For anyone who loves to have a variety of dishes for any meal, the small plates format is your best option. Needless to say i'm a huge fan of Spanish tapas. I recently checked out Fandango Tapas and Wine Bar and enjoyed dining privileges using the Palate card. Located in the heart of Chijmes, Fandango provides a chic yet comfortable place to relax and unwind in the al fresco seating area facing the lawn and the beautiful church. Thankfully, the weather was on our side for some outdoors dining.

Fandango offers a good selection of traditional Spanish tapas as well as some Asian inspired dishes such as Roast Pork Belly. An extensive wine list that accompanied all those authentic dishes kept us very happy that night. Other than Spanish wines and beers, there are Australian, New Zealand and South American wines as well. I like that they offer many wines by the glasses so that allowed us to try various drinks without committing to a bottle.

What's Spanish tapas without some Sangria right? 

I was a little disappointed as our Sangrias were a little diluted. The red wine based ones were stronger though.

Serrano and Manchego ($18) is a good snack to have with some wine. Another option is the Deep Fried Camembert ($17) served with raspberry and Cabernet coulis. I liked the texture of the oozy cheese but the coulis was lacking in texture and too watery for my liking.

The Albondigas ($14), a traditional beef meatballs in a spicy tomato and rosemary sauce was probably my favorite dish of the night. They were juicy, flavorful and simply divine.

The Tortilla a la Espanola ($11) is a classic Spanish potato and onion omelette. It's so hard to find a good one in Singapore and it's really not that easy to make one. Fandango's tortilla kept me going on and on the whole night with its soft potatoes and light onion fragrance. It's good alone but the tangy tomato picante was good with it too.

It's hard to go wrong with Scallops and Serrano ham skewers ($18). 

To the uninitiated, the traditional Spanish Chorizo ($18) may be thought of as too hard, dry and salty but that is what chorizo is. This spicy and salty meat is pan fried with onions and dusted with a touch of paprika. It would be great if it came with a serving of baguette though.

Don't miss out on the Garlic prawns ($15). Fresh prawns served with artichoke hearts, sauteed with garlic, onion and white wine. I wished there were more in the pan. You should also order the Calamari if you need something fried. :)

The Paella de Marisco ($35) wasn't the most traditional that i've tasted. For one, the short grained rice was a little too fluffy for a paella. I was told by Emma, the friendly boss, that it's a spanish grain, though not bomba. Texture aside, i liked the rich seafood broth taste in this one and the seafood were fresh.

Desserts were kinda disappointing for us. Our Chocolate lava cake was overdone the first time round. Despite the molten centre in the second, the chocolate taste was lacking. Ice cream was so so as well.

The signature tiramisu was sorely lacking in espresso and alcohol. It was all cream and frozen chocolate swirls all around. I say skip desserts and stick to the wine and tapas.

We enjoyed a 25% off our total bill (there were 4 of us) and that saved us quite a bit from all that feasting. Whee. So glad that i have the Palate Card (read more here) for that.

GIVEAWAY (closed)
So here is the final Palate Card giveaway! This is what you need to do to win a Basic membership card worth $428.

1. Visit my Facebook page (click here) and find the Fandango Post.
2. Share the post with your friends (Remember to set the privacy setting to Public)
3. Tell me which restaurant you would like to try under the Palate Card dining privileges.

Giveaway ends midnight 25 Aug! Remember to like my FB page if you haven't done so. :) Good luck!

Fandango Tapas and Wine Bar

30 Victoria Street, CHIJMES #01-17
Tel: +65 6333 3450

Weekdays: 12pm - 12am
Sat: 5pm - 2am
Sun: 5pm - 12am

Through Her Eyes

Life in motion. From the backseat of a beaten up car. Watching the sun set. Watching the blur. Wondering how we got to where we are. Wondering how anyone got to where they are. Wondering about life.. In motion.  

Adding another count to my Duxton food list. This time it's Department of Caffeine (D.O.C.), as recommended by my readers! You guys have perfect taste (Just like me haha!)

I didn't realize that it's possible to make a reservation! I suggest that you do so on the weekends because it gets really packed. And for a good reason.

The boys were busy behind the counter, grinding beans and steaming milk non stop. Despite the crazy crowd, they were meticulous with their latte art.

Swan in Mocha no. 1.

Heart in Mocha no. 2. They noticed that i was rather annoyed as my drink took forever to come even though we placed both orders at the same time. Machine had to be recalibrated so this grumpy girl had to wait for her cuppa. :P

My D.O.C. Breakfast Platter. Scrambled eggs and bacon wrapped meatloaf on toasted brioche served with tomato confit and cheese bocconcini ($18). The cheese boccincini was just divine. Melted creamy cheese that is soft with a nice pull, coated with a breaded golden crust that is crunchy and buttery. Orgasmic. I was just a little annoyed when S took 1 of them. DOC should just sell this as a side.

The meatloaf is actually Spam so i wasn't very much impressed. Meh. The eggs were pretty good though. Brioche not too impressive as it was rather compressed and a little hard.

C had the 8Hr Pulled Pork sandwich with house BBQ sauce and carrot and coriander coleslaw ($15). This was a refreshing sandwich and i liked that the BBQ sauce wasn't too overwhelming. The toasted bun was pretty yummy too.

I made space for some dessert. I mean after all, what's brunch without something sweet to end it off right? I went with the Olive Oil and Apple Cake as recommended by one of the boys at the counter. My criteria was that the cake has to be moist. And this was a great recommendation. Everything was just right. The apple was of the right size and right texture (not too soft or hard); an angel touch of cinnamon and a light cream that gels all the ingredients. Perfection.

For your brunch consideration! Enjoy.

Department of Caffeine
15 Duxton Road

Tel: +65 6223 3426
Weekdays: 10.30am - 7.30pm
Weekends: 9.30am - 7.30pm

Another restaurant checked off my Duxton list. This time it was The Vintage Room by the Deliciae Group and needless to say i'm a fan.They have their little enclave of restaurants in Duxton Hill so diners have variety to choose from. Apart from TVR, there's also L'Entrecote (just next door) and Sabio Tapas Bar. 

Back to TVR, it's a vintage bar designed with an eclectic and cosy atmosphere. The design concept revolves around an Old World vibe with refurbished furniture littered around the space, from door frames to lamp shades. 

Marble bar counters with customized tiles on the walls.

Beautiful nymphs toting Champagne bottles (and holding niffy cameras :P) are all over the place.

Interior designer, The Stripe Collective, has done a great job with the space. It's colonial, classy and yet funky at the same time. A lot of effort has been spent in acquiring an impressive collection of old-fashioned frames and antique.

TVR is more of a bar than a food place though they do have small bites as well. The selection of champagnes, wines and spirits is huge and hails from the old and new world. 

I started with the Caesar Ritz ($15), a Vodka/gin and elderflower liquor concoction. It's refreshing and lightly tangy with the lime juice base.

The Strawberry Mojito was not too bad as well.

A good selection of small bites and sharing plates are also available if you require some food to accompany your drinks. Executive Chef Damien Le Bihan (who also runs Sabio by the Sea, read review here) is the one who developed the menu.

Mix Of Smoked Fishes and Marinated Seafood- Smoked Salmon, Trout and Haddock, Herrings and Anchovies ($38).

I enjoyed the Mix of Cold Cuts ($38) served with the grilled buttered Poilane Bread. Meat lovers paradise with Bayonne Ham, Pate de Campagne (French Pork Country sStyle), Duck Rillettes (love this!), Andouille De Vire and Saucisson Sec.

The Ceneri’s Truffled Brie Cheese with Black Truffle from The Original Creator, Ceneri Cheese Master ($23) was my absolute favorite. This is also available on the dessert menu at L'Entrecote. It's milky, creamy and absolutely orgasmic. 

From the Tartines section, we had the Fresh Goat Cheese, Onion Caramelized and Bayonne Ham Served on Poilane Toast ($17). It's a nice blend of flavors and the goat cheese was pretty mild. 

Vegetarian Tartine Served on Poilane Toast ($13). Fresh, juicy and smoky aubergines, sundried tomatoes and zucchinis glazed with balsamic. 

The “Vintage” Croque Madame (we added an egg) was a tad too dry for my liking. The cream sauce was dry and the overall flavor was too bland for me. I was disappointed at the doneness of the egg as well.

Desserts weren't too promising actually. The Mousse au Chocolat ($12) was the best of the lot that i tasted. At least the chocolate was richer than that of the Half Baked Chocolate Cake ($14). Give the Profiteroles de “L’Entrecôte” ($14) a miss. For desserts, I'd suggest you head over to Sabio for the awesome churros by Chef Damien. Now if only they do a delivery order..   

There are drinks specials from Tuesdays to Fridays. Check out their promotions on their Facebook page for more details. Ladies, there are free bellinis on Thursday from 6-9pm! You know where you can find me on Thursdays. ;)

The Vintage Room
37 Duxton Hill  Singapore 089614
Tel: +65 6690 7565
Tue-Thu: 5pm to 12am
Fri: 3pm to 1am
Sat: 5pm to 1 am 

If you can convince a non-mooncake lover to eat mooncakes and recommend them willingly, it must mean that your mooncakes are pretty awesome right? The nice folks at Man Fu Yuan, InterContinental Singapore, were kind to send their latest sweets my way and the obligatory bite(s) ended up doing some serious damage to my abs and cheeks. And i'm not even the mooncake monster S is.

This season, InterContinental Singapore’s award-winning signature restaurant Man Fu Yuan unveils a divine collection of handcrafted mooncakes in a specially designed box created in collaboration with the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, featuring a winning calligraphic design inspired by ancient legends of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

What i like are the snowskin mooncakes, which were easy on the vanilla essence taste in the skin (thank god). The Snowskin Mooncake Combination ($54.80 for 4pcs) includes Green tea Paste with Dragonball Jasmine, Pulot Hitam, White Lotus Seed Paste with Macadamia Nuts and Sesame Paste with White Sesame Seeds.

My favorite of the lot? The Green Tea Paste with Dragonball Jasmine which is so aromatic. You can taste every bit of the intense green tea flavor and be refreshed by the lingering jasmine perfume. What's best is that it isn't too sweet.

The Black and White Sesame was my other favorite. This is a savory sweet mooncake and certainly the first one of its kind that i've tried. Just make sure you don't eat this on your first date. 

It has that malt candy filling taste actually, very similar to that of the Chinese pastries (pong pia).

The new creation which is the 'Pulot Hitam' mooncake, a Peranakan dessert made from black glutinous rice, didn't fare too well with me. I found the filling too hard; it was impossible to cut through it even after defrosting it for a bit and the skin melted beyond recognition as i was trying to get a slice out. It also lacked the richness of the actual dessert. Such a pity.

Durian fans rejoice. There's also the Snowskin "Mao Shan Wang" Durian Mooncake with Coconut ($54.80), which is a decadent blend of premium durian pulp and fragrant coconut milk. 

If you are calorie conscious, Man Fu Yuan also has a new range of low sugar white lotus seed paste mooncakes, made with 50 percent less sugar and with all-natural ingredients. I'm still not a fan of the baked mooncakes and the yolk is all i take. I found the baked mooncakes oily (not in a smooth way). I'm not sure if they used lard in their traditional mooncakes because that's how the traditional ones are made (so i've been told). 

Man Fu Yuan mooncakes are available for online purchase at the ICSingapore FB page, The Teahut, located at the entrance of InterContinental Singapore from Bugis Junction, and selected

locations across Singapore, with boxes of 2-piece from $29.80 and 4-piece from $48.80.

Exclusive pre-sale release at 30% off total retail price now available till 12 August (with purchase of two

or more boxes of 4-piece mooncakes).

Man Fu Yuan

InterContinental Singapore

Tel: +65 6820 8519
Tea Hut Tel: +65 6825 1008

[Giveaway]

The St. Regis is celebrating the sixth installment of its signature Arts Celebration series, with a week-long tribute to the culture and arts of the US of A this year from 29th July 2013 to 4th August 2013. The American Kaleidoscope will present distinctive American flavored experiences in culinary, visual and performing arts at The St. Regis Singapore. 

As part of the Arts Celebration, I was invited to the exclusive preview of The American Kaleidoscope special menu created by Chef Chris Kurth of The US Grant, A Luxury Collection Hotel, San Diego at Brasserie Les Saveurs. The 5-course Dinner is based on Chef Chris' interpretations of iconic American favorites.

For $188 per pax, guests can look forward to a degustation dinner paired with boutique American wines during this period. The wine pairing changes every night so go check out the list. I enjoyed the Beringer's Chardonnay very much.

Our Amuse bouche of Smoked salmon, cucumber with yogurt dressing and pear.

Amazing bread that is crispy on the outside and airy but doughy inside. We couldn't stop pinching this.

The Baked Red Beet Root was absolutely delish. This was certainly my favorite course. I love the mix of flavors and texture in this one. A light sourish Ricotta wrapped in sweet and crisp Feuille Brick Tarragon. An airy and innovative Chive meringue with arugula. Pieces of juicy sweet beetroot and some California dates with sea salt. Truly amazing dish.

Second course was the San Diego 'Mock Turtle Soup' which is made from braised US Black Angus Beef and Tongue to replace the actual turtle which was used in the past at the San Diego US Grant hotel. I was told that tongue has a similar texture to turtle (which i have never had). Robust flavors in this fish stock dish.  

Next was the Pan seared Albacore Tuna.

I'm not a huge fan of tuna but this was palatable enough. The meat was simply done and i could taste the freshness of it. The powdered brown butter was subtle but went very well with the fish. Oregon Pinot noir reduction and pickled strawberries and a purée of cilantro and sweet onion garnished and added interesting flavors to the dish. 

The Charcoal-Grilled Colorado Lamb Saddle was my other favorite. I've never had lamb that is so simply done and yet tastes this amazing. Chef used a Mediterranean style of pairing with the sweet dried fruit preserves which worked extremely well. 

We concluded lunch with the Almond Brown Butter cake with a milk confiture and apricot sorbet with caramelized white chocolate ice cream and black cherry beignet. The dessert was on the whole rather sweet except for the tangy sorbet and the lovely beignet which was like a tempura cherry. Nevertheless, great dense and moist texture from the cake and lovely caramel white choc ice cream.

Thanks Chef Chris for preparing the wonderful meal for us! :) 

On the Arts front, acclaimed artist and Paralympian swimmer Gregory Burns will also be showcasing his exhibition “An Insight to the Athlete’s Journey”.

The Whiffenpoofs, the world's oldest and best-known collegiate a cappella group from Yale, will also be performing at a recital in the majestic John Jacob Ballroom at The St. Regis Singapore on Saturday, 2nd August 2013 as part of the celebrations. The purchase of each ticket ($60) will see The St. Regis Singapore donating S$10 to UNICEF, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide's adopted charity. To enjoy the celebration in its entirety, you should get a seat at the St. Regis Midnight Supper, the gala dinner held at Brasserie Les Saveurs on 2nd August. This includes the front row seating at The Whiffenpoofs recital and the 5 course degustation menu by Chef Chris, complete with wine pairing. The St. Regis Singapore will be donating S$100 to UNICEF for every seat purchased at $288.

Giveaway I'm giving away 2 tickets to The Whiffenpoofs recital on 2nd August, 7pm. I'll be picking 1 winner using a random generator. To win the tickets, simply like and share this post (publicly) on my Facebook page (click here). Giveaway ends 1 Aug 2013, 12pm. Winner will be notified and you can pick up the tickets at The St. Regis Singapore. For more information on A St. Regis Arts Celebration- The American Kaleidoscope, visit their website at http://www.stregissingapore.com/arts-celebration.