5 Places To Splurge On Food

The Short Review

Price Range: $50-$70

Nearest MRT: Botanic Gardens

Instagrammability: High -
Fine dining in the Dempsey forest.

Food:
1) Pan-Seared Foie Gras [$32.00++]
Essentially $19 per thick slab of foie, each piece is seared nicely & not overdone, though I'd prefer it to be slightly creamier. Still, foie's my weakness & this tastes good.
The poached white peach & pomegranate seeds added a nice touch of sweetness.

2) Seared Black Cod Filet [$42.00++]
Excellent sear on the cod, but the sautéed artichoke, with an almost pickled taste, kept sitting in the Beurre Meunière sauce & diffused an overpowering sourness to the rest of the components such as the cherry tomato confit.

3) Oven-Roasted Quail stuffed with Wild Mushrooms & Foie Gras [$42.00++]
Wasn't kidding when I said foie is my weakness.
The quail was almost perfectly handled, spilling its contents of diced, earthy mushrooms & a small slab of foie like a piñata upon gentle knife-probing. The pommes mousseline was good & cheesier than expected, but it's edged out by the one I tried at L'Atelier. All in all, superior to the cod.

Even The Entertainer can't save you from taking a financial beating, but Au Petit Salut's fare makes it quite worth the damage. Do note the enforced smart casual dress code; it's Dempsey, not Sunset Way.

Come Here: Again.

The Short Review

Price Range: $100-$120

Nearest MRT: Knightsbridge

Instagrammability: High -
Awesome food presentation & ambience, with customary fine-dining dim lighting.
To sample the world's now 7th Best Restaurant, set in the gloomy yet majestic confines of the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, reservations months in advance are highly recommended.

Food:
1) Meat Fruit [£17.50+]
Delicious Chicken Liver Pâté wrapped deceptively in Mandarin Gelée, this iconic DBH dish tastes as good as its simple facade.
Grilled bread could've been even better to match the wow factor of the pâté.

2) Octopus Frumenty [£18.00+]
Besides well-grilled octopus appendages & a likable, clear broth, I found the rest of the dish tasting rather weird, its sophistication beyond my appreciation.

3) Powdered Duck Breast [£36.00]
I really liked the duck, which had a texture similar to charsiew & an aftertaste of liver.
Complimented well with blood pudding.

4) Cod in Cider [£30.00+]
Decent chard sitting in a puddle of buttery cream, delicious onions & artichokes.

5) Chocolate Bar [£13.50+]
Lacklustre.

6) Brown Bread Ice-Cream [£13.50+]
A tart of interesting textures, though the combination of pear & malted yeast might prove to be an acquired taste for some.

7) Tipsy Cake [£14.50+]
Another DBH signature, this dessert is ridiculously good comfort food.
Upscaling McDonald's Cinnamon Meltz with brandy syrup & perfectly-roasted pineapple, this simple dish executed familiar tastes with 2 Michelin star precision.

The Short Review

Price Range: $25-$30

Nearest MRT: City Hall

Instagrammability: High -
Upscale ambience with innovative presentation make for great visuals.

Food:
1) Foie Gras Pastry [$18.00++]
One of my personal favourites.
Absolutely delicious, seared Foie on crisp, thin pastry.
Awesome enough to warrant a visit alone.

2) Clam Spheres [$14.00++]
Spheres are rarely worth the money.
This dish follows the same trend.

3) Parmesan Pizza [$12.00++]
Paperthin, crisp cheese base singlehandedly supports the strong flavours of olive oil caviar, dehydrated tomato powder & basil paste.
Another must-try tapas at anti:dote.

The Short Review

Price Range: $45

Nearest MRT: Bayfront

Instagrammability: Very High
Excellent, natural lighting, fresh oxygenated air.
You're in Gardens By The Bay.
These plants have better living conditions that you do.

Food:
1) Honey Macaron [$38.00 Tea Menu]
One of the best macarons I've ever tasted. Oddly purple, with light, aerated honey cream and a surprise pocket of liquid honey.

2) Scone With Jam [$38.00 Tea Menu]
Crisp, yet soft on the inside.
A quintessential British scone.

3) Eclairs [$38.00 Tea Menu]
Ample cream filling & the choice of chocolate crumb topping bucks the usual trend of a ganache.

4) Savoury Sandwiches [$38.00 Tea Menu]
Good but not memorable. Can I trade two of these for another macaron, please?

Check out my other list, "4 Unbeatable Food Deals", to find out how to make the best out of your visit to Pollen!

The Short Review

Price Range: $80-$340

Nearest MRT: Harbourfront

Instagrammability: Moderate
Dim lighting for some excellent decor. Beautiful pickled jars & exquisite cutlery add to the casual dining ambience.

Food:
1) La Caille [$288.00++ menu]
Quite delicious. Nicely-charred foie gras stuffed Quail with smooth, creamy mash.

2) "Escargot" Croissants [Free]
Absolutely amazing.
Light, crisp, buttery and fluffy.
Quite simply one of the best pastries in Singapore.
If you value your tastebuds more than your image, ask for the whole basket.

Their Seasonal Discovery menu changes over time, so check out this Michelin Star-less restaurant opened by the chef with the most Michelin Stars in the world.