Racines – Delectable French Cuisine & Refined Asian Delights

Racines is the main restaurant of Sofitel Singapore City Centre. It serves authentic French cuisine and refined Local Chinese delights. The spread will be prepared by two different culinary teams to ensure the authenticity of the epic dishes.

Entrance to Racines

During our March staycation in Sofitel Singapore City Centre, we dined here to celebrate LD’s birthday. Do take note that Racines refresh their menu regularly, therefore, the food reviewed here might not be on their current menu.

Lychee Mojito

After we were seated, the service staff asked us to scan the menu using the QR code on the table. Once we completed our order, the service staff will bring us the bread bowl. They are served warm and served with unsalted butter.

Bread Bowl with unsalted Butter

We started our meal with Foie Gras ($26) - Pan-seared foie gras with roasted apricot, berry vierge and brioche. The foie gras has a nice seared externally. It is thick, smooth and creamy, paired well with the light and crisp brioche and berry sauce.

Foie Gras

Burratina ($32) with Roasted Cherry Tomato, Arugula and Pesto. One of our favourite cheeses and entree. The burratina is solid and creamy. Instead of the usual olive oil and balsamic vinegar, Racines uses pesto for that green robust flavour together with tomato, sliced radish and arugula salad. It will be nicer with more tomatoes though.

Burratina

Lobster Bisque ($26) with Seafood Ragout and ikura. Solid lobster bisque and you can taste the cognac in it. To add to the twist, the team added ikura inside for the bursting effect when you slurp the soup.

Lobster Bisque

Lamb Rack ($48) Chargrilled Rack of Lamb, Braised artichoke with onion confit, basil chimichurri sauce. The lamb rack is cooked nicely, leaving the middle meat section pink. The meat is tender, juicy, and absent of the strong lamb smell. I like the chimichurri sauce; however, LD disagrees with the peas.

Lamb Rack

Black Cod ($48) Baked Soy Black Cod with grilled leeks, crispy lotus and bonito butter sauce. We like the texture of the cod fillet, as it melts with each bite. It was even better when paired with the tomato and crispy sliced lotus. However, the bonito butter is a bit overpowering and more suitable for broccoli and corn instead of fish.

Black Cod

Black Cod

Baked Light Souffle ($20) with Cointreau with Lime Sorbet. A must order dessert. The souffle is eggy, light and fluffy. The pairing with lime sorbet is just awesome.

Baked Light Souffle

On our visit in April, we decided to try the 3-Course Degustation Dinner ($62).

Part of the Dining Area

We started with crispy toasted sourdough, slathered with a generous amount of duck rillette. It is rich and tasty, while the caramelized balsamic apple, provided the contrasting sweet and tangy flavour to balance the richness of the duck rillette.

Duck Rillette

Duck Rillette

Main was Chargrilled Angus Beef Ribeye with French Fries. Cooked to medium-rare, it is juicy and succulent. While the steak is good and paired well with the chimichurri sauce, the fries can be better with more time in the deep fryer.

Chargrilled Angus Beef Ribeye with French Fries

Dessert was Chocolate Cremeux - Valrhona Chocolate Guanaja crème with Walnut Praline and Caramel Ice Cream. Solid dark chocolate crème with a crispy tart. The caramel ice cream is bold, yet goes well with the chocolate crème. Yummy!

Chocolate Cremeux

Not forgetting, we also ordered the souffle again.

Baked Light Souffle

The décor of the restaurant is spacious and grand at the same time. When you walk into the restaurant, you can see different cooking stations such as dessert station and bakery before you enter the main dining hall. The bar and floor to ceiling wine fridge are the centrepieces of the restaurant. Though service is fine, there is still room for improvement.

The Bar & Wine Chiller

Overall, LD and I like the food served at Racines for the French. When we went in March and April, we notice the menu is similar. I noticed that they have changed the menu for June. No matter what’s on the menu, the souffle is a must-order here. Cheers!

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 6.5/10 (9/10 with Accor Plus benefits)

Service: 6.5/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Budget per Person: $51 - $80; $81 and above

Racines

9 Wallich Street

5th Floor, Sofitel Singapore City Centre

Singapore 078885

T: +65 6428 5000

W: https://www.sofitel-singapore-citycentre.com/gastronomy/racines/

F: https://www.facebook.com/SofitelSingaporeCityCentre

IG: @Sofitelsingaporecitycentre

OH: Daily

Breakfast, 07.00 – 10.30

Lunch, 12.00 – 15.00

Dinner, 17.30 – 22.00

Menu available online

Alaturka – Authentic Mediterranean and Turkish Cuisine

We were looking for a place to celebrate LD’s & our Godson’s birthday. Surprisingly, our Godson choose Mediterranean cuisine and his mum made a booking at Alaturka Mediterranean & Turkish Restaurant.

Located in Bussorah Street, nearby the iconic Arab Street, Alaturka fits right at home. Helmed by the most experienced Turkish chefs, Alaturka served authentic and marvellous Mediterranean cuisine. They are also awarded the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand in 2016.

Alaturka Mediterranean & Turkish Restaurant

We started the meal with Hummus ($12.50) and Havuc Salata ($12.50). Whenever LD see a Hummus on the menu, it is a must-order item for her. The version here is smooth, creamy and packs with chickpea flavour. It is served with Ekmek bread that is soft and fluffy.

Hummus

Havuc Salata is a Turkish carrot salad. The peeled carrots are cooked with olive oil and then mixed with yoghurt and garlic. If you don’t like the raw carrot taste, don’t worry, the garlic and yoghurt remove most of the raw carrot taste.

Havuc Salata

When we were ordering, we notice the next table ordered this balloon type of bread. After we find it on the menu, we decided to add Lavas ($6) to our order. Served piping hot and in a balloon shape, we were in awe and took lots of photos of it. It is aromatic and tasted light and clean, yet addictive. You can just eat that on its own and try to finish it while it’s hot.

Lavas

Calamari ($18). Deep-fried breaded calamari, served with spiced mayonnaise. It was not a special dish, but everyone just enjoys it. Crispy exterior, followed by tender yet springy calamari rings.

Calamari

Etli Pide ($24). Pide is like the Turkish version of boat shape pizza with a different selection of toppings. We choose the seasoned coarse-ground lamb and cheese. The base is crisp with a soft chewy texture, while the ground lamb is meaty, well-seasoned and absent of the gamy taste. The cheese binds all the ingredients together, giving it the deserving umami flavour and the delicate chewy texture.

Etli Pide

Next up are the meat platter. Karisik Kebab ($59 for 2) and Alaturka Platter ($79 for 2). Both the platter has similar grilled meat such as Kuzu Pirzolla (Lamb Chop), Tavuk Sis (Boneless Grilled Chicken Thigh) and Kanat (Chicken Wings). The Karisik kebab has Köfte (3 lambs and beef meatballs), while the Alaturka Platter has Adana Chicken / Lamb (Marinated minced meat, hand-formed skewer) and Patlican Lamb Kebab (Ground lamb and eggplant skewers). We also ordered extra Kuzu Pirzolla.

Alaturka Platter

Let me not bored you with the details, because at that time, I also did not know the specifics of it. Let’s make it simple, the chickens are juicy, succulent, super tender and well marinated. While most of the kebabs that I tried previously were dried, Alaturka version beat them hands down. They are moist, juicy and the seasoning is spot on. You can still taste the flavour of the meat, instead of being drowned by spices. The Lamb Chop is overcooked, but it was very forgiving as still remains juicy.

Karisik Kebab with extra Kuzu Pirzolla

Each platter is served with buttered rice, greens and house sauce. The rice is fragrant, aromatic and tasty. While the vegetables are tossed with a balsamic vinegar dressing. The house sauce is the must-try here. Instead of dunking your meat into it, I suggest you mixed it with the rice. It is just delicious!!

Karisik Kebab with extra Kuzu Pirzolla

For desserts, we settle on Kunefe ($15) A Turkish dessert made from shredded phyllo dough, butter, cheese, ground pistachios and milk. Absolutely love this dessert. The combination of the crispy texture, savoury and sweet as well. We described the taste like Chao Da Bee Hoon with Cream (in a delicious way). It is claimed to be Turkey’s finest dessert, I totally agree with them.

Kunefe

Alaturka has two dining sections, indoor and outdoor. The indoor dining room is a bit small, but it is decorated in traditional Turkish lights, carpet and plates. The outdoor area feels like you are dining in a Mediterranean restaurant near the beach. Although the place is packed, the service remains friendly and attentive. We brought a cake to celebrate our Godson’s birthday and they even plated nicely for us. Plus they took our photos with those fun placards and print a hardcopy for our memento.

Overall, it was our first time dining at Alaturka and we can’t wait to make a return visit there. The food is authentic and delicious, accompanied by friendly service. For those who never tried the Mediterranean or Turkish food, this is a good place for your first experience. For those who like it, you must visit Alaturka. Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 8.5/10

Value: 8/10

Service: 8.5/10

Ambiance: 7/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50; $51 - $80.

Alaturka Mediterranean & Turkish Restaurant

15 Bussorah Street

Singapore 199436

T: +65 9434 6026 / 6294 0304

W: https://www.alaturka.com.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/alaturkarestaurantsingapore

IG: @Alaturkarestaurantsingapore

OH: Daily 11.30 – 22.30 (LO 22.00)

[CLOSED] Jamie's Italian Forum – An Evening at Jamie

Looking for kids friendly dining destination for a group of 18 pax is definitely not an easy task. If you do have this dilemma, you definitely must consider Jamie's Italian at Forum.

The Front of Jamie's Italian at Forum

In case you have been living under a rock or somewhere in the jungle of Borneo, Jamie Oliver might sound alien to you. In summary, he is a British Celebrity Chef, author of numerous cook books, plus TV shows, activist who loved Italian Food. Jamie's restaurants always focused on natural and healthy ingredients, with simple cooking method. Jamie's Italian at Forum is the second franchise in Singapore.

Table Setting with Mango & Orange Fresh Smoothies ($8.50)

While waiting for the everyone to arrive, LD and I ordered Salumi Crostini ($15). Salumi means different type of salami / Italian cured meat. Crispy bread with buffalo ricotta, crispy salumi and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Crispy, creamy, sweet, with subtle acidity just make a perfect entrée. A good start to tease the palate.

Salumi Crostini

If you are an olive fan, you might want to try their World's Best Olive ($8.50). Consist of large green olives, with black olives and sun-dried tomatoes tapenade & crispy music bread. I am definitely not a fan of black olive, but I discover green olive is easy to like. Crunchy, refreshing with a touch of delicate sourness almost like a gherkin.

World's Best Olive

Borderless Brunch – New Dining Experience at Grand Copthorne Waterfront Part 2 [MEDIA INVITE]

Borderless Brunch 

Our dining experience journey at Grand Copthorne Waterfront ('GCW') continue with their Borderless Brunch. This brunch concept combine three distinct food concepts by GCW to offer one of the most anticipated Brunch experience. Every Sunday, Food Capital + Tempo + Grissini come together to present to you Grand Copthorne Waterfront Borderless Brunch.

Borderless Brunch Passport

Before you are seated, each of you will be given a Passport. Well it is basically just a mini map so you don't get lost in your quest for good food. The gastronomic delights will start from 12.30 PM and you basically have 3 hours to sample the best food on offer.

Your Personal Borderless Brunch Map

Beast & Butterflies - Retro Ambiance With Asian Inspired Menu [MEDIA INVITE]

Beast & Butterflies (BnB) is the main dining destination for latest Boutique Hotel in the Millenium Group Singapore stable. Designed by one of the world's most prolific designer, Philippe Starck, you can expect BnB to be imaginative, colourful, retro and playful at the same time. Moulding together the retro theme with modern technology, BnB is definitely edgy with its own unique style.

Part of the Dining Area - Philippe Starck Design

Part of the Dining Area

Part of the Dining Area

Once you enter BnB, you can see the centre tables are filled with lava lamp, creating the distinct red flow that filled the dining area. There are about 40 Android tablets on the wall showing contemporary art, where can actually use it to take photos and send it to yourself. Android users like LD and I were able to take advantage of charging cables to charge our phones. Sorry Apple users, this is Android territory. Pool table and interactive bar counter added to the chill factor of this establishment.

Part of the Dining Area

The Pool Table

[CLOSED] Alkaff Mansion Ristorante – Italian BBQ Night [MEDIA INVITE]

Alkaff Mansion Ristorante

Alkaff Mansion, this grand old dame was originally build in 1918 by Yemeni Alkaff family of spice traders as a weekend retreat bungalow. Located on top of Telok Blangah Hill, it is set up to provide an exquisite dining location. In 2010, LHN Culinary Concepts took over the property and Alkaff Mansion Ristorante ('AMR') is born.

Alkaff Mansion Ristorante - The Garden

Alkaff Mansion Ristorante - Bar 1918

The team behind the transformation of Alkaff Mansion are Miss Jilly Wang, the owner and director of LHN Culinary Concepts and Executive Chef Simone Depalmas. Currently, AMR is divided into different section: Bar 1918 for drinks and chill out; Terrace for evening under the stars; The Grand Marquee to host celebration of all sizes which can host up to 600 guests; and The Main Dining area in the mansion, which consist of 2 floors for intimate fine dining for lunch and dinner.

Alkaff Mansion Ristorante - Level 1

Alkaff Mansion Ristorante - Level 2

Alkaff Mansion Ristorante - Level 2