Burger & Lobster @ Raffles Hotel Singapore - Second Outlet With Wider Selection Of Lobsters, Burgers and Cocktails

Following the successful opening of Burger & Lobster at Jewel Changi Airport, it opens a second outlet at Raffles Hotel Singapore, situated at the newly reopened Raffles Arcade. The space is three times larger than the Jewel outlet with a wider selection of lobsters, burgers and cocktails. It also has an outdoor bar and an eclectic fresh seafood counter. Another great news is that guests can make reservations at the new restaurant via their website, unlike Jewel outlet whereby reservation is not allowed.

"BBQ" Whiskey Sour 4.2/5

From the bar, we started with some pre-dinner drinks. I had the "BBQ" Whiskey Sour ($22++)  which is a concoction of Wild Turkey 101 bourbon, lemon, sugar, charred lapsang souchong and egg white. It is an easy drink to kick start dinner with a hint of smokiness.

Fresh Seafood Platter 4.5/5

Great for sharing is the Fresh Seafood Platter (Medium $240++). The huge platter comes with freshly shucked oysters, half a lobster, chilled Dutch mussels, king crab legs, Vietnamese tiger prawns and octopus. All served on a bed of ice with samphire, mignonette dressing, chilli and coriander dip and fresh lemon.

Lobster Rosti 4.2/5

The Lobster Rosti ($18++) makes a perfect brunch item with its slightly crispy exterior topped with gently spiced guacamole, succulent lobster meat, red chilli and fresh lime.

Kale & Quinoa Salad 4/5

For a healthy luxury salad, one can go for the Kale & Quinoa Salad ($65++). The kale comes with quinoa avocado, dried fig, cranberry and roasted walnuts. Not to forget the bouncy texture of the lobster tail and claws. Holding all these together is the balsamic dressing, which gives the salad the needed sweetness and acidity.

Marinated Octopus 4.2/5

A dish that I would order in my return is the Marinated Octopus ($16++). Lightly pan-fried, the octopus is dressed in lemon, parsley, garlic and olive oil. Instead of char-grilled, which gives the octopus a hint of bitterness, the execution preserved the natural flavour of the octopus with a tender, bouncy texture. Give the lime a squeeze to perk up the taste profile.

Uni, Lobster and Caviar Roll 3.8/5

At Burger & Lobster Raffles Arcade, the restaurant ups its game with the Uni, Lobster and Caviar Roll ($50++). This is the ultimate combination swerved in a toasted brioche roll. Unlike the original lobster roll which comes with the rich lemon garlic sauce, this version is lightly seasoned to allow the appreciation of the luxe ingredients.

The B&L Beef Brisket Roll 4.2/5

Surprisingly, it turned out that I enjoyed The B&L Beef Brisket Roll ($25++) more than the Uni, Lobster and Caviar Roll. The buttery roll sandwiched with braised Angus beef brisket marinated in the jerky sauce and finished with Havana spiced rum is more robust in flavour. Guess I have a preference for strong flavour.

Spicy Miso Burger 4.5/5

It is not just about lobster roll at Burger & Lobster. As the name of the restaurant suggests, it serves burgers too. And they serve a damn good burger. I had the Spicy Miso Burger ($23++), and I love it. The Nebraskan beef patty glazed with spicy miso sauce is moist and juicy. It is topped with provolone cheese, lightly spiced guacamole, kale, red chilli flakes, onion and sandwiched in between their signature brioche bun.

Laksa Lobster 4.2/5

Like its flagship outlet in Singapore, there is a locally inspired dish on the menu. Over at the Raffles Arcade, there is the Laksa Lobster ($70++). The aromatic laksa sauce is legit with rice noodles, bean sprouts and crispy tofu. It is really delicious but expensive too.

Ice Cream Mochi 3.5/5 and Apple Crumble Pie 3.5/5

Wrapping up the dinner, we have the Ice Cream Mochi ($11++) and Apple Crumble Pie ($14++). I would pick the ice cream mochi over the apple crumble pie. It is like having those old school ice cream sandwiched in waffle biscuit, but with a slightly softer texture. It comes drizzled with either strawberry or chocolate sauce.

Given a choice, I prefer the new outlet at Raffles Arcade. The menu is larger with more variety. Location is more central and it accepts reservation.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Burger & Lobster
Raffles Hotel Singapore
Raffles Arcade
328 North Bridge Road
#01-25
Singapore 188719
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Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Wed: 11am - 11pm
Thu-Sat: 11am - 12midnight

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to the junction of Bras Basah Road and North Bridge Road. Cross the road. Walk down North Bridge Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Hustle Co @ Craig Road – Of Indulgent Brunch Fare, Handcrafted Coffee And 12 Craft Beers On Tap

Situated along Craig Road is Hustle Co, one of the newest hipster addition to the Tanjong Pagar neighbourhood. With a curated food menu of hearty mains available all-day from brunch to dinner, it offers a wide selection of craft beers on tap ranging from ale, lager, porter to cider to pair with your brunch offerings, while coffee options are also available for your caffeine fix in the morning.

Tuna Tartare 4.2/5

For the starter, we had the Tuna Tartare ($16) which comes in a portion of fresh tuna chunks well-mixed with avocado and cucumber. An interesting element to the dish - crispy wanton skin is used to pair with the tuna tartare, which contributes a crunchy texture to the creamy avocado mash and fresh tuna chunks.

Salmon Rosti 4.2/5

The Salmon Rosti ($22) features a 160g salmon fillet pan-seared to a perfect skin-crisp while the meat was butter-soft tender and well-seasoned. Coupled with a golden brown crisp rosti, dill creme fraiche and generous amounts of salmon roe. The sour cream is a great, non-overpowering. It complement the savoury salmon and rosti while those mouth-popping granules lend a sweet, mildly savoury note and a refreshing twist to the dish.

Hustler Burger 3.8/5

The Hustler Burger ($18) features a 160g dry age beef patty, mini hash, bacon and a fried egg atop, all held together by two toasted soft brioche buns. While the nicely-seasoned beef patty is slightly tougher in texture, the crispy hash added a crunch element, and together with the bacon and cheese which constitute flavorous additions that give the dish an uplift.

French Toast 4/5

End the meal on a sweet note with the French Toast ($18) which features two pieces of soft pillowy brioche toast with a slight crisp in its pan-fried exterior, and paired with glazed apple, mixed nuts and vanilla ice cream. The pieces of glazed apple provided a subtle juicy sweetness to the french toast while the nuts has a nice crunch to it. The vanilla ice cream is sourced from Apiary, which is known for their house-made creamy and rich ice cream. Overall, a pretty decent dessert constituting a medley of accompaniments with lusciously sweet notes atop well-executed fluffy french toasts.

With just less than half a year into operations, Hustle Co has undergone a series of menu tweakings to introduce a variety of unqiue offerings to indulge in for brunch. Instead of being the conventional brunch-and-coffee cafe, it places a stronger emphasis on their local craft beers on tap as well, which provides for a great avenue to unwind with your friends after a long day of hustle.

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.


Hustle Co
52 Craig road
Singapore 089690
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Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sat: 9am - 12midnight
Sun: 9am - 5pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Orchid Hotel. Walk to Tanjong Pagar Road. Cross the road and walk to Craig Road. Continue on Craig Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Ninja Cut @ Seah Street - Reliving Childhood Eats And Indulging In New Bowl Creations

Dining at Ninja Cut, is like transporting one back to our childhood days where the new menu gives a modern spin to our childhood eats such as the chicken macaroni, steamed egg, rosti and kaya toast.

Don't-Cha-Wan-Some-Mushi 4.5/5

Starting with the Don't-Cha-Wan-Some-Mushi ($16) is a Japanese variation of the Chinese steamed egg dish. It comes with a luscious egg custard on top of a bed of cheese rice which is topped with onions, tobiko and spring onions. Diner has a choice of having it with shabu pork belly or Hokkaido scallop (additional $2). The experience felt like having a bowl of Japanese mui fan with steamed up held excellently together by the flavoursome broth. I am actually quite impressed with the dish. It is probably the first I have seen anywhere else served this creation.

Beefy Patty Macaroni 4/5

We probably grown up having chicken macaroni soup but the dish is given an even more hearty take with the Beefy Patty Macaroni ($16). A whole beef hamburg stuffed with cheese, sits in a bowl of macaroni and tangy homemade tomato broth. There is even a poached egg to give it a creamy finish.

Crab Rosti 4.2/5

The Crab Rosti ($18) is not the usual type that is made from potato. This is actually made with a mix of sweet potato, potato, cheese and onion, giving it more crunch and flavour. The rosti is further topped with poached egg, mesclun mix, crab pate and tobiko.

Kaya Toast 4.2/5

Lastly we had the Kaya Toast ($16) which comes with brioche French toast stuffed with mochi cheese and homemade kaya. This is served with gula melaka, crumble and sea salt mascarpone ice cream. The toast is already very good on its own but it even better when you have it together with the sea salt mascarpone ice cream.

Compared to Ninja Cut's previous menu. I actually like the new menu a lot. Instead of just putting carb and protein into a bowl, I can taste the creativity to up the ante giving the childhood food a modern interpretation that is both delicious and beautiful.

Noted: This is an invited tasting.


Ninja Cut
32 Seah Street
Singapore 188388
Tel: +65 62647727
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Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 930am - 730pm
Sat-Sun: 9am - 6pm

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to the junction of Bras Basah Road and North Bridge Road. Cross the road, walk towards Raffles Hotel direction. Walk down North Bridge Road and turn right on to Seah Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

Froth Cafe @ Big Hotel

Froth Cafe located in Middle Road, at the basement of Big Hotel has been in my horizon when instagram has been flooding with their taco waffle picture. With great pleasure, I made my way down to the cafe on a Saturday to check out their new menu.

Salted Caramel Latte 2.8/5

Kicking the day for my brunch at Froth Cafe with the Salted Caramel Latte. Very pretty latte art but the coffee was too sweet and milky for my liking.

Escargot Vol Au Vents 3.5/5

If this is a plating competition, I would have given it perfect score. The Escargot Vol Vu Vents ($12.90), beautifully painted the picture a garden with snails. There are many components on the plate, such as garlic butter escargot, carrot puree, crushed nuts, baby carrots, savoury soil and miso glaze. I actually like the garlic butter escargot on its own. What I did not like is the soil which was actually on the sweet side, throwing the balance off.

Roast Duck Salad 2.8/5

My eyes lightened up again when the Roast Duck Salad ($11.90) is served. The smoked duck breast is served on a bed of greens, mint leaves, watercress, cherry tomatoes, sliced peaches, orange, radish and raisins. It is finished with a tangy truffle foam. Once again it is another pretty dish but I will gladly substitute the foam with a sauce, for a more saucy bowl of salad.

Pork Belly Eggs Benedict 3/5

I was really looking forward to the Pork Belly Eggs Benedict ($20.90) on the menu. Salmon and poached egg is kind of old school now. Great that they have paired pork belly with poached egg on English muffins and dressed with homemade salted egg hollandaise. Pardon my shallow culinary knowledge but I am not sure the reason for the coconut braised pork belly as I could not taste any coconut. Saying that, the pork belly was really fork tender. The salted egg hollandaise was lackluster too. There was no salted egg taste and the dressing was kind of watery.

Rosti & Fried Chicken 3.5/5

I would say that the Rosti & Fried Chicken ($20.90) is a new variation from the usual buttermilk chicken & waffle. I like the lighter version of the rosti to the usual waffle. Partly that I am not a big fan of sweet and savoury combination. Although I could not taste anything salted egg from the salted egg battered fried chicken, it dd manage to give a crunchy exterior crispiness on top of the succulent chicken. I would have rated the dish highly if not for the homemade potato jam which I thought was not necessary.

Taro Pancake Stack 3/5

Taro Pancake Stack 3/5

I was told that the purple sauce for the Taro Pancake Stack ($16.90) is the same taro sauce that is used for Froth's signature taro waffle. I find the sauce once again too sweet and tasted artificial. On the pancake, I actually like the taro stuffing in between them. I could taste the natural flavour and sweetness of the taro.

French Toast Cube 4/5

The French Toast Cube ($19.90) was probably the best thing on the new menu I tried. The broiche cube with it eggy and buttery aroma was so good that I kept going back for more. A little surprise is hidden inside the french toast cube with a scoop of ice icream of your choice. I recommend to have this eaten quickly or the ice cream inside the toast will melted under the heat and made the interior mushy.

While the food at Froth Cafe did not quite impress me but I think it has great potential. I think the idea and concept is there but a little more thought and fine tuning would raise the mark of the dishes. I would not write them off yet, this is one cafe that has an interesting menu that has potential to capture both the diner's tummy and phone.


[MOVED]
Froth Cafe
Big Hotel
200 Middle Road
Singapore 188980
Tel: +65 63361228
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Bras Basah (CC Line), Bugis (DT Lne, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bras Basah MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk down Waterloo Street. Turn left onto Middle Road. Continue walking down Middle Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to junction of Victoria Street and Middle Road. Turn right onto Middle Road. Continue walking down Middle Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]