SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) - Andaz Singapore hotel has finally opened its doors.
And with that, we now have Alley on 25, a collection of food and beverage outlets (five restaurants, one lounge and one bar) on the same floor as the hotel lobby.
The restaurants are themed according to cooking methods, and the idea is that you can get any sort of cuisine on the menu,
So while Andaz Singapore does not have a Chinese restaurant, Auntie's Wok & Steam seems to fulfil that role.
The name Plancha'Lah tells you it is a grill restaurant (the "lah" is to localise it) and it serves mostly Japanese-inspired food.
My favourite concept there is the most straightforward. The Green Oven is literally named after a green Beech oven that is the centrepiece of the restaurant. The dishes are served family-style, all cooked inside the oven.
The star is the Half Spring Chicken ($25), with its irresistible combination of fragrant and tender chicken and flavourful sauce. The dish is basic but full of charm.
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The Green Oven at Alley on 25
- Where: Andaz Singapore, 5 Fraser Street
Open: noon to 2.30pm, 6 to 10pm, daily
Tel: 6408-1288
Another winner is the Braised Lamb Shank ($35).
A lamb-loving friend declared it the best lamb dish he has ever tasted.
I was less enthused about lamb and found this version just slightly gamey, but the other elements complemented it.
I love a good savoury sauce, and I suggest saving your bread to sop all of it up.
Some may not find the calories in the Lobster Mac & Cheese ($35) worth it. This felt like an oil slick. Thankfully, the lobster meat was chunky and sweet.
The Violet Eggplant ($20) was pleasant but forgettable.
Order this for that meal companion who always insists on a vegetable dish.
You will have to leave the Green Oven and move to its neighbour Icehaus for one of the best desserts available.
The Andaz Chendol Pop ($10) - created in collaboration with local ice cream popsicle maker Neh Neh Pop - comprises gula melaka coconut ice cream, red bean caramel and pandan white chocolate.
This is too delicious to pass up. It is rich, just sweet enough and utterly mesmerising.
And if eating just one dessert doesn't do it for you, order the light and airy pandan chiffon cake ($14).
With the restaurants being based on cooking methods, what would have made it better would be if you could order dishes from the different concepts to have a varied feast in one location.
So go with a like-minded eating partner, unless you are happy eating steamed food at one end while your friend is having something cool at the other.
