00pm

Capri Restaurant Bar and Pizzeria, Lumut

A recent visit to the coastal town of Lumut had us prowling the area for a suitable location to enjoy a leisurely lunch with loved ones. Once a fishing village, it is now the home base of the Royal Malaysian Navy and the Lumut jetty forms the entry point to the famed Pangkor Island – a popular tourist destination.

No doubt, Lumut is well-known for its abundance in seafood items, and as such, we chose to dine at an Italian-inspired restaurant, located unassumingly at one of the back alleys of the town.

Our samplings for the day included:

Pizza Salmone e Capperi – Smoked salmon and capers (RM36).

Shiv: Delicious! The salmon was super fresh and smoked to perfection and capers added a nice tartness to the pizza. The crust was done well and the resulting dish was just sublime.

Kav: The pizza was simply delicious. The smoked flavor from the salmon was complimented by the piquant flavours from the capers. The best part…unlike most salmon pizzas, this one did not have a cream cheese topping.

Linguine ai Gamberi e Capperi – Prawns and capers in spicy garlic sauce (RM26).

Shiv: The pasta was al dente and the prawns were succulent and flavourful. The spicy garlic sauce was deliciously savoury and carried the dish amazingly. Yummylicious!

Kav: The pasta was well quoted with the spicy garlic sauce. The fresh prawns and the accompanying flavors from the olives and capers made this dish grand.

Fish & Chips – Fish fillet dipped in batter, deep-fried and served with potato chips and salad (RM23).

Shiv: The fish was moist and fell apart instantly upon prodding! The batter was also not too thick, and added a lovely crisp exterior to the fantastically fluffy fish. Also, nice to know that they did not overlook the potato chips, as they were crispy and NOT rancid.

Kav: This dish would have been great if the batter was less thick. The winning point, however, was that the fish was cooked and seasoned well.

Fish Parmigiana – Pan-fried fish fillet topped with pizzaiola sauce and melted cheese (RM26).

Shiv: The pièce de résistance of Capri, this parmigiana was prepared beautifully with the fish taking centre stage and the cheese and tomato purée layer not overwhelming the entire dish (as it sometimes can). Again, the fish was really fresh and the potatoes were baked stunningly. Highly recommended!

Kav: Lovely dish. The cheese did not overwhelm the fish and the tomato purée was not overly sweet.

Tiramisu – Coffee soaked sponge fingers layered with mascarpone cheese (RM13).

Shiv: Amazing! The tiramisu was authentic and light, with attention paid to the individual layers. The distinct flavour notes of coffee and liqueur were very well-balanced and the mascarpone layer was whipped to a perfect consistency. Who would have thought, huh… =)

Kav: This one took me by surprise. It was just delish. The ratio of coffee-soaked sponge fingers to mascaporne was perfect, and had just the right amount of liqueur to enhance the dessert.

Mud Cake – Rich chocolate cake served with vanilla ice cream (RM13).

Shiv: OMG! They did not overstate the description on the menu, as it was chock-full of rich and moist chocolate, without being cloying! Good quality chocolate was used and the vanilla ice cream elevated this to a whole different level. A mighty fine creation, I might add.

Kav: Again, kudos to the chef, as it was an excellent chocolate cake. The cake was moist, rich and just heavenly. Loves!!!

Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Ice Cream (RM10 per single scoop or RM19 for double scoop).

Shiv: I am not a big fan of chocolate ice cream, but this was good. It was light, easy to eat and had just the right amount of cocoa.

Kav: Love chocolate ice creams and this one was really good!!!

Verdict: WOK ON!

PRICE: Average. RM170.50 for 4 mains and 3 desserts (5pax).

AMBIENCE: Cool café atmosphere with a warm and cosy interior, and a rustic bar adorning one side of the restaurant. Reminiscent of an old English pub, this eatery has al fresco dining options available for those who want to enjoy the lovely sea breeze.

SERVICE: Excellent. The staff was pleasant and attentive, and food arrived promptly.

FOOD: Delicious. Very fresh seafood, with good flavour infusions. A must-try, if you happen to find yourself in Lumut!

CAPRI RESTAURANT, BAR AND PIZZERIA

4174, JALAN SULTAN IDRIS SHAH,

32200 LUMUT

PERAK

Tel/Fax: 05-683 3112

Opening hours:

Mon - Sun: 11:30 am - 11:30 pm

Ante Kitchen and Bar, Solaris Dutamas

What do you do when you come across a menu on an easel outside a restaurant with too many delicious sounding items that you just have to stop and consider dining there? Well, we found ourselves in one such situation and without much ado, gave in to temptation. =)

Once seated, we were greeted by a feisty waiter eager to take our order. We were informed that they had a full house for lunch, and some of their favourites were finished. But fret not, as we are sharing some pretty amazing things that our palates experienced here.

Now, on to the good stuff…

1. Angry Piglets: Very very spicy pork sausages and crispy bacon strips (RM20).

Kav: Yummylicious!!! Loved the savoury and somewhat spicy sausages. They were moist and the additional pork flavour from the bacon, made this dish sing!!! The sweet sauce was a good contrast to the briny sausage, but I still prefer the sausages on its own.

Shiv: Delicious! The pork sausages were flavoured and crisped well and the bacon was sublime! I didn’t care much for the accompanying sweet sauce, as the porky flavour was more than enough to carry the dish. The sausages were not as spicy as warned on the menu, so chilliphobes, go right ahead and order this.

Gaj: I enjoyed this dish, very nicely done. =) I passed on the sauce, as it was too sweet for my liking!

2. Signature Chorizo & Bacon Pizza: An all-time favourite pizza in Ante. Generous amounts of pork chorizo, bacon, tomato purée and heaps of cheese (RM27).

Kav: The pizza had a crispy crust. However, the tomato puree overwhelmed the entire dish, making it overly sweet. To top it off there was an insufficient amount of chorizo and bacon, making for a slightly bland pizza.

Shiv: A simple, easy-to-eat pizza, with a well-made crust. I would have appreciated a bit more pork chorizo and bacon bits, as the cheese and tomato puree overwhelmed the pizza slightly. May not be the best pork pizza around, but a good effort nonetheless.

Gaj: The base was too tomato-y, but it was not bad! More sausage and bacon bits would have helped to make it less tomato-y.

3. Sweet Belly: Roasted Pork Slices, ready to be dipped in Ante’s house made caramelized sauce (RM23).

Kav: The pork belly was cooked perfectly, with the edges crispy and yummy. Sadly there was just way too many layers of fat, making the dish slightly cloying. I couldn’t eat more than one.

Shiv: Holy mother of god, this should come with a government health warning! A generous platter of melt-in-your-mouth goodness, with a terrifically thick layer of lard and super scrumptious crisp on the skin. Definitely not heart or hip healthy, but oh-so-worth the sin. If you are a siew yoke fan, this one should not be missed.

Gaj: I found the pork belly to fatty for my liking. The skin was very well done and crisp, but the fat was too overwhelming. Not a big fan!

4. Caramelized Garlic Olio Pasta: A simple but tasty pasta with bacon, topped with caramelized garlic (RM23).

Kav: The pasta was good, but perhaps not the best pork pasta I have had. Perhaps they should consider replacing the caramelized garlic with sautéed garlic, as it would be more pungent and less sweet. Nevertheless, the savoury bacon and earthy mushrooms permeated the pasta and the oil used was just the right amount. Good effort.

Shiv: The pasta was coated well with beautifully caramelized garlic bits and the bacon and mushroom provided fantastic flavour. The best part – the pasta had the right amount of lubrication (if you will) and no repulsive pool of oil at the bottom of the bowl. Kudos to the chef!

Gaj: This pasta was really good – the mushroom complemented the bacon bits and there was a generous serving of bacon bits.

5. Up The Ante Pork Burger: Between this burger’s raisin buns are fresh lettuce, tomato, onions, sautéed mushroom, an egg with a runny-yolk and Ante’s special pork patty – wrapped in prime cuts of bacon strips (RM35).

Kav: Definitely one of the finest pork burgers I have tasted. The patty was like none other, savoury and perfectly flavoured. Not a big fan of the raisins. The bacon provided that oomph, which elevated the flavours in the burger. This is a serious pork burger for all you serious burger fans out there!!! Just too good!!!

Shiv: One of the best pork burgers I’ve tasted in recent times. I typically don’t like raisins, but was able to look past the buns as the burger in its entirety was deliciously juicy and savoury (with mild hints of sweetness). The burger did not turn soggy even after sitting a while on the table, and yet, the patty turned out to be so succulent. A true lip-smacker!

Gaj: The patty had some sweet elements to it, which I could not put a finger to, but it was still a good burger!

6. Char-grilled Pork Steak: Signature pork chop with berry cream sauce, served with mashed potatoes and baked apple (RM33/Boston cut and RM42/New York cut).

Kav: Hands down the best dish of the night!!! Just perfectly flavoured meat. The chef kept the flavours simplistic and allowed for the pork to shine. The cook on the pork was perfection and therefore the meat was juicy and had just the right amount of fat to give it flavour. I would suggest you eat the meat without the creamy cranberry sauce, as it takes away from the delicious pork flavour. Speechless!!!

Shiv: Sheer brilliance! The pork was simplistically flavoured with a salt and pepper rub hitting the palate, and the meat was not dried out. The New York cut, which we opted for, had loads of marbling and the resulting steak was juicy and very obviously in a league of its own!  Marvelous in its monstrosity, this one can easily be shared by 4-5pax.

Gaj: The pork was done very well though a tad salty.  Whilst I am not a big fan of huge steak pieces, this was quite enjoyable.

7. Baileys Brownies with Chocolate Ice Cream (RM15).

Kav: Simply scrumptious!!! I could hardly taste the Baileys, however the brownie was moist and chocolate-y. It was served with a very simplistic chocolate ice-cream, which I thought was really delicious, as it was not too sweet and just yummy. So yummy that we ordered an extra serving of the ice-cream.

Shiv: Absolutely divine! The brownie on its own was super moist, nutty and chocolate-y all at once, but when paired with the silky smooth chocolate ice cream, this dish was truly mouth-watering. They were a bit light-handed with the liqueur, but really, who’s counting… 

Gaj: The best dish of the night!!!! Omg, it was soo good, I could have had seconds all by myself. =) I would come back just for this dessert – amazing!!!

* We threw caution to the wind and ordered an additional scoop of chocolate ice cream, as we just couldn’t seem to get enough of this simple yet scrumptious treat (RM5).

Verdict: WOK ON!

PRICE: Moderate to expensive. RM209.00 for 7 food items (3pax and some leftovers).

AMBIENCE: Cool café atmosphere with a relaxed, modern-minimalist setting. Al fresco dining option is available.

SERVICE: Excellent. The staff was pleasant and attentive, and food arrived swiftly despite a full house (impressive!). Plates were cleared quickly and glasses were refilled continuously.

FOOD: Simply amazing. Every single one of the 7 items ordered was note-worthy if not mind-blowing. A definite must-try, especially if you’re a sucker for swine!

ANTE KITCHEN AND BAR

A2-G1-09, SOLARIS DUTAMAS,

NO.1, JALAN DUTAMAS 1,

50480 KUALA LUMPUR

Tel: 03-6206 3364

Opening hours:

Mon - Sun: 11:00 am - 1:00 am.