Thursday 31 March 2022

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
IG: @Mammamiasg
OH: Daily 11.30 – 22.00

Tuesday 29 March 2022

Offshore Bar & Grill – Scrumptious BBQ Seafood Galore [MEDIA INVITE]

Offshore Bar & Grill (“OBG”) is a BBQ restaurant located at Tanah Ferry Terminal. OBG promises a Kelong lifestyle filled with barbecue, beers and seaside bliss. This al-fresco dining offers a view of Singapore Straits, complete with the view of the ships departing and docking at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.

Offshore Bar & Grill 
The View - Beyond the Fence
A meal at OBG started at $69++ for the buffet. You have the option of steam shabu-shabu or smoky charcoal. We decided on smoky charcoal since it is the most eye-catching plus the restaurant name also mention “Grill”.

Each pax will get two fresh oysters and steam whole seabass (600g for 1 – 3 pax, 800g for 4 -5 pax). The oysters are fresh, plump and juicy. We slurped it raw with lemon or with fried shallots and spring onion, like Thai style. OBG claims that their seafood comes fresh from the nearby kelongs and they surely deliver. The seabass is steamed to perfection with soy sauce. The flesh is sweet and velvety.

Steam Whole Seabass 600g
Oysters
The seafood selections offer grey and tiger prawns, flower crabs, shells, crayfish, octopus, fish, squid skewer, otah and OBG signature tang hoon lala. There is also black pepper crab, tempura prawns, sotong youtiao, crab stick and sotong balls in the cooked food section.

Seafood Selections
Seafood Selections 1
Seafood Selections 2
Our picks are the squid skewers, grey/tiger prawns and the octopus. They cooked nicely on the charcoal bbq. Our scallops and gong gong are burnt as we were too busy eating and did not watch the fire properly.

Squid Skewers, Scallops & Gong Gong
To jazz up your food, there are more than 15 sauces and condiments available. Each of them is packed individually, ensuring the strictest hygiene. The sauces / condiments include honey black pepper, ginger plum, soy sauce, black vinegar, zesty mayo, sweet chilli, sambal, nacho cheese, sesame oil, margarine, fried garlic, spring onion, chopped garlic, chopped coriander, roasted sesame seeds and fried shallots.

Part of the Condiments
Of course, you can Top Up the seafood experience at OBG with lobster. For $59++, you get a whole fresh lobster (around 500g), mud crab (500g), seasonal catch and 4 pcs of fresh oysters. The portion is good to share for 2 pax.
Top Up - Lobster, Crab and Oysters
Lobster & Crabs
When we slowly grilled the lobster, it turns out to be juicy, succulent with a touch of bounciness. The flesh is just amazing and super fresh. LD spread a lot of margarine on hers, making it her version of lobster with butter sauce.

Seafood Galore
The Lobster & Crab
I always have my reservations about putting my crab on a grill. Placing the body of the crabs on the side of the bbq, the body of the crab is delicious. However, it did not turn out so well for the pincers. The delicate flesh sticks to the exoskeletons. Next time, I’ll probably wrap the pincers with margarine in the aluminium foil, before placing them on the grill. Hopefully, it turns out better. The oysters are the same as the regular buffet version.

Oyster Thai Style
Back to the regular buffet menu. OBG have different type of meat selections of three types of beef, four types of chicken, five types of pork, three different sausages and ten different types of satay and skewers. It is just so much to choose from.

The Meat Menu
Meat Part 1
Meat Part 2
Meat Menu 2
Meat Part 3
Meat Part 4 and Vegs
We tried Chef Dines 24 hours cured pork, fat beef, Itaewon beef, lamb skewers and mutton satay. The lamb and mutton satay are well marinated and succulent. We grilled the cured pork till it reaches golden brown, it is almost as good as having a Korean bbq pork belly.

Clockwise from Top: Lamb Skewers, Mutton Satay, Black Pepper Beef, 
24 Hours Cured Pork, Itaewon Beef & Fat Beef
24 Hours Cured Pork
For the Fat Beef, OBG uses Meltique beef. It is known to deliver tasty and juicy beef which remind me of the flaming beef that we always eat in Taiwan street food. It is tasty on its own and it remains tender although you overcooked it.

Fat Beef (Meltique Beef) & Cured Pork Belly
To complete the overall dining experience, there are salads, fruits, desserts, ice creams and soft drinks are included in the buffet. OBG also have Pao Fan and Laksa Noodle. You just need to order it from them, like the rest of the food.

Salad & Dessert Menu
Salads
Fruits
Drinks
Ice Cream
Ice Cream
For the alcoholic drinks, you have the option of ala-carte or buffet. The free flow of booze is priced at $39++. Free flow of House beer: Stella Artois, Black Cab Stout; House spirits: vodka, whisky, gin, rum, brandy and tequila; and House Wine: Selected Red or White Wines.

The Bar
The Bar Menu
The in-house bartender, Ken, let us try their signature creation Cocktail and Mocktail, using the Blue Sky base, like the colour of the blue ocean. According to LD, the cocktails is light and refreshing. While my mocktail has a nice touch of citrus in it.

Signature Cocktail and Mocktail
Mocktail
Located beside the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal Building, OBG delivers a true al-fresco dining experience. Part of the restaurant that is closer to the building is covered with a permanent tent, while the part closer to the fence, are covered with retractable awnings. Therefore, no matter if it rains or shine, you will be protected from the extreme weather while enjoying the outdoor dining experience. I suggest you come in your most laid-back attire, so you don’t get too hot and sweaty.

Part of Dining Area
Part of Dining Area
The Sky View
The team at OBG are a friendly bunch. They are very accommodating and also generous in giving suggestions on how to get the best taste of their ingredients. Do take note that THERE IS NO TIME LIMIT on the buffet food & booze, as long as within their opening hours.

OBG Special
Black Pepper Crab
The Cooked Food
Overall, one of the best outdoor alfresco bbq experiences I ever had in Singapore. It is full-on seafood galore and the rest of the buffet menu are just extensive. The free flow of drinks and desserts, just complete the experience. Yumz!!

Thank you very much Edmund, Ken and OBG Team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 7.5/10
Value: 7/10
Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)
Ambiance: 7/10
Budget per Person: $51 - $80; $81 and above

Offshore Bar & Grill
50 Tanah Merah Ferry Road
#01-02
Singapore 498833

T: +65 9437 8922
OH:
Daily 12.00 – 16.00 (LO 15.30); 17.00 – 22.30 (LO 22.00)

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