Raven Restaurant & Bar @ Chijmes

Flown into the courtyard in Chijmes is Raven the new restaurant and bar featuring new Americas cuisine by the same folks behind House of Dandy (H.O.D). What exactly is new Americas cuisine? Accordingly to what I am told, it supposes to mean Northern and Southern American comfort food with an Asian flair.

Burratina & Heirloom Tomatoes 4/5

Kicking starting our dinner at Raven is the Burratina & Heirloom Tomatoes ($18). This is a classic combination of buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes that will not go wrong. However the classic dish is given a further lift with the addition of gula melaka balsamic, oregano, basil oil and dehydrated olives.

Tuna Tartare 4/5

The Tuna Tartare ($17) is a beautiful dish with the tuna cubes being tossed in yuzu and soy vinaigrette for a pleasant flavour complemented by the avocado wasabi puree. The frozen Nan Shui pear shavings provides the refreshing finishing to the dish.

Roasted Corn Niblets 4/5

Using Malaysian corn known as Candy corn for its sweetest, the Roasted Corn Niblets ($12) with smoked sour cream (chilli, paprika, cayenne) gave the burnt looking corn a tasteful coating that hits the perfect note with each bite of the kernels.

Fried Chorizo Croquettes 4/5

Fried to a nice golden brown is the Chorizo Croquettes ($13) that has been triple fried. Consists of chorizo, bechamel and mozzarella, the golden balls are served in a tangy jalapeno vinaigrette, housemade creme fraiche and pico de gallo. A delightful bite to go with a few drinks.

Seafood Salad 4/5

For a light and healthy eat, the Seafood Salad ($23) has braised octopus, grilled squid and prawns. The lime gives the salad the lift in acidity while the chilli vinaigrette provides the additional kick with the corn chips giving it the extra crunch.

Raven Burger 3.5/5

There was a bit of raving about the Raven Burger ($22) and I touching story behind it. While the 180g beef chuck patty sandwiched with chipotle, avocado, chorizo cream, red onions and corn chips is moist and juicy, it still lacked the oomph factor to excite me.

Handmade Open Beef Ravioli 3.8/5

To be frank I rather called this a lasagna then Handmade Open Beef Ravioli ($24). The melted in the mouth pulled beef is braised in red wine for a good 16 hours, and sandwiched between layers of pasta sheets. The flavours and textures are on the note. However like a foreign song, I moved with the music but did not understand the lyrics.

Crispy Nori Wrapped Salmon 4.5/5

The star dish at Raven has to be the Crispy Nori Wrapped Salmon ($29). The salmon is first wrapped around with nori and fried in low temperature. It is then breaded and double fried at high temperature for the extra exterior crisp. I thought the ponzu sago was very clever as a substitute of the dipping soy sauce, accentuating the enjoyment of the salmon. The fennel salad tossed in a tangy sauce cut through the greasiness of the deep frying.

Green Tea Opera 3.5/5

I personally think the Green Tea Opera ($13) is a beautiful dessert which will be enjoyed by many. However the adzuki bean ice cream was pale in flavour. I was also not sure what is the purpose of the sake gel. A point was brought up that opera is a French cake, raising some discussion what exactly is the so called new Americas cuisine.

Chocolate Overdose 4.5/5

There is one dessert that I adore very much on Raven's menu. The Chocolate Overdoes ($13) consists of a platter of various textures of Belgian chocolate. This is chocolate haven on a plate.

Raven is definitely a new and exciting addition to the F&B scene with great food and drinks. While I did enjoy my experience at Raven, I am still very puzzled what exactly is new Americas cuisine. I leave it to the diners to judge themselves.


Raven Restaurant & Bar
Chijmes
30 Victoria Street
#B1--01/02
Singapore 187996
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line), Bras Basah (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Tue: 5pm - 1am
Wed-Sat: 5pm - 2am

Direction
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A. Cut across Raffles City Shopping Centre to Bras Basah Road. At the junction of Bras Basah Road and North Bridge Road, cross the road to Chijmes. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Bras Basah MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk southwards towards Victoria Road. At the junction of Bras Basah Road and Victoria Road, cross the junction to Chijmes. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Soi 60 Thai Restaurant @ Robertson Quay

Soi 60 Thai Restaurant located at The Quayside, Robertson Quay is a contemporary Thai restaurant and bar offering an eclectic mix of traditional and modern Thai dishes along the Singapore river. The kitchen is helmed by Chef Nam Pongpanich, a 28 years old Bangkok native graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and worked under Daniel Boulud in New Yoark.

Raspberry Ginger Beer 4.8/5

Soi 60 Thai also has a cool bar offering a whole range of beverages from alcoholic drinks, mocktails to cocktails. I tried the Raspberry Ginger Beer ($8) which is super refreshing and comes with fresh plup of the raspberry in every sip.

Fresh Spring Rolls 3.5/5

Dinner at Soi 60 Thai started with the Fresh Spring Rolls ($10) that comes with Northern Thai Sausage and Thai herbs wrapped with rice paper Dipped the spring rolls with the peanut hoisin sauce to get an array of textures and flavours.

 Crab Betel Leaves 4.5/5

Pop these Crab Betel Leaves ($14) into the mouth to get a burst of rich and beautiful flavours of the sea and herbs. The picked fresh crab are tossed in concoction of coconut milk and peanuts.

Salmon Tartare 4.5/5 

The Salmon Tartare ($14) is another starter that will delight your palate with fresh salmon, lime, herbs, chilli and cucumber. You can also pair the salmon and the prawn crackers. Love the change from the normal beef tartare.

Cripsy Duck Pancake 3.5/5

The Crispy Duck Pancake ($12) can be a meal for itself. The crispy duck is wrapped with Thai herbs and lychee around a thin sheet of pancake, served with black vinegar reduction. I like the addition of the lychee to cut through the greasiness.

Papaya Salad 4/5

The Papaya Salad ($14) is the most authentic Thai dish I have tasted so far for my dining experience at Soi 60 Thai. The familiar Thai flavours of sweet, sour and spicy returned to my memory.

Iberico Pork 4.8/5

Moving on to the mains or big plates, the Iberico Pork ($26) with Thai spiced crust is very beautifully flavoured and tender. The pickled ginger and young garlic salad on the side gives the pork a nice balance so it won't be too heavy on the palate. In fact giving it a more elegant and refine enjoyment.

Red Crispy Duck 4/5

This modern interpretation of Crispy Duck Red Curry ($22) will wow you with the servicing portion and presentation. The dish on it is own is interesting, unique and flavourful with a whole duck leg confit. However I am caught in the tussle between tradition and contemporary, having difficulty to put a judgement to it. I like the dish but not the dish as a whole. If I want to have red curry with a plate of rice, this feels weird. If I want to have a duck confit, this will satisfy me but probably with lesser sauce so that the duck does not get drown.

Mixed Seafood  Glass Noodles 3.8/5

For a medley of spicy and zest, the Mixed Seafood Glass Noodles ($24) will its slurping goodness, topped with scallop, prawn, squid, chilli and lime leaves will probably make you break into a sweat. Unfortunately the dish was a bit heavy on the salt during my visit.

Ginger Creme Brulee 3.5/5

The Ginger Creme Brulee ($10) served with lime curd and black berries definitely come across too strong on the ginger flavour. The thoughtfulness of the lime curd and black berries help to reduce the sharpness of the ginger.

Butterfly Pea Tapioca 2.8/5

The colourful presentation of the Butterfly Pea Tapioca ($1) is rather acquire with a complex, multi-layer textures and flavours from the young coconut, tapioca, pineapple sorbet and Mekhong rum. I am not a fan of rum in my dessert so this did not manage to win over my palate.

Black Sticky Rice 4/5

The Black Sticky Rice ($10) is one of my favourite dessert at Soi 60 Thai. A perfect ending to the modern Thai cuisine with sticky black glutinous rice, fresh mango and coconut cream.

I have enjoyed the whole dining experience of Chef Nam's modern Thai cuisine. There are many Thai restaurant in Singapore offering authentic Thai cuisine, but not modern Thai. The exact word that I said after leaving Soi 60 Thai, I felt that I have just dine in a Thai Restaurant in Melbourne. This summarized the whole ambience and food I had at Soi 60 Thai.


[CLOSED]
Soi Thai
The Quayside
60 Robertson Quay
#01-04
Singapore 238252
Tel: +65 66356675
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Chinatown (DT Line, NE Line), Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 530pm - 1030pm
Sat-Sun: 12pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Chinatown MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop along Upper Cross Street (Stop ID 06171). Take bus number 51 and 186. Alight 1 stop later. Cross the road and walk towards the river. Cross the bridge and walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to bus stop at Clark Quay Station (Stop ID 04222). Take bus number 54. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to Mohamed Sultan Road. Turn left onto Mohamed Sultan Road. Walk down Mohamed Sultan Road. Turn left onto Nanson Rd. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

Catalunya @ The Fullerton Pavilion

Having a long week at work? Why not pamper yourself with a great weekend brunch with either friends or family. The weekend brunch at Catalunya  ($98++) is one its kind with a eclectic selection of antipasti, mains and desserts. Besides good food, there is also live DJ spinning in the house, giving the whole atmosphere a party vibe.

One advice to diner is to pace yourself at Catalunya. There is really a lot of food that was actually in a lost where and which to start with. In the end, I hit for the bar area where there is a spread of charcuterie, cheese, seafood (raw, marinated and pickled) and salad.

Scrambled Egg with Mushrooms 4.5/5

Besides the extensive spread of antipasti along the buffet line, Catalunya also offers an a la minute brunch menu with a condensed menu of Egg, Omelette and Sandwiches. The egg section comes with a choice of fried or scrambled egg on a bed of potato with choices of ham, chorizo and mushrooms.

Bikini 4.5/5

Vegetarian Bikini 4.2/5

One of the group's favourite is the Bikini, made of of Iberico Ham, Cheese and Truffle. This is also brought to the brunch menu from the restaurant's lunch/dinner menu. It also has a vegetarian version which mada of zucchini, cheese and pesto.

Spanish Omelette 3.5/5

No matter how you look at the glass, it does not look like a Spanish Omelette at all. The modern twist of the traditional spanish omelette comes with three different layers of potato form, egg yolk and onion.

Seafood Paella 4.8/5

When I said earlier that you need to pace youself earlier, I am not joking as we have not even reached the mains yet. Between 130pm to 330pm, the music in the restaurant will be pumped up with the staff dancing out with the mains. First out was the Seafood Paella. The rice was well infused with the robust stock that reminds me of their lobster rice dish in their dinner menu.

Salted Baked Catch of the Day 4.2/5

The next main dish to be up is the Salted Baked Catch of the Day. The fish covered with salted is brought to the main dining hall, flambeed on the spot, portioned and served to the guests. The fish is cooked to a beautiful moist texture.

Suckling Pig 4.5/5

Last of the main to be danced out of the kitchen is the Suckling Pig. This is probably the highlight of the whole brunch experience. Crackling skin and fork tender. there is nothing more perfect for a great Spanish feast.

Dessert 4.2/5

Not forgetting a delicious selection of yummilicious cakes and pastries to bring the whole brunch experience to a finale.

Besides the whole vibe and delicious spread of food at the weekend brunch, the other value for money reason is that one gets to try most of the items in Catalunya's dinner menu.


Catalunya
The Fullerton Pavilion
82 Collyer Quay
Singapore 049327
Tel: +65 65340886
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CatalunyaSingapore
Website: http://www.catalunya.sg/
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Lunch
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 230pm
Dinner:
Mon-Sun: 6pm - 1030pm
Weekend Brunch
Sat-Sun: 1230pm - 330pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Raffles Place MRT. Take Exit A or B. Walk to Clifford Centre and then Change Alley. Take escalator to level 2. Cross the road using the OUE Link. Turn left towards Fullerton Bay Hotel. Walk to towards the bay and destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Shelter in the Woods @ Greeenwood Avenue (Bukit Timah Road)

Christmas brings joy and what joy is it to know that the popular Shelter in the Woods has finally reopened on the 12 November 2014. Besides offering the ever popular traditional rotisserie's dishes, the restaurant has up its game with the appointment of Consulting Chef Masashi Horiuchi who has more than 20 years of experience in Michelin restaurants across Europe, combining homely rusticity with finesse of execution.

Shelter Charcuterie Board 4.5/5

A great platter for sharing while waiting for the mains  is the Shelter Charcuterie Board ($40). The charcuterie board features the BurgundyTerrine, Foie Grs Au Torchon, Pork Hat Terrine and Pate En Route. A ideal platter to kick start with some drinks.

Pate En Croute 4.8/5

What really stood out on the Charcuterie Board is the Pate En Croute. This is really something new to me for the less travelled and shallow culinary knowledge. It is amazing how something that look quite ordinary which I thought was some sort of a pie can taste so beautiful.

Pate En Croute 4.8/5

Slicing into the Pate En Croute revealed the different layers of duck foie gras, pork, veal, forest mushrooms, pig liver and consomme jelly wrapped in pastry. The harmony of all the ingredients took me by surprise with the consomme jelly and buttery pastry complementing it.

Shelter Quiche 4/5

I have learnt that while quiche is a classic French dish, it actually originated in Germany. A signature at Shelter in the Woods is the Shelter Quiche ($12.50). The short crust pastry is filled with forest mushrooms, Swiss gruyere cheese, garlic/herb butter, eggs and Swiss cream. I am not a big fan of quiche but this actually tasted quite yummy with the cheesy and earthy mushroom flavours.

Endive & Roquefort Salad 3/5

I thought the Endive & Roquefort Salad ($26) could be a bit acquire in taste for some. While the salad has a refreshing finishing with the used of green apple strips, cherry tomatoes and honey dressing, the Belgian endives were on the bitter side for me.

Lyonnaise Salad 4.2/5

I would prefer the traditional Lyonnaise Salad ($20) to the endive & roquefort salad. The savoury and tangy combination of Dutch smoked bacon and confit pearl onions dressed in a sherry vinaigrette provided the zest for the crunchy greens.

Creamy Corn Soup Trio 4.2/5

The Creamy Corn Soup Trio ($12.50) showed a glimpse of the chef's finesse in execution. The Japanese corn and onions are boiled in water and then mixed with roasted corn, hence a hint of smokiness. Milk is added, blended and sleved. The soup is then garnished with roasted corn, pop corn and parsley oil. The detailed into a simple soup dish elevated the whole experience which used to be only know of its homely, rustic, tradition food.

DIY Steak Tartar 4.5/5

A great starter will be the DIY Steak Tartar ($18 for 100g). The Do It Yourself steak tartar of handcut Australian Black Angus beef comes with capers, cornichons, beet, onion, chives and served with toasted farm bread. Mixed them all together with the quail egg to bond all the flavours that burst into a blossom in the mouth.

Rotisserie Suckling Pig 4.5/5

I was expecting a whole Rotisserie Suckling Pig ($35) such as those you get in a Spanish restaurant. Once again I was given a glimpse into his fine dining trained experience. The plating was beautiful. Cooked in the traditional flame rotisserie, the suckling pig is served with rotisserie pineapples, confit onions and gravy made of veal jus and caramelised onions. Perfectly executed, the skin was crackling while still retaining that juiciness. The used of pineapple also freshen up the palate from the natural greasiness of the meat.

Seafood Casserole 4.8/5

Seafood Casserole 4.8/5

The Seafood Casserole ($35) is great for sharing. The luxurious pot of seafood features seasonal fish, prawns, mussels and clams. The highlight has to be the rich seafood broth made from fish soup, fish, prawns, lobster, fennel, leeks, celery. carrots, tomatoes and saffron. The hearty harvest from the sea will get all your senses singing in praise.

Rotisserie Rack of Lamb 3.8/5

I love my lamb but the Rotisserie Rack of Lamb ($39) fell slight short of my expectation. While it was cooked to a nice tender and juicy in the traditional flame rotisserie and bathed in a garlic confit oil, the NZ rack of lamb somehow was lacking that gaminess which I enjoy tearing it off the bone.

Roasted Chicken 4.8/5

Being curator of the Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014 working with Tian Tian Chicken Rice and Toh Thye San Farm using the corn fed Anxin Chicken, I have known how good and sweet these chickens are. They are unlike the normally commercial boiler. I was quite excited to be reunited with Anxin chicken at Shelter in the Woods with the Roasted Chicken ($19 for half, $35 for whole). The rotisserie chicken is bathed in a garlic confit oil and served with roasted potatoes, mesclun salad and veal jus, caramelized onions gravy. I am glad that I can taste Anxin chicken again cause its sweetness is just so sweet on its own that you do not need any gravy or sauce.

Rotisserie Pineapple Crumble 2.8/5

I like the idea of using the pineapples crumble for the suckling pig and I have enjoyed it. However, knowing that it is available in another dish less the ice cream and having tried it, I am not sure I will pay the money for the Rotisserie Pineapple Crumble ($14). Putting the taste aside, it is too simple for a dessert and probably would not get the satisfaction out of it.

Tiny Crispy Apple Tart 4/5

Having a warm sweet finish to a delicious feast is the Tiny Crispy Apple Tart ($12). The tart topped with Fuji apple, butter and brown sugar is thin and crispy. Paired with a scoop of their house made vanilla ice cream for a comfort finishing.

Meringue Glacee 3.5/5

On a sweet note, there is the Meringue Glacee ($12) that come with a scoop each of the house made raspberry sorbet and vanilla ice cream, topped with baked meringue cones and pistachio.

The re-opening of the Shelter in the Woods with its new chef and revamped menu definitely made a return with a louder bang. Combining the chef vast experience and rustic tradition, it has bring the restaurant to a new height. The extensive menu is really worth a visit or two and everything on it is worthy for recommendation. It definitely falls into one of favourite restaurants his year that I would want to return to check out the rest of the menu.


Shelter in the Woods 
22 Greenwood Avenue
Singapore 289218
Tel: +65 64666225
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShelterInTheWoods
Nearest MRT: Tan Kah Kee (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 6pm - 10pm
Sun Brunch: 1130am - 230pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tan Kah Kee MRT station. Take Exit A. Use the overhead bridge to Exit B. Walk straigh to Hillcrest Road. Turn right onto Hillcrest Road. Walk down Hillcrest Road and make a left into Greenwood Avenue. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]