Bowen's Pasta | Mains | Brunch

I came across Bowen's while we were heading to the nearby community center. Interestingly, I never know that there is another western food place hidden under the HDB blocks in the vicinity. Instead of going to our usual Western Food place nearby, we came here instead. 

Bowen's Pasta | Mains | Brunch

Sides and chips were served first for our sharing while waiting for our mains. Quality of corns is acceptable and tasty with the coat of butter.

Buttered Corns - $3 & Onion Rings - $4

Wild mushroom soup was drizzled with oil and served with Garlic toast, reasonably priced at $4. However if you have a main course, you can complete your set with this at $3.50 only.

Glad that the soup content was just nice, not too thick nor watery. It's also classified as a Kid's winner dish.

Wild Mushroom Soup - $4

Relatively reasonable price for a plate of presentable Breaded Fish & Chips, tuck with fries and Mesclun green drizzled with vinaigrette. Tartar sauce and lemon wedge is tuck by the side for patrons to enhance the Fish & Chips taste.

Pairing my main with their Signature Fresh turmeric honey and while I expect the taste to be bitter and hard for me to take, it turned out to be the opposite. As we know turmeric powder has detoxing effects on the body and together with honey, this drink has kind of give us energy in its refreshing taste. 

Breaded Fish & Chips - $8.90(Left)
Bowen's signature Fresh turmeric honey - $3.80

Medium done Rieye Steak was good for it price. It was paired with thick cut fries and Mesclun salad. The cut was juicy and yummy, especially when it goes so well with my favourite red wine sauce.

Bowen's Signature Angus Prime Ribeye Steak - $20.50

All in all, food was relatively reasonable price and portion was welcoming. As I read its article pasted on their wall, I came to realize that Bowen's had actually shifted from one of the coffee shops in Jurong West to Pandan Gardens. No wonder I find that its name sounds somehow familar.

Rating: 3.25 / 5

Bowen's Pasta | Mains | Brunch

Location: 415 Pandan Garden #01-119 Singapore 600415 

Seletar Western Food

Looking for old school western food? Have you heard of Seletar Western Food that is located in a run down coffee shop among the private housing estate? There is no fanciful menu with attractive food pictures to attract diners. What they do have is a list of food items printed in red and blue against a yellow board. Ironically, with such down to earth menu and environment, there are still many die hard fans waiting about in the stuffy hot environment for their food.

Seletar Western Food

With the price at $6 and comparing its portion, I guess one may not find such Western food elsewhere even from a coffee shop. Portion is about 1.5 times more than a usual portion outside tucked with my favourite fried bun, baked beans and crinkle cut fries as sides. While I'm expecting some coleslaw here, it left me disappointed as the old school western food serving only contains slices of cucumber and some lettuce in its plain form without any dressing. On the other hand, the slab of chicken chop was tender, crispy at some parts and coated with the traditional brown sauce. Overall the taste was simple and straight forward which is nostalgic.

Chicken Chop 鸡扒 - $6

Lamb Chop, Pork Chop, steak, sausage and egg if what you will get from a mix grill apart from the fried bun, crinkle cut fries, baked beans as well as the vegetables. Pork chop was tender and you can hear and see them malleting the meat as part of the preparation.

Mixed Grill 什扒 - $12

Although the taste was not the best that we had all tasted but its many of our childhood favorites. One thing for sure we know is that we can never get such a decent portion for $6 outside and this will definitely guaranteed you leaving the place with a full stomach. Treasure it as old school Western Food is hard to come by.

Rating: 3 / 5

Seletar Western Food
Location:  2 Jln Selaseh, #01-04, Singapore 808433

Jollibee

I know its It's a little bit late in the trend but every time as I want to try Jollibee, the queue lined up right up the common corridor just turned me off somehow.

Jollibee, being the largest fast food food chain in Philippines is operating a nationwide network of 750 stores with Singapore's first outlet opened on March 2013.

Jollibee

Jollibee

Though it has been a while in Singapore, their queues are still extended beyond the perimeters of the fast food restaurant. We decided that by hook or by crook we have to try them out. Surprisingly the queue moved relatively fast and we reached the counter about 15 - 20 minutes of wait. Like other fast food chains in Singapore, there are a few counters but one stark difference was that there is only one queue available with fast service and I felt that such system in place is much more better.

Ordering Counters

Chocolate Sundae was topped with hot fudge and melted rather quickly due to heat issues but bear in mind that its only that the top part is melted.

Chocolate Sundae - $1.50

Since Jollibee was being raved for its chicken, it's the must order item in our mind. We had the 2 pieces meal that comes with sauce and a packet of white rice. Comparing their chicken to other fast food joint, I would say I prefer theirs to the current standard of their competitors. They were not that oily which is the main reason of my preference. Meat is tender with golden brown fried crispy skin without too having an obvious frozen meat odour.

Value Meal

Value Meal 2 pcs - $6.60

2 Pcs chicken

Instead of having chilli sauce or ketchup for the chicken, they came with a small container of brown sauce, tasted similar to the whipped potato sauce. This takes eating fried chicken to another whole new level with white rice too.

Rice

Brown Sauce

Value Meal with Spaghetti comes with a piece of chicken. Jollibee's spaghetti comes with sweet sauce filled with savoury ham and sausages, loaded with minced beef and topped with a handful of shredded cheese!

Value Meal with Spaghetti - $6.60

Now I finally understand the crowd in Jollibee Restaurant. Having observed the environment, although dining area are big and with lots of seatings, its better to secure seat first before queueing. Culture was somehow different from other fast food restaurants - patrons will still stay awhile on their seats even though they have done with their meal and with others waiting, either chit chatting with friends or doing something else.

Afterall I find that Jollibee's chicken can be considered one of the better ones among the fast food chains in Singapore.

Rating: 3 / 5

Jollibee
Location: Lucky Plaza, 304 Orchard Road Singapore 238863

Clifford

Located in a historic landmark in Singapore, Clifford Restaurant is surrounded with a relaxing environment along the Marina Bay. By words of mouths we learn of this restaurant for its fantastic ambiance and its delicious food.

Clifford

Entrance

Charmed by its 10 metres high ceiling and the elegance of the entire environment, overlooking the inspiring water at the bay, it had already won my heart over. To add on, their vintage furnishings with its solid herringbone oak flooring made the environment gorgeous. Though it may seem a little quaint but definitely a charming place presenting a homely feel to all diners, a great spot for romance as well as business.

Interior

Interior

Dining with Sparkling water Badoit (750ml) - $13

Ordered some sparkling water to quench our thirst and to prepare for the incoming meals ordered, Clifford Restaurant had lend their welcomes with a plate of complementary breads (baguette and multigrains buns), served warm with chilled duck rillette and butter.

Complementary Breads

Multigrains Buns

The start of our Gastronomic indulgence!

Kicked start with a bowl of awesome french onion soup! Authentic and packed full of the French's Traditional Onion Soup! Rich, filled with caramelized onions and melted gruyere cheese as well as croutons. Just cant help falling in love with the softened crouton with those sticky cheese.

Soup D'Onions Gratinee - $22

Served with Truffle Ravioli, Porcini Mushroom Soup was stunning in its foamy parmesan with mascarpone cheese. Tasted light of mushroom and was very smooth, a total addiction!

Porcini Mushroom Soup - $28

220g of  grilled Angus beef Entrecote (premium cut on beef) with Beurre Maitre D'Hotel (parsley butter)  and a side of Fries infused with the great truffle scent.

Steak and Frites - $58

Yummy!

Medium Well!

3 Hours Home made Duck confit is one of Clifford's signature dishes. Served with a dollop of puree black garlic with and sides like sauteed broad beans, filed greens and truffle potato mousseline. Duck confit was cooked to perfection while potato mousseline was smooth and creamy.

Signature Duck Confit - $44

Duck Confit

We had a long wait before this signature apple tart tartin appears before us (I guess they baked it from the scratch). Tart was cut into smaller pieces on the pan and served upside down. The friendly server than placed one piece of it onto our plates which were already adorn with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and dash of caramel on the plate.

Signature Apple Tart Tartin (For Two) - $32

On the plate

A cup of long black to round up the meal with the desserts and Clifford Restaurant threw in some surprises to us with a plate of petit four (In French, meaning "Small Oven") consisting of Kueh Lapis. Macarons and White Chocolates. Sweetness from petit four complimented the aromatic cup of long black.

Long Black - $10

Kueh Lapis

Macarons

Considering its price tag, perhaps many would have turn off after looking at its menu. However, I will like to emphasize that for the excellent ambiance, food quality and personalized service, its all worth the money spend for a memorable session here in Clifford.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

Clifford
Location: The Fullerton Bay Hotel, 80 Collyer Quay Singapore 049326