Fine Palate At 51 Waterloo Street

Located at 51 Waterloo Street, Fine Palate is about 5 - 7 minutes walking distance away from Bras Basah MRT Station (CC2). The restaurant is opened by Heather Barrie who is an Australian-born chef staying in Singapore and she has more than 20 years experience in food catering services.

I love the modern contemporary Australian cafe set up of the restaurant which is so cozy and homely for friends and family to get together and enjoy hearty weekend brunch. Although their indoor siting capacity is around 30 pax but they do have outdoor al-fresco sitting on both side of the restaurant too.

BEVERAGES

While waiting for the dishes to be served, I have a glass of freshly squeezed juices - Beetroot And Apple Juice (S$6.00). You could customized your own juice by mixing your desire fruits shown on their juice menu. 

According to Melissa who ordered this Chocolate Brownie (S$10.00) she really loves the taste and texture where bits of brownie could be found in the milkshake too.

Lemon Meringue (S$10.00) which combined or both sweet and sour taste in a glass.This is a special beverage which is well-received by most of the customers so I guess I would try it on my next visit.

APPETIZERS

I love fried calamari especially the one served at the Thai restaurant near my area. However with a twist, FINE palate served Crispy Calamari (S$14.00) with some cucumber curls and tartar sauce which is a refreshing pick to accompany some cold beer for hot afternoon treat.

Their Quiche Of The Day (S$12.00) was rather good which served with some garden salad as side. I love the pastry crust as well as the savory custard which is soft and milky.

{Must Try} Out of the 3 Appetizers served, Crispy Kurobuta Pork Belly (S$16.00) with jalapeno salsa and mirin sauce definitely won a vote from me. Personally I love pork belly especially those which are roasted till crispy outer layer but tender and juice meat when bite. So from the photo above, I am sure you would want to try a bite too.

BITES

For "bites" we start with some crispy golden Fries (S$6.00) that is served with homemade wasabi mayo and ketchup at the side. Their wasabi mayo is quiet mild in taste so you don't have to worry as you won't get "choke" bur rather addict to the wasabi dip. 

{Must Try} All of us love this Crispy Chicken Triangles (S$8.00) with is "Lemon grass" infused chicken that are wrapped in crispy pastry and served together with the sweet chilli sauce. Very refreshing snacks while enjoy it with some girls talk.

When compared with the Crispy Chicken Triangle above, this Mini Chicken Quesadillas (S$8.00) that served with homemade tomato salsa was rather a bit on the lose side. The tortilla skin was rather chewy and the chicken filling is not as flavorsome as the lemongrass chicken.

For those who love burgers, these Trio of Fine Palate burgers (S$15.00) might be something that you would prefer for brunch or even afternoon tea on a sharing basis with friends. You could pick your choice from: Wagyu beef burger that severed with  melted smoked cheddar, crispy bacon, lettuce and gherkin aioli or Teriyaki chicken burger that comes with lettuce and cucumber pickle.

The 3 of us have different opinion on these burgers; for me I love the texture of the bread which was slightly chewy as compared to those soft burger bread. But the wagyu beef patty was slightly a bit tough on that day perhaps due to over cooked or some other reason.  

MAINS

Tuna And Capellini (cold) (S$20.00) serve with seared yellow fin tuna capellini tossed in a sesame shoyu dressing on a bed of angel hair pasta. We all love this light and refreshing dish and the wasabi mayonnaise also added a kick to enhance the taste of this cold dish.

Usually their Catch Of The Day (S$20.00) depends on what fish is fresh and available in the market on that particular day. On that day, we have snapper which is cook in Asian Style and the 3 of us love this dish. The fish is very fresh and the combination sauce blends well with the sides as well.

Duck Leg Confit (S$26.00) with braised red cabbage, roast potatoes and fresh asparagus (additional $6.00 if part of a set) is something that we look forward to. Although the outer skin is crispy as it looks but I find some part of the meat is rather a bit tough and dry.

Salmon Benedict (S$18.00) serve with salmon gravlax, baby spinach, hollandaise sauce and rocket salad on English muffins. This is sure a great choice for brunch menu and those who love poached eggs. But for me, since I don't really like smoke or gravlax salmon I would prefer to go for just their Eggs Benedict without salmon.

DESSERTS

When comes to dessert I am sure no one could resists a slice of freshly Baked Oreo cheesecake (S$10.00) which served with some summer berries. Although the price for their desserts might be slightly pricy for a small piece of cake but I am sure if it is nice, you won't mind paying slightly more for quality.

Lemon tart (S$10.00) with coconut anglaise and raspberry compote is one dessert in their menu too. To me the taste of lemon tart is quiet bland as compared to what I have tired before which is more infused with lemon fragrant as well as taste. But overall this might be a good choice for ladies or someone who prefer a light and refreshing dessert.

Didn't get to try this but Melissa mentioned their Tiramisu (S$10.00) is a "must try" too!

{Must Try} Dessert Of The Day was Mango Penna Cotta (S$10.00) during our visited and since I love mango, automatically that was my pick. Their Mango Penna Cotta was slightly different from the usual one as it taste more mousse like with a light mango fragrant which makes you go for more. But just don't expect the texture to be similar with the usual penna cotta which is smooth and custard like.

During our two hours dining session a couple of weeks back, I notice there are quiet a flow of crowds and most the customers look satisfy with their food and services. So for my personal opinion, I think the dishes and desserts at Fine Palate are pretty decent for the price and after all it still depend on individual's preference and taste buds.

My recommended dishes are Crispy Kurobuta Pork Belly, Crispy Chicken Triangles, Tuna And Capellini, Catch of The Day and Mango Penna Cotta / Tiramisu. Lastly I would like to thank Ananya from Chrysler Communications and Fine Palate for hosting this invite tasting.

Fine Palate
51 Waterloo Street
#01-­‐04/05
Singapore 187969
Reservation: +65 6336 5120
Website: www.finepalate.com.sg

Opening Hours:
Tuesday – Friday: 11am – 4pm (Lunch)
Saturday and Sunday: 10am – 4pm (Lunch/Brunch)
Closed on Monday

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Voyager Of The Seas - Royal Caribbean International [Part II - Dining Options]

Onboard dining is not just on food but the ambiance, variety and the flexibility to decide when and what we like is also into consideration. In Voyager Of The Seas, it includes dining from casual to sophisticated, cupcakes to canapes and etc (many of them included in the price of your cruise). And if you prefer soft drinks, wine and etc to go with your meals, you can choose to pair meals with a beverage package and enjoy up to 25% savings on your favorite drinks.

In this Part II of my "Voyager Of The Seas - Royal Caribbean International" post I will be sharing some of the Dining Options we had tried during our trip onboard the Voyager Of The Seas.

MAIN DINING ROOM

Sweeping, multi-level ambiance, world-class cuisine and extraordinary personal service from a dedicated wait staff. The Main Dining Room serves exceptional, multi-course meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is a 3 tier dining room located at Deck 3 (Carmen), Deck 4 (La Boheme) and Deck 5 (Magic Flute).

You can enjoy a new dinner menu each evening in an elegant setting, with two seatings nightly such as Main Seating(5:45pm) and Second Seating(8:00pm) or choose My Time Dining (Deck 5, Magic Flute where you can make reservation for your desired seating time, between 6:00pm - 9:30pm).

For family with kids, this is a "must" reservation for your family to enjoy a hearty complimentary morning breakfast with the DreamWorks Family such as Shrek, Po from Fung Fu Pandan, King Julien and etc.

Ham Omelette with Turkey Sausage and Hash brown

One of the sample dinner menu from Main Dining Room

Starters that we had during one of the night at the Main Dining Room. We love their Vidalia Onion Tarts which is one of their signature starters. The caramelized onions makes the tarts so flavoursome that it leaves you craving for more after each bite.

Their Asian main course dishes are rather average in taste compared to the western dishes so don't put too much expectation on the Asian dishes. I love the Deep-fried Shrimp and Potato Gnocchi if compared to the Stir-fry Noodles and Chicken

I am sure by looking at this photo above it makes you crave for some dessert at the moment. For me I think their Dessert is a Hit and honestly I love all kinds of desserts from hot to cold, fried to bake. Here the Chocolate Cherry Cake and Savarin are their chef recommended which you might want to give it a try during your next cruise trip.

WINDJAMMER CAFE

Windjammer cafe is at Deck 11 and this seaside cafe offers 3 main meals + afternoon snack per day in buffet-style starting from Breakfast at 6:30am(till 10:30am), Lunch (11:30am - 3:00pm), Tea-Break (3:00pm - 5:00pm) and Dinner (5:30pm - 9:00pm).

Here is some of our daily Breakfast shots! We are so excited to find some Asian fried noodles, Steamed Glutinous Rice Parcel and Steamed Bun during one of the breakfast buffet.

Buffet style Breakfast menu which they will rotate different items each day. But the common dishes are scrabble eggs, sausages, toast, muffins, oatmeals and etc.

Lunch menu with varieties like Salad Greens, Burgers and Fries, Rice and Noodles, Sandwiches and etc.

For Dinner, there is Sushi counter, Roasted Chicken or Lamb, Asian Noodle Counter, Salad Bar, Indian Cuisine and etc.

My favourite Dessert Counter which consists of different daily spread of cakes, pastries, cookies, ice-cream, fresh cut fruits and etc.

PORTOFINO ITALIAN DINING

Located beside Windjammer at deck 11, Portofino is an Italian fine cuisine restaurant with an intimate atmosphere and an upscale flavor. It opens from 5:30pm - 9:00pm and it takes about approximately two hours for dining. The prefer dress code is smart casual attire - jackets for men, dresses or pantsuits for women.

A nominal fee ranging from $20.00 USD applies to per dining guest, including gratuities. And the you may dine with children under 13 years of age before 7:00pm.

CAFE PROMENADE

Cafe Promenade usually opens 24 hours during the cruise trip serving sandwiches, cookies, pizza and etc. Other than snacks it also offers favorites like Seattle's Best Coffee and Ben And Jerry's ice-cream at your own cost.

Here are some of the snacks available at Cafe Promenade during afternoon tea or you can also check up Windjammer at Deck 11. Our favourite snack from Cafe Promenade are their array of piping hot Pizza and Chocolate Chips Cookies.

ROOM SERVICE

During one of the days where we had our off shore excursion, we decided to try their special Suite Guests Dinner Menu for room service because we are all too tired to leave the room.

But no matter morning, noon, teabreak or whatever timing you want, you can simply make a order (room service 24/7) to enjoy breakfast in bed, coffee and cheesecake at your leisure time at your balcony, or a delicious dinner like what we did. All these are complimentary except between midnight and 5:00am where an additional USD$3.95 service charge will be applied.

Delicious Starters and Main Courses served in room service and their plating is still as same as what we had in their main dining room.

Love their dessert, I can just similar wobble up all the desserts to replace my main course.

OTHER DINING OPTIONS

For Suite Guests, there is another place for afternoon tea other than Windjammer and Cafe Promenade. You can visit the Concierge Club Lounge at Deck 9  to enjoy some hot food, cake and pastry as well as beverage such as coffee, juice and cocktail.

Johnny Rockets is an American restaurant onboard similar with everything you could expect from the shoreside restaurant (with authentic 1950s decor, a menu filled with all-American favorites and etc). A fee of $4.95 USD applies per dining guest and soda, bottled water and milk shakes are offered at current menu prices. It opens from 11:30am till midnight.

Ben And Jerry's located at Deck 5 of the Royal Promenade, opens from 11:30am till 2:00am. So whenever you needs so chill out you can drop-by and have scoop of your favourite ice-cream. (payment can be made through SeaPass Card)


For more photos related to this post on Voyager Of The Seas - Dining Options, please click on the link HERE (photos from Cuisine Paradise facebook page). Till then stay tune for Part III which features our offshore excursions to Penang and Phuket.

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Crystal Jade Jiang Nan @ Vivo City

Recently Crystal Jade Jiang Nan (翡翠江南) has returned as a casual eatery in VivoCity (facing Tung Lok Signatures - 同乐经典) at Level 1, #01-52 featuring simple Shanghai, Sichuan, Wu Xi and Guangdong dishes such as homemade noodles, xiao long bao and etc.

And since Aunt's Birthday is approaching in mid-June, I suggest to have an early celebration for her over at Crystal Jade Jiang Nan as well to try out their new menu.

APPETIZERS

餐前小吃

For appetizers Mum and Aunty both suggested to order this "Deep-fried White Bait "Wu Xi" Style (无锡小鱼儿)" where the crispy white baits are tossed with fried garlic, salt and pepper together with a layer of caramelized sugar coating. Indeed this is a wonderful snack to start off while waiting for the main dish to be served.
Price: S$9.80/plate(small)

For something adventure, I decided to try their "Marinated Pig’s Ear with Cucumber (湘江红油顺风)" which is a common appetizer in Zhejiang. These slices of crunchy pig’s ears are spiced with chilli oil, together with fresh cucumbers and sesame oil which helps to further enhance its flavour and texture.
Price: S$8.50/plate (small)

Just a note this "Steamed Beancurd with Egg Yolk, French Bean, Carrot, Black Fungus Served in a Cup (五彩拌豆腐)" is kind of a cold appetizer which is tasteless on it's own. So in order to flavour this dish, you have to adjust the taste using the provided condiments such as chilli oil, shallot oil, extra virgin olive oil and black vinegar.

As you can see from the above, it is such a vibrant appetizer with tofu, egg yolk, carrots and etc added to achieve the colour, fibre and nutrition. Although I have tried to add a bit here and there of the provided condiments but we still find this appetizer not very suitable for my liking but mum said it taste great together with the Deep-fried White Bait.
Price: S$8.00/cup

MAIN DISH

主菜

All along, the traditional Xiao Long Bao from Crystal Jade taste quiet decent with it's juicy filling of minced pork and soft dumpling skin so without hesitate I decided to order their new "Crystal Jade Multi-flavoured Xiao Long Bao (翡翠水晶八式小笼包)" for Aunt's Birthday to create some atmosphere.

Each tray comes with Crystal Jade’s Original Xiao Long Bao, Prawn Xiao Long Bao, Vegetable And Dried Beancurd Xiao Long Bao, Spicy Beef and Spicy Chicken Xiao Long Bao for an authentic Sichuan experience or western flavour such as Foie Gras, Cheese and Black Truffle Xiao Long Bao. To start with try those with a lighter taste(original) before moving on to the stronger flavour such as spicy beef and remember to eat them immediately or else the outer skin will be harden.
Price: S$14.50/serving tray

Another "must try" dish is their "La Mian with Spicy Chicken, Preserved Egg And Cucumber in “Sichuan” Style (重庆口水鸡拉面)" where the springy handmade noodle is served together with cold spicy chicken which makes it a refreshing dish for a change.

Although the "ma la" spicy sauce was a bit too strong(spicy) rather than numbing(ma la) to our taste but overall it still blends well with the cold noodles and tender chicken that leaves us crave for more helpings.
Price: S$11.80/plate(small)

Since their "Not Fried Rice (不是炒饭)" is sold out by the time we arrived (around 1.00pm), we have to sort for another alternative. So from the service staff recommendation, we ordered the "Fried Five Grain Rice With Anchovies" which served in a Korean style stone pot.

The 4 of us simple love this fried rice which is full of nutritious and vibrant colours from the ingredients used such as brown rice, preserved pickles, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, sweetcorn kernel and etc served together with some crispy anchovies on top. 
Price: S$13.00/serving

BEVERAGE AND DESSERT

饮料与甜品

We are amazed by the presentation of this "Hong Kong Style Cold Milk Tea" as it is served in a tall glass flask together with some dry ice flowing from the center of the flask. The overall taste of the milk tea is quiet smooth and fragrant but it could be better if it slightly colder.
Price: S$4.50/serving

To end the lunch, we ordered 3 different types of dessert such as "Pumpkin Cake with Red Bean Paste And Salted Egg Yolk (南瓜饼)" (i made something similar before, HERE) and "Japanese Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Fruit And Cream (白雪红梅)". So if you can't decide on which one to choice, you can order what I did with the combination plate of 2 items each.
Price: S$5.40/plate

They have a few choices on their shaved ice dessert but Aunt prefer this "Green Tea Snow Ice" with toppings such as colourful jelly, kidney beans and etc.
Price: S$4.50/serving

At the end of our meal, we are given a complimentary voucher of "8 pieces of Original Xiao Long Bao" for next return visit. (voucher is given with purchase from any basket of Crystal Jade Xiao Long Bao). Shall return again to try their "Not Fried Rice (不是炒饭)" since we didn't get to try it this round plus to enjoy our complimentary Xiao Long Bao.

CRYSTAL JADE JIANG NAN

1 Harbour Front Walk
#01-52 VivoCity
Reservation: +65 6221 1830

Opening Hours:-
Monday to Friday: 11.30am - 10.30pm
Saturday, Sundays and Public Holidays: 11.00am - 10.30pm

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