Random Eats

The flavour stayed true to its name, with very pronounced earthy notes of coffee. It was very clear from the start that Gelatolabo spared no expenses in using good coffee. The butter biscuits, on the other hand, paled in its delivery. What came through was sodden bits of cookie mash (kinda like what you get at the bottom of the cup when you dunk your Oreo a little too long). I wished there was more chunk and bite to the cookie, which would lend a nice sweet balance to the bitter undertone of the coffee. Still good nonetheless, but probably not worth the price.

“I love you as much as meat needs salt,” goes the old folklore of Cap O’Rushes. This adage cannot be truer in this dish. It was hard to imagine that a dish like this would taste bland. Perhaps it was a case of a bad day in the kitchen, or a slowly malfunctioning sense of taste. Regardless, I was thankful that a good jerk of the salt shaker was all it took to salvage this dish.

(May 2021)

I wanted to enjoy this dish. I really do. This dish had great promise but ultimately failed to deliver.
I wished they were less literal and not serve standard toppings expected in laksa. The hard boiled egg was very out of place, sauce was a tad too runny and chicken slices were very random and odd.

This dish was served first and honestly thought Praelum couldn’t have done better (but was promptly proven wrong). Octopus was tender with the right amount of bounce. They were delightfully sauced and charred to a smokiness that was reminiscent of char siew (in a good way). I wished they took the spice level up, perhaps a dusting of paprika or a really mean sambal. Still an amazing start to a great dinner at Praelum.

(Jan, 2021)

Beneath the tongue twister of a name lies the silent killer of the night. It’s incredibly hard to nail pork jowl and this was done to absolute perfection. I preferred the meat on its own, but some may find it a tad salty. The sauce lends a tangy cut that balances it all out. A great dish to go with wine.

(Jan, 2021)

One can derive so much comfort from a dish so well cooked. Perhaps it was the weather, or an exceptionally dreary start to the year, but this dish was an equivalent of a nice warm hug I never knew I needed. Rice was perfectly cooked and sauce was earthy enough. I could sense a wee bit of restraint - they would have absolutely killed it with Porcini mushrooms, or a drizzle of truffle oil, or both. Very enjoyable, nonetheless.

(Jan, 2021)

Incredibly delicious. The pasta was coated with an amazingly seafoody sauce (imagine lobster bisque reduced into a sauce) and packed very generously with crabmeat, prawns and squid. Just a hair away from being over the top. Definitely a bang for your buck.

(Jan, 2021)

While still a definitive staple for me, I have actually managed to recreate this dish. And so can you! All one needs is conviction, self-belief and 2 packets of Prima laksa paste. Slightly pricey for what it is. Props for fat juicy prawns, but again, believe in yourself!

(Retrospective; 2019)

There is really no need to wax lyrical about the beef rendang at Violet Oon’s. It is categorically the best rendang in Singapore. While heavy is the head that wears the crown, VO has never once wavered in its quality in the countless times i have had this dish.

(Retrospective; 2019)

Full disclaimer: I don’t know what a gribiche is, and I know my photo is shit. But imagine walking into subway and ordering a CCT... Except that it wasn’t subway. It was heaven. And God himself was wrapping you this sammie. You tried pointing at the veggies but he slaps your finger away. Do not question the divine order! I don’t know where am I going with this analogy, but just take my word for it. This dish was the divine intervention I never knew I needed in my life.

(Review in retrospect; 2018)

My first impression of this pasta was that it was excessively salty, and leaned a tad heavily to the porky side. So dainty eaters please beware. The gaminess (which was v pronounced) balanced exceptionally with the house’s natural wine. I felt dirty after each bite, but the natural wine cleansed me in a baptism of flavours. I’ve tasted heaven and I am now telling you how. Please order this dish (and the wine. Ask for recommendations).

(Review in retrospect; 2018)

Remember Mathilda? When Roald Dahl wrote of a chocolate cake so devilishly delicious that the brutish Ms Trunchbull force fed Bruce Bogtrotter the entire cake as punishment for stealing a slice? Well... I feel you, Trunchbull. For if this were the chocolate cake, I would have done the same. A single slice would have been a delight, but to eat the cake whole in a single seating would have been an episode of heart-clogging horror.

(Review in retrospect; 2018)