CAFFE B'S UPDATED MENU
With Caffe B's recent move from Marina Bay Sands to Club Street, the Japanese-Italian restaurant has also refreshed its menu.
Start your meal with the Farmer's Egg ($12), with creamy clam espuma, shio kombu, sea urchin, lemon jam and chives; and espelette octopus salad ($16, above), with Spanish octopus marinated in espelette peppers served with burnt capsicum puree, wakame, champagne vinegar and brussels sprouts.
The octopus is grilled until tender and retains its smoky flavour, which is complemented by the puree and champagne vinegar.
The Farmer's Egg is also on the bar bites menu, along with Hiroshima Oyster ($15) - a plump oyster topped with wasabi foam, ponzu jelly, ikura and yuzu dressing.
I can never have enough pasta and risotto, so two dishes are right up my alley - Risotto Nero ($18), squid ink risotto tossed with butter and parmesan and served with seared scallop; and "Golden" angel hair cold pasta ($32), which is cappellini tossed with truffle oil and topped with sea urchin, ikura and shio kombu.
Both the pasta and risotto are cooked just right and the bits of yuzu peel and ikura in the cappellini add that burst of flavour to cut through the rich sea urchin.
This restaurant is definitely back on my foodie radar.
WHERE:64 Club Street MRT: Telok Ayer OPEN: 2pm - midnight (Mondays to Saturdays), closed on Sundays TEL: 6887-3311 INFO: www.facebook.com/CaffeB.Singapore
PERANAKAN HERITAGE AT THE CLIFFORD PIER
Peranakan chef Philip Chia reprises his guest chef stint at The Clifford Pier in The Fullerton Bay Hotel, serving up the very best of Peranakan cuisine with a la carte dishes (weekdays only, from $16), set menus and dinner buffets.
The lunch ($35 for two courses, $39 for three courses) and dinner sets ($68 for four courses) offer itek tim (duck soup with preserved salted vegetables and tomatoes) served piping hot - perfect to whet the appetite.
There is also a choice of main course. Options for lunch and dinner include babi tohay (braised pork belly in red rice yeast with lemongrass, shallots and garlic) and an aromatic ayam buah keluak (above).
Chef Chia says the babi tohay is a "forgotten" dish as it requires using fresh cincalok that has been fermented with brandy for a week.
The pork belly is tender and all I want is more of the savoury brandy-infused gravy to go with my rice.
For the lunch main, you can also pick gulai kambing (thick lamb curry with Thai Penang influences) and, for dinner, there is udang masak pedas nanas (pineapple prawn curry) as a third option.
Highlights from the weekend buffet dinner ($68) include fried seafood laksa chor bee hoon and buah keluak fried rice.
WHERE: The Clifford Pier, The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore, 80 Collyer Quay MRT: Raffles Place WHEN: Monday to April 13, noon - 2.30pm (weekday set lunch), 6.30 - 10pm (weekday set dinner), 6.30 to 10pm (weekend dinner buffet) TEL: 6877-8911/8912 INFO: www.fullertonhotels.com
PASTA DELIGHTS AT THE CLIFF
What was formerly known as ilLido at The Cliff is now known simply as The Cliff, a modern Italian restaurant with a more casual spin. Chef de cuisine Simone Fraternali still helms the kitchen and continues to dish out authentic Italian cuisine.
His signature pastas are a must-have, especially the spaghetti "alla chitarra" (guitar spaghetti) with smoky lobster ($42, above), where the pasta is handmade - pressed through a special tool that resembles guitar strings.
Other stand-out items are the beef cheek tortelli with parmesan cream and red wine sauce ($30); and pappardelle with pork ragout and rosemary ($24).
New to the menu are a selection of housemade pizzas with a light and crisp crust. Options include fior di latte cheese, mascarpone and truffle cream ($32); and smoked scamorza, balsamic Kurobuta pork jowl, caramelised onions and mushrooms ($26). The pizza crust is light and crisp.
And if you are not keen on pasta or pizza, go for the whole seabass with butternut, taggiasche olive and rosemary ($60), a simple but delicious and light dish.
WHERE: The Cliff, Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa, 2 Bukit Manis Road, Sentosa MRT: HarbourFront OPEN: Noon - 2.30pm, 6 - 9.30pm daily TEL: 6708-8310 INFO: E-mail H9474-FB5@sofitel.com
FOC PIM PAM'S REVAMPED MENU
After undergoing a revamp to its space and menu, Spanish restaurant FOC Pim Pam is just the place to be in Orchard Road - good food without the madding crowds.
Start with tapas items first, such as a refreshing cherry gazpacho ($8 on tapas menu, $14 on main menu); and crisp patatas bravas ($6 on tapas menu, $10 on main menu), which come as deep-fried potato millefeuille instead of the usual cubes or wedges.
Continue with dishes such as tomato tartare ($19), which is confit tomatoes mixed with chopped Morrocan caper berries, mustard mayonnaise, pickles and shallots and topped with tomato ice cream; and the must-have Iberico Secreto pork and mushroom paella ($33).
A show-stopper is the suckling pig ($130 for half, good for two to four people), which is served tableside and has a lovely crisp crackling and juicy meat.
Complete your meal with the quintessential churros (from $6), but my favourite is the refreshing lemon-shaped Lemon Lemoncello sorbet ($12, above).
WHERE: FOC Pim Pam, 01-29, 442 Orchard Road MRT: Orchard OPEN: Noon - 3pm, 5 to 11pm (Sundays to Thursdays), noon - 3pm, 5pm - 1am (Fridays and Saturdays) TEL: 6100-4242 INFO: E-mail reservations@focpimpam.com
Correction note: This story was edited for accuracy.
Book a meal at Caffe B, The Clifford Pier, The Cliff and FOC Pim Pam with Chope.
