UNA @ One Rochester - A Gastronomic Journey Through Spain

Hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the city is the lush greenery that surround UNA at One Rochester that is housed in a historic colonial bungalow dating back to the late 1930s and 40s. The Spanish restaurant offers South and North cuisines, marrying the characteristic of the regions for its robust and wholesome flavours.

Gambas Al Ajilo 4.5/5 and Patatas Bravas 3.5/5

From the tapas menu, we started with the Gambas Al Ajilo ($22) and Patatas Bravas ($10). My favourite is the fresh tiger prawns are sauteed in olive oil, white wine, garlic, chilli and parsley. Love the party of flavours which is kind of complex but yet beautiful firework to the palate.

Fideua De Calamares 4/5

The Fideua De Calamares ($20) serves in a pan, comes with squid ink Spanish noodles and crispy calamari. This is my first time having it and I find that it resembles our local Chao Ta Bee Hoon with its crispy exterior and soft interior.

Pulpo A La Parilla Con Papas Arrugadas Y Mojo 3.8/5

Don't be overwhelmed by the lengthy name of the dish. Pulpo A La Parilla Con Papas Arrugadas Y Mojo ($32) simply means grilled octopus with potatoes and coriander sauce. From what I understand from the kitchen, the octopus came from Spain and it is slow cooked in water with onions for around 65 minutes. I enjoyed how the slightly sweet and sharp sherry vinegar sauce complemented the smokey flavour of the grilled octopus. Unfortunately the texture was a bit chewy for me.

Coca De Higos Y Foie Con Vermouth 4.2/5

If you like foie gras, you will enjoy the Coca De Higos Y Foie Con Vermouth ($26). The foie gras is paired with grilled figs and sits on a toasted Spanish flatbread. It is then dressed in a vermouth reduction. I enjoyed how the sweetness and crispiness of the flatbread held the creaminess of foie gras together. However I thought the grilled figs was a bit strange in the pairing.

Paella De Chorizo Y Habitas 3.5/5

A staple Spanish dish is the paella and not to be missed is the Paella De Chorizo Y Habitas ($46/$66). The rice is infused with chorizo and saffron which added an extra layer of shine to the flavoursome paella. However I thought the texture of the rice was a bit on the moist side.

Cochinillo Asado 4.2/5

One of my favourite Spanish dishes is the Cochinillo Asado ($36). It is really hard to resist the succulent suckling pig with thin crispy skin. The plate also comes with fresh citrus salad which helps to cut the greasiness.

Pescado A La Parilla 4.2/5

Making a stunning entry is the Pescado A La Parilla ($42). The catch of the day is slow grilled without any marination. Just some simple seasoning to enjoy the natural flavour of the fish. It comes with a bowl of fennel salad on the side too.

Queso Fresco Calabaza Y Membrillo 4/5

For dessert, we started with the Queso Fresco Calabaza Y Membrillo ($14) which is roasted pumpkin ice cream with fresh cream cheese mousse, quince jelly and caramelized walnuts. The roasted pumpkin ice cream is kind of unique, it felt more like a savoury dish. First taste was a bit weird but it slowly grown in me as the palate started to accept the new taste.

Churros Con Chocolate Y Cafe 4.2/5

I am not really a big fan of churro but surprisingly I finished the a whole stick of the Churros Con Chocolate Y Cafe ($14). The crispy deep fried choux pastry is dusted with cinnamon and sugar nad this goes excellent with the dark chocolate sauce nad coffee infused cream.

Noted: This is an invited tasting.


UNA
One Rochester
1 Rochester Park
Singapore 139212
Tel: +65 67730070
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Buona Vista (CC Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 5pm - 11pm
Sun Brunch: 11am - 3pm (once a month)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Buona Vista MRT station. Take Exit B or C. Walk to Star Vista. At Rochester Drive turn left. Continue on Rochester Drive to the end of the road. Cross the road and continue on Rochester Park. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

SENS @ Holland Village - Newly Opened Japanese Restaurant Inside A Gourmet Grocer

Located at the basement of the new Raffles @ Holland Village is SENS, a Japanese restaurant within the gourmet grocer TASTE. It offers a wide repertoire of contemporary Japanese cuisine including sashimi, sushi, teppanyaki and omakase. It also boasts one of the largest selections of Japanese craft beers, sake and wines from breweries in different regions of Japan.

Sashimi Moriawase Mix 4/5

Dinner at SENS started with the Sashimi Moriawase Mix ($48.80) which comes with 5 different kinds of sashimi. On the plate, we had maguro, otoro, salmon, hamachi and ebi which is air flown from Japan. In short you can ensure of its freshness.

Aburi Salmon Mentai Roll 4.2/5

For those that does not take raw food, you can go for the Aburi Salmon Mentai Roll ($18.80) topped with mentaiko and roes. Pop one into mouth and enjoy a burst of different flavours and textures coming together.

Miyazaki Wagyu Tataki 4.8/5 and Beef Kaku Ni 4/5

A crowd favouruite was the Miyazaki Wagyu Tataki ($68.80) for both its great flavour and texture. The thinly sliced wagyu is lightly seared on the exterior while the interior is cooked to a beautiful pink. This gives it an extra layer of flavour on top of that flavoursome and juicy beef slices.

The other beef dish we tried is the Beef Kaku Ni ($16.80). The piece of beef literally fell apart as I tried to pick it up with my chopsticks. The melted in the mouth texture and its appetizing rich flavour calls for a bowl of rice to go with it.

Foie Gras Teriyaki 4.2/5

Not really quite Japanese but the menu does offer items such as Foie Gras Teriyaki ($16). I like the fact that the foie gras has a layer of caramelized sweetness that complemented the creaminess

Surume Ika 4/5

From the grill, there is the Surume Ika ($18.80) which is grilled perfectly to a nice bouncy texture coated with a nice caramelized sweetness for an elevated enjoyment.

Kurobuta Rosu Katsu 4.5/5

A worthy try at SENS is the Kurobuta Rosu Katsu ($17.50). The breaded deep fried pork loin has an interesting crispy crumbs on top of the juicy meat which tasted like tempura coating. putting it in another way it is like having the crispy KFC fried chicken except it is pork not chicken.

Niniku Chahan 3/5

If you are still not full, the Niniku Chahan ($8) may able to fill you up. Unfortunately I felt that he garlic fried rice lacked the garlic and wok hei aroma.

Yakitori Set 3/5

Perfect to go with some beer or sake is the Yakitori. We ordered a few different skewers such as chicken wings, meat balls, pork belly and mushroom to try. Maybe the chef wanted to showcase the natural flavour of the ingredients but I felt that a little bit more seasoning would be more enjoyable.

Overall food at SENS is above average. I would definitely go back for the miyazaki wagyu tataki, beef kaku ni, kurobuta rosu katsu, sashimi and sushi.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


SENS
Raffles @ Holland Village
118 Holland Avenue
#B1-12/13
Singapore 278997
Tel: +65 62625618
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Holland Village (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Holland Village MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk straight to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]