Parco Caffe

Finally checked Parco Caffe out after so long! The people behind Parco are the same ones behind Spruce and Alkaff Mansion. While I have not been to Alkaff Mansion, I prefer Parco Caffe to Spruce mainly because the place is less crowded. Food wise, it's great as well, better than Spruce IMHO. The restaurant is in Raeburn Park, behind Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. I see this building a lot while driving on the ECP, but never knew there was a restaurant there.

Parco means park in Italian, and is the main theme of the restaurant. The idea is to allow for a relaxing dining experience amidst lush greenery, almost like you're dining in an outdoor garden. I really liked the huge space and how there is quite a bit of natural light coming in. The indoor 'outdoor' garden dining table makes you feel like you're sitting in a garden during spring time, enjoying a nice comfy meal.

Brunch and all day dining available on weekends and public holidays

 Foie Gras & Wild Mushroom - SGD$21

2 poached farm eggs, seared foie gras, Sauteed Hoishimeiji mushroom and Hollandaise Sause

2 things I like on the same plate! Foie gras was nicely seared and melted in your mouth, while the poached eggs were nicely runny and smooth. The mushrooms were a nice accompaniment to the otherwise richness of this dish.

Focaccia and Parma Ham - SGD$18

2 Poached Farm Eggs on Grilled Focaccia, Parma Ham, Hollandaise Sauce, Jerusalem Artichokes Chips and Cold Gazpacho

Gelato with berries - SGD$14

Waffle with your choice of ice cream, maple syrup and whipped cream + berries

Berries Lovers Parco Waffles - SGD$12

Waffle with Mixed Forest Berries, Honey and Whipped Cream

Classic Parco Pancake Delight - SGD$9

3 Pancakes topped with Maple Syrup, Honey, Butter

Pancakes were a little bland. Definitely very normal.

Parco Proscuitto e Melone Salad - SGD$18

Mixed Letttuce Salad with Sliced Rock Melon, Green Apple and crispy Parma Ham in Lemon Dressing

While the menu says 'crispy', I found that it wasn't so. It was just plain ol' parma ham goodness with melon. Sometimes the simple dishes are the best.

Mushroom and Potatoes Cream Soup - SGD$12

This cream of mushroom had finely chopped mushroom bits in it and was decent, but not exceptional.

Parco Beef Burger - SGD$25

Parco 100% Australian Beef served with Sesame Burger Bun, Taleggioe Cheese, Onion, Rocket Salad and Truffle Fries

Linguine alle Vongole - SGD$18

Clam, Garlic, Chilli and White Wine Sauce 

 This dish was really good! Noodles were not too soft, and the white wine was just nice. Very savoury. Clams were fresh and overall this dish was nicely done. Definitely order again.

Parco Caffe Tagliatelle sull' Anatra - SGD$23

Homemade Tagliatelle served with 24hours Marinated Duck, Mixed Vegetables and Black Olives

Parco Caffe Chocolate Lava - SGD$12

Dark Molten Chocolate Lava Cake served with Vanilla Gelato

 Pretty decent too. Nice rich chocolate and vanilla doesn't go wrong.

 Not too sure what this is called, but it was pretty good.

The do offer a nice selection of fine wines and apéritifs as well (left of picture), so if you're looking for a nice quiet place for meal and drinks after, this is a very convenient option.

 Parco Caffe gets the thumbs up from us. Big space, check. Good food, check. Easy + Complimentary parking, check (if you spend above $25 if I'm not wrong). The food was simple and nice, and not too made up. Loved the indoor garden setting, and is perfect for an idyllic afternoon of relaxing. Would definitely recommend this place.

Wah Lok @ Carlton Hotel

Wah Lok Restaurant on the 2nd floor of Carlton Hotel, Singapore, probably needs no introduction. Having won "Best Restaurant" many times, their food has won the hearts (or tummies) of many Singaporeans as well.

Personally, this was my 1st visit to them after their makeover. While I wasn't disappointed per se, I think they could have done better in terms of wowing me with their food because I remember the dim sum tasting much better the last few times I ate there.

The interior was given a spruce and they have shed the dated look of an old Chinese restaurant, opting instead for a more modern, almost Chinese grandeur look.

Pan Fried Pumpkin & Yam Squares

Yam and pumpkin sounded like a perfect combination. Alas, it did not live up to my expectations. Firstly, the dish was not served warm. In terms of taste, the yam was overshadowed. And with most yam dishes, it was slightly on the dry side. I really want to like this dish and hope that the next time I'm back, it will not disappoint.

Roast Pork Cubes or  Siew Yuk

The skin was crisp and there was a good balance between the amount of fat and lean meat. Slight gripe was that the bottom layer was too salty. Even though my favorite remains the one Crystal Jade Palace in Takashimaya, this was didn't do too bad.

Roast Pork Bun or  Char Siew Bao

Egg White with Crab Meat

Was really looking forward to this dish but maybe my high hopes set me up for disappointment. It was so mediocre I've almost forgotten about it. While texture was smooth, it was really bland. It lacked the savoury taste of egg whites and didn't leave an impression at all.

Fried Prawn Dumplings, Ming Xia Jiao

Old Winter Melon Soup

The winter melon soup was okay, but wasn't as tasty as the one at Imperial treasure. Maybe I like my food a little salty so this one tasted too healthy.

Overall Wah Lok is still a restaurant that we would very much recommend for Cantonese dishes. I would like to try dinner there one day as well to see what else they have to offer.

Wah Lok

CARLTON HOTEL SINGAPORE
76 BRAS BASAH ROAD SINGAPORE 189558

Level 2

Mondays to Saturdays
Lunch served from 11.30am to 2.30pm
Dinner served from 6.30pm to 10.30pm

Sundays and Public Holidays
Lunch served from 11am to 2.30pm
Dinner served from 6.30pm to 10.30pm

For reservations and enquiries, please call (65) 6311 8188 / 8189 or email wah.lok@carltonhotel.sg

Porns Sexy Thai Fod

UPDATE: They are no longer at this location.

Named Porn's, probably after one of it's owners - Pornsak. Upon entering, my first thought is Why does this place smell so bad?! I'm sure they're aware of this unpleasant smell too as they hung some sort of air freshening bags from the air condition units. Decor is very simple, and the wall next to the entrance is adorned with lots of media cutouts.

Pineapple Fried Rice

Rice was fragrant and yummy. I liked the raisins in the rice as it adds sweetness to the dish.

Tor Mun Goong, Thai Prawn Cakes (4 pieces per serving)

The prawn cakes were really good! It was fried just nicely and the prawn filling was fresh.

L: Oyster Omelette. R: Kai Lan

The oyster egg was surprisingly decent. We're not really fans of oyster omelette because the oyster is usually not very fresh or turns out too watery for our liking. The omelette is clearly fried in oil, I prefer it this way cause it retains the egg taste better, yet isn't too oily.

Pork Knuckle

Sure looks unappetizing but it's really not bad. The meat was soft and went well with the sauce. 

Tang Hoon Crab

Haven't had this dish in a while so it was a nice change for us. Noodles had a peppery taste and was still nice and springy.

Tom Yam Soup

The soup was spicy and flavourful - not bad.

I think he was looking for Angry Birds.

I really wasn't expecting much because I had read a couple of not so promising reviews on Foursquare. While the food isn't as bad as most make it out to be, the service really needs some improving. We had to ask twice for a baby chair, orders were taken wrongly, and service staff seemed pretty inattentive. Also, the smell is really a no no. You do get used to it but the really really bad smell when you enter is definitely a turn off.

Overall, food is pretty decent and will definitely go back as a more affordable alternative to Lemongrass, the other Thai Restaurant in the area.

Porn's Sexy Thai Food

81 Upper East Coast Road

Singapore 449283

Lim Seng Lee Duck Rice Eating House

UPDATE: They have since ceased operations.

This place is definitely a favourite of ours. Everything is still the same as when we were young! The layout is the same, the food is the same, the people working have not changed (+ some additions) and the taste definitely has not changed.

We always order the same few dishes:

Tofu - soft and smooth

Kang Kong - cooked with hei bee shrimp and not super spicy

Duck - the sauce is the bomb!

Very authentic and cosy place for lunch or dinner. We used to go there almost every other Sunday! Sadly they now close on Sundays. If there is a place I would recommend, this is it. Not because the food is out of this world, but because it's something you can eat everyday and it will still taste good. Comfort food maybe - but definitely my favourite Teochew braised duck.

Lim Seng Lee Duck Rick Eating House

38 South Buona Vista Road

Singapore 118164