Melt Cafe @ Mandarin Oriental Hotel Singapore - Lobster Bonanza

Extend your festive celebration at Mandarin Oriental Singapore with Melt Cafe's Lobster Bonanza. Taking place between 7 - 21 February 2017, you get to enjoy one of favourite seafood of all time - lobsters, out to excite your taste buds in different manners. The dinner menu highlights the versatility of lobsters in the various stations.

Thai Lobster Salad with Glass Noodles 4/5

Out of the various stations, I guess the Cold and Appetisers Section was my favourite. Not only they served very refreshing starters and side dishes, I got to taste the natural sweetness and firm texture of the lobster meats being highlighted.

The Thai Lobster Salad with Glass Noodles simply up the flavour and texture by a notch, replacing the usual shrimps with bouncy lobster meat. It was visually a feast too. This could easily be a stayer of a restaurant's menu.

Lime Marinated Lobster Gateaux 3.8/5

The Lime Marinated Lobster Gateaux was creamy with abit of citrusy touch. It was a little on the saltier side but that brought out the subtlety of the avocado puree. The tobiko added lots of crunch and flavour which made a scoop of this gateaux a perfect topping to my salad and toast.

Lobster Maki Roll 2.8/5

At the sushi counter, Lobster Maki Roll was added to accompany the usual selection of sushi and sashimi.

Singaporean Style Chili Marron Lobster 3/5

Moving on to bolder flavours, you have your Singaporean Style Chili Marron Lobster cooked in tangy chili sauce served with mantou. Many loved the deep fried mantou but there was too little sauce to go with it.

Thai Tom Yum Soup with Shredded Lobster Meat 3.5/5

The Thai Tom Yum Soup with Shredded Lobster Meat is a luxurious twist to the tradition tom yum soup with the addition of shredded lobster mean. Though I could not see much of the shredded lobster meat, the taste of the tom yum soup itself pass muster. Well, I could always add the meat myself, there was plenty at the cold station! Which I did. I tried the Cognac Infused Lobster Bisque as well, which I thought it was lacking the crustacean flavour.

Oven Roasted Lobster Tail with Brandy Hollandaise and Gruyere 4/5

I believe the Western Show Kitchen is the hottest station as the lobsters here were really indulgent. The Oven Roasted Lobster Tail with Brandy Hollandaise and Gruyere is certainly one of the classics. The meat remained firm and springy, easily lifted off the shell. The sauce and cheese layer was evenly roasted, attaining a burnt crust with a oozy lava-ish sauce. Not too thick or heavy, allowing me to still savour the beauty of the lobster.

Singapore Lobster Laksa 3/5

Perhaps to suit the international taste buds, the Singapore Lobster Laksa does not carry the usual robustness. Hence, be more generous with the sambal chili and condiments at the side as they really fire up the flavour of your local delight.

Cheese Naan 4/5

And of course, there are the rest of the international selections. If you are a regular here, their all time favourite Indian cuisine live station is still around to serve up piping hot naans along with the chutneys and curries. There is the Indian Spices Marinated Marron Lobster served with yoghurt dip if you love spices and curries.

Cakes and Ice Cream 4.5/5

I still feel Melt Café serves one of the best cakes and desserts. Other than its signature chocolate cake, its green tea cake has always been just as delicious. The tarts are very interesting too. Of all the desserts, one should not miss having their homemade ice creams and waffles.

Lobsters aplenty, though this is not the lobsters season. Only within these 3 weeks if you want to catch this Lobster Bonanza. A few days have already passed, hence do make a date with Melt Café soon.

Lobster Bonanza at Melt Cafe

Price points:
- $75 per person (Monday to Thursday) inclusive of free flow of juices additional $20 per person for free flow of house wines, beer and soft drinks.

- $85 per person (Friday and Saturday) inclusive of free flow of juices additional $20 per person for free flow of house wines, beer and soft drinks.

Written and photographs 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.


Melt Cafe
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Singapore
5 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039797
Tel: +65 68853500
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Promenade (CC Line), Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 630am - 930pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Promenade MRT station. Take Exit A. Cross the road. Walk to Marina Square. Follow the signage to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit B or D. Walk to Marina Square. Follow the signage to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Ola Beach Club @ Siloso Beach Sentosa - All-Encompassing Hawaiian-Themed Lifestyle Venue

Ola Beach Club, situated along at Siloso Beach Sentosa, is Singapore’s latest and only all-encompassing Hawaiian-themed lifestyle venue. On the ground floor, there are daybeds where you can relax on, or any of the six private cabanas to rest your tired feet. The Sunset Bar is on the second floor that overlooks the beach and sunset right in between the coconut trees which explains its name.

Up at the Sunset Bar is a welcome respite from the hot sun but with similar relaxing vibe. The presence of wood, planters, and hanging floats all seek to exude Hawaii’s island feel. Not just a holistic destination for outdoor activities and watersports, Ola offers an interesting beach dining experience, with .a menu of Hawaiian-inspired specialties crafted by Executive Chef Liinson Heng.

Lomi-Lomi Salmon 3.5/5

Be it as appetisers or alcoholic accompaniments, their cold starters will suit your needs. Reach out to a dainty cup of Lomi-Lomi Salmon ($16) in between sips of your cocktail. Traditionally served in a big bowl for sharing, the mixture of flaked Norwegian salmon confit, tomatoes and sweet Maui onions had been elegantly scooped into a mini waffle cup. Crowning it with flying fish roe or caviar (+$4) certainly drew our attention to it. The confit was moist and amazingly creamy on its own, with a dash of lemon to give its richness an edge. The flavour of the meat could have been more profound if not for the slightly overdoses of salt, but the sweetness from the crunchy waffle managed that quite abit.

Kimchi Tuna 3/5

Shoyu Tuna 3/5

As a starter for sharing or a main on its own, their Ahi Poke Bowl ($20) of diced tuna offers 3 flavours - shoyu, kimchi or togarashi, complemented by your choice of 2 sides from the basket of creamy guacamole, crunchy pumpkin seeds, pomegranate seeds and refreshing cubed pineapples. I would recommend to have some coarse grains (+$1) to counterbalance the rich poke. Their brown rice was unexpectedly well done, with the right bite and moisture. The marination was not too overwhelming either, which happened to some poke bowls.

Saimin Salad 3/5

One of Hawaiians' comfort food, Saimin Salad ($15) is a cold noodle salad. Simply pour the soy-based sauce over the Japanese somen and toss the chunky ingredients. What amused me was the use of battered fishcake and spam creating a new chemistry with each other and with other ingredients.

Kalua Pig Taco 3/5

From the hot starters, the Kalua Pig Taco ($25) gives you a chance to taste the Hawaii’s famous Kalua Pork – one-day cured pork shoulder steamed and baked for three hours till soft and tender for shredding. Sautéed with white cabbage over open fire, the Kalua Pork supposed to exhibit a smokey sweetness but that seemed to be lost in the pool of melted cheddar cheese. Great for cheese lovers though. The house-made Roma tomato relish and guacamole up the taste a notch, not to forget the Chef’s special sour cream, which is a “chutney” of bird’s eye chilli, red pepper, parsley and onions. Really delicious, that I had to stop myself from pouring the whole thing over my taco.

House-smoked Squid 4.2/5

The complexity that goes into creating House-smoked Squid ($21) is notable, giving us a glimpse into Chef Liinson's culinary mind. Smoked over an open fire in a special netted basket, the grilled octopus were 'poached' in heat. What resulted was soft and springy texture, carrying strong hint of smokiness. These little creatures looked somewhat adorable in the plated seabed, sitting on the olive tapenade.. For some flavours highlights, Chef paired them with tangy confit tomatoes, roasted fava beans, piquant artichoke and a house-made garlic and saffron mayonnaise.

Huli-Huli Chicken 4/5

Huli-Huli Chicken ($26) is Hawaii’s version of teriyaki chicken with chicken thigh and breast plated elegantly with burnt leek and a seasonal vegetable puree (ours was celery puree). Steeped in a teriyaki marinade and sous vide, I love the smokey and deep sweetness of the teriyaki that glazed over the meat. The breast meat wasn't sidelined at all by the usually more popular chicken thigh, as it was moist and tender, with the ability to balance the entire dish with its subtly. Even the burnt leek was not neglected, with its exquisite charred flavour.

Loco Moco’s 3/5

Rice is seemingly one of Hawaiian's staple food, which is evident in Loco Moco’s ($28), in which a 150g Wagyu beef patty is paired with steamed Japanese koshihikari white rice flavoured with sesame seeds and finely chopped konbu. The crusted egg succeeded in satisfying our fetish in oozy egg yolk, but I couldn't say the same for the much anticipated beef patty. It wasn't as juicy as I wanted it to be, perhaps it was done way over medium-rare, and its natural beefy flavour was mask by burst of saltiness from the capers within the patty. The saving grace was the thick and rich mushroom sauce, which I could pour it over and form a deeply satisfying beef rice burger. What a brilliant idea and execution.

Haupia Sphere 3.5/5

Rounding off our meal was Haupia Sphere ($22), one of Chef Liinson’s intricate creations. Inspired by the traditional Haupia (Hawaiian coconut pudding), the valrhona dark chocolate sphere encapsulates a layer of coconut Chantilly cream, desiccated coconut sponge cake, nata de coco and vanilla ice-cream. Simply pour the warm chocolate sauce served at the side to unveil the treasures within.

In the hands of Chef Liinson, the dishes have gain a finesse without losing their intrinsic fun and casual attributes. That, stays true to its name - Ola, which means “life” in Hawaiian, and all I could imagine is the energetic, positive vibes of life.

Written and photography 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.


Ola Beach Club
Siloso Beach Sentosa
46 Siloso Beach Walk
Singapore 099055
Tel:+65 62506978
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: HarbourFront (CC Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 10am - 10pm
Sat-Sun: 9am - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Harbourfront MRT station. Take Exit E or C. Go to Sentosa Express Station at Level 3 of Vivocity. Take Sentosa Express Train to Beacht station. Alight at Beach station and walk to sentosa beach walk. Walk down sentosa beach walk to destination. Journey time about 20 mins. [Map]