Corner House @ 1 Cluny Rd, Singapore Botanic Gardens

So Singapore's food scene has gotten more exciting with the Michelin Guide being released, and as my blog name suggests, I went around looking for Michelin Star places to try. In particular I was interested in Corner House, with its newly minted one star Michelin, which offers high-end contemporary (but more Western) cuisine. Tucked inside Singapore Botanic Gardens, Corner House is a quaint colonial house that sits amidst the lush greenery. 

Now getting a reservation for your meal is pretty important as ideal slots are harder to come by, especially with Corner House getting its Michelin Star. I unsuccessfully tried to get a Saturday lunch slot for 3 pax about two weeks before the date. Fortunately I managed Friday lunch for two instead. Do note that like other high-end restaurants, the dinner menu is often more expensive than the lunch. 

So Corner House has a rather "small" menu, so you'll probably end up getting a set, and in this case, I would recommend the Business Luncheon Set below. 

Note that the 3/4 courses courses differ in that you get both appetizers in the latter instead of having just one. I would recommend getting the 4 course set as the appetizers are probably one of the best I've tasted.

Before talking about the food itself, let's talk more about the actual setting of the restaurant. It's quite a quaint place, particularly good for a small group of friends or a couple.The table I got for two people was similar to this but more private as we were hidden in a corner. The view itself was pretty refreshing, as its good to escape the city sights for some greenery. The interior of the restaurant is well-adorned, reminiscent of colonial displays seen in museums. 

Complimentary bread is always welcome, especially when it's fresh. The bread (for those really hungry people, it's refillable) came in two types: the sweetish raisin ones and the plain toasted bread. The butter was pretty nice as it was lightly-salted but it was the presentation of the butter that impressed me. On a side note, Corner House is fully air-conditioned, otherwise the butter would have meet an untimely end.

Appetiser 1: Foie Gras

A pretty good foie gras with a comforting fruity aftertaste. The texture of the foie gras is sufficiently smooth for my liking and the taste is comfortably strong (but this is often a reason why some people avoid or like foie gras).  This taste is achieved through the accompanying ingredients such as the citrus (grapefruit in this case) which help to offset the "raw" taste of the foie gras. The presentation of the meal seen in the picture speaks for itself.

Appetiser 2: Hokkaido Scallop

Probably my favorite dish of the meal. The scallops are completely raw and turned out to have a fine balance of chewiness and firmness. This was to my liking as I find the texture of cooked scallops too chewy. The usage of citrus once again does wonders to keep the brininess of the scallop in check. The tobiko

Main Course 1: Hungarian Mangalitsa Pork

I normally prefer beef as my choice of meat, but I would change sides in a heartbeat if all pork tasted like this. The pork is extremely tender and is easily comparable to kurobuta.  It was pretty amazing how the pork managed to be this tender and not have to compromise by being too thin. Though I wasn't fond of the yellow mustard, it helped to mask the overly meaty flavor that pork tends to have.

Main Course 2: Australian Wagyu Beef

Served medium rare, this wagyu beef is pretty average, although this was because  the earlier pork had already set the standards pretty high. The meat was surprisingly less tender than the pork. The taste of the beef was noticeably less flavorful than wagyu beef offered elsewhere. The fried potato crackers, sitting above the beef, was too firm for my liking.

I would recommend the pork over this, especially since the wagyu is $6 more expensive.

Dessert: Kaya Toast (Left); Japanese Cucumber Sorbet (Right)

The sorbet is unconventional as cucumber is used as the main ingredient. However the sorbet feels too "airy" and I felt that I was eating cool air half the time. Yet it's alright if you just wanted something light but refreshing to end off your dining experience.

Now, the chef's interpretation of kaya toast is an interesting one. It's like an atas sandwich ice cream but instead of taking huge bites of it, you're probably enjoy it more eating it slowly. The cream wedged between the "toasts" is neither too full nor too empty, and is a fine blend of gula melaka and coconut. This was easily the better of the two desserts I tried. 

Overall comments:

The setting of the place is really nice, conducive for a carefree and sunny weekend lunch with a small group of friends and family. The service is excellent, with the waiters meticulously introducing the dishes and its ingredients as well as diligently replacing cutlery and refilling water. (Note: if they ask you whether you want still or sparkling water, you can just opt for iced/warm water)

Overall, Corner House is deserving of its Michelin star in terms of food quality and service. The presentation of the dishes are impeccable and you can forgive them for being a bit small in portion size. Not terribly expensive, although if you opt for dinner, it'll cost a bit more. If you're looking for a nice place to celebrate a more private occasion, I would recommend trying Corner House.

Mitzo @ Grand Park Orchard

Located right across Paragon, Mitzo is a fusion Cantonese and Western restaurant located at Grand Park Orchard. I went for the Signature Set Menu as there was a 1 for 1 credit card promotion.

 Deep Fried Dim Sum Platter

Presentation is really good and the dim sum was pretty good, especially the shrimp (the middle one) which was quite meaty for a pseudo-sushi. The orange slice-looking pumpkin was cute but overly sweet, especially for a dish that came early in the meal.

Winter Melon Soup

Lobster Bisque

Lobster Bisque/Winter Melon Soup

The default soup is the lobster bisque but my party requested for an alternative due to one member having allergies. The lobster bisque was extremely flavorful and a great start to the meal. The winter melon soup was decent but nothing out of the ordinary.

Mitzo Special Barbecued Pork

Mitzo BBQ Pork

 Though the meat was tender and not overly fat, I felt that there was an excessive amount of sugar glaze. But I could be bias since I normally dislike BBQ pork due to the sweetness.

Deep fried prawns with creamy lemon sauce

 Deep Fried Prawns with Creamy Lemon Sauce
Really succuelent and big prawns. I didn't like the lemon sauce due to the sweetness though. However, still a very solid dish.

Over-baked Chilean seabass with lemongrass, chili and spices

Overbaked Chilean seabass with lemongrass, chili and spices

A hefty chunk of fish that was slightly overcooked. However, either than that, it was pretty good. The seasoning was savory and to my liking.

Pan-fried Lamb Chop with enoki mushroom and onion in Xinjiang Style

 Pan-fried Lamb Chop with enoki mushroom and onion in Xinjiang Style
Looks like a lot of meat, but a huge portion of it are bones. The lamb was moderately tender but the seasoning unfortunately was too overpowering. There were too much spices plus at this point, I was too full and decided to dabao this home.

Braised vermicelli with scallops, prawns and codfish

 Braised vermicelli with scallops, prawns and codfish
A standard dish to make sure that the customer is really full. Although I didn't finish this dish, the ingredients were of good quality. The prawn was succulent and the cod was surprisingly not so overpowering (at this point of the meal I wanted something more bland). There were few scallops  and the waiter did not do a good job splitting the portions (mine didn't get a scallop while others got an extra one). A comforting dish but nothing too spectacular.

Chilled avocado milk shake served with fried sesame dumpling

Chilled avocado milkshake served with fried sesame dumpling
The milkshake was really good as the cold creaminess of the avocado soothed my taste buds. It was mildly sweet but a good way to end the meal. The sesame dumpling on the hand was piping hot and had some alcohol inside (think of a sweet thicker-skin xiao long bao with alochol inside). I wasn't a fan of the dumpling mainly because of the overly strong alcohol taste.

General Comments:
Mitzo is really a fusion type of restaurant that has an identity crisis. The interior is really "hip" and Western that is reminiscent of a night club. However, save for the captains, a majority of the service staff were Chinese-speaking foreigners which I found was a bit odd, given that Mitzo is more of a Western pub concept and people like to have drinks at Mitzo.

The appeal of this place is that the environment is designed for people to relax and chill (the seats are basically sofa couches with plenty of cushions) and seems more suitable for casual meals or drinks. I feel that the place's identity is better suited as a pub. Its prices are rather steep and the food quality could be better. However, Mitzo gets A for the presentation of its food and that's one of the appeals of fusion food. Unless you really love fusion and "funkier" food. I suggest waiting for promotions before you visit Mitzo as there are many Chinese restaurants that are better for a lower price.

Prive Grill @ Keppel Bay (Restaurant Week)

Prive Grill @ Keppel Bay (Restaurant Week) 

This is a backdated review of Prive Grill's Restaurant Week meal in October. I'll let the set lunch menu below do some of the talking. 

 Toasted Bread with Olive Oil
The bread came in several shapes and was nicely toasted. Texture was crisp but not too hard. A respectable "appetizer", especially since it was complimentary.

 Toasted Salmon Belly Tartare (Starter 1)
This is a good starter, especially if you're fond of raw fish. The two bread sticks acted as a good "base" to complement the fish. Only qualm I had with this was that the portion size was too small ._. but it is expected since this is only a starter.


Rating: 7.5/10

 Beef Consomme (Starter 2)
This was basically beef stock/clear soup. Although I'm a fan of beef and herbal stuff I felt that this starter was too overpowering. However, it's ideal for someone who wants to slowly savour a starter while waiting for the main course.


Rating: 6.5/10

 300-day Grain Fed Rangers Valley Rump Cap (Main 1)
This was easily the highlight of the meal and it is by far one of the best steaks I've eaten in the past few years. Yes, it was that good, that tender flesh that melts in your mouth. I particularly liked the sauce that complemented the richness of the meat itself. Portion size was decent although I wish I had more.


Rating: 9/10

 Roasted Maine Scallops
Basically a dish with risotto, duck confit and of course the scallops. The scallops was lightly roasted and seasoned, which really brought out the freshness of the flesh. The actual size of the scallop were quite big. The duck confit happily melted in my mouth and was extremely savoury. But I understand that some may have find it as overpowering. Now with the risotto..., erm I guess it was a nice filler to balance out the dish? The risotto was a bit too mushy for my liking.

Rating: 8/10

  Warm Chocolate & Peanut Butter Fondant (Dessert 1)
The chocolate was basically a lava cake with peanut butter filling. As I'm not a fan of peanut butter, I would have preferred chocolate filling. However, the slightly too sweet peanut butter was complemented by the relatively more "bland" vanilla bean ice cream, marrying a wholesome union of hot and cold.


Rating: 8/10

Banoffee Pie (Dessert 2)
As the name implies, it's a pie with bananas and coffee flavoring, topped off with chocolate shavings. I didn't like the mushy bananas in this dessert and I felt that the first dessert was a better choice as this dessert was lacking in flavor and a real identity. Props to the presentation though.


Rating: 7/10

This was a pretty good Restaurant Week meal as I enjoyed all of the dishes and particularly the beef!
The ambiance of the restaurant was suitable for a weekend lunch. The proximity to the yachts and the Keppel Bay exuded a very holiday vibe which made me happier.  If you're interested in trying this place, I would suggest going for dinner instead for the better ambiance. I feel that the lights of the surroundings would liven up the place even more. Highly suitable for a date. However, I must caution anyone who doesn't have a car as this place would otherwise be highly inaccessible without one.

Overall rating: 8.5/10