European Restaurants

On a lookout for restaurants in quaint heritage architecture surrounded by lush greenery? I know I do, and I found out that besides the famous Dempsey Hill and Botanic Gardens, there is also Rochester Park, which is like a Dempsey Hill in Buona Vista. This area is like a perfect respite from the city buzz, lots of foliages and the buildings there are mainly bungalows, which are distinctive and have a certain charm to them.

Gary's is one of the 2-storey restaurants housed in these bungalows, and its interior is so beautiful, especially the mezzanine balcony that takes my breath away. With the good service and awesome food, dining at the balcony really feels like a pure enjoyment in life. And the way the staffs celebrate birthdays is absolutely impressive, eye-catching while still classy. The reveal on details will come later.

Set lunches here come at a nice price of $38 ~ $58, but I decide to go for à ala carte since quite a number of items in there are too tempting for me to skip in favour for set lunch.

Red Prawn Tartare is a luxurious treat full of umami. The diced raw red prawns is so creamy and sweet, complementing the buttery, briny goodness of the uni. The caviar and ikura introduces refreshing, intense essence of the ocean to uplift the creaminess. I love this so much.

Pan Seared Foie Gras is so perfectly prepared. The thin seared crust holds within it a rich, buttery, almost jelly-like core. The taste is so sublime. It tastes even better with the onion chutney, the sweet pear, tangy aged balsamic and dashes of rock salt.

Iberico Pork Jowl is very well-cooked, being super tender and juicy. It has a gamey flavour that will transform into a rich taste when slathered with the sweet, refreshing carrot puree. It tastes delicious when paired with the carrot puree.

The Lava Cake really holds lots of lava in its centre. The moment I scoop out a piece of the cake from the side, the lava start oozing out. This is so decadently good. And pistachio ice-cream actually goes better with lava cake than the usual vanilla one.

The main floor of the restaurant is posh and modern, and the mezzanine balcony embraces the nature while still having the comforts of an air-conditioned environment. Both are great for dates and gathering. I love the balcony so so much that I'm so glad I arrived earlier than other guests to take some great pictures of the place. The balcony area is full house a little past noon on a Friday afternoon.

The service is very meticulous, professional, warm and friendly. And the ladies are full of smiles. The way they celebrate special occasions for patrons is so unique and definitely worth a visit here just for this. I saw them serving the dessert on a very huge stylish rectangular platform to a couple nearby. And then, they light up the candle that burns like a sparkle! The sparkle looks so pretty. They even take photos and print one out for the couple. I'm really impressed.

This is definitely one place that worth a visit just to pamper oneself and the loved ones with lovely ambience and great food, or to have a special celebration. I want to go there again to submerge in the idyllic atmosphere with lots of greenery and try other food items that look very promising.

Thoughts: Beautiful Experience

I had always been curious about Greek cuisine, but never got around to trying until now. And a meal at Bakalaki made me realise how much I had missed out on. Better late than never. Greek food is very different in taste from French and Italian food, but it is delicious, simulating, filling and hearty nonetheless. And dining here feels like being transported to a sunny town in Greece.

Navigating through a Greek menu is so exciting because I can't understand a word of it and it's my first time 😂 Luckily, there are English "subtitles" beneath each dish for me to make an informed choice. I decide to order Tzatziki at first look because one, I think I saw this word before, so it should be a pretty famous Greek dish, and two, I like its ingredients of Greek yoghurt–best yoghurt, cucumber, garlic and olive oil. The service team lead is very thoughtful to suggest two dip platter instead, so that I can try another kind of dip and I, as a solo diner, will not be overwhelmed by huge amount of one of kind of dip. I opt for Taramosalata, which is white cod roe with lemon juice and breadcrumbs.

Tzatziki is so creamy and refreshing in taste. The tangy flavour of the yoghurt complements the cool element of cucumber so well. The garlic adds a hint of distinctive aroma to further spice things up. Spread it on the delicious pita bread with pillowy interior, this is pure comfort food, with lots of zest.

Taramosalata is more intense in taste. Not bad, but I prefer Tzatziki, which totally whets the appetite.

Super fluffy bread with crusty exterior is a joy to much on. This is the first time I try bread sprinkled with rock salt and oregano, and I love it.

I get a shock when Htapodi, aka the Octopus, is presented onto my table. My first thought is, "Is it possible for me to finish this?" And to add on to it, I'm not even a fan of octopus.

But this dish manages to convert me into a fan, and I know now why this is a speciality of the restaurant. The octopus is unbelievable tender. In fact, this is the most tender octopus I ever have, baby octopus aside. Slightly chewy but still easy to bite, packed with light briny flavour accentuated by splashes of lemon juice, and laced with a thin layer of smoky taste and charred meat, this is oh-so-good. By the way, I easily finish every bit of this.

Galaktoboureko, which is flaky thin Filo Pastry stuffed with semolina custard and Greek honey syrup, looks simple and is simply yummy. Semolina is a kind of durum wheat used to make this custard that is slightly different from the usual custard. This custard has more structure and is more curd-like in texture, I like it. And it pairs excellently with the slightly stretching thin pastry.

The place is beautiful: full of little details, like the bird-like lamps, the bougainvilleas, the straw-hat lamps, ratan chairs, , white-washed walls, full-panel glasses to let lots of natural light in to add to the dining experience. It reminds me of the famous Greek island, Santorini that I see in the photos.

The service is very good, being polite, professional, friendly and prompt to response. The team lead guy takes very good care of me by informing me to order dessert later and offering to hold my order of chicken skewers due to the possibility of me not being able to finish everything. And true enough, due to the generous portions of food, I have to limit what I can order. I'm really impressed by this thoughtfulness.

There are other food items that I really want to try here, not to mention a dining experience here really perks up my interest in Greek cuisine, so I look forward to be back again.

Thoughts: Greek food is awesome!

Unlike most diners, I actually went to Latteria's Mediterranean sister restaurant Thirty9 first before coming to here. On my way to Thirty9 and enjoying the feel of walking down the rarely found cobblestone pavement, I took a look at Latteria al fresco dining area, I love the idyllic European vibe of the place, and I made a goal to come here before Chinese New Year. And I did, right on CNY eve and got a nice surprise here 😉

Since at a Mozzarella Bar, I know I got to order some wet cheese balls, which are this place's speciality–can hardly get them elsewhere in Singapore. I opt for Burratina Affumicata, which is Smoked Burrata with Porcini Mushrooms and Basil Pesto.

I want to try this since I have never eaten burratina or burrata in its entirety before. This is mozzarella cheese wrapping around a creamy filling of curb and fresh cream. I love this at first bite because it is so creamy and buttery with an iota of milky, grassy flavour plus stretchy texture from the mozzarella. The smoked surface of the burratina adds an extra dimension to the taste. The creaminess of the cheese goes excellently well with the strong flavours of tangy tomatoes, earthy taste of mushrooms and the pungent basil pesto. A dish full of zest and flavours.

For pasta, I get Linguine al Granchio since I like its ingredients of Crab Meat and Mascarpone. This is fresh Tomato Sauce added too for the zest in taste. Rich in taste due to the mascarpone, this is pure comfort food. I actually prefer linguine over spaghetti since the flat surface of the linguine yield a smoother feel when eating it. Personal preference, of course. The restaurant is pretty generous with the shredded crab meat. And besides the shredded meat, I can actually find morsels of sweet briny crab meat, which is a delight to savour.

Despite being pretty full–due to the generous portions of food, I still make some space in my tummy for Latteria’s Cheesecake. This is an awesome combination of Buffalo Ricotta Cheese for creaminess and light nutty flavour, Lemon for zest, Strawberry Compote for tangy taste, Basil-Coulis for extra kick and Strawberry Sorbetto for floral notes in frozen form. Just right in the sweetness and sourness of taste profile, I enjoy this dessert so much.

This is the surprise I'm talking about. I'm so glad that I visit this restaurant before CNY to get this special message. This nice little gesture is so thoughtful.

The al fresco area is perfect for lounging around and enjoying the lush greenery lining the perimeter. Majority of the patrons actually opt for al fresco dining.

The interior of the restaurant is classy and cozy. Great for romantic dates and family gatherings.

I like both the al fresco area and the interior dining area. Both have distinctive styles to make for a very conducive place to enjoy good food. Service is great too, especially the lady staff, who is very friendly and takes the effort to advise me on the portions of the food, which is a huge concern for solo diners like me.

I really like the food here, and it is great place to hang out at to just enjoy good things in life.

Thoughts: Cool place to enjoy Italian fare and specialty of mozzarella

Nicholas Le Restaurant really caught my attention from the list of French restaurants that popped up on my search engine. I guess it's the menu, the charm of an intimate setting of the place and the passion the chef has for in his restaurant. And at here, I get to savour amazingly good and authentic French food.

I love every dish of the Tasting Menu that is cooked to perfection, holds a myriad of subtle flavours and has dimension in textures. And Chef Nicholas even goes the extra mile to search through his stash of wines in the walk-in wine cellar and wine cooler to get one to pair with my meal. In fact, he does this for every wine-ordering patron in the restaurant. Now that is passion. So if here, order some wines for the personalised service of wine selection.

Organic Hen Egg 'A La Coque' is perfect match with Iberico Ham. The smooth, half-boiled, jelly-like egg white, the runny, creamy egg yolk, the paper thin, slightly chewy, flavourful Iberico ham and the broth create a delicious juxtapose of complex flavours and textures.

Even the bread here is good. The exterior is baked until super crispy while the interior is super fluffy.

Vichyssoise Soup and Crunchy Pastilla of Obsiblue Prawns both blow me away with how delicious they are.

As for the Scallop, it is very plump and succulent, the taste of ocean contained within the scallop.

Pan Seared Otoro with Linguine and Clam Sauce looks simple, but the taste is complex and full of umami. In addition, the linguine is al dente 👍.

Iberico Pork is so tender that it is unbelievable for pork steak. I love the variety of sauces, plus pan fried chopped garlic, to go with the pork. All are so good.

Dessert is another fine example of good balance of flavours, such as sweetness and tanginess, nice play on textures between the chewiness, creaminess and fluffiness. A nice one to end the meal with.

The interior of restaurant is of classic French style with red plush sofa, dark wooden furniture and hanging lamps. The place feels very intimate and cozy, perfect for a romantic date or a nice gathering with friends to enjoy good food. The open kitchen shows the chefs in action, which is cool. Service is outstanding: very professional, polite and knowledgeable about the food.

The food here is really amazing, where the focus is on skilful preparation and right combination to bring out the best of the ingredients. I can't wait to be back again to enjoy authentic French food prepared with lots of passion.

Thoughts: My favourite French Restaurant

I got to notice Wine and Chef when I passed by this restaurant and stole a quick peek at the menu. I liked the variety and then made a mental note to find out more about this place. I got more interested in it as I found out more. So finally coming here is like fulfilling a wish made almost a year ago. And a nice wish it is because the food is so good and comforting.

Iberico Pork Jowl is so beautifully grilled to have a lace of char while retaining the meat juices to keep the meat tender and moist. Good to be eaten on its own and also good to be eaten with the slightly tangy jaew sauce. I love this so much.

Scallop Capellini features sweet, plump, succulent Hokkaido sashimi scallop, pops of umami from the flying fish roe and very flavourful capellini, which is is a bit like our local favourite, mee kia. A very well-executed dish.
Venere Rice Pudding has the creamiest coconut ice cream that I totally love. The black rice adds the wholesomeness to the dessert. And there are edible sparkles added that will set off mini "fireworks" in the mouth. Lots of cackling and pops ensured when biting into them, which is very interesting.

This place is like a very cozy, comfortable den where the locals and expats hang around to enjoy good wine and good food that is prepared European style, with a bit of local twists. The service is very good, being polite and efficient. The food has elements that will cater well to the locals' taste buds and still appeal to non-locals. This is one place I will recommend to anyone wanting to take the first step into trying European style cuisine. I'm really impressed with the food here, not fancy but very delicious. There are other items in the menu I can't wait to try.

Thoughts: Great place to chill, wine and dine.

By the way, this place is pretty dark, so it's great for romantic dates. If photo snapping, remember to turn off the flash (direct flash does not make the food look good), hold the camera or phone still after taking the photos so the lens can have sufficient time to gather enough light to yield clear pictures.

Curiosity about Mediterranean cuisine led me to a brand new restaurant Thirty9. This curiosity pays off as the food here is awesome and I get a brand new gastronomic experience from trying the unique and delicious pasta here.

Gigli & Gamberi, meaning gigli pasta and prawns, is the star of the meal. I love this. This is the first time I tried a pasta dish that is so light yet so flavourful. Instead of the usual heavy sauce used for pasta, this one features light clear sauce full of umami and refreshing zest from the lemon, mint and zucchini. The red prawns is firm, bouncy and packed with briny sweetness.

I enjoy eating the handmade gigli pasta, which is in cone shape with ruffled edges. This shape produces a different texture and bite that I relish. Yes, different pasta shape does make a difference. And due to its shape, it can hold the sauce in, thus being the perfect pasta to work well with the clear sauce.

This is the first time I can finish such generous portion of pasta all by myself.

The bread served here is probably one of the best I had. Served warm, almost hot and fresh from the oven, the lovely taste of grains is so pronounced in the mini panini and focaccia. The texture of focaccia is unbelievably light and fluffy that it is a real joy to bite into it.

Fritto Misto Di Paranza aka Fried Seafood is a real hearty treat that is served in very generous portion. This is perfect for sharing, but I still can finish this by myself because the batter is thin, light and crispy. The seafood, consisting of creamy prawns, succulent squids, clams, octopus chucks is very fresh and filled with sweetness of the ocean.

The house-made garlic mayonnaise is creamy, with the pungent flavour of garlic and an iota of zest. This is perfect for add excitement to the taste of seafood without eclipsing over the delicate umami of the seafood.

Millefoglie is a beauty to savour. The sweetness plus the aroma of baked goods of the puff pastry complements the tangy flavour of the rich lemon custard so well. I like this a lot.
This restaurant is hidden at the side of Duxton Hill where the entire stretch is paved with cobblestone. With lots of lush green potted plants forming the perimeter, this place is like a private courtyard that feels cozy and yet at the same time instagram worthy. The interior is cozy, posh and classy, with hints of rustic notes. And look up at the glass ceiling above if in the mood to do so. It's quite a nice view.

The service is awesome: friendly, welcoming, responsive and take note of little details. A nice noteworthy gesture is the service staff giving me an additional plate to put the shells of the clams straightaway upon noticing that I had the habit of putting the shells away from the rest of the seafood. And good recommendation of the Pinot Noir that goes so well with the dishes.

I really enjoyed my meal here and will be back for more, especially for the gigli pasta.

Thoughts: Hearty, wholesome food with some unique touches.

Dining is an adventure that engages all senses. Part of the excitement is discovering new tastes and textures of food, and another part is like a mini travel to a new place and immersing oneself in it. And at Trattoria Nonna Lina, I get exactly what I'm looking for: enjoy a good unique meal at a place like no others in Singapore. Yes, the place feels like an Italian home, super cosy and full of personal touches.

Frittura di Calamari is served in very generous portion, perfect for sharing, but I have no problem finishing it by myself since deep fried squid rings are easy to bite. Tartar sauce is thick and creamy, more nuanced in flavours, going very well with the calamari.

But the real highlight is the arrabbiate sauce, yes, that red sauce. I seldom get arrabbiate sauce served with calamari at other Italian restaurants, so this is quite a new experience, and a good experience at that. With tomatoes as base, this sauce has the refreshing tangy taste that balances well with the seafood flavour of the squid. What makes this sauce special is spicy element from the garlic and red chilli peppers that really kicks things up a notch.

I never knew just chopped tomatoes with herbs and spices on bread can be so good until I have them here at this restaurant. Definitely another unique experience and the spread being handmade really gives that homely feel. The toasted aroma of bread accentuated by the zest of the tomatoes and the pungent flavours of the herbs + spices. The refreshing juices of the tomatoes also goes very well with the crunchy, crispy texture of the toasted bread. This is so good. I also like the pretty tongs that come with the bread and also the calamari, giving that "Come help yourself to these treats" vibe.

Lots of Italian restaurants serve spaghetti but not many serve gnocchi. And this restaurant is one of the few that do. Actually I love gnocchi due to its slightly chewy texture of potato starch. So when I see Gnocchi Mare e Monti on the menu, I immediately order this. Again, this dish has that homely feel where the chef adds in lots of goodies such as large prawns, smoked pork jowl, porcini mushrooms and special secret spicy sauce, which is like wanting the family enjoying a yummy and nutritious meal. I also love this dish a lot. It is so full of flavours and the spicy flavour makes the taste exciting.

Panna Cotta comes in pretty generous portion. The milk pudding is full of milky goodness and is of perfect consistency, being soft and jiggly smooth. The alcohol within adds a kick and refreshing taste to the milk. A very nice dessert to complete the meal with.
Checkered tablecloth, Italian memorabilia and collectibles, quirky quotes and Italian posters, this place is full of personal touches and really feels like a cosy, rustic, comfy Italian home. The service is very welcoming. The young service staff is very efficient, friendly, knowledgable and quick to response to requests. One special noteworthy gesture is that he straightaway pull out a chair to place beside me to put my bags. That's so thoughtful! the Italian guy will serve the dishes with lots of gusto, livening up the atmosphere to make it feel like, well, a home gathering.

Dining here is an experience like no others. This place is definitely worth a trip for that unique experience and the good food, of course.

Thoughts: Loving the Heart-warming Homemade Food here!

This place is like the ultimate gastronomical dream come true for seafood lovers, which includes me, of course. Before Poisson, Japanese omasake restaurants are the places I go to for seafood exclusive feasts. So when I found out about Poisson, I immediately marked a date to visit this place because not only it is seafood exclusive, the preparation of food is of European style, which is something different from the Japanese restaurants I love. The Saturday Brunch is like a seafood feast where I get to try ten signature dishes.

Smoked Uno is very impressively presented as seen in the video. Shrouded in vapour, this beautiful creation is revealed when the bell jar is lifted up. Caviar perching on top of tongues of vibrant orange uni that is sitting on a bed of negitoro, which is minced tuna belly, adorned by the ikura that looks like orange crystal balls. And the taste is sublime, it is like the sweetness of ocean. The crispy cereal crunch adds a nice dimension in texture. This is so good that it is worth it to specially come to Poisson to try this.

The oysters are very fresh, mild and creamy in flavours, nicely perked up in taste by the vinaigrette and ikura.

The whelk is perfectly prepared, being chewy yet easy to bite. The honey and soy sauce accentuate the briny taste of the whelk. I love this.

Grilled Squid is one of the main dishes of Poisson and i know why after trying this. Like the whelk, it is very well-prepared, having the chewy yet easy to bite texture. The smoky flavour of the char adds a layer of dimension to the overall taste. A very hearty treat. This is the first time I totally enjoy eating a squid, not counting in calamari.
Grey Shrimp Croquette is creamy and yummy with crispy exterior. The parsley coulis adds a hint of pungent herb flavour to spice things up.

Catch of Day turns out to be the surprise of day because I'm wowed by how good it is. Absolutely no fishy smell, the threadfin flesh is pliable and moist, unlike the fishes, especially threadfins, that I had elsewhere. In addition, the crispy skin of the fish has this delightful char. I love the rice here, it is starchy, smooth and has an iota of chewiness. Lastly, the spiciness of the sauce adds lots of excitement to this dish, and it works.
I have never see Yuzu Sake anywhere, so I'm glad to have tried it here. Sweet and alcoholic, it is also very refreshing due the zest from Yuzu. I like this so much. Recommended to give it a try if dining at here. Apple sorbet with Reviseur Cognac is very intense in taste, great to alternate with the sweet earthy flavour macarons. The chef is very generous with the Cognac.

The blue, turquoise, dreamy interior of the place makes one feel like dining in an underwater restaurant. And the long panel of glass across the open kitchen adds on to this underwater restaurant vibe by giving a feel of an aquarium. The service is outstanding, being observant, prompt to respond to requests and do their bests to make the guests feel comfortable. The guys there are really great conversationists who can connect with the patrons.

I love the Saturday Brunch here where I get to try so many different types of seafood in small bites. A prefect place to enjoy seafood, and a perfect place to chill out with friends over great food and lots of alcohol. I definitely want to be back here soon.

Thoughts: Lovely under-the-sea-like restaurant to have seafood feasts at.

I had always wanted to go to Gattopardo since this is the only place to get Sicilian food, and it is always exciting and sometimes very rewarding to try out a new type of cuisine. Since Sicily is an autonomous island near Italy, the cuisine has noticeable Italian and Mediterranean influences, okay, this looks really promising. After a Sicilian Journey here, I can say I'm now a fan of Sicilian cuisine.

A taste of Sea Scallop Ceviche, Smoked Caviar makes one feels like he or she is dining in a beautiful seaside town. This is such a beautiful dish, in terms of both aesthetic and taste. The fresh, plump, juicy scallops is so full of briny sweetness, accentuated by the intense umami of smoked caviar, zest of the tomato and clear sauce. I love this so much.

Bunny Kombucha of Passion Fruit flavour is very refreshing, slightly sweet and sour. Great for the health of the guts and really whets the appetite. Very good recommendation by the friendly and helpful service staff.

Amuse Bouche of Truffle with Ricotta Cheese has the super creaminess and mild nutty flavour of ricotta cheese paired with the earthy aroma of truffle. The thin wafer adds a nice crunch to the dish. A well-executed starter that explores the combination of various tastes and textures.

Sourdough bread is served warm and has a nice fluffy texture Very wholesome treat, and the olive is very interesting in taste, having a slight astringent bitter taste with planty notes. I like this unique taste.

Sicilian Rice Balls, Fresh Black Truffle, Ragusano Cheese Fondue comes after Scallop Ceviche, and this is like trip from the seaside to the deep woods. More mellow, features the nuanced flavours of the earth and woods, this dish is a nice transition in taste profile. The fluffy, starchy rice packed with molten cheese, peppered with truffle, is so wholesome in taste.

Risone Pasta, Baby Octopus, Bone Marrow Butter is another great surprise served. The baby octopus is springy in texture and yet easy to bite, I definitely prefer this over the regular tough octopus. I love the Risone Pasta. It has the wholesomeness of quality rice, and its grain-like shape allows the rich sauce to fully coat each grain, so each bite of this is bursting with flavours. The texture of this paste is unique and unbelievably good, having smooth exterior with starchy interior. First time ti try to kind of pasta, and I'm lovin' it already.

The service staff is very nice to change my mains to Citrus Glazed Iberico Pork Belly, Parsnip, Wild Spinach from the lunch menu since I prefer pork and seafood over beef, lamb and fish. This has nice tender pork with rich gamey flavours, and mustard and special sauce to cut through the gamey flavours for the balance in taste. Very favourful and hearty.

Tiramisu, Noto Almonds, Amaretti Crumble is a indulgent treat with lots of creaminess, hints of alcohol and nutty goodness of almonds. This nicely round up the whole exciting trip of a meal.

The place is so beautiful. The exterior looks like a well-furnished bungalow with a courtyard. The first floor is seeped in idyllic theme, like the backyard patio of a mansion, perfect to chill out. The second floor is posh and fancy, like the main dining hall of the very same mansion. Lots of instagram-worthy pictures can be taken of the place. The service is excellent, being friendly, enthusiastic and attentive, and they have very good knowledge of the food. Now I can add another favourite type of cuisine into my Favourites List, and it is Sicilian. Since it is in my Favourites List, of course, I will come back for more.

Thoughts: I love all dishes here. Must-try for foodies.

The little gourmet in me immediately springs unto life the second I see the little French supermarket in So France. Now it’s possible to bring a bit of France home. And enjoy some French bistro food while at here.

Salmon and Scallop Tartare is a lovely creation of refreshing tastes of umami layered with the fresh creaminess of avocado. And the scallop pieces are sweet! And quinoa gives a nice crunchy bite to the soft texture of salmon, scallop and avocado. Very good in both taste and texture. The dish that impresses me the most here.

Duck Conf'wich is a very hearty meal made up of fresh greens drizzled with olive oil and zest, generous amount of shredded flavourful duck meat sandwiched between wholesome loafs of bread. And the foie gras terrines add that hint of decadent rich buttery goodness to the duck meat. The portion is very big, best to share this one.

Paris Brest is made up of crispy choux pastry, whipped cream and praline filling. I love the texture of the chou pastry. And the praline filling makes it a unique creation. Definitely worth a try.

The place is of upmarket bistro ambience, which is very nice for chilling out with friends. The service is pretty good too. A great place to do atas grocery shopping and hang out with friends or dates.

Thoughts: Nice!

I found out about Atout, one of the few grocers who carries Kampot Pepper, and so I'm off to check out this place.

Smoked Salmon Rilette with Mixed Greens & Pickles is full of colours and flavours. The tanginess of zucchini and carrot refreshes the palates while the greens is crunchy and full of flavours due to zesty seasoning oil drizzled over it. I'm not exactly a salad person but this salad wins me over. Salmon rilette has that subtle distinctive flavour of cooked salmon, and this subtlety is exactly how I like it. The pink peppercorns sprinkled over this spices things up. A well-executed dish.

One of the perks of dining here is that bread and French butter are included in the set lunch because the warm bread with soft fluffy interior is delicious. I can actually finish the whole lot of them, whether with butter or on its own. What is even better is that the French Conviette butter given is oh so amazingly good. Within the buttery, super creamy goodness, there is a very light hint of citrus, which refreshes the whole taste of the bread. This is so good that it is totally worth it to come to this restaurant to dine just for this butter.

And extra information: this butter is certified AOP (Appellation D'Origine Protégée), meaning that it is a unique quality product produced with au naturale ingredients, strict standards and specific methods.

US Kurobuta Pork Cheek braised in Red Wine, Carrots, Mushrooms and Potatoes is such a hearty treat. Generous portions of tender, gamey meat and potatoes will delight Braised Meat fans. The pork is so tender that I can use a spoon to lightly scoop out a chunk of pork. Unbelievable. Obviously, lots of effort is put into making of this dish to make the meat so tender.

I love Valrhona Dark Chocolate 'Nougat Glacé, Almond Tuile because not only it is good, full of the intensity of quality dark chocolate, and the texture is so unique. It is slightly sticky and chewy, just like chocolate nougat. I'm surprised by how good chocolate can be when in chewy form. To make it even better, after a few chews of the chocolate, it melts into chocolatey goodness in the mouth. This change in texture is interesting and for practical purposes, it does not leave chewy bits in the teeth. Almond Tuile is a nice complement to the chocolate to add the crunchiness texture and nutty flavour to it. This creation is another one of those desserts that I think deserves a special trip down to try out.

The place is of stylish interior with dark wood framing the full length windows overlooking the lush greenery outside. This is perfect for an idyllic day out for families, couples, friends. The service is very good and attentive, without my prompting, they automatically come up to clear the plates, fill up my glass with still water and even clean up the water spilled by me immediately. Extra compliments to two young service staffs: an Indian guy and a Chinese gal, I didn't get their names though. All of them are very friendly, and the dining experience here ends on a good note with the guy at door bidding farewell.

I like this restaurant a lot. In fact, I prefer this place over another one of similar concept (dining + grocer) due to the extensive menu, unique creations, the value-for-money set lunch and good service. This is a great place to recommend for gatherings and yes, even for solo outing to just enjoy nature with the good food.

After the amazing meal at Santi, I had always been on a lookout for great Español restaurants. And Olivia is exactly one of my few fruitful finds where I find meticulously prepared, awesome, authentic Español food and great service.

Bikini "Barcelona" is taste and texture done to perfection. The slight char of the bread, the melted stretchy cheese, the earthy aroma of truffle and the nutty aroma plus saltiness of the Ibéricó ham all work so well together to yield a harmonised flavours from all spectrum. And I like the thickness of the bread: thick enough to introduce the wholesomeness of wheat and thin enough to let the other ingredients shine through and maintain the moist texture. A must-try here.

Jovial Martini is a lovely creation due to the aroma of vanilla and sparkling wine. The egg white foam at the top makes for interesting texture. It sure packs a punch due to Volka added.

'Secreto Ibéricó' Pork is amazingly good. When I have my my bite of this, I go, "Wow, this meat is so creamy! I never had such creamy pork before." Okay, the creaminess comes from the rich oils interwoven with the meat. What I love about this pork is that the oils make the meat moist, juicy and filled with delicate nutty aroma, and the oils, not in plain sight, is only released from within the meat when I bite into it, producing that creaminess effect. So each bite of this is rewarded with a burst of the acorn goodness.

The sauce is done just right to add bits of extra flavour to the pork while letting the meat's flavour comes out fully. It tastes even better when paired with the cubes of tomato since the fresh refreshing tangy juices contrasts very well with the creaminess of the meat. The Padrón peppers, which has a mild distinctive pungent taste of peppers, is good eaten on its own and with the pork.

Olivia's Creamy Homemade Cheesecake is unbelievably good. The cheese filling is like creamy cheese cloud! One spoonful to taste the distinctive strong savoury flavour of blue cheese and then poof, just like a cloud, it melt off to leave off a lingering taste of the cream, cheese and almond. I love havinf this with the almond stable since its light sweetness balances up with the saltiness of the cheese filling.

The interior of the place is cool, chic and rustic all at the same time. I like the warm lights, rattan chairs and brick walls that induce a mood for chilling out and just enjoying good food. And the arched windows that one can peek through to see the lush green foliage outside add on to laid back vibe of the place. Service here is excellent and impressive. Upbeat, enthusiastic, friendly and attentive, Saroj and team, including the bartender of course, always make sure we patrons are well attended to. It's so easy to get their attention. Sometimes, just a turn of the head, the service staff, especially Saroj, will come up to help already. When I'm finished with my course and set up my cutleries to indicate so, one of them will come up soon to clear the plate while asking about how is the food. This level of attentiveness is awesome.

With a visit to Olivia, I finally found my favourite Espanõl restaurant in this place. Everything is so well-executed. I look forward to going back to enjoy more of the good food here.

Thoughts: Awesome Espanōl Food and Awesome Hospitality