Dulcet & Studio (Liang Court)

Earlier this year, the operators of Tampopo Group opened a new Japanese lifestyle concept restaurant with western cuisine called Dulcet & Studio at Liang Court. With this, Tampopo Group now operates three F&B restaurants in Liang Court; Tampopo Restaurant, Tampopo Deli and Dulcet & Studio. Tampopo Group also operates the Tarafuku Japanese Buffet at Somerset 313, 

Dulcet & Studio serves a fusion of japanese and western cuisines such as salad, soup and pasta using Japanese ingredients. For example, Black Pig is used in their Bolognese Fettuccine Pasta. Another interesting  consideration is that they also serves Tampopo's signature desserts such as the Scoop Cake as well as the Matcha Chiffon!  

Wide varieties of cakes and puddings to choose from. Spot the Scoop Cakes and Matcha Chiffons?

Besides dishing out food for customers, the inner half of the dining space is actually a cooking studio where culinary classes can be held . Hence, the name 'studio' in Dulcet & Studio. 

Dulcet & Studio is marketed as a self-service restaurant. Customers place their order at the counter and make the payment. Next, customers are supposed to collect their order and cutlery and sauces from cutlery station. After finishing the meal, customers are supposed to clear their tables. Well, for the record, the food was served by the waitress and while I was enjoying my dessert to arrive, the table was cleared. =)

Cutlery station

The cutlery station where the utensils and sauces are. 

After placing my order, I went back to my table as I was given a queue number. (so much for collecting the orders ourselves)

While waiting for the food to arrive, customers can peek into the kitchen through the glass windows. 

Mushroom Cappuccion $5.50

The Mushroom Cappuccino was served with a piece of bread. The bread was impressive. So ordinary looking, it was served warm and was so soft and fluffy on the inside. I wish that I could have more of this bread. 

Mushroom Cappuccion $5.50

Mushroom Cappuccion $5.50

The Mushroom Cappuccino was unique. It was served in a cup instead of a bowl. In addition, had a layer of foam on top. The soup was full of mushrooms chunks and mushroom essence. 

Bacon & Mushroom Cream Tagliolini Pasta $12

The Bacon & Mushroom Cream Tagliolini Pasta was consisted of pasta with 2 long slices of bacon and lots of fragrant mushroom. It was a pity the bacon was too dry and salty as the pasta and the mushrooms when mix well was delicious.

Fresh Chicken Leg Confit $11

Fresh Chicken Leg Confit $11

The chicken on the Fresh Chicken Leg Confit was on the oily end. It was saved by, the moist and tender meat on inside while its skin was crispy. Best to polish this off immediately before the skin soak up the oil and becomes soggy. The fries served at the side had the hallmark of a good fries. Crispy and solid while soft and fluffy on the inside. It was a pity that we both agreed that it was too salty.

Tea Time Cake $2

Besides food, the desserts here are a must try. After all they are by Tampopo's Deli! You will be spoilt for choice as there is a wide variety of cakes or puddings. We decided to try the Tea Time Cake as we had not tried it before. It was a Hokkaido Chiffon Cake hence costed $2; reasonably priced. Still personally preferred the Scoop Cake as well as the Matcha Chiffon. 

Dulcet & Studio (Liang Court)

177 River Valley Road

#01-41/42 Liang Court

Tel: 6338 9248

Opening Hours: Daily 10am to 10pm

Facebook

Location

Pastamania (Plaza Singapura)

Pastamania is probably one of the biggest Italian restaurant chain in Singapore. Currently, they have 48 outlets in 8 countries, 29 of which are in Singapore. They specialise in serving quick casual Italian food (pasta and pizza). 

I believe most of us here, would have patronise Pastamania before. I have patronise Pastamania when I was younger quite frequently. This recent visit to Pastamania is my first since a long long time (over a year). In terms of the environment, it is the same at all its outlets; the chairs, tables, walls, counter, tiles and lights. The standardisation is a good thing as I found the setting familiar despite not having patronise Pastamania for sometime.

Add on one of the Combo to make it a complete meal which allows you add different permutations of soup/ drink/garlic bread.

When ordering a pasta dish, there are 5 types to choose, mainly Penne, Fusilli, Linguine, Spaghetti or Wholemeal Spaghetti.

Clockwise from left: Garlic Bread, Minestrone Soup, Cream of Mushroom

I ordered my meal with Combo A  (Drink, Garlic Bread and Minestrone Soup) which cost an addition of $4.90. And also ordered a Cream of Mushroom soup.

Garlic Bread

The standard of the Garlic Bread seemed to have dropped drastically. It was served cold. Moreover, there was no garlic flavour which the buttery flavour did not cater to my taste bud.

Minestrone Soup

The Minestrone Soup full of ingredients was too sour.

Cream of Mushroom $2.40

Fortunately, the Cream of Mushroom fared better in comparison to the Minestrone Soup. In terms of thickness it was just nice and there were pieces of mushrooms in it. The only issue I have is that the flavour of mushroom was not sufficient. It was akin to a bowl of Campbell soup with mushrooms added in separately. 

Marinara $11.10

The Marinara which I always order when I patronise Pastamania, consisted of pasta (spaghetti) cooked with prawns, squid and clams in tomato herb sauce. Still my favourite. The squid was cooked well and it was not rubbery while the clam was fresh. The down side was that the prawn was not too fresh. Overall, still one of the better dishes at Pastamania.

Turkey Bacon Cheesy Crumble $7.80

Turkey Bacon Cheesy Crumble consisted of pasta (fusilli) cooked with turkey bacon in homemade cheese sauce topped with parmesan crumble. Somehow the ingredients such as turkey bacon seems to be lacking. It was plain and akin to eating pasta with cheese.

The dishes were served very quickly within less than 10 minutes after ordering. Their kitchen must have a very efficient system in place. Pastamania is halal certified. In terms of price, it is one of the more affordable place to have Italian cuisine. Food wise, I won't say that it was fantastic.

Pastamania (Plaza Singapura)
68 Orchard Road
#B2-07 Plaza Singapura
Tel: 6341 9871
Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Website
Facebook
Location

Marmalade Pantry at the Stables (Fairways Drive)

The Marmalade Pantry at ION Orchard has always been attracting a large crowd during meal times. With its success, Marmalade Pantry has opened another outlet called Marmalade Pantry at the Stables at Fairways Drive. It is located near Bukit Timah Saddle Club and Riders Cafe. 

Marmalade Pantry at the Stables is located away from the city. I felt as if I was transported back to the past when there was no tall buildings and am at the country side surrounded by greenery. But of course with this, Marmalade Pantry at the Stables is located at a remote location and you would need to either drive or take a cab in. A quiet place for a relaxing evening, perfect for a date.

In the interior with its tall windows, high ceilings and cushion seats, it gives a modern colonial feel. The tables, chairs, utensils and cups were well arranged with precision.

Salad: The Mexican Chicken Salad $22

Salad: The Mexican Chicken Salad $22

The first thought when I saw The Mexican Chicken Salad with Crispy Tortilla, Avocado, Spiced Corn and Salsa was that, for such ingredients, they presented it so well. The different combination of ingredients resulted in contrasting texture(soft, crispy, chewy) with each bite. In addition, each mouthful was packed with different flavours. 

Salad: Pan Seared Haloumi $21

The Pan Seared Haloumi was served with Roma Tomatoes and Watercress Herb Salad. It was well presented. The Haloumi is a semi-hard cheese made from a mixture of goat's, sheep's or/and cow's milk. One of its (Haloumi) unique characteristics is its high melting point. Hence, it is often (suitable) fried or grilled. The Haloumi has a similar appearance to beancurd. In terms of taste, it had a delicate smokey and salty flavour. The saltiness was balanced with the sweetness from the fresh juicy Roma Tomatoes and Watercress.

Meat & Fish: Crispy Pork Belly $32

Meat & Fish: Crispy Pork Belly $32

Crispy Pork Belly with Celeriac and Apple Slaw, French Mustard and Natural Jus. It was well seasoned but lack the crispiness as the layer of skin (fat) was removed. It was also too dry for my liking. This dish reminded me of the Kalua Pork at Charly's T which was executed differently.

Meat & Fish: Braised 120 Days Grain Fed Beef Cheeks $32

Braised 120 Days Grain Fed Beef Cheeks with Horseradish Mash, Field Mushrooms and Pearl Onions was well executed. The Beef Cheeks were braised to perfection and were incredibly tender and flavourful with melt-in-your-mouth sensation.

Pasta & Risotto: Spaghetti Cabonara $24

The Spaghetti Carbonara with Poached Egg and Flat Parsley was a cream based pasta topped with shredded crispy bacon bits.

Pudding: Lemon Brulee Tart $14

The Lemon Brulee Tart will be a dish that you either love or hate. Thin crispy golden caramelised crust coated on the top of the moist lemon tart provided a mixture of texture. The mix of sweetness and sourness was just right for me. No wonder there is this saying 'there's always room for dessert'. Despite feeling so full, I could not resist second and third bites.

Cakes & Tarts: Sea Salt Caramel Cheesecake $8

The Sea Salt Caramel Cheesecake will also be a dish you either love or hate. Initially, my first thought was that this would be too heavy a dessert. Those who know me will know that I am not a fan of cheese cake. Yet this cheesecake was so good. The flavour of cheese was very forgiveable and not did not overwhelm the other flavours. In addition, it was light and dense with walnuts and a crumbly base with a hint of caramel saltiness. One of the best cheesecakes I have eaten!

Cupcakes: Red Velvet Cake $4.50

The Red Velvet Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting was unique as it was topped with grated coconut. Moreover, no red food colouring was added. Instead, the deep red colouring came from beetroot juice. Personally, I prefer a more moist cupcake and the addition of the coconut did not suit my taste preference. 

There was hits and misses. Out of all the dishes, I was most impressed with the Braised 120 Days Grain Fed Beef Cheeks, Lemon Brulee Tart and Sea Salt Caramel Cheesecake. Looks like a great place for a meal away from the fast-paced city life.

Thank you Amanda (FoodNews) for invite and hosting.

Marmalade Pantry at the Stables (Fairways Drive)

55 Fairways Drive

Tel: 6467 7748

Opening Hours: Tue to Fri 3pm - 11pm

                         Sat to Sun 10am - 11pm

                         Closed on Mon

Website

Facebook

Location

Wild Olives (Changi Airport T2 Staff Canteen)

I did not know of this till recently when my friend brought me to this place. How many of us know that there is a staff canteen hidden in Changi Aiport Terminal 2? Kee Chiu (Raise hands). 

The staff canteen at T2 is huge! Lots of tables and chairs it is like a food court and there are many stalls, more than 10! You are spoilt for variety. In fact, the place looks better than a food court, it was bright, colourful, clean and spacious! 

After a quick walk around, decided to try the western food; Wild Olives. Wild Olives specialises in Western and Italian Cuisine. It does not use Pork and Lard in it's dishes. It's pasta starts at $3.30 (public price)! 

There was a short queue at the stall; one of the stalls with a queue. 

Menu (a)

Menu (b)

I ordered Linguine Alla Vongole. Staff price is $3.80 while public is $4.20. Wow, it is cheap for pasta compared to other hawker centres or food courts. Where else can you find such cheap pasta! In addition, you can add a small Soup / Garden Salad for $1.00 each.

Homemade Mushroom Soup $1.00

Well, I paid just $1 for this bowl of 'small soup' to complete my meal. It's definitely not small! This is their Homemade Mushroom Soup. I added pepper, hence you will notice that there are small black bits on the top of the soup. A big bowl of mushroom soup, the mushroom flavour was mild but addictive. In the end, I finish the whole bowl and found myself longing for more. But still I prefer if the mushroom flavour was stronger and there are chunks of mushrooms in it. 

Linguine Alla Vongole $4.20

Linguine Alla Vongole; linguine(pasta) with clams in white wine sauce. I am impressed by their generous portion of food. Look at the number of clams and amount of linguine given. This cost only $4.20! The clams were fresh and perfectly cooked. The pasta was a tad too dry, that was easily solved by mixing it with the sauce below. The sauce was disappointing as it was not fragrant enough although there were small pieces of garlic in the sauce. This dish would have been much better with more white wine sauce.

I wish that I live at the east side of Singapore. I did not know about this place till now. Well it is better late than never. Overall, I thought that the food (the two items I have tried) could have been better. But let's not forget that it is very cheap! I will not call it cheap and good food, but more of cheap and decent/average food. Hopefully, I will have more chance to explore the T2 Staff Canteen. If you know what's nice here, let me know. 

Wild Olives (Changi Airport T2 Staff Canteen)
Stall 5, Staff Canteen Level 3M
Airport Boulevard, Changi Airport Terminal 2 - Public Area
Staff Canteen Opening Hours: Mon to Fri 7am - 8pm
                                                 Sat, Sun & PH 7am - 9pm
Location

View FoodieFC's Singapore Food Map in a larger map

Western Food (NUS Business Canteen, The Terrace)

This Western Food stall located at NUS Business Canteen aka The Terrance is considered the best western food in the campus. In short, it is cheap and good. You can hardly find western food at this price else where.

When I was studying in NUS Business School, I frequently this stall almost daily as there was nothing else that I fancy at the Business School Canteen. The other stall that was good was the Malay Stall located at the corner.

It has been three and a half years since I graduated. As I happened to be in NUS, I decided to come back to NUS Business Canteen and eat the Western Food again! Noticed that several stalls have changed hands. Glad to known that the western stall is still run by the same uncle. I was pleasantly surprised that he still remembers me!

 As usual, this is the stall with the longest queue.

Menu

My advise is for you to decide what you want to order before joining the queue. Reason? Well.. the man behind this stall takes orders all the way to the end of the queue at times. His memory is real good! I still remember how on several occasion, he would frown when someone hesitates or is undecided on what to order. Customers who patron this stall will surely remember his 'Next Pls, Next Pls, Next Pls.'

Grilled Chicken Chop with Pasta, added Potato Wedges $4.00

I ordered the Grilled Chicken Chop with Pasta and added Potato Wedges. Regulars would notice that I switched the pasta to Fusili Pasta. The Fusili Pasta comes with tomato sauce. I like the brown gravy that is on top of the chicken chop. It taste very similar to the gravy that is used in KFC's whipped potato. The chicken chop and potato wedges are simple yet it taste great. 

This stall is run by just 2 person. The man and a woman (I am not sure if that is his wife). The woman just does the cooking while the man takes the order and collect the orders. When you look at the way they run the operation, you will be amazed how they clear the queue so fast. It is just like Just-In-Time, if you know supply chain you will know what I mean. I wish I have many more chance to come back here! When I was still studying here, I also frequently order the Cheezy Egg Sandwich $1.90, Cheezy Farmer's Omelette $2.00, Deep Fried Chicken Cutlet & Pasta $3.00, Herbs & Honey Roasted Chicken Leg with Pasta $3.40 and Fish and Chips $2.60.

I still remember that I was told that the man behind this stall was actually a lawyer. He stopped his practise in law and started this western stall as he had a passion for cooking. If this is true, this will explain his good command of English, wittiness, memory and pride. 

Western Food (NUS Business Canteen, The Terrace)
National University of Singapore
Stall 5, School of Business Canteen (The Terrace) 
Location

Peperoni Pizzeria (Hillcrest)

Peperoni Pizzeria is owned by the Les Amis Group. Peperoni Pizzeria specialises in serving Italian cuisine such as pizzas and pasta. They are well known for their family size pizza. Today, there are three outlets in Hillcrest, Binjai Park and Frankel Avenue.

This is my 2nd visit to Peperoni Pizzeria, I visited it's outlet at Hillcrest (Greenwood Avenue) again.It is quite ulu, located a long distance away from the nearest bus stop. The best mode of transport to this place will be by car. However, parking can be a problem during peak hours.

Wood-fired Oven

The pizzas are cooked using traditional wood-fired oven.

Noticed anything abnormal? 

There's crayons on the table! And instead of having table clothes, paper is used. This way, customers can draw on the paper while waiting for their food to be served. 

Noticed some of the drawings being pasted on the wall? 

There's no service charge in Peperoni Pizzeria.

Noticed another abnormality here? (hint look at the cost of ice water and extra ice!)

Well, the ice water and extra ice are actually Free Of Charge (FOC). They are just trying to make a dig about places that charge money for plain water. 

Pizza Menu

Pizza Menu

Ordered a Large (12 inch) Pizza. The pizza is made on the spot upon order and take about 15 minutes to be served. 

Large Pizza (Prosciutto Crudo di Parma & Funghi) $23

Looks appetising? The pizza crust is thin and crispy. This is the second time I ordered the Prosciutto Crudo di Parma which consist of parma ham and rocket salad. The rocket salad complemented the parma ham well and enhanced the flavour of the pizza. Wish that more rocket salad was added. The Funghi pizza consist of mixed mushrooms (button, shitake and porcini). I am a mushroom person, hence found this delicious. But if I was to make a choice, the Prosciutto Crudo di Parma is a must order!

Pasta Menu

Pasta Menu

Besides ordering a pizza? we ordered a pasta too. We ordered Squid Ink pasta as we heard (online) that it was their signature dish. The Squid Ink pasta took around 20 minutes to be served.

Squid Ink Pasta (Spaghetti) $22

The Squid Ink Pasta was well coated in squid ink ensuring a consistent black colour and it was not dry. Moreover, the squid ink was fresh and there was no fishy taste. The squid was well cooked. The Squid Ink Pasta was so delicious that I wish that more serving was given. Certainly a must order!

Overall, Peperoni Pizzeria is the place to come for pizzas and squid ink pasta. Moreover, the prices on it's menu are NETT. Which means there are no extra charges. Despite not having any service charge, the staff  are attentive and observant. I am certain that there will be a third visit for me! If this place was more conveniently located, I would have been a regular here!

Peperoni Pizzeria (Hillcrest)
6 Greenwood Ave
Hillcrest Park
Opening hours: Mon to Sat 12pm - 1030pm
                        Sun 11am - 1030pm
Tel: 6465 6556
Website
Facebook


Peperoni Pizzeria (Binjai Park)
7 Binjai Park
Tel: 6463 7800
Opening Hours: Mon to Fri 12pm - 1030pm
                          Sat to Sunday 1030am - 1030pm


Peperoni Pizzeria (Frankel Avenue)
95 Frankel Avenue
Tel: 6445 5661
Opening Hours: Mon to Sat 12pm- 1030pm
                          Sun 11am - 1030pm

View FoodieFC's Singapore Food Map in a larger map