Ten+ - Singapore’s First Safari Theme Bistro [MEDIA INVITE]

Glamping is one of the activities that has been gaining traction in the past few years. It has elevated the humble camping experience, spicing it up with glamourous and luxurious features to the natural elements. Now you can partly experience glamping at Ten+, Singapore’s first safari theme bistro that simulates the ambience of dining during glamping.

Ten+ Entrance

Located in Sungei Tengah, Ten+ is surrounded by Singapore’s natural greenery, farms and nurseries. It is probably as close as to the middle of nowhere, which is a suitable setting for a glamping café. One part of the indoor seating area is furnished with knee-height foldable camping tables and foldable canvas camping chairs. This camping furniture is used in the three al-fresco seating tents. For those who prefer regular-height dining tables, this option is also available at the front and back of the indoor dining area.

Camping Furniture & Glamping Tent

Indoor Dining Area

Indoor Dining Area

We started the meal with Torched Aburi Prawn Pasta ($23). The plating made it look like the western version of prawn noodles. The al-dente fettuccine is sitting on the robust and umami prawn bisque. The prawns are fresh, and perfectly cooked with a lovely smoky flavour from the torching. In each bite of the pasta, you can taste the popping texture of the tobiko and seaweed. We polish this dish completely, except for the prawn shells.

Torched Aburi Prawn Pasta

Torched Aburi Prawn Pasta

Flame Grilled Angus Burger ($23). It is one of the best burgers I have tasted in a while. The patty is cooked to medium-rare, juicy and packs with nice beef flavour, while the brioche bun is nicely seared, light and with a touch of sweetness. The lettuce is perfectly placed at the bottom, preventing the juice from the tomato, gherkin and patty soak into the bottom of the bun. Topped that with bacon and cheese, it was a delicious burger.

Flame Grilled Angus Burger

The burger is served with addictive curly potato fries and garden salad with vinaigrette dressing making it a complete dish. Yummy!!

Flame Grilled Angus Burger

The Burger

LD & I also tried their bar bites. Moo Ping (4 sticks, $14) served with bonito flakes. We like the presentation and the moo ping has a caramelised exterior. However, we find the interior is too dry, like it was overcooked. The saltiness level is on the high side, suitable with beer but not for regular dining.

Moo Ping

Battered Fish Bites ($14). A lovely bar snack, perfectly fried. The mini flesh fish is coated with crispy batter, followed by moist fish meat. The tartar sauce compliments the fish bites nicely.

Battered Fish Bites

Crispy Kawa Ebi ($15). One of our favourite snacks in a Japanese restaurants. Crisp, plump and loaded with intense prawn flavour. A few drizzles of lemon juice with enhance the flavour and balance the saltiness in this dish. The portion is very generous, and we were unable to finish the whole dish.

Crispy Kawa Ebi

If you love pork knuckle or came with a bigger group, I suggest you try their Crispy Pork Knuckle ($32). Most of the customers will order this and it looks super yummy. Unfortunately, it was only LD & I, we certainly won’t be able to finish this.

Crispy Pork Knuckle
*(We borrowed our neighbouring table order to take photo. Thank you “Neighbour”!).

For drinks, LD ordered Cocktail Lychee Pea ($15), which was refreshing and very generous with the alcohol. I ordered Smoked Oak Mocha ($7). Nice mocha, with a hit of smokiness at the end.

Cocktail Lychee Pea

Smoke Oak Mocha

CBK Verdict: It can be a bit challenging going to the café for a non-driver. However, once arrived, you will be rewarded with a great safari dining experience. While the menu is on a smaller scale, the team made sure that each item on the menu is delicious. We will return if we are around the area. Cheers!!

Ten+ Bar Area

Thank you very much Protegie and Ten+ Team for the invitation.

Food & Drink: 7.75/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 8/10

Budget per Person: $11 - $25

Ten+

65 Sungei Tengah Road

Singapore 699000

T: +65 8656 8685 (No reservations currently)

W: https://www.tenplus.sg/

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

IG: @Tenplus.sg

OH:

Wed – Mon: 11.00 – 15.00; 17.00 – 23.00

(LO kitchen 21.00, drinks 22.15)

Closed on Tuesday

The Dragon Chamber – A Mystical Hidden Restaurant

The Dragon Chamber (‘TDC’) is located at the beginning of Circular Road, Boat Quay, closer to the Elgin bridge side. The restaurant is easy to find, however, the first thing you notice is an empty coffee shop instead of a restaurant. Of course, if you have visited TDC website or their social media page, you know that the “Real” restaurant is hidden behind the magical door.

The Dragon Chamber

LD and I arrived at TDC early. So, we have to wait for the rest of the group to arrive before we are ushered in. We decided to order some drinks while waiting, alas, it took them 15 minutes just to prepare the drink. By that time, we were ready to be seated.

The Outer Section / Waiting Area

Drink & Food Menu

To enter the mystical TDC, you need to go through the “magical door” aka the beer fridge. Luckily, there is no initiation ritual, you don’t need to crawl or finished a keg of beer, the door will just open and lead you to the main dining room.

The "Real" Entrance

The décor of the main dining room is inspired by different Asian cultures. The bar followed a Chinese medicine hall counter, with a lot of drawers behind, that are usually used to store dry herbs. Marble tables and old school teak dining chairs are the main furniture for the guests. It is the same version used for the outside coffee shop. Meanwhile, the wallpapers are plucked from my favourite comic book, The Dragon Ball. We were seated right beside the kitchen window, where we can see the actions happening in the kitchen. Although you can not hear anything, once in a while you can feel the heat, when the chef decided to flambe some dishes.

The Dining Area

The Dragon Cutleries with Yuzu Cooler

We started the meal with Szechuan Fries ($10). Steak cut fries, double-fried and tossed with house special Szechuan sauce. We like the fries’ texture, the double-fried created an extra crispy exterior followed by a soft and comforting mushy interior. The house special sauce is unique and tasted like the Szechuan pepper blended with toffee or salted caramel. The sauce is acceptable to most diners as it does not totally numb your tongue and lips.

Szechuan Fries

Roast Irish Duck ($42, half). It has a crispy skin and the fats in the Irish duck are rendered into the flesh, creating super juicy and succulent flesh. It is served with chilli sauce and plum sauce. Awesome!

Roast Irish Duck

Kale Stir Fry ($36, Large). Our first-time trying stir-fry kale. Usually, the kale that we tried is either in the form of salad or air-dried. The stem is crunchy, while the leaves have a lot of fibre. At first, it tasted bitter, almost like aged kai lan. However, once we add a squeeze of lemon, it removes the bitterness and induces a bit of sweetness into the vegetables.

Kale Stir Fry

Kale Stir Fry

Firecracker Chicken ($30, Large). TDC version of Chong Qing diced chicken with dried chilli. I will normally avoid this dish due to the crazy amount of chilli on this dish. This time around, I decided to give it a try. The popcorn chicken is super crispy and the chilli is mind-numbing. Totally put me off, having said that, I like the crunchy and sweet youtiao baked in maple syrup.

Firecracker Chicken

Double Boiled Almond Mushroom, Sea Whelk and Conpoy Soup ($16). The clear broth tasted clean, yet robust. The ingredients put in the soup are very generous, especially the conpoy. Although the soup is delicious, the timing of the soup served comes as a surprise to us. Usually, the soup should be served at the start of the meal, to open up your appetite instead in the middle of the meal or should I say almost to the end of the meal.

Double Boiled Almond Mushroom,
Sea Whelk and Conpoy Soup 

Wagyu Truffle Beef Hor Fun ($32, small). Not your regular hor fun. The initial bowl of hor fun comes in dual texture, the regular smooth and silky, plus the deep-fried crispy texture. Plated with premium US Wagyu short rib and poached egg. The finishing touch is the truffle gravy that is poured by the service staff at the table. The service staff also mixed all the ingredients together, to ensure everything is evenly distributed.

Wagyu Truffle Beef Hor Fun - Without Truffle Sauce 

It is a signature dish at TDC and I totally agree with it. The bold flavours in the dish are complemented by the multi-texture of the ingredients. The wagyu short ribs just melt with each bite, while the truffle gravy is just a flavour bomb. A must-order dish here. Yummy!!

Wagyu Truffle Beef Hor Fun - Mixed With Truffle Sauce 

Kinmedai Fish with Crispy Scales ($88). Kinmedai is also known as golden eye snapper in Japanese cuisine. The fish is deep-fried till crispy with the scales on the skin. It exterior of the fish is crispy and the scales added a nice crunchy bite to it. The flesh is crisp and flaky, while the fried ginger and spring onion, together with superior soy sauce just accentuate the flavour of the fish. Nicely done.

Kinmedai Fish with Crispy Scales 

Kinmedai Fish with Crispy Scales 

We finally reach the desserts. Red Bean Pancake with Salted Caramel Ice Cream ($19). TDC red bean pancake is a deconstructed version of red bean pancake. The pastry is deep-fried, sprinkle with icing sugar, topped with a few dollops of red beans and salted caramel ice cream. Although the pastry is a bit thick, I enjoyed the combination of red beans and salted caramel with the pastry. They are just “BUSSIN”

Red Bean Pancake with Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Red Bean Pancake with Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Salted Caramel Ice Cream and Fries ($12). The dessert version of Szechuan fries. Salted caramel ice cream and fries, served in a waffle bowl and topped with Szechuan sauce. On the menu, it says for the weirdos out there. I can deal with the ice cream and fries (I like this combo, especially in MacDonalds), but the Szechuan sauce just knocks my taste buds off balance. It does not work for me.

Salted Caramel Ice Cream and Fries 

Since we are celebrating someone’s birthday, TDC team generously put the candles on the top of each dessert and give us complimentary Salted Caramel Ice Cream and Fries.

Fortune Cookie

For the cocktails, you can try Dragon Punch ($24). TDC alcoholic version of a fruit punch. I tried the mocktail, Yuzu Cooler ($10), fizzy and refreshing.

Dragon Punch with Dragon Ball Wallpaper

The service team at the main dining area are good. Although they are swamped, they are very friendly and helpful once you get their attention. However, the receptionist was just unfriendly and disconnected from the service that night.

Overall, I find the food and dining experience at TDC memorable. I am unable to appreciate the Szechuan influence in some dishes, however, the rest of the dishes are great. The Wagyu Truffle Beef Hor Fun, Kinmedai Fish with Crispy Scales, Roast Irish Duck and Red Bean Pancake with Salted Caramel Ice Cream are a must-try. The overall experience comes at a price and a substantial dent in your pocket. Cheers!!

Note: As part of the “Dragon theme”, there are a few dishes inspired by dragon tales. TDC served a few dishes using crocodile meat and parts. We are unable to try it as the crocodile is too heaty for me and I will have a nose bleed. Those who do not have such problem should give it a try.

Food & Drink: 8/10

Value: 6.25/10

Service: 7.5/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Budget per Person: $51 - $80; $81 & Above

The Dragon Chamber

2 Circular Road

Singapore 049358

T: +65 6950 0015

W: https://www.thedragonchamber.com/

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

IG: @thedragonchamber

OH:

Tue – Sun: 11.00 – 15.00; 17.00 – 22.30

Closed on Monday

[CLOSED] Prima Tower – Singapore Landmark Revolving Restaurant

Shredded Scallops with Fish and Egg White 

Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant is a landmark dining destination restaurant in Singapore. Build on top of a grain silo in 1977, it still endeared diners with its culinary creation and panoramic view of the sea, Sentosa, Resort World Sentosa and around Singapore island.

The View of Sentosa and RWS

Prima Tower is led by Hong Kong Master Chef Chan, who has 30 years of culinary experience. Prima Tower served authentic Beijing cuisine and Cantonese Dim Sim as well.

Peking Duck ($70, whole) is one of the signature dishes of this restaurant. The Peking Duck is served with egg crepe, Peking duck sauce, cucumber and spring onion. Unlike the modern Peking duck restaurant, the serving here is more rustic. The skin is crispy and sliced without the meat attached. However, I found the carving is very barbaric, not elegant at all.

Peking Duck

The egg crepe is thin and moist, wrapped the fillings nicely. One thing for sure, the Peking duck standard here is not as good as other Peking Duck centric restaurant that has open in Singapore for the last 10 years.

The Duck Skin

2nd dish, duck meat with ginger and spring onion ($10). For the second serving, we choose the duck meat to be cooked with ginger and spring onion. Though the dish is fragrant and appetizing, the meat of the duck is very hard. Not recommend.

2nd dish, duck meat with ginger and spring onion

Shredded Scallops with Fish and Egg White ($42 for Large, Anniversary Promo). A must-order dish here. The dish has a subtle natural sweetness, filled with generous fillings of dried and fresh scallops. I suggest you try the original taste of this dish first. Afterwards, add a bit of black vinegar as it will remove any fishiness from the scallops, while the tanginess will accentuate the sweetness in this dish.

Shredded Scallops with Fish and Egg White

For the Cantonese Dim Sum section, there were some outstanding dishes:

Steam Dumpling with Prawn / Siew Mai ($5.80). Juicy, crunchy and complete with a whole prawn as the topping. Yummy.

Steam Dumpling with Prawn / Siew Mai 

Pan Fried Radish Cake ($5.80). It has a crispy exterior and moist interior. The radish cube is generous, spread evenly and you can taste it in each bite. Not a fan of fried carrot cake, but I did enjoy this one.

Pan Fried Radish Cake

Steam Pau BBQ Pork ($5.80). A traditional version of char siew pau, fluffy with juicy and fatty char siew fillings. The marination is just right and there is a nice smoky aroma in the char siew.

Steam Pau BBQ Pork

Steam Pau BBQ Pork

Steam Rice Roll with Squid Paste & You Tiao ($6.80). A smooth and silky rice roll filled with crispy you tiao. The soy sauce is served separately, to ensure the you tiao remain crispy till the end.

Steam Rice Roll with Squid Paste & You Tiao 

Steam Rice Roll with Squid Paste & You Tiao 

Mango Century Egg Glass Roll ($6.80). A creative and unique combination. You can taste the sweetness of the mango, creamy and pungent century egg plus a bit of spark in flavour from the pink pickled ginger wrapped in delicate glass roll. The pickled ginger also helps to reduce the overwhelming flavour from the century egg.

Mango Century Egg Glass Roll

Mango Century Egg Glass Roll

          

Deep-Fried Yam Ball ($6.80). The taro exterior is light and fluffy, protecting the juicy pork fillings. There is also a Swan Taro Ball with Black Pepper Fillings ($6.80). The exterior is the same as yam ball, but the juicy fillings are pack with black pepper flavour.

Deep-Fried Yam Ball 

Deep-Fried Yam Ball 

Stewed Tripe ($6.80). Tender, bouncy and the tripe easily. The braising sauce is well infused into the trip, making it very addictive.

Stewed Tripe

Taro Lava Bao ($5.80). Nice oozing custard, combining taro with custard that reduce the sweetness of the custard. Tasted like orh nee bao.

Taro Lava Bao

Taro Lava Bao

Some of the dishes that are average:

Steam Shrimp Dumpling / Har Gow ($5.80). The har gow has a thick crystal skin and bouncy, followed with crunchy shrimp fillings. I prefer a thinner and delicate skin compare to the version here.

Steam Shrimp Dumpling / Har Gow 

Steam Dumpling Shanghai ($5). More like a Beijing Xiao Long Bao instead of Shanghai XLB. The skin here is thicker and there is no bursting of the soup when you bit into the dumpling.

Steam Dumpling Shanghai / Xiao Long Bao

Steam Chicken Feet ($5.80). A super spicy fung chao. The chilli is so powerful, I quickly reach for the drink. The chicken feet have a good crunchy texture though.

Steam Chicken Feet

Steam Pork Rib ($5.80). Thick pork ribs mixed with cubed yams. I feel a bit short-changed as there was too much yam.

Steam Pork Rib 

Service is inconsistent. Some of the service staff are friendly and the other can be brusque. If you dine there for lunch, you better finish your meal by 2.30pm as the A/C is turned off on time and the service staff is rushing out as well.

Swan Taro Ball with Black Pepper Fillings

The view from the restaurant still amazing as you get revolving panoramic view of the sea, Sentosa, Resort World Sentosa and around Singapore island. However, ages seem to catch up with the machine as revolving is not smooth anymore, expect some bump during the ride.

The View of Vivocity

Overall, this grand old dame should not be dismissed easily. I recommend their Shredded Scallops with Fish and Egg White, Siew Mai, Char Siew Pao, Stewed Tripe and Mango Century Egg Glass Roll. Not forgetting the revolving panoramic view is still one of the best in town. Cheers!!

Food & Drinks: 7.5/10

Value: 7/10

Service: 5.75/10

Ambiance: 8.5/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50.

Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant

201 Keppel Road

Singapore 099419

T: +65 6272 8822 / 6272 8988

W: http://primatower.com.sg/home/

F: http://bit.ly/fb-primatower

IG: @Primatower_

OH:

Mon – Sat Lunch 11.00 – 14.30

Sun & PH Lunch 10.30 – 14.30

Mon – Sun & PH Dinner 18.30 – 22.30