Open Door Policy

Dropped by Open Door Policy at Tiong Bahru for a quick brunch today, and this is what K and I had!  The restaurant was decorated tastefully and has a decent selection of dishes (they have a brunch menu and a full menu), but we both felt a little let down by the quality of food and that the price was too steep for those that we tried.

ODP Pancakes with blackberries & chocolate  ($22)

I ordered this from the brunch menu and when it arrived, we were pretty excited because the fragrance of the chocolate was strong and tantalising.  The pancakes are not like those you find elsewhere - they were a more moist version of a fusion between buttery flat pancakes and English muffins.  It was surprising and the texture was decent.

The chocolate sauce was not as strong as its smell or colour, although the blackberries were cooked well such that they were not as sour as when they are eaten raw.  I would say it was a fun new dish to try, but I would not order it again because the chocolate was a letdown and the price seemed unjustified.  It would have been nicer with streaks of dark chocolate and some whipped cream on the side instead of just splashing it with milk chocolate - just a few added touches would have been nice.

6/10

Skirt at W Hotel - Sentosa Cove

I am finally back in sunny monsoon season Singapore for my Christmas break!  Feels amazing to be home, and I've been going on a whirlwind tour of my favourite restaurants and places ever since touching down.

K brought me to a steakhouse that I haven't been to yesterday evening and it was a refreshing getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city.  Skirt is the perfect place to bring your date if he or she likes spending a good two hours sitting around and just soaking in the surroundings.  I mean, just look at the decor of this place!  From those dramatic lantern-looking lights to wooden cutting boards hanging behind us.  It was quite a sight to behold - every wall was covered with some kind of display or dramatic curtains that hung from the top of this restaurant's very high ceiling.

On a side note, I do see why 'staycations' have been becoming more popular nowadays after taking a stroll around W Hotel and Sentosa Cove.  K commented that for once he felt like he was in a different country, and I couldn't agree more.  Admiring the nearby developments that had tranquil views of the south coast and just strolling along with nothing and no one but the sea breeze for company ended off my night wonderfully.  It truly felt like a short getaway to a quiet island, and I won't be forgetting that feeling in a long while.

L'Enclume

Date of visit:  4 April 2013

L'Enclume is a Michelin two-starred restaurant helmed by Chef Simon Rogan located in the quaint Cartmel, Cumbria.  My group of friends and I planned our Lake District vacation around two Michelin restaurant lunches.  

This was the first Michelin meal of our trip and we had it the day after climbing Scafell Pike.  It was a welcome change from being in the middle of beautiful unexpectedly snow-covered peaks and a wonderful reward for doing well on the climb!

The reward:  Feeling on top of the world :)

The beautiful contrast between colours of the ground, snow and the clear blue sky.

Our six-course lunch menu, consisting of two appetisers, mains and desserts each

I found this dining style refreshing as the other Michelin restaurants I'd been to so far all had quite a few options to play around with.  I would sometimes be quite overwhelmed by the many enticing names and descriptions, but for this meal I could just sit back and enjoy whatever the team presented to us.

According to the service staff, this lets them serve us the freshest produce from their garden for that day and I personally feel it lets the chef show off his planning and presentation skills to great effect.  I for one was more than happy to let the chef take charge.

Chez Bruce

Date of visit:  15 February 2013

Early this year, two friends of mine and I went to Chez Bruce for a nice lunch to celebrate Valentine's Week.  I know it's only meant to be Valentine's Day, but when celebrations of love are in order, why not extend it to a week, especially since there's going to be good food and company?  ;)

The three of us unanimously agreed that it has to be one of the most value-for-money Michelin meals we've had.  It may have only gotten one star in the Michelin guide, but good food doesn't have to be expensive and/or come in tiny portions.  It was a bonus for us that the restaurant is located between Zones 2 and 3, so it was somewhat a half-day trip out.  It provided some respite from the hustle and bustle of Central London and a short break from the rigour of our university course!

Exterior of the cosy restaurant