Maggie Joan's Dining & Bar @ Amoy Street

The talk in town lately has to be the underground dining place, Maggie Joan's Dining & Bar at Amoy Street. It is physically located at Amoy Street but the main entrance is actually at the back alley via Gemmill Lane. The people behind Maggie Joan's is the father and son team behind Moosehead Kitchen, Glen and Daniel Ballis. The underground dining place also gets its name from Daniel's two grandmothers.

Homemade Garlic and Rosemary Bread, Hummus 4/5

The dinner at Maggie Joan's started with the Homemade Garlic and Rosemary Bread with Hummus ($5). The hummus made with chickpeas, cumin, garlic, olive oil, salt and lemon juice goes with the warm baked bread perfectly kick starting the night.

Poached Egg, Dukkah and Saffron Mayo 4.5/5

The presentation looks more like a muah chee in appearance rather than a Poached Egg ($6). The slow poached egg is rolled in dukka (sesame, corainder, cumin, hazelnut and panko) and then deep fried served with saffron aioli on the side. The execution impressed and enlightened me how the chef can elevate a simple egg to a whole new level, giving it a new life in texture and flavour.

Roast Jerusalem Artichoke and Manchego 4.2/5

Another name for Jerusalem Artichoke is known as sunchoke. The Roasted Jerusalem Artichoke with Manchego ($8) has a delightful crunchy texture excellently paired with the manchego cream and mixed seeds for a lift in taste and texture.

Hamachi Sashimi, Carrots, and Brandade 4/5

The Hamachi Sashimi ($23) is brushed with orange and lemon glaze for a tad of citrus sweetness. I find it weird to pair the raw hamachi with the creamy brandade mousse but it turned out rather pleasing on the palate.

Heirloom Tomatoes, Plum and Burrata 4.2/5

The Heirloom Tomatoes with Plum and Burrata ($21) may look simple on the plate but it is bursting with amazing flavours eaten together with the fresh burrata.

Scallop Carpaccio, Peas and Ham

The Scallop Carpaccio, Peas and Ham ($21) is an interesting combination. The combination of scallop and pea may turn some off but this is cleverly executed so that the pea is not very prominent on the plate. The scallop is marinated in sherry dressing, lemon juice, olive oil and sherry for lift in sweetness, together with the crispy ham for the well thought dish.

Roast Seabass, Pesto and Marinated Tomatoes 4.5/5

The highlight for the Roast Seabass, Pesto and Marinated Tomatoes ($28) is the green pesto sauce made from pine nuts, parmesan, garlic and vegetable stock. The piece of seabass seems to be swimming in joy in the pool of pesto broth and swimming joyfully down my satisfied tummy.

Grilled Iberico Secreto, Prunes and Cauliflower 4.2/5

The Grilled Iberico Secreto ($36) is brine for 4 hours and cook in water bath for 12 hours for a beautiful succulent consistency. The marinated prunes lend a nice sweetness to the meaty Spanish pork complemented by the smooth cauliflower puree.

Figs, Red Wine and Housemade Ricotta 4/5 and Orange Cake Yogurt & Pistachio 4.5/5

White Chocolate, Spiced Crumble and Passion Fruit 4/5

The dessert menu is rather small with only 4 items. Figs, Red Wine and Housemade Ricotta ($10), Orange Cake Yogurt & Pistachio ($10), White Chocolate, Spiced Crumble and Passion Fruit ($10) and Cheese ($12). Surprisingly, my favourite is the orange cake with yogurt and pistachio. The full flavour, denseness and tartness scored highly among the others at the dining table too.

The Mediterranean inspired restaurant with its distinct underground character, reflected in its edgy industrial decor, hidden in the back lane did not disappoint me with its modern take on Mediterranean cuisine and good food. It is worth embarking on an adventurous trail to seek out the underground dining place.


Maggie Joan's Dining & Bar
110 Amoy Street
#01-01
Singapore 069930
(Entrance from Gemmill Lane)
Tel: +65 62215564
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line), Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 11pm
Sat: 6pm - 11pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk down Cross Street towards Amoy Street. Turn left onto Amoy Street. Take the side lane beside the shop house and walk to the back. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2)  Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Follow the covered walkway to the junction of Mccallum Street, Telok Ayer and Amoy Street. Turn left at the junction onto Amoy Street. Continue on Amoy Street to the end of the road. Take the side lane beside lane at the end of Amoy Street to the back. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Spiffy Dapper @ Amoy Street

Started off as a hole in the wall in Boat Quay, Spiffy Dapper has moved to a bigger space at Amoy Street. With the new home, Dapper Coffee is also born. Now the new place is a cafe in the day and a bar at night. I dropped by Spiffy Dapper one evening to check out their new dinner menu.

Sheikh On The Level 4/5

Dark and Stormy 4/5

We started off with some pre-dinner cocktails in the Sheikh On The Level and Dark & Stormy. The Sheikh On the Level is made from Turkish Black Tea Gin Sour finished off Cardamom, served with aTurkish Delight. On the lighter and refreshing note is the Dark and Stormy made with dark rum and ginger beer.

Fully Loaded Baked Avocado 4.2/5

Spiffy Dapper has a very small menu with only 11 items. We started with the Fully Loaded Baked Avocado ($10). The avocado is baked with cheddar and served with sour cream, candied bacon and spring onions. This is my first time having baked avocado and I enjoyed it a lot. It felt like having baked potato.

Classic Mac & Cheese 3/5

Next we tried is the Classic Mac & Cheese ($12). The macaroni is baked with parmesan and cheddar, topped with croutons for extra bites. Unfortunately I find the flavour lacked the cheesy richness I preferred.

Dapper Burger 2.8/5

The Dapper Burger ($25) was huge with 250gram of beef and pork patty, cheese. bacon, old fashioned ketchup, lettuce and onion. The patty was moist and juicy but it seemed like the chef was a bit heavy with the salt. I have to wash it down with a glass of water.

Stuffed Squid 3/5

I was actually looking forward to try the Stuffed Squid ($20) which comes with squid ink Mexican Rice and chipotle aioli brulee. The squid and the chipotle aioli complemented each other perfectly. However the whole execution was lacked down by the dry and rather bland rice.

The most memorable item on the menu has to be baked avocado and their cocktails. The rest of the items was rather mediocre. I had a table beside me who is a regular that is raving to his friend about the good food at Spiffy Dapper. It really got me puzzled. Probably the kitchen has a bad day when my friend and I were there.


Spiffy Dapper
73 Amoy Street
Singapore 069892
Tel: +65 87224953
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 4pm - 12midnight
Sat-Sun: 8pm - 12midnight

Direction: 
Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Turn left and walk down Telok Ayer Road. At the cross junction of Telok Ayer Road, Mccallum Street and Amoy Street, turn left onto Amoy Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Boruto - Japanese Tapas & Sake Bar @ South Bridge Road

When comes to selecting venues for your chill-out nights, instead of going for your usual beer, wine or cocktails, why not try sake? Bōruto, at South Bridge Road, serves up a selection of one of the finest sake, alongside with a variety of Japanese tapas that bound to wrap up your day the way you needed it. Conceptualised as a modern izakaya, the double-storey establishment is opened by Chef Patrick Tan, who also owns Tamashii Robataya, the premium Japanese robatayaki restaurant located nearby.

This premise seems to be designated to be Boruto's. Meaning “vault” in Japanese, the bar's name transpired its past life as a bank. Being converted to a bar, the vault now functions effectively as a safe for all the premium sakes. Spanish sounding, it also naturally accent its part-Spanish identity.

Ichigo Gazpacho 4/5

Chef Patrick has chosen something cold for us to start off the evening - Ichigo Gazpacho ($10.80). I waited eagerly as their Head Chef Angus poured the roasted strawberry cold soup over the smoked blood orange sherbet . The tangy blood orange sherbet carried a hint of smoky flavour which set in slowly in mouth. That, grabbed my attention almost immediately. Peppered with salt, it teased out the subtle sweetness of the strawberry cold soup, which might otherwise be overwhelmed by its much stronger taste. This cold tapas really got me into the mood, and excited about what lay in store for us for the rest of the evening.

Saga Gyu Tataki 4.2/5

Saga Gyu Tataki ($28.80) seared saga beef with saffron . Thinly sliced, each piece of the seared beef was amazingly light on the palate. The taste was delicate, which developed slowly as I chewed on it, and got more pronounced when I paired it with a sake.

Tako a la Español 4.5/5

Having worked in a Spanish set up before joining Boruto, Chef Angus is pretty well-versed in tapas. Tako a la Español ($30.80) is just one of the dishes that have been imbued with strong Spanish influence. The mingling of the different flavours exuded from the smoked potato, sweet paprika & chili salsa definitely packed a punch. The octopus, imported from japan, yields a chewier texture compared to those from Spain. Adhering to the tradition of Japanese plating by using a narrow flat dish, it's a stellar example of a well-thought-out fusion dish. It wouldn't be as appealing should a usual octopus tapas plating is used. This has become one of my favourites of the evening.

Japanese Seabass 3.8/5

The Japanese Seabass with Curry Leek and Salted Egg Yolk Emulsion is a new dish created by Chef Angus which is not even in the menu yet. The dish is pretty well done with crisp skin, along with the moist and tender meat. The curry flavoured leeks did well in adding zest to the overall taste of the dish.

Kurobuta “Sio Bak” 3/5

Kurobuta “Sio Bak” ($20.80), roasted Japanese black pork belly with assorted vegetables . I was a little disappointed with this dish. I appreciate the way it was being prepared, as I got to taste both the skin and meat separately. however, I feel the fried skin was too dry, and the meat also seemed to be missing out the melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Zuwai Gani Sausage 3.5/5

Zuwai Gani Sausage ($30.80). For those that like sausages for its mesh of meats, you may enjoy Boruto's  version of Queen crab meat sausage with crab bisque & toast. The sausage is made of real Queen crab meat. Though it is not exactly to my liking as I find that it lacks the usual tenderness and sweetness, it is an experience eating it. Afterall, this is likely to be the one & only solid piece of crab meat sausage that you can find in Singapore.

Kuro Meshi 3.8/5

Kuro Meshi ($20.80)  - Squid ink baked rice with queen crab meat. i'm not exactly a fan of squid ink, but I love how pearly the rice was in this dish.

Tori Consomme 3.8/5

If you have had too much a drink throughout your meal, it’s good to cleared our ‘head’ a little with their Tori Consomme ($8.80) - double boiled chicken broth with seasonal vegetables . So light and yet flavourful, it did a wonderful job in recovering our senses!

Truffle Crème Brulee 2.5/5

At Boruto, besides the tapas, they also play around with their desserts. Truffle Crème Brulee ($8.80) is quite a subjective dish. The truffled milk custard with burnt sugar glaze, may or may not sit well with individual's taste buds.

 The Tiramisu ($12.80) is actually made of Black sesame cream with mascarpone cheese. It tasted quite light for the first few bites, but got slightly cloying after a while.

Tiramisu 2.5/5

With the number of unfinished bottles of Sake tagged and left in their care, I can see that Boruto has already won its pool of loyal regulars. Don't be intimidated if you ain't a Sake aficionado. You can always turn to their trained Sake connoisseur, who is more than ready to advise you on appropriate pairings. Your first visit won't be the last, for sure.

Written 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.


Boruto
80 South Bridge Road
#01-01
Singapore 058710
Tel: +65 65320418
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 430pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to North Canal Road. Turn right and walk down North Canal Road. At the junction on North Canal Road and South Bridge Road, turn left onto South Bridge Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Raffles PLace MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk down Battery Street onto North Canal Road. Continue on North Canal North. At the junction on North Canal Road and South Bridge Road, cross the road and turn right onto South Bridge Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

MEDZS Bistro & Bar @ Clifford Centre

MEDZS has opened its third outlet, MEDZS Bistro & Bar at the heart of Central Business District (CBD), located at Clifford Centre. It is a bistro-by-day, doorstep-bar-by-night concept. Patron can enjoy an array of breakfast, brunch and dinner items. Catering for the busy executives working in the vicinity, it also offers a delicious sustenance for takeaway.

Viennoiserie Mini Croissants 3/5

At the cold display counter, is a selection of Viennoiserie Mini Croissants for takeaway. The varieties includes Prawn & Sesame Dressing ($3.90), Lemonade Crab Meat Mayo ($4.90), Pork Ham & Cheese ($3.90), Turkish-spiced Chicken ($3.90) and Homemade Cured Salmon ($3.90). Among the five choices I tried, my favourite was the Turkish-spiced Chicken. I probably need at least 2 of these to fill me up.

Artisan Sandwiches & Baguette 4/5

I always feel that bread is not a breakfast or lunch time for Singaporean. We still prefer our bak chor mee or chicken rice. Nevertheless, with the increasing foreign workforce in Singapore, they will feel home with the these Artisan Sandwiches and Baguette at Medzs Bistro & Bar. Choices available on the menu are Italian Panini Bread with Tomato Capresse & Buffalo Mozzarella ($12.90), Olive Ciabatte with Prosciutto & Veal Paprika Lyoner Ham ($12.90), Laugen Brotchen with Pork Bierschinken & Red Cheddar Cheese ($11.90) and Beef Pastrami with Rustic Baguette ($12.90). Influenced and inspired by different European countries (Italy, German and France), each of them has its own characteristic and goodness. The Laugen Brotchen with Pork Bierschinken & Red Cheddar Cheese with be my overall favourite.

Stuffed Cheesy Pull-apart Bread with Parsley & Basil 4.5/5

 One of the most assuming dish turns out to be my highlight. The Stuffed Cheesy Pull-apart Bread with Parsley & Basil ($9.90) nailed it for me. It tasted sort of like a upgraded garlic bread but with more layers of flavours and more important the stuffed cheese aroma that comes with each bite of the bread. Simple but harmoniously perfect in flavours.

French Bread Pizza 3.5/5

For something more substantial to satisfy the hungry stomach, once can try the French Bread Pizza. The stone oven olive bread (traditional) in a french pizza style, comes with 4 choices. They are Magherita ($12.90), Beef Pepperoni ($12.90), Honey Baked Ham & Roasted Pineapple ($12.90), Pesto Herbs & White Mushroom Cream ($12.90) and Al Fruiti De Mare ($13.90). I would think the local palate would prefer the Al Fruiti De Mare that comes with prawn, tuna and crab, a little seafood heaven on top of the bread. While the rest is rather classic toppings and flavours.

Deep Sea Prawn Wakame & Soba Salad with Sesame Dressing 4.5/5

If you prefer something like, then I would recommend you the Deep Sea Prawn Wakame & Soba Salad with Sesame Dressing ($7.90/$11.90). Actually its not really a salad dish but rather a cold soba dish with sesame dressing. It seems like sesame sauce goes well with almost everything and this is really appetizing.

Scramble Eggs with Chicken Sausage, Mushroom and Bacon 4.2/5

Egg White Scramble with Smoked Salmon Gravia 4/5

Most of us need our eggs for breakfast and Medzs Bistro & Bar offers exactly that. In fact, it offers more. On the menu is the Scramble Eggs with Chicken Sausage, Mushroom and Bacon ($5.90) and a healthier version Egg White Scramble with Smoked Salmon Gravia ($4.90). Judging from the extra order of the scramble eggs with chicken sausage, it looks like its more popular for its richer flavours compare to the egg white scramble.

Crispy Pork Belly with Tomato Braised Chickpeas 3.5/5

 Spanish Camarones 4.8/5

Medzs Bistro and Bar also offers some delectable Spanish Tapas and Bar snacks after 3pm. The Crispy Pork Belly with Tomato Braised Chickpeas ($6.90) turned out to be on the dry side for my liking. However the Spanish Camarones ($8.90) was the rock stars of the night. The fried Spanish shrimp anchovy marinated chicken was bursting with unami that rocks my world complemented by the awesome harissa aioli dip. It left me almost speechless for a minute just to enjoy that tsunami of flavours drowning every senses on my palate.

Red Velvet Cake 3/5

Salted Caramel Cheese Cake 4/5

MEDZs Signature Rainbow Cake 4/5

Medzs Bistro & Bar also offers all day dessert such as the Red Velvet Cake ($6.90), Salt Caramel Cheese Cake ($6.90) and Rainbow Cake ($6.90). Perfect for a light snack or a business meeting away from the office. I find the red velvet cake pretty bland and dry but the other two cakes are worth the calories.

Overall the opening of Medz Bistro & Bar at Clifford Centre offers a new choice to the working executives in the area with great value. The eclectic menu offers something for everyone for both dine-in and takeaway too. Start your day at Medzs with a great bite. Currently it is also offering 50% discount for all takeaway on display up to 31 March 2015.

Medzs Bistro & Bar
Clifford Centre
24 Raffles Place
#01-01
Singapore 048621
Tel: +65 65361917
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MEDZS.SimplyMediterranean
Website: http://www.medzs.com.sg/
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 8am - 10pm
Fri: 8am - 11pm
Sat: 11am - 8pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn right and walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

East 8, New York Fusion Tapas + Bar @ Grand Park Hotel City Hall

East Village, Jackson Height, Astor Place... Am I naming the iconic places in the lower Manhattan? Don't be mistaken. These are actually the cocktails listed in East 8's menu. East 8, an Asian fusion tapas restaurant and bar, is the culmination of the owners’ love for St. Mark’s Place in New York City. Located at the ground floor of Grand Park City Hall, it is just within walking distance from Cityhall MRT Station.

Yellow Cab 4.2/5

Perhaps it was the time of the day when I reached. Located at Coleman street, I found this place extremely inviting.Be it the frontage or the interior, there was a relaxing feel to it. One of the owners, Emil, sat with us this evening. Having studied and worked in NYC for 13 years as a designer, he is one of the souls behind designing the perspective of East 8. We learnt that East 8 was imbued with the flavours and culture of "8th Street" in the lower Manhattan of NYC. From the chiselled brick wall to the Manhattan bridge structure suspension across the ceiling, it was all about details.

Jackson Height 4/5

They welcome their guests with a complimentary cocktail that changes daily, delighting even their regulars. It was Yellow Cab ($22) that took the lead this evening. This refreshing concoction of whiskey, gin and pineapple really lift up my tired senses. It was slightly tangy and sweet, with a tinge of bitterness. Following which, I got to try two other fusion cocktails, Jackson Height ($17) - "Thai" margarita with lime and a rim of Tom Yam salt and Astor Place ($16) - Yuzu in vodka, with a touch of thyme.

Astor Place 4.2/5

Once again, attention was paid to details- Instead of using the usual citrus for garnishing, the first was decorated with a Chilli Padi and the latter with thyme leaves. I'm not a cocktail connoisseur for sure, but I do appreciate cocktails with a well balanced concoction of spirits, sugar and bitters. I felt that their signature fusion cocktails definitely meet the mark. Down the list, it was refreshing to see ingredients like sake and soju in some other cocktails. Western dishes injected with Asian influences are rather common in our cosmopolitan city, but the idea of fusion cocktails is still not as widely explored.

A.L.T 4.5/5

As a start, Emil brought us A.L.T. ($16). As the name suggests, the dish was made of 3 basic ingredients but each characterised by their own distinct texture and flavour. Avocado - subtle, creamy. Lemon - acidic, sharp. Tuna - firm, meaty and mild. Extremely appetising, without overwhelming your taste buds. Really good stuff.

Portobello Mushroom Fries 4.2/5

In order not to bore their customers, especially their regulars, East 8 update their menu regularly by replacing some items with new creations. Certain items were retained due to popular demand. Portobello Mushroom Fries ($16) is one of them. I felt that the thin crispy outer crust did a wonderful job in locking in the juice, keeping every strip 'meaty'. Unlike the usual fries, this did not leave my mouth begging for water. Pretty addictive I must say.

Roller Lobster 3.8/5

Our first main the Roller Lobster ($28) was like a premium 'Ngor Hiang'. The poached lobster tail was wrapped in prosciutto ham, then doubled up with beancurb skin. The lobster was nicely poached, juicy and sweet but its sweetness was inundated by the saltiness of the prosciutto ham. The lime avocado oil and pickled seasonal vegetables did not do much in balancing the taste either. I do see a lot of potential in this dish, perhaps the execution itself needs further fine tuning.

Foie Gras Man Tao 3/5

Foie Gras Man Tao ($25) was the dish that enlightened me on the table setting. Emil explained that to live up to the spirit of “8th Street”East 8 strives to deliver quality dishes to its customers but in an unassuming manner. Customers can then relax and enjoy fine food without worrying the etiquette attached to fine dining. That was when it dawned upon me, I think, the reason behind setting the table with only a pair of chopsticks and a spoon. This Chinese sandwich can basically be eaten using just your hands. To me, it was an ingenious idea but poor execution once again. The fried Man Tou greased my hands as I lift it up with the apple compote falling off as I tried to take a bite. Rather than smooth and creamy, the foie gras was sort of granular and crumbly. Perhaps, a soft steamed Chinese bun might work better in bringing this dish together.

Miso Chilean Seabass 4.8/5

Knowing that I'm a fish lover, Emil was kind enough to prep one of their signature mains, Miso Chilean Seabass ($24) served with buttered shimeji mushroom and potato mash. Being the same family as cod fish, this sea bass bears similar flavour and mouthful of a codfish. Marinated with miso and wine, the fish was perfectly seared. This was absolutely my favourite main this evening.

Summer Spiced Lamb 4.5/5

Summer Spiced Lamb ($24) was a dish that literally spiced up the evening. The roasted lamb short ribs are marinated in different level of special spicy blend, allowing the guests to choose the level of spiciness they prefer. We chose the mid level that evening. The meat was extremely tender with only a slight gaminess. It slid off its bones effortlessly. Glazed with sweet lime zest sauce, the blend of sweet, spicy and zest cut the fattiness really well. I had mine together with the caramalised pineapples which further enhanced the overall taste.

Molten Peanut Butter & Chocolate 4.2/5

East 8's desserts do not disappoint. If you are a peanut butter lover, their Molten Peanut Butter & Chocolate ($15) will definitely satisfied your craving. I thought serving it straight from a mini saucepan was really cute and also a great way to contain the choco-peanut lava. A more gigantic scope of vanilla ice cream would have complimented it better... More oomph for sure!

I'm really drawn to their ambience. Though there were some misses this evening, I believe this place has a lot to offer in time to come. After all, they have only been in the scene for a year plus. I have never been to Manhattan but from the stylish interior to the table setting and choice of ingredients used, I could really sense the effort from the owners in trying to keep it true to the spirit of St. Mark's Place. I'm sure spending an afternoon here will be equally enjoyable.

Written 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.


East 8
Grand Park Hotel City Hall
10 Coleman Street
#01-21/22 (facing Hill Street)
Singapore 179809
Tel: +65 63388289
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/east8sg
Website: http://east-8.com/
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thur: 12pm - 11pm
Fri: 12pm - 12midnight
Sat: 6pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn left and walk down North Bridge Road. At the junction North Bridge Road and Coleman Road, cross the road towards Peninsula Plaza. Walk down Coleman Road. At the junction of Coleman Road and Hill Street, turn right. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]