One-Ninety Bar @ Four Seasons Hotel Singapore - Introduces Garden Café's New Daytime Offerings

One-Ninety Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore recently introduced Garden Café’s new daytime offerings, featuring hand-crafted pastries, sandwiches, wholesome mains and sweet treats, available for dine-in or takeaway. Conceived as an alfresco terrace extension of One-Ninety Bar, Garden Café offers both indoor and outdoor seating, inviting diners into a close-to-nature setting. The new menu is served daily from 11am to 6pm, bringing a more intimate and cosy café ambience to the space. The display counter features a lineup of freshly baked viennoiserie, including butter croissants, pain au chocolat, and almond croissants, alongside a rotating selection of seasonal sweet treats.

Open-Faced Chicken Cordon Bleu 4/5

The main menu ranges from light bites to more hearty options, including an Express selection of dishes designed for a quicker lunch. We tried the Open-Faced Chicken Cordon Bleu ($24) and Maccheroni al Formaggio ($28). While these are intended as express items, both are surprisingly indulgent. The Open-Faced Chicken Cordon Bleu features Cotto ham sandwiched between two pleasingly tender, lightly crusted chicken cutlets, with melted Fontina binding everything together. The mesclun salad on the side, however, seemed more like an afterthought.

Maccheroni al Formaggio 4/5

Maccheroni al Formaggio offered an interesting take on Mac & Cheese. The macaroni was well baked and creamy, with a blend of artisanal cheeses that balanced sweet and savoury notes. Eating it together with the soft pumpkin helped to cut through the richness of the cheese. I think switching to a starchier, denser variety of pumpkin would have worked even better, adding more flavour and texture than the current one, which was somewhat watery and fibrous.

English Breakfast Royale Sandwich 3.5/5

From the All-Day Brunch, the English Breakfast Royale Sandwich ($26) brings together all the elements of a big breakfast. The muffins are slathered with mashed avocado, then stacked with sautéed mushrooms, a pork sausage patty, and gorgeous farm eggs, before being crowned with crispy bacon.

Singapore Chilli Crab Omelette 4.5/5

The Singapore Chilli Crab Omelette ($32) impressed me even more, with a tantalisingly chubby, fluffy omelette topped with a meaty chilli crab sauce. The sauce carried a good amount of heat, which complemented the buttery omelette nicely.

Vanilla French Toast 4.8/5

It’s been a while since I last had a French toast as well done as the Vanilla French Toast ($18). The toast had an almost spongy texture, which I adored, with caramelised, buttery edges adding a lovely contrast.

Signature Salmon Poke Bowl 5/5

Power Bowls offer lighter and more nourishing alternatives, and we tried the Signature Salmon Poke Bowl ($24). It comes with soy-marinated salmon, multigrain rice, shimeji mushrooms, pickled daikon, shredded red cabbage, wakame and avocado, topped with an onsen egg and truffle miso to bring everything together. The pearly multigrain rice brought a beautiful nutty, wheaty flavour to each mouthful, while the savoury miso sauce, accented with truffle, made the bowl addictive. They also offer a range of sandwiches to choose from.

Prawn Aglio Olio Sandwich 4.5/5

The Prawn Aglio Olio Sandwich ($18) was flavoursome, with chunky prawns and sweet, smoky roasted bell peppers, alongside pickled red onion, cucumber and tomato for added freshness.

Strawberry Financier 4/5

Tiramisù Classico 4/5

For desserts, we tried the Valrhona Dark Chocolate Mousse ($16), Pandan Kaya Cake ($14), Citrus Petite Gâteau ($14), Strawberry Financier ($14), and Tiramisù Classico ($16). The latter was undisputedly the crowd favourite. The tin brought together espresso-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cream and cocoa, with just the right amount of sweetness. I’m not usually a fan of entremets, so another favourite was the Strawberry Financier. The financier itself was delicious, and the combination of luscious Chantilly cream and strawberries on top elevated the decadence.

Pandan Espresso Martini

To complement the menu, we also offer a curated selection of signature beverages with a Singapore touch. Highlights include the Kopi Cream, Peanut Butter and Black Sesame Lattes, Grapefruit Tonic Espresso and Pandan Espresso Martini ($20).

The Garden Café at One-Ninety Bar
Mon-Sun: 11 am - 6 pm

For more information or to make a dining reservation, call (65) 6831 7653, WhatsApp (65) 9455 3466 or email dining.singapore@fourseasons.com.

Photos and words by Si An. A homebody who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, the smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food.


One-Ninety Bar
Four Seasons Hotel Singapore
190 Orchard Boulevard
Singapore 248646
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Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line, TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 6pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit 11. Walk straight down Orchard Boulevard Road. Walk to the destination. Journey time is about 6 minutes. [Map]

Racines @ Sofitel Singapore City Centre - The Brand New Ultimate Racines Brunch Buffet, Turf & Tide Edition

Saturday brunch gets a new Surf & Turf spin at Racines with the latest edition of its Ultimate Racines Buffet Brunch: Turf & Tide Edition. Available every Saturday from 12.30pm to 3pm until 31 October, the buffet brings together a generous selection from both land and sea — from fresh seafood on ice and sushi to grilled meats, whole fish, local favourites and, of course, a very tempting dessert spread.

Cured Salmon with Chilli and Yuzu Ponzu

Assorted Sushi and Maki

Poached Prawns

Seasonal Freshly Shucked Oyster

Sea Whelk

We started with the seafood and Japanese selection, featuring Cured Salmon with Chilli and Yuzu Ponzu, assorted Sushi and Maki, Poached Prawns, freshly shucked Seasonal Oysters and Sea Whelk. There’s a good variety of seafood on ice, and more importantly, everything we tried was very fresh. The oysters were a little smaller than we would have liked, but they made up for it with a pleasantly sweet flavour. The poached prawns were another easy pick, especially if you are the kind who can happily spend half your buffet attacking a mountain of seafood. The assorted sushi and maki also make for a nice start to the meal, though with everything else waiting, we would definitely recommend pacing yourself!

Nyonya Fish Maw Soup (Hu Pioh)

Seafood Chowder

There were two soups available during our visit — one Western and one Asian. Unfortunately, the Seafood Chowder was one of the weaker dishes for us. We found it a little too diluted, and the only seafood we really found in our bowls was clams. The Nyonya Fish Maw Soup, on the other hand, was almost exceptional. It was packed with ingredients and had a lovely consistency without being overly starchy. If we had to nitpick, all it needed was some black vinegar and white pepper on the side, and we would have been very happy.

Signature Rojak

Gado-Gado Salad with Peanut Sauce

Beyond the usual suspects such as Caesar Salad and Classic Prawn Cocktail, two items stood out to us — the Signature Rojak and Gado-Gado Salad with Peanut Sauce. The Signature Rojak comes pre-mixed with plenty of fresh fruits, making it refreshing and surprisingly easy to keep eating. We also enjoyed the Gado-Gado, especially since you can DIY your own bowl with as much of that rich, nutty peanut sauce as you like.

Classic Seafood Otak-Otak

Charred Cumin Lamb Ribs

Slow-Roasted Macka’s Beef Striploin

Grilled Red Snapper in French Bouillabaisse

This is where the Surf and Turf theme really comes through, with the grill section featuring a mix of meats and seafood, including Charred Cumin Lamb Ribs, Slow-Roasted Macka’s Beef Striploin, Grilled Red Snapper in French Bouillabaisse, and Seafood Otak, alongside chicken, prawns, and other fish selections. And I have to say, Racines really does its cooked food very well. The Charred Cumin Lamb Ribs were especially inviting with that smoky, spiced exterior, while the Slow-Roasted Macka’s Beef Striploin makes a satisfying choice for the meat lovers. The Grilled Red Snapper is also quite a centrepiece on the buffet line. Served whole in a French bouillabaisse with mussels, it’s one of those dishes that immediately catches your eye as you walk past.

Crabmeat Fried Rice

Whole Nyonya Assam Curry Seabass

Now, I know what everyone says: don’t waste precious stomach space on rice at a buffet. But hear me out. The Crabmeat Fried Rice with Egg Whites, Prawns, Sakura Ebi and Tobiko is really yummy! There are generous chunks of crabmeat throughout, while the Sakura Ebi and tobiko add even more seafood flavour and texture. Seriously, please don’t skip this one.

Another dish worth trying is the Whole Nyonya Assam Curry Seabass. The fish was fresh and meaty, while the gravy was rich and lemak with that familiar tangy-spicy Assam curry flavour. This is definitely one for those who enjoy stronger local flavours.

DIY Noodle Bar

If you somehow still have room, there is also a DIY Noodle Bar, with two noodle options rotating weekly. During our visit, the choices were Kelantan Style Laksa and Creamy Tom Yum Seafood Noodles. Both looked extremely tempting but, unfortunately, we had to make the difficult buffet decision to save whatever stomach space we had left for dessert. And looking at the dessert spread, I think we made the right decision.

Durian & Coffee Tiramisu

Coconut & Blue Pea Flower Jelly

Assorted Choux Puff

Baked Burnt Butter Pandan Cake

Ondeh Ondeh Cake

Assorted Traditional Nyonya Kueh

Assorted Traditional Nyonya Kueh

Fritter Bar (Cempedak, Banana and Ubi Keledek)

The dessert section is probably one of the most visually impressive parts of the buffet. There is a glorious selection covering Western cakes and bakes, local flavours and traditional favourites, including Durian & Coffee Tiramisu, Coconut & Blue Pea Flower Jelly, Assorted Choux Puffs, Baked Burnt Butter Pandan Cake, Ondeh Ondeh Cake, Traditional Nyonya Kueh, Pulut Hitam Gelato and Signature Bubur Cha Cha.

There were hits and misses amongst the desserts, but visually, almost everything looked too good not to try. I particularly like that Racines doesn’t just fill the dessert counter with the usual chocolate cakes, cheesecakes, and pastries; there is a strong local influence throughout the selection.

The Fritter Bar is another dangerous addition, with freshly fried cempedak, banana and ubi keledek. Because apparently after an entire buffet, we still need fried cempedak.

Teh Tarik

Besides the usual coffee and tea, there is also free-flow Teh Tarik. It was fragrant, smooth and, most importantly for us, not overly sweet. It is a simple addition, but a very welcome one, especially after all the rich food and local desserts.

Overall, the Ultimate Racines Buffet Brunch: Turf & Tide Edition offers a good variety for a leisurely Saturday brunch, particularly if you enjoy having both seafood and cooked dishes rather than a buffet that focuses heavily on just one or the other.

The restaurant itself is also a lovely space for a long weekend meal, with full-height glass windows bringing in plenty of natural light.

The brunch is priced at $108++ per adult and $54++ per child. There is currently 40% off adult prices with DBS, OCBC, Citi, JCB and Maybank cards for up to eight persons, while ALL Accor+ Explorer members enjoy 1-for-1 on adult prices for up to eight persons.

Photos and words by Jaslyn. An avid cook who lives to eat and travel for food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Racines
Sofitel Singapore City Centre
Level 5
9 Wallich Street
Singapore 078885
Tel: +65 64285000
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Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 7am - 1030am, 12pm - 3pm, 530pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn right onto Peck Seah Street. Walk to the destination. Journey time is about 3 minutes. [Map]

Caffe Fernet @ Customs House - Italian Dining with Marina Bay's View

Sitting along the Singapore River with an unobstructed view of Marina Bay Sands, Caffe Fernet is one of those spots where the location is part of the experience. The open-concept space feels relaxed and breezy, making it an easy choice for after-work drinks, a casual dinner or a leisurely evening by the waterfront. The menu lends itself particularly well to sharing, with a selection of small plates, pastas and larger dishes that make it tempting to order a little bit of everything.

Hamachi Crudo 3.5/5

We started with the Hamachi Crudo ($29), served with fennel and pickled celery. The thick slices of hamachi were fresh and refreshing, and the pickled celery added acidity to the dish. It was enjoyable on its own, but compared to some of the other small plates we had that evening, it was one of the less memorable ones.

Zucchini Noodle Salad 4.8/5

Now this is one salad I would happily have an entire portion to myself! The Zucchini Noodle Salad ($22) was surprisingly flavourful, with mint, pine nuts and ricotta salata coating every strand of the zucchini noodles. Fresh and light yet packed with flavour, this was easily one of our favourites of the meal. Who knew zucchini noodles could be this addictive?

Iberico Pork Pluma 4.8/5

Another small plate we shared was the Iberico Pork Pluma ($29), served with salsa verde. The slightly sweet pork immediately reminded us of char siew in the best possible way. The slices were generous and incredibly tender, while the salsa verde helped cut through the richness. Definitely another dish we would order again.

Mafaldine Cacio e Pepe 5/5

The star of the meal for us was undoubtedly the Mafaldine Cacio e Pepe ($29). Deceptively simple, relying on just a handful of ingredients, Caffe Fernet’s version combines peppercorns, Parmesan and Pecorino with beautifully chewy, al dente mafaldine.

The chef shared that three different types of peppercorns are used, giving the pasta plenty of fragrance and depth. We loved it so much that we actually asked for more pepper for an extra kick, and the chef generously added more Parmesan for us too! It’s also a great pasta to share if you want to save room for more of the smaller plates.

Tiramisu 4/5

Of course, we couldn’t end an Italian-inspired meal without Tiramisu ($18). This classic dessert came with layers of rich mascarpone cream and ladyfingers soaked in dark rum and espresso. Creamy, boozy and coffee-forward, it was a satisfying way to round off the meal without getting overly complicated.

Singapore Sling and Yuzu & Cinnamon Lemonade

Peach Boulevardier

Caffe Fernet clearly puts plenty of thought into its drinks too. We tried three during our meal: the Singapore Sling ($23), Peach Boulevardier ($25) and a non-alcoholic Yuzu & Cinnamon Lemonade ($18). With the restaurant’s waterfront location and Marina Bay Sands right across the river, it’s easy to imagine coming here even just for drinks, especially as the evening sets in.

Come for the view but definitely stay for the food. Caffe Fernet has one of those locations that immediately sets the mood, right in the CBD, overlooking the Singapore River with Marina Bay Sands in full view. The open-concept setting can get rather windy (and yes, a little humid because this is Singapore!), but we loved the relaxed atmosphere.

Photos and words by Jaslyn. An avid cook who lives to eat and travel for food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Caffe Fernet
Customs House
70 Collyer Quay
#01-05
Singapore 049323
Tel: +65 91781105
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Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 12pm - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Raffles Place MRT Station. Take Exit A. Walk to Clifford Centre. Cut across Clifford Centre and walk to Collyer Quay Road. Cross the road via the OUE Link. Turn right and walk to the destination. Journey time is about 6 minutes. [Map]