Dehesa @ North Canal Road - Introducing Power Lunch Sets

Known for its nose to tail dining concept, Dehesa at North Bridge Road has launched a new lunch menu. But not too worry, the dishes are nothing too exotic for your weekday palate. Known as Power Lunch Sets, the menu consists of simply steak, ribs and halloumi cheese as a vegetarian option.

But why 'Power Lunch', you will know at the sight of the dishes. Both Ribeye Steak ($25 for 180g) and Hanger Steak ($23 for 150g) come with crispy potatoes and salad. The crispy potatoes are not your regular wedges, but Dehesa Patatas also known as Patatas Bravas. Sliced, layered and baked, after which the slab of layered potatoes will be cut into strips and deep fried. Hence you get this extremely crispy exterior with fluffy core.

Ribeye Steak 3/5

Hanger Steak 3/5

Ribeye Steak is always a safe option when comes to steak, but if you are into a gamier taste, try the Hanger Steak. I like how the sweet-tanginess of the homemade garlic aioli served at the side balances the richness of the meats.

Halloumi Cheese 3/5

As much as it may seem a little out of place, the Halloumi Cheese ($22) with quinoa is an apt vegetarian option. Nestled above a heap quinoa, leafy greens and red onions, the grilled cheese holds a firm savoury bite, while the grains is no less satisfying than the crispy potatoes when it has soaked up the tasty brava sauce and carries hint of smokiness from paprika.

Pack of Ribs 3/5

Sous-vide for 12 hours before braised and seared, the Pack of Ribs ($25) came with a shiny molasses glaze. The meat simply falls off the bone as you attempt to lift one with your finger. I really love the molasses sauce for its rich and dark caramel taste. I would have loved it even more if not for the porky taste.

If you are in for a afternoon tipple, simple cocktails and house pours are available too.

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.


Dehesa Restaurant
12 North Canal Road
Singapore 048825
Tel: +65 62217790
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line), Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1130am - 230pm, 530pm - 12midnight
Sat: 530pm - 12midnight

Direction:
1) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk towards North Canal Road. Continue on North Canal Road. Walk along the shophouses along North Canal Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards the junction of North Canal Road and South Bridge Road. Cross the junction and continue on North Canal Road. Walk along the shophouses along North Canal Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

White Rose Cafe @ York Hotel - A Refreshed A La Carte Menu

York Hotel is renowned for its Penang Hawkers' Fare buffet but lesser known is their local and Asian cuisine served at the White Rose Cafe. Helmed by Chef Charlie Tham, the culinary team has refreshed the a la carte menu showcasing new re-interpretations of Asian dishes and Western classics.

Satay 4.2/5

We started with some Satay that is well marinated and grilled to a nice exterior char. Diners have a choice of chicken or pork. It comes with rice rice cakes, sliced cucumber, onion and peanut sauce topped with grated pineapple. Love the fact that the sauce comes with grated pineapple for the hint of sweetness on top of the nutty sauce.

White Rose Cafe New Specialties Mee Siam 4/5

Even thought it is a refreshed menu, it also brought back some of the old favourites such as the Mee Siam. The tangy and spicy gravy topped with prawns, sliced egg, bean sprouts and diced fried bean curd complements the rice vermicelli excellently. Do note this is sampling portion.

Vietnamese Beef Pho 4/5

Chef Charlie has also introduced Vietnamese cuisine in the refreshed menu. The soup for the Vietnamese Beef Pho is boiled for hours using beef bone marrow for a good 8 hours, resulting in a light but rich broth.  The flavourful broth is accompanied by the smooth flat rice noodles, tender sliced beef, bean sprouts and onion. It is then garnished with red chilli, lime and fresh local herbs.

Vietnamese Pork Chop 4.2/5

The other Vietnamese dish on the menu is the Vietnamese Pork Chop. I love the aroma of lemongrass in the marination of the pork fillet. Grilled to tender perfection, it is served with sunny-side up egg, fresh local herbs, pickled vegetables and steamed fragrant rice.

Seafood Mee Goreng 4.5/5

There is the Malay style mee goreng as well as the Chinese style. I prefer the latter for its wetter version, which is a bit like the hokkien mee. The Seafood Mee Goreng here hits all the right notes for me. Mildly spiced, the wok fried yellow noodles comes with egg, prawns, squid, sliced fish and bean sprouts.

Fish Head Curry 4.2/5

One should not miss having the Fish Head Curry at White Rose Cafe. The fish head curry is prepared accordingly to the well guarded recipe from Soon Heng Restaurant dating from 1970s, touted as the creator of the Singaporean Chinese style fish head curry. The red snapper fish head is first steamed and then cooked in a mildly spiced assam or tamarind based curry sauce together with tomatoes lady fingers, sliced onions and fresh chillies. The fish is cooked perfectly, firm and moist with a delectable sweetness of the flesh.

Grilled Chicken Thigh 4/5

Besides the Asian fares, there are Western classics such as Fish N Chips and Grilled Chicken Thigh. I tried the grilled chicken thigh which is served with seasonal vegetables and sauteed potatoes. The chicken skin is grilled to a nice crisp while the meat is tender and juicy.

Tang Yuan 3/5

Wrapping up our dinner, we had the Tang Yuan, traditional glutinous rice balls stuffed with black sesame filling in hot ginger flavoured syrup. While I enjoyed the soft glutinous rice, I felt that the ginger soup is a bit too sharp. It need some extra sweetness to balance the sharpness.

I really enjoyed the refreshed a la carte menu at White Rose Cafe. The dishes served are food that is closed to our heart and I have to admit that it has executed them well. I would recommend the fish head curry, mee goreng and mee siam as my favourite.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


White Rose Cafe
York Hotel
21 Mount Elizabeth
Singapore 228516
Tel: +65 68301156
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Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Scotts Road towards Goodwood Park Hotel. At Goodwood Park, turn right and walk to the end of the carpark. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]