Viet'Spice @ Circular Road (Boat Quay) - Authentic, Yummy Vietnamese Cuisine By SG-based Vietnamese

Viet'Spice, located along Circular Road, is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant founded by 35-year-old Helen Vy in 2021 against the backdrop of the pandemic. Viet'Spice strives to introduce and popularise Vietnamese dishes not commonly found in Singapore. Besides its flagship restaurant at Circular Road, Viet'Spice has another two outlets at Smith Street (takeaway kiosk) and Geylang (Kopifellas Coffee Shop).

Cha gio 4.2/5

Vietnamese cuisine is known for its fresh spring roll, but I prefer the Fried Spring Roll ($9.90) more. The spring roll is deep fried until the rice paper turns crispy and golden brown, stuffed with delicious minced pork.

Banh Bot Loc 4.2/5

The Vietnamese Rice Dumpling ($12.90), said to originate from Hue in Vietnam, is a small, transparent, chewy tapioca dumpling filled with shrimp and pork belly. It is topped with fried shallots and served with sweet chilli fish sauce for a lift in enjoyment. It resembles the Chinese crystal dumpling.

Banh Xeo 4/5

Banh Xeo ($14.90) is a traditional Vietnamese savoury pancake made from rice flour, coconut milk, turmeric powder and water. The yellow colouring of the thin and crispy pancake comes from the turmeric powder, filled with bean sprouts, sliced pork, shrimp and onions. The popular street food can be eaten like a roll using lettuce leaves and fresh herbs to wrap the crispy pancake along with the dipping sauce. The result is a delicious combination of textures and flavours, crunchiness, sweetness, and herbal aroma.

Grilled Pork Banh Mi 4.2/5

Banh Mi is another iconic dish in Vietnamese cuisine, a fusion of Vietnamese and French culinary influences, as Vietnam was once a French colony. We had the Grilled Pork Banh Mi ($9,90). The Vietnamese baguette is light and crispy, stuffed with flavoursome grilled pork and complemented by the freshness of herbs.

Bun Bo Hue 4/5

Instead of the usual Pho, we decided to go for the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup ($13.90) originating from Hue. The silky rice vermicelli comes in a bowl of complex and robust broth, served with sliced beef, pork rolls and fried pork. Actually, I don't have the bowl of slurping goodness spicy at all.

Caramel Flan 3/5

Lastly, we had the Caramel Flan ($4.90) for dessert. Unlike the usual flan, the Vietnamese Caramel Flan is steamed instead of baked, served with ice and poured over with coffee. It is my first time having Vietnamese flan, so I am unsure what to expect from its texture. I suspect the flan was slightly overcooked, as it did not have the creamy texture I expected.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Viet'Spice
14 Circular Road
Singapore 049370
Tel: +65 97341761
Facebook
Instagram
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Raffles Place (EW, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Cross the road. Walk to Upper Circular Road. Walk down the road to North Bridge Road. Cross the road and walk to Circular Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk to Circular Road. Walk down Circular Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 7 minutes. [Map]

Lime @ PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering - Indulge in Lime Restaurant's Festive Buffets This Holiday Season

Ring in the holiday cheer with a sumptuous spread and great company this festive season at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering’s with Lime Restaurant’s delightful festive line-up available from 1 December 2022 to 2 January 2023, including the extra festive Christmas and New Year Buffets from 24 to 26 December, 31 December, and 1 to 2 January 2023.

The indulgence begins at the Seafood Bar, where you can indulge in some crustacean delights of fresh Prawns, Mussels, Gong Gongs and Oysters, as well as a selection of Sashimi and Sushi.

Festive highlights include the savoury gourmet roasts of the Roast Herb Crusted Sirloin, Traditional Roast Turkey, and Triple Glazed Ham.

The meats are best paired with a side of their seasonal vegetables, Vegetable Autumn Pie, crispy Potato Croquettes and Vegetarian Lasagne.

Fans of local flavours can head for the Chinese dishes such as the Wok-fried Asian Green with Garlic, Salt & Pepper Prawns and the Braised Pork Belly with Steamed Mantou.

Not to be missed is the Laksa, featuring a delicious spicy broth brimming with ingredients such as fish cake, quail egg, bean sprouts, taupok and crayfish.

Throughout the meal, LIME's featured chefs will also present their signature pass-around tasting dishes, including the well-loved Lobster Linguini, Prawn Cocktail, and Spicy Prawn Wonton made a la minute. Guests are also able to make requests for unlimited servings of these special dishes. We particularly enjoyed the a la minute dishes such as the briny Lobster Linguine and refreshing Prawn Cocktail, which comes loaded with cubes of juicy sweet mango and tender prawn meat.

Christmas would not be complete without Lime’s quintessential Christmas Log Cakes, such as the Christmas Chocolate Yule Log, and the festive sweet treats including the Gingerbread Latte Pudding, Minced Fruit Pie, Festive Stollen, Candied Panettone, and Christmas Fruit Cake.

An extensive selection of savoury gourmet roasts, celebration sets and delectable desserts are available for purchase at Lime on the Go via https://shop-parkroyalcollectionpickering.panpacific.com/en_SG from 15 November 2022. For dining reservations and enquiries, guests can call +65 3138 2251 or email dining.prsps@parkroyalcollection.com.

Weekday Lunch (Monday to Friday):
SGD79 (adult), SGD39.50 (child)

Weekend Brunch (Saturday and Sunday):
SGD128 (adult), SGD64 (child)

Weekday Dinner (Sunday to Thursday, excludes 25 and 26 December):
SGD108 (adult) SGD54 (child)

Weekend Dinner (Friday and Saturday, excludes 23 and 24 December):
SGD128 (adult) SGD64 (child)

Words and photos by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Lime
PARKROYAL on Pickering
3 Upper Pickering Street
Singapore 058289
Tel: +65 68098899
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Chinatown (DT Line, NE Line), Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Festive Lunch Buffet (Mon-Fri): 12pm - 2pm
Festive Brunch Buffet (Sat-Sun): 1230pm - 3pm
Fstive Dinner Buffet (Daily): 6pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Chinatown MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to the junction of Upper Pickering Street and New Bridge Road. Turn right and walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk straight to the junction of Upper Pickering Street and New Bridge Road. Cross the road. Turn left and walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

JIDAI Restaurant @ Circular Road - Enjoy An Affordable 8 Course French Japanese Omakase

Located along Circular Road, the new 30-seater Izakaya restaurant JIDAI Restaurant specialises in Japanese-French Fusion dishes. Helmed by Chef Darwin Wong, JIDAI has recently launched an 8-Course Omakase dining experience at $88/pax.

Chile Uni 3.5/5

We began the omakase with a starter of Chile Uni with caviar and deep sea crab miso wrapped with crunchy green onions. However, we felt there was too much caviar on the uni, and together with the green onions, the uni taste was barely detectable in the wrap.

Botan Ebi and Sea Bream 4/5

Next, we had the fresh sashimi with Botan Ebi and Sea Bream.

Ponzu Sea Whelk 3.5/5

The Ponzu Sea Whelk, serrved on a bed of sea whelk shells, has a nice chewy texture. Best paired with the fermented mushroom sauce provided.

Engawa 3.8/5

The next poached dish is Engawa, with a thick cauliflower puree and red lumpfish caviar. We enjoyed the tender Engawa slice, though we felt that the cauliflower puree could be more flavourful.

Soup 3.8/5

A flavourful onion beef dashi is poured over the A5 Wagyu slices and mushrooms. We enjoyed the richness of the dashi used, though it was a tad salty for our liking.

Miso Atlantic Cod 4.2/5

As for the mains, you can take your pick of Miso Atlantic Cod or Lobster Charzuke at a supplement of $18. We had the former, which features Miso Atlantic Cod grilled and doused with an umami caviar creme, topped with ikura and paired with perfectly charred broccolini.

Mini Cones Chous Chous 4/5

For desserts, we had the Mini Cones Chous Chous. It is filled with crunchy chocolate ganache and was small enough to be eaten in a bite. It is a simple sweet treat towards the end of the meal.

Champagne Gelato 4/5

We ended the omakase on a sweet note with the Champagne Gelato, which comes with sake jello and crisps. It was sweet with a nice champagne flavour, a refreshing course after all the heavy-tasting dishes.

Diners can also elevate their dining experience with an alcohol pairing of Junmai Daiginjo at ($88/bottle). You can go even fancier with the 10-course omakase ($108++), but for something more affordable, they also serve ala carte dishes and set lunch menu.

Words and photos by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


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JIDAI Restaurant
9 Circular Rd
Singapore 049365
Tel: +65 81891849
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon: 5pm - 1030pm
Tue-Sat: 12pm - 3pm, 5pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Cross the road. Walk to Upper Circular Road. Walk down the road to North Bridge Road. Cross the road and walk to Circular Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

La Belle Epoque @ Boat Quay - New European Restaurant Along The Singapore River

La Belle Epoque (which means 'the golden age' in French) is a European restaurant and bar concept that has recently opened its doors at Boat Quay. It offers contemporary European cuisine using fresh ingredients seasoned with natural herbs. Most of the herbs are sourced from Head Chef Firdauz's very own herb garden.

Oyster & Iberico 4/5

Starting off the evening was Oyster & Iberico ($26), an interesting combination of fresh oyster and crispy iberico ham, tomato salsa and Avruga caviar. Other than the delightful crunch lent by the crispy iberico ham, I love how the different elements within the tiny shell played out when I consumed it as a whole. The crispy iberico ham and caviar seasoned the fresh oyster with their savoury notes, while the sweet and acidic tomato salsa balanced the overall flavours.

Hummus Taco 3.5/5

Next, we had Hummus Taco ($10). The hummus is made with smoked chickpea. The elusive smoky accent of the hummus made it even more moreish and delicious. However, it might be better to serve the corn taco shell as a side as it turned soggy after a while.

Cauliflower Steak 2.5/5

The Cauliflower Steak ($12) is a vegetarian-friendly dish featuring a smoked and cured cauliflower with vegetable butter herbs, served with purple sweet potato. Unlike the hummus taco, smoking the ingredients didn't work in the dish. The presence of that smokey flavour was somewhat overwhelming and got unpleasant after a while. The cauliflower was not very well cooked through either.

Smoked Pork Belly 4/5

We had two meat dishes, of which I would highly recommend the Smoked Pork Belly ($16) marinated with spices. It is served with crispy pork crackers, grilled peach salad and pork veloute. The taste of the pork cracker needs to be improved for sure, but otherwise, the pork belly itself was scrumptious. Instead of the usual apple sauce, the chef used the sweetness of grilled peach to complement the meat.

Beef Short Ribs 2.8/5

However, the Beef Short Ribs ($28) was rather disappointing. Marinated with local spices and sous vide for 48 hours, the meat was relatively dry.

Cheese and Cold Cuts Board 2.5/5

We also had a sample of their Cheeses and Cold Cuts Board, but I find it rather lacklustre.

Lemon Tart 3/5

Tiramisu 4/5, Guerre Stellari 4.5/5

The desserts were good. We had Lemon Tart ($10), Tiramisu ($10) and Guerre Stellari ($10). The Guerre Stellari was my favourite. Encased within dark chocolate crust was rum chocolate mousse, and it was a perfect marriage with the tart raspberry sorbet.

Photos and words 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.


La Belle Epoque
63 Boat Quay
Singapore 049851
Tel: +65 67321687
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 3pm - 1130pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Cross the road walk to Upper Circular Road. Walk down Upper Circular Road to North Bridge Road. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk to the riverfront. Turn left and walk down Boat Quay. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

The Dragon Chamber @ Circular Road (Boat Quay) - Reopens With An Updated Menu And An Extended Service Area

The Dragon Chamber, the hidden restaurant inside a kopitiam, has reopened with an updated menu. In addition, the front of the restaurant, originally designed to look like a nondescript kopitiam to conceal the dining area, has been refurbished into a functional open-air casual bar known as Dragon Chamber Kopitiam, offering bar snacks and cocktails.

Firecracker Chicken and Maple Fritters 4.5/5

The signature Firecracker Chicken and Maple Fritters ($16/$30) gets to stay on the new menu. The crispy deep-fried diced chicken paired with chopped dried chillies, cashews, chives and Szechuan peppercorn is very addictive. It is served with crunchy "youtiao" fritters baked in maple syrup which I felt is a welcome addition to cut the spiciness.

Double Boiled Almond Mushroom, Sea Whelk & Conpoy Soup 4.5/5

The Double Boiled Almond Mushroom, Sea Whelk & Conpoy Soup ($16) is new. The flavoursome soup is extracted from boiling chicken and pork for four hours before double-boiling for another two hours with ingredients such as mushrooms and conpoy.

Tofu Duo in Pumpkin Gravy 4/5

Another new item on the menu is the Tofu Duo in Pumpkin Gravy ($24). Sitting in the pool of pumpkin gravy is a duo of egg spinach tofu and charcoal-infused tofu served with roasted pumpkins. I enjoyed the smooth and silky tofu, but the roasted pumpkin is on the tough side for my likings. 

Assorted Beef Claypot 4.8/5

My favourite dish among the new items is the Assorted Beef Claypot ($40). It comprises beef tendon, oxtail, tongue and cheek, cooked in a house with special fermented beancurd and oyster sauce. It is so comforting and hearty that I can have it with at least two bowls of rice.

Wagyu Truffle Beef Hor Fun 4.2/5

A must-have at The Dragon Chamber is the Wagyu Truffle Beef Hor Fun ($32/$58). I realized the restaurant had changed the A4 Kagoshima wagyu with US wagyu short rib. No wonder the price has dropped. The rest of the components making up the dish remains the same. The guests still get the crispy deep-fried hor fun strips, poached egg and wok-fried flat noodles finished with truffle gravy.

Kinmedai Fish with Crispy Scales 4.5/5

From the sea, we have the wild-caught Kinmedai Fish with Crispy Scales ($88). The fish stood out for its huge, big eyes. It is steamed and flash-fried for a crispy scale texture served in a special in-house Hong Kong-style sauce.

Golden Cloud Dragon Mountain 4/5

Making a theatrical entry in smoke from the dry ice is the Golden Cloud Dragon Mountain ($88/$138). The whole lobster is chopped into chunky pieces, deep-fried and tossed in a sweet and savoury golden egg floss.

Salted Caramel Ice Cream and Fries 3.5/5

Wrapping up our dinner, we have the Salted Caramel Ice Cream and Fries ($12) smothered in a house special Szechuan sauce. The combination is unique, and it's my first time having ice cream with fries. It is quite a unique experience.

I have enjoyed the Assorted Beef Claypot and Kinmedai Fish with Crispy Scales from the newly updated menu. In addition, it is great to see that the signature Wagyu Truffle Beef Hor Fun and Firecracker Chicken and Maple Fritters are still on the menu.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Dragon Chamber
2 Circular Road
Singapore 049358
Tel: +65 68058181
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 11am - 3pm, 5pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Cross the road. Walk to Upper Circular Road. Walk down the road to North Bridge Road. Cross the road and walk to Circular Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]