The Landing Point Afternoon High Tea Buffet (The Fullerton Bay Hotel)

The last time we had the afternoon high tea at Landing Point was 3 years ago. We wanted to visit more often but as we were busy, we had to space out and plan our foodie journey. So finally, we made a trip down to Landing Point! The setting and ambiance was still the same as before.

The Afternoon High Tea Buffet is available daily from 3pm to 5.30pm and cost $45++ per person. Interestingly, the price has decreased compared to $49 in 2013. Well, this is the first I have heard of. It is more common to hear about inflation. Kudos to Landing Point! In terms of food menu, there are slight changes such as the replacement of Lobster Tarts (my favourite) with Boston Lobster Cornet. Also, there are more than 20 varieties of TWG Tea to enjoy while indulging in the high tea and enjoying the beautiful view of Marina Bay.

Scones with clotted cream and berry jam

We started off with the Scones with clotted cream and berry jam. There have two type of scones available; plain or raisins scones.

Tada! The three-tiered high tea set which is refillable.

Cucumber Sandwich with Ikura Roe, Duck Confit Roulade in Sesame Bun, Boston Lobster Cornet, Smoked Salmon Mille Feuille with Caviar

I still remember that Lobster Tart was one of my favourites. I was disappointed that it was replaced with Boston Lobster Cornet as it was salty and had a fishy after taste.

My favourites this time was the Duck Confit Roulade in Sesame Bun, Smoked Salmon Mille Feuille with Caviar, Truffle Egg Mayo on Baguette and the scones!

The Food and Beverage (Tea & Coffee) menus for this high tea is appended below.

Menu

Beverage (Tea & Coffee) Menu

Overall, I am still a fan of The Landing Point Afternoon High Tea Buffet. Great place to chill and unwind. Moreover, you get to try so many variety of tea and finger food.

The Landing Point Afternoon High Tea Buffet (The Fullerton Bay Hotel)
The Fullerton Bay Hotel 
80 Collyer Quay 
Tel: 6597 5277 
Opening Hours: Daily 7am to 1am (note: afternoon tea is available from 3pm to 530pm only)

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French Onion "Soup" Sandwich Recipe

I believe that most of us have heard French Onion Soup. Some of us have also drank such a soup. But have you tried French Onion "Soup" Sandwich before?

A year back, when I went to Cocotte at Wanderlust Hotel, I ate the French Onion "Soup" Sandwich which blew me away. I was so impressed that I decided to try making this. 

French Onion "Soup" Sandwich

Below is the recipe for making 2 pieces of The French Onion "Soup" Sandwich / Bread. It was difficult to make and required lots of patience. 

Ingredients required

Ingredients required: 

1) Two big yellow / red onions

2) 1/2 tbsp olive oil, to taste

3) 1/2 tbsp butter, to taste

5) Thyme leaves, to taste

6) Black pepper, to taste

5) Salt, to taste

6) 2 slices of bread

7) Grated or diced Gruyere cheese

Grated or diced Gruyere cheese

Items required:

1) Pot / pan (can use non-stick pot/pan too)

2) Knife 

To make Caramelised Onion (this is the hard part) :

1) Trim off the ends and peel off the skin of the onions. Cut the onions into half and slice the onion.

2) Heat up the pot / pan using medium heat. Add olive oil and butter.
3) Add the sliced onions followed by a pinch of thyme leaves, black pepper and salt.
4) Stir them well so that they are coated with oil and butter. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot / pan to allow the onion to sweat.
5) Open the lid every 5 minutes and give it a stir. The onions will slowly start turning brown. After 20 to 30 minutes, the onions would become soft and golden brown in colour. If the onions start sticking to the bottom of the pot / pan, it means that the pot / pan is too hot. You would need to reduce the heat and/or add a little water (or soup stock) and give it a stir. You should refrain from stirring it too much to get the evenly golden brown onions. 
6) Once the onions are soft and golden brown in colour, you can add soup stock (enhance the flavour, allowing the onions to absorb the flavours) and turn up the heat to evaporate the soup stock.
7) Once the soup stock has evaporated, turn off the heat and remove the caramelised onion from the pot / pan to prevent it from being cooked further.

To make French Onion "Soup" Sandwich: 
8) Grill one side of the two slices bread on a non-stick pan (use a small amount of butter if you do not have a non-stick pan) and slightly brown it. After that remove the bread from the heat.
9) Spread the caramelised onion onto the side of the bread which has been grilled.
10) Add grated / diced Gruyere on top of the caramelised onion.
11) Repeat Step 2 and Step 3 with the 2nd piece of bread
12) Toast or grill the 2 pieces of bread until the Gruyere has melted and it is ready to be served (if you have Happy Call Pan, it would be useful for this step as you can close it and trap the heat in). 

The below pictures show some of the cooking process:

Step 1

Step 3

Step 4 to 5

Step 4 to 5

Step 7

Step 9

Step 12

The Landing Point Afternoon High Tea Buffet (The Fullerton Bay Hotel)

The Landing Point Afternoon High Tea Buffet was something which we wanted to try for sometime. We had heard so much about its three tier high tea set.  

Noticed the piano at the side? A pianist started playing the piano at around 330pm providing soothing background music which set the tone for the relaxing afternoon. 

Comfy yet cozy sofa seats to chill out while enjoying the view.  

It over looks Marina Bay Sands. 

Elegant, dignified table setting.  

Beverage (Tea & Coffee) Menu

The Landing Point's Afternoon High Tea Buffet cost $49++ per person on weekdays and weekends from 3pm to 530pm. If you would like a sparkling wine to go along with your high tea, it is $69++. For a child, it would be $25++. Currently, UOB cardholders would be able to enjoy a 15% discount. So do remember to use this card if you have it.

There's 20 varieties of TWG Tea to enjoy while indulging in the high tea and enjoying the beautiful view of Marina Bay. 

Plain Scone

Plain Scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam. There was also Raisin Scone. The Scones were average; they were not buttery enough.

Festive three-tiered high tea set

The main star was the three-tiered high tea set which is refillable. As we visited during the Christmas period, their normal three-tier high tea set was replaced with the Festive three-tiered high tea set.

Top Tier

The top tier consisted of mainly sweet items - Crème Brulee, Christmas Cake, Christmas Cookies and Christmas Pie.

Second Tier

The second tier which consisted of savoury items was our favourite - Lobster Tarts, Biscuit with Cheese and Fig, Truffle Egg Sandwich, Smoked Salmon Sandwich, Turkey Sandwich, Smoked Duck Sandwich and Cucumber Tomato Sandwich. We refilled this tier several times and did not refill the other tiers.

Front to back (Lobster Tarts, Biscuit with Cheese and Fig, Truffle Egg Sandwich, Smoked Salmon Sandwich)

Our top 3 items were the (order of preference) Lobster Tarts, Truffle Egg Sandwich and Smoked Duck Sandwich. We constantly ate these 3 items and got refills for them as they were real good. Other than that, the rest were mediocre.

Last Tier

The last (third) tier also consisted of sweet items - Pistachio Cake with Chocolate, Christmas Fruit Cake, Raspberry and Cream, and Macarons. The bitter sweet Chocolate Macaron was easily the best among all the items in this tier.

Most of the items in the first and third tier was too sweet.

Refills

The refills were placed at the back of our seats. The staff would make it a point to constantly provide refills for customers. However, service was a little on the slower end. They seemed under staffed and could not cope with the crowd. As you can see from the above photo, the popular items which was constantly being refilled was the food items in the second tier.

Left to Right: Fullerton Express Tea, Fruit Mountain

There was way too many selections of TWG  teas to try and could only try 2 different tea. For the first tea, I went for something light; the Fullerton Express Tea which was specially commissioned from TWG Tea by the Fullerton Group. It was a light, refreshing and fragrant tea. The second tea I tried was the Fruit Mountain which was a black tea. It was stronger in taste with a delicate sweetness to it.

As you may have already figure out, other than the Teas, the food was average. We ate mainly the Lobster Tart, Truffle Egg Sandwich and Smoked Duck Sandwich only. The price was on the higher end. But the ambience was excellent - Quiet, cozy with a great view. Perfect for a date or to just chill out and chat.

A summary video on the Afternoon High Tea Buffet which I posted on Instagram.

The Landing Point Afternoon High Tea Buffet (The Fullerton Bay Hotel)
The Fullerton Bay Hotel 
80 Collyer Quay 
Tel: 6597 5277
Opening Hours: Daily 7am to 1am (note: afternoon tea is available from 3pm to 530pm only)
Website

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Black Canyon Coffee at Indra Square (Thailand, Bangkok)

Black Canyon Coffee is a well-known Thai restaurant chain incorporated in 1993 in Thailand. The restaurant chain specialises in more than just coffee. Besides offering a variety of coffee such as espresso, cappuccino, mocha and latte, Black Canyon Coffee also serves food (ranging from Thai to Western cuisines), sandwiches, desserts (ice cream) and other drinks.

Today, Black Canyon Coffee is a leading global coffee and foods restaurant chain with more than 240 branches in Thailand. In Thailand, it is the largest operator and serves more than one million cups of coffee annually. In addition, it has 45 branches in 8 countries (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Burma, United Arab Emirates, Cambodia, Laos and Philippines). In Singapore, Black Canyon Coffee is located at Fusionopolis at Connexis Tower. 

Black Canyon Coffee is virtually everywhere in Bangkok, in nearly every shopping malls. Everywhere you go, you are likely to see it. We visited its outlet at Indra Square, which is near our hotel; Baiyoke Boutique Hotel for breakfast. Black Canyon Coffee at Indra Square is located just next to KFC and is open 24 hours daily!

Hot Mocha 70 Baht (S$2.92)

At Black Canyon Coffee, one cannot leave this place without trying their coffee. Its tagline is "Black Canyon Coffee: A drink from paradise... avaliable on Earth".

The Hot Mocha 70 Baht (S$2.92) a classic chocolaty espresso with hot milk was served with alphabet shaped biscuits.

Cappuccino 70 Baht (S$2.92)

The Cappuccino 70 Baht (S$2.92) was also served with alphabet shaped biscuits.

Mocha Choc Chip Frappe 80 Baht (S$3.33)

The Mocha Choc Chip Frappe 80 Baht (S$3.33) was one our favourite. It was sweet with a distinctive coffee aroma and flavour and the chocolate chips made it so addictive and at the same time gave a different texture.

Ham and Cheese Supreme Sandwich 95 Baht (S$3.96)

As this was for breakfast, we ordered some sandwiches to share. The Ham and Cheese Supreme Sandwich 95 Baht (S$3.96) was served with fries. It was a pretty decent sandwich which was hard to go wrong as long as the ingredients were fresh. The sandwich was also toasted slightly such that it had a crisp exterior while the interior was soft and warm. I thought that they executed this sandwich well, even thought it seems to be something simple. The fries were ordinary.

American Club Sandwich 125 Baht (S$5.21)

We also ordered an American Club Sandwich 125 Baht (S$5.21) which was recommended on the menu to share. This sandwich was also served with fries.

American Club Sandwich 125 Baht (S$5.21)

The American Club Sandwich was not bad too. The vegetables (i.e. lettuce and tomatoes) used were fresh! This maybe quite a mouthful for some as there's 3 layers of bread in it.

Thai Style Fried Noodle with Prawn (Pad Thai) 97 Baht (S$4.04)

The staff highly recommended the Thai Style Fried Noodle with Prawn (Pad Thai) 97 Baht (S$4.04). Black Canyon Coffee was the winner of the Pad Thai World Championship back in 2009.

To be frank, the Phad Thai was disappointing. We had high expectations for this dish. The Phad Thai was too sweet and tangy, tasted as if too much tomato sauce or ketchup was added. We all agreed that it was not our cup of tea.

Stir Fried Noodles with Chicken (Kua Gai) 78 Baht (S$3.25)

The Stir Fried Noodles with Chicken (Kua Gai) 78 Baht (S$3.25) fared much better. The kway teow (wide flat rice noodles) was well fried, each piece was tasty and had a slight smokey aroma.

Well, as this is a restaurant chain, the prices charged for the food is considered reasonable. Food wise although the Phad Thai was disappointing, the rest of the food were decent. This may not be a die die must try restaurant, but its certainly worth a try if you do not know what to go for and would like to avoid street food.

We also visited Black Canyon Coffee located at the basement of Platinum Fashion Mall. If you need a break from all the shopping or caffeine, you know where to go.

Left to right: Blackpuccino Frappe 75 Baht (S$3.13), Black Canyon Frappe 75 Baht (S$3.13) 

We ordered Blackpuccino Frappe 75 Baht (S$3.13) and Black Canyon Frappe 75 Baht (S$3.13) and had them in takeaway cups so that we could drink and shop!

Ordering the Blackpuccino Frappe was a big mistake as it had a strong bitter after taste. On the other hand, the Black Canyon Frappe was a hit among us. It was refreshing. The aroma and richness of the coffee was unmistakable and had us longing for more of it.

Having tried their coffee on two occasions, I can now understand why they have so many outlets in Thailand! 

Black Canyon Coffee at Indra Square (Thailand, Bangkok)
1st floor of Indra Square (next to KFC)
120/126, Ratchaprarop Road
Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 686 0118
Open Hours: Daily 24 Hours
Website

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Cocotte at Wanderlust Hotel (Little India)

Cocotte a 2 year old French restaurant located at the lobby of Wanderlust Hotel, is located in between Bugis and Little India MRT stations along 2 Dickson Road. I took about 15 minutes to walk over from Bugis MRT station cutting through Rochor Centre. 

Wanderlust Hotel

The restaurant managed by Head Chef Anthony Yeoh was recently named as one of the top 500 restaurants in the 2013 edition of the Miele Guide.

Cocotte had a unique environment. An assortment of chairs with different colours and rustic timbre tables of brown and white colour. It gave a bight cheerful and country style ambience. 

Pastry Counter

Cocotte has recently opened a Pastry Counter and will be serving Brunch everyday. The Pastry Counter will be opened from Monday to Saturday from 12pm to 10pm and on Sunday from 12pm to 3pm. 

Pastry Menu

The Pastry Counter offers a wide variety of choices with its prices displayed clearly next to it.

Our table dining table, I like the brown timbre table. 

Shredded Pork Confit $15

Shredded Pork Confit $15

The Shredded Pork Confit Sandwich - Confited Free Range Australian Pork Shoulder, Wholegrain Mustard Dressing, Fresh Tarragon, Parsley & Cucumber with Toasted Country Baguette. The filling in the sandwich were delicious. However, the downside was that the toasted country baguette was too hard compared to the tender soft fillings. The shredded pork confit deserved a special mentioned. Coming from the pork shoulder, it was tasty, moist and incredibly soft and tender. In addition, the cucumber provided a nice crunch. 

French Onion "Soup" Sandwich $10

French Onion "Soup" Sandwich $10

The French inspired French Onion "Soup" Sandwich blew me away. It consisted of Caramelised Onion Confit, Melted Gruyere Cheese, Thyme Leaves and Toasted Country Baguette. Instead of a soup, you get the dry version which is probably grilled with gruyere cheese on top so that it melts. I believe that gruyere cheese was used not only because it is 'the' cheese which is traditionally used in French Onion Soup but also because of its rich, creamy, slightly smokey and nutty taste. If you are a fan of French Onion Soup, you have got to try this! 

Grilled Boneless Chicken Leg With Fresh Herb & Garlic Butter $12

Grilled Boneless Chicken Leg With Fresh Herb & Garlic Butter $12

The Grilled Boneless Chicken Leg was served with Garlic Roasted Potatoes and French Beans. As the whole the dish was well executed. The boneless chicken leg was grilled perfectly. Crisp cracking chicken skin with juicy tender meat. The partner and I also particularly like the roasted potato. At $12, it is cheaper in price than most of restaurants and I would consider this quite value for money considering the quality! 

Left to right: Chocolate Tart, Pistachio Creme Brulee, Nectarine Tart, Citron Lemon Tart

For desserts, we tried the Chocolate Tart, Pistachio Creme Brulee, Nectarine Tart and Citron Lemon Tart.

The Citron Lemon Tart was their best seller. On the first bite, it had a tangy sour taste that was too strong for my liking. The main reason was because this was made from lemon. However, I started to like it from the second bite downwards  It is a light dessert and is the type that the more you dig into it, the more you will like it. Among the four, this was our favourite. This is best accompanied by a cup of hot tea!

The Chocolate Tart was made of 72% Valrhona - dark chocolate. Chocolate fans will love as it is made of intense thick dark chocolate; not diluted. The bitterness of the chocolate is followed by a slight hint of sweetness. Best to share this!

Overall, I enjoyed the dining ambience at Cocotte. Quiet and cozy, Cocotte is a good place for a chat among friends or for a date. Foodwise, the quality of food was top notch. I am still thinking (craving) of the French Onion "Soup" Sandwich.

Thank you Grace for the invite.

Cocotte at Wanderlust Hotel (Little India)

2 Dickson Road

Singapore 209494

Tel: 6298 1188

Opening Hours: Mon to Thur 12pm - 230pm, 630pm - 1030pm

                         Fri 12pm - 230pm, 630pm - 11pm

                         Sat 1130am - 3pm, 630pm - 11pm

                         Sun 1130am - 3pm

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