Small Potatoes Make The Steak Look Bigger

A couple of weeks back, I had stepped in Grandma's Restaurant (290 Orchard Road, #B1-42/43 The Paragon, tel : +65 6737 7931) for some cendol and decided that I'll return for the food after seeing the spread on other people's tables. This time round, the realization struck me that I've actually visited this place before at the original outlet down in Orchard Parade Hotel. And that the chef that runs the place had been from Madam Kwan's which had left me pretty good impressions.

In retrospect after this visit, what made this place a winner for me was the soft and fragrant nasi lemak rice which I've realised, seem to be a rarity these days. Granted that I'm not generally someone who looks out often for great nasi lemak, I've been having them now and then, noticing that there is always something that I didn't like about the rice. It was either the degree which the grains were cooked, or the lack or fragrance of the rice or that it was simply just bland. This place does strike a really good mix of having them all present. All of it with that coconut rich curry that threatens to make my arteries clog in protest.

Normally, steak is not an option I would even consider for a restaurant like this since the expertise of the kitchen point towards the other direction. And the truth is, I wouldn't have had here as well if not for the fact that I spied a really nice looking steak at a neighbor's table which gave me give pause for reconsideration. Granted, this is definitely not top notch meat going on here. To be fair, the tenderloin in a light pepper sauce was actually quite enjoyable and of the promising factors, the kitchen got medium rare spot on. A decent char grill on the surface for aroma and non crinkle cut fries, I could almost say that this could give Aston's a run for their money considering that I do not think steaks are a forte here.

I would have preferred a heavier touch of spiciness to the otah otah, but I really didn't have much to complain. This was the stuff that's filled with chunks of fish, not just bits of them. Honestly, I'm drawn back to the restaurant. For the nice coconut laden bubor cha cha with hot steaming pieces of yam that I enjoyed. For the other things that I would like to try on menu. And perhaps too, for the pints of Erdinger at a steal at $5.

La Braceria (5 Greendale Avenue, tel : +65 6465 5918), formerly located at the time capsule of Ban Guan Park near 6th Avenue is now literally around the corner from Greenwood Avenue. I hadn't realised that this current location was actually so close to the cluster of restaurants at Greenwood. And that someone I used to be acquainted with lives just above the restaurant.

Dinner started with a serving of an aromatically smoked scarmoza cheese with parma ham and their trippa alla Fiorentina which is essentially a beef tripe stew in a tomato based broth with herbs. The latter dish appeared very different from what I had previously where it appeared more like a soup with pieces of tripe swimming in the broth. This time round, there wasn't much in the way of broth and it was actually more of a sauce in a bowl laden with very generous portions of the soft stewed tripe. I hadn't expected the portions to be so huge, making me regret asking for extra portions of bread while waiting for the food to arrive. But, I am definitely not complaining.

Both the house pasta, which was orecchlette with sausages and broccoli and the porcini risotto came in hearty portions as well. The decision of stuffing more bread earlier sunk heavier as they arrived. The former pasta which was done in a light but robust flavored sauce of what tasted to be meat and cheese was decent, albeit a little undercooked to be even al dente. The bits of meat tasted exactly like the sausages with fennel seeds that I had previously. Hearty, but the fennel wasn't something that I normally enjoy much.

This risotto was definitely well done as it struck an excellent balance between the taste of the poricini mushrooms and the truffle oil that perfumed the creamy reduction on the rice. Must make a mental note of this being one of the enjoyable risottos that I've had around.

The location was a little remote, but in the evening, had exuded a kind of charm which I found appealing in the quiet little corner relatively unrustled, mostly, by the noise of traffic. And with pizza bianca options on the menu, I'll definitely be looking forward to coming back.

Nothing much to be said about the stuff here that I haven't already, especially when it's items on menu that I've had before. Just some random phone cam whoreography here.

The whispers of a not so little bird told me that Mirabelle Patisserie (27 Mackenzie Road, tel : +65 6238 6235) had really good croissants and since it was located at an old haunt of mine, I decided to take a look. So it really took me three Saturdays of attempts before I managed to get my hands on the ham and cheese croissant. I tried thrice because I had managed by chance to get the regular ones on the first attempt and they were really good.

Croissants are available really easily here. Getting them to be nicely crispy on the shell and buttery with enough grease for the soft insides without being overly heavy or soggy was another matter entirely and these ones from Mirabelle were just that. And as mentioned by the not so little bird, the ham and cheese version was really excellent value for the quality of ham and cheese that was used. The picture as usual, does no justice to the taste of the pastry.