Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Mile High Shots Jun/Jul 2017


04July2017
Never been so clear in ZSPD before. View after a rain
 
Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Singapore - To Eat (02July2017 Senso)

Singapore - To Stay
Singapore - To Eat
Singapore - To Do
Singapore - To Eat
Like ABBATravel's Facebook Page to get the latest updates and more!
Follow us ABBATRAVEL on Instagram @ABBA_TRAVEL #ABBATRAVEL
Senso
450m from Chinatown MRT Station 
210m from Telok Ayer MRT Station 
Came recommended by fellow foodie
 *Internal sitting on the let and alfresco dining on the right*
 *They do have a bar attached for pre-dinner drinks.*
 
Click here for ABBA location of Senso, 21 Club St, Singapore 069410
Senso is a quaint dining restaurant located just off the main CBD district and between China Town. Senso offers City Chic Italian Eats at descent prices.
Ordered On:
02July2017
 The 2017 truffle menu
I've never had full-on shaved truffle before. It's usually the infused oils and remnants.
The meal starts off with a starter of cod and caviar. The assortment of warmed bread
sticks and rolls were really nice with good olive oil. A great way to start the evening eats.
Foie Gras and Truffle Panna Cotta, Figs and Balsamic, crispy Parmesan, shaved summer black Truffles.

*How can one go wrong with Foie Gras Patee. Beautifully presented and all classic element pairings.*
Carnaroli Risotto, shaved summer black truffles

*The risotto was really good! One of the better ones had actually. Good cheesy flavors
with mixed in truffle and shavings on top. The risotto wasn't grainy and each small
serving was packed full of flavor. There maybe truffle oil used but the cheese flavors
dominated and over powered the dish. The truffle shavings on top were pure
aesthetics. This dish alone was already quite filling.*
Stuffed Quail Spinach and Morels Mushrooms,
Green asparagus, senso truffle puree, summer black truffles jus

*The presentation of the stuffed quail left Much to be desired. A darker meat compared to
the humble chicken. The sauce was on the salty side and could have done without this
main order. The truffle mash was silky smooth rich and amazing, but could have been served hotter.*
A la carte pasta pictured on the right
Pasta was done beautifully and a hearty portion to boot. A homely cooked meal that I
think if one were to go a la carte, an order to share would be perfect.
Dessert
Rasberry, meringue, mascarpone and truffle mousse,
chocolate crumble, raspberry sorbet. 

*The plating could use a little more work. It's elongated shape and sorbet ball left much
to the imagination. Flavors wise, its like very light cream served with chocolate
crumblings. The semi roasted marshmallows served along side were a great concept.
The truffle shaving on top adds nothing but purely to fit the truffle seasonal special
menu.*
Total SGD176.55 Fed2
Service maybe a little short handed at the start but they picked up as the night went on.
Wait staff were attentive and kept the glasses filled.
Since we had the tasting menu to share, it was great that they took the initiative to split the risotto serving for two separate. Cutlery and plates were changed regularly and staff were polite. It could have been better if they explained the dish before service.  
The interior decor seems to stray more towards a more Asian influence. The open air courtyard though really pretty can still be relatively warm in the evenings and prone to the elements.
Overall, I'd say fair value for generously portion good eats in a nice environment. Suitable for intimate celebrations and a nice sit down meal. Take their serving size into consideration for sharing!
Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Saturday, June 24, 2017

Melbourne - To Eat 24June2017 GJ Grill

Melbourne - To Stay
Melbourne - To Do
Melbourne - To Eat
Melbourne - To Eat

Like ABBAtravel facebook page to share/tag and get the latest updates
Follow us on Instagram  @ABBA_TRAVEL #ABBATRAVEL
GJ Grill
recommend by Darren
This place came recommended by other. Traditional Philippine barbecue cuisine and the place is located right behind the Hotel through a narrow alley! What a great hole in the wall find. 
 Ordered On:
24June2017
Half Chicken AUD11.50
*Pretty decent charcoal grill barbecued chicken, with a sweet marinade exterior. The chicken is a little on the dry side though and we struggled to finish the half chicken.*
Small Lehon (Meat Only) AUD15
*More worth while order as this is a serving size for two. The large lehon order can serve 4-5. Juicy, barbecued crisp pork with an amazing sweetish-sour sauce which is made from Pork Pate. Superb combination to have with the rice and is a highly recommended to order.
Garlic Rice AUD4
White Rice AUD2.50
*Stick with the plain rice. The garlic rice doesn't carry the aromatics or distinct garlic flavors. In fact the rice itself is a little salty so just stick to the plain rice.*

Total Fed 2 16.50AUD Each 
What's also great is that the place serves complimentary water and/or jasmine tea which helps cut through the beautiful, fatty crispy pork.
Great, honest, traditional charcoal barbecue meats and fish that's located in the narrow ally way. Great value eats for the best of Philippine cuisine and a clear mark of authenticity as the place was completely filled by Filipinos at 12.50pm. Their babequed fish looked really good to. Value, flavor and nearby eats! A simple trifactor. 
Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Saturday, June 10, 2017

London - To Eat (09June2017 Riding House Cafe, Workshop Coffee (Fitzrovia), Steak and Co)

London - To Stay
London - To Eat
London - To Do
London - To Eat
Like ABBATravel's Facebook Page to get the latest updates and more!
Follow ABBATRAVEL on Instagram @ABBA_TRAVEL or #ABBATRAVEL 
Riding House Cafe
Originally we had wanted to try out Dolloway Terrace (pictured below) but the place was fully booked out on a weekday lunch when we arrived as off 1130am.
Thus Riding House Cafe was pretty highly ranked as a googled alternate at 4.1 out of 401 ratings, hence we gave this place a try.
Click here for ABBA location of Riding House Cafe, 43-51 Great Titchfield St, Fitzrovia, London W1W 7PQ, UK
Small plates to share are served in portions of three.
Ordered On:
09June2017
- Poached trout, pickled cucumber, horseradish £7

*One could easily replicate this simple dish at home. Nothing special. Poorly seasoned and please give this order a pass*
- Salt beef reuben croquettes, spicy mayo. £7
*One cant really taste the properties of the salt beef. The spicy mayo didn’t add much to the entire dish either. Simple and over priced. Even the fried leaves were a waste of time.*
- Confirt lamb borek, smoked aubergine, rose harissa £8
*none of those elements were really picked up and the smoked aubergine tasted more long the line of tandori spiced puree. *
- Slow-roasted pork belly, cumin salt £8
*One can’t really taste the cumin salt. The roasted pork belly was well prepared but it failed on the all important crispy top. Better crackle would have been better. A good dish but not amazing*
Roasted duck breast sweet potato, pak choi, pickled ginger £18.50
*The star and dish which came recommended. A nice mordern-ish take on the dish. Nicely salted crust with a rarely seen, medium rare cook on duck breast. One could really taste the use of star anise and sesame oil. The sweet potato helped balanced the dish nicely, a nice Asian take as opposed to cranberry or citrus fruits..*
Man and Cheese tried from other table
 *Their mac and cheese was very well done. Great textures with some cheese crumble and fried berries of sort sprinkled on top! A good main order choice at 13.50pounds.*

Fed 4 at our table at £16 each.
The guy's verdict. Neutral/neutral/Good/Neutral
Pretty alright dining with nice decor with descent, albeit, a little on the pricier side. Located just across from The Attendant (Victorian male toilet converted into a dining cafe with good eats).

Click here for ABBA location of Riding House Cafe, 43-51 Great Titchfield St, Fitzrovia, London W1W 7PQ, UK

Workshop Coffee (Fitzrovia)
recommend by others as their fav coffee joint located
just around the corner to Riding House Cafe reviewed above.
Recommended order is their Latte.
Click here for ABBA location of Workshop Coffee 80 Mortimer St, Marylebone, London W1W 7FE, UK
Am personally no barista and I can't really tell what makes a great coffee, but the way this artisian shop prepares your coffee so caringly adds to the experience.

A splash of cold water to quench one's thirst whilst preparing your coffee.

We ordered a Hot Chocolate (an okay only order but best Hot Chocolate still from San Churro's and the order is the Hot Cold.), Shakerato (One shot espresso mixed with Orange flower essence which didn't really shine through), Latte and Ice Latte. Drinks go for about 3pounds and a bit.
Click here for ABBA location of Workshop Coffee 80 Mortimer St, Marylebone, London W1W 7FE, UK
Steak and Co
located 120m from Gloucester Hotel
Their lunch deal set

Steak and Co's signatures are pretty much their hot stone steak cuts. Their lunch deal set for steak and sides is a really good deal and for the quality maybe better priced than flat iron. Wild Wood located across the road also offers value for money lunch sets and menu prices aren't steep either!
Ordered On:
10June2017
Lamb Cutlets 17.50pounds

*An okay serving of Lamb Cutlets, the rolls royce of the lamb cuts for the price is actually a very fair deal. The medium rare cook was a bit lacking but it is still an okay serving of the lamb.*
10oz Fillet 23.50 poundsSweet Potato Fries 3.50 pounds
Onion Rings 3.50 pounds

*They can cook the steak for you, but here the same gimmick is the same as the Lava Stone in Singapore. The waiter sells it that the condiments and hot stone makes the meat taste much better. Probably the only upside is that you won't have cold steak. Down side, is that the place ventilation isn't that great so your clothes would probably smell after that. The seasoned salt was however quite enjoyable.*
Fed 2 at 25pounds each with tip.
Okay steak that isn't wow in a nice dining environment. Their lunch deals are probably better pick if you're hanking for steak.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Sunday, June 4, 2017

Singapore - To Eat 03June2017 (District 10 Suntect City Branch)

Singapore - To Stay
Singapore - To Eat
Singapore - To Do
Singapore - To Eat
Like ABBATravel's Facebook Page to get the latest updates and more!
Follow us ABBATRAVEL on Instagram @ABBA_TRAVEL #ABBATRAVEL

District 10 - Suntec City Branch
click here for Open Farm Community website 
came recommended by others
District 10
03June2017
Click here for ABBA location of District 10, 3 Temasek Boulevard #01-514/515 Suntec City Mall, 038983 Suntec 500m walk from Esplanade MRT Station
District 10 is a chain restaurant, with this branch being the only one serving dry aged beef. Located at Suntec city tower2, District 10 is a bar and bistro located outside of the building around the fountain of wealth.
Having never had proper dry aged beef, this place came recommended by others for a try. The place itself is relatively small with both indoor and outdoor seating.
Ordered on:
3June2017
Nice, warm artisan breads served with good olive oil and balsamic to start of the meal.

 Truffle Mash 14SGD
*One of the better Truffle Mash that I've had. Its not just using truffle infused oil but the real deal with truffle bits mixed into the mash. An elegant touch to that compliments the steak nicely. The micro chives are lovely over the top.*
800g 45Day Dry Aged Florentine SteakSGD19/100g
with minimum order of 800g order.  

*Since I’ve never had proper dry aged meat, might as well go for the max 45day duration they had to offer.

Overall verdict based on taste alone... it was a beautiful piece of steak. They cooked it over a flaming char grill which gives that distinctive flavor and done a beautiful medium rare. The condiments were nice and especially liked the lightly dressed salad and salt mound.
Was the dry age worth it? The dry aged did add to it but without an immediate side by side comparison its very hard to say how much more significant. The meat is tender-er and flavors I'd saye f slightly more concentrated. The meat does have a deeper red to it. The fat distribution does help enhance the flavor and it being a grain fed cut, has got lots of flavor layered between the meat. The probably down side to dry aging is that you may have more jerky, gamer like cuts nearer to the bone and along the aging crust. The change in flavor may be offsetting and thus go unconsumed.

Probably going for a longer dry aged beef would be
Fed2 at 166.07 less 15% discount from credit card promo.
Price point wise, one may wanna give District 10's aged T-Bone steak a try over the standard T-Bone at Wheeler's Estate Steak. Both of which are priced similarly. The only difference is the dry aged steak over at District 10 which has a higher minimum order at 800gms. I'm not too sure by way of dry aged price index if its over priced or about there, but I wouldn't call this place a proper steak house. Beef weren't served on warm plates nor with the correct cutlery. The place offers dry aged beef of up to a max of 45days in a casual bar and bistro environment. The hunt to find out if dry aged is really worth all the hype is still on though. Perhaps a longer dry aged beef would justify the premium and more complex/umami flavors.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)