White Rose Cafe @ York Hotel - Wok Hei Specialties & Treasured Flavours Of Singapore

For a limited period from 1 October to 15 December 2016, White Rose Cafe at York Hotel has introduced 4 local wok hei noodle dishes specially curated by Executive Chef Charlie Tham. The 4 wok hei specialties are reasonable priced at $15 each.

Crispy Egg Noodle 4/5

The Crispy Egg Noodle is a local favourite as well as mine too. The textural enjoyment of the crispy noodle is complemented by the special double boiled stock from Chef Tham's treasured recipe. It is further topped with fresh prawns, sliced fish and vegetable for a satisying meal.

Wok Fried Crispy Bee Hoon with Sliced Beef 3.5/5

A dish not common available on the menu is the Wok Fried Crispy Bee Hoon with Sliced Beef. The bee hoon is pan fried until slightly brown and crispy. It is further paired with strips of premium striploin beef and dressed in a velvety egg gravy.

Traditional Hokkien Mee 4/5

A Traditional Hokkien Mee cooked with pork liver, pork shoulder, squid, clams and most important infused with the aromatic of the pork lard. Add some fresh red cut chilli for some extra zing on top of the slurping goodness.

White Bee Hoon 4/5

Recently White Bee Hoon has been getting popular in Singapore. Chef Tham has wok charred the rice vermicelli for some wok hei smokiness. This is further cooked together with egg, garlic, succulent slices of pork belly and fresh prawns. This is dressed in a flavourful stock made from chicken and pork bone, lightly thickened with fish sauce and oyster sauce.

Curry Fish Head 4/5

Aside the 4 wok hei specialties, White Rose Cafe offers Treasured Flavours of Singapore which features Singapore iconic dishes. Available during the a la carte lunch buffet on Mondays to Fridays, diners can feast on unlimited orders of over 25 selections of these iconic dishes.

Diners will get to have a serving of the signature Fish Head Curry (half portion for 2 to 3 pax, while for 4 to 7 pax) to go with the unlimited serving of steamed fragrant rice. The fish head curry is prepared accordingly to the well guarded recipe from Soon Heng Restaurant dating from 1970s, touted as the creator of the Singaporean Chinese style fish head curry. The red snapper fish head is first steamed and then cooked in a mildly spiced assam or tamarind based curry sauce together with tomatoes lady fingers, sliced onions and fresh chillies. The fish is cooked perfectly, firm and moist with a delectable sweetness of the flesh.

Chicken Masala 3.5/5

The Chicken Masala is cooked in homemade masala spice blend of various spices such as cinnamon cardamom, cloves and fennel seeds. An enjoyable dish with the tender chicken coated with the aromatic spices.

Black Ink Sotong 4.8/5

A childhood favourite of mine, the Black Ink Sotong is first poached and then simmered until tender. It has a hint of spiciness that comes from the belachan that is cooked together with the squid ink. This is definitely my favourite dish here.

Chendol 4/5

Wok Hei Specialties 
Date: Daily 1 October to 15 December 2016)
Time: 12pm to 1030pm
Price: $15 per dish

Treasured Flavours of Singapore
A La Carte Lunch Buffet
Date: Mon to Fri
Time: 12pm to 230pm
Price: $29 per adult $15 per child (exclude Penang Hawkers' Fare)

Note: This is an invited tasting.


White Rose Cafe
York Hotel
21 Mount Elizabeth
Singapore 228516
Tel: +65 68301156
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
All day dining: 6am - 1am

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Scotts Road towards Goodwood Park Hotel. At Goodwood Park, turn right and walk to the end of the carpark. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Mondo Mio @ Robertson Quay - Celebrating 10th Anniversary With Off-The-Menu Specials

Mondo Mio located at the quaint Robertson Quay is into its 10th anniversary this year. With a revamped menu and a fresh collection of off-the-menu specials, guests get to enjoy new and seasonal dishes, all crafted to showcase the vibrant flavours of Southern Italy.

Bay Leaf Cod Fish 3/5

For a start, we had 2 appetisers of very different profiles - a citrusy steamed cod versus cheesy zucchini. Using cod fish, I find Insalata di Baccala ed Agrumi ($16) a rather unique salad as the more commonly used seafood ingredient would have been crabmeat. The orange olive oil strings the ingredients of different taste and texture together. As cod fish itself is rich and buttery, pairing it with grapefruit, mandarin and kiwi gives it a fine balance in taste.

Griled Zucchini 4/5

A much thought-through effort goes into making the dainty rolls of Rosoni Di Zucchine alla Griglia Ripieni ($14). The usual mild zucchini was given a smoky edge and when the mozzarella oozed out, my taste buds warmed to the comforting cheese that melted over the ham and zucchini. The mint béchamel makes it even more mouthwatering, with a refreshing touch.

Pizza con Rucola Pesto 4/5

A fine pizza dough is imperative in making a pizza that makes you want to eat to the last bit without discarding the edge and their Pizza con Rucola Pesto ($22) is a stellar example of that. Homemade with natural yeast, it was crispy-chewy and light, a rustiness that anyone would appreciate. Instead of using basil, the pesto is made with rocket leaves along with pine nuts and olive oil. That gives an extra depth of flavour to the pizza which I thought goes really well with the savoury mozzarella and salami. The sweet notes from the ricotta and cherry tomatoes brings a balance to the overall flavour.

Homemade Gnocchetti in Scampi Salsa 3/5

Gnocchetti in Salsa di Scampi, Zafferano e Gamberoni ($28) is newly added to their menu. Seafood lovers would like its rich crustacean flavour of the sauce, created using Chef's special seafood stock accentuated with saffron. However, if you prefer the soft texture of gnoochi, the relatively sturdier gnocchetti, made without potato may not be to your liking.

Homemade Tagliatelle with Eggplant Sauce and Crayfish 4/5

What I really want to recommend is their Tagliatelle Fatte in Casa con Crema di Melanzane e Cicale ($26). Extremely light and tender, the homemade flat noodles was evenly coated and flavoured with well seasoned eggplant sauce. People around me find it hard to grabble with the mushy texture of eggplants but I thought Chef has brilliantly turned the mushiness into something palatable by pairing it with tomato and basil.

Pounded Veal Fillet 3.5/5

For something heartier, another off-the-menu special is Scaloppine al Marsala ($24). Pounded till thin, the veal fillets were only given a quick sear with butter to retain its juiciness. Glazed with fortified red wine sauce, it was pleasingly rich and flavourful. The grilled capsicums at the side were really sweet and juicy.

Cannoli 4.5/5

Do not leave this place without trying their Cannoli Siciliani con Pera e Ricotta ($12). Each shell is made from scratch and deep fried before piping in the filling. Using just ricotta for the filling may be cloying, hence Chantilly cream is used to fluff it up and diced pear to plump it up. I enjoyed the textural contrast between the filling and its extremely crunchy shell. The sweet caramelised walnuts studding the 2 ends adds on to the pleasure of eating these humble little tubes.

Pistacchio Tiramisu 3/5

As for their Pistacchio Tiramisu ($12), perhaps I'm biased, I still prefer the classic Tiramisu. Any variation to that seems to take away its charm.

These items will be featured in Mondo Mio 10th Anniversary Set menu, which is only available from 25 September to 15 December 2016. Hence, if you want to try their off-the-menu specials, be here early!

Written and photography by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Mondo Mio
30 Robertson Quay
Singapore 238251
Tel: +65 67362503
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Chinatown (DT Line, NE Line), Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 2pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Chinatown MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop along Upper Cross Street (Stop ID 06171). Take bus number 51 and 186. Alight 1 stop later. Cross the road and walk towards the river. Cross the bridge and walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to bus stop at Clark Quay Station (Stop ID 04222). Take bus number 54. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to the end UE Square Shopping Mall. Cross the road onto Merbau Road. Walk to the end and turn right. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]