AquaMarine @ Marina Mandarin Singapore - Indulge In A Crustacean Galore And Divine Specials From Upcoming Singapore Heritage Buffet

Esteemed for its extensive halal buffet spread featuring Asian and Western cuisines, AquaMarine is an international culinary extravaganza within the Marina Mandarin Singapore. We indulge in their dazzling crustaceans galore spanning around a huge stand-alone counter which takes the centerpiece of the buffet line, as well as selected specials from their upcoming Singapore Heritage Buffet.

Available from 1 to 31 Aug 2018, diners can take a trip down memory lane and indulge in the nation's iconic dishes such as the Wagyu Beef Short Rib 'Satay', Marinated Ayam Buah Keluak Shawarma in lotus buns, Sambal Whole Salmon Fillet, as well as the well-know local favourite Chilli Crab. These dishes from the Singapore Heritage Buffet are specially curated for the month of August, which is in line with the Nation's Birthday on August 9.

Known for focusing their buffet spread on the freshest catch from the sea, AquaMarine is an absolute seafood paradise for the seafood lovers. Expect an endless flow of premium seafood, such as the Tiger Prawns, Spanner Crabs, Stone Crab Claws, Snow Crab Claws, Fresh Scallops, Clams, and Shucked Oysters. As diners repeatedly pile their plates high with seafood, the counters are continuously replenished with ample seafood so there is more than enough for everyone.

Apart from the fresh seafood on ice, there is also the Crustaceans Seafood Stew, where diners can enjoy a piping hot bowl of flavourful stew filled with a variety of cooked seafood.

For those who prefer to have their seafood hot, delight in their Black Pepper Crab, as well as Crispy Soft Shell prawn with cereal and chicken floss for a comforting treat.

There are also a Japanese counter where you can get your sushi, udon, tempura and sashimi fix.

Wagyu Beef Short Rib'Satay' 4.2/5

Showcasing highlights from the much anticipated Singapore Heritage Buffet, the Wagyu Beef Short Rib is one my favourites. The beef meat is extremely soft, tender and juicy, while the satay sauce is filled with a reminiscent of the local flavour. Yet I find that the flavour of the satay sauce might be too overwhelming and masks the natural juicy flavour and char of the wagyu beef. However, the wagyu beef meat is perfectly executed, so go easy on the sauce.

Marinated Ayam Buah Keluak Shawarma in Lotus Bun 4.2/5

A mainstay of Peranakan cuisine, the Marinated Ayam Buah Keluak Shawarma in Lotus Bun features tender Nonya Chicken with a slightly spicy and tangy gravy, sandwiched in between soft fluffy mantous.

Sambal Whole Salmon Fillet 4.2/5

The sambal chilli is a favourite among the locals, and that cannot be missed out in the Heritage buffet. The Sambal Whole Salmon Fillet features extremely soft fish fillet meat, perfectly seasoned and covered with the authentic sambal spice and fragrance.

Deep Fried Asian Crab Friller with Salted Egg Mayo 4/5

The Deep Fried Asian Crab Friller with Salted Egg Mayo boosts soft crab fillings with a thin crispy fried layer. The salted egg mayo adds a salted, creamy flavour to the fresh crab pieces, elevating the entire flavour of the crab.

Singapore Chilli Crab 4.2/5

A well-known local favourite, the Singapore Chilli Crab is a must-try here. The thing that defines the style and tastes for chilli crab is the chilli sauce. The juicy crabs come with a an impeccable gravy that features a combination of spiciness, sweetness and saltiness, which is a perfect complement with the fluffy deep fried mantou.

Beyond the crustaceans and Singapore Heritage specials, AquaMarine also offers a wide variety of delectable desserts such as the assorted Nonya kuehs, cakes, puddings, ice cream, beancurd and their durian pengat.

With so many options for everyone, it is an ideal choice for large groups of friends and family to gather in a spacious environment for an indulgent buffet meal. On weekend dinners, diners can look forward to their action station whipping up sugarcane juice, durian and all-time favourites.

Singapore Heritage Buffet is available from 2 to 31 August 2018. Priced from $60++ per adult and $30++ per child (6-12 years old). For reservations: please call 6845 1111 or email aquamarine.marina@meritushotels.com

Photos and words 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.


AquaMarine
Marina Mandarin Singapore
6 Raffles Boulevard
Level 4
Singapore 039594
Tel: +65 68451111
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Website
Nearest MRT: Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 630am - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit B or D. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

The Spot @ Marina One - Modern European Cuisine With Southeast Asian Ingredients And Mastery Of Sauces

Many new restaurants have opened in the new Marina One building such as Wakanui Dining and Majestic Restaurant. Joining the vibrant F&B scene in the same building is a multi-concept venue - The Spot which is opened by the people behind 1855 F&B Pte Ltd. The Spot comprises of all day dining, cafe, restaurant, bar and a cigar lounge.

The Spot covers a huge 5000 square feet space which includes retail space for customers to purchase wine and whisky. These are strategic partnerships with 1855 The Bottle Shop and Macallan.

Roasted Carrot Soup 4.2/5

Dinner at The Spot started with the Roasted Carrot Soup ($18). Peeled young ginger is added to the blend of roasted carrots, orange juice and coconut cream for a warm gingerly finishing. Rounding off is the sharpness from the kaffir leaves. The addition of the salty chorizo bits give the soup the needed balance.

Scallop Carpaccio 4.8/5

I have drank buah long long drink but I never expect the chef to use it to make it into a sauce and pair with the Scallop Carpaccio ($30). The green colour buah long long vinaigrette sauce is so good. The sourness of the sauce complements the sweetness of the scallop excellently. The jicama remoulade and green apple provides the extra crunch to the dish.

Charred Grilled Octopus 4/5

I have eaten quite a number of Charred Grilled Octopus ($25) but the Spot has given me something new to appreciate the tentacle. Once again the sauce stands out. This time round, a blend of peanut, red miso and mirin forms the base of the sauce, which tasted somewhat similar to those peanut sauce for our local satay. This is freshened up with the preserved green papaya slaw.

Local Skate 4.2/5

The Local Skate ($25) is pan fried and served on a bed of risotto which has been wrapped in blanched butter lettuce leaves. What brings the hold dish together is the beautiful broth made from fish stock, salted plum, tomato, young ginger, dried sole powder and dried shiitake mushrooms. A very comforting and hearty dish which reminds me of our local fish soup porridge.

Pan Fried Red Snapper 4/5

The Pan Fried Red Snapper ($28) has a Thai influence to it with the green curry emulsion. It even comes with Thai ping pong eggplant that has been peeled and confit until soft. It is given a coat of charred from the blow torch before serving.

Glazed Local Duck Breast 4.5/5

Cooked to a beautiful pink and seared to crispy on the skin is the Glazed Local Duck Breast ($28). The duck is then glazed with house-made chrysanthemum honey which gives it a hint of sweetness. Once again the sauce stands out with the delectable plum ginger vinegar jus. that elevated the usual plum sauce. On the side is the smooth and creamy butternut squash puree.

Pork Cheek BBQ 4/5

The Pork Cheek BBQ ($26) is grilled to a nice tender. The marination for the pork jowl tastes like our local bak kwa with a mix of sweetness and smokiness, using a mixture of soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vine vinegar, dark soy sauce, five spice and more. This is paired with the house made caramel vinegar sauce with potato mousseline at the side. It is topped with pork floss before serving.

Beef Short Ribs 4/5

The Beef Short Ribs ($40) falls short against the other dishes I have tried, which have been excellent so far. The beef short ribs with the Java long pepper sauce was beautiful on its own. However the aerated porridge and pickled oyster mushroom were kind of misfit on the dish and more of a distraction, instead of complementing it.

Licorice Root Ice Cream 3/5

The Licorice Root Ice Cream ($15) is an egg-based ice cream made with licorice root powder and malt extract. Not a big fan of liquorice but it is still acceptable with the help of the coffee crumble covering the acquire taste of the liquorice.

Sea Coconut Brulee 4/5

You can find chunky pieces of sea coconut underneath the Sea Coconut Brulee ($14). I was kind of surprise in the choice of fruit, as sea coconut is seldom used in modern cuisine. The creme brulee is topped with kaffir lime foam for the zest, while the house-made sour cream ice cream round it off with a milky sweet finishing.

I have to say I am really impressed with the food at The Spot. Offering an eclectic menu, Chef Lee Boon Seng has creatively and masterly fuses modern European cuisine with Southeast Asian ingredients. And what makes me look forward to in each dish, is the unique sauce that is paired with the food. It's like embarking a discovery tour on the different type of sauces he will be using to pair with the mains.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Spot
Marina One The Heart
5 Straits View
#01-26/27
Singapore 018935
Tel: +65 62842637
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Downtown (DT Line), Marina Bay (CC Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 730am - 11pm
Sat: 530pm - 11pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Downtown MRT station. Take Exit D. What to Straits View road. Turn right on Straits View road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Marina Bay MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Marina Way road. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

IL DEN @ Orchard Plaza - Hidden 8 Seater Restaurant By Ex-Iggy's Chef

Who would expect to find a restaurant hidden on the fourth level of Orchard Plaza? IL DEN is a hole in the wall restaurant with only 8 seats run by Chef Javier, who also double up as the waiter, cashier and dish washer. Yes this is a one-man show restaurant. The young chef has bags of experience working in Iggy, Cenci in Kyoto and Jekyll & Hyde.

Kakiage 4/5

There is only 3 set menu offered at the restaurant. Lunch Set Menu starting from $25, Dinner Set Menu at $75 or Omakase Menu for $120. We tried the $75 dinner set menu starting with the crispy Kakiage which is made up of sakura ebi, shisho and ginger. The aromatic from the deep fried ebi perfumed the air and whets up the appetite for what is to come.

Somen 4/5

Next is a cold wheat noodle dish tossed in a cream based sauce and crowned with caviar. The Somen is served slightly chilled and it is recommend to have it fast before it dries up.

Chawanmushi 3.5/5

The Chawanmushi would take a bit of understanding to appreciate the dish as the steamed egg custard is actually quite bland. To appreciate the silky egg custard, one has to have it together with the painstaking prepared chicken wing stock, that marries the dish together. The foie gras is a welcome bonus in both flavour and texture.

Scallop 4.2/5

The Scallop is lightly seared on the outside while the inside is still raw. This comes with house-made pickled radish in balsamic and sweet creamy uni. What interests me is the unorthodox pairing of house-made pesto sauce to go with the scallop. I would never thought it actually works quite well with the shellfish.

Orecchiette 3.8/5

Chef Javier made the Orecchiette pasta inhouse and cooked them in a delish prawn head broth. These cute looking pasta is also known as little ears pasta. It is paried with ebi, ebiko and broccoli. It has an enjoyable textural bite. Someone in the group commented that its like having Mee Hoon Kueh.

Beef Short Ribs 4/5

Resting on the smooth bed of potato puree and roasted vegetables is the Beef Short Ribs that has been cooked to a beautiful fork tender, falling apart with ease. The meat's texture is more towards the braised type with a slight char on the exterior.

Panna Cotta 4.2/5

Wrapping up the meal is the Panna Cotta that comes with a layer of ginger sake jelly, yuzu and raspberry. The play of flavours especially the used of the sake's sweetness to elevate the enjoyment of the panna cotta strikes a memorable note for my meal at IL DEN.

Overall I have enjoyed the Japanese-Italian fusion cuisine at IL DEN. The execution is still a bit rough in my opinion but there are warm and soul in the food. It felt like dining in one's private home. Words have gotten around about this hidden dining spot and as far as I know reservation can be up to a month now.


IL DEN
Orchard Plaza
150 Orchard Road
#04-21
Singapore 238841
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Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Thu: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 930pm
Fri: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 3am
Sat: 6pm - 3am

Direction:
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit D. Walk to ground level. Walk to junction of Orchard Road and Koek Road. Cross the road. Walk down Koek Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

Sinfonia Ristorante @ Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall - Rebranded with Contemporary Italian Cuisine

With its high ceiling and towering Corinthian columns, embedding a history of 150 years, Sinfonia Ristorante at Victoria Concert Hall is immense at first glance. To conquer such a space, perhaps only Sardinian-born Chef Simone Depalmas with his big personality and infectious laughter, is able to do that, in his illuminating green chef coat. Formerly FOO’D By Davide Oldani, the restaurant is rebranded to mean 'symphony' in Italian, giving Chef Simone the autonomy to design the menu himself. You can expect bold, yet delicate flavours that are inspired from different regions of Italy and put together based on his 21 years of culinary experience.

Truffle Chicken Liver Brulee 4/5

Truffle Chicken Liver Brulee ($26) is what I meant by bold. To balance the rich flavours of the liver, Chef uses several different wines, including Madeira wine, Port wine, Marsala wine and even Chinese wine. It kind of reminds me of red wine chicken when wine is used to work magic with the beautiful juices seeping out from the skin and meat. Adorning the mousse are black truffle from umbria, leek mousse and minty local herbs. The idea of presenting it like a crème brulee is baffling but as you crack the sugar coat, spread it on the roasted focaccia and you know it works.

Smoked Mackerel 3.8/5

Smoked Mackerel (Available in Lunch Menu) comes in bite size served on roasted polenta. The polenta is dense but soft. This tartine is full in texture and flavour-packed with savoury and smokey nuances. Topped with dill sauce and avocado gazpacho, they infuse a lift to the dish, while the plumy black garlic sauce adds a layer to the taste and draws the components together into a piece of artwork.

Rice Roll 3.8/5

Soon you will see the dishes here are just as aesthetically pleasing as the surroundings, such as this Rice Roll. Sardinia is all about the sea and here you have a rice roll wrapping Hokkaido sea urchin, Alaskan king crab, Japanese rice (Available in Lunch Menu with a top up of $10) accompanied with tomato crumble, piquant sea urchin sauce and clam foam. Nothing is too empowering, allowing the sweet and delicate flavours to seep through and bind with another.

Mushroom Soup 4/5

Easing the stomach before the mains was the Mushroom Soup ($18) made with a blend of 6 different mushroom varieties. No cream and butter, what you are savouring is the taste of nature. Rich in taste and mouth fill, the sautéed sliced mushrooms elevate the taste while adding some texture and bite. And just before it gets too much, the candied pine nuts pulls it back with its nutty sweetness.

Porcini Risotto 3.8/5

If that level of shroom intensity is not enough, Porcini Risotto ($28, Available in 5-course & 7-course Degustation Menu) made using fresh Porcini mushrooms from Italy may seal the deal. The rice I had was evenly cooked with a nice chewiness. Just look at its color and you know it's truly a gourmet mushroom dish.

Squid Ink Tagliolini 3/5

Hand-made Squid Ink Tagliolini ($34) again showcases the flavours of the Mediterranean sea. Freshly made in the kitchen daily with real squid ink, the tagliolini is loose and light. The lobster sauce is so welcoming on the palate that even without the king prawn and bottarga, I believe one could easily finish off the pasta.

Frog Leg 3/5

I always thought that frog leg dish is a very Asian food, till I came across this Frog Leg ($36) in Italian tempura style. Apparently, frog legs are very popular in French cuisine and the French species are fleshier as compared to her counterparts. The refreshing sauce made from milk, vinegar and lemon brightens up the dish, along with the tangy berry and passionfruit sauces that add tartness to it. How much more elegant can it get to consume frog legs in such a manner!

Beef Short Ribs 3.8/5

One may easily mistaken this Beef Short Ribs (Available in 5-course & 7-course Degustation Menu) as beef cheek. Marinated for 6 hours, then slow-cooked for another 12 hours, the USDA Wagyu Beef is soft and fork tender. I love the sweet chestnut at the side which I find rather appetizing to have it in between the meat.

Cod Fish 3.5/5

Served on the artsy beautiful pattered plate is Cod Fish ($44). The fish is rich and buttery, with the top seared to a slight crisp. The smoked caviar atop teases out its sweetness and milky flavor. While the butter lemon sauce doesn't quite complement the meaty fish, the tart berry drops in the sauce manage to lend a level of zest to the dish.

Passionfruit, Raspberry Meringue, Rose Lychee Sorbet 3/5

Summing up the meal were two desserts, both equally delightful. The first is the Passionfruit, Raspberry Meringue and Rose Lychee Sorbet ($18). Its essentially passionfruit curd paired with raspberry meringue, accompanied by a rose lychee sorbet with chocolate crumble at the bottom. The rose flavor adds a depth to the lychee sorbet, be it colour, fragrant or taste.

The Mandarin 3.5/5

The Mandarin  ($18) is simply a 'orange' filled with mascarpone cheese and fresh orange juice, delivering a joy far beyond its 2 ingredients.

To be free from the reins of previous branding, it must have been a joy and relief to Chef Simone. To be able to allow his creativity to flow and eventually get translated onto the table, with each and every dish exuding his personality and thoughts.

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.


Sinfonia Ristorante
Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall
11 Empress Place
#01-01
Singapore 179558
Tel: +65 63855588
Facebook
Wesbite
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Mon: 12pm - 3pm
Tue-Sat: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit H. Walk towards the river. Cross the bridge. Walk to Empress Place road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]