It took me too long to visit Bacchanalia and i'm glad i finally got to have a taste of Chef Luke Armstrong's dishes at this one Michelin-star establishment, after their brand revamp. So yes, expect new menus, which i'm sure is as good, if not better than what it was before. The new menus focuses on using the best seasonal ingredients from around the world such as Australia, Japan, and France, and also Southeast Asian citrus and local spices. 

We went with the 4 course Seasonal Inspiration menu for dinner ($168) and took here is sharing our selection. 

First up, freshly baked chewy sourdough with a lovely crust, served with an airy french butter and seaweed butter. Had to stop myself from finishing the entire loaf!

Next, the Amuse bouche of Majestic Oyster Bavarois. Creamy Ireland oysters, prepared a la minute, served fresh with glistening Schrenki caviar. The cream is whipped with oyster and champagne and it's like having a sip of the ocean in every bite. 

Want that unicorn hair but still want smooth tresses still? I feel ya. It's hard to achieve the vibrant colors without bleaching your hair. After that one time of bleaching my hair say 2 years ago, i've been doing treatments every 1 - 2 months just so that it doesn't get all dry and tangly, especially with all the hot yoga that i do. 

K Gloss is a new hybrid treatment with multi-benefits, which helps to strengthen and smoothen your hair, especially brittle bleached ones. What it does is to rebuild the holes in your hair using proteins, amino acid, hydrolysed collagen. Think of it as a botox for your hair. 

What's awesome is that it's quite a fast treatment and could be done under an hour, or together with other treatments. Trust me when i say it's highly raved by celebrities, influencers, and normal folks like me. 

The treatment starts with a wash and blow dry, before application of the K Gloss treatment. After which, your hair would be blown dry and ironed. And that's it. 90% frizz will be eliminated and the treatment is said to last up to 4 months. That is if you DO NOT wash your hair and avoid sweating for the next 72h. Ok the first 72h is going to be a little unbearable because your hair will feel stiff with the dried up product in your hair.

I'm a critical person if i may admit so myself. Things that puts me off when it comes to food/restaurants in general- instagrammable food (since they can't score in the taste dept, why not make them look pretty at least), trends (think rainbow cake, bingsu, cheese toast, fusion etc.), and also strange names. Beast and Butterflies at M Social Singapore happen to fall into 2 of the above categories (Asian fusion and the weird thing thing), BUT they also made a successful attempt in changing my prejudice. 

If you must know, the menu is divided into 2 categories- 'Beast’ for hearty and bold flavors; and ‘Butterflies’ for lighter cooking styles to bring out natural flavors of the ingredients. Instead of Asian fusion, i would say that the food is traditional Chinese with an unexpected twist.

We started with a Tomato Latte ($9), possibly the most non Asian tasting dish we tried. The gazpacho was a refreshing palate cleanser with the tastes of capsicum, crunchy smoky bacon bits and basil oil pearls. 

The Scallop Carpaccio ($26) may sound Japanese or Italian but every bite was Cantonese. The Hokkaido scallops are thinly sliced, marinated with yuzu and sesame oil, and topped with shiso leaves, crispy flour bits and fried shallots. If you close your eyes and have this, you'd probably think that you're having cheong fun (steamed rice rolls). I love the umami flavors in this one! 

Another favorite was the Lobster Porridge ($38), which is perfect wet weather comfort food. The clear crab broth is simmered for eight hours to give that sweet seafood flavor. The bonito flakes add lovely smokiness to the soup as well. Other than lobster, there're also abalone slices in this Teochew style rice porridge.

Let the 2018 Chinese New Year feasting begin! Here's sharing some of my favorites from Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant at Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium. I had high expectations of the restaurant since the revamp (read my earlier food review of Xin Cuisine here) and Chef Chan Shun Wong did not disappoint. 

Toss your way to prosperity with the Salmon Yu Sheng with Fish Skin and Passion Fruit Yogurt Dressing ($78/$98). The tangy, refreshing, and crunchy dressing was perfect with the crunchy vegetables and deep fried fish skin. The salmon slices were of the sashimi cut and we really appreciated the generous serving. The yu sheng is also available for takeaway and you can choose from a variety of toppings.

How about suckling pig in a Peking Duck style? We had the indulgent BBQ Suckling Pig with Foie Gras, Yam and Japanese Cucumber, which was a crispy sandwich of the mentioned ingredients that were roasted and fried, sweetened by hoi sin sauce. Love the texture but it's on the oily side, especially from the battered and fried foie gras. Surprisingly, the foie gras provided a salted egg yolk type of flavor to each bite. 

I would think that the Home style Roast Duck with Tea Leaves ($68 whole duck) would be a better option. 

I've first had Wolfgang's Steakhouse USDA Prime Beef in their New York City home and there was nothing but praises for the affordably priced steaks that are delightful and HUMONGOUS.After many successful openings in dragons and phoenixes of Asia, Wolfgang Steakhouse has finally arrived in Singapore's current hottest district The Quayside at Robertson Quay. It is housed in the newly opened Intercontinental Singapore Robertson Quay.

  

The interior is reminiscent of the original New York institution with the warm and cozy walnut and mahogany colors. Absolutely inviting, especially over a bottle of wine. The selection at Wolfgang's is mostly from California but they do have some really expensive French wines like the Romanée-Conti which is S$25 grand a pop.

Start your night with some appetizers. I highly recommend the juicy and sweet Crab Cakes ($38) alongside the extra thick and smoky Sizzling Bacon ($12/slice).

Then, the main event. Wolfgang’s Steakhouse is known for its tender sub-primal cuts of prime USDA Black Angus meat, which are dry aged in a proprietary designed aging room for 28 days. The high-grade meat sourced for the restaurant possesses the large, evenly distributed intramuscular fat that is most suitable for the dry-aging process. Each piece of meat is rotated to receive regulated and constant airflow and, as the meat ages, its muscle tissue naturally breaks down to tenderize and produce a deep, concentrated flavor profile. As a result, each in-house butchered piece of meat has a distinctly deep and nutty flavor and the utmost tenderness. 

The meat is carved to size before fired at 1600-degrees Fahrenheit on a grill broiler to seal the meat’s juicy succulence and flavour.

It was a throwback to my gorgeous Greece holiday (read more about my itinerary here) when i stepped into the natural light-filled breezy space that is the newly opened Bakalaki Greek Tavern at Tiong Bahru. We heard that Bakalaki's kitchen is run by Greek Chef Spiros Palaiologos (formerly of Blu Kouzina) and they use traditional ingredients are sourced from Greek suppliers. A range of Greek wines and other specialty products like extra-virgin olive oil are also available here.

We started with a bottle of Avaton – Gerovassiliou ($86.90), a dry full-bodied red which consists 3 Greek red varieties. The wine held up well with the accompanying rich meats that we ordered. For starters, we had the Spanakopita (2pcs for $15.90), a Greek filo pastry filled with spinach, feta cheese, leeks and dill. We enjoyed the refreshing aromatics used in the filling though the dill was a tad overwhelming. 

We made it a point to not over-order and so the eggplant dip Melitzanosalata Agioritiki ($14.90) was forgone. I trust that the smoky spread with red peppers would go so well on the pita (which we also did not order, because carbs).

Moussaka ($25.90) it was for us because it's one of the defining dishes in Greek cuisine (at least for me). I ordered this at every opportunity i could when i was in Greece and i had the best one in Delphi (Epikouros Tavern). Bakalaki's version was a huge disappointment due to the overwhelming curdy béchamel sauce. There was hardly much of the tart tomato minced beef sauce to cut through the richness. The star of the dish should be the eggplant but i could hardly taste it. Skip the Moussaka and go for the crowd favorite grilled octopus Htapodi ($32.90) instead.

After a recent refurbishment, Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant at Holiday Inn® Singapore Atrium welcomes new Executive Chinese Chef Chan Shun Wong and his new dishes. I was hoping that the dining experience would be better than that forgettable Chinese New Year meal i had earlier in the year and I was not disappointed.

Dinner started with Xin's Signature Home-style Roast Duck with Tea Leaves ($32 half duck/ $58 whole duck). The mouth-watering perfume of the duck reached us before we saw the glistening bird. I can still hear the crackling of the skin as Chef was carving the meat for us. I expected the tea flavor in the tender meat to be pronounced but it wasn't as the the tea leaves were used in the smoking process prior to roasting. We also had stir-fried assorted mushrooms with white truffle oil ($10/portion) to accompany the duck and it brought out the earthy smoky flavors. 

I thought the Poached Clams Xin Cuisine style ($22/ $33/ $42) was cooked with the duck bones a la Peking Duck dining format as the soup tasted very meaty (like salted duck soup). However, there was none! We concluded that our taste buds could have been deceived by the preserved vegetables, ginger and Chinese wine, which are also typically used in a salted duck soup. The broth was tasty but overpowered the light sweetness of the juicy clams (if that's what you're looking to taste in this dish).

I enjoyed Chef's version of the typical deep fried prawns with <insert fruit/veg/egg> mayonnaise. Xin's cuisine serve their lightly battered and succulent prawns with a light and refreshing yuzu mayonnaise that isn't too rich in texture ($10 per pax/ $26/ $39/ $50). I thought the cornflakes were going to be part of the batter but turns out they were just purposeless sprinkles on the side.

Robertson Quay is undergoing some serious revival with new hotels and changes in the food scene along the river. A homegrown favorite SPRMRKT has expanded and set up shop at the Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI) Creative Workshop & Gallery. I've walked past several times but only noticed their bistro concept SPRMRKT Daily. Little did i know that their Kitchen & Bar, which serves refined European food, is tucked away upstairs through a side stairway.

The spot is absolutely gorgeous in the day with expansive views of the idyllic riverside. Lunch sets are offered, starting from $30, served with coffee or tea. They have also started their weekend brunches and we say grab a table now!

For lunch, start with a simple but wholesome Brussels & Roots with a honey clove dressing. The vegetables are simply steamed- golden baby beetroots and baby turnips along with the Australian Brussels sprouts. The garden of greens is flavored with pops of umami from the slow-baked tomatoes seasoned with thyme, garlic, sea salt and olive oil.

For lunch, go for a lighter Pan-Roasted Chilean Sea Bass. The fish is seared and basted with butter, then finished in the oven with a simple touch of salt, pepper, and lemon juice. A refreshing ratatouille adds a juicy crunch to the mix. We agreed with the chicken stock flavored polenta which was rich and velvety with some Parmesan sharpness.

What was once The Forbidden City is now VLV Restaurant, a restaurant- club lounge- courtyard-riverside dining spot. Well let's just focus on their food shall we?  restaurant that focuses on traditional Cantonese flavours.  Executive Head Chef Martin Foo whips up modern plates that take reference from traditional Cantonese flavors in his menu, and the restaurant has launched three new Lunch Sets—‘Creations’ ($48/pax; min 2 pax), ‘Tasting’ ($98/4 pax; max 2 sets/grp), and ‘Signatures’ ($138/4 pax; max 2 sets/grp).

From the Signatures menu, the cold starter Aburi Kagoshima Kurobuta Roll did not impress (a little dry) as much as Calamari Rings. Do not scoff at fried food. With a crunchy batter and thick juicy rings of squid, how can I not fall in love with these golden rings?

The radioactive green Crab Meat Spinach Soup may put you off but it's rich and tasty, and definitely green. 

Steamed to the precise second, the Coral Trout Head & Belly had me going for second third helpings. Fresh and chunky white fish dressed in black garlic and black bean, and garnished with Chinese coriander may be typical of a Cantonese steamed fish, but the charm was the surprise silky sheets of beancurd skin beneath the fish!

Traveling takes a toll on my hair- sun exposure, harsher water, hotel shampoo (because it's to troublesome to bring my own). After all the traveling in the first quarter of the year, i headed to Silkcut Salon to give my hair some TLC. This time, Wendy recommended their latest Japanese Milbon Deesse 4 Step Treatment to moisturize my dry and unruly hair post Niseko snowboarding. 

Catch the God of Fortune mascot as you dine at Furama RiverFront this Chinese New Year! With fun activities planned to entertain guests, you can expect an interesting reunion celebration while tucking into the buffet spread at The Square.

Cleanse the stomach with Double boiled Sakura Chicken with Winter Melon, Dried Scallop & Honshimeji Mushroom. 

The natural sweetness of the ingredients shine through in this light and healthy bowl.

The Square’s signature Wok Fried Coffee Pork Almond Flakes is available at this buffet too. If only it tastes as good as it smells. The meat could do with longer marination for the flavors to be infused.

It's about two months to the end of 2016 and i'm gonna put it out there and declare Fat Lulu’s Asian Barbecue & Dessert as my favorite brunch spot of the year. This wild child is given birth by the dynamic duo Sam and Song (who founded and rebranded Five & Dime in the same River Valley Road spot) and boy is it a 360 deg change that is certainly a breath of fresh air in the F&B scene.

Wicked BBQ. Smooth Desserts. They are as distinct as day and night but they complement each other perfectly. Chef Sam helms the #NoBurnNoTaste charcoal BBQ, blasting kickass flavors into meats, fish, and vegetables seasoned with Asian spices and chillis. On the other hand, Chef Song presents desserts of refined delicacy that are technique-driven and visually arresting. Here is practically all the brunch items that you can feast on at Fat Lulu's (we only missed 2). 

For a punchy kickass breakfast, go with the Croque Tambi ($18). There’s a murtabak-styled omelette, doused in sriracha, Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and slices of pan-seared meaty Scarmoza cheese, all sandwiched between homemade burnt-on-the-grill ciabatta bread. It’s a delicious mess you wanna get into. Cool off from the heat with the side of raita (an Indian style salad) made with cucumber, pineapple, and coriander. 

Every bite of the Fried chicken with pancakes ($22) was a party in our mouths! There's the spicy pseudo-thai style gula melaka chili sauce; tangy slaw of red cabbage with apples in Kewpie mayo; succulent fried chicken that has been brine overnight; sweetened by some light fluffy pancakes.

Another winner is the hearty and comforting Lamb Meatballs ($23) with tomato sauce, fava beans, soft eggs and papadum. The spiced up meat balls (flavored with cumin, fennel, cardamon, and onions) are cooked in a tomato sauce that reminded us of chili crab sauce. We were happy to mop all the sauce with the crunchy toast.

Feel that the dishes are too heavy for brunch? Well to play it safe (but certainly not boring), there's the delicious Bacon and Eggs ($22). Boy do we love that smoky thick cut slab bacon with with a blooming flower of creamy scrambled eggs. Layer them on top of the crunchy garlic-sour cream toast and you'd be sent to breakfast heaven with one bite.

We have all our Mexican cravings satisfied by the Loco Group which is now dishing out our favorite tacos from 3 different lovely locations at Lucha Loco at Duxton, Super Loco Robertson Quay, and now the latest at Super Loco Customs House. 

Let's start with the original Lucha Loco, the super chill Taqueria and Garden Bar. Have the winning combination of Elotes and Taco Pescado Snapper ($11) here. 

Juicy cobs of Mexican street style grilled corn topped with chipotle mayo, spices and cotija cheese are excellent snack bites to be chased after by tequilas and cocktails. And whenever ready, the fish taco will fill up the tummy.

Want to chill by the river, then Super Loco Robertson it is, best accompanied by the Alitas De Pollo ($16). It’s better than those Korean wings, imo. Sweet and spicy sums up the wings, though an oversimplification. There’s chipotle, red chilli, pickles, lime and crema, and the subtler spices of coriander seeds, white and black peppers, paprika and salt in the seasoned flour that is used to coat the wings overnight. These mouth-watering wings are amazing and they fly off the plate. Don’t forget the tipple!

Mondo Mio, one of the long-standing restaurants at Robertson Quay, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a freshly revamped menu and off-the-menu specials to showcase the flavors of Southern Italy. Till 15 December 2016, you will be treated to a celebratory four-course set menu priced at just $45 per person. Of course, there is always the a la carte menu if that’s your preference.

Go straight for the mains we say as the starters are nothing special. Pizza con Rucola Pesto ($22) is a standout at Mondo Mio. The homemade pizza dough is topped with rocket pesto, mozzarella, salami, ricotta and cherry tomatoes, and yes! Rucola is used in the pesto instead of the usual basil.

Love homemade pastas and seafood? Gnocchetti in Salsa di Scampi, Zafferano e Gamberoni ($28) is a dish that might suit your tastebuds. Served with prawns, the homemade gnocchetti is cooked in grainy scampi sauce with seafood stock and saffron, resulting in a rich sauce akin to lobster bisque. The gnocchetti is al dente, with enough bite that I love, although I can imagine it to be a jaw exercise for some.

Another homemade pasta dish available is the silky tagliatelle, tossed in unique eggplant sauce that could have easily been mistaken for cream with such viscosity! Tagliatelle Fatte in Casa con Crema di Melanzane e Cicale ($26) is served with sautéed crayfish. Not the freshest crayfish, but manageable with the robust sauce. It is an additional option for those who love pastas sans cream.

Located along a row of old shophouses, COO Bistro is housed within the grounds of COO Boutique Hostel. It stands out from its immediate neighbors with its funky exterior and you simply can’t miss it! Step into COO Bistro and you are greeted with COOl funky images and nuggets of Tiong Bahru’s history. It does feel like a walk down memory lane, COO-ing over the familiar sights and reminiscing the yesteryears.

Back to the present. In line with its ‘Glocal’ branding, COO Bistro does a new edgy interpretation of famous traditional fare that resonates in Tiong Bahru neighbourhood. (‘Coz few people are willing to fork out twenty bucks on a typical plate of hokkien prawn mee or a fan of charcoal flamed satay.) You might think gimmicky, but I think not. COO Bistro hits the brief.

A trio of roasted pork belly, grilled chicken satay, salt and pepper fish, Tiong Bahru Platter ($28) is a board of familiar flavors. The tender roasted pork belly has the crackling skin; the salt and pepper barramundi reminds of the fried fish chunks in fish noodles; and the grilled chicken satay is a chunky interpretation of satay. The satay sauce sure got me hooked.

COO’s Prawn Noodles ($18) may not be the soupy prawn noodles that you grew up eating, but it is equally flavorful. A slightly spicy dish of al dente fettuccine and juicy fresh tiger prawns, the spice lover in me approves.

The European Category was certainly one of the highlights of the Weekender Food Mania Awards 2016. When i saw the nomination list that is! Of course i expected to check out hot favorites like Andre and Joel Robuchon during the judging BUT unfortunate things happen ALL THE TIME and food judges don't get to choose what they want to taste. So here is a quick highlight of the 3 restaurants that we judged- Bread Street Kitchen, Stellar at 1-Altitude, and Cafe Iguana.

Bread Street Kitchen- Bay Level, L1-81. The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
Gordon Ramsay is one hated man by people in the food industry (jealousy perhaps) and given the flake that he has received for Bread Street Kitchen Singapore, I did not bother checking it out, which was a mistake thankfully corrected by the Weekender FMA judging! 

Bread Street Kitchen Singapore is modeled on the London original, and offers classic British European fare with a lovely waterfront view. The starters fared better than the mains and the refreshing slightly ginger spiced Sea bass fillet carpaccio ($21) with avocado puree; and tangy garden party that is the Tomato Tart ($24) tantalized our tastebuds. The Tamarind spiced chicken wings ($18) left us craving for some Korean Fried Chicken however. 

I also adored the crunchy cracker-like Flatbread ($28) with caramelized onion, ricotta cheese, San Daniele ham and green asparagus. It's a super thin cracker pizza wonderfully balanced with the sweet onion jam, creamy cheese, and that nutty asparagus. 

Are you a Laksa fan? If you are, then you gotta head over to The Square Restaurant at Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay! From now till end June, the family-friendly buffet restaurant will be having their first themed dinner buffet of the year called Fusion Flavours with their signature ‘Laksa Bar’! Giveaway details at the end of the post!

It was a crazy laksa fusion experience for us actually and I've not had so many Laksa dishes in years! Do not miss the laksa burger (slider size) which consist a buttery brioche bun sandwiching a succulent fish and prawn patty mixed with curry leaves and laksa spices. A fragrant pesto accompanies it and you can smell the lifting perfume of the laksa before the flavors explode in your mouth. Think of it as a denser otah! 

At the Laksa bar, check out the many Laksa fusion dishes! Pick from the rich and cheesy Laksa Risotto, Laksa Pasta, poached Mussels with Laksa and more. I liked the Laksa Malibu, which is an extra gao laksa with more coconut and spice, and it also has a mee rebus like nuttiness. It took me a lot of restrain not to devour the whole bowl! Pick your mix of mussels, prawns, fishballs, fried beancurd, egg and noodles, before handing it over to the chef for your piping hot bowl of laksa creation. 

Gratin oyster with Laksa sauce anyone? This combination works strangely with the plump creamy oysters and a slightly cheesy laksa sauce. 

Other inventive fusion dishes include the Nasi Lemak/ Laksa Risotto (the latter was a bit gelat) served with Strawberry Sambal, Chicken Rice Arancini (crunchy morsels lacking in chicken rice flavor...

The Gula Melaka Pork Belly was a salty sweet and rather tender! This was quite a hit. :)

Meaty Crabs in Rendang Sauce. The selection of dishes isn't spectacular, but much thought has gone into the creation of the dishes and some really did work very well. 

Have you had fusion desserts before? I thought these were kinda on the funky side. Wasabi Butter Cake, Black Pepper Mousse, and Laksa Panna Cotta anyone? 

Not all worked of course but I adored the creamy smooth Risotto Truffle Cheese Cake; dense Pumpkin & Cinnamon Bread Butter Pudding; and that melting Ginger Chocolate Fudge Cake. 

Family friendly prices as well at The Square Restaurant at Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay.

Daily Dinner buffet (6-10pm) goes for:
Adult: $58

Child (5-12 years old): $29

Senior Citizen (above 55 years old): $40

Here's a giveaway for you guys. 3 dining vouchers for the Fusion Flavor Buffet Dinner up for grabs.

First Winner:

1 x Free Fusion Flavor Buffet Dinner voucher for 2 pax

Second Winner:

1 x $50 Off Fusion Flavor Buffet Dinner voucher (min. 2 pax)

Third Winner:

1 x $50 Off Fusion Flavor  Buffet Dinner voucher (min. 2 pax)

All dining vouchers to be utilised by 30 June 2016. 

To participate:
1. Look out for my IG post with the Oyster Gratin
2. Repost it and tag @msskinnyfat and @novotelsg
3. Use the hashtag #novotelsg
4. Follow @novotelsg
Giveaway closes 13 Jun 6pm! Novotel will be picking the winners and contacting you directly.   

The Square Restaurant 

Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay

177A River Valley Road, Singapore 179031

Tel: +65 6433 8790