Fat Belly – The Uncommon Cuts Steakhouse [MEDIA INVITE]

Fat Belly (“FB”) is a community steakhouse in Bukit Timah serving delicious secondary cuts of steak, moreish sides and classic desserts. FB takes pride in its sourcing and butchery, working with a close-knit network of producers across the world for lesser-known cuts of beef, pork and more. Head Chef Spencer Lau embraces a minimalist philosophy, choosing only the finest meats for the Charcoal Grilled section of the menu, which are expertly grilled over charcoal, rested, sliced, and served.

Toasted Sourdough & Raclette Cheese

Our evening at FB starts with Toasted Sourdough [$6] & Raclette Cheese [$18]. The sourdough has a crisp texture externally, followed by a soft and bouncy texture in the middle. The raclette cheese has a gooey and stretchy texture. Together with the crispy bacon, the raclette is irresistible. A great start to the meal.

Toasted Sourdough

Raclette Cheese with Crispy Bacon

The Combo

For the drinks, I had the mocktail version of Hugo while my dining partner, Purple-Eats had Bodega Catena, Malbec 2021 (Argentina). My Hugo is refreshing and floral.

Hugo Mocktail & Bodega Catena Malbec

For the steak, we had Full Blood Wagyu MS 8/9 DENVER [$65] & American Wagyu MBS 6/7 PICANHA [$55].

American Wagyu MBS 6/7 PICANHA & 
Full Blood Wagyu MS 8/9 DENVER 

Full Blood Wagyu MS 8/9 DENVER 

American Wagyu MBS 6/7 PICANHA

The Denver steak is also known as boneless short rib. It is one of my favourite cuts in Korean BBQ joints due to its rich flavour and tender texture. Coming from Full Blood Wagyu MS 8/9, this cut has a lovely marbling. It is cooked perfectly to the point of medium rare, the Denver steak just melts in your mouth.

Full Blood Wagyu MS 8/9 DENVER - Medium Rare 

At FB, the steak is served with rock salt, royal mustard and roasted garlic. I had the Denver with a touch of salt and also with the tangy royal mustard. Both ways are just awesome. The baked garlic is sweet and packed with intense garlic flavour.

The American Wagyu MBS 6/7 Picanha is also a unique steak. Picanha cut is taken from the top of the rump also known as rump cap. This cut is commonly used in Churrascaria (Brazilian BBQ) because of its perfect balance between lean and fats. When grilled, the fat caps just melts and keep the lean part juicy.

American Wagyu MBS 6/7 PICANHA - Medium Rare

For the version at FB, it is cooked to the point of medium rare. It is juicy and tender, but don’t expect a melt-in-your-mouth sensation. Instead, you can expect a bit of bite / resilience in the steak.

For the side, Pomme Puree [$10] & Fried Brussels Sprouts [$14]. The pomme puree (mashed potatoes) is smooth and velvety, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil for that extra flavour.

Pomme Puree

The brussel sprouts are seasoned with the exciting garum caramel (umami-laden sauce, filled with sweet, salty and savoury flavour). Through deep frying, the brussel sprouts deliver a blend of crispy and crunchy texture, followed by outrageous rich and complex flavour. WOW!!

Fried Brussel Sprouts

We end the meal with Signature Tiramisu [$14]. The texture is soft, light and packed with strong coffee flavour. It was so delicious; that I couldn’t stop scooping the tiramisu.

Signature Tiramisu

Overall, it was great to be back at Fat Belly and experience a superb secondary cut of steak. On top of that, the starters, sides and dessert are delish. A must-visit place for a steak lover. Cheers!!

All Day Ala Carte Menu

Thank you very much Protegie Consultancy and Team Fat Belly for the invitation.

Food & Drink: 9/10

Value: 8/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 8/10

Budget per Person: $51 - $80

Fat Belly

10 Jalan Serene

#01-04, Serene Centre

Singapore 258748

T: +65 6314 2247

W: https://www.fatbellysg.com/

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

IG: @Fatbellysg

OH:

Mon – Thu: 11.00 – 16.00; 17.00 – 22.00

Fri: 11.00 – 16.00; 17.00 – 23.00

Sat: 11.00 – 23.00

Sun: 11.00 – 22.00

Menu Available Online

Market Bistro – Wall Street Style Bistro at MBFC [MEDIA INVITE]

Market Bistro is a Wall Street-style bistro, inspired by the bustling food scene in New York’s CBD has opened its doors in the heart of Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC). It is run by Eleven Seventeen, the same group that brought you the awesome steakhouses, Meadesmoore and Fat Belly.

Market Bistro

The décor is a blend of simplicity and sophistication, combining the theme of black and white with the timeless classic of wood. Market Bistro (“MB”) will serve NEW All-day dine-in menu, pasta set lunch and even cater to lunch takeaway that will include salads and proteins. MB also offers coffee from the award-winning Blacklist Coffee Roaster in Perth.

The Coffee Bar

Part of Dining Area

We started our tasting with Sharing Items. Fried Baby Squid [$15]. They are crispy, tender and bouncy. The homemade aioli is creamy, with a touch of spice, like an XO sauce. When you squeeze the lemon, it adds a zesty spark to the dish.

Fried Baby Squid

Deep Fried Camembert (V) [$16] – Truffle Honey & Pickles. LD and I like the crumbly crust of the cubes of camembert and creamy cheese that followed. The truffle in the honey dip is too overpowering for our liking. Maybe they might consider a stronger honey like Leatherwood. The pickles jalapeno is perfect for balancing the creaminess in the cheese.

Deep Fried Camembert

For the mains, we ordered 200g Grass Fed Ribeye [$34] - Blistered Tomatoes, Mojo Verde & Fries; and Tiger Prawn Bisque [$28] – Fusilli Lunghi, Prawn Bisque, Grilled Tiger Prawns & Chervil.

200g Grass Fed Ribeye

The Ribeye is cooked perfectly to medium-rare. It is juicy, succulent and not overly fat. The fries are crisp externally and fluffy internally. The blistered tomatoes are bursting with sweetness combined with a lovely charred, while the mojo verde on top of the steak spice up the dish together with the brown sauce.

200g Grass Fed Ribeye

Tiger Prawn Bisque pasta is a “Flavour Bomb”. The ramen-looking fusilli lunghi pasta is crunchy and chewy like a Korean ramen, soaks up the essence of the robust prawn bisque. The prawns are pan-seared with butter, resulting in a crispy exterior and crunchy meat. The roe inside the super crispy prawn heads, are the key umami to this dish. Yummy!!

Tiger Prawn Bisque 

We complete the meal here with the delightful Baked Alaska [$12] – Swiss Meringue, Red Berries, Vanilla Ice Cream & Genoise Cake. The Baked Alaska has a nice charred and sweet. Internally, it is filled with red berries, vanilla ice cream and genoise cake. The refreshing and zesty passion sauce is perfect complement to the sweetness of the Swiss meringue and vanilla ice cream.

Baked Alaska

To accompany our meal, LD had a nice Cabernet Sauvignon house wine and I had homemade Iced Lemon Tea without sugar.

Cabernet Sauvignon & Iced Lemon Tea

Overall, the food is delicious and packed with flavours. While the plating is simple, bistro style, the menu has been meticulously curated. Definitely, a place to visit in the MBFC area. Cheers!!

All Day Menu

Thank you very much Protegie Consultancy and Team Market Bistro for the invitation.

Pasta Set Lunch Menu

Food & Drink: 8/10

Value: 8/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 8/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50

Market Bistro

12 Marina Boulevard

#01-03 Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 3

Singapore 018982

T: +65 8399 1912

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

F: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553875808099

IG: @Marketbistro_sg

OH:

Mon – Fri: 08.00 – 21.00 (L.O. 20.30)

Closed on Weekends and PH

Menu available online

Allo – Delicious French Food

Allo is a French bistro located in shophouses along Desker Road, Little India. I was attracted to Allo when I saw a posting on Allo’s dish on social media and added it to my list of places to try.

Allo

When you reach the front door of Allo, you will be welcomed by a nice al-fresco dining area, complete with rattan chairs and white round tables, just like those found in France. The indoor dining area is separated by white steel doors with glass windows. In the evening, the ambient of the indoor dining area is dimly lit. It is furnished, with square tables, rattan chairs and long banquette seats, for seats against the wall. Though not an open kitchen, through the pass, you can see the chefs at work in the kitchen.

Allo's Al-fresco dining area

We started the meal with Pan Seared Foie Gras [$26] - Pan-Seared Foie Gras, Figs Compote, Rice Crackers. A generous serving of foie gras, cooked to perfection. It has a lovely crisp externally, smooth and creamy internally. The figs compote is sweet and bodes well with foie gras and crispy rice crackers.

Pan Seared Foie Gras 

Warm Oven Truffled Camembert with Figs Compote [$28] - Camembert Cheese, Truffle Paste, Figs compote. The camembert is sliced evenly like a muffin and generously slathered with truffle paste. It is then baked, to the point where the cheese is warm and gooey. Eaten together with crispy sourdough and figs compote, it is just delicious.

Warm Oven Truffled Camembert with Figs Compote 

Moving to mains Wagyu Sirloin Steak with Pomme Puree & Seasonal Vegetable [$38] - Sirloin, pomme puree, brandy sauce. The steak is cooked to medium-rare, as ordered. It is nicely seasoned, juicy and succulent. The pomme puree (French mashed potatoes) is creamy, velvety and ridiculously delicious complemented by the crunchy seasonal vegetables. Yummy!!

Wagyu Sirloin Steak with Pomme Puree & Seasonal Vegetable

Beef Tenderloin with Potato Dauphinoise & Seasonal Vegetable [$38] - Brandy Sauce. The thick beef tenderloin is meaty and succulent. Unlike the sirloin which has more fats, the tenderloin offers a nice meaty texture. The Potato Dauphinoise (Potato au Gratin) has a crisp exterior, followed by a creamy interior, which complements the beef tenderloin nicely. The seasonal vegetables are crunchy, while the brandy sauce binds all the ingredients nicely.

Beef Tenderloin with Potato Dauphinoise & Seasonal Vegetable 

The service is friendly but minimal. On that night, we only have 1 service staff covering 4 tables.

Overall, Allo served delicious French cuisine in a French café atmosphere. The food is fairly priced and we will surely return for more. Santé!! Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 8/10

Value: 8/10

Service: 6.5/10

Ambiance: 7.5/10

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

Allo French Restaurant

72 Desker Road

Singapore 209595

T: +65 8897 9230

W: https://allo.com.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/allo.com.sg

IG: @Allo.com.sg

OH:

Tue – Thu, Sun: 11.00 – 15.00, 18.00 – 22.30

Fri – Sat: 11.00 – 15.00; 18.00 – Midnight

Closed on Mondays

La Savoir – L’Entrecote at La Savoir [MEDIA INVITE]

La Savoir is a luxurious café located in the heart of Orchard Road featuring local-French contemporary delicacies. The lavish ambiance is highlighted by their collection of exquisite wallpapers and modern décor. Each dish is prepared with utmost care and revolves around Hermes tableware.

La Savoir

Part of the Dining Area

La Savoir is proud to unveil L’Entrecote at Saviour. Only available in the evening, this 1 pax set course is priced at SGD 57.90++.

Part of the Dining Area

Foliage De Soleil Room

The set course starts with an appetizer, Mesclun salad tossed in yuzu dressing. The sweet, citrusy and refreshing yuzu dressing covered the bitter characteristic of the mesclun salad nicely.

Mesclun salad tossed in yuzu dressing

The Main Course is Ribeye Steak, Chimichurri, In-House French Sauce with a side of fries. The ribeye is cooked to perfection. It is lean, yet juicy with a nice crisp crust externally. The French fries have a crispy exterior, yet are soft and creamy inside. I prefer the rich and buttery in-house French sauce, compared to the slightly spicy and tangy chimichurri sauce.

Ribeye Steak, Chimichurri,
In-House French Sauce with a side of fries

The L’Entrecote set comes with a free Second Helping. We basically enjoy the delicious steak twice. Yummy!!

Second Helping

Since we had a bit of space after those two servings of L’Entrecote steak, we ordered the cake of the day (for an additional SGD6++). The cake of the day is La Savoir signature Chocolate Cake. The chocolate cake is thick and solid. In between the layers, there is a chocolate balls that add to the crunchiness of the cake. A perfect end to the meal.

La Savoir Signature Chocolate Cake

L’Entrecote steak is also available as a la carte option. A single serving of the steak is priced at SGD39.90++ and will also include French Cafe de Paris sauce, Chimichurri, and a side of salad and fries.

We also ordered Charred Octopus (SGD28++) - Charred Octopus, pimento puree, ice plant, black olive, confit tomato, orange and aged balsamic reduction. The octopus is charred, yet tender. The sauce is sweet, tangy, acidic, yet refreshing at the same time. The plating is very artistic while the flavour is very complex.

Charred Octopus

Overall, dining at La Savoir is like dining in France. The beautiful décor of the restaurant is complemented perfectly with the delicious French culinary excellence. Definitely, a place to visit for your next meal at any time of the day. Of course, don’t forget to try L’Entrecote set course or a la carte. Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 8.5/10

Value: 8/10

Service: N/A (Media Invite)

Ambiance: 8.5/10

Budget per Person: $51 – 80

La Savoir

6 Scotts Road

#02-01 Scotts Square.

Singapore 228209

T: +65 9377 7788

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

IG: @Lasavoir.sg

OH: Mon – Sun, 11.30 – 22.00 (LO 21.00)