Halcyon & Crane – Creative Wholesome and Delicious [MEDIA INVITE]

Halcyon & Crane (H&C) is a concept by The Foreign Project Group, which includes Birds of A Feather and Sichuan Alley. Located in Paragon Shopping Centre, right in the centre of Orchard Road shopping district. H&C is not your average café, their concept is focused on creative, cosy, wholesome, plus some spicy twist in the menu.

Halcyon & Crane

We started our brunch with the latest addition to H&C menu. Dearborn Granola and Milk ($9). Inspired by “Eat Well Live Well” theme, H&C served this handcrafted popular boutique granola from Dearborn. The granola is roasted to crisp, delivering a crunchy, light and aromatic texture. The dried fruits and melon seeds deliver added a different texture to the granola. Perfect to go with fresh milk. There is also an option for oat milk or coconut milk.

Dearborn Granola and Milk 

Dearborn Granola and Milk

Crispy Squid ($18) – Green Chilli, Sichuan BBQ spices, Sticky Pepper Fish Sauce. Not your regular crispy squid. It is crispy, evenly coated with pepper and fish sauce. A dash of lime added a tangy spark to this dish.

Crispy Squid

Nutella & Banana French Toast ($23) – Crispy French Toast, Nutella and Banana Filling, Almond Flakes, Mascapone Cream, Ice Cream. Super duper yummy breakfast. The bread is coated with a light crispy batter, like “pisang goreng” (fried banana fritter) batter. The fillings in the middle are the irresistible Nutella and fresh banana. The ice cream and mascarpone cream lighten up the flavours on the plate, while the berries cut through the sweetness in this dish. A must-order dish at H&C. Yummy!!

Nutella & Banana French Toast

Nutella & Banana French Toast

Dan Dan Spaghetti ($26) – Pork Ragout, Peanut Sesame Butter, Onsen Egg, Kale. We choose the non-spicy version of this dish. It is an East Meet West dish. The spaghetti is al-dente, while the pork ragout is full of Sichuan-inspired spices together with peanut sesame butter. The onsen egg binds the dish nicely, while the bitter fresh kale provided the healthy ingredient in the dish.

Dan Dan Spaghetti

Grilled Tiger Prawn “Risotto” ($32) – Grilled Tiger Prawn, Oriental Corn Multi Grains and Pumpkin “Risotto”, Black Fungus, Toasted Sourdough. Not the traditional Arborio rice risotto. Instead, it is the blend of corn multi grain and pumpkin. I like the crunchiness and burst of flavours, while the tiger prawn is spices up with chilli powder. The sourdough is light and crispy, providing the base to accompany the "risotto".

Grilled Tiger Prawn Risotto

Grilled Tiger Prawn Risotto

Orange Yuzu Passionfruit Coffee Cubes Latte ($14) – Coffee Ice Cubes, Fresh Orange Juice, Yuzu, Passion Fruit. My drink to accompany the breakfast. I am getting used to having orange juice mixed with my coffee. Though it looks good and taste good, the coffee cube did not melt fast enough and the orange juice is cold. Once the orange juice is finished, I poured some water to make full use of the coffee cube.

Orange Yuzu Passionfruit Coffee Cubes Latte

The ambiance of the café is very comforting, blending the concept of East and West. The seats are very cosy and comfortable, inviting you to stay longer and chillax. Service here is friendly and efficient.

H&C Coffee & Bar

CBK verdict: A cosy and comfortable, serving creative, wholesome and delicious food with a spicy twist. A great place to meet up and a nice hideaway at Orchard Road. Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 8.25/10

Value: 6.5/10

Service: 7/10

Ambiance: 8.5/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50

Halcyon & Crane

290 Orchard Road

#03-09 Paragon Shipping Centre

Singapore 238859

T: +65 9727 511

W: https://linktr.ee/halcyonandcrane

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

IG: @halcyoncrane

OH: Daily 11.00 – 20.30

Mamma Mia – Delicious and Comforting Meal

During our regular walking sessions in Jewel, Mamma Mia Trattoria E Caffe (‘MM’) catch our attention. It is a nicely designed restaurant, blending the open concept seating with an eye-catching green colour background. Live plants are incorporated around the seating area, making it feel like you are dining in a garden. So, one evening, we decided to give it a try.

Mamma Mia Trattoria E Caffe 

Mamma Mia Trattoria E Caffe 

MM is focused on pasta and risotto, complemented with antipasti, sides and desserts filled with Italian flair, yet still offers something for everyone.

The Dishes

We started the dinner with Burrata with Olive Oil ($13 Whole). The presentation is very simple, allowing the natural flavour of the ingredients to shine. The burrata is smooth, creamy and a touch of cracked pepper balanced the richness of the cheese. This dish comes with toasted bread on the side and provides a crispy texture to the overall dishes. For $13, this dish is just a steal.

Burrata with Olive Oil - Whole 

Mamma Mia Caesar Salad ($9.50). A homage to the classic. The salad is served in a crispy parmesan bowl. The vegetables are crunchy, while the dressing is just bold tasty. We have fun breaking the parmesan bowl and scooping our salad with it. Unfortunately, the turkey bacon is overcooked, leaving a bitter taste in your mouth. Other than that, it is a nice dish.

Mamma Mia Caesar Salad

Tortiglioni Rustic Beef Oxtail Bolognaise ($18.50). A perfectly executed dish. The oxtail is fork-tender, nicely cooked with tomato sauce and cheese. The tortiglioni is al-dente and absorbs the beef oxtail bolognaise nicely. Yumz!

Tortiglioni Rustic Beef Oxtail Bolognaise 

Tortiglioni Rustic Beef Oxtail Bolognaise 

Sea Bass Fillet Lemon Risotto ($16.50). The sea bass is flaky, but the fish is quite dry as it was overcooked. Since the sea bass is the centrepiece of this dish, I expect the skin should at least be crispy. The risotto is creamy, though it is a little past the al-dente point. Although the dish is supposed to be savoury, the lemon flavour in the risotto together with the crushed almonds, made me feel like eating a rice pudding dessert instead. I find the flavour is confusing, however, if MM can perfectly execute this dish, it will be a unique dish.

Sea Bass Fillet Lemon Risotto 

Sea Bass Fillet Lemon Risotto

The service is friendly and pleasant. There is not much interaction as the order placing is done through QR code.

The Menu

CBK Verdict: a good place for pasta and risotto. The menu caters to everyone and the price is pocket friendly. We’ll return to try more of their dishes. Ciao!! Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 7.25/10

Value: 8/10

Service: 6.5/10

Ambiance: 7.5/10

Budget per Person: $11 - $25; $26 - $50

Mamma Mia Trattoria E Caffe

78 Airport Road

#04-200 Jewel Changi Airport

Singapore 819666

T: +65 6214 9485

W: https://www.minorfoodsingapore.com/brands/mamma-mia-trattoria-e-caffe/

IG: @Mammamiasg

OH: Daily 11.30 – 22.00

Bruno’s Pizzeria & Grill – Neighbourhood Italian Restaurant

Vesuvio Pizza

Bruno’s Bistrot / Pizzeria & Grill (‘Bruno’) restaurants begin its operations in 2010. Bruno’s restaurant initial focus is on serving Italian food. The restaurant has been operating under the radar, serving the neighbourhood crowd around their restaurants without much fanfare and publicity. In 2018, Bruno’s took over the corner establishment in Serangoon Road that used to be a popular bistrot and started their French Bistro.

Bruno's Pizzeria & Grill at Tanjong Katong

This review is solely on their establishment in Tanjong Katong.

We came in a group of six, so we decided to share some starter and pizza. Our meal started with a complimentary basket of bread, served with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. Nice chewy baguette, dipped in the traditional Italian way.

Complimentary Bread Basket

Burratina Cheese with rocket salad and Parma ham ($22). Smooth and creamy burrata drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette and olive oil. Instead of the usual sliced tomatoes, Bruno serves this dish with sliced cherry tomatoes, rocket salad and sundried tomatoes. I like the additional sun-dried tomatoes that introduce intense tangy flavour to this dish.

Burratina Cheese with rocket salad and Parma ham

Margherita Pizza ($16.90). A simple pizza that will test out the quality of the ingredients in a pizzeria. The crisp and chewy dough, topped with delicious tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and basil. The version here definitely passes the test, though it can be better if they add an extra sprinkle of the mozzarella.

Margherita Pizza

Diavola Pizza ($19.90). Made for the meat lovers. Generous with salami and cut chillies as it covered most of the top part of the pizza. I find the salami is missing the smoky aroma and it is too tangy for my liking.

Diavola Pizza

Vesuvio Pizza ($19.90) - The toppings include mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, shaved parmesan cheese and rocket salad. This pizza will suit vegetarian nicely.  The combination of mozzarella and shaved parmesan present a rich creamy and umami combo in this dish. The bitterness from the rocket salad cuts through the richness and pungentness from the cheeses, while the cherry tomatoes bursting with sweetness.

Vesuvio Pizza

For the mains, I ordered Spaghetti Bolognese ($19.90). A traditional spaghetti recipe served with beef ragu that is cooked over a long period. The pasta is cooked to al-dente making it easy to twirl and slurp. Meanwhile, the minced beef in the ragu has breakdown nicely and absorbs the flavour of the tomato and wine nicely. All the ingredients are bind nicely with the rustic shaved parmesan. Do take note that the pasta portion is huge and can easily satisfy two people.

Spaghetti Bolognese

LD ordered Seafood Risotto / Risotto Ai Frutti Di Mare ($26). LD’s favourite risotto. The arborio rice is cook till al-dente as it absorbs the stock and tomato sauce. The rice is plump, creamy and bursting with flavour in each bite, enhance further with the intense flavour of sundried tomatoes. The seafood is huge and generous in portion, however unfortunate on that day the mussels are stale. If not for the mussels, it is a great dish indeed.

Seafood Risotto / Risotto Ai Frutti Di Mare

The rest of the group ordered Linguine Aragosta ($25.50), Ragu Tortellini ($28) and Grilled Ribeye ($35). Since I did not try it, I will just show you the photo.

 Linguine Aragosta

Ragu Tortellini

Grilled Ribeye 

The décor of the restaurant reminisces of a traditional Italian restaurant. The traditional wooded chairs and checkers table cloths amplify the experience. Special offerings are written on the blackboard hanging on the walls of the restaurant. In summary, the restaurant is very cosy complemented by friendly service staff. Please note that if you are bringing a cake for a special occasion, there is a service charge for it.

Part of the Dining Area

Wall Decor

Overall, Bruno’s Pizzeria and Grill is like your neighbourhood Italian restaurant. The food is good but not super fantastic, however, the portions are extremely generous. A restaurant that you can return regularly with your family or order takeaway for a big feast. Saluti!! Cheers!!

Food & Drinks: 7.25/10

Value: 8.25/10

Service: 6.75/10

Ambiance: 7.25/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50

Bruno’s Pizzeria & Grill

344 Tanjong Katong Road

Singapore 437113

T: +65 6440 4525

W: https://brunospizzeria.kitchen/

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

IG: @Brunospizzeria

OH: Daily 12.00 – 14.30; 18.00 – 22.30

Menu is available from their website.

[CLOSED] The Wicked Garlic – Wickedly Good Pizza Pasta and Risotto [MEDIA INVITE]

The Wicked Garlic @ Cineleisure

The Wicked Garlic ('Wicked') is a home-grown Italian inspired restaurant who recently opened their third outlet in Orchard Cathay Cineleisure. So far, its existence has been under the radar but their regulars customer has been growing steadily in their International Plaza and Clifford Center outlets.

Wicked made their name by serving three main items: Wicked Pizza, Wicked Pasta and Wicked Risotto. Their signature ingredients are their king prawns, which they used in the more than half of the dishes on their menu.

Granchio E Pepe / Crab Meat Pizza

Salmone Affumicato ($19) is their signature Wicked Pizza. Thin crispy homemade pizza dough, topped with homemade tomato sauce, eight smoked salmon slices rolled, mozzarella cheese and dill. Unlike regular smoked salmon pizza that skimps off the ingredients, the size of the rolled smoked salmon will make you drool. It combines the saltiness from the smoked salmon with the creaminess of the cheese, definitely a must try pizza here.

Salmone Affumicato

For the carnivore, Meat Lovers Pizza ($21) is something that you can look forward to. Slices of Spicy Italian Sausages, Bacon, Minced Beef topped with Mozzarella Cheese. The overflowing topping will definitely deliver a meatgasm experience you are looking for.

Meat Lovers Pizza

[CLOSED] Concetto – Italian by Saveur

Concetto by Saveur

Saveur - a French restaurant set up by Mr. Dylan Ong, Mr. Joshua Khoo and another business partner with the aim to offer quality yet affordable French cuisine to the masses. After the successful outlet of Savour in Purvis Street and Far East Plaza, these two young entrepreneurs just can't keep still and decided to set up a Italian sibbling for Saveur, thus Concetto was born.

Little Devil ('LD') and I have tried Saveur, for the price we actually find it quite good. So when the opportunity arises, we decided to tried Concetto. Unlike Saveur that always packed with crowd, we manage to get a seat in Concetto on a Saturday afternoon without any problem.

Buffalo Mozzarella