Since we can't traverse the Mediterranean sea, the next best option right now is to hang out at Tanjong Pagar's hottest rooftop bar Levant, which is possibly the first cocktail bar that explores the Mediterranean with experimental drinks made from quality spirits and mixers from the region. 

The secret bar is tucked on the 4th floor of the newly-built co-living hotel ST Signature on Tras Street. You have to take the lift to the 3rd floor and then up another flight of stairs. There, you'd be greeted by the club vibes of Beirut/Athens with groovy beats and a spectacular view of the Tanjong Pagar skyline. Quite perfect for some all-night outdoor dancing when conditions permit but we also liked the intimacy the venue offers when it's quiet. 

The cocktails are certainly adventurous, far from the typical flavors we're used to, like a combination of star anise and bergamot in the Amber Constellation (which i'd never try). I started with the way too easy Sangaree Rose ($18) which uses Mirto, a myrtle liqueur, with Cocchi Americano Rosa as base. There are hints of cinnamon in this, and overall was like a really light apple spritz. It's refreshingly sweet but not quite my cup of tea. Well i guess i'm more of a stiff-drinks kinda girl. The Athena’s Olive Branch ($24) was more my thing, which is some kind of Martini made with Gin Mare, Madeira, with a touch of Amalfi lemon and garnished with an olive.

For Sours lovers, the iL Rhubarb Sour ($18) spices things up with cinnamon and hibiscus. My other favorite of the night was the Greek Forest ($18), with Greek honeycomb-infused Tsipouro, mountain pine liqueur, Greek Vermouth, and Maglini lemon. 

Luke's Lobster Singapore is on a roll with another limited edition exclusive- the Hot Honey Lobster Roll available through the month of May. 

This roll was first launched in the USA end 2020 as a partnership between the New York City-based brand and Mike’s Hot Honey. If you enjoy the signature lobster rolls, the Hot Honey Lobster Roll ($27.50) is the same 4oz/113g of Maine lobster claw and knuckle meat but tossed in the chili-infused honey (that honestly is more spiced than spicy for us Singaporeans). You could still taste the sweet brininess of the delicate meat, but with a tad more flavor than the usual rolls. What would make it better- if the meat were hot, though this cold style is definitely what Luke's is known for (it's just not what i prefer). 

I also gave the rest of the menu a try and i'd say stick with the lobster rolls (the meat is more flavorful than the very bland crab), and get yourself some curly fries to pair with (these are crunchy curls of goodness). The soups are sorely disappointing- the lobster bisque was overly buttery and the clam chowder was too salty. 

The permanent addition to the menu- the Grilled Cheese series, ought to balance the negative at Luke's. The Lobster Grilled Cheese ($18.90) sees chunky seafood crammed with a load of melted cheddar within two square slices of buttered Shokupan. It's not quite grilled cheese so don't go expecting the traditional rich stringy pulled cheese for this is more of a creamy cheese lobster mix. I wouldn't mind having this in bun form too.

You could now also enjoy Luke's Lobster at home now. Pick up some of these pre-packed, flash-frozen seafood from most of NTUC Finest outlets and create your own rolls. There's the Lobster Meat with Seasoning ($42) with two packs (4oz each); Lobster Tail with Seasoning ($36) for two slabs (3-4 oz each) of flash-frozen and half-shelled tails, complete with Tessa Mae’s Lemon-Garlic Marinade that is perfect for stovetop sizzling or grilling; and the retail-exclusive Lobster Mac & Cheese ($31), smothered in a creamy blend of mascarpone and cheddar, ready to eat after a quick pop in the microwave. 

Luke's Lobster

350 Orchard Road #01-K4, Shaw House, Isetan Scotts, Singapore 238868 

78 Airport Boulevard, #01-K209, Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore 819666

BBQ on sticks, all the convenience, none of the hassle. Yakitori Yatagarasu obviously is doing things right by their skewers, having expanded their business during these strange times. Both outlets are situated along Circular Road, just a few stores apart, offering a selection of yakitori and pork belly-wrapped sticks, alongside some appetizers, fried food, and some carbs. I loved the cosy interior and we sat at the counter where we could see chef work his magic.

It was brainless to go with the starter set ($29/pax), which includes chef's choice of 4 chicken skewers, 2 pork skewers, with a salad (cabbage, onion, or coriander), plus an alcoholic drink (except sake). 

Glad to have this refreshing cabbage salad to go with the savory sticks. Jr went for coriander which IMO is one of the most disgusting veg to eat on its own. Like isn't it a garnish? As much as he liked coriander, i guess his love for it isn't sufficient for him to finish the plate of salad. 

Yakitori are priced at $2.50 with the exception of tsukune ($4). We were served the tender fillet which was flavored by teeny drops of yuzu kosho. 

Of course the chicken thigh was better due to its higher fat content.  

Now something i've never tried in my life is the chicken tail (aka chicken backside). What have i been missing out my whole life?! This part is perfect for grilling because the fat makes it crispy and there's a tender knob of meat hidden as well. I happily gave the gizzard away because i'm not a fan of such chewy textures. As for the soft bone, well i ate whatever meat there's on it. Unfortunately, all diners have to order the set together, so i'm stuck with these parts. I'd probably order my choice of items in the future but i'm also glad i got to try the chicken butt because of this. 

We enjoyed the juicy crunch of the lettuce wrapped in pork belly. The pork belly items are priced from $3.50.

The long beans wrapped in pork belly also exploded when we bit into them. 

Of course we had to order more. Sitting in front of the grill was of no help when it comes to restraining calories. Loved the mix of king oyster mushrooms with pork belly. Asparagus works too. If we had more space, i'd have gone for the more interesting items like pork belly wrapped curry rice or okonomiyaki.

The shiso leaf pork belly was another of my favorites due to the refreshing flavor.

We also had an order of the fried oysters, which were plump and juicy. 

Yakitori Yatagarasu is worth a repeat visit for a casual dinner. Good food, good prices, and attentive service. Also, frozen towels are a thing, perfect for refreshing your fingers while dining. 

Yatagarasu

66 and 72 Circular Road Singapore 049426

Tel: +65 6221 7785

Mon - Sat: 6 – 10.30pm

More Japanese restaurant reviews! What can i say, Japanese cuisine is my favorite. This time, we checked out Kaunta, a modern 20-seater Japanese restaurant by the same team behind The Sushi Bar. Kaunta is the slightly more upmarket sister which uses fresh ingredients from Japan. While they used to serve donburi, they have moved on to serve an omakase concept now, with lunch starting from only $50. 

Other than sushi, you could also have the A5 Wagyu Beef Bowl ($80) which is limited to 5 sets per day. This don is topped with butter wagyu, and uni, ikura, caviar, onsen egg and truffle bits over Japanese rice. 

We went with the Aoi sushi set ($60), which consists of an appetizer (sakura ebi salad), hot dish (chawanmushi), 8 pcs of sushi, complimentary toro maki, miso soup and dessert.

The appetizer was a salad with fried sakura ebi. Love the fragrance in this but the wasabi citrus soy was a tad strong. This was followed by the unagi chawanmushi with a silky mushroom dashi broth. I loved how the eel was fluffy and not at all rubbery. 

The fish are mostly aged at Kaunta to give it that umami boost. We were also surprised by the house-smoked salmon here. At first i tolerated the generous smear of wasabi in my first 2 pieces of sushi, but when it came to the spineless squid, i teared. That was when i had it and requested that Chef Peter tone down the wasabi and everything tasted much better after. 

Chutoro and Akami, both were good but i preferred the marbled piece better. 

Shima Aji. 

Scallop soaked in sake.

I didn't quite like the sweet truffle tamago which was served way too cold. Somehow cold tamago just reminds me too much of the generic supermarket types. 

The complimentary toro roll was a tad vinegary but delicious nevertheless. 

A Salmon belly miso soup marked the end of the savory course. The fish had been fried lightly and provided a toasty flavor to the soup. 

Ice cream was served to end the meal and there was the choice of yuzu or sesame ice cream and they are served with a homemade umeshu jelly. The jelly goes better with the bright yuzu but i really liked the rich roasty sesame. 

The sushi at Kaunta are fresh and decent. There was also an effort to share with diners what produce are used. Sans the not too pleasant spicy start, the meal was quite pleasant and makes for a good casual sushi meal. Wouldn't mind dropping back in for a quick lunch. 

Kaunta Singapore

11 Kee Seng Street

#01-12 Onze

Singapore 089218

Tel: +65 8788 3535

Barossa Bar & Grill has launched its new outlet at VivoCity. I've vaguely heard of the brand before and they've been operating from the Esplanade branch but i've never tried it, i guess partly due to the location (sadly Esplanade isn't known as a food destination). We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of meats at this Australian-inspired restaurant, flown from four renowned Australian farms- Bass Strait, Wanderer, Josdale, and Carrara, each known for different qualities of their cattle.

Not only that. The restaurant also boasts its own dry-ageing fridge to enhance the flavors of their meats. To further elevate the experience, all the meat and seafood are cooked on a Spanish Josper charcoal grill for the perfect golden-brown Maillard reaction. 

For starters, the Barossa Steak Tartare ($26) is one smooth fella. The slightly thicker strips of beef were coated in a mix of smoked oyster aioli, ponzu jelly, pickled red onion, wasabi zuke, and a coagulated egg yolk. 

Ah Hua Kelong's Tiger Prawns ($26) are served charcoal grilled for that extra smoky headiness and further flavored by a shio kombu garlic beurre noisette. The charred kale chips that the prawns sat atop off were a great accompaniment to the juicy crustacean.

Recently i tried the Pico Laser at IDS Skincare, which Dr Michelle Wong recommended to help with skin rejuvenation and brightening, and also pigmentation reduction. I understand that this laser could be done monthly as the intensity is not that high, which also means that the downtime is shorter (about 1 - 2 days), and is good for maintenance.

The “Pico” in “PicoLasers” refers to Picosecond, which is one trillionth of a second. This is approximately approximately ten times faster than nanosecond Q-switched lasers and theoretically works more efficiently in targeting the specific tissues with less surrounding tissue damage. 

For the laser, my skin was cleansed first before numbing cream was applied. The numbing process takes about 15 - 20 mins but i thought it felt shorter than that. I was then quickly ushered into the treatment room and Dr Michelle started on the laser immediately. 

I was a little tense as it had been some time since my last laser treatment. I must say that the pain was a little more than i expected as i thought my face would be completely numb. I would say the pain was 3-4 on a scale of 10 but thankfully it was in short bursts. It was definitely more intense than IPL, plus i could smell the burn. Sensitive areas such as the upper lips also hurt more. Dr Michelle Wong concentrated the laser on my cheeks and nose for purpose of reducing pore size and pigmentation. Anyway before i knew it, the treatment was over and that took maybe 5 minutes. 

The East is best when it comes to food. There was a dearth of cafes in the past but that has quickly changed with big boys like Brawn & Brains, Dutch Colony and Forty Hands moving into the Siglap/Katong area. The latest hottest is The Brewing Ground, which has amazingly popped up steps from my place at The Yards, a transformed school compound at Telok Kurau. 

Experience the bright and breezy Eastie vibe with the glasshouse-inspired interior, or park your bike/pet out on the alfresco deck breezy alfresco deck. I've been lucky enough to walk in without a wait at lunch time but now that the secret is out of the bag, please make your reservations. I hear weekdays breakfast can pack a queue!

This is not quite the place for early risers, that is if you are looking to bite into their much raved about Breakfast Burger ($20), which is only served from 11am. They ought to call it a Brunch Burger actually. It is just as well because i doubt anyone can stomach this massive beast too early in the morning! Toasted brioche buns sandwiches a juicy rosemary pork sausage patty and creamy scrambled eggs, flavored even more with a lovely caramelized onion relish and a sweet ketchup mayonnaise. There was too much of the latter and i had to scrape some off for balance. A perfectly crispy hash brown completes the blockbuster. I was thankful for the side of mesclun salad which helped to to cut through the richness of the bun with its refreshing acidity. 

I first got a taste of Chef Jérémy Gillon and his Alpine-herb-forward French cuisine five years ago at now defunct Audace. It was certainly the most refreshing French dining i've experienced then. Fast forward to 2021 and Chef has already earned his star with his fine dining Restaurant JAG. Stepping into Restaurant Jag for the first time, we were pleased to see that Chef has remained true to his brand of serving seasonal cuisine inspired by the wild-foraged herbs from Savoie. 

It was yet another refreshing and educational meal with unpredictable flavors using herbs that we have never heard of or were able to pronounce. We went with the well-priced 4 course Executive Set Lunch ($98), which was a delightful experience. Do allow yourself at least 2.5 hours for this. I ended up rescheduling my appointment after because lunch took longer than expected but it was worth it though! If you have even more time to spare, there's also the 6-course Degustation Measured Indulgence Menu ($175). 

We started with a Salsify and Sariette biscuit with the crunch of a potato chip. 

Then a green Kohlrabi juice with Hyssop oil and balsamic. This had notes of apple and celery in it. 

A steamy dark rye was served with a duo of Normandy and herb butter. While we loved the fluffy insides, the dark burnt crust a tad too much to handle after a few bites. Lovely miso notes if you don't mind the char though. 

Let's face it, wine can be intimidating. And we're lucky to have the daring Rebel Rebel (and RVLT) which breaks down the stiffy French attitude and promises a ton of fun and adventure with their selection of down-to-earth, small-batch, and handcrafted wines that are terroir driven. Fret not if you're a newcomer to the wine world, Rebel Rebel offers wine by the glass and has a good mix that is rotated weekly, so you'd be able to try something new without having to commit. There's a curated range of over 200 wines priced from under  $100 to over $200 range if you wish to stick to the bottles. 

The bold wine-bar concept is supported an equally daring food menu by Burnt Ends alumnus Deborah Yeo, who throws together a exciting fusion cuisine. We started with slices of sourdough ($8) because we needed something to dip into the Pork Fat ($6), a translucent cream that is whipped fat topped with topped with crunchy farro and barley and some honey for a touch of sweetness. Something must have been wrong with my taste buds that night because i couldn't taste the gaminess ("porkiness") of the fat until i was almost done with the bread. It was enjoyable for me till then. You either love lard or hate it. 

We then went with another toasty snack, the Prawn ($14/2pcs). This smelled exactly like Otah but tasted more like a Thai prawn cake. While reading the reviews, i originally decided not to add on the uni to the toast because the overall spices would overpower the fresh sweet uni. Also, i thought the price was a tad pricey ($28 add on for 2 toasts) for a few pieces of uni. Well, all willpower vanished when the server asked if i'd like uni. So yes, it was a regretful move but i made sure to savor the uni on its own. 

Pick the Hamachi salad ($24) if you're looking for a refreshing plate in between the heavy ones. This Asian salad with Kumquat is almost like the Chinese Yu Sheng that we eat during Chinese New Year, but less diabetic. The bright salad was adorned with fresh slices of yellowtail. We could certainly do with a bigger portion. 

Vegans and Vegetarians rejoice! Homegrown restaurant Violet Oon has launched an extended menu of plant-based and gluten-free specialties at its Clarke Quay outlet Violet Oon Singapore Satay Bar & Grill, where you can enjoy smoke-kissed dishes alongside your meat loving friends. 

Expect big flavors with the use of regional spices, rempahs, house-made sauces, and the smoky sear of the grill. 

For starters, the Eggplant Goreng Dip with Emping Crackers ($17) was irresistible with the light bitterness of the belinjau nut crackers, balanced with the savoury coriander-infused eggplant purée. We got hold of some green chili sambal and boy it was a killer combination. 

The Grilled Cauliflower Sambal Tumis ($19) packs a smoky punch but I must warn that moreish sambal sauce requires a refreshing cocktail to extinguish the heat. Thankfully the cocktails at Violet Oon are perfect for that. Go for the Assam cocktail, it's my favorite of the lot.

Meatless Meatball Rendang ($18) was a soft mix of walnut, cheese and Impossible meat dumpling, braised in a spiced creamy coconut cream sauce. Honestly no one would have known that this was meat free. Certainly one of my favorite dishes on the menu. 

On to mushrooms, a crowd favorite is the Kunyit Lemak King Oyster Mushroom ($24), which sees a full-bodied grilled meat oyster mushrooms coated in an earthy turmeric-infused coconut sauce.