While Tree might be the fun, playful, boho sibling, Garden of Eden is the grown-up and chic first-born with it’s sleek and brooding good looks.

Though some of the items on the menu may not seem that out of the ordinary at first glance, it’s the preparation, culinary methods and attention to detail which change the ball game here.

Take for example the Waldorf Salad ($26). What sets this apart from your usual waldorf salad is the fact it is topped with Stilton – which has been freeze dried in liquid nitrogen right at your table – so this is not just food but also theatre as the vapour spills out from the serving container with the Stilton crumbling over the leaves….

The Foie Gras ($29), was a beautiful plate of unbelievably light and creamy foie gras mousse served with crispy chicken crackers, a wonderfully sweet and tart sherry gel and herb salad.

On this occasion, we were four Brits dining out, so we couldn’t resist trying the Good Old Ploughman’s ($26). Actually they should probably swap the word ‘Good” with ‘Great’ as this is certainly one of the best and I’m not sure if or where you will find better in Singapore. The home made pickled onion and pineapple were more than spot on and served with extremely satisfying chunks of tangy cheddar cheese and succulent twice cooked gammon.

For the mains, we decided to have a bit of a meat feast headed up by the Steak and Veg ($36). Delicious, tender morsels of Wagyu beef rump cooked to perfection served upon a wonderfully flavourful and comforting pearl barley and foie gras cassoulet, and finished off with crispy baby vegetables. This was so good…we just wished there was more of it! So this is one to be savoured slowly before it’s all gone.

There’s nothing like a good goulash and so of course we had to try the one here. Beautiful, tender chunks of steak nestled in deliciously smokey twice cooked Goulash sauce  - again so more-ish we just wanted to keep eating it after we had finished!

The upsize of the servings being slightly on the small side is that after starters and mains you still have room for dessert without feeling like you’re busting at the seams.

And this was one dessert menu we were all looking forward to, with some classic dishes updated to give them a special twist.

The Lemon Meringue Pie ($15) was a de-constructed version made with melt-in-your-mouth freeze-dried lemon meringues, and crispy lemon cake. A really different take and delicious to boot.

The Chocolate and Pear ($15) was pure indulgence and one that chocolate lovers probably won’t want to share – she says speaking from experience! The marriage of the baked chocolate and pear custard, crispy chocolate cake, pear coulis and vanilla pod ice cream made this a brilliant bittersweet yet delicate fusion of tastes and textures. Chocolate heaven? Yes indeed. So much so we ordered two!

Also Bannoffee Pie ($18) lovers check out this restaurant’s rendition where freeze drying comes into play once again to quirky effect…

At the core of the concept is not only creativity in the kitchen but also stellar, attentive service. Before each dish is served, its contents are explained which is a very nice touch. However, if you do have any dietary restrictions be sure to double check with the service staff as sometimes ingredients such as bacon or shellfish might grab you unawares.

If you’re looking to try creative culinary concepts, then the Garden of Eden should without a doubt be on your list of must-tries, but of course be prepared to pay for the experience. This is a place to appreciate and slowly savour the idiosyncrasies of each dish and frolick with molecular gastronomy in the theatre of food. So get ready to enter the Garden of Eden….

Garden of Eden is at 148 Neil Road. Open Tuesday – Saturday 6pm-11.30. Tel: 6222-2119. For more information see their Facebook page here.

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Written by Ms Demeanour

Meal paid for by City Nomads

This can only add up to one thing, and that thing is Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, otherwise affectionately known as the Trocks. Yes it’s been 10 long years since New York’s sensational all male comic ballet company graced our sunny isle but now, they are pirouetting their way back to Singapore and performing in all their glory at the Esplanade from 1st – 5th May.

Anything that combines dance and comedy – both things that make many people very happy including yours truly – in equal measures, can only be a good thing in my books. Quite incredibly, the Trocks have managed to strike a happy balance of irresistible humour, dance precision and concern for the choreography. Believe you me this is no mean feat, and one that has won them both love and respect, and made them the worldwide institution that they are today.

When I had the chance to speak to the company’s Artistic Director, Tory Dobrin, I just couldn’t resist…after all this is the person who is at the helm of the world’s only all male comedy ballet. Wow how much would I love that job…!

Dobrin explains that audiences can expect to see, “Very skilled comedians and dancers offering their talents” and experience “good energy between the people on stage and the people in the audience…so that something is shared for an evening”.

The all-male company of 14 will perform classical excerpts – both male and female roles. He shares with us, “The evening is composed of three acts. The first act is the famous Swan Lake Act 2. The last act is the Bolshoi Ballet’s signature work of Raymonda and the middle act is composed of several smaller works. Everything is chosen to find balance in comedy, in music variety, in costume variety and the variety in the personalities of the dancers.”

Once again, it strikes me what a tall order this to achieve this unique blend. Not only must every member of the company be a good dancer, but they must also have a good sense of humour or comedy, with each individual personality working in harmony with the others, to achieve the desired rapport. “It is important that all the dancers develop their own stage personas so that the audience can see many wonderful characters on stage, with distinct personalities”, explains Dobrin.

So what is the greatest challenge in pulling this off? No surprises when Tobrin answers, “To keep the balance so that the comedy and the dancing are equal in importance…so that the idea of an all male comedy ballet is clear, with no aspect dominating.”

And yet it is clear from global reactions that the company –  under Dobrin’s artistic direction –  has achieved this with their dazzling performances incorporating playful parodies of traditional ballet, phenomenal strength and commitment to their art.

While most will obviously see that this is a brilliant fusion of high art and high comedy, with lashings of fun and mastery of technique served up in equal measure, of course there will be critics who will say something along the lines of, ‘Excuse me? A bunch of mallerinas prancing about in tutus? No thanks.’ To those people Dobrin responds, “Everywhere in life you go, someone will criticize you, no matter who you are or what you do. I am not concerned with these people. It indicates a very small, narrow mind. If they have seen the show, they would not say this.” To which I say – here, here.

If there’s only one thing that Dobrin wants audience members in Singapore to take away from the performance it is, “A very, very fun evening, filled with good dancing and good comedy.” Let me see….yes, that sounds like just what the doctor ordered!

The Trocks will perform at the Esplanade Theatre from Tuesday 1 May – Saturday 5 May at the Esplanade with tickets on sale through SISTIC here, ranging from $18 – $108. For more information see the ballet’s website here.

Want to bag yourselves tickets to the opening night on 1 May? Then keep your eyes peeled to our Facebook page here.

All images credited to Sascha Vaughan.

On this occasion, it was due to a recommendation from a good friend of mine who possibly is as much of a foodie as I am….certainly close anyway.

Having visiting the Thanying in the Amara Hotel in Tanjong Pagar, I was keen to explore further afield and see if this relatively new establishment could live up to the stellar reputation of its Tanjong Pagar sister.

Arriving at the Amara on a weekday evening, it was extremely quiet (not unsurprisingly – it is Sentosa after all) with only a few tables around the restaurant occupied.

To get our palates in the mood for the some sour and spicy food, we decided to order a couple of margaritas, which at $11.50 each is really not that bad. I also noticed that they have beer on the menu for $9-11. Browsing through the menu it was immediately good to see that a lot of care had gone into the menu to make it 1) a great cross-section of Thai cuisine, and 2) well priced. Nothing  worse than a scary menu.

To start the evening’s delights we decided go on recommendation (and a bit of tradition) and order some Tom Yam soups. The one directly below is actually Tom Yam Pla Krapong – a fish slice version. This was simply outstanding. A rich, spicy coconut broth with juicy oyster mushrooms sliding around my tongue. Gorgeous. This is one of the best tom yams I have had in a very, very long time.

Having said that, the traditional prawn version was not too shabby either. What struck me was its purity. Seen below, this was a broth full of flavour and perfectly balanced. Spicy but not overbearing, and very, very more-ish.

Moving on, the Pomelo Salad ($18) arrived. When it comes to Thai food, I always remember when I was training as a Chef, my boss used to say, ” Thai food is all about balance, sweet, salty, sour and spicy”. This could not have been better applied to this dish. A sweet sauce and the pomelo to cut the spice from the chili, the salt from the naam pla (fish sauce) and a wonderful sourness from the lime juice. On top of the that, the texture of the ingredients was excellent. The crunchy peanuts with the soft flesh of the pomelo an prawns. Magic!

Also a surpring winner was the Pad Nor Mai Farang at $18 (Stir fried asparagus). Aside from being a massive serving, the asparagus was perfectly al dente with a lush sauce to flavour the rice.

Unfortunately the final two dishes were somewhat disappointing. I do love my curries (seriously, who doesn’t?) so we decided to go for a standard Kaeng Keow Wan Gai (green chicken curry). Sad to say, the sauce was a little thin for my liking and the eggplant was just undercooked.

As for the second dish, the Pla Kao Rad Prik ($35) – effectively a deep-fried whole fish. The meat itself was quite tasty and the chili sauce that came with it was superb. Unfortunately there just wasn’t much meat on the fish and way, way too many bones, making it very fiddly to eat. With hindsight, I would have gone with the whole steamed seabass instead. Oh well.

Overall it was a positive experience. The ambience is true to the name and very ‘sanctuary-like’, the service was relatively good (though I noticed that the majority were not even Thai – call me old-fashioned, but I like the authenticity of real Thai people working in a Thai restaurant). It would be a great place to have a quiet, relaxing meal with family and some of the dishes are fantastic, however I feel it lacks a certain pizazz that other Thai fine dining joints have cultivated, nonetheless, I’d still very much recommend this branch of Thanying. It’s elegant, classy and the food is aroy maak!

Thanying is located at 1 Larkhill Road, Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa, Singapore 099394. To make a reservation, call 6825 3881.

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Written by The City Nomad

Meal paid for by City Nomads.

But slowly, the tapas trend is picking up. Last year with the opening of Sabio and La Cicala, and this year with Esquina and Salt.

For some people, great tapas should be a recreation of the tapas they have had in Spain (or perhaps what they think they should have in Spain). But there is plenty of bad tapas going even in Spain believe you me! To be honest, I’m not so concerned with recreating tapas I’ve had in the past, but more with tapas that is well executed with fresh ingredients and most importantly, not swimming in oil.

What I love about Esquina is that is breaks away from the mainstays of tapas (which are sadly often poor imitations) and gets creative with excellent ingredients and fantastic taste. If what you’re looking for is just some Abondigas then sadly you will be disappointed. Because this, my friend, is high-end tapas with a twist.

And of course that comes with a higher price tag than usual tapas. Because usual tapas this ain’t! But taking that into account, and also the fact that it can only hold 17 pax at any one time, then it’s time to perch on a seat by the tapas bar, watch the Iberico ham being sliced…

the chefs beavering away in the buzz before your eyes…

and let the tapas festivities begin.

I knew that things were off to a good start when the Marinated Olives ($6.50) arrived. Lovely juicy olives infused with flavours of star anise, cinnamon and orange rind.  These were by far the best olives I’d tasted in a while. Just beautiful.

The Heritage tomato in sherry dressing ($9.50), blew our socks off when it arrived with its smell alone! It’s definitely worth lingering over the aroma for a minute. And the taste? Well…it’s rather wonderful thanks to fantastically sweet and juicy tomatoes, a couple of cucumbers thrown in the mix with lashings of fresh garlic, dollops of coriander-infused avocado puree – and of course the sherry dressing.

The BBQ mackerel ($21) was beautiful. Fresh and tender on the inside, and crispy on the outside. The beautifully rich, sweet and flavoursome Romesco sauce – a combination of  roasted red pepper, garlic, almonds and tomatoes - gave this dish a wonderful meshing of flavours and textures.

As Hehzee, my dining partner for this tapas adventure, dived into the Confit pork belly ($27), she looked like she was going to explode with delight! The reason, she explained, was due to the intense yumminess she was experiencing. Cooked to perfection, the pork was fall-apart soft with bewitching smokey flavours coming through from the chorizo and paprika skin.

The Gambas ($18), a huge, single, butterflied prawn served with chili, garlic and orzo pasta was lovely and juicy, though it would have been nice if had had company in the form of another. Once you’re done with the prawn, there’s something very fulfilling about scooping up the lovely, garlicky, slightly spicy stew-like sauce.

We had almost stopped there, but decided we needed just one more to round things off. I had been eyeing the Aged rib-eye ($33) from the start, especially because it came with chimichurri dressing – a kick-ass medley heralding from Argentina which is in effect a tonne of garlic mixed in with chopped parsley, oregano, olive oil and red pepper flakes – that I’d not had the pleasure of tasting in a long time.

But at $33, I was wondering whether we should go there. Well, guess what happened? We did and sure it’s pricey, but I have to say in it’s defense it’s a pretty decent portion as far as tapas goes and the meat was juicy, flavoursome, perfectly charred with lashings of chimichurri sitting atop  and bursting with flavour (just don’t breathe on anyone afterwards!) making this a delicious dish indeed.

At this point, we had to dash off but I have to say I would have loved to have stayed for dessert and tried the Black olive sorbet with strawberry gazpacho (because how amazing does that sound?!) and to have stuffed myself with beautiful Manchego and quince (because I can never ever get enough of my favourite Spanish cheese).

I have to say that I love Esquina. Some might say that the menu is small – I like to think it’s just carefully curated. Every dish delivered a taste-bud sensation, and everything was of a consistently high standard. So although the bill was somewhat high compared to other tapas encounters, I was so satisfied by the experience that actually, I didn’t really care.

Because at Esquina you’re getting great food, in a great atmosphere, and solid service with the chefs often personally serving up the goods right to your placement which is in part thanks to the fact that you are only one of a few dining there at any one time.

Oh and did I also mention that to its bow it also has the string that it is under the direction of Michelin Star Chef Jason Atherton. No? Well, I thought I’d save this snippet of information until the last so we could focus on the food and not the name-dropping.

Be warned, the restaurant doesn’t take reservations, and with limited seating get there early for the best chance of bagging a place. And I mean EARLY…as in 6.30pm. Or be prepared to wait.

Esquina is at 16 Jiak Chuan Road, 089267, Tel: +65 222 1616. Open Mondays to Fridays  12 Noon to 3 pm, 6pm to 11pm, Saturdays: 6pm to 11pm, closed on Sundays. For more information see their website here.

Meal paid for by City Nomads

CAT SOCRATES

#03-39B Bras Basah Complex,
231 Bain Street, Singapore 180231

Opening Hours:
Mondays to Saturdays: 12pm – 8pm
Sundays & Public Holidays: 1pm – 7pm

http://www.catsocrates.com.sg/

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Written by Hehzee

Actually I’m usually a little wary of places which try to offer different cuisines in such a way but I have to say, I’m glad I let my guard down on this occassion.

Tucked away in a beautiful shophouse on Kandahar Street in the Arab Quarter, the interior inside – especially upstairs – is beautifully ornate and quite a lovely surprise I hadn’t bargained for. In fact, it did remind me quite a bit of True Blue.

The menu is pretty extensive with lots of variety and all extremely reasonable. I felt like the cat who was about to get the spicy cream!

I am rather addicted to Mango Salad ($8.80). In fact when I’m in Thailand I pretty much live off this but this was definitely the Indo kind. The difference between the two is that the Indo version is more firey and the mango used more crunchy. Still it had it’s lovely trademark freshness common to the two and it was a great way to kick off the appetizers.

I’d heard the Pandan Leaf Chicken ($3.20 each) here was good. A Bangkok favourite, the leaf keeps the chicken juices inside leaving the chicken soft and juicy, with a very subtle pandan flavour. Just lovely.

Having never tried Krathong Tong ($7.80), which are essentially crispy tartlets filled with minced chicken, carrots and corn, I thought why not. This was a nice, simple, tasty, home-style dish and though no show-stopper, quite nice to have in the mix.

However the dish that is an absolute must comes under the mains and it’s the Coffee Chicken ($10.80). Chicken marinated in coffee? There was no way I was going to let this one pass me by! Juicy pieces of chicken with an intense, sticky sauce and beautiful coffee roast flavours coming through. This dish is genius and I could simply not get enough of it! So much so that guess who is currently looking up recipes to make this one at home….

It’s also very much worth getting the Steamed Fish in Spicy Lime Sauce ($25.80). On this occassion, said fish was seabass and it was cooked to perfection drenched in a lovely sweet-sour and slightly spicy sauce that was incredible more-ish. Make sure you soak through your rice with the sauce and pick every last piece of fish off the bone – delicious!

Wash this all down with some fresh home made lime juice and there you have your perfect Indo Thai feast! Feeling very satisfied by this point, I felt it necessary to stop there. However I was very tempted by the Ice Chendol ($4), and Sago Gula Melaka ($3). I felt even more satisified when the bill came and I realized that the total bill was very reasonable.

Bumbu is a great little spot for Indo Thai cuisine lovers. Delicious, great value and in a lovely setting and a menu full of choices. Hard to go wrong really isn’t it? I know I’ll be back there to try out more.

Bumbu is at 44 Kandahar Street, Kampong Glam, 198897, Tel: 6392 8628. Open Tuesday to Sunday (Closed on Monday) 11am to 3pm and 6pm to 10pm. For more information see their website here.

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Written by Ms Demeanour

Meal paid for by City Nomads

Located at Far East Square, I’d often walked past Kazbar but unfortunately never gave it much thought. It has existed in Singapore for around 10 years now, which in restaurant terms is practically a life-time…so they must be doing something right. Silly me, I should have known.

The exterior is pleasant with a good array of bar tables and themed furniture, but it’s the inside that drew me. This is a veritable Souk (Arabic for Market). Think private cave style dining areas, enormous sofas with low tables, fantastic mood lighting and a very snazzy looking bar. It’s awesome. Simple as.

Anyway, Ms Demeanour and I finally sat and eagerly started browsing the menu. She setting her eyes on a glass of Sangria, and myself on a Kazbar Mint ($14) lunchtime cocktail. Except, being difficult, I asked them to make it ice blended. The reason is that in the Middle East, these kind of minty margarita concoctions are everywhere and they are so refreshing on a hot day…The result. See below:

And yes, it’s as good as it looks. This was so tasty, I literally demolished it in 30 seconds flat and proceeded to order another.

So after my previous visit here when I ordered a cold mezze platter, I was pleased to see that the first course up was just that…

(I should make a little disclaimer here: as this was an invited tasting, the portions when ordering usually are much, much bigger. What we were served was done to allow us to taste as many dishes as possible without exploding…we still almost did nonetheless.)

As I remembered from the previous visit, this platter was astounding. This plate is literally 5 out of 7 of my favourite dips to eat (sadly Tzatziki and Taramasalata aren’t exactly ‘middle eastern’ dishes). The Cold Mezze platter comes with Hummus, Moutabal, Babaghanoush, Muhammara and the silky labne and costs $24. It also gets served with a healthy basket of lebanese bread which is perfect for scooping up these creamy delights.

Now, it would take far to long for me to describe in detail each dip, so I will say this without exaggeration: All 5 are excellent. Of particular note was the labne (sour yoghurt cheese dip), babaghanoush (eggplant, red pepper and chili) and hummus (blended chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon etc). Hand on heart, the best I’ve had here in Singapore. Maintaining tradition, the dips are savoury, lemony sour and a little spicy. Exactly as they should be. The moral of the story – order it!

You can also order the dips individually, $8 for a small plate, $14 for a big one.

Accompanying the platter was a healthy serving of one my old favourites, tabouleh. Very Lebanese in style..i.e. tonnes of parsley and lemon juice, less emphasis on the tomato and onion. Ms Demeanour and I agreed that this was a great rendition of this dish. I would definitely order this again.

Next up was a sampling from the Hot Mezze ($26).

A cheese boric, spinach borek, sambousek, kibbeh and falafel. Ms Demeanour loved the falafel best of all and I’d certainly agree it was excellent, but to my surprise, what stole the show was the kibbeh and sambousek. What can I say, I’m a sucker for minced lamb when it’s made so well…

Nonetheless, if I had to choose, I preferred the cold mezze platter, but if you’re in a big enough group, just get both. You won’t regret it.

With the stomach beginning to fill, the next course was served….and immediately space in the belly was found. I am eating all this meat –  I told myself. Oh yes….

Consisiting of a mixed platter - joojeh kebab, shish taouk, shish kebab, kaftan kebab, lamb kebab and a lamb chop.

As the title of this review suggests, the meat here is fantastic. Without a doubt the best kebabs in town. What was of particular praise was the Persian Joojeh Kebab. That’s the yellow-coloured one in the middle of the photo. Marinated in minced onion and spices for more than 24 hours, this is succulent, kebab heaven. Unlike the typical disappointment around Arab St, these skewers are big, chunky pieces of meat with delicious juices oozing out. Whilst the other kebabs were tasty, this was for me the top.

Having said that, I highly recommend getting the mixed grill at $42 which comes with the 6 different meat styles. It’s well worth it. Otherwise, the individual kebabs are around $20 and quite generous portions in their own right.

Finally served up was a very cool dessert called Umalia. Effectively a bread and butter pudding coated with milk, sugar and ample pistachio. Honestly, this is one of the most unique and delicious sweets I’ve had in a while. If I had seen this on the menu previously, I wouldn’t give it a second glance. Having tried it now however, this is definitely on the ordering list. Well worth it.

Chef Kamel himself is originally from Lebanon and after many years at some top venues in Dubai, he was poached by Kazbar to come to our little red dot, and we couldn’t be happier. Nothing better than meeting a passionate, friendly and smiley Chef. He clearly loves what he does, and he’s damn good at it!

Kazbar is located at 25 Church Street, #01-03 Capital Square 3

To make a reservation, call 6438 2975.

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Written by The City Nomad

On this occasion, the meal was hosted by Kazbar.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am no closet artist by any means and so what appealed to me about My Art Space and the set up here is that you could be as good as these guys…

or as novice as me…

and be welcomed regardless with open arms, and with absolutely no judgement.

And for a someone like me who hasn’t held a paintbrush since I was probably 13 this is great offering because they provide all materials for you: an unlimited supply of paints, brushes, a canvas and even a box full of cards for inspiration – the perfect solution if you haven’t got the foggiest about what on earth to paint!

It’s a wonderfully relaxed, open-to-all, atmosphere, which I think is in part a result of the setting – in Istana Park overlooking the water. In fact, it’s a lot more chilled than the version of an art jam I had in my head.

One thing I had not banked on being someone who hadn’t entertained a paintbrush for over half my life is not only how into it you get, but also just how liberating and therapeutic it is. There are no rules here, you’re free to listen to what you want, paint what you want, mix the paints how you want and lose yourself in creativity that perhaps you forgot was there. In a world full of do’s and dont’s that’s something not to be sniffed at!

Two hours and one canvas down I felt inspired and revitalized because yes folks, this is why art therapy exists.  Whatever stresses I might have had on my shoulders that day had well and truly disappeared with every brush stroke. Something we probably all need a bit of in today’s hectic daily grind.

When we went along there were only four of us in the studio which suited us fine but My Art Space is also open for group bookings if you’re looking for a cool way to reconnect with your buddies.

Once you’ve finished your session, the nice folks at My Art Space will box up your canvas (if you’d like to take it away with you or equally you can leave it there), and then you can pop over to the Art Palates Cafe, a rather hidden gem of a spot overlooking the water and reflect on your experience over a relaxing drink.

Sessions cost $80 per person but for the month of April they are available at a special price of $59 per person and include one 20×24 canvas, unlimited acrylic paints and tools rental, one drink (juice or wine) and one wet painting carrier. Advance booking of no less than one day in advance is required and is subject to space availability. SMS 9295 4522 to reserve a spot. For more information see the Art Space website here.

My Art Space is open daily at 11am-10pm except public holidays and is located at Istana Park, 31 Orchard Road, 238888 (where Giraffe used to be).

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Written by Ms Demeanour

Session paid for by City Nomads

We started out on our cocktail journey with a refreshing Dark Cherry Mojito ($20) – an interesting take on the original particularly made with a sake infusion. It’s not too sweet, not too strong, with the tartness of the cherry coming through to give it an extra added kick. This was definitely the perfect way to round off a long and hectic day.

We all know what happens when you drink on an empty stomach, so one cocktail in we thought it would be wise to sample an array of tasty bites to avoid any embarrassment.  We started off with a Margarita Pizza Slab ($16), a naughty slice of squidgy-oozy-cheese-gooeyness topped with house-made confit of roasted tomatoes.

Then we chowed down on some Skyve Beef Tartare Bruschetta ($22), our absolute favourite owing to the softness of the beef tartare, the crispness of the crouton base, the aroma of the truffle and the kick from the wasabi mayonnaise. Probably the best cocktail buddy we’ve had quite possibly ever.

Next on the cocktail front was the Bitterpear Marmalade ($18). Though I have to admit I was not that keen on this intriguing, almost clean-tasting fusion of brandy, gin, sake infusion and fragrant kaffir,…it was rather good looking.

To accompany this Asian-inspired concoction, we suitably munched on some Asian Style Chicken Wings ($12 for 6 pieces), which attributed their yummy flavour to the prawn paste in which they were marinaded and some Crispy Baby Squid ($12), a crunchy, sweet and sour, and rather more-ish offering…it’s not hard to see why this is one of the nation’s most popular seafood dishes.

The Peach Rosemary Collins ($18) made with rum, vodka, marmalade and of course peach and rosemary infusion, was one of our firm favourites – a little bit sweet, a little bit sour, and smooth to boot –  this was one drink that you could drink many times over. Hmmmm quite dangerous in that case.

Getting further down the cocktail list, it was time to bring out the big guns because it was time for dessert in liquid form. Something a little bit…sinful. And by gosh did we get it in the Coco Berries Cheesecake ($18), a velvet-smooth chocolate and berry combination which was essentially a Black Forest Gateaux cake in cocktail.

The beauty of this cocktail is that, despite what you might think, it’s actually not too sweet and has a nice little edge to it thanks to the use of citron vodka as the base liquor. Plus the Chocoello (a chocolate liquor), gives it a nice bit of extra depth through its blend of chocolate essence, special herbs, port and a touch of brandy for which it is famed. Add into the equation rosemary infusion and mascarpone cheese and it’s not hard to see why our it had our eyeballs rolling back in delight.

Seeing as were firmly getting into the naughty stage, it seemed fitting to munch on some Frites ($12), truffle fries which were perfectly crispy with just the right amount of delicious truffle flavour coming through. Of course though you get a double helping of the truffle flavour thanks to the accompanying truffle mayonnaise.

Keeping on the path of naughtiness, when it came to ordering our Bespoke Cocktail ($18), we thought we may as well continue in the same vein, and ask for something indulgent but unexpected…and that’s precisely what we were served! Now being a bespoke cocktail, I’m not sure if this creation had a name but it seems fitting to call it a Peanut-Vanilla-Butterscotch Cup. Hmm if that doesn’t give the game away as to the flavours within then I suggest you go get a coffee or two!

This was a lovely smooth, indulgent yet somehow light creation made with vodka, butterscotch, peanut butter, Cafe Boheme Liquor (a blend of coffee, French vodka, vanilla and cream), with peanut butter smeared along the insides so if you’re feeling extra naughty and nobody’s looking you can do the unthinkable and get licking! There are two things I have to say is testimony to why this cocktail is so good and it’s 1) It should be on the permanent list of cocktails on offer and 2) It was the perfect drink to end the evening with.

Skyve Elementary Bistro and Bar is at 10 Winstedt Road, Block E, 01-17,  227977. Tel: 62256690. Opening hours: Monday – Friday 8.30am – midnight, Saturday & Sunday 10am – midnight. For more information see their website here.

And if you’re a true skyver, you can take advantage of their happy hour during skyving hours of 8am (yes 8AM!) – 8pm, with 20% off all drinks.

The drinks and food were hosted by Skyve on this occassion

Perhaps you’re someone who is sceptical about vegetarian and vegan food, you may even be balking right at this moment at the suggestion of no meat in your meal and so to you I also say – get thee to LivinGreens.

LivinGreens in one fell swoop puts paid to non-believers by dishing up a wide selection of incredibly tasty, more-ish vegetarian and vegan food that is phenomenally good for you. Well Hallelujah! Because this food is good for you, tastes good for you, comes with a good for you price and that’s….well….GOOD! And this place even feels good against the backdrop of its little shop of goodness packed full of health foods.

So what kinda thing are we talking about here? We’re talking about interesting salads, super fresh sushi, hearty pasta dishes and some power-up juices.

We started our health kick off with the Avocado Salad ($7.50), a lovely, fresh and zingy medley of a whole lotta veggies and mashed avocado, and some peppermint and basil to give it a beautiful herby aftertaste.

The LivinGreens Lasagne ($8.50) is sooo tasty that as a self-confessed meat lover I really couldn’t have given two hoots about the fact that no meat was present. Delicious big-boy pieces of aubergine, sweet red pepper, shiitake mushrooms, and carrots meshed into a satisfyingly squidgy texture with a nice little kick making this  dish an absolute winner. I’ve got to say I’m now very curious as to whether the Shepherd’s Pie will also be this good!

The Mango Sushi Roll ($6.50) was fresh and zesty and put other vegetarian sushi to shame with it’s lively medley of mango, beetroot, sprouts, pea sprouts sooped up with a special sauce made fresh daily.

Second favourite here was the Spinach Herbal Spaghetti ($7.50), a satisfying dish of semolina spaghetti stir-fried with sauce made from spinach and herbs. So simply yet so tasty – it was like eating a wonderful spinach-sesame soba dish.

Make sure you get your full dose of goodness with their juices. Their ABC Juice a.k.a. apple, beetroot and carrot juice is one of the best I’ve tasted hand down – just the right thickness and great tasting. And the Apple & Wheatgrass feels like health in a glass. It’s actually pretty potent – in a good way – with a fantastic zing to it that leaves you feeling energised.

Eating at Livin Greens feels like checking yourself into a digestive retreat and not only that it’s great tasting and exceptional value for money. So if you want to be kind to yourself and your pocket it’s time to book yourself in for some LivinGreens.

LivinGreens is at 325 Beach Road, 199559, Tel: 6396 5523. Open Monday- Saturday 11am – 8.30pm.

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Written by Ms Demeanor

Meal paid for by City Nomads