Tuesday, September 15, 2015

East Manhattan Bakery Cafe @ Lorong Kilat (Upper Bukit Timah)

IMG_1742ed

East Manhattan Bakery Cafe at Lorong Kilat, around Upper Bukit Timah is opened by owner/chef John Wee. Ditching his suit as a general manager in the corporate world, in exchange for a chef robe. He spent almost a year in Manhattan, New York City learning the fine art of classic American baking before returning to Singapore to setup East Manhattan Bakery in Katong V Mall. East Manhattan Bakery in Katong V Mall sells freshly baked artisanal bread, tarts and cakes for takeaway while the new venture at Lorong Kilat comprises of an all day menu and drinks in addition to the freshly bakes.

IMG_1719ed
Manhattan All Day Breakfast 3.8/5

An upside at East Manhattan Bakery Cafe is the availability of freshly bakes. The Manhattan All Day Breakfast ($16.80) is served on spinach rosemary sourdough, salmon and poached egg with a sausage and greens. While the eggs were a bit over, it still comes across as a hearty breakfast plate to start the day.

IMG_1721ed
Mac & Cheese with Smoked Salmon 3.5/5

IMG_1725ed
Mac & Cheese with Smoked Salmon 3.5/5

I have mixed feeling towards the Mac & Cheese with Smoked Salmon ($14.80). I actually find the salmon more for decorative than complementing the dish. What I enjoyed is the fact that the whole execution is not too creamy with the delightful crispy bites of cheese accompanying it.

IMG_1724ed
Basil Chicken Quinoa 3.5/5

To be frank there are many cafes or rather too many cafes in Singapore. To get a slice of the pie, one needs to be different. Servicing a niche market, East Manhattan Bakery Cafe offers a gluten free menu for the more health conscious diners. The Basil Chicken Quinoa ($16.80) was a hearty dish on the menu with tender and juicy chicken. The whole execution was a bit flat or one dimension, a little zest would be helpful to pep up the enjoyment.

EastMahattan1

Besides the various freshly baked artisanal bread at the cafe, not to be missed is the selection of housemade cakes and tarts. Among the many cakes and tarts I tried, a couple of them stood out. I like the Banoffe Pie ($6.90) that has a toasty aroma of nuts and cookies. Another favourite is the Chocolate Hazelunt Tart ($6.50). Although the base lacked the buttery taste, I like the crunchy hazelnut topping.

IMG_1736ed

Overall, East Manhattan Bakery Cafe is a decent option for diners who prefer a healthy choice of gluten free meal. In my option, the bread, cakes and tarts fare much better than the mains.


East Manhattan Bakery Cafe
19 Lorong Kilat
#01-03
Singapore 598120
Tel: +65 96394179
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Beauty World (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Thu: 10am - 9pm
Fri: 10am - 10pm
Sat: 9am - 10pm
Sun: 9am - 7pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Beauty World MRT station. Take Exit B. Cut through the car park on the left and walk towards Jalan Seh Chuan. Walk down Jalan Seh Chuan. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

Sunday, September 13, 2015

RedBank Bar & Grill @ Claymore Connect

IMG_1868ed

Feeling that the F&B scene is lacking a classic American grill restaurant  in Singapore that is up to standard with reasonable pricing, owners John Stevens and Matt Connors together with Chef Nicolas with 18 years of culinary experience under his belt, came together and opened RedBank Bar & Grill Restaurant at the renovated Claymore Connect where Tony Roma used to be.

IMG_1848ed
French Onion Soup 4.2/5

We started our dinner with the the French Onion Soup ($15). Actually it did get me a bit confused why the dish is on the menu for an Amercian grill restaurant? Nevertheless, the depth of the beef stock and sweetness of the caramelized onion made this classic french soup one of the best I have eaten.

IMG_1851ed
Brown Derby Cobb Salad 4/5

The Brown Derby Cobb Salad ($22) comes with iceberg, avocado, egg, bacon, cheese and chicken. History says that the dish was invented back in the 1930s by Robert Howard Cobb, owner of Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant. As he has not eaten near midnight, he mixed together what he could find in the kitchen together with some bacon. It then became instant hit and became one of American's classic dish.

IMG_1849ed
Virginia Style Oyster Biscuit 3/5

The Virginia Style Oyster Biscuit ($18) was rather interesting but pale in taste. Who would have thought of servicing deep fried oyster in a buttermilk biscuit? The buttermilk biscuit was good but the oyster got lost in combination. I thought it was quite a waste for such a delicacy ingredient.

IMG_1850ed
Virgina Style Crab Cake 3/5

Another dish that did not appeal to me is the Virgina Style Crab Cake ($18). I felt that the crab cake has a mushy texture which I did not quite enjoy. The sweetness of the crab's flesh was also not quite distinct in the execution. In short, I have had better ones elsewhere.

IMG_1852ed
Grilled Whole Sea Bass 3.5/5

The typical American backyard grill experience is brought indoors with the used of the Josper charcoal grill. The Grilled Whole Sea Bass ($33) is cooked to a delectable charred on the skin while retaining the moist and natural sweetness of the fish.

IMG_1854ed
Mixed Seafood Grill 3.5/5

The Mixed Seafood Grill ($33) on the other hand allows one to have a bit of everything. On the plate, there was grilled prawn, salmon, sea bass and tuna served with rice.

IMG_1855ed
Rib Eye 4/5

Showcasing on Redbank's menu is a great selection of US beef and different cuts. We tried the Rib Eye (330g for $45/ 500g for $65), which is lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, and perfumed with an aromatic charred and smokiness to the meat.

IMG_1856ed
Grilled Deviled Chicken 4.2/5

The Grilled Deviled Chicken ($28) stood out for me among all the grilled meat and seafood I have tried. The chicken with its tender and juicy meat seemed to showcase the Josper charcoal grill more. I could paint the image of having a backyard grill party while tearing the delectable chicken apart with a bottle of beer.

IMG_1857ed
Mac & Cheese 3/5

On the menu, there are also a extensive selection of sides to go with the mains. The classic Mac & Cheese ($12) with gratin topping will delight any cheese lover. However the flavour was not as rich or cheesy as I would have love.

IMG_1860ed
Twice Baked Potatoes 4/5

One of the sides on the menu I would recommend is the Twice Baked Potatoes ($15). The baked twice potatoes has a contrast yet complementing texture enjoyment topped with sour cream, emmental cheese and chives.

IMG_1862ed
Hush Puppy 3.5/5

An interesting name on the sides menu caught many of our attention is the Hush Puppy ($12). We have no clue what it is until it is served. The ball shaped deep fried cornbread ball has a mashy interior and a crispy exterior. This is another American rooted dish attributes to hunter, fishermen or other cooks who could fry some cornmeal mixture and feed it to their dogs to "hush the puppies" during cook-outs or fish-fries.

IMG_1866ed
Creme Brulee 4/5

The dessert menu is less exciting with your usual items. Let see how the fare in terms of taste. We started with the Creme Brulee ($12), which is really good with a rich custard base that is not too eggy and blanket with crackling caramelized crust to give it a bit of the bitter sweetness.

IMG_1865ed
Chocolate Chip Tiramisu 4/5

The ordinary looking Chocolate Chip Tiramisu ($12) hit me with its intense coffee flavour in a good way. Being a coffee lover, I love this version with occasion bites of chocolate chip as I dug into the glass.

IMG_1864ed
Chocolate Lava Cake 3.5/5

The Chocolate Lava Cake ($12) is an all time flavourite among many diners, especially chocolate lovers. Paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, to give it a nice closure to a satisfying meal.

IMG_1863ed
Lemon Pie 4/5

After all the grilled food, the Lemon Pie ($12) is actually a welcoming citrus dessert to remove all the greasiness and freshened up the palate.

Redbank is a casual dining restaurant that is suitable for both family as well as corporate diners. I like the spacing between diners which is spacious and allows diner's privacy. Adding to the atmosphere there will be live band at the stage on selected nights and weekends. Sports fans can rejoice with the TV on one wall and life size screen over at the stage over at the other end too.


[CLOSED]
RedBank Bar & Grill
Claymore Connect
442 Orchard Road
#01-02
Singapore 238879
Tel: +65 66945376
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard MRT (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon: 4pm - 11pm
Tue-Wed, Sun: 12pm - 11pm
Thu-Sat: 12pm - 1am

Direction: 
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk towards Wheelock Place via ION. Exit Wheelock Place and turn left towards Liat Tower. Cross the road at the traffic light junction and turn left towards Palais Renaissance. Continue walking down Orchard Road and turn right onto Claymore Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards Shaw House via underpass. At the road level, walk along Orchard Road towards Palais Renaissance. Continue walking down Orchard Road and turn right onto Claymore Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]