En Japanese Dining Bar - Mohd Sultan

Date: 23 August 2007 19:30 (Thursday)

En Japanese Dining Bar, also affectionately called En Bar by fans of this restaurant.... Ah, Memories...

You know how when you first started dating your partner and how there would be a specific cinema that the both of you would always go to, or a shopping centre that both of you like to hang around, or a specific bush in a specific park that the both of you would romp in (ahem...) Well, En Bar is the restaurant that both Wen and myself built our dating days upon. There were times when we would be at En Bar no less than 3 times a week. I think i probably spent more time at En Bar in the last X years than in the office! (Ooops...) We must have tried every single dish on the menu...

There's obviously a reason why we go to En Bar so often.... it may be that the place is really chill out and it's in a very centralised location (Mohd Sultan) but mostly it's cos the food and sake they serve are so AWESOOOME!!! (though i suspect the cute jap manager, Ibuki Horie, might be a reason why Wen suggests going to En Bar so often... don't think i never catch you stealing secret glances! *wags finger*)

Ok, back to the food...

We've been to En Bar so many times we could just say "The usual" and the waiting staff will probably get it right. So without further adieu, presenting...... En Bar Food....

We first started with a nice pot of Hot Sake... just to whet up the Appetite :)

Next up, Tako Wasabi - slightly boiled Octopus mixed with Wasabi... Mmmmm...

Salmon Sashimi... So Fresh... Mmmmm

Hotate Sashimi aka Scallop Sashimi... So Fresh... Mmmmm

Mekajiki Sashimi - Swordfish Sashimi... So Fresh... Mmmmm

Kokuryu Junmai Ginjo Sake - translated as "Black Dragon".... this has got to be one of the best Sakes around...

Kubu Irichi - Seaweed with pork...

Daikon Salad...

Shitake Tempura

Assorted Sushi

Wafu Steak


Yup, all the above for 2.... it's any wonder why we are not as fat as Sumo Wrestlers! And oh no, dinner wasn't over... we proceeded across the road to.... CANALE!!! But that's a different story altogether...

En Japanese Dining Bar
207 River Valley Road
UE Square, #01-57
Singapore 238275
Tel: 67352212

Oosh!

Date: 22 August 2007 18:00 (Wednesday)

Ok, i know sometimes it may seem like i am very generous with my praises to places, restaurants, food, wines, friends, etc.... but the truth is that i am someone who is easily pleased. BUT BUT BUT.... i do not mince my words when i say that Oosh! is possibly the most chill out place in Singapore!

To justify my claims, let me list down why i think this is the most chill out place:
1) Beautifully Designed Building
2) Fabulous Landscaping all over
3) Nice chill out seatings
4) Many different seating/dining areas and each one have their own landscaped theme
5) Al Fresco with sufficient Outdoor Cooling Systems
6) Beautiful Bar Area

I could just go on forever on how i love this place! If you are feeling in a Bali mood, you can select the Trellis area which features individual outdoor booths. You can sit on The Roof and have Sake and Sushi. There's a proper dining area known as The Garden which has the tables set amidst luscious greenery. Damn it, this is Heaven in Singapore!!!

But heaven comes at a price.... the things i really dun like about Oosh!

Firstly, you got to pay a flat fee of $5 for the parking. There are free alternative parking areas which is about a 5 mins walk. The parking area is pretty small and you usually see Beemers, Mercedes, Audis, Porsches... generally people who will use a $5 note to wipe their arse after a dump...

Secondly, prices of drinks are ..... pardon my French..... F**king Expensive! Here's an example of how expensive... house pour wine.... $18 per glass! Usual going rate in most pubs is between $10 to $12 so that's about a 50% premium. Fwah...

Thirdly, service levels are really quite bad. When you enter the main entrance area, you get all these lovely ladies greeting you and sorting out your seats and you think... wow, heaven comes with angels as well. But then that's about the only service you will get. The waiting staff are poorly trained and largely lack initiative in ensuring that their customers are well taken care of.

BUT BUT BUT... dun let all that stop you from going to Oosh! It's really a fabulous place and everyone that i know that has been there agree whole-heartedly with me. I guess the owners must know that they can afford to charge a premium on their food and drinks due to the amazing atmosphere they have landscaped and created.

Thank goodness i had those wonderful discount vouchers from UOB...

We started off with a bottle of Champagne! Piper-Heidseick Blanc de Blanc...... with the UOB voucher, $88.... :) This is a really nice bottle of champagne... first time that both Wen and I have tried.

For the food, we ordered the Pork Belly Skewer and the Chicken Thigh Wasabi Skewer. Now, i normally don't have much expectations of drink places serving finger food but these skewers were AWESOME!!! From the picture, that may seem like a lot of Wasabi on the Chicken Thigh but it's nothing a 5 year old can't handle. The Pork Belly was crispy where it should be and non fatty where it shouldn't have been.

For those with discerning eyes, you would perhaps notice that the chicken thigh wasabi doesn't come in a full skewer. Errr, that' only cos i started eating before i realised i had to take the pics! Each skewer dish comes in 2 skewers so whatever you see in the pic is but the balance of what i haven't eaten... Heh heh...

We also tried the Crab Cakes which were very very good too.... And yes, i forgot to take the pic before eating again. Dish actually comes with 3 Crab cakes.... Crab Cakes are served together with Wasabi Mayonaisse. Lovely!

And then, the Wagyu Beef burger with Foie Gras..... sounds like an awesome dish yah? It's not too bad except for the fact that they are really small and you can't really taste the Foie Gras... They serve this during happy hours on Sun and Mon for Free (I think...) so idea is to go on a Sun or a Mon to try this one...

We sat in Oosh! from 6pm till 8pm witnessing the sunset and enjoying the bliss that the Dempsey area have to offer. How good is this place? Let's put it this way..... if i could afford it.... i would be at Oosh! every single night of my life!!!

That's how heavenly this place is!

Oosh!
22 Dempsey Road
Singapore 249679
Tel: 64750002
www.oosh.com.sg

Home Again with Galbiati Gourmet

Date: 21 August 2007 20:30 (Tuesday)

There's no place like home! After a hard day at work, nothing beats going back to the comfort of the home, slumping on the sofa with the legs propped up on the coffee table with a glass of Crossings 2006 Sauvignon Blanc in one hand and the hands of your dearest in the other..... Ah....

But life ain't always perfect like that.... you can only hold your dearest hands for so long before the stomach starts growling. So once again, we Ta Pao some yummilious food from Galbiati Gourmet.

For Starters, the Lobster Bisque.... Hmmmm, nice but not quite there.... not quite there....

Then there was the Mushrooms which was very nice! I'm sure there's a proper name for this dish but the wife bought the food and threw the receipt away so the proper name escapes me...

And for the mains...... Beef Lasagna (once again) for the wife. As usual, it was good...

As for me, the Tagliatelle Squid ink with Crab Meat. This one is yummy beyond yum.... I so love Galbiati's pasta!

And we rounded off our Italian dinner in French style.... Fromage! Peppered Brie.... OOooooh.

Ok, hands up.... who says i can't write a short and concise blog!

Galbiati Gourmet Deli
400 Upper Bukit Timah Road
The Rail Mall
Singapore 678050
Tel: 64620926

Raffles Hotel - Writer's Bar

Date: 18 August 2007 19:00 (Saturday)

I have had feedback from some of you that i have, in your exact words, "damn a lot of cock to write" and hence i shall attempt to write a short one...

During my last visit to The Bar & Billiard Room with Felix, i was reasonably impressed to decide that i was going to bring Wen here to experience the wondrous spread of seafood. I'm not going to write about our dinner cos it's going to be largely similar to the previous entry. But i am going to write about our Pre-dinner drink.

Writer's Bar is this small little bar that sits around 10 which is located just outside The Raffles Grill. It has a long history and apparently there have been numerous literary greats (including a certain Rudyard Kipling) who have sat here sipping on single malts and writing books that have touched millions of hearts. It's a pity that i did not have my writing pad and pen otherwise i would have added another great literary name to that list.... :p

Yes, back to the pre-dinner drinks... Wen had a shot of Ballantine's 12 years on the rocks while i had a single shot of Glenmorangie 10 years straight up. That cost us $16 and $20 respectively.... the price one has to pay to attempt to pretend to be a literary great!

After dinner, we were in for a pleasant surprise.... Fireworks!!!

Enjoy!!!




Raffles Hotel - Writer's Bar
1 Beach Road
Singapore 189673
Tel: 6337 1886