Le Fusion @ Robertson Quay - Contemporary Tinkering With A Unique Twist of Ingredients

Le Fusion at Robertson Quay is a chic restaurant and bar opened by husband and wife duo. The duo has put together an array of modern Chinese dishes inspired from the travel around the world.

Focaccia Rose Mantou 3/5

Diners at Le Fusion will be greeted with the Focaccia Rose Mantou. Similar to the bread and butter served at a Western restaurant, the mantou is made from a blend of pumpkin and original flour with hints of oregano paired with vinaigrette dressing on the side.

Rougle Foie Gras 4/5

An unusual pairing is the Rougle Foie Gras ($25). The pan-seared foie gras rest atop a bed of Chinese glutinous rice, elevated by the tangy mandarin orange-infused in-house sauce. The combination may sound weird, but surprisingly it is pleasantly balanced with a refreshing touch.

Imperial Double Boiled Soup 4.5/5

The Imperial Double Boiled Soup ($28) is Le Fusion's luxe rendition of the traditional Buddha Jump Over the Wall. The nutritious soup which has been double-boiled overnight is packed with richness drawn from the essence of the premium ingredients such as abalone, scallop, dried oyster and a myriad of Chinese herbs. I would recommend having a sip of its original taste before adding the Nu Er Hong Rice Wine, which gives the soup a new taste profile with an added tinge of sweetness.

Crispy Pork Belly Mantou 3.5/5

A delightful dish on the menu is the Crispy Pork Belly Mantou ($12). The slow-roasted succulent pork belly with crispy crackling skin is sandwiched between soft fluffy mantou with a mix of marinated salted vegetables, mayonnaise and crushed peanuts. While I enjoyed the dish, I thought the sweet and spicy Thai chilli sauce may be a better alternative to the mayonnaise.

Braised Abalone Seafood Rice 3.8/5

The Braised Abalone Seafood Rice ($38) is an "atas' version of the Chinese Mui Fan. The rice is drenched in a special savoury consomme and comes with a medley of seafood such as Tasmania 6-head abalone, scallops, fish, squids, mussels and prawns.

Trio Pasta 3/5

Still on carbo is the colourful Trio Pasta ($38). The trio pasta flavours are green pesto, red chilli crab and sesame squid ink. While it is pleasing to the eyes, it doesn't really translate to the taste.

Crispy Pork Roulade 3.5/5

Moving to the meats, we started with the Crispy Pork Roulade ($32).  The pork belly is stuffed with a mixture of uncased sausage meat and roasted in the oven. The result is a succulent interior with a crisp, crunchy exterior. It is paired with baby tomato soaked overnight in Shanghainese plum wine, deep-fried mantou and piquillo yuzu emulsion.

Asian Crusted Provencal Lamb Rack 4/5

Coated with breadcrumbs and Provencal herbs is the Asian Crusted Provencal Lamb Rack ($46). I enjoyed the rub on the lamb rack, giving it a beautiful flavour complementing the tender lamb rack.

Tsingtao Beef Fillet 3.5/5

Lastly, we have the Tsingtao Beef Fillet ($42) which has been tenderized through 12-hour infusion with Tsingtao beef. While the meat is cooked to perfect tender, I didn't like the bitterness beer taste that distracted me from appreciating the natural sweetness of the meat. What stood out was actually the cauliflower pommes mash at the side. It was so soft and delicious.

Le Fusion Chendol 3/5, Panna Cotta with Sweet Glutinous 3/5

Wrapping up the dinner we have the Le Fusion Chendol ($14) and Panna Cotta with Sweet Glutinous ($14). I preferred the panna cotta over the chendol. The chendol lacked the coconut milk fragrant and gula melaka bittersweetness. I also think the restaurant needs to reconsider how the desserts are served. Though it looks elegant in a glass, it is hard for the diners to get to the ingredients to enjoy the dessert.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Le Fusion
The Pier at Robertson Quay
80 Mohamed Sultan Road
#01-7/8/9
Singapore 239013
Tel: +65 63639966
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Fort Canning (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 5pm - 1am
Sun: 4pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Fort Canning MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to traffic junction of Clemenceau Ave and River Valley. Cross the road. Turn left and walk down Clemenceau Ave. Turn right onto Unity Street. Then left onto Merbau Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Wine & Chef @ Keong Saik Road - Hearty Italian Fare With Largest Range Of Exclusive Italian Wines

I visited Wine & Chef at Keong Saik Road  back in May 2017 when it first opened its door. It is good to see that the restaurant continues to serve up Italian fare incorporating Asian ingredients to pair with their range of exclusive Italian boutique wine. My re-visit is to checkout their newly revamped menu put together by the new Chef Darence Wee, previously from Les Amis group.

Gorgonzola & Italian Ciabatta 3.5/5

Before starting with the mains, you may want to order some small bites to nibble on such as the Gorgonzola & Italian Ciabatta ($9). I am not a big fan of blue cheese as I find them too sharp for my liking. However the gorgonzola, known as one of Italy's oldest blue cheese, did not turn out that piquant. You can also pair with the honey on the side, the sweetness definitely make it more palatable and enjoyable for me.

Pan Seared Foie Gras 4/5

Pan Seared Foie Gras ($16) is quite a common dish on any restaurants' menu. What stood out is the homemade apple and thyme brandy compote that helps to cut through the richess of the fatty foie gras.

Scallop Capellini 4.5/5

Not to be missed is the Scallop Capellini ($28). The pasta tossed in truffle and soy sauce is served chilled so it is very refreshing. It comes with plump and sweet air-flown Hokkaido scallop crowned with ikura. What elevated the whole dish for is the fried shallots, shio kombu and furikake. They added fragrance, sweetness and crunch to complete the dish.

Nduja Pasta 4/5

One of the crowd favourite is the Nduja Pasta ($28) with crayfish. The specially imported Nduja salami from Calabria, South Italy is tossed in tomato sauce for that sweet robust flavour, coating the pasta for the slurping goodness.

Linguine al Granchio 4.2/5

If you prefer your pasta to be more creamy and has that seafood flavour, then go for the Linguine al Granchio ($38). It comes with painstakingly freshly hand-peeled Sri Lankan crabs. The Chef even added crab roe into it, for that extra indulgence.

Pork Roulade 4.5/5

My favourite dish goes to the Pork Roulade ($24). The pork roulade comes with a crispy layer of crackling skin, with tender and juicy meat. It is smartly paired with homemade achar to cut through that richness. Do call to make reservation for this as only limited portions are available each day.

Venere Rice Pudding 4/5

Same same but different is the Venere Rice Pudding ($10). This is the same dessert which I tried during my first visit. It is a modern twist to the traditional pulut hitam served with vanilla bean ice cream and coconut crumble for a cold and crunchy finish. The difference is the popping candies that is mixed into the desert, giving diners the popping reaction as it dissolved in the mouth.

As this is my re-visit, I did notice some changes. Although the food is still as good, the price has increased. It is not a surprise with increasing ingredients cost and inflation. Proud to be serving the lowest house pour at $7 a glass, it used to be $6. The wine collection has also shrunk from the previous 250 to around 140 exclusive Italian wines now.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Wine & Chef
7 Keong Saik Road
Singapore 089115
Tel: +65 62219279
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Website
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (EW Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat:12pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit H. Walk straight down New Bridge Road. Turn right onto Kreta Ayer Road. Turn right again onto Keong Saik Road. Walk down Keong Saik Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Street 50 Restaurant & Bar @ Bay Hotel

Street 50 at Bay Hotel is actually the former Rumah Rasa. It has since been revamped dropping their halal Indonesian cuisine concept and introducing global flavours to cater for a wider audience. Losing focus for a restaurant? Well, it is a hotel restaurant and I can understand the need to offer diverse flavours to both visitors and Singaporeans.

Smoked Duck and Citrus Fruits 3/5

The Smoked Duck and Citrus Fruits ($11) is a good starter to whet up the appetite. The duck is cooked beautiful, tossed in orange vincotto dressing with orange, grapefruit, roasted walnut and endive. I thought a little more of the citrus vincotto dressing would be perfect.

Caprese 3/5

The Caprese ($12) was a bit disappointing for me. Although the selection of interspersed vineyard tomatoes were beautifully sweet, the buffalo mozzarella was a bit dry and firm for my liking. I prefer those that is served moist and creamy.

Hazelnut Escargot 3/5

The Burgundy snails were stuffed with hazelnut butter and then slow baked. The Hazelnut Escargot (Half dozen $14, Dozen $22) was flambed with brandy upon servicing.

Hotpot Set 4/5

Ok this is something really interesting. When was the last time you seen a hotel restaurant serving steamboat or hotpot on their menu? I doubt there was any. There are 3 Hotpot Sets ($32 for 2pax, $48 for 2pax and $108 for 4pax) offered at Street 50 with a choice of either Tom Yum or Chicken soup base. Each side comes with a selection of vegetable, Yong Tau Foo, seafood and meat platters with noodles and rice.

Salmon Cutlet 3.8/5

The Salmon Cutlet ($22) was nicely grilled to a nice crisp on the skin while the fish was still pinkish and moist. The menu said that it is served with aligot potatoes. Aligot supposes to be fondue form to my humble understanding but what is served was rather mashy mash potatoes.

Roulade of Porkloin Stuffed with Wild Rice 4/5

My first encounter of wild rice was at 2fifteen kitchen and I really enjoyed the texture. The Roulade of Porkloin Stuffed with Wild Rice ($20) was done pretty well with a slab of porkloin is made into a roll with wild rice resting on a bed of aligot potatoes accompanied by a drizzle of brandied prune sauce and vegetables.

Duck Pot Pie 3.5/5

The Duck Pot Pie ($22) is a welcome twist to the usually beef that is used for the puff pastry. A rich wine sauce filled with slow braised duck and vegetables sits inside the baked shell.

Orient Barbecue 3.8/5

Another fusion on the menu is the Orient Barbecue Pizza ($18). The thin crust pizza came with smoked duck, enoki mushroom, spring onions and mozzarella toppings with hoison sauce. A good twist to the norm but I still prefer my pizza to be cheesy rather than the sweet hoison sauce.

Lamb Redang 4.2/5

The star and highlight at Street 50 is probably the Lamb Redang ($24). For me, this is the signature and memorable dish of the old Rumah Rasa and the new Street 50 coming together in a plate. The slow braised whole lamb shank was cooked to tender soft served with rendang paste, carrots, potatoes, peas and jasmine rice. This is definitely a dish I would go back for.

Apple Strudel 3/5

The classic baked warm Apple Strudel ($8) with coconut ice cream ended the wonderful meal on a comforting and hearty note.

Durian Pengat 4/5

It can't get anymore better with my favourite Durian Pengat ($8) which came with luscious durian pulp cocooned in thinly battered crepe.

Is Street 50 trying to do too much by offering an extensive selection of global flavours? Being the only restaurant at Bay Hotel, I understand the need to offer a diverse taste to cater for the hotel guests. Time will only tell whether the new concept works out for the hotel.


Street 50 Restaurant & Bar
Bay Hotel
50 Telok Blangah Road
Level 1
Singapore 098828
Tel: 65 68186681
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Street50
Website:
Nearest MRT: Harbour Front (CC Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 6am - 4am

Direction:
1) Alight at Harbour Front MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk towards traffic juction along Telok Blangah Road and Sentosa Gateway. Cross the road and walk towards Bay Hotel Singapore. Journey time about 5 minutes.

Backyard @ Dempsey

I am back at Backyard@Dempsey for their Christmas Menu food tasting. Backyard@Dempsey will be offering 4 Festive Sets from 21 Decemeber 2012 to 25 December 2012. Each set comes with a choice of starter, main, dessert and a drink (Carlsberg or Pierre Jean Chardonnay/Merlot). Book early and prepay to enjoy Early Bird Discount, 20% off for lunch and 10% for dinner.

Mediterranean Chicken Salad 3.8/5

For starter, there is a choice between the Mediterranean Chicken Salad or French Onion Soup. The Mediterranean Chicken Salad with its fresh greens and chunky chicken topped with delectable dressing tantalized the appetite. The tomatoes and grapes gave the salad a fruity and freshing touch.

French Onion Soup 3/5

The French Onion Soup was packed with flavours but all of us at the table agreed that it was a bit salty. I was also looking for more caramalized onions in the soup for that extra textures and sweetness. The flavours were all there, it just need a bit of fine tuning to make it better.

Chicken Ballotine 4/5

Christmas is about turkey but the meat can be quite tough and dry if it is not done properly. Hence I usually avoid turkey whenever it is possible. If you are like me, you can try the Chicken Ballotine Set ($39). The chicken stuffed with mushrooms and nuts was tender and flavourful. Just picking bones here, I thought brown sauce is a bit too classic. It will be good if we can have a sauce that is more contrasting and adds colour to the dish.

Guinness Battered Fish & Chips 4.2/5

When I visited Backyard @ Dempsey in August 2012, I was told that Guinness is the best beer for battered fish but the dark colour appearance is not very presentable so they have the Kronenbourg Beer Battered Fish on the menu instead. I was quite excited when I knew I am going to finally taste the Guinness Battered Fish and Chips Set ($34). The battered fish came with hint of beer flavour, nicely crisp on the exterior and moist inside.

Pork Roulade 4.2/5

The Pork Roulade Set ($42) was straight forward with its strong and intense flavours. Meat lover will adore this dish. Best to go with a bottle of beer.

Black Angus Ribeye 4.5/5

Among the 4 mains, the Black Angus Ribeye Set ($52) was my favourite for the evening. The meat was grilled to perfection, juicy and flavourful with a tad of smokiness.

Tiramisu 4/5

For the dessert there is a choice of Tiramisu or Creme Brulee. The Tiramisu here is without liqueur and on the cheesy side. I actually quite like this version as I love my cheese.

Creme Brulee 2.5/5

The Creme Brulee was unfortunately not up to expectation. The rich custard base was eggy and lacked the vanilla flavour. The layer of hard caramel sunk in instead of crackling when I dug my spoon into it.

Backyard@Dempsey is a casual and comfort restaurant and bar amidst the lush and mature greenery nature just off the Dempsey catchment of F&B establishments. The nook in the woods is a relaxing haven for the frazzled and for those seeking a brief respite from the everyday hustle of Singapore. It is conveniently located within walking distance from the bus stop opposite Gleneagles Hospital. For car owners, Backyard@Dempsey has plenty of free parking lots too.


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Backyard @ Dempsey
130E Minden Road
Singapore 248819
Tel: +65 64790388
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/backyardatdempsey
Website: http://www.backyardatdempsey.com
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am to 12am

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT. Take Exit B. Cross the road and walk to bus stop at Boulevard Orchard opposite Orchard MRT (Stop ID 09022). Take bus no. 7, 77, 106, 123 or 174. Alight 5 stops later. Walk to Minden Road. Journey time about 20 minutes.