Broth @ Duxton Hill

Broth - Bar Restaurant On The Hill. An interesting name i guess, since they are at the top of Duxton Hill, nicely nestled at the quieter end. Called for a reservation around 5, and was surprised they managed to seat all 7 of us on a Friday night, although only outside. Nonetheless, we decided to give it a try. It's on the right side should you be walking from the public carpark, just opposite L'entrecote.

Named Broth, but really has nothing much to do with broth. Housed in a old shophouse, the high celings  and bookshelves remind more of a New York cafe. The interior is pretty bar/bistro like and definitely very cozy.

Here's the menu that I got off their website.

Appetizers

  Third of a Dozen Oyster Fritters w Wasabi mayo & Lemon Wedge - SGD$19

 The sauce was quite refreshing, and the oysters were fresh too.

Baby Spinach & Portobello Mushroom Salad w Shallots & Raspberry Dressing - SGD$19

The mushrooms were a little too dry for our liking. Other than that, the shallots were a great accompaniment to the baby spinach. The raspberry sauce also went very well with the mushrooms, making this a great appetizer.

 

Asparagus & Spring Pea Risotto w Melting Smoked Cheddar & Truffled Egg - SGD$19

 Undisputedly the best dish that night. It had a slight smoky taste, and the semi-cooked egg was really good also. Wish they had this as a main.

 

Duck, Hazelnut, Prune & Ham Terrine, w Liver Dressing, Cress Salad & Lavoche - SGD$19

Pretty normal. Nothing memorable.

Pan Fried Foie Gras w Salted Caramel Apple, Toasted Almonds & Croissant - SGD$29

 Had high hopes for this one since we like foie gras. Slightly disappointed as the foie gras was overcooked, with a slight charred taste and didn't really really melt in your mouth. The caramel apple instead was the highlight of this dish.

Main Course

Molasses Glazed Pork Ribs, Pumpkin, Sesame & Coriander Slice, Spring Salad - SGD$39

As unappealing as this looks, it was actually not bad. The meat was soft and nicely flavoured by the sauce.

Garoupa Fillet w Carrot Chutney, Cameron Green Veg & Mandarine Oil - SGD$39

 The fish was nicely grilled with a hint of sweetness. It was fresh and appetizing, but tasted a little more Chinese than Australian though.

Prawn & Salmon Pie w Mashed Potato, Spring Vegetable & Crisp Puff Pastry - SGD$39

 A disappointment as it tasted really fishy. I can imagine this dish being quite delicious if the seafood was done right. Not too sure why since they pride themselves on using the freshest ingredients.

Lamb Loin in A Green Coat On Fine Beans, Rosemary Potatoes & Mint Jus - SGD$45

This was a highly recommended dish from all the reviews that I had read. Chose for this to be medium done and the texture of the lamb was good. However, taste wise it didn't live up to our expectations.  The mint was also a little overpowering even though mutton is know to have a strong taste.

  

Pasta of the Day - Aglio Olio w Seafood & Spinach - SGD$38

The portion was huge, enough to feed 2 or more people. The cheese in the pasta probably made this a little strong tasting. Seafood included prawns, fish and crab meat. Again, was pretty normal.

Desserts

L: Omfg Chocolate, R: Sticky Date Pudding w Butterscotch Sauce & Ice Cream

 The biscuit like chocolate/sugar  of the Omfg chocolate went well with the ice cream, but was clearly lacking in the chocolate department. I was expecting a really rich chocolaty moist cake, but both cakes were a little too dry.

Overall the food was a little disappointing and mediocre, but the ambiance and decor made up for it.  It was nice being seated outside, along the pebbled street in the midst of old restored shophouses. A little nostalgic for my parents, who started talking about how it looked exactly like my mother's old house. If the weather were cooler, it would have been a perfect dining spot. One off the list for Duxton.

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