Assiette

Taking advantage of the proximity of my office to the 2-hat Assiette restaurant, I went there for their Friday lunch offer. For $35, I got to select 1 of 2 dishes over 3 courses. It is genuinely good value.

While portion size was on the small side, the taste and presentation did not disappoint. The pumpkin soup entrée was earthy with a right touch of spiciness. Wagyu beef was cooked medium rare and melt in your mouth. Apple tarte tatin balanced the meal very well. While lunch was over within an hour, service did not feel rushed at all.

Details:
Assiette
48 Albion Street
Surry Hills, Sydney
http://www.restaurantassiette.com.au/

Rating system

Thanks for all the visitors thus far to this blog and I very much appreciate the feedback I have received thus far.

Many of you have suggested that I introduce a rating sytem for each review. So I will do that. Please keep in mind that the rating will represent the single experience that I had at a restaurant, and that your experience may differ.

The ratings will be out of 3 stars.

0 star - I will never go back.

1 star - I did not enjoy my meal.

2 stars - I had a good experience and look forward to come back.

3 stars - I recommend this restaurant. Let's go back next week!

I will also take this opportunity to welcome a few guest writers to this blog. Please look out for them and make them feel welcome.

Mellben Seafood (Singapore)

Taking a trip back to the memory lane, I wish to go back to a crab feast that I had in Singapore. Rather than going to the regular tourist spots along the east coast, my cousins took me to Mellben Seafood restaurant which is hidden among housing estates in the centre of the island.

The signature crab hotpot is a must. The crab is soaked inside the pot with this milky texture, flavourful soup. Make sure you order an extra serving of noodles to soak up all the soup.

I am salivating just by thinking about it.

Details:
Mellben Seafood
232 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, Singapore

Michael Mina (San Francisco)

Walking into Michael Mina restaurant inside San Francisco’s Westin Hotel, I decided to dine at the bar instead – smaller portions, no bookings required. And I got to chat with others at the bar which made the evening more interesting.

The food did not disappoint. The signature lobster pot pie was extremely satisfying. So was the famour root beer float with warm, freshly baked cookies. It was a sensational contrast of hot and cold as well the presentation brought out my childish self. I was strongly recommended to try the tuna tartare – next time!

And that wrapped up my trip.

Details:
Michael Mina
The Westin St. Francis on Union Square
335 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94102
http://www.michaelmina.net/

Bouchon Bistro (San Francisco)

A trip to Napa Valley was planned with the intention to visit French Laundry by the great Thomas Keller. With bookings needed 2 months in advance, it was never going to happen. So we headed to Bouchon, the French bistro also operated by Keller, instead.

The long drive to beautiful Yountville was definitely worthwhile. And so was lunch at Bouchon. The menu had all the classic dishes: onion soup, duck confit, Croque Madame… but the best dish of the day went to the pork belly.

Tip: skip dessert and get pastry at the Bouchon bakery next door instead.

Details:
Bouchon Bistro
6534 Washington Street, Yountville, CA, United States
http://www.bouchonbistro.com/

One Market Restaurant (San Francisco)

Focal point of the San Francisco trip was dinner at One Market Restaurant, opposite the famous ferry building. The restaurant offers a special ‘Weekly Beast’ 5-course menu on weekends, where the menu is designed around one animal. In my case, it was the wild Atlantic salmon.

For dinner I had roe, skin, belly and fillet. And the dishes got better when the meal progressed. Even dessert had salmon in it – strawberry infused roe providing the right balance of sweetness to the parfait. Best of all, I sat on the “chef’s bench” allowing me to see how the dishes were made.

Details:

One Market Restaurant

1 Market Street

San Francisco, CA 94105-1420, United States
http://www.onemarket.com/

Lefty O'Doul's (San Francisco)

I was recommended to visit this All-American institution when in San Francisco. Lefty O’Doul’s happens to be two blocks from my hotel so it was the perfect place for breakfast. The venue has more of an Irish pub setup (rather than the typical American diner).

The choice for breakfast that morning was the corned beef hash with eggs from the special menu. Corned beef hash was intensely savoury with a touch of heat from the chilli, which went well with their Starbucks American coffee. Just beware of any residual lipstick mark on their coffee cups!

Details:
Lefty O'Doul's
333 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA 94102-1801, United States
http://www.leftyodouls.biz/

Luce Restaurant (San Francisco)

Upon arrival for a brief visit to San Francisco back in June, I went to Luce Restaurant inside the InterContinental Hotel downtown for lunch. Fresh from gaining their first Michelin star, they offer a 3 course lunch for just US$20.10 – fantastic value.

The baby farm beet salad entrée woke up the palate after a long flight. Slow braised short ribs spaghettini was the right dish for main course – rich, gravy like sauce accompanied by earthy mushrooms and al dente pasta. For dessert the mini jasmine penna cotta went well with my pot of tea.

The perfect start to my holiday!

Details:

Luce Restaurant

888 Howard Street

San Francisco, CA 94103, United States
http://www.lucewinerestaurant.com/

Welcome

Fine dining is my interest. After all these years I often lose track on all the places that I have been and all the dishes that I have tried. So I hope it is not too late to put it all on (virtual) paper now.

This blog is never meant to be a full-on restaurant review. Each post will be a snapshot of a single experience at a restaurant by me – there will be no ratings, no hats, and no stars simple ratings will be given. Moreover, I will keep my posts economical – each review will be 100 words or less.

Bon  appétit!