Put 2 skinnyfat girls together and you'll usually wind up with a food crisis because they would eat so much despite not having planned for it. That was exactly what happened yesterday. Z and i headed to the CBD area with all intention to check out some cafes that we would usually miss out on the weekdays. The first was Black (i tried it at Triple One and it was BAD) and i dissuaded her from going in. Dimbulah is available at Robertson so it wasn't of pressing nature to visit. Then it struck my mind and i absolutely had to bring her there! Just across the street at Fullerton Bay Hotel was one of the best  Afternoon Tea that i have had in Singapore and it was The Landing Point.  

Once you step into the Hotel, you will be welcomed by the perfumed lilies. I love lilies and i think natural flower fragrance is the best way to freshen up the space. The spacious interior decorated with colonial and modern elements was welcoming more than overwhelming, though Z was quite confused by the mixed of oriental cabinets with colonial high backed arm chairs. From our vantage point above the 13-metre long bar, we could look out to the outdoor waterfront terrace (and of course the waters). Nice beginning to a wonderful afternoon.

Other than for Afternoon Tea, they are also open for breakfast, lunch and light refreshments throughout the day. I heard that the bar does some interesting bespoke cocktails of 3 different themes- The Clifford Collection (Contemporary); The Anderson Collection (Timeless vintage) and The Old Fashioned Cocktails (Customized 19th century drinks) You can enjoy a selection of typical bar food e.g. Wagyu Burgers (or not so typical) and other sandwiches and Asian delights.

S first brought me to the Landing Point early last year (knowing how much i love my Afternoon Tea) and i thoroughly enjoyed myself. I could still remember certain canapes and the explosion of taste in my mouth. I was raving about the food to Z. She had seen the pictures before and wanted to give it a try but i guess we both forgot about it. We sat back in the plush plum and aqua green couches which nicely enveloped our petite behinds and prepared us for the goodies to come.

Afternoon Tea is served daily and presents an array of delightful light bites! From the top tier to bottom (left to right)- Creme Brulee, Chocolate Tart, Cucumber sandwich, Brie on Biscuit, Parma Ham Mini Bagel, Truffled Egg Mayo, Smoked Salmon sandwich, Lobster horn, Mini Ham and Cheese Quiche, Duck confit in Crepe, Kueh Lapis, Canele, Tarte Citron and Chocolate Éclair. Any tea is incomplete without English Scones of course and they were served with Strawberry Jam and Clotted Cream (YAY!). A fine selection of fresh tea and infusions by TWG is available e.g. Eau Noir Tea, Honeyed White Tea, Tea Party Tea etc. 

Most Afternoon tea at hotels usually fail in one department, either the sweet or savory or worst, both. The Landing Point however excelled in most of their bites! The only thing we would find fault with was the use of certain supermarket quality breads for the sandwiches. I left my cucumber sandwich alone and ate the fillings of the other sandwiches. 

First up- Savories. The Parma Ham bagel was light and had a pillowy centre. Truffled egg Mayo was not bad, i mean it was simple to make. Smoked Salmon was so so as well. I'll now introduce you my favorites!

The Lobster horn- Fragrant sesame pastry roll with sesame oil mayo lobster filling. Chunky pieces of meat (not too sure if they were really lobster meat but it couldn't be crab or prawn), juicy and succulent. You can taste the sea in your mouth. The use of the sesame oil seems to suggest some Japanese influence but it's a great choice nonetheless.

Duck confit in crepe- moist, buttery and salty paste with shredded duck meat. Z thinks it's more like a pate but i beg to differ. It doesn't have the paste-like quality and dryness of a pate and was more like a blended confit paste. The crepe reminds me of the Chinese Peking Duck dish. Another "fusion" of sorts.

All the pastry tarts were faultless. Crisp, crunchy and buttery goodness. If only the ham and cheese quiche were bigger. The egg center is moist and flavorful, unlike many of the disappointing quiches available around. These were so yums we went for seconds (you can get refills! Ala Carte buffet style). This is O so awesome! 

Now on the sweets. They were all very thoughtfully made and the quality was superb. The Canele is the best in Singapore (as claimed by Z. Her second best would be Antoinette's). Anyway, this brought Z back to France, onto the cobbled stones along Champs-Élysées). Nicely burnt caramel crunch on the outside and a moist interior. Authentic ones would have a hint of rum in it. We weren't sure if that was present though.

The Creme brulee in chocolate tart was perfectly executed. There was a lingering chocolate taste from the crunchy base and a smooth and light egg center. Mine had the caramel sauce dripping all over my fingers while i ate. The Caramel Chocolate tart was also a surprise- sea salt flakes to complement the light chocolate filling with a kinder surprise caramel centre. YUMS.

I have to say their scones are one of the best, perhaps only second after Regent's. A raisin and a plain scone were served and both were buttery and dense with a moist center. I love both of them! Z prefers the plain one because it tastes more scone-ish (no raisins to distract her from the taste).

I love their clotted cream, i could have it on any bread. The jam was not too cloyingly sweet and went well with the clotted cream. Z made hers swirl before popping them into her mouth.

The Lemon tart is out of this world! The refreshing tangy curd helps to break the monotony and heaviness of the other bites and cleanses the palate. We could so eat more after a bite of this. Fantastic tart to curd ratio. Wobbly and liquid center with the right amount of flow. The curd simply melts into a lemon jus after sending it into your mouth. And that perfumed fragrance that embraces and lingers on was just so uplifting.

I had too much tart (and carbs) by then so i resorted to slurping the lemon filling from the pastry shell. How ingenious!

So here you go! The superb Afternoon Tea at the Landing Point. CBD folks who are tired of working or are looking for an excuse to chill, you can always "bring a client out for tea" at the Landing Point. We have seen some working types at tea time before. Enjoy!

Food: 5/5 See how i was raving about it? AWESOME.
Service: 4/5 Attentive but not particularly warm.
Ambience: 4/5 Comfortable but it was really quite cold. The tea became cold after a while.

We paid about $50 per pax. It's a little pricy but the food is too nice to be missed!

Wanna have a tai tai day out? This is the place for you. Some people watching too, I spotted Jade Seah the first time i was here. Highly recommended by the one and only ms-skinnyfat. :))

The Landing Point
The Fullerton Bay Hotel
80 Collyer Quay
Tel: + 65 6597 5277

Good Morning folks! It's time for some breakfast food. On days like this, i would be craving for some traditional Chinese breakfast (i do have my non atas days). Why not? It's cheap, it's good and it's served piping hot. YUMS. Chewy and smooth beehoon which is at the right consistency, together with runny sunny side up and FRIED CHICKEN CUTLET. I'm so gonna get some after i'm done writing. Writing about food is so bad for my waistline. :(

Anyway, that's just to whet your appetite. The star of this article is actually Yut Kee, a hidden gem in Kuala Lumpur, which has been serving up traditional Hainanese fare (with a twist) since 1928. Yut Kee is a KL culinary institution, an establishment in fact but apparently few visitors have heard of it (don't say i never share!). My KL friend (Deb) who brought me here was only recently introduced by her friends. Anyway, they have a huge following in the Chinese community (we love porky places!). 

The set up is in an old shop house. News is that Yut Kee is looking to relocate to around the corner because the landlord intends to redevelop the site. What a loss of heritage and tradition. It's sad that culture is always being relegated to the back burner in the light of progress and development. Anyway i was glad that i managed to visit it before the move. It's like stepping into a time capsule, the atmosphere and the food is wholesome and nostalgic (before we have any of the GM crap). I think the closest we have to this is Chin Mei Chin (read about it here).

Yut Kee does a range of Hainanese staples such as pork chops, chicken chops, rice congee. What it is most famous for though is Roast Pork roll with chips and Apple sauce (RM12). They start serving that at 11.30am and sells out within minutes. I caught a glimpse of it but the aroma was the thing that first drew my attention. Sadly, we were too stuffed to try more. 

Deb suggested the Roti Babi (RM 7.50), a luscious bread pocket stuffed with shredded pork and onions that’s dipped in Worcestershire sauce. First look- it's like a ginormous french toast roll. Very plain on the outside but it's full of surprises once you split it open.

The filling is very juicy. I believe there is some turnip in it as well. It tastes pretty much like a popiah, with pork as a replacement. Well marinated with vegetable jus and a hint of dried shrimp. The bread is pillowy soft on the inside and has soaked up the soul of the of the dish. Very enjoyable. It's pretty big so i would suggest sharing so that you can order more dishes.

The french toast with kaya was quite a delight as well. Golden exterior fried to the crisp to be coated with an eggy and lumpy brown coconut paste. The Sg kaya is smoother and has more of the coconut taste with the pandan aroma but this has more character and i think the brownish colour may come from some gula melaka? Just a guess.

Hai Lam Mee Hoon (8RM) is one of the popular breakfast dishes. We accidentally ordered a portion for 2 which was HUGE. This was fried with pork (yay!) and fresh seafood. The consistency of the beehoon was just how i like it- not too dry, perfectly seasoned and a slight chewy texture (i call it mian2 mian2). We only managed to finish a quarter of this and Deb had to pack the rest.

So yea, if you ever head to KL, this is one of the must try. An interesting thing that Deb pointed out to me, Mervyn Lee, the grandson of the restaurant's founder, looks like a dead ringer of his grandfather. Check him out when you are there. His grandfather's picture is on the wall.

For those who are stuck in Sg and lives in the East/North East, the best Economic Bee Hoon IMHO is from Blk 309 Hougang Ave 5. They sell out very quickly (before 10am) and there is always a queue. The chicken cutlet is a Must have! Highly recommended. I think they are closed on Monday or Tuesday. 


Yut Kee Restaurant

35 Jalan Dang Wangi, Kuala Lumpur
T: +603 2698 8108

Tue - Sun: 8am - 5pm (closed Mon)

Malaysia on Dwellable

I have been a bad girl the past week, mostly to my tummy because i have been eating a lot of junk food! I'm quite the junk food monster actually. Fried food always tastes so good! :( Add that overseas work trip into the equation and all that irrepressible holiday eating and the result is one helluva fattyfat girl. :(( Gonna be working my butt off at yoga this week. Shall try to break my personal best of 4h. :)) 

Back to the topic of fast food, i gotta recommend this particular juicy heavyweight. Since this picture popped up on my instagram, friends have been asking me where i had such a yummy looking burger. I was raving about it like a mad woman (that's how awesome it is). So the secret is revealed- it is EwF's Har Jeong Kai Burger! RWARRR!!

Disclaimer: I have only eaten ONE burger here and it's from the Orchard Central outlet. I can't comment on the other burges but i've heard that the Char Siew Burger is quite yummy too. EwF is the fast food version of Everything with Fries so it's just burger,fries and desserts.

Har Jeong Kai is a typical Cantonese dish which is actually prawn paste marinated chicken (wings usually), served with the Chinese mayonnaise. EwF transformed this zi char staple into a burger form and i must say it is a wonderful adaptation.

Think deep fried well marinated chunky whole chicken leg that is oh-so-juicy and satisfying with every single bite. The prawn paste is pungent and fragrant (really depends on your preference) and the batter is crisp and light. The patty is absolutely tender and juicy (i like to think it's the essence of the chicken and not the oil)! And if i could direct your attention to the Chinese mayonnaise (it is not the usual western mayonnaise). It's a slightly watery form, not as curdy as the western type, slightly sweet and translucent looking. Nice to see that EwF kept this traditional element of the dish because it really is the essence! 

For $9.95 or is it $9.65, you get an entire meal which includes the burger, the fries of your choice and a drink! Super Value Meal! Pick from 2 different cuts for the fries- shoestring and straight cut and five different flavors: Original, Curry, Salt & Vinegar, Sour Cream and Onion, Garlic and herbs. They are like shaker fries. Another of my love! :)) I tried the sour cream (best seller) and curry on 2 separate occasions. How can anyone say no to Curry fries with Western Mayonnaise! I am indeed a junk food monster.  

This was the leftover from my first meal at EwF. I know i can be such a small eater at times but trust me this is a really huge burger. However, the second time i finished my entire patty and more of the fries. :) Level up in the junk food chain!

Noticed how i only took hamster bites of the bread? The reason is as follows. According to EwF, all their breads are baked from scratch but honestly they are darn terrible. Extremely stale and porous, i wouldn't eat this to save my life. Then again, i am extremely picky about my breads but i maintain that this is bad. The regular KFC or Mac's buns are nicer.

For an additional $4, you can add a dessert to your meal. Crowd pleaser here is the Nutella tart, which i had at the Joo Chiat Road outlet. It's chocolatey with an oreo base, really rich. I tried their Vanilla Crepe cake for my birthday. S got it because i insisted on having a crepe cake BUT it wasn't this one that i wanted! Imagine the disappointment because their so called french crepes with light vanilla cream reminded me of the fake rubbery so-called pancakes they served me in Saigon and the cream is that kinda neighborhood confectionery fake cream (really oily and somehow waxy and tasteless). No way would i eat that again. Grrr.

Anyhoo, stick to the HJK burger and you would never go wrong. Maybe i'll try the other burgers some time. Or maybe i'll get my dining partners to order them so that i can still have my HJK burger. Yums.

Food: 4/5. -1 for the terrible bun!
Service: 3.5/5 Average service. Not particularly warm but they were patient with the indecisive me. :)
Ambience: 3.5/5 Clean and simply furnished. May get noisy with the school kids but quiet on weekday afternoons.

EwF
Orchard Central
Daily: 11am - 10pm
Fri, Sat, Eve of PH: 11am - 10.30pm

Greetings from Kuala Lumpur (Selangor)! Been busy with work this week plus the weekend work trip (that i'm currently on) is obviously keeping me from blogging. So here is a brunch/coffee/tea place for you to while the weekend away!

Kith Cafe has been on my radar for some time. I've walked past this a couple of times and the small establishment is also a pretty good alternative to Toby's (which is usually packed). So yeap, tucked away in the little corner of Rodyk Street, Kith caters more to the expatriates and residents (i think they are synonymous) as compared to Toby's. Not surprising since Kith has been around for a longer time and has amassed a following. 

The interior is very small- a couple of bar seats, and a long bench for a large group. Furnishing is pretty spartan, the legs of the bar and chairs reminds me of book stacks. Feels pretty much like an old classroom with the blackboard as well. The 'alfresco dining' is in fact a couple of tables and chairs/stools scattered along the corridor. Fits very much into the home and patio concept. I can see how the residents are drawn to this little spot.

The drinks list is pretty comprehensive with all the usual present and a twist on some (mostly on the teas). Chamomile+marigold+lemongrass, Sakura sencha, Rooibos lemon myrtle lemon tea, sounds good? Reasonably priced drinks are always welcomed by patrons and i was one happy girl.

Breakfast food is a must have (if i have my way that is). I would also insist on all day breakfast too. We were there for tea so we didn't try the food. I was kinda attracted to the homemade meatballs actually (if it were as good as i imagine it to be). 

Anyway, tea is never complete without scones. So we ordered a cranberry one. I was thoroughly disappointed. The thing about scones is that you can never quite tell if it's good just from its appearance. I've seen really dry and bland looking ones which turned out to have the most buttery, dense and crisp-on-the-outside texture. Kith's scone is the exact opposite- it looks pretty but tastes crappy and it got worse as the temperature dropped. The texture is almost cardboard-ish and dry. It was only a little better with the.. wait for it... WHIPPED cream (oh how i hate it when they serve whipped instead of clotted). The jam was kinda weird with the watery texture. It looks like it was curdled and then defrosted. Anyway, just avoid the scone at all cost.

My hot earl grey vanilla was much better but it tended to be too milky. However, the earl grey flavor was intense with a nice citrusy taste from the Bergamot orange and a light bitterness. It was quite sweet though, probably from the vanilla. I'm not one to complain about the sweetness of my drinks but this was a little too much.

W had the Iced Earl grey lavender + orange which IMO is a perfect thirst quencher on a hot humid afternoon. It would be my must have drinks at outdoor events like picnics. Shall try to make this some other time.

Food: 4/5 The drinks were good but i reserve my opinion on the other food items.)
Service: 3.5/5 We were advised not to order a cold latte because it wouldn't bring out the flavor of the tea. Shows that the staff know the products well.
Ambience: 3.5/5 Chill and laid back but tending on the warm and humid side! Do not sit indoors unless you can deal with the food smell.

Would be back for drinks!

Kith Cafe
7 Rodyk Street Singapore 238215
Tel: +65 6341 9407

Daily: 7am - 7pm

Was on a shabu shabu streak some time ago and visited 2 shabu places in a span of a week. The other was at Shabu No Koya (read about it here). S convinced me to skip my yoga class to have lunch with him at Vivo (how fatty right?). We usually end up eating at Kim Gary's  because we are lazy to pick from the many other options (i love their pork chop baked rice!). However, it's lunch hour and most restaurants offer lunch sets so we decided to explore other options.

Shabuya Shabu Shabu caught our attention because S was craving for something soupy and Jap (what else is there other than shabu shabu right?). Their set lunch ranges from $15.90 - $23.90 and the second person gets the same set at a mere $9.90! Such a bargain. Seriously, $23.90 for Wagyu Beef shabu is darn cheap but $9.90 is simply mind blowing.

Our set came with Wagyu Beef, Chicken, salad, vegetable platter and rice/udon. The beef portion is not a lot but surprisingly we were pretty satisfied. A typical Wagyu Beef set (without the lunch deal) would be $33.90 but i suppose they will give you more beef?

The other lunch sets include the normal beef shabu, chicken shabu and kurobuta pork shabu. While eating, we figured there is actually no point in having wagyu beef shabu because the meat is too thinly sliced and will be boiled in soup anyway. Tip to eating Wagyu beef is to have it in steak form or for yakiniku. You can never go wrong with BBQ wagyu beef. Most decadent bbq you can have EVER.

The stock is very simple, a pork broth and another soy sauce stock. The pork broth wasn't flavorful at all and was in fact pretty bland. We ended up cooking most of our meat in the soy sauce stock to give the food some additional flavoring. The ponzu sauce was pretty mild. I would like mine with more tang. Would be good if there are other sauces available for dipping as the meats can be quite bland.
Quite a lot of stuff in our vegetable platter. Mushrooms, cabbage, corn, raddish etc.

Shabuya also has other items on their full menu i.e. Seafood steamboat, Sashimi, Tempura, Dons and the usual Japanese desserts. It's not a bad place for lunch for you working peeps in the area (since it's so cheap). I was thoroughly stuffed after the meal but we still managed some space for ice cream! So yea, it's ok to give it a try if you are sick of your usual options. Go for the normal beef shabu for extra savings.

Shall work on a new rating system. Will keep it simple using a 5 point scale. :)) Shall have a picture rating system soon. 

Food: 3/5 Average (will eat this if i don't have a particular craving and if it's convenient. Then again, jpot does a better steamboat lunch set at a similar price.)

Service: 3/5 Average

Ambience: 3/5 Average (what a typical restaurant should have).

Shabuya Shabu Shabu
#01-102/03, Vivocity
1 Harbourfront Walk
Tel: +65 6377 0070

Weekdays: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 9.30pm
Weekends & PH: 11.30 am – 9.30pm

"The quest for produce is the basis of my cuisine, together with imagination and the simplicity of those who strive for perfection."- Santi Santamaria

Santi has been on my must-eat list for ages and i finally got down to visiting them before they cease operations in Sg come 12 March due to the demise of the chef. Why didn't i go earlier?!! It is honestly the best Spanish food i've tasted so far. Fresh produce is the basis of Santi's creations and it's amazing how everything is kept simple but still tastes so out of this world. Anyway, if you are still able to make it within the week (and actually get reservations) this is a MUST TRY.

I made the boy get us a reservation at Santi pending the closure. I almost missed out on the awesome dining experience because i forgot a prior engagement. Thankfully we got ourselves another booking last minute. Gotta thank my lucky stars.

Sunday Lunch was a 4 course affair and we chose the wine pairing option with a glass for each course ($150++). We seldom do wine with food because we aren't regular drinkers but this is an opportunity we can't miss out on. And so began the afternoon of no return.

Our amuse bouche was Joselito ham served on Pa amb tomaquet and a Tomato Gazpacho (reminiscent of the hole in the wall tapas place introduced by the locals in Madrid) Joselito ham is the best of the best of Jamon Iberico. It's a Catalan dish of toasted bread served with tomato pulp and olive oil. As we chewed on, the sweetness of the cured meat simply oozes out, bringing with it a slight nuttiness. The soup was a refreshing way to cleanse our palate and prepare our tummies for more goodness.

My Scrambled organic egg with chorizo, "pied de mouton" mushrooms and baby eel was rich and creamy and yet light. This is a match made in heaven between the vitality of the gardens and the freshness of the sea.  

Piquillo pepper stuffed with Bacalao brandade (salted cod), Vizcaina sauce and Mojama. I'm not a fan of peppers but this is a great representation of the vibrancy and life of the Spaniards. Again, a nice combination of the earth and sea.  

My second glass of wine. Heavenly.

My traditional black rice with baby calamari and allioli sauce. The rice was done to perfect al-dente with a nice smokiness from the squid ink. The squid had a nice charred taste to it and was tender to the bite. Fresh produce from the sea again. I was floating by then. 

His traditional cannelloni Catalan style with bechamel sauce and seasonal mushrooms. The Cannelloni was so smooth and creamy and i like the contrasting crunch on top of the baked cheese. The mushrooms broke the monotony of the milky emulsion with the savoriness.  

I am so not a fish person and S was surprised that i ordered the Catalan fish stew with Iranian saffron for my mains. I was craving for the Cataplana that i had at El Cerdo (read about it here) and even though this doesn't have all that seafood essence, it is still a yummy dish. The red snapper and barramundi provided contrasting textures. The red snapper was tender and smooth while the barramundi was more dense and makes a better fish steak.  

His Pork pilota with "patatas al mortero", sauteed spinach and truffle sauce. Love the Patatas which had shredded potatoes with a smooth mash. S was rationing his pork pilota so that he wouldn't gobble them up immediately. Tender and juicy meat with bits of almond in the meatballs for an added crunch.

On my 3rd glass of wine (red) for my mains. Not a red fan but this was light enough. Face is turning redder as lunch progresses.

The apple tart with caramel and cinnamon ice cream has to be the best i've tasted. The tart is incredibly light and crunchy and the ratio of tart to apple was just right. Love the buttery crunch. I wished they gave me more ice cream. 

If there is one dessert i could have before i die, this would be it- The cream Catalan with peaches and vanilla. Love at all that vanilla bean! I almost died and went to desserts heaven. The best part is actually the hidden custard that the peaches were sitting on. How i wish i'm that peach. I just wanna sit in a tub of custard all day long (of course i would eat every bit of it). Desserts were paired with a Spanish Moscato which was ORGASMIC. The sommelier saw my expression when i first took a sip and took a double take just to make sure i was all right. It was like honey. I've never tasted a moscato close to that. I swear i need to find it. 

Our petits fours complimentary of the restaurant. Perfect ending to our meal. The middle hazelnut chocolate was so good S gave his orgasmic look. It was hilarious. 

This has to be the best Spanish food in Singapore. It's such a waste that they are closing. Truly enjoyed the gastronomic experience and the impeccable yet warm service. I need to fly to Spain for a Santi Santamaria culinary trip. To the man i've never met. Cheers. 

Santi
10 Bayfront Avenue #L2-03, Casino Level 2,
Marina Bay Sands
Tel: +65 6688 8501

Brunch recommendations for the weekend! Five & Dime is a new eatery that has popped up in the River Valley area at the most unexpected spot next to some Chinese association or temple of sorts. When i looked at the address, i thought it would be located nearer to Robertson/Mohd Sultan but it's farther down nearer to the residential area. 

The concept of Five & Dime is a modern take on the 60′s diner experience without being saturated in nostalgia or overly trend based. The black and white, wood and tile combination is a classic look that would withstand the fickle mindedness of the consumers and movements in the design field. The space is pretty small, be sure to make a reservation (it was crowded when we got there on a Sunday afternoon).

It's surprisingly comfortable at the counter area (we sat there while waiting for a table) and it gave me a good view of the coffee and cocktail making (wasn't impressed with that). I'm too used to the third wave coffee and i kinda expect yummy coffee with pretty coffee art and unyielding foam. Spoilt by circumstances, not by default. :P Recognised the bartender from Drink Culture, which does a good cocktail anytime. Suppose this is a selling point of F&D, wonderful idea to get high for brunch. :)

Coffee is served with the old school candy snacks. I used to separate the sugar from the biscuits and ate them by their colours. It's a cheap snack, the quality is pretty lousy in fact but people like it because it's pretty? If you wanna be picky, they are just being really cheapskate.

Brunch is served from 10am to 2.30pm (kitchen closes at 2) and there is a selection of 9 mains- 4 breakfast dishes (eggs benny, eggs flor, french toast and pancakes), 2 sandwiches, 2 pasta and the regular F&C. Not a lot to choose from but a fair mix of breakfast foods and heavier lunch items. We had the Eggs Benny ($16)- Poached Eggs with seared beef and the Mentaiko Pasta ($22)- a spaghetti in creamy mentaiko sauce with chicken yakitori.

Apparently, the Eggs Benny is one of the hot items here. It is served with seared beef instead of the usual ham or smoked salmon. I wouldn't say it's a better choice though as the beef is pretty bland. The hollandaise sauce was too tasteless for me, it lacks the creaminess of the butter as well as the mild tang of lemon juice. On the other hand, the brioche was overwhelmingly buttery and that contributed to the sogginess of the texture. It wasn't wet but it was a huge lump to chew on. Not a fan of the bread. The texture is just not right. Bread should be somewhat airy and this is nothing like that. It's not bad tasting, it's just a weird texture and contradicts my understanding of what a brioche should be.

S was raving about the special salad dressing which we couldn't put a finger to the individual ingredients. I'm sure there's sesame sauce in there and maybe the Vietnamese fish sauce too. Regardless, it was refreshing.

The Mentaiko Pasta was absolutely heavenly. I felt like i was floating in a pink sea with dolphins swimming around me (only because i don't like the idea of fishes coming too close). The pink cream sauce was light and extremely fragrant. The slight sweetness of the Mentaiko kept me going mouth after mouth. This is what i would call a delicate dish. You will get what i mean when you taste it. The simplicity of the condiments use on the yakitori brought out the natural flavors of the meat (it was just salt and pepper and maybe a little spice). The dish was faultless. I finished this in 12 minutes.

A meal is never complete without some coffee. The mocha here is very chocolaty and sweet. It's almost like having a hot chocolate with a shot of espresso. Sadly, the salted caramel cupcake was sold out. Maybe another time. Enjoy your weekend!

Five & Dime
297 River Valley Road
Weekdays: 6pm - 12am, last orders 930pm, drinks till closing
Weekends: 10am - 3pm (brunch), 3pm - 6pm (tea), 6pm - 12am (dinner + drinks)
Closed Tues