Sayonara~~

Off to Tokyo!

Check out my Instagram (@myfoodsirens) for more on-the-move food pics 🙂

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New & Old at Jamie’s Italian

I love it when the menu at Jamie’s Italian gets revamped (yes, again!!) because it means the chance to try both new and “old” items~

Here’s a quick rundown:

Cauliflower fritters – highly recommended!!! Even for veggie haters haha. Deep-fried to a luscious golden hue, the crunchy-outside-soft-inside texture was perfect. It’s not right to share this with anyone but yourself!

Cauliflower & Parmesan Fritters ($12.50++)
with a fiery arrabbiata dip

Panzanella – skip skip skip. Looks beautiful but soggy bread is so not appealing. Give me warm and crusty bread on the side any day!

Daily Special: Panzanella
italian bread and tomato salad

Bruschetta – the roasted squash and ricotta bruschetta is new but I was more interested in the crab and avocado version. It was an excellent light and refreshing starter, from the thin grilled sourdough, copious servings of crab meat to the guacamole-like spread and tangy yogurt dip.

Crab & Avocado Bruschetta ($14.50++)
sourdough topped with devonshire crab, avocado & yeo valley yoghurt, with apple, chilli, mint & lemon

Pumpkin tortellini – taste was too sweet for our liking. Imo, Pasta Brava still makes the best pumpkin stuffed pasta.

Pumpkin Tortellini ($13++/$22++)
pasta filled with roasted squash, ricotta & Parmesan in a pumpkin, chilli & rosemary butter with smashed amaretti

Porchetta – this was all K. He kept raving the prime rib tried on our previous visit but me being the evil me, I forced him to pick another meaty dish to try this time haha. And he picked another yummy winner! Accordingly to him anyway.

Jamie’s Italian Signature Porchetta ($35++)
slow-cooked pork belly filled with herbs, garlic & spices with fennel crackling & a watercress salad

Salmon – And this was all mine 🙂 Salmon dishes are usually comfortingly boring (one of my favourites!) so kudos to the chef for pairing it with interesting lemony whipped ricotta and a zesty salad. For once, the sides had me hooked more than the fish.

Baked Salmon ($23.50++)
whipped artisanal ricotta, balsamic-roasted veg & a crunchy salad

Pink snapper – this has been on the menu since Jamie opened its doors in Singapore and I’ve read positive reviews about it. But we don’t like it, period. Granted, fish was fresh but the Chinese-ish sauce was a killer. Terribly salty killer, I mean.

Pink Snapper Acqua Pazza ($32++)
pan-fried whole pink snapper with olives, garlic, wine, capers, parsley & baby plum tomatoes

Profiteroles – we are not fans of this (puff pastries were a tad “flat” tasting), especially when the exciting epic brownie beckons…

Chocolate & Espresso Profiteroles ($9.50++)
vanilla ice cream & bitter hot chocolate sauce with orange zest

Tiramisu – still so moist and good! Full marks for consistency.

Tiramisu ($11.50++)
coffee-flavoured trifle with orange mascarpone & chocolate

Today is also the last day to spoil your dads with the specially created meat-centric sharing plank, part of a three-course menu ($138++ for two pax, $268++ for four). Antipasti include artisan cured meats, fritto misto, cheeses, olives; then comes the main feast – Jamie’s famous garlic & herb sausage, braised beef rigatoni pasta, 48 hours slow roasted pork knuckle; end off with a dessert plank tiramisu, epic brownie and panna cotta.

Thanks Stef for arranging dinner!

Jamie’s Italian
#01-165/167, VivoCity
1 HarbourFront Walk
6733 5500

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Spring at Senso

If you believe in eating with the seasons, then asparagus (especially the white ones!) should be on your list. And Senso ought to be on that same list too, as it recently unveils an updated Spring a la carte and special menu that features (what else but) the vegetable of the season – asparagus.

My last visit to Senso was more than a year ago and I remembered heaping praises on the food and service. This time round, neither disappointed me! *heave a sigh of relief*

A new introduction to the antipasti section is the duo of scallops served in a huge shell. The presentation was gorgeous and the combination of fresh scallop and luxurious caviar was faultless. Only flaw was the extremely salty baby spinach.

Scallop in Shell ($30++)
pan-seared adriatic scallop, avruga caviar, spinach foam, candied tomatoes with thyme, sautéed baby spinach with garlic

For something light, the refreshing white & green asparagus salad is good enough as a main course. But then again, why stop at one when there are so many other dishes to try? 🙂

White & Green Asparagus Salad ($30++)
aged parma ham, slow-cooked organic poached egg, parmesan chips, mesclun salad with balsamic dressing

In lieu of the Arborio rice commonly used for risotto, farro is an unconventional grain that will appeal to the health-conscious with its high nutritional value of fibre, protein and iron! The nutty flavour won me over easily while the traditional carnaroli risotto tasted heavy and too creamy in contrast.

Farro ($28++)
organic dinkel wheat slowly-cooked as a risotto, diced carrots, peas, fava beans topped with parmesan cheese flakes

and

Carnaroli Risotto ($30++)
white and green asparagus, aged parmesan flakes, fresh basil

Capellini is very similar to our local beehoon, although I’m partial to the Italian version (of course!) haha. The thin and fine strands were well tossed with rich fish roe and coarsely chopped smoked haddock. It was salty yet strangely addictive. And portion was so generous that more than half was sent back to the kitchen, oops! #sorrytowastefood

Capellini ($36++)
angel hair pasta, hokkaido scallops, roasted baby capsicum, smoked haddock, bottarga

Other than the farro, another interesting dish on the menu is the braised sea bass, which is uniquely infused with the fragrant Italian anise-flavoured liqueur ‘Sambuca’. Thankfully the liqueur was not overpowering and the natural sweetness still shone through.

Sea Bass ($40++)
purple artichokes, confit of wine tomatoes, crushed potatoes with black olives

Semifreddo is one of the last things I’d order for desserts (I’m just not a fan of frozen mousse) and even though there was nothing wrong with Senso’s rendition, I couldn’t help pining for its excellent tiramisu secretly…

Semifreddo ($14++)
italian pistachio and macadamia semifreddo, rhubarb compote, chocolate crumble

My thanks to Charmaine for hosting dinner!

Senso Ristorante & Bar
#01-01, 21 Club Street
6224 3534

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Le Petit Paradis

There are many similarities between Le Petit Paradis and Savuer:

1. Both started from a humble coffee shop stall at Ali Baba Eating House and then progressed to open proper bistro premises. Good feng shui eh?

2. Concept is the same –> affordable French food for the masses blah blah blah. Anyway, no GST/service charge FTW!

3. Menu is deliberately kept simple yet comprehensive enough for carnivores to herbivores.

Spot the difference? Le Petit Paradis lacks the crowds and queues which Saveur is (also) known for. But it’s still early days… Who knows, there may be a queue along East Coast Road come a few months’ time. We certainly like the food enough to go back soon!

This doesn’t require great culinary skills. Just need to toss fresh ingredients together and voilà, such a tasty salad that even K (the greens-hater) loves it!

Spinach Salad ($11)
balsamic, roasted sweet potatoes, pinenuts, cherry tomatoes, grated parmesan

“Kind of dry but good seasoning”, that’s the feedback given by K. Guess he won’t be ordering this again and I already know he will get next time: the sous-vide spring chicken!

Duck Leg Confit ($16.50)
mashed potato, wild rocket, orange sauce

Salmon was featured on the special Mother’s Day set menu but the chef/owner kindly allowed me to order it as an ala carte item and change the roast potatoes to lentils (loooooove lentils!!) instead. Though the fish was slightly overcooked, it was still enjoyable, especially since it’s practically a DIY dish haha. Will try the seabass and report back!

Herb-Crusted Salmon ($17)
creamy lentils, spinach

Le Petit Paradis
95 East Coast Road
6447 0710

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