Senso Ristorante & Bar @ Club Street

My last visit to Senso Ristorante & Bar at Club Street was one and half year back. It was a memorable dining experience back then and I could not hold my excitement to revisit the restaurant to check out their Spring and Asparagus menu. Opened in 2000, Senso has been satisfying the local palate for fine food for more than fourteen years.

Upon settling down, we were served a selection of complimentary homemade bread and Amuse Bouche which is a delectable crab mousse.

White & Green Asparagus Salad  4/5

After a glimpse of the cuisine to be expected at Senso in the amuse Bouche, we moved on to have the White & Green Asparagus Salad ($30) that comes with aged parma ham, slow-cooked organic poached egg, parmesan chips and mesclun salad with balsamic dressing. I like the crunchy and sweetness of the asparagus adding dimensions to the garden of greens.

Scallop in the Shell 5/5

This is one the most beautiful dish I have this year. The Scallop in the Shell ($30) is presented to look exactly like when it is being freshly opened. The plump and sweet adriatic scallop is pan seared and served with avruga caviar, spinach foam, candied tomatoes with thyme and sauteed baby spinach with garlic.

Carnaroli Risotto 4/5 and Farro 4/5

Next up we have the dual Carnaroli Risotto ($30) and Farro ($30) This is a tasting portion so we can taste the difference between the two. The traditional carnaroli risotto cooked with white and green asparagus, aged parmesan flakes and fresh basil was creamy and cheesey. On the other hand, the farro is slow cooked as a risotto with spring vegetables, diced carrots, peas and fava beans was flavourful and has a very delectable bite, similar to barley.

Sea Bass 4.2/5

The Sea Bass ($40) is braised with Italian anise flavoured liqueur "Sambuca", purple artichokes, confit of wine tomatoes and crushed potatoes with black olives and parma ham flakes. While I enjoyed the well cooked and moist seabass, I am a bit puzzled with the slice of accompanying parma ham.

Beef Tenderloin 4.5/5

The Australian grain fed Beef Tenderloin Rossini ($44) is topped with a pan fried foie gras. The exquisite marriage of flavours was a luxurious enjoyment that was simply heavenly.

Semifreddo 4/5

The Italian pistachio and Macadamia Semifreddo ($14) with rhubarb compote and chocolate crumble was a beautiful combination with the rhubarb compote lending a tartness to the semifreddo.

Senso has always been one of my top restaurants in Singapore. Besides the exquisite dishes, the service is impeccable with well knowledge staff. Although it is a fine dining restaurant, the friendly and warm service do not make it feel uncomfortable.

Senso Ristorante & Bar
21 Club Street
Singapore 069410
Tel:+65 62243534
Website: http://www.senso.sg
Nearest MRT: Chinatown (NE Line, DT Line), Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Sat: 6pm - 1030pm
Sun: 11am - 3pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards Club Street. Turn left on Club Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Chinatown MRT station. Take Exit F. Walk down Upper Cross Street to junction of Upper Cross Street and South Bridge Road. Continue down Upper Cross Street and turn right onto Club Street. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Gyoza-ya (饺子屋) @ Robinsons Orchard

Gyoza-Ya, the latest concept by the Akashi Group is casual dining restaurant located at the basement of the new Robinsons Orchard (formerly Heeren Mall). As the name suggests, it is a house of gyoza starring a few varieties of gyoza dishes, pan fried and boiled. Thought it is not the first gyoza specialty restaurant, it is the first to introduce the Jya Jya Men in Singapore. I was once told that to ensure the quality of the food, a menu of a restaurant is best to keep within a page. I apply this principle every now and then before I patronize a new dining place. I am please to see that Gyoza-Ya managed to keep their menu simple, serving 3 basic varieties of gyoza plus a few other side dishes and beverages for a complete meal.

Morokyu 4.5/5

For a light start, I had Morokyu ($3.80), a chilled cucumber with barley miso paste and Nasu Miso Gake ($4.80), a grilled eggplant with sweet miso. Most small specialty restaurants tend to serve mediocre and common side dishes but these 2 dishes totally took me by surprise. The savoury and flavourful miso complemented the dishes really well, teasing out the natural sweetness of the vegetables. Both side dishes were served chilled hence extremely refreshing and appetizing at the same time.

Nasu Miso Gake 4.5/5

Next came the star dishes, Jya Jya Men, Yaki Gyoza and Sui Gyoza. I started off with the Jya Jya Men first. Unlike the usual Zha Jiang Mian which normally comes with a huge portion of noodles but much less minced pork sauce and cucumber, the Japanese noodles was served in a much smaller bowl but filled with generous servicing of sliced cucumber and spring onions. On the table, there is a card to explain to you the unique way to eat the jya jya men in order to appreciate its taste fully.

Jya Jya Men 4.2/5

I was quite eager to tuck in, being my first time to try a Japanese Jya Jya Men ($6.50). However, the taste kind of fell flat. I could not exactly pinpoint it but I supposed it was because the sliced cucumber failed to stay crunchy and refreshing under the heat of the noodles. When I was almost done with my noodles, a piping hot broth was then poured into my bowl for me. I was then told to crack an egg, add additional sesame miso paste, stirred and drink it to clear my palate before moving on to the next dish. It did the trick indeed!

Sui Gyoza with Prawn 3/5

I then moved on to the Sui Gyoza with Prawn ($5.80), boiled Ebi dumplings drizzled with miso. Not common to see gyoza in such a big portion. To hold the generous portion of meat, the skin is much thicker than usual. As I tried to lift the gyoza off my spoon with my chopsticks, it broke into half. I was rather disappointed with the taste and texture. It was mushy and overly seasoned. I could not taste the sweetness of the prawns at all.

Yaki Gyoza with Pork 4.2/5

The Yaki Gyoza with Pork ($4.80), pan fried pork dumplings fared so much better. I could taste the sweetness of the pork and the cabbage added crunch to it. Juicy meat wrapped within the crispy skin, this is how gyoza should be. Being a lady, the huge gyoza was a little too heavy for me. I was already feeling quite full in my third piece.

Soboro Ankake Tofu 4/5

Along with the gyoza, I also had the Soboro Anakake Tofu ($4.80). The topping is actually made of both beef and salmon, a rather unusual combination. The beef did not overpower the salmon at all and the tofu remained crispy on the outside while tender inside.

Garlic Fried Rice 4.2/5

My last two dishes were the fried rice. Garlic Fried Rice ($5.80) and Seafood Fried Rice ($5.80). After trying both, I felt there 2 dishes are the must have. Seeing how the grains of stir fried grlic sparkled on the fried rice, I knew it would taste good. The seafood fried rice was on par. Chunks of prawns, mixed vegetables and the eggs making every bite so satisfying and wholesome.

Seafood Fried Rice 4.2/5

Given its prime location and its extremely affordable pricing, mostly under five dollars, this place is a great for gatherings where friends can have a hearty meal and without much hassles and burning a hole in their pockets. Buddies can also sit around their kitchen on their specially designed bar seats and tuck into the food over beers. It is definitely a place worth checking out.

Written 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. 


Gyoza-ya (饺子屋)
Robinsons Orchard
260 Orchard Road
B1-02A
Singapore 238855
Tel: +65 67375581
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gyozaya.sg
Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit B. Get to the main street. Walk to the junction of Orchard Road and Grange Road. Cross the traffic junction to Robinsons Orchard. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]