Ambush

Hello it's been a really long hiatus! Got a change in job somewhere when I posted my last post, and so decided to give lllf a tiny break. 

For a short pre-mid week date, L and I decided to pop by Plaza Singapura for dinner and then catch Man Of Steel (which is really draggy in our opinions. This money can be better spent elsewhere). And as the name of the post went, we had dinner at Ambush! There used to be an outlet at basement 2 of Taka, which we can't use the store so we concluded that its closed. 

And just like the movie, what we spent on this dinner could be better spent elsewhere. You'll see what we mean.

L ordered Oktoberfest Platter ($17.80) - Pork Knuckle Cutlet with Smoked Bratwurst with Sausages served with Sauerkraut and Mashed Potato. Sounds amazing? We thought so too. 

This is what we got:

4 thin slices of pork knuckles, huge glop of mashed potato, pathetic serving of Sauerkraut, some greens and 2 oily sausages. Full stop. That's all, folks.

Okay to get over our disappointment, we try to look forward to my order, Tiger Prawn and Bacon Linguine (carbonara styled - $13.20). I mean, Italian pasta shouldn't fail right?

Proven wrong once again.

Tiger prawn is basically what we get when you order fried hokkien mee in the markets. The cream sauce is diluted which tasted more like Campbell soup. Linguine is not of al-dente standard, probably a fusion of Asian and Western, but it certainly didn't score with Us. We felt like we are having Chinese style noodles.

So much for all the high rated raves I've got and so much for wanting to try Ambush so much.

Go ahead if you want to give this a try. My two cent's worth? There are definitely better pasta out there at this price.

Ambush

68 Orchard Road 
#04-64/66 
Plaza Singapura

Tel: 6338 9368

Gem Bar

Just a stone throw away from Amoy Street, lies Ann Siang Hill. Another amazing street of many hidden finds waiting to be uncovered. And just in case if you're worried about this place being unaccessible, fret not. It's just a walking distance away from Tanjong Pagar MRT and is near to Amoy Food Centre and Maxwell Hawker Centre.

Discovered the existence of this dining place while strolling along Ann Siang Hill one day and I can't wait to try this place out. Hence, our destiantion for lunch one day!

The interior of the place gives diners a comfortable and cosy feel. Equipped with air-conditioners, you will definitely be glad you found yourself this place knowing that weather in Singapore can be so hot it's almost unbearable.

Promotion
Right now, they are having this Set Lunch Promotion every Monday - Saturday at 11am - 3pm. One Soup/Salad + One Main Course at $10++. They will serve you chilled/warm water upon asking. Or if you prefer other beverages, you can always top up $2 for soft drinks and $3 for juices.

What if you can't make it for lunch due to a meeting? No issues. Head down to Gem Bar for a Late Crowd Promotion (Monday - Thursday at 3pm - 9pm) which you will be able to enjoy 50% discount off the main course. Do check out if there are terms and conditions!

Salad

Tradition green mix with a couple of tomatoes drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette. Some of the vegetable tasted way too bitter for me to handle. Left more than half the plate of greens untouched. Would have been better if they were more generous with the dressing though.

Beef Lasagna

Carbonara

Spaghetti tossed in creamy sauce with bacon and mushroom. Two words: Super Delish.

Bangers & Mash

Chicken Sausage and Mashed Potato with onion gravy.

Wagyu Beef Burger

Mushroom Burger

Beef Patty topped with Mushroom and Gratin with Gouda Cheese served with a side salad and cripsy fries.

Meat Ball Pasta

Spaghetti tossed in tomato sauce and wagyu meat ball.

Fish & Chips

Deep Fried Battered Dory served with a side salad and cripsy fries and tartar sauce.

Herb Crusted Salmon

Baked Salmon topped with Herb Crust laced with Mustard Cream Sauce with side salad and cripsy fries. My opinion? The slice of salmon certainly doesn't do justice to the amount of price paid.

Spent a total of $99 on this meal for 8 of us, thanks to the set lunch promotion. Definitely worth the money in my opinion.

If you happen to be in this area, do drop by for a meal! Or a drink, if you're in this area at night.

Gem Bar

10 Ann Siang Hill

Singapore 069789

Tel: 6423 9562

Website: http://www.gemsingapore.com/

Red Pig Korean Restaurant

Source: google.com

Amoy Street is one of the areas whereby there are alot of hidden finds. And by that, I meant restaurants waiting to be discovered. Since my office is situated just afew streets away from Amoy Street, my colleagues and I decided to drop by a Korean restaurant for a lunch one day.

Was pretty disappointed when we found out that buffet is only available for dinner, and that only the ala carte menu is available in the day. And it certainly didn't help when the lunch ala carte manu is pretty limited. But it did cheer me up a little, to see the high volume of korean customers and of course, the bosses!

Budae Jjigae - Spicy Sausage Stew (S$45)

This comes in 2 sizes - Small (S$35) and Large (S$45). Since there were 4 of us, and all three of them were guys, we opt for the large sized one. I love maggie noodles. I love spicy stew. So basically, I love this dish. With a tinge of spice, yet not overwhelming, the stew was so good we ordered more noodles to be added in.

Doijibulgogi - BBQ Pork Hotplate (S$10

We ordered Dakbulgogi (BBQ Chicken Hotplate S$10) as well which I failed to take a close up shot. Personally, I prefer the chicken dish over the pork as the chicken pieces are really tender and tasty. The pork pieces tends to be a little dry and tough to chew after the dish is cooled.

Haemul Pajeon - Seafood Pancake (S$18)

This was served piping hot, and other than being slightly oily, I really cannot find fault with this dish. Many raved about this particular dish and how this is a must-try if you dine here. I wouldn't go as far to say it is a must-try, but this is definitely worth a try in my opinion.

And as usual, all Korean restaurants will serve you many sides during your meal. This is one of my favourite here.

Egg Roll

However, do note that although most of the sides are re-fillable, this isn't. Limited to one piece per person. A little stingy, I would say.

If you dont have such big appetite, then don't over-order! Because the sides can certainly fill you up. And be prepared to stink a little after dining here! Service wasn't very efficient and especially since we were seated in the room. The only time we can order/request for additional sides is when the waitress decided to pop by the room. Selection on the menu is limited, so don't expect too muh variety of food! 

Can't wait to be back for the buffet at night one of these days though.

Red Pig Korean Restaurant

93 Amoy Street

#06-9913

Tel: 6220 7176

Pasta Inc

Hello to everyone, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Although it is already the 18th day into this brand new year, Livelifelovefood still want to do a newyear shoutout to everyone reading this space!

Thank you to everyone who is reading lllf. No, we are not people who want fame and be a celebrity bloggers or whatever of that sorts. We just want to capture memories of the nice and not-so-nice food and share with everyone at the other side of the computer. And we definitely wish you will enjoy our posts as much as we enjoy the food heh.

Back to food! L and I finally had the chance to taste some really tasty Italian food after afew weeks of humble eating. Decided that eating real tasty food every single week isn't a good thing for both our wallets and waistlines. Afterall, almost all yummy things are fattening.

So here we go, at Pasta Inc for our lunch one Saturday!

Panorama Shot of the street

Had a tough time finding this place, but thank goodness for smartphones and the maps app. We finally reached here. I have always wanted to explore this part of Singapore, all the shophouses and narrow street attract me somehow.

The first step into this restaurant was a pleasant one. Politely greeted by one of the staff and led to our table straight away. Love how the tables are all spread out neatly with a decent amount of empty area in between each table. Remember how some restaurants have uncomfortabley small narrow spaces in between each tables, and how you have to whisper to your date awkwardly over meals just so that the other tables won't have the chance to hear what sweet nothings you two are saying?

Panorama Shot of the Interior

Over at Pasta Inc, you don't have to worry about that.because each table is neatly spaced out.

We were served bread as well, just like how we were served in other Italian restaurants. The bread here wasn't warm, neither are they fluffy and soft like the ones served at Modesto's. Quite disappointed, but my disappointment turns into amusement immediately when I see this.

Container of Olive Oil and Vinegar.

Cheap thrill, yes I know.
Soups were served very quickly.

Soup of the Day - Mushroom Soup

Bisque Di Aragosta - Homemade Lobster Bisque Soup

To be very honest, I wasn't impressed by either of them. L had the Lobster Bisque Soup while I opt for the Mushroom one. The Lobster soup was abit too fishy for my liking. While the mushroom one didn't impress me either.

Main course is up next!

Linguine Carbonara - Linguine with bacon in cream sauce and egg yolk

Was disappointed when I realised that the squid ink based pasta wasn't in the menu, as I was dying to try that as there were many raving reviews. But my carbonara quickly turn my disappointment around. I love to have linguine as my choice of pasta when I am having carbonara, and the chef did up my order as what I wished without much hassle too. The linguine was done al-dente (the italian way), accompanied with fresh bacon slices and delish sauce. Perfect-o! Although the one at Modesto's/Michengalo are better in my opinion. But nonetheless, I wiped the whole plate clean.

Tagliolini Ai Brocolli E Funghi - Tagliolini with Brocolli, Mushroom and Cherry Tomato in Oil, Garlic and Chillies.

L's choice. To me, this is like the italian version of our chinese wanton mee, with different sides. A very refreshing dish, but it will be better if the chef drizzle more olive oil as it gets a little too dry after afew mouthfuls.

A sweet dessert will end your meal nicely, thats what everyone says. And of course, we are glad to live by it.

Dessert of the Day - Tiramisu

This tiramisu didn't capture my heart nor stomach. Abit too bland, and too watery. A better dessert will definitely make us happier!

The total bill comes up to only S$31.80 because I got this 3 course meal deal off groupon. Would come back for the pasta anytime, but I will be saving my stomach for better desserts.

If you're a pasta lover as well, why not check out our posts on Italian Cusine over here?

Pasta Inc

35 Keong Saik Road

Singapore 089142

Tel: 6297 7515

Modesto's - Traditional Italian Wood-Fired Pizza and Home-Made Pasta

Italian Cuisine for dinner again! Can't stop smiling from ear to ear when I managed to persuade my colleagues to go for Italian Cuisine for dinner instead of a BBQ buffet. I love food, and one cuisine I will never ever get sick of, is Italian Cuisine. Because my love for pasta is insurmountable. Let's just say, if you know me personally, you will definitely that I can have pasta every single day without feeling sick of it. Alas, but I am not a particular fan of pizza though.

And so, here we are, at Modesto's @ Vivocity where Traditional Italian Wood-Fired Pizza and Home-Made Pasta are served.

Panorama shot of the restaurant.

The restaurant is dimmed so all the diners can have their meals in a cosy environment, which might be a little too uncomfortable for some who prefer well lit places. So pardon me if some of the shots are below your expectations, I don't want to disturb the other diners with the constant flashes from the camera. Hence, some shots turn out rather dark and blur without flash.

While waiting for our orders, there's this complimentary platter of bread served, together with condiments like olive oil, etc.

Fluffy, soft and warm bread which is fresh from oven. I don't see what's there not to like. But remember not to stuff yourself silly with these, because the main course served are in quite a huge portion.

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara (S$ 22)

Linguine with pork bacon, egg yolk and parmesan cheese in cream sauce.

Linguine Alle Vongole (S$ 23)

Linguine with fresh clams, dried chili and garlic in an extra Virgin olive oil and white wine sauce.

Rigatoni Alla Puttanesca (S$ 23)

Large tube pasta with anchovies, capers, black kalamata olives, dried chili and basil in fresh tomato sauce

Bistecca Di Manzo Alla Bismark Con Crema Tartufata (S$ 40)

Grilled ribeye steak with asparagus, parmesan cheese and fried egg, served with creamy white truffle sauce.

Prosciutto Crudo (S$ 56)

Blur shot of a portion of the pizza. It fills up almost the whole plate! Evidence of how huge the pizza is.

Tomato, cheese and Italian pork Parma ham. Can you imagine the devastated look on my face when the waiter served us our pizza before I could take a shot of the whole completed pizza. Le sigh. So the only thing I can do is to take photo of my pizza on my plate, to show you how huge the whole pizza is.

The pastas are all done al dente which is perfect for us. If you, however, prefer your pasta to be well cooked, simply let the chefs/waiters know, and they will whip it up for you the way you want your dishes to be. All the pastas are perfect, not just because I am a pasta lover, but because everyone else who ordered pasta love it. Whether is it white wine based, cream based or tomato based, you can be sure that you will be satisfied and definitely come back for more.

Like I have mentioned, I am not a fan of pizza. In fact, in order for me to fancy pizza, the pizza must be of a top quality grade. And I can find them here at Modesto's. Thin crispy crust which will not fill up 3/4 of your tummy before you get to enjoy the other dishes, and they are definitely generous with the ingredients too. We ordered the huge family size pizza since there are 6 of us, and boy, when I say huge, I really mean HUGE.

But of course you can opt for a smaller size pizza. There are 3 sizes available, Mini (approx 8"), Regular (approx 12") and Family (approx 20").

Since this is an Italian restaurant, the waiters work in an 'Italian way'. Don't adjust your plates personally while they are serving your food, because the waiters will prefer you to sit back and relax, and enjoy your dinner while they serve you.

For me, Modesto's has the perfect service, ambiance and food. What more can I ask for?

Total bill came up for S$ 210 for 7 of us - 7 mains + 1 Family pizza. Not very cheap, but I would go as far as to say this dining experience is worth every penny that you spent.

For pasta lovers, another place where you can make sure you get delicious pasta will be at Michelangelo's. (:

Modesto's

1 HarbourFront Walk #01-166/167

VivoCity Singapore 098585               

Tel: +65 6376 9808

Two Chefs Eating Place

If you have yet to have tze char for at least a meal in your life, don't call yourself a Singaporean. Or maybe, it's time to change your diet plans and have tze char for the next meal.

In my opinion, tze char are ideal for gatherings or family meals. In fact, tze char will be one of the better options if you have to cater for large groups. This way, you get to order more dishes, without overstuffing your poor tummies or overspilling your poor wallets.

On one of the precious weekends ('Precious', since most of us are working already), we met up for lunch - Tze Char Lunch. As weird as it may sound, since tze char is always a choice for dinners. But if we can go for lunch/dinner at an all-day breakfast restaurants, it should be fine to have tze char for lunch too. And so here we are, at Two Chefs.

Paranoma shot of the almost empty place.

Typical Tze Char at neighbourhood coffee shops. Just come down in simple shirt and shorts to beat the heat.

For 7 of us, here's what we ordered

Fried Rice

Nothing to complain, nothing to praise either. Rice was fairly well cooked, fragrant and yummy. It was okay since we ate it with the dishes, but I am not sure if this will be satisfactory when you eat this alone.

Cockles

Not a fan of shell-food, but according to my friends, these don't make the cut. Considering that there are newspaper articles written about this.

Sambal Kang Kong

If you order this dish because you fancy the spice and taste of sambal rushing down your throat and even out of your nose, then trust me, you will be disappointed with this. The sambal/spiciness level of this dish is so mild, I wouldn't even call this Sambal Kang Kong.

Enoki Mushrooms Hotplate Toufu

Finally a dish which impresses my tastebuds. I am a huge fan of Enoki Mushroom, and I love dishes soaked in gravy. Only complain is that the toufu are in too huge chunks, so it gets a little too bland, unless you eat them with a spoonful of gravy.

Herbal Chicken Soup

Nothing fancy, just typical herbal chicken soup, with a limp tinge of herbal aroma. Half a chicken in each portion though.

Spinach

I see reviews about how tasty this dish is, but honestly, this is one of the worst spinach dish I had ever order/eaten. The whole dish is just bland, and yeah, obviously overly watered down. Maybe the chef left his seasonings at home.

Fu Yong Egg

This is one of the safest dish which will not go wrong. Unless, yours has egg shells in it. Afterall, what can go wrong with eggs right? Yummy dish, neither too salty nor bland.

Butter Pork Ribs with Milk Powder

This is the main highlight of the whole meal - Butter Pork Ribs with loads of Milk Powder. If you're lactose intolerant or you dont fancy the smell/taste of milk, I am sorry you will miss out one good thing in life. This is heavenly. The pork ribs are so well marinated, and the meat so soft and tender. The milk powder seems to complement the taste of the butter pork ribs so well, I can jolly well finish this whole dish on my own. Perfect. And not to mention, this is the only dish that nobody seemed to have any trouble finishing.

Here's our lunch for 7 pax, which comes up to a total bill of S$98, since we had the largest serving size for most of the dishes. If you're going in smaller groups and cannot afford to order so many dishes without having to risk exploding your stomaches, here are some of our reccomendations which you have to try : Butter Pork Ribs and Enoki Mushroom Hotplate Toufu. They will not go wrong.

Two Chefs Eating Place

116 Commonwealth Crescent

#01-129

Tel: 6472 5361