Jamie's Italian - Vivo City HarbourFront Walk Singapore

We went to Singapore a month ago and decided that this trip shall be a trip for culinary purposes - thus we decided to forget about weight loss for a while and have a go with anything delicious. 

One of the few interesting places that we visited is Jamie's Italian in Vivo City Mall in HarbourFront. We've just finished our exciting trip in Universal Studios and, after spending a long time walking and queuing, we decided that it is a good idea to enjoy a nice food once in a while. 

It's a very interesting place located just next to the harbor with a very nice view of the surroundings. Definitely the kind of environment you'd like to enjoy to chill out - and a nice place for a cup of coffee. 

However, it is clear that we are not here for any coffee at all - we want something Italian!

We ordered one appetizer and two pasta since we were relatively hungry at that time.

We start with the Baked Mushrooms - which is Swiss browns with crispy “music bread” & smoked buffalo mozzarella as explained in the menu. 

The mushrooms taste relatively fresh, however the bread underneath is somewhat soggy and the overall taste is somewhat bland - too bad.

One of the pasta we ordered was the Truffle Tagliatelle. Now, this stuff here is very amazing and rich in flavour. The truffle gives a very extravagant flavor and aroma, with just enough sauce to make it tasty and moist. This is a definite must-try when you're visiting the restaurant. 

Next is the Pappardelle with Meatball. The pappardelle is rather unique with a wiggly shape - which actually gave it a rather interesting texture once eaten. The sauce is rich and fresh, and the meatball is also quite juicy - this is also a must try in the restaurant. 

All in all, we spent around 80-90 SGD for the whole experience and will definitely return there. While eating we saw other delicious meals, and we might just want to give some of them a try in the future - after all, this is Jamie Oliver's restaurant.

Address : 1 Harbourfront Walk, #1-165-167 VivoCity, Singapore 098585

Ninety Nine

Living in close proximity to Lotte Shopping Avenue gives me the comfort of trying out lots of things. One of the places I have tried recently is Ninety-Nine Restaurant, located at the lower ground floor next to Ranch Market. I've read some reviews on this place and it seems that it serves a lots of cuisine types, including Indonesian. 

Therefore, we decided to give it a shot for a light dinner (or that was the plan). Pictured below is the premise, not too crowded, but populated enough for us to enjoy the ambience.

We begin with the appetizer which is the Rustique Tomato Soup. Unexpectedly, this turns out to be really fresh and authentic. The tanginess and the rich tomato flavor do well to please the tongue. Texture-wise, it is rather smooth but still has a sparse amount of tomato chunks here and there. The basil on top also enriches the existing flavor. 

 Next one is the Lasagna. A very classic Italian dish, yet always being served differently according to the interpretation of the chefs. 

For this one, it is served with some greens on top and,as you can see on the left hand side some cheese is melting out. While the overall presentation might not be the key focus of this dish, we find that this dish is very tongue pleasing as well. Good combination of sauces inside, and the bachamel is not too thick. While both of us are committed cheese lovers, we find that this version of lasagna is good enough, although it can actually use a bit more salt with it.

 Just for fun, we decided to cut it open and took a picture of the layers inside. As you can see it is not too thick, and it's just right for those who wants to eat lightly. 

The last one is the Dory Fillet, served with tomato rice. The crunchiness of the Dory Fillet s just perfect and the rice gives you the opportunity to fulfill yourself. As you can see below, it is served with some capers, which might not be to everyone's liking (I like it though, it reminds me of black olives)

With two servings of tea, we spend Rp 293 K. The price is somewhat OK, considering the location and the taste. As we mentioned, this place serves multiples cuisines and we'll definitely be coming back to try more. Perhaps the Asian dishes? We'll see!

Ninety Nine Restaurant
www.ninetynine.co.id

Lotte Shopping Avenue
LG Floor 
Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio Kav. 3-5

Jakarta Selatan

Grand Indonesia Shopping Town
LG Floor East Mall
Jl. MH Thamrin No 1

Jakarta 10210

Ranch Market Building

2nd Floor

Jl. Pesanggrahan Raya No. 2

Jakarta Barat

Ya Rae Hyang - Gading Batavia - Jajangmyeon!

There is one Korean-Chiense fusion restaurant that we have been visiting for at least once a year, and that is Ya Rae Hyang, located in Gading Batavia, Kelapa Gading.

One of (and probably the only) the reasons why we visit this place is primarily to eat the jajangmyeon (Korean noodle with black bean sauce with pork). The premise is very homey and traditional - and quite unassuming. Takes quite a while to find it the first time. Last time we came here, it was for dinner, and many Koreans were eating. I assume that this place is more to the authentic part rather than some of the 'localized' versions of Korean food.

Also, this place is probably one of the few Korean restaurants that offer Jajangmyeon in Jakarta, thus this is like a very rare gem that needs to be cherished.

LaCroazia Pizza Bakar - Gading Serpong

Real life has been crazy, so I haven't got time to go anywhere unique let alone blogging. 

If you noticed, recent posts have been about Italian foods and Pizza in particular. I would like to warn you that the this one is again about pizza. 

However, this place is not some luxury Italian stuff or even some fine dining. This is a place at a ruko in Gading Serpong, called LaCroazia, a humble, homey-styled Pizza where you can just simply sit down, eat, and chill just like in a neighborhood premise. 

The business have been operating for 7 months as of now, and there have been lots of good reviews about this place, therefore I decided to travel all the way (and got lost of course) to Gading Serpong just to visit this place.

Here's a glimpse of the premise. 

Sopra Italian Restaurant

So we went to this somewhat visible restaurant in Pacific Place in which it always seems like the place has very minimal lighting. We read some good and bad reviews, so we thought we'll give it a try.

Sopra is located at the 2nd floor of Pacific Place near one of the escalators. From the outside, it does look like a very high end place and suitable for dating or family gatherings.

When we arrived, it wasn't too crowded and in fact when we left there were a few seats left, so you might not need to book first although it is always good to do so. 

Rosso Italian Restaurant Shangri-La Jakarta

We had the opportunity to participate in the Eat Jakarta food festival (or whatever you call it) and decided to book one of the most widely acclaimed Italian Restaurant in Jakarta - Rosso. 

Located in Shangrila Hotel, one of the most prestigious hotel in town, the place is decorated elegantly with red colours, as the name suggests. It was not too crowded, although advance booking is recommended. The seating arrangement can be suited for all occasion - we obviously picked the corner spot as we were - of course - on a dinner date. 

Ootoya Japanese Restaurant

We admit that we're a bit sensitive on authenticity of foods - especially when they represent a certain culture or countries.

That is why we came to Ootoya. While it's not a newcomer, we think not many people had the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate this one-of-a-kind Japanese restaurant. It's not your typical sushi bar, ramen place, or even beef bowl. It provides authenticity and true Japanese cuisine. 

School Food Blooming Mari - Lotte Shopping Avenue

This place has been around for quite some time, and yet I only had the opportunity to go there just a few weeks ago. We have heard that they have one of the best Ddeokbokki (Korean Rice Cake) in town, so we thought this might be worth a visit.

Anyway, it is said that the name is derived from the fact that the food served are the typical school canteen food you can find in Korea. The place itself is well designed and not too crowded for a Saturday lunch. A nice dating spot  - if dating with spicy ddeokbokki is your thing. 

Coco Ichibanya Curry House - Grand Indonesia

We found this place completely by accident while looking for another store, and decided to try it anyway. 

Coco Curry is located on the 4th floor (3A, actually) of Grand Indonesia, next to Disc Tarra. With the bright yellow signs and lighting, you really can't miss it. It's a very nice place and have a really nice vibe with it. The franchise is actually one of the biggest curry house from Japan and is widely acclaimed to be having the best curry. 

For me it's up to personal judgement as curries tend to give a similar experience. However, there are some things which may make several differences.