2 Blur Guys

I came across a couple of strong recommendations about the burgers at 2 Blur Guys so with an unintentionally free Saturday morning, we decided to give it a shot. Apparently the place is helmed by Chef Jimmy Chok, who used to be from Bistro Soori.

The Place

The shop occupies a tiny unit along the fringe of Orchid Hotel and is easy to miss because of its unassuming decor. So keep a look out for it. Seats are a premium at the place and you are looking at probably 5-6 two person tables tops. That's about 12-15 people. Talk about uncomfortable dining.

Prime Beef Hamburger

The highly raved about prime beef burger. To be be honest, I thought it was average at best. The patty had plenty of fluids but the meat was chopped way too fine (machine perhaps?), which resulted in a dry, unsatisfying texture. To compound matters, the patty was seriously lacking in brovine flavour - a definite must for a good beef burger in my humble opinion. Don't even get me started on the buns, which were insipid and tasted like off the shelf stuff. However, I did like the gruyère cheese and truffle mayo, though I did think that they could be a little more generous with the truffle mayo. Oh and did I mention that the burger was small aka fillet o fish size?

Grilled Spice Chicken Burger

I didn't quite take to this burger as well as the thigh meat was a little too oily for my liking. I could make out some form of asian/indian spice (special spice mix according to their website) which didn't quite sit well with the curry mayo sauce in my humble opinion. It made the whole burger feel extremely greasy and I felt uneasy after finishing it.

Bill

What can I say? $23 nett for 2 burgers isn't really that expensive if you take it quantitatively. But quality was average at best and portions weren't exactly generous. I don't know about you but sorry, I definitely won't be back.


Final Verdict:

Ambience:6/10
Service:7/10 (no service charge but friendly enough)
Food:5.5/10
Value for money:5.5/10

Overall:6/10

Address: 1 Tras Link #01-13, Orchid Hotel

Contact: 6636 4183

Opening Hours: Mondays to Saturdays – 11am to 9.30pm

Website: http://twoblurguys.com/

Chinois 新華 Part II

As luck would have it, we found ourselves at RWS once again and decided to drop by Chinois for some quiet time (and food!) on a Saturday afternoon. It was probably one of the few places that wasn't jam packed with visitors and we were (un)lucky to snag a window seat (do know that your back is clearly visible from the outside of the restaurant if you sit next to the window).

Kurobuta Pork Rib with Vinaigrette

We started off with the customary roast pork dish and I must say that some pieces were a little too fatty for comfort this time round. I liked the crisp skin and moderate quantity of salt though.

Oven-baked “San Xian” Gyozas with White Wine Cream Cheese Sauce (白汁芝士三鲜锅贴)

I'm no big fan of gyoza so naturally I didn't quite take to this dish, although I must admit that it was quite different from what I had expected. The gyoza was soft and dipped into a concoction of cheese and tomato sauce. And honestly, that was all I tasted. Not a bad combination I must say... with bread that is.

Tofu with Crab Meat

This was a simple yet delicious dish. The tofu was mildly savoury and silky, drenched in a not too starchy gravy that boasted copious amounts of shredded crab meat and roe. And then there are the obligatory stalks of vegetable of course.

Braised Boston Lobster with Homemade Noodles

At the time of my visit, Chinois had a promotion for this dish as well as a couple of their signature dishes going at only $18++ - apparently a "very good deal" as our waitress candidly put forth. And I took her word for it. The truth be told, the noodles were a little too sweet (from the black sauce) for my liking. That aside, I appreciated the springy texture of the noodles and the fresh (and generous!) serving of fresh lobster.

Ramen with Live Prawn and Minced Meat Sauce

This was essentially 炸酱面 but with the addition of prawns. The noodles were springy while the accompanying meat sauce had a tinge of spice in it, making for a rather appetising eat. And not to forget about the huge duo of fresh, crunchy prawns that straddled both ends of the noodle roll. Simple yet satisfying.

Bill

After a 50% discount, the bill for lunch came to a very manageable $65 for 2, inclusive of drinks. Food quality was decent and ambience, relatively good. Service, though professional, could be a little less uptight, seeing that RWS is a family destination after all? One question perhaps. What's the point of a smart casual dress code when lots of people still turn up in shorts and flip flops?

See my previous entry on Chinois here.


Final Verdict:

Ambience:7.5/10
Service:7.5/10
Food:7/10
Value for money:6/10 (without 50% discount)

Overall:7/10

Address: #02-142/143 Hotel Michael, Resorts World Sentosa

Contact: 6884 7888

Opening Hours

Lunch: 12.00pm - 3.00pm (Last order 2.30pm)

Dinner: 6.30pm -10.30pm (Last order 10.00pm)

Website: http://chinois.com.sg/

Restaurant Ember V

Lunch was a most pleasant affair at Ember , especially when the both of us had the day off to slowly indulge at our own leisure. No dreaded after lunch meetings, no flights to catch. Nothing.

Complimentary Bread

Although I had the urge to go for third servings of this wonderfully delish bread, restraint was key in view of my exploding waistline. But if your stomach can afford it, don't be shy.

Pan Roasted Scallop with Parma Ham, Citrus and Tarragon Vinaigrette

Fresh greens doused in vinaigrette and served with lightly peppered/salted pan roasted scallops wrapped in parma ham. Simple yet appetising. If only they did something about the softness of the scallop. As far as scallops go, I still prefer the one at Mortons though.

Pan Seared Foie Gras with Caramelized Apples and Clove, Port and Raspberry Glaze

Quivery foie gras with a little salt crunch at the top, balanced out by semi sweet apples and raisins that helped to counter any nausea. Nice! I don't suppose I should be having too much of it though, for health reasons.

Pan Roasted USDA Prime Beef Tenderloin with French Fries, Merlot Reduction

Although I had requested for medium, the steak came a little overcooked - more like medium well really. But the flavours and texture were still intact so no complaints. The topping of mushrooms did seem a little dry this time round but thankfully the merlot reduction sauce managed to patch that up a little.

Marinated Cod with Black Miso, Sweet Peas and Herbed Potatoes

Although we have been to Ember quite a fair bit, this ever popular cod dish always proved elusive. But not this time. Being the first guests that afternoon, we promptly "reserved" a serving. Imagine our glee when we overheard a waitress informing another table that cod was out for that afternoon. But truth be told, it wasn't as fantastic as I had anticipated. Expectations are a killer I guess. Sure, the flesh was flaky and sweet with a smooth oily tinge but it was just so.... pedestrian, if I may say. Very much like the frozen cod fillet that my family usually has for dinner. I'll probably just stick to the Chilean Seabass next time.

Apple Tarte Tatin with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

You need a minimum of 2 pax to order this dessert and after much deliberation, we decided to keep faith with Ember and take the plunge. And it turned out pretty well. The crust was flaky and topped with sizable apple slices that spotted a nice caramel sheen. I did find the caramel a little too thick for my liking though (sticks to your teeth!). Best eaten immediately upon serving and with the vanilla bean ice cream of course.

Bill

At a mere whisker above the century mark for a wonderful 2 pax lunch, Ember has truly cemented its status as one of my favourite lunch venues.


Final Verdict:
Ambience:7/10
Service:7.5/10
Food:7.5/10
Value for money:7/10
Overall:7.25/10

Address: Hotel 1929, 50 Keong Saik Road

Contact: 63471928

Opening Hours:

Mon-Fri:

Lunch: 11.30am - 2.00pm
Dinner: 6.30pm - 10.00pm

Sat:

Dinner: 6.30pm - 10.00pm (Closed on Sundays)

Website: http://www.hotel1929.com/

Wan Hao (万豪轩) Part II

Wan Hao used to be a favourite with the family for quiet lunches and delightful dinners amidst the hustle and bustle of Orchard Road. However in recent times, standards have dipped and prices have ballooned, which naturally led to "diminishing returns". But as chance would have it, the 2 of us popped by for dinner after a hectic week at work.

Interior, Menu & Appetiser

Even though Marriott has recently completed a SGD 35 million renovation, Wan Hao has un(fortunately) been spared and the interior hasn't changed one bit. Which isn't bad in my humble opinion. The place still exudes exclusivity and a calming respite from the noise that plagues Singapore's main shopping belt (bar noisy families with kids of course).

Double‐boiled fish maw with conpoy, bamboo pith and cepe mushroom served in shark’s bone consommé

We started off with a bowl of shark bone soup which was nice when taken in moderate quantities. Flavourful without being overly milky and I could make out the richness of the dried abalone.

Roasted Pork

To give the roast pork credit, the skin had a resounding crackle to it but did look a little burnt. I liked that it was adequately salty sans the overwhelming pork taste.

Oven Baked Sea Perch Fillet with Parma Ham in Lime Sauce

I thought that this dish was very well executed. The flesh was firm and the lime sauce/Chinese parsley combination gave it a pseudo Thai feel. Most appetising!

Braised home‐made seaweed beancurd with shredded abalone, conpoy and mushroom

The homemade beancurd sported a crisp exterior with a layer of spinach atop, albeit coming across as rather bland. Enter the dried scallop and mushroom sauce which provided the necessary punch and didn't come across as too starchy.

Wok Fried Fresh Scallop Cubes with Tropical Mango in Fresh Milk and Egg Topped with Crab Roe served on a bed of Vermicelli

Though the description of this dish read delicious, the reality of things was that it was quite the flop. Way too watery with a sandy after texture. The mango cubes were sweet but overall a rather bland and confused dish in my humble opinion. Even the scallops couldn't help. To compound my disappointment, this used to be a dish that I liked quite a fair bit.

Four Treasures Fried Rice

When you have crab meat, BBQ pork, duck, tomato and conpoy all coming together in a plate of fried rice, there is really nothing you should be complaining about. And I'm not. The fried rice was flavourful with a fleeting wok hei. While the BBQ pork provided the necessary tinge of sweetness, the tomatoes imbued the dish with a tart finish. Nice!

Billhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

The cheque for 2 came up to just over $176. Pricey, if I may say. But great food overall, save for the egg white and mango dish. Standards seemed to have returned to the days of old. Well, almost.

See my previous age old review here.


Final Verdict:

Ambience:8/10
Service:8/10
Food:7.5/10
Value for money:6.5/10
Overall:7.5/10

Address: Singapore Marriott Hotel Level 3, 320 Orchard Road

Contact: 68314605

Opening Hours: 11.30am–2.30 pm, 6pm–10.30pm

Website: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-information/restaurant/sindt-singapore-marriott-hotel/

Hyang-to-gol Korean Restaurant - A Pictorial

Final Verdict:
Ambience:6.5/10
Service:5/10
Food:6.5/10
Value for money:6/10
Overall:6.25/10

Address: 2nd Floor, Amara Hotel. 165 Tanjong Pagar Road.

Contact: 62207160

Opening Hours: 11.30am–3pm, 6pm–10.30pm daily

Website: http://www.hyangtogol.net/