Rokeby Bistro @ Jalan Riang - Launches A New Dinner Menu

If not for Rokeby, I wouldn't have the chance to get acquainted with this serene neighbourhood of Jalan Riang. The row of shophouses where it is located is pretty tucked away from the main traffic, however it is not difficult to spot this 4-year old bistro, when it has written its name right on the facade.

I love their steel and glass wall, which works well with the cracked concrete interiors to create that rustic look. As an Australian-inspired bistro, they offer hearty items such as Beef Ribs, Ox Cheeks Pasta, Ribeye Steak etc, which are wholesome enough for dinner.

Luncheon Nacho Cheese 2.8/5

To ease our hunger while waiting for our mains, we had Luncheon Nacho Cheese ($8.90) and Poached Egg Salad ($8.90). Strips of luncheon meat drizzled with nacho cheese and mayonnaise, this might get you wanting to reach out for some beer. However, I feel it might work better if the meat was stripped thinner for a crisper texture like fries, and a much bigger dollop of cheese than just a drizzle. After all, that's how we have our nachos with cheese right?

Poached Egg Salad 2.5/5

Perhaps I had my salad dressing at the side, my salad looked abit sad with just the baby spinach, sundried tomato strips and a poached egg. And the egg didn't even ooze.

Lobster Risotto 3/5

Our mains arrived shortly after we cleared our appertiser. The Lobster Risotto ($34.90), for half a lobster, this is certainly not cheap. Despite this being a fairly new item, I was quite surprised to see a few orders on the tables. Very luxurious looking indeed, and the smell of the burnt cheese and mornay sauce were enough to set us salivating. Perhaps it was being overcooked, the meat tend to stick onto the shell. It was still firm and bouncy but I would have enjoyed it more if the meat wasn't so coated with the creamy sauce. I'm not too sure if risotto, which is just as creamy, is an ideal pairing.

Duck Confit 3/5

The Duck Confit ($23.90) fares similarly to that. It had a crispy exterior which was quite enjoyable but some parts of the meat was slightly tough. The tart raspberry sauce, along with a couple of tangerines, cut the richness of the meat. For some reasons, the pineapple salsa was somehow missing in action.

Mud Slide 4/5

For desserts, we had their latest creation - Mud Slide ($10) which has currently surpassed the popularity of their Ghirardelli Molten Lava with Ice Cream ($9). Indeed, for climate like ours, this adult milkshake does its job in giving us the ice cold sensation, the satisfying creamy mouthfeel of a milkshake and the bitter-sweetness of a rum.

Ghirardelli Molten Lava 3.5/5

Molten Lava didn't pale in comparison. With a light tap on the tip, it erupted with warm dark chocolate lava. I appreciate the dense New Zealand vanilla ice cream which matched well with the consistency of the thick chocolate lava.

Rokeby is popular for their brunch items which you might want to consider when you just want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, especially on a lazy weekend.

Written and photograph 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.


Rokeby
15-9 Jalan Riang
Singapore 358987
Tel: +65 91060437
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Website
Nearest MRT: Serangoon (CC Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 9am - 10pm
(closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Lorong Chuan MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Lorong Chuan MRT station (Stop ID 66391). Alight 1 stop later. Walk down Serangoon Ave 3 and cross the road onto Jalan Girang. Walk along Jalan Girang, take left of Jalan Girang at the intersection. Continue on Jalan Girang and turn right onto Jalan Riang. Journey time about 15 minutes.

2) Alight at Serangoon MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Serangoon MRT station (Stop ID 62139). Take bus number 107, 147, 153 or 853. Alight 1 stop later. Cross Upper Serangoon Road onto Wolskel Road. Walk along Wolskel Road and turn right onto Jalan Riang. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes.

3) Alight at Serangoon MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk to bus interchange (Stop ID 66009). Take bus number 105. Alight 2 stops later. Track back and turn right onto Jalan Girang. Walk along Jalan Girang, take left of Jalan Girang at the intersection. Continue on Jalan Girang and turn right onto Jalan Riang. Journey time about 18 minutes.

Hokkaido Sushi Restaurant @ M Hotel Singapore - Japanese Buffet Not Compromised In Quality

If you asked me where to go for Japanese buffet, I would probably recommend Kiseki, Irodori and Sakura. Recently Hokkaido Sushi, a Japanese restaurant on the 9th floor of M Hotel Singapore has introduced The Hokkaido Buffet Experience, on top of their omakase and a la carte menu. The new buffet menu includes most of their signature dishes at a single price, allowing guests to taste their specialties at a reasonable price.

Seafood Platter 4.5/5

The new buffet is priced at $38++ for lunch and $43++ for dinner during the promotional period. Usually price is $48++ and $55++ respectively. Guests will also get a complimentary Seafood Platter for every diner to start with, limited to one per pax. On the plate there is botan ebi, salmon and truffle hamachi.

Pitan Tofu 4.8/5

From the Appetizer section, we started with their popular Pitan Tofu. The silken tofu is drenched in a savoury century egg dressing, topped wtih surimi and spring onions. The century egg dressing complemented the tofu excellently. No wonder it is a crowd favourite.

Chicken Wing 3/5

The Chicken Wing was grilled perfectly to a golden brown, tender and juicy. However it needs a bit more seasoning to justify for the excellent execution.

Ikura Chawanmushi 4.2/5

Ika Geso 3.5/5

The other appetizer we had is the Ikura Chawanmushi and Ika Geso. The creamy steamed egg custard topped with salmon roe will delight both the young and old while the deep fried squid in a light batter is a great snack to go with a few drinks.

Ebi Tempura 3.5/5

A recommended choice from the Agemono (Deep Fried) section is the Ebi Tempura. The sweetness of the prawn wrapped in a light tempura batter is really value for money. Imagine it costs $30 for 5 pieces of them on the a la carte menu but you get free flow if you opt of the buffet.

Wagyu Mushroom 4.2/5

Pork with Ginger 4.2/5

From the Itamemono (Stir Fried) section, we tried both the Wagyu Mushroom and Pork with Ginger. The wagyu mushroom is stir-fried to tender in a medley of mushrooms in a flavourmore sauce. Same goes to the pork with ginger. This two dishes is screaming for a bowl of rice to go with them.

Ginkarel Shioyaki 2.8/5

The Ginkarel Shioyaki from the Yakimono (Grilled and Pan Fried) section was too light in seasoning for me. The white fish, lightly salt grilled needed a heavier hand in seasoning for me as the fish itself was rather bland unlike cod fish which has a natural buttery taste.

Sashimi Platter 4.8/5

The highlight for any Japanese buffet has to be the unlimited flow of Sashimi. At Hokkaido Sushi, their fish and seafood are air flown in straight from Tsukiji and Sapporo, Japan, twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. We had the Maguro (Tuna), Mekajiki (Swordfish), Hamachi (Yellowtail), Tako (Octopus) and Hotate (Scallop). The fresh ingredients were all thickly skin unlike many other places. From the look of it, you can tell it is really very fresh. The bonus is that I visited the restaurant on Tuesday which is their delivery day.

Hokkadio Maki 4/5

The Hokkadio Maki is roll with salmon and seaweed in the middle, topped with ebiko, special sauce and mayonnaise. It comes with an enjoyable popping bites with lovely flavours.

Aburi Scallop Sushi 4.5/5

Aburi Sushi 4.5/5

Besides the sashimi and maki roll, we also tried the Aburi Sushi such as the Scallop, Ebi, Hamachi Truffle and Aburi Salmon Mentaiko. My favourite of all is the Aburi Scallop Sushi topped with garlic miso and tobiko. The torching of the scallop enhanced the whole parcel with an extra smoky flavour on top of the sweetness for a full flavoured enjoyment. Another worthy note is the use of organic high grade Japanese Nanatsubosh rice for their delectable sushi. It is only one of a select few Japanese restaurants in Singapore who serve such premium rice.

Overall I was impressed with the freshness and quality of the food even though it is a buffet. I was informed that the restaurant serves the same quality per their normal a la carte men. It did not short change their customers even though it is a buffet.


Hokkaido Sushi Restaurant
M Hotel Singapore
Level 9
81 Anson Road
Singapore 079908
Tel: +65 62213075
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit D or H. Continue walking straight down Anson Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]