L'Entrecote @ Duxton Hill - Affordable Steak with Unlimited Crispy, Golden Fries

L'Entrecote is a Parisian concept serving steaks and fries at Duxton Hill. The restaurant has been around since 2010 offering the traditional entrecote (a premium cut of beef rib) and frites.

Homemade Duck Foie Gras Terrine 4.5/5

Before moving to the mains, we decided to order some starters to begin with. First is the Homemade Duck Foie Gras Terrine ($24). The foie gras terrine comes with sugar glazed onions and grilled buttered sourdough. I enjoyed having a bit of the sugar glazed onions together with creamy foie gras, which helped to cut through that richness.

French Onion Soup 4.5/5

It has been a while since I have such a traditional and tasty French Onion Soup ($10). The classic French onion soup comes with cheese toasts soaking up the delicious and robust beef stock, sweetened by the caramelised onion.

Green Salad with Walnut 3/5

For the main course, we went for the trimmed Entrecote Steak ($34.90) with its legendary sauce, that comes with free flow golden French Fries and Green Salad with Walnut. For those that has a bigger appetite, you can go for the XXL portion at $54.90. I find the salad was rather bland without any sauce though.

Entrecote Steak 4/5

The highlight here is the Entrecote Steak with its legendary sauce. The premium beef rib cut is cooked beautifully to tender, with a nice pink inside. What interesting is the pool of sauce, in which the steak is literally swimming inside. I tried asking the staff about the legendary sauce but they were mute about it. It is really an unique sauce, somewhat like a black pepper, mushroom sauce but has a tang to it. I have never come across anything similar for my steak before. If you are a fries lover, you will be glad that the crispy Golden Fries here are free flow!

Profiteroles de "L'Entrecote" 4.5/5

Moving to the desserts, we had the Profiteroles de "L'Entrecote" ($15). The choux pastry is sandwiched with vanilla bean ice cream and drenched with hot chocolate sauce. It is a classic dessert but tasted heavenly.

Crepes Suzette 4.2/5

The Crepes Suzette ($14) although sinful but is so good. The thin crepes are soaked in a citrus butter and Grand Marnier sauce, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

L'Entrecote is definitely a place for affordable steak and fries. You really have to try the legendary sauce to really know what I meant. We suspect mustard was added in the sauce, but we won't know until the mystery is solved.


L'Entrecote
36 Duxton Hill
Singapore 089614
Tel: +65 66907561
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Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Fri: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm
Sat: 5pm - 11pm
Sun: 12pm - 3pm, 530pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Orchid Hotel. Walk to Tanjong Pagar Road, cross the road. Walk to Craig Road. Turn left onto Craig Road. Walk to Craig Place. Take the staircase inside the carpark at Craig Place to Duxton Hill. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

The RANCH Steakhouse by ASTONS @ Clarke Quay - Great Steak, Humbly Priced Dry Aged & Premium Beef

The RANCH Steakhouse is an ASTON’s chain that opened at Clarke Quay, specialising in dry aged steaks served table side. Upon entering the restaurant, you’ll be greeted with huge portions of steaks aging in the glass fridges. It was great how you can take a look at the steaks being aged and even see how many days they’ve been aged for. You can also feel free to watch your meals being prepared at the open concept kitchen.

Beef Tartar 4/5

Start of with their wide range of cold or hot starters. We had the Beef Tartar ($18/100g, $34/200g) which was a generous amount of hand cut beef tenderloin mixed with onions, caper, gherkin, tomato and spices to musk the raw taste of beef. A smooth quail egg will be cracked in the centre, then laced with XO Cognac. Enjoy this tender beef with toasted rye bread.

Crab Cake 4/5

A hot starter that is a must try was the Homemade Crab Cake ($18). They use premium crab meat in the patty and was accompanied with a really interesting and refreshing avocado ice cream. One of my favourite elements on this dish was the roasted red capsicum ketchup that went so well with the crab cake.

French Onion Soup 4/5

If you’re a soup person like me, the French Onion Soup ($12) and the Classic Lobster Bisque with X.O. Hennessy ($16) were so hearty. We personally liked the Lobster Bisque more as it had more complex flavours and was so rich and creamy, with real bits of lobster in it. Pair your soup with The RANCH Artisan Bread Basket ($7) that comes with the most fragrant truffle butter.

Signature USDA Prime 30 Days Dry Aged Steak 4.5/5

Now to the mains we’ve all been waiting for - the Signature USDA Prime 30 Days Dry Aged Steak. This 700g of Porterhouse T-Bone ($15/100g, min. order 700g) was enough to feed about 2-4 pax and came with a choice of one sauce - Bearnaise, Perigord Truffle, Red Wine or Twin Peppercorn. Honestly, the steak was already so amazing on it’s own but I do recommend the Perigord Truffle sauce.

Whip out your phones as they will serve your choice of steak table side and cut it right in front of you. The difference between a regular steak and a dry aged steak is that it is more firm and compact, giving you a lot of flavour in every bite. Along with your steaks, feel free to order any of their side dishes for $8 each. I recommend The RANCH Homemade Fries which were so well made I was so addicted to them.

Chocolate Paradise 4/5

End of your meal with a comforting dessert like the Chocolate Paradise ($12). This was a sight to behold as it featured a hazelnut chantilly, feuilletine tuiles and a salted crumble. Paired with a swiss chocolate ice cream, this dessert was like a deconstructed and elevated ferrero rocher.

Creme Brulee 4.5/5

My winning dessert was the Creme Brulee ($12) as it was my first time having a sour creme brulee which was so refreshing. The tanginess from the passionfruit went so well with the heavy creme brulee, I couldn’t have asked for a better combination.

The RANCH Open Burger 4.5/5

The RANCH Steakhouse is also offering a 2 Course Set Lunch at $15 that is not only affordable but so value for money. It comes with a soup of the day and a main course which you can choose from The RANCH Open Burger, Mushroom Linguine and Corn-Fed French Spatchcock. The RANCH Open Burger was one of the best burgers I’ve had and I wasn’t surprised since it was made with premium beef patties and topped with a sous vide egg, crispy bacon and a toasted brioche. It was juicy, so packed with flavour and was enjoyable with every bite.

Photos and words by Vanessa Chia. A girl who has a passion for taking photos. Determined to always get better at what I am doing. Note: This is an invited tasting.


The RANCH Steakhouse by ASTONS
The Foundry, Clarke Quay
3 River Valley Road
Block B, #01-15
Singapore 179021
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Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Fort Canning (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 3pm, 5pm - 12midnight

Direction: 
1) Alight at Fort Canning MRT Station. Take Exit A. Turn right and down River Valley Road. Turn right onto Tan Tye Place. Walk to the end of the road. Turn left onto Clark Quay. Walk to destination. Journey time bout 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit C or G. Walk to the river front. Turn left and walk down the river. Cross the bridge. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

La Brasserie @ The Fullerton Bay Hotel - A Brand New Interior And A Refreshed Menu

I felt quite embarrassed that I have not known of La Brasserie at The Fullerton Bay Hotel until my recent visit. The restaurant located at the marina bay waterfront has undergone a revamp of its interior as well as a refreshed menu.

Traditional Onion Soup 4.5/5

The body of the Traditional Onion Soup ($19) comes from the robust beef stock that has been cooked for at least 4 hours. The caramelized white onion lent the sweetness to the soup. Before serving, the soup is topped with a day old sourdough with gruyere cheese that is gratinated under a salamander.

Aubergine Caviar Tartine 3.5/5

Our appetizer started with the Aubergine Caviar Tartine ($19). The whole eggplant is first baked until charred, removed the skin and the flesh is mixed with chopped fresh Roma tomatoes, garlic, parsley, basil and extra virgin olive oil. This paired beautifully with the tomato confit and buffalo mozzarella.

Lobster and Scallop Carpaccio 4.8/5

The Lobster and Scallop Carpaccio ($33) is a dish as old as the restaurant. It was created by the General Manage of The Fullerton Heritage since the restaurant opening in 2010. The thinly sliced boston lobster and hokkaido scallop seemed to come to live in the black truffle oil and fresh lime juice dressing. This is crowned with black truffle shavings.

Hot-Smoked Balik Salmon 4.2/5

Love the smokiness of the Hot-Smoked Balik Salmon ($21). The whole New Zealand king salmon is cured with salt and smoked over Japanese binchotan charcoal, sous vide and torched. This is complemented by the fennel, red onion compote, dill, creme fraiche and quail egg.

Lobster A L'Americaine 4.8/5

One of my favourite dishes is the Lobster A L'Americaine ($68). Done in two ways, the lobster claw is blanched while the remaining parts are poached. The highlight for me is the angel hair pasta that is tossed in fresh tomatoes sauce, finished with butter and extra virgin olive oil.

Cote de Boeuf 4.5/5

Good for sharing is the Cote De Boeuf ($99). The 500g Australian A4 Wagyu ribeye on the bone is charcoal grilled and basted with thyme butter. A beautiful piece of meat cooked to medium rare doneness. The steak is accompanied with bearnaise, champignon and bordelaise sauce.

Supreme de Canard Confit 4.5/5

Definitely one of the better duck confit I have eaten for a long while. The Supreme de Canard Confit ($39) uses French duck cooked in the traditional way. The duck leg is cured for 4 hours, confit for anther 2-3 hours. A bed of lentils, slow cooked with garlic, carrots, celery, shallots, thyme and sherry vinegar completes the whole experience.

La Complete Galette 3.8/5

The La Complete Galette ($23) was rather interesting using buckwheat batter to make the crepe. The gluten and diary free buckwheat crepe comes with honey baked ham, gruyere cheese and free range egg. Surprising the crepe has a nice crispiness to it. Understand this is because of the beatened eggs and soda water that were added to the batter.

Profiteroles 4.5/5

Do save some space for the dessert at La Brasserie. I would highly recommend the Profiteroles ($13). The choux pastry is coated with chocolate and filled with creme patissiere, It is then topped with chantilly cream and sliced almonds. It also comes with a bowl of warm chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream.

Tarte Tatin 4/5

If you have a group of friend, I would recommend the Tarte Tatin ($32) which can serve up to 4 person. Granny smith apples are baked with caramel and topped onto a housemade millefeuille. Each guest also gets a scoop of vanilla ice cream to go with the tarte tatin.

Overall I have enjoyed my dinner at La Brasserie. I probably go back again with my love one to celebrate our special occasions. I would definitely go back for their Traditional Onion Soup, Lobster and Scallop Carpaccio, Lobster A L'Americaine, Supreme de Canard and Confit, Profiteroles

Note: This is an invited tasting.


La Brasserie
The Fullerton Bay Hotel
80 Collyer Quay
Singapore 049326
Tel: +65 65975288
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Website
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 230pm, 630pm - 1030pm
Sat: 12pm - 3pm, 630pm - 1030pm
Sun: 12pm - 3pm, 630pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Raffles Place MRT Station. Take Exit H. Turn right and walk towards the river. At the river, turn right again and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Rice & Fries @ Changi Road - Passion, Consistency and Quality Food in Neighbourhood Restaurant

It has been almost 3 years since I last visited Rice & Fries at Changi Road. In this competitive F&B scene, I have seen so many restaurants come and go. I am glad that Chef Ken and his team are still hanging around, delicately dishing out delicious food to their customers.  This time I am back again to check out their new menu.

Spam Bots 4.5/5

The Spam Bots ($9.80) is probably the best spam fries I have tried. What I like about the luncheon meat frites is the crispy exterior while the innard still retain the moist texture, unlike most places that deep fried everything to a dry almost crispy texture. It also comes with a salt egg yolk dip that made it even more addictive.

Chicken Wings 4/5

Another great snack bite is the Chicken Wings ($6.80 for 2pc). Deep fried to crispy with juicy interior, this is a delectable starter for sharing.

Somersby Apple Cider 4.5/5

The ice cold Somersby Apple Cider which is light and refreshing, is perfect to go with the spam bots and chicken wings. Rice & Fries also serve it in an interesting way, instead of just drinking it straight from the bottom. The bottle is inverted and dunk into a glass of ice of a cool enjoyment.

French Onion Soup 4/5

On the new revamped menu, we tried both the French Onion Soup ($6.80) and Lobster Bisque ($12.80). Quite a well executed dish whereby I can taste the rich beef broth together with the sweetness of the carmalized onions coming together. Instead of the toasted garlic bread at the side, it will be even better if the french onion soup is topped with crouton and cheese.

Lobster Bisque 3.8/5

The Lobster Bisque ($12.8) comes in a gorgeous thick and creamy lobster seafood bisque with crab meat, served with a toasted garlic bread. I enjoyed the bowl of soup but I thought it leaned more towards a seafood soup rather than a lobster bisque. Hence I think the dish name was a bit misleading until I read the description in details.

Salted Egg Yolk Pasta 4.2/5

One of the bestseller at Rice & Fries is the Salted Egg Yolk Pasta ($19.80) topped with a deep fried soft shell crab. The version at Rice & Fries is rich, intense and creamier, coating every stand of the pasta. On top of that, the used of curry leaves lifted the flavour, giving it an extra oomph.

BBQ Pork Ribs 4/5

The BBQ Pork Ribs ($22.80) is one dish that we have mixed options. The rack of ribs was cooked to a nice tender, falling off the bone with ease. The meat also comes with a hint of smokiness. I find that the sweet house special bbq sauce enhances the whole enjoyment of the dish but my dining partner feels that it is too sweet. That's why taste is always subjective. You can't satisfy everyone's palate.

Crab & Lobster Risotto 4.5/5

Among the mains I tried. The Crab & Lobster Risotto ($21.80) is probably my favourite. The risotto is cooked to an enjoyable grainy bite texture which is how I like it. The risotto is also well infused with the rich and intense lobster bisque, packed with generous serving of crab meat.

Lemon Tart 3/5

Wrapping up the dinner, we have the Lemon Tart ($6.80) and Dark Chocolate Lava Cake ($9.80). The pastry case of the lemon tart was a little under baked during our visit. It did not have the biscuity texture. Nevertheless, the lemon custard is well balanced, not overly sour which at time can be quite unpalatable.

Dark Chocolate Lava Cake 3.5/5

The Dark Chocolate Lava Cake ($9.80) with vanilla ice cream fares better than the lemon tart. The warm molten lava cake has a crusty surface that adds a layer of texture enjoyment amid the chocolate lava centre and moist body.

Overall, I have enjoyed my meal at Rice & Fries. It is great to come back to a restaurant to know that they have kept their passion, consistency and quality in dishing our beautiful food to their customers. For people living in the Kembangan area, I envy you for having such a good neighbourhood restaurant in your vicinity.


Rice & Fries
484 Changi Road
Singapore 419896
Tel: +65 97386648
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Kembangan (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon, Wed-Fri: 12pm - 3pm, 5pm - 11pm
Tue: 6pm - 11pm
Sat-Sun, PH: 12pm - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Kembangan MRT station. Take Exit A. Cross the road at Sims Ave East. Walk along the canal to Changi Road. Cross the road and turn left. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

RedBank Bar & Grill @ Claymore Connect

Feeling that the F&B scene is lacking a classic American grill restaurant  in Singapore that is up to standard with reasonable pricing, owners John Stevens and Matt Connors together with Chef Nicolas with 18 years of culinary experience under his belt, came together and opened RedBank Bar & Grill Restaurant at the renovated Claymore Connect where Tony Roma used to be.

French Onion Soup 4.2/5

We started our dinner with the the French Onion Soup ($15). Actually it did get me a bit confused why the dish is on the menu for an Amercian grill restaurant? Nevertheless, the depth of the beef stock and sweetness of the caramelized onion made this classic french soup one of the best I have eaten.

Brown Derby Cobb Salad 4/5

The Brown Derby Cobb Salad ($22) comes with iceberg, avocado, egg, bacon, cheese and chicken. History says that the dish was invented back in the 1930s by Robert Howard Cobb, owner of Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant. As he has not eaten near midnight, he mixed together what he could find in the kitchen together with some bacon. It then became instant hit and became one of American's classic dish.

Virginia Style Oyster Biscuit 3/5

The Virginia Style Oyster Biscuit ($18) was rather interesting but pale in taste. Who would have thought of servicing deep fried oyster in a buttermilk biscuit? The buttermilk biscuit was good but the oyster got lost in combination. I thought it was quite a waste for such a delicacy ingredient.

Virgina Style Crab Cake 3/5

Another dish that did not appeal to me is the Virgina Style Crab Cake ($18). I felt that the crab cake has a mushy texture which I did not quite enjoy. The sweetness of the crab's flesh was also not quite distinct in the execution. In short, I have had better ones elsewhere.

Grilled Whole Sea Bass 3.5/5

The typical American backyard grill experience is brought indoors with the used of the Josper charcoal grill. The Grilled Whole Sea Bass ($33) is cooked to a delectable charred on the skin while retaining the moist and natural sweetness of the fish.

Mixed Seafood Grill 3.5/5

The Mixed Seafood Grill ($33) on the other hand allows one to have a bit of everything. On the plate, there was grilled prawn, salmon, sea bass and tuna served with rice.

Rib Eye 4/5

Showcasing on Redbank's menu is a great selection of US beef and different cuts. We tried the Rib Eye (330g for $45/ 500g for $65), which is lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, and perfumed with an aromatic charred and smokiness to the meat.

Grilled Deviled Chicken 4.2/5

The Grilled Deviled Chicken ($28) stood out for me among all the grilled meat and seafood I have tried. The chicken with its tender and juicy meat seemed to showcase the Josper charcoal grill more. I could paint the image of having a backyard grill party while tearing the delectable chicken apart with a bottle of beer.

Mac & Cheese 3/5

On the menu, there are also a extensive selection of sides to go with the mains. The classic Mac & Cheese ($12) with gratin topping will delight any cheese lover. However the flavour was not as rich or cheesy as I would have love.

Twice Baked Potatoes 4/5

One of the sides on the menu I would recommend is the Twice Baked Potatoes ($15). The baked twice potatoes has a contrast yet complementing texture enjoyment topped with sour cream, emmental cheese and chives.

Hush Puppy 3.5/5

An interesting name on the sides menu caught many of our attention is the Hush Puppy ($12). We have no clue what it is until it is served. The ball shaped deep fried cornbread ball has a mashy interior and a crispy exterior. This is another American rooted dish attributes to hunter, fishermen or other cooks who could fry some cornmeal mixture and feed it to their dogs to "hush the puppies" during cook-outs or fish-fries.

Creme Brulee 4/5

The dessert menu is less exciting with your usual items. Let see how the fare in terms of taste. We started with the Creme Brulee ($12), which is really good with a rich custard base that is not too eggy and blanket with crackling caramelized crust to give it a bit of the bitter sweetness.

Chocolate Chip Tiramisu 4/5

The ordinary looking Chocolate Chip Tiramisu ($12) hit me with its intense coffee flavour in a good way. Being a coffee lover, I love this version with occasion bites of chocolate chip as I dug into the glass.

Chocolate Lava Cake 3.5/5

The Chocolate Lava Cake ($12) is an all time flavourite among many diners, especially chocolate lovers. Paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, to give it a nice closure to a satisfying meal.

Lemon Pie 4/5

After all the grilled food, the Lemon Pie ($12) is actually a welcoming citrus dessert to remove all the greasiness and freshened up the palate.

Redbank is a casual dining restaurant that is suitable for both family as well as corporate diners. I like the spacing between diners which is spacious and allows diner's privacy. Adding to the atmosphere there will be live band at the stage on selected nights and weekends. Sports fans can rejoice with the TV on one wall and life size screen over at the stage over at the other end too.


[CLOSED]
RedBank Bar & Grill
Claymore Connect
442 Orchard Road
#01-02
Singapore 238879
Tel: +65 66945376
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard MRT (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon: 4pm - 11pm
Tue-Wed, Sun: 12pm - 11pm
Thu-Sat: 12pm - 1am

Direction: 
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk towards Wheelock Place via ION. Exit Wheelock Place and turn left towards Liat Tower. Cross the road at the traffic light junction and turn left towards Palais Renaissance. Continue walking down Orchard Road and turn right onto Claymore Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards Shaw House via underpass. At the road level, walk along Orchard Road towards Palais Renaissance. Continue walking down Orchard Road and turn right onto Claymore Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]