Lawry's The Prime Rib @ Mandarin Gallery - Rekindle Your Romance This Valentine's Day

Lawry's The Prime Rib at Mandarin Gallery sets itself apart with an air of opulence that very few could emulate. This Valentine's Day, treat your partner to a lavish 6-course dinner at Lawry's which includes their authentic Signature Prime Rib of Beef.

Amuse Bouche 3.5/5

The Valentine's menu is crafted by Executive Chef Sherwin Sim, choosing ingredients based on their sensual qualities, texture, colour and libido enhancing compounds to get you in the mood for love on that very special night. Our Amuse Bouche for example, is made of petite yummy aphrodisiacs - Foie Gras Macaron, Grilled Spanish Octopus and Smoked Salmon with Avruga Caviar. My favourite is the smoked salmon bite which has a bed of sweet caramalised onions to complement the overall briny flavour. I love the idea behind the foie gras macaron that comes with savoury foie gras cream sandwiched between sweet meringue cookies but its sweetness was a little overwhelming.

Lobster Bisque 4/5

For Soup, on the menu is Lobster Bisque served with Hokkaido scallop, enhanced with a drizzle of Grand Marnier. Intense with umami roundness, it was perfect after a round of sweet-savoury amuse bouche and I appreciate that it wasn't overloaded with cream, which would have added a dimension of sweetness to it.

Crab Salad 3.8/5

Although the classic Spinning Bowl Salad is missing in action, what replaces does not disappoint. The Dungeness Crab Salad was scrumptious with lovely sweet bites from the crab meat, coupled with crunchy green apple slices and bursts of saltiness from ikura. What delighted us all was the egg yolk looking mango sphere, which oozes mango lava that dresses the salad with tangy sweetness.

Yuzu Sorbet 4/5

A refreshing Yuzu Sorbet with mint will be served in between as a palate cleanser.

Prime Ribs (tasting portion) 4.5/5

For mains, there is a choice between their Signature Prime Rib of Beef and a luxury Seafood Platter. For a complete Lawry's experience, the first is an obvious choice but the latter speaks volume too. What makes Lawry's Prime Ribs that superior is that each standing roast is aged for up to 28 days to heighten tenderness and slowly roasted on beds of rock salt, a method that forces the juices inward, resulting in an uniformly juicy and flavourful meat. Witness its grandeur as your portion gets carved from the famous silver carts right in front of you. The traditional Lawry’s Yorkshire Pudding served alongside is baked in individual copper skillet. Accompanying your USDA Prime Rib of Beef is US Idaho mashed potatoes, together with choice of creamed spinach, creamed orn or buttered peas.

Seafood Platter 4.2/5

The Seafood Platter consist of a Baked Cajun Lobster Tail with Tobiko, Miso Salmon Steak and Carabinero Prawn with Arbequina and a Corn Croquette. I thought both the prawn and lobster tail were beautifully done - just simple treatments to bring out their textures and flavours. That humble piece of corn croquette was unexpectedly a treat! The creamy corn within the crust was oozy and sweet which brought the savoury elements together as a whole.

Dessert 3.8/5

Before moving on perhaps more important programs of the night, your evening shall come to a satisfying sweet pause with Sweetheart Specials - Te Amo, a dessert platter made of Manjari Chocolate Praline Dome, Häagen-Dazs Tiramisu Mochi Ice-cream and Strawberry Mousse. It did seem to be quite a big platter to end the meal but it turned out to be manageable. The chocolate dome was bitter sweet and the ice cream was pretty light too.

Choices aplenty in Singapore but what is cool about dining at Lawry’s The Prime Rib on that day is the old-fashioned romance that builds around the evening. This 6-course Valentine's menu will only be served for dinner at Lawry’s The Prime Rib Singapore on 14 February for $188 per person. You and your partner will receive a bottle of sparkling wine (Ruffino Moscato d’Asti) as memento as well as a complimentary digital photo.

Words and photos 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.

Lawry’s The Prime Rib
Mandarin Gallery
333A Orchard Road
#04-01/31
Singapore 238897
Tel: +65 68363333
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu: 1130am - 10pm
Fri-Sat: 1130am - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to ground level. Turn left onto Orchard Road. Walk down Orchard Road. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Angelina @ Capitol Galleria

For Valentine's Day this year, instead of choosing a regular restaurant, perhaps, you can consider having some quiet time with your partner at historic tearoom Angelina, located at Capitol Galleria. I have heard quite a bit about their desserts, but little do I know that they have more than a century of heritage. What surprises me as much is their extensive range of dishes that is more than enough to give you a complete meal. Just for the upcoming Valentine's Day weekend, their chef has specially crafted a menu to entice couples with.

Amuse Bouche 3.5/5

A teaspoon on the plate but still looking as elegant as it can be, chef's colourful Amuse Bouche woke up my tired eyes. The distinct attributes of ingredients allow the individual taste of each amuse bouche to stand out - we have the light and refreshing avocado cold soup served with Hokkaido scallop, which was my favourite, the savoury sweet jamon Bellota and rock melon, as well as the tart, smokey Beetroot & feta ravioli with herring caviar.

White Onion Soup 3.8/5

For starters, you can either go for a warm, comforting White Onion Soup with truffle oil or a cold, fiery Tuna au Poivre. Of course the best is to have one of each. Creamy, sweet and earthy with the aroma of truffle in each mouthful, the soup sets your body craving for more.

Tuna au Poivre 3/5

Whereas for the Tuna au Poivre, the peppery crust of the yellow fin tuna was a little too intense, which overwhelmed the delicate flavour of the fish. However, I kinda like how the cream cheese underneath soothed that down, giving a overall creamy sweet-sharp taste. The sprinkle of the sweet buttery Angelia tea 'granite' would have added on to that effect, should it have not been lost amongst the towering ingredients. More of it would have been better.

Fjord Trout 4/5

For mains, you will have 3 choices - fish, chicken or beef. My favourite is definitely the pan-seared Fjord Trout - Crisp crust contrasted with a moist and flaky core, with some fatty parts barely-done. What supports it is cauliflower puree, which you might mistaken it to be mash potatoes. Intense in flavour, I appreciate how the garlicky squid ink aioli and the savoury, chewy baby squids illuminate the dish like spotlights, which is rare in a typical salmon dish.

If you have noticed, our trout was served on a Villeroy & Boch plate, which hails from the Old Luxembourg collection introduced in 1768. Timeless indeed. If you are keen to have a piece, it is available at $49.00.

Classic Chicken Supreme 3.8/5

The same goes for their Classic Chicken Supreme. The seemingly plain looking dish was given a florid complexion by a blood orange potato mash, which was flavoured and coloured by rich chorizo. Marinated with garlic and thyme, the chicken fillet was exceptionally moist and tender.

Beef Pot au Feu 3/5

The melt-in-your mouth texture of Beef Pot au Feu was impressive. I love the asparagus vol-au-vent (puff pastry with hollow centre) and the unique asparagus mousseline. The emulsion on top was actually hazelnut flavour, which I thought was interesting but its sweetness didn't quite work out in this dish. As much I would love to have more of it, but the meat was also too salty for my liking.

Tummy filled, we were then introduced to the tearoom’s signature Hot Chocolate. Made with a 110 years old recipe, the potency of this shot of hot chocolate is unimaginable. I definitely love it - the richness, the sweet-bitterness, and what I really find amazing is that I don't get the sick-in-the-throat sensation that one might get when drinking hot chocolate. That I would attribute to high level of sugar and unnatural sweetness. I felt nourished instead, with all the anti-oxidants in my body. If you are unable to handle its potency, the whipped cream at the side is to help you lighten it.

They have a selection of fine teas, in which I would recommend their Angelina's special flavoured tea. With China Oolong Tea as the base, it is really light and fragrant with fruity notes.

Your dessert would depend on the pastry created especially for the evening. We were lucky to have a go at some of their specials - Negresco, Mont-Blanc Framboise, Cheesecake Citron and Paris-New York. With a raspberry heart, the Mont-Blanc Framboise is a level up from their signature Mont-Blanc. Unfortunately, nobody has yet made a Mont-Blanc with a sweetness that doesn't make my face squint. What sit well with my palate are their bitter sweet Negresco and sweet tangy Cheesecake citron. Negresco is a cocoon of meringue, dark chocolate mousse, icing and shavings. The cheesecake mousse was extremely light and fluffy, with a tangy lemon-lime confit in between. One could easily finish the entire slice.

It had been a pleasant evening for us, with impeccable and personal service extended by the team. At $75++ per pax, well, heritage does come with a price. You can also drop by at their boutique and get a box of their limited edition chocolates to surprise your the other half. Happy Valentine's Day!

Photograph and 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.


Angelina
Capitol Galleria
15 Stamford Road
#01-82
Singapore 178906
Tel: +65 63840481
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am - 10pm
Sat-Sun: 10am - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit B. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Antoinette @ Penhas Road

Antoinette which is well known for its elegant and delicious pastry has innovated and created something out of the tradition for the upcoming Chinese New Year, the Queen Yu Sheng ($88++). The groundbreaking reinvention of the iconic Yu Sheng will probably set the preconceptions of the classic Yu Sheng forever.

Queen's Yu Sheng 3.5/5

The Queen's Yu Sheng was created out of love for Chef Pang's 2 beautiful daughters and the newborn. Chef Pang has always felt sorry for his children who could not join the Lo Hei because they were too young to eat stomach raw fish. Hence the thought struck him to make a Yu Sheng dessert and confectionery, to be eaten as a sweet ending to the Chinese New Year feast. That is how the Golden Egg is born, symbolizing birth and renewal.

Queen's Yu Sheng 3.5/5

Crack the large golden chocolate egg with a hammer which sits on a nest of auspicious sweets such as chocolate fish, ingots and coins; 5 spiced almonds and cashews; mandarin orange butter cake and meringue kisses; and yam and sweet potato chips. There are more surprises inside the egg when it is cracked out, revealing Asian fresh fruits such as pineapple, Thai green mango, red dragon fruit, pomelo. Finally, a mandarin orange, plum and gula melaka dressing is poured over the dessert yu sheng. The Queen Yu Sheng is available for takeaway too.

Not known to many, Antoinette also offers a variety of traditional Lunar New Year delicacies such as buttery Pineapple Tarts, made with house-made spiced pineapple jam, Honeycomb Crackers with sesame, crispy Arrowhead Chips and crunchy Almond Cookies, as well as original creations like crumbly Almond Goji Berry Cookies, sweet savoury Pork Floss Meringue, ad house made Sakura Shrimp and Seaweed Rice Cracker.

Chocolate Love Letters 4.5/5

Given a new twist to the tradition while staying to the to the root of tradition, is the Chocolate Love Letters which are enrobed in Valrhona caraibe 66% dark chocolate and dusted with gold prosperity dust to bring wishes of wealth and fortune.

Tres Blond 4/5

Inspired be the festive season, Tres Blond ($10.70 per slice) combines auspicious Lunar New Year traditions like vanilla confit pineapple to represent windfalls of luck, and mandarin orange marmalade that symbolizes peace and prosperity, merged with French touches of light passion fruit cream and almond sable, sesame peanut nougatine before coated in gold webs of Valrhona dulcey blond chocolate and topped with chocolate discs that resemble golden medallions for success. The Tres Blond may appear rich and intense but it actually on the light side and quite refreshing on the palate.

8 Treasure Cake 3.8/5

Another festive inspiration is the 8 Treasure Cake ($16.05 per loaf/ $64.20 for 24cm diameter). This is an interesting twist to the Christmas fruit cake with Chinese festive elements. The rich butter cake is infused with the flavours of red dates, roasted pine nuts, dried longan fruit, candied ginger, kaffir lime leaves, walnuts, goji berries, tangerine peel and spices, to create an exquisite treat. I shared this will my colleagues and they all like the refreshing and unique flavours. However I just find that the cake crumbles a bit too easy, it does not hold it's shape well.

Organier 4/5

Pavlova 4/5

In conjunction with Valentine's Day, Antoinette has created the Orangier and Pavlova exclusive for the month of February only. The Orangier is a flourless cake with flourless chocolate sponge, orange marmalade, orange caramel cremeux, almond orange nougatine and Valrhona Manjari dark chocolate mousse. A balanced of zest and sweetness, which chocolate lovers will adore. The Pavlova features a cascade of pastel rose petal Chantilly rosettes, gently piped atop a rose meringue and almond cake with raspberry marmalade, lychee, yuzu cream, finished with a touch of rose petals and raspberries.

I find the Queen Yu Sheng really special as a dessert lo hei at the end of the chines new year meal. It could be a new trend in the future. I am not surprise to see how restaurants coming out with dessert yu sheng next year. Chef Pang could be the trend setter with the Queen Yu Sheng creation.


Antoinette 
30 Penhas Road
Singapore 208188
Tel: +65 62933121
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Antoinette.sg
Website: http://antoinette.com.sg/index.html
Nearest MRT: Lavender (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thur: 11am - 10pm
Fri & Eve PH: 11am - 11pm
Sat: 10am - 11pm
Sun & PH: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Lavender MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to V Hotel Lavender. Walk down Horne Road and turn right onto Penhas Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Z Chocolat - Valentine's Day

How will you unlock romance this Valentine's Day? Let Z Chocolat be the key to your love with this delicious chocolate and beautiful packaging flown all the way from France. If you have been following my blog, you will know that this is my three time getting their chocolates. Their chocolates are really very good.

Z Chocolat, an online seller of premium handmade French chocolate. Z Chocolat was founded in November 1999 in collaboration with Pascal Caffet, World Champion Chocolatier & Pastry Chef 2013. For this year's Valentine's Day collection, Z Chocolat has created 16 different romantic packaging.

What I received is the Valentine's Day Saphhire ($122.32 for 12 pcs) with 12 striking assortment of 12 heart-shaped chocolates. Included are milk chocolate Supremes with hazelnut pralines, black Mystiques with vanilla bourbon caramel, white Toquades filled with chocolate ganache, and red Amores of ganache scented with bergamot.

These sensuous hearts are presented within the embrace of an elegant rich-toned mahogany box bearing a golden entwined pair of hearts inlay, handcrafted as exquisitely as the chocolates.


Z Chocolat
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zChocolat
Website: http://www.zchocolat.com

SEAR @ Singapore Land Tower

With Valentine's Day falling on Saturday this year, I am sure a lot of couples and lovers are planning for a romatic dinner date. If you are still researching and looking for a restaurant, I would recommend Sear, a modern American steakhouse recently opened in November 2014 on the 45th storey of Singapore Land Tower overlooking the scenic Marina Bay.

Crispy Pork Belly 4.2/5

Specially for Valentine's Day, Executive Chef Claudio Sandri has specially created an elegant three course meal for this special day. Tempting the palate, is the amuse bouche of Crispy Pork Belly with clementine sorbet and hoi sin sauce. The pork belly was perfectly done with crackling skin and succulent meat. I like the pairing of the sorbet more than the hoi sin sauce. Nevertheless, this is a beautiful dish to impress your perfect. Do note amuse bouche is only available for the second seating.

Seasonal Oysters 4.2/5

Grilled Hokkaido Scallops & Foie Gras 4.5/5

Sweet Corn Soup 4.2/5

For the starters, there is a choice of Seasonal Oysters, Grilled Hokkaido Scallop & Foie Gras or Sweet Corn Soup. The seasonal oyster is paired with iberico chorizo and tomato cloud to boost the natural creaminess of the oyster. The sweet and plump scallop was beautifully seared and paired with the foie gras. The bowl of comforting sweet corn soup made from pearl corn and PIRA grilled baby corn will be a delightful treat.

PIRA Grilled Canadian Tenderloin 3.8/5

For the mains, one has a choice between the PIRA Grilled Canadian Tenderloin and Spanish Rice Stew. The PIRA Grilled Canadian Tenderloin is served with basil gnocchi, baby carrots and red wine sauce. While the Canadian tenderloin was perfectly grilled and tender, I felt that it lacked that natural beefy flavour that I enjoyed. However my attention went to the basil gnocchi which was extremely good with the added basil.

Spanish Rice Stew 4.5/5

The Spanish Rice Stew on the other hand fares better with its robust flavours. Cooked with Canadian lobster, chorizo and Roma tomatoes, this is a one pot rainbow of flavours that will send you over the moon.

Marshmallow and Double Chocolate Mud Cake 3.5/5

Raspberry Souffle 3.8/5

Every meal is not complete without the dessert. Wrapping up the 3 course meal is the choice of Marshmallow and Double Chocolate Mud Cake, and Raspberry Souffle. The Marshmallow and Double Chocolate Mud Cake is served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This dessert will be a joy to the chocolate lover with its rich and intense chocolatey flavour. The Raspberry Souffle on the other hand is lighter in flavour but as good. A hole is further cut in the middle of the souffle and chocolate sauce is pour into it.

Diners can choose from two seating times on 14 February 2015. First seating at 6pm is priced at $108++ per person or Second seating at 830pm is priced at $138++ per person. Special early bird offers are available till 1 February at $88++ per person (first seating) and $118++ per person (second seating). Wine pairing is also available for an additional $35++ per person.


Sear
Singapore Land Tower
50 Raffles Place
#45-01/02
Singapore 048623
Tel: +65 62219555
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/searsteakhouse.sg
Website: http://www.fiftyrafflesplace.com/
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opeing Hours:
Mon-Sat: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn left and walk to Chevron House. At Chevron House, turned left and walk down the walkway. Continue to the end of the walkway, the destination is the building on the right. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Z Chocolat - Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and have you plan any surprises for your love one? If you have not, there may be still time for you to deliver a little sweet surprise right to the door step of your love one with Z Chocolat, an online seller of premium handmade French chocolate. zChocolat was founded in November 1999 in collaboration with Pascal Caffet, World Champion Chocolatier & Pastry Chef 2013.

zChocolat has specially organized 3 different Valentine's Day Collection in the zBoxes, Mahogany Boxes and Large Hearts. The one I received is the scintillating, black gourmet zBoxes of 27 pcs of chocolate. The lid is stylishly adorned with a cascading shower of white hearts.

Inside the zBoxes is 2 layers of mouth watering assortments. zChocolat also allow you to customize personal message and greeting card. More details can be found at their site.

The first layer of the zBoxes is the 12 heart shaped chocolate assortment with an intense dark ganache dressed in white, a soft milk hazelnut praline, a Vanilla Bourbon caramel with a dark exterior and a sublime ganache infused bergamote veiled under a red coat.

The second layer is the traditional 15 piece assortment composed of dreamy pralines, silky ganaches, solid chocolates and smooth caramels, completed with 3 of their famous Z pieces. As palates differ, on top of the default assortments, zChocolat allows one to individually handpick each chocolate for full relishing assurance.


Z Chocolat
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zChocolat
Website: http://www.zchocolat.com