Ambassador Cuisine revisited

January 2nd, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

I’ve already reviewed Ambassador Chinese Cuisine, but this Sunday, I returned for more, and my experience only reinforced my previous review.

Mixed vegetables in crispy noodle bowl.
I’m always a fan of crispy noodle bowls just because they’re fun to eat, but the vegetables were good too.

Chicken feet with Chu Hou sauce.
The chicken feet were cooked until they were very tender so it was easy to eat.

Rice with shark fin soup.
I’m still not sure what exactly this was, but it was quite savoury.

Assorted meat pancake.
Crispy perfection. I didn’t find any meat in this pancake, just some dried shrimp and scallions.

Pork ribs with black bean sauce.
This was the only disappointing dish. They could have picked better cuts of pork. The pork was also not cooked long enough. And there needed to be more black bean sauce.

Steamed rice noodles with peanut sauce.
This is actually a common dish in Singapore, although I’m not sure where it originated. This was a little too chunky and thick.

Steamed shrimp dumplings (har gow).
Har gow, tender and delicate, perfect as always.

Puff pastry with egg custard.
The egg custard was good, but I thought the puff pastry could have used a bit more “puff.”

Like last time, most of the items were good, but some were so mediocre you wondered how it could have come from the same kitchen. Still, the good items seem to be consistently good, so if you know what you like, you can come back for the same thing and you won’t be disappointed.

Review: The Hoof Cafe

January 2nd, 2011 § 0 comments § permalink

Discovered The Hoof Cafe through Yelp1 and went for a New Year’s Day brunch. Turned out to be the best decision I ever made in 2011 (so far).

The place was as popular as it was tiny – we weren’t the only ones who ventured out on a rainy New Years morning – but it was well worth the wait. We could tell the place had character the moment we stepped in, with exposed brick walls, broad wooden floor planks, and a faux vintage metallic ceiling.

Suckling eggs benny (eggs benedict with pulled pork).

The suckling eggs benedict (eggs benedict with pulled pork) was the best I ever had. And surprisingly, it wasn’t the eggs or the pork that made me think so, it was the biscuit.

Suckling eggs benny (eggs benedict with pulled pork).

The eggs were done perfectly so the yolk ran and was soaked up by a scrumptious biscuit, the likes of which I’ve never had before. It was surprising to find that a place that boasted meat could make such delicious carbs, and it really showed their meticulous attention to detail.

Caramelized bananas with waffle.

Who could say no to dessert for breakfast? But seriously, best waffles ever. The caramelized bananas were a nice touch, but the real treat was the dark chocolate in the waffles. The mixture of sweet and bitter made my taste buds beg for more.

All of it went down very well with some quality french press coffee and friendly service. Vegetarians, don’t be fooled by the meat-centric menu, a lot of it can be done without the meat2. I can’t wait to return to Toronto and try something else on their menu.

Rating:

  1. I am so glad Toronto Yelp finally has enough critical mass to be useful! []
  2. The waffles were originally supposed to come with bacon. []

Review: Le Bon Marché

October 2nd, 2010 § 0 comments § permalink

Le Bon Marché is situated on the first floor of an apartment building in Bukit Timah. It’s a family-run French bistro, headed by a chef who actually hails from France. The ambiance is surprisingly plain, given the steep prices – a true French experience.

The wine selection was all-French, categorized by region, and I was very happy that we settled on the Gewurtzraminer.

To start, we had oysters and foie gras. It was my first time trying oyster, and I have to say, I did not like the experience. My companions told me that oysters were an acquired taste. I suspected it was a taste I would never acquire.

Fresh oysters with lemons and vinegar sauce.

The foie gras was unexceptional, perhaps because I had had the best foie gras of my life at Stella. Their superiority remained unchallenged.

Foie gras and salad. » Read the rest of this entry «