Macau - Restaurante Vinha 葡萄園餐廳

It was a little deserted when we got there although all 4 window tables were taken but the restaurant quickly got its buzz (read noisy) when 2 large groups arrived.  Cosy joint set in decor that was easily from the early 80s.  Even the captain and his friendly wait staff in their tablecloth pink outfits could have been from the 80s.

Sangria by the glass

Settling down to a Sangria and shaking off the rain that was beating hard outside, we quickly got down to ordering and chewing on the warm buns that Macau is famous for.  Baked to a raw crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside.  Good with a dollop of butter.

Potato and Vegetable Soup

This soup is quintessentially Portuguese.  It's not fancy by any means, but there is something about a potato based soup that's sturdy, protective and just downright homey.  The greens provide the much needed fibre.

Stir fried cabbage with Bacalhau

This is probably more Macanese than Portuguese with the use of Chinese cabbage.  The use of the dried salted cod pieces give this all the flavor since there is little else.

Crispy Suckling Pig on Fried Rice

This was the only reason we came.  I saw a picture of this and said I definitely want to try this.  Nothing complicated about this dish.  Simply well grilled suckling pig, sealed by a crispy crackling (although some bits were slightly chewy) but the meat was tender, and fell off the bone easily.  The bed of fried rice was tasty although it wasn't as good as some of the ones that you get around Macau, my most memorable having been from Litoral during my last visit in 2008.

This isn't the best restaurant in Macau.  But it was a good fix for a quick dinner the first night we got there.  Especially since this was about 5th on my list - the first 4 including Litoral was fully booked.  Shouldn't have been a surprise since it was the start of the Easter weekend.

Decent, competent and wholesome food that was reasonably priced.  Not a combination you find too often these days.

G/F, 1/F, 393 Edf. Dynasty Plaza R/C
Alameda Dutor Carlos d'Assumpção
宋玉生廣場(皇朝)393號地下和一樓
Tel: +853-2875 2599

Easter in Macau

It seemed like a great idea.  No flying necessary, just hop onto a ferry, bop on the water about for an hour, and be transported to a place which is an eclectic mix of the old and new.  And of course, watch the newest and hottest show in town, House of Dancing Water by Franco Dragone.  Well, as it turned out, every other Hong Kong resident had the same idea.

The entire Macau immigration area was filled to the brim, literally.  Officers couldn't get arrivals out of the hall as quickly as the Turbojets arrived.  Of course, just queuing alone would be boring.  You have to guard your spot and pre-empt queue jumpers.  I told off about 4 different people within the space of the 45 minute wait.  After you make it through, join yet another queue for one of the many hotel shuttles you booked into.  And where do all these people head to after they gain access to the world's largest gambling destination by revenue?

Senado Square

You can find all of them at the Senado Square, now part of the Unesco Heritage site "historic centre of Macau".

Ruins of St. Paul

Or the ruins of St. Paul, also part of the same historic site.  Macau is still very pretty in its own old European colony way, but could be that much prettier if these places had room to breathe.  I've never been able to walk through comfortably and obviously on public holidays, the crowds multiply that much more.

The crowds are a little more bearable in the evenings, since most are trying their luck in the gazillion casinos in this tiny special administrative region of the Peoples' Republic of China.  The only enclave in the entire Peoples' Republic where gambling is legalized.

The Wynn

The Venetian

When Dr. Stanley Ho's gambling monopoly ended in 2001 after 40 years, the opening up saw a lot of US players enter the market, including Wynn, Sands, MGM and a whole host of other traditional big Vegas players.  With massive development, thy've changed the skyline of this once sleepy town.

Grand Lisboa

Even Dr. Ho has had to revamp and build the new Grand Lisboa to compete effectively in this segment.

Scene from House of Dancing Water

And in line with the government's push to make this more than just a gambling destination, ventures bring in sporting events and top shows like Cirque du Soleil.  The latest at the City of Dreams, a venture between Lawrence Ho (Dr. Ho's son by his second wife) and the Aussie Melco Crown group, is the House of Dancing Water.  Such was their promotional prowess that it seemed to have even overshadowed Zaia, Cirque's show at the Venetian.  But honestly, it wasn't really worth the money in my opinion.  Decent show of acrobatics but not worth the hassle and the hype.

But it is really the throwback in time that Macau brings, which appeals to me.  The old Macau is still very much reminiscent of Singapore or Hong Kong in the 1950s.

Drying Bacalhau

Where you can see and smell the territory's quintessential dried and salted codfish drying on every other street corner in town.

Where old style shophouses still sell noodles made the traditional way, especially the famous shrimp roe infused noodles, which you can smell a block away.

And aside from the Chinese, you can of course still see Portuguese influences, through quaint houses on bouquet-lined cobble stone streets.

All this eclecticism is translated into the cuisines found here and in the next few posts, I'll hopefully bring a taste of Macau to you too.  Stay tuned...

Hong Kong - Fook Lam Moon 福臨門

I hadn't thought to come here at all.  Their Wanchai branch (actually the original location) has a much higher profile.  But on a weekday, who would have thought that a simple reservation for 4 people for a relatively early lunch spot at noon would NOT be available at the now elusive 3-Michelin starred Sun Tung Lok.  

Literally, a stone's throw from Sun Tung Lok, Fook Lam Moon turned out to be a not-too-shabby second choice.  This Michelin one-starred Chinese restaurant was more spruced up than I thought it would be.  The street level entrance was understated but as the doors swing open, a smiley host took us up one level by the elevator, landing us at a swanky bar area.  Swanky by Chinese restaurant standards, that is.  It's not your hip, chill-out lounge type place.  As we were led to our table, smiles and greetings descended upon us.  Highly unusual for a Chinese restaurant but a big round of applause to whoever manages and trains their staff.

Despite the modern decor, what we got was actually good quality old-fashioned Dim-Sum.  This long-time established restaurant showed its commitment to using good produce and letting them speak for themselves, with simple yet traditional preparation methods which enhance rather than overwhelm.

Deep Fried Spring Rolls 春卷

This was my favorite at lunch.  A well fried spring roll that was a dry crisp on the outside, housing generous chunks of crunchy shrimp and tasty pork pieces on the inside.  Nothing minced, just the whole of everything so you can savor the absolute freshness within.  And as T told us the story of how the Fook Lam Moon name was derived, biting into the spring roll was that much more fulfilling.  Fook (福) which means Happiness in Cantonese, and Lam Moon (臨門) which means "at your door", is apt for all the culinary goodness this family used to bring to Hong Kong families in the good old days, when house catering was the rage.

Shrimp Dumplings 蝦餃

I used to love Shrimp Dumplings until my palate got so sick of biting into mediocre to bad versions.  As a kid, I used to dig out the insides for my brother and just eat the translucent skin.  There is something about a well kneaded dough that when steamed is soft and slightly chewy but without that greasy aftertaste we get from so many average dim sum places today.  This version from Fook Lam Moon ignited that spark I once had.

Crispy Roast Pork 燒腩仔 

This was surprisingly not as good as it looked.  It was competently roasted, and the skin a perfect crisp.  But the cut of pork wasn't my favorite almost melt-in-your-mouth part.  Slightly more meaty (read chewy) than I would have liked.  Still decent even if not my cup of tea.

Steamed Shrimp Rice Rolls 鮮蝦腸粉

Another goodie reminiscent of the old days.  Layers and layers of steamed rice flour folded against each other, and encasing fresh crunch shrimps.  Served on a bed of quality soy.

Radish and Fish Patties 蘿蔔鯪魚餅

This arrived understated and what we all thought to be the usual Dace-based fish patty turned out to be a delicate mixture of julienned radish interspersed with minced Dace, resulting in a texture short of creamy protected by a lightly crispy exterior.  Surprisingly enjoyable and kudos to E for spotting this on the menu.

Fu Yong Omelet on Vermicelli 芙蓉蛋煎米

All Hong Kongers love their eggs.  Any dish with eggs is already almost a winner and all you need is execution to make it a home run.  The omelet here was very good.  Lightly golden brown and fluffy on the inside, almost cushion-like, made tasty from the shrimps and pork within.  The vermicelli however suffered from a lack of taste.  If this was made at home, you would say ok, we could all do with a lot less salt, but this was almost bland.  We were happy enough because we had been pampered by the quality of the preceding dim sum, and savoring the omelet.  On its own, however, the vermicelli would have been slammed.  A bit of a shame considering it was well sealed to a crisp.

Steamed "Malay" Cake 馬拉糕

For dessert, we all voted for the traditional "Malay" cake.  A Cantonese favorite at traditional restaurants, I have no idea why it's called "Malay".  There are so many theories that can be made about this one, given the proximity in the region between old Canton and Malaysia.  Anyone care to speculate?

While pricey for dim sum in a land where every other shop offers dim sum, Fook Lam Moon's offering is positioned for those who appreciate the old world goodness and perhaps this explained the average age of the customer (excluding our table and the group of young Koreans next to us) was about 65 and up.  Don't write them off, 'cos they obviously know a thing or 2 about real food.

Shop 8, 1/F
53 Kimberley Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
+852-2366 0286

Hong Kong - Wing Hing Chiu Chow Cuisine 汕頭榮興潮州菜館

Tang Lung Street is one of the few enclaves left in downtown Hong Kong where you can still sit under the stars (not that you can see them) and have down to earth dirty food.  There is an eclectic mix of eateries although quite a few of them serve Chiu Chow cuisine.  There is no prettiness here though.  People sit on the street more likely because the eateries are small and it's still more comfortable (at least in cooler months) to risk the smell of smog and exhaust from the occasional car that goes by, than to squeeze into a tiny space in the eateries themselves.  However, it does make me wonder how they've managed to evade the arm of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.  That aside, for some of us who grew up in the good old days, it makes for a nice way to roll back in time to enjoy a but of retro.

I ate on the street 2 Fridays in a row.  At the same eatery no less.  I'll tell you it wasn't because Wing Hing is the best Chiu Chow place around.  It isn't.  But Tang Lung Street has that retro element that appeals to developed city folks that it's a convenient place to showcase a little old Hong Kong without having to get to older parts of Kowloon or even venture out to the New Territories.

Goose and Cuttlefish Slice Combo 鵝片拼墨魚

The braised goose platter was decent.  Not the tenderest of cuts, but what was surprisingly good was the cuttlefish.  Extremely tender and juicy and managing to absorb enough of the braised gravy to make it super tasty.  The braised pig intestines I got on the second visit were also good.  Sinfully good since the fat made it both succulent yet guilty to consume.

鼠殼果

For old times sake, we ordered a glutinous rice cake since I don't remember eating it after my late grandmother passed away some years ago, God bless her soul.  This version was a far cry from Grandma's creations.  The glutinous rice within was way too mashy and there was little to no condiments, such as peanuts and dried shrimp.  Only saving grace was that they pan fried this to give the steamed rice flour skin a crispy edge.  Otherwise, it just made me miss Grandma's cooking even more..

Sharks' Fin Chiu Chow Style 潮式翅

Terribly un-PC, but I do find it hard to resist a good bowl of Chiu Chow style Sharks' Fin.  In taste, this was not as good as Miracle Cuisine, but there was something nostalgic about it that reminded me of old Chinese wedding dinners...

Kale and preserved vegetable stir fried with vermicelli 芥蘭菜葡炒米粉

This didn't look mike much but got quite addictive as I picked out the bits of "Choi Bo" towards the end.  I didn't care too much for the vermicelli which was a little too chewy for my liking (this coming from someone who resists anything that's not al dente but this was bordering on asphyxiation).  A flat rice flour noodle aka "Gwai Diu" would have worked better but still tasty.

I also tried other Chiu Chow staples on my second visit.  The minced pork and baby oyster porridge （肉碎蚝仔粥）wasn't too bad.  A decent tasty broth in which the rice and condiments sat, though a tad heavy on the ginger, which detracted from the other flavours.  The shrimp and cucumber omelette （水瓜烙）was sadly disappointing though.  Way too greasy, and impossible to eat beyond the first pizza wedge.  It was hard to tell whether the grease was from failing to rid the cucumber of excess moisture before frying or whether the chef just used 2 more glugs of oil than he should have...

Overall, even Sun Kwong on the other side of Causeway Bay is better, but Wing Hing scores on the novelty factor option of being able to dine under the stars..  and a friendly and chatty "aunty" server who speaks very very decent English so that even non-native speakers can be comfortable with.

G/F, 20-22 Tang Lung Street
Causeway Bay
Tel: +852-3580 7093

Beijing - Grand Hyatt

Beijing was sunny and cheery this week.  Despite the haze, the sun could still be seen and the crisp, cool air reminded us that spring is still in the air, one of the better seasons to visit Beijing.  Although my days were filled with meetings, I looked forward to catching up with old friends, after hours.  

Mr. Bob Dylan and Band at Workers' Stadium

One of the great things a friend did was to get me a ticket to see Mr. Bob Dylan, his first concert in China.  We heard that there was much work behind this first show ever in China, but glad that it all came through, and from the screams and cheers from the near capacity crowd at the Workers' Stadium, they were really glad too.  Although I'm not a fan, the concert was highly enjoyable.  Mr. Dylan has immense stamina for his age.  With no breaks in between, he went from keyboards, to guitar, to harmonica and did vocals all night.  Amazing.  Hats off and full respect.  And the band, well it was nothing short of awesome.

This time, I stayed at the Grand Hyatt, which I hadn't in a while, in favor of the newer Park Hyatt.  But I had spent a big part of 2005 and 2006 at the Grand Hyatt, then subsequently getting a serviced apartment managed by them.  So it was very much like coming home.  It was THE place  and the huge mall with everything right in the basement is a plus.  And of course, the F&B at the Grand Hyatt is easily one of the best that Beijing has to offer.

It is most famous for Peking Duck at its Chinese Restaurant Made In China first reviewed here, then here.  I eat there almost every visit and the duck never disappoints, as with the Beijing traditional eats.  Seasonal things, are hit or miss though.

And the Cafe is great for international favorites.

Burger with Fried Egg, Bacon and Cheese

The burger is easily one of Beijing's best, with a thick juicy patty that chockfull of beefy goodness, and appropriately lean to be meaty but not dry.  And of course, it is topped with the works - although I didn't care as much for them as the burger itself.  Served with a choice of fries or salad, why would anyone go for the salad?  The fries are a thin crisp coating around creamy potato and worth the calories.  And you can dunk them in the ketchup from the cute little Heinz ketchup bottles.  A real woman's lunch.

In the evenings, the Red Moon bar is also a loungy place to kick back, enjoy a glass of something stronger, and listen to the live singer.  Not quite the calibre of Mr. Dylan, but she can hold a tune without interfering with conversation.  The wine list is pretty impressive and if you get hungry, the sushi rolls are quite good too.

So if you're looking for a place to crash in Beijing, the Grand Hyatt ain't too bad a choice at all, despite its age.  Service and F&B is certainly still very much up there with the best.


1 East Chang An Avenue
Beijing
People's Republic of China 100738 
Tel: +86 10 8518 1234

Singapore - Taste Paradise 味之樓 (ION Orchard)

A year ago, my first visit to Taste Paradise wasn't bad at all.  Close to a year later, I thought it would be a great place to take M & R who had been wonderful in helping with various things for me in the last few months.  Unfortunately, the repeat visit didn't live up to expectations.  

What we thought was a great corner table turned out to be awkward and caused more discomfort than anyone would have thought, with servers crossing over our heads to serve and clear.  Personal space is so underrated these days that's it's a pet peeve of mine, and all the more so at a restaurant touted to be more exclusive than the others.  You can take the girl out of public housing but you can't....

Jellyfish with a spicy sauce

Starters began uneventfully, with a chilled and crunchy jellyfish dressed in a tangy spicy sauce.  Ordinary but in a pleasant way, and a nice way to cool down from the humidity out there.

Century egg with a lime sorbet

Then, this one got me.  5 diners, 4 servings.  Despite repeated instructions and Q&As, we were finally told, after being served, that each order only has 4 servings and the kitchen cannot add one more measly spoon on the plate.  I have heard that you cannot size down a standard order, but surely you can size up based on the number of diners.  For an establishment of this supposed calibre, quite appalling.  Their solution was to bring us another order with 4 servings, to which I said "forget it".  While we were being polite waiting for the 5th spoon which never came, the sorbet had melted away to a watery slush, making this a non-event.

Classic sharks' fin in superior broth

As some say: Saved by the bell.  We were distracted by the next course, which is their signature specialty. A wholesome bowl of non P.C. sharks fin soup served in a stone pot.  Still good after a year and a generous serving of fins (even if not the top notch dorsal kind), the broth is really the winner.  Perhaps I thought it a tad less impressive than the first time around since I was sub-consciously seething from the previous non-event.

Braised beef cheek with Foie Gras

This is a tried and tested combo.  It's hard to go wrong especially if you have a good piece each of the cheek and the foie.  While they were both admittedly pretty decent cuts, I thought the accompanying glace was a tad too glazed, almost oily, but without the undertones of a good reduced stock.  So you leave this with a sense that there were shortcuts involved.

Seafood and black truffle noodles

This sounded awesome on the menu.  And when it came, I thought "wow", that certainly looks like something even a good Italian restaurant would have to seriously contend with.  Alas, a bite and all is given away.  It was greasy, indicating a much lesser grade than extra virgin oil was used.  Truffles were underwhelming and was the bits of seafood.  While I was grateful for the small portion since I was getting full, I thought that neither the quality nor the quantity merited the price tag.  Disappointing.

Jelly cubes in Calamansi and sour plum 

This is a nice finish but again, if you compare to presentation from a year ago, you can see the lack of effort in even trying to dress this up.  A bland looking dessert although they left the tacky dry ice effect intact.  Ah well, since we are meant to go beyond skin deep, perhaps we might forgive the fact that this girl came out for a date looking her worst but thankfully was smart enough to be able to allure with enticing conversation. But, really?

We were pretty well fed for the price, but would I go again?  Well, it really depends.  I think they have to up their game to be able to compete in an increasingly tight market of improving Chinese cuisines in Singapore.  If I know I have better options of service and food, the location alone is certainly not enough to entice.

2 Orchard Turn
#04-07 ION Orchard
Tel: +65 6509 9660 

Singapore - Maeda

Joo Chiat just went upmarket with newcomer Maeda on the scene.  They tout themselves to be Omakase/Kaiseki specialists.  But if you want something off the menu, the selection didn't look too shabby.  While more pricey than Wahiro on the other side of Joo Chiat, it is not a bad alternative.  It's a tad more formal in feel, quiet although like all true Singaporeans, it's not necessarily a dress up place, although our appropriately friendly yet professional server had a jacket on.

Maeda is helmed by young chef Maeda, who I understand has gone into partnership with the guy behind the wildly successful Aston's group.  The chef seemed quiet and shy but willing to indulge in a word or 2, while staying focused on the task at hand of feeding his customers and making sure they are happy.

Nigorizake

Since it was our first time, Mr. Server suggested we go with the Chef's choice, or Omakase.  I ordered a Calpis Soda (they get brownie points for stocking this!) and happily played along, while B ordered a Nigorizake or unfiltered Sake, which is cloudy when shaken before serving.

Top down: Canadian Oyster with Ponzu, Clam Salad, Blood Tuna

Starters were pretty original. The Canadian oyster was nicely chilled, and the texture rendering a clean shot to the system, with a burst of sea water on the palate, accentuated by a tangy Ponzu dressing.  Refreshing as always.

The clam salad was served in the style of a Japanese potato salad, only not as heavy. The clams were cooked just right and a surprisingly good platform to carry the creamy Japanese mayo.

Close up of the Blood Tuna

The blood tuna is not coagulated/congealed blood, as us Chinese like to eat, but refers to the color of the tuna's flesh which is an unusual blood red.  Sealed in a very light batter and deep fried, then vinegared and served chilled, the meat is firmer but tasty from the cooking treatment, and a good accompaniment for Sake/beer.

Sashimi: Salmon, Vinegared Mackeral, Yellowtail, Seared Toro, Scallop

Our Sashimi platter was surprisingly not the highlight of the evening, even though I assumed it would be given the previews from reviews.  Don't get me wrong, it certainly wasn't bad. But it wasn't the most exciting. Cuts were fresh and decent but not top notch pieces. And for the price, I expected more exotics,  aside from the 2 good pieces of blow-torched Toro.  No sea urchin, no shell fish aside from scallop.  Interesting that we got 2 mounds of wasabi especially since the one on the right is the stuff we get from lesser places, albeit with a lot more heat.  Too much if you ask me.  The freshly grated one complements the fish a lot more without overpowering.

Japanese Garlic and Shisito topped with Mentaiko Mayonaise

This course was an unusual one.  I don't like garlic but was assured there was no pungency about this one.  True that.  The garlic had been steamed until it was short of mash, and so very soft and creamy.  Accompanied by the Shisito for crunch and paprika freshness, then topped with a wonderfully tasty Mentaiko Mayonaise and it's really quite good.  Too bad each person only got one serving.

Steamed Bamboo with Sweet Miso

Again, I'm not a huge fan of bamboo.  This was quite good because it actually tastes like steamed corn.  Crunchy to the bite although it peels back like an artichoke.  I was actually more enamored by the sweet miso.  I think honey and miso are soul mates.

Steamed Broad Beans or Soramame

These are not Edamame.  They look like giant Edamame but is actually Soramame or broad beans.  They are not crunchy as Edamame but a creamier, beanier bean that you can imagine making a soup out of.  Pleasant but it's not something to write home about.

Deep fried Kurobuta pork slice with sugar snaps

This was possibly the best dish of the evening.  Strongly marinated in Sake, the pork was thinly sliced and rolled up to achieve a tender effect, then given loads of sweet crunch from the sugar snaps buried within.  A novel way to serve pork, and with the drizzle of lemon juice, they are dangerously easy to put away.

Grilled Fish

This is just a simple way to showcase a fresh fish, although we thought it was a tad overcooked so that the meat was a little too firm.  Borderline though, so it wasn't bad.  The sea-salted fins were tasty and crispy and went well with each bit of meat.  Decent enough.

Chopped Tuna Belly on Rice

I am a fiend of this so as long as it's good tuna, I am sold.  I only wish it had been sushi-vinegared rice.  The rice here was good but it was a little too warm (out of the rice cooker) for the tuna.  But yummy anyway and I lapped it all up, despite the fact that I was uncomfortably stuffed at this point.

That left absolutely no room for dessert so thankfully, dessert was a paltry choice of green tea or sesame ice creams, which I could do without.

For the price, I thought we could have had a little more exciting stuff, but it's a period where I'm more forgiving since supplies are a challenge for Japanese restaurants.  Hopefully as Japan recovers from the disaster and control the damage from the reactors to crops and produce, that we can finally enjoy Japan's finest again.

I would visit Maeda again with the hope that there is more to Chef Maeda's repertoire.  What we got was decent but may be a little pricey for the area.  If it is to sustain its pricing, differentiation wold be necessary especially since the same type of course at Wahiro would only be at about 60% of the price.  Of course, the skills of the young Malaysian chef at Wahiro is not at the level of Chef Maeda but if sashimi is only one course (albeit an important one), query if most folks would pay Maeda prices.

467 Joo Chiat Road
Tel: +65-63450745

Singapore - Madras New Woodlands Restaurant

My impressions of Southern Italy are of homeliness and heartiness - all about simple treatment of fine produce from the good earth and sea around.  With a classic white and blue themed fixtures and fittings, reflecting the style of that area, Cugini attempts to bring all that good stuff to Singapore and does a decent job of it.  Although service was a little spotty when we got in, as they were busy, we got to enjoying a little bit more attention as the night wore on. 

The menu is rather large and so being our first time, we went with all of our waiter's suggestions. 

The Bresaola (hand cured beef) with lemon oil and shaved Parmesan, served on a wooden board, lived up to its presentation.  Tender and well cured (without being just salty) thinly sliced beef was lifted by the abundant rocket leaves and good quality Parmigianno.  I would have preferred a little bit more cheese than the 4 slices but didn't want to push my first visit!

Since Cugini emphasises Sardinian cuisine, we tried the Sardinian style spaghetti with garlic, olive oil, chilli, mullet roe (which Sardinia is famous for), and Mediteranean prawn.  The taste is something which even locals who are not initiated into Italian cuisine can enjoy.  Very reminisent of the local Hokkien prawn mee, and even had some "wok hei" to it.  Enjoyably tasty even if a tad local for my liking but Sardinia is one of the places I haven't had the privilege of visiting in Italy so perhaps..

Our Cugini pizza was served as a pretty decked out forest of fall colours with generous toppings of fresh tomato, mozzarella, tomino cheese, Italian bacon and rocket.  More rustic in style with a slightly thicker and chewy base (which I enjoy) it was an excellent combination of distinct flavours.  Although the base can get tough as it cools, it was still a high quality pizza. 

Our dessert of the Sardinian deep-fried pastry filled with cheese and citrus flavoured honey was good but I would have ironically preferred to have started the meal with it than end with it since it is a little heavy.  Softly chewy like Mozzarella but with slightly more pong, it went well with the honey.

All in, the produce is certainly good quality - from the cured meats which are flavourful, to the cheeses, they are in themselves worth another visit.  Understanding that less is better with fine produce is the key to enjoying nature's bounty.


87 Club Street
#01-01
Singapore 069455
Tel: +65-6221 3791