Bedrock Bar & Grill - No-Nonsense Steaks, Singapore

Bedrock Bar & Grill

Bedrock Bar & Grill is the kind of steakhouse that hits all the right notes. It's classy enough, achingly hip and serves up a damned good steak. The kind of steakhouse I could imagine in downtown Manhattan.

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The Tippling Club - A Medley of Surprises

The Tippling Club

Wow, lunch at the Tippling Club was a real treat. I never really thought about lunch here, mainly because $57 for 3 courses didn't sound like much. Boy, was I wrong. The entire experience, from the chic ambience down to the inventive dishes and string of surprise amuse bouches, was one serious feast for the sight and senses.

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Savour 2014! Here's the lowdown.

Savour 2014 at the Promontory

Savour is back! I was a little worried that things could be getting old, but the new venue at the promontory with breathtaking views of the bay really brought out the festival vibes, and of course the gourmet village, gourmet market and masterclasses continue to surprise and entice, with a good number of showstoppers. Here's what I loved this time round.

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My Awesome Café, Indeed - Telok Ayer, Singapore

My Awesome Café

My Awesome Café has the kind of laid-back charm that draws you in the minute you see it. All the diners are relaxed, casually people-watching and chowing on wholesome sandwiches - it's a picture perfect scene that I wanted to be a part of immediately. It's not everyday that a café plays up retro kitsch to such marvellous effect. Plus, the bread I was eyeing looked pretty amazing.

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Ronin @ Hong Kong Street - Dapper Haunt

Ronin

Happy 2014! I know I've been away for a bit - had the most magical time at Christmas and New Years' (mostly at house parties) with loved ones - I hope December has been absolutely wonderful for you too. Have you been to Ronin? The latest café by the guys behind the Plain is also the most dapper yet. Man, it's been a long time since I've felt such a strong urge to gush about a place to everyone I know.

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Comman Man Coffee Roasters, Martin Road - Great Coffee, Delicious Food

Common Man Coffee Roasters

Not all places that serve great coffee serve equally inspiring food. Sometimes, not everything that sounds inspiring on the menu wind up tasting good. Common Man Coffee Roasters manages to avoid both pitfalls - clearly, having the word 'common' in your name doesn't necessarily make you such. Only problem is, you'll have difficulty getting a table. Don't ask me how I managed to squeeze myself in there on a Sunday morning. This place is packed.

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Brawn and Brains, Singapore - Cosy Coffee Haunt

Brawn and Brains

I found great coffee where I thought I would never find it - beside a climbing gym. Imagine that! I've been getting into sport climbing lately, so this cosy coffee haunt tucked away right beside the gym is pure gold. The name makes a lot of sense, too, if you subscribe to the assumption that coffee makes you smart, that is.

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[Tasting] Smiths, Singapore - Authentic British Fish and Chips!

Smiths Authentic British Fish and Chips

Last Thursday, I found out just how little I knew about fish and chips. Or rather, while it may seem pretty obvious that you can pretty much batter any kind of fish on earth, I had blithely assumed that humans stuck to two to three kinds. How wrong I was.

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The Market Grill, Singapore - Great Steaks and Burgers

The Market Grill

Over the years, I've unwittingly grown exponentially in love with everything a cow has to offer - stinky cheeses, creamy yoghurts, hermès handbags, sinful burgers, tender roasts, smoky steaks - you name it. I do try to do some salad lunches to make up for my carnivorous sins but I guess it is what it is. So, you know, I figured if I'm going to 'sin' anyway, might as well make sure it's tasty. You bet I was pleased to find out that the Market Grill offers some very delicious options indeed.

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The Providore - Gourmet Food and Supplies, Anyone?

The Providore

I'm actually always looking for chic places with great coffee and simple, delicious food. Life is complicated as it is, so I like my food simple. Or maybe I just like to feel as though I'm dining in a friend's (or my own) very stylish home. In any case, I am drawn to these places like bees to honey and I am incredibly pleased that I don't have to find my way to Robertson Quay for Toby Estate coffee anymore. The prospect of good coffee in between strolls in town just sounds so idyllic. Lo and behold, the Providore!

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[Guest Post] 5 Incredible Vegas Restaurants

Next to casinos, nightclubs and shows, Las Vegas is probably best known for fine dining options. Really, though, it's always seemed like the restaurants are a bit like everything else - focused mostly on appearance and experience. This is fine and dandy for a casino floor or a Cirque du Soleil show, but for fine dining the food needs to be just as amazing! At one of Vegas's newer resorts, you'll find the exception rather than the rule - the food is as delicious as they are beautiful.

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Spathe Public House - Mammoth Dining

Spathe Public House

I think it's safe to say that none of us will find Robertson Quay dull anytime soon, with new restaurants like Spathe Public House and Bomba Paella Bar jazzing up the scene every now and then. It's communal dining over here at Spathe Public House, (nothing less than the "it" dining mode these days,) with a plethora of dishes with such varied influences you might just feel like you went on a round-the-world trip in 60 minutes.

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Meat Packing District, Singapore - High Low Burgers

Meat Packing District

Meat Packing District is a little tricky to spot - you won't find a traditional signboard just yet - even the digital signage is kinda clandestine since there aren't really pictures for everything on the menu. The burger of the month poster (see picture above), which is pretty cool, really, is a case in point (although the poster starts making sense when you realise that Keith Tan, owner of the weeks-old gourmet burger joint, is also guitarist in local indie band, Obedient Wives Club). Then again, given Bestway kopitiam's modest dimensions, our hunt for the latest high food + low places aspirant wasn't exactly a daunting task. Plus, the whiffs of meat patties on the grill was a dead giveaway.

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9 Restaurants I'm Dying to Try - May 2013

Esquina
[Spanish Tapas] Confession: I haven't been to Esquina. Yes, I know - how could I? It's a sin, really, with the menu designed by Jason Atherton sounding so great - sea urchin and crab bisque, slow-cooked egg with crispy iberico and beef tartare with frozen foie gras. Although what I'm really excited to try is their oysters and vietnamese dressing. Esquina's certainly a more sophisticated, world-wise cousin of Keong Saik Snacks (which I loved). They've also launched three-course lunch sets at $35, and a ten-course dinner tasting menu for $95 now so I'm completely out of excuses not to visit. - No Reservations

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Alkaff Mansion Ristorante, Singapore - Bring on the Romance

Alkaff Mansion Ristorante

Trendy dates to bistros, hip bars, and slick restaurants are all well and good, but sometimes, isn't a full-blown romantic dinner refreshing? The irony! It's a new age we live in. But if you're keen on bucking the trend, gentlemen, and reveal a little bit of that "softie" inside, there's probably no better place than Alkaff Mansion for your purpose.

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The Communal - Trendy Southern Fare [closed]

The Communal

Isn't it funny how everyone's talking about the gentrification of Jalan Besar (and not too long ago, Tiong Bahru) but no one's really talked about North Canal road? I mean, you have Sur (new South American kid on the block), Mad Men Attic Bar, and the Communal practically inches away from each other. And they're all amazing, by the way. It's almost a little too good to be true. See, working in the CBD has its perks, it's not all about the communal squeezing in the trains twice a day, pun not quite intended.

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My Top 5 at Savour 2013

Stellar @ 1-Altitude - Kobe C Rib of Beef, Foie Gras Sauce, $18

Everyone has described Savour 2013 to death, so shall I just cut to the chase and give you my top 5 this year?

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Bomba Paella Bar, Martin Road, Singapore - Español Fever is Here

Bomba Paella Bar

I have always, always, been a fan of Spanish food. And it seems like these days, everyone else has jumped on the Spanish wagon too. I mean, just look at the record number of Spanish (and Spanish inspired) restaurants popping up all over our island! Some sort of Español fever is here, no doubt - boy, am I excited - and Bomba Paella is right there in the action.

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In the Kitchen: Fluffy, Fool-proof Pancakes

In my books, the best feeling in the world is waking up to breakfast made with love. The second best feeling? Watching that special someone tuck into the breakfast you've made. If it's home-made pancakes, all the better. And I've finally got the perfect, idiot-proof recipe in my pocket.

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The Orange Thimble, Eng Hoon Street - Old and New

Art for Sale, Flat White, $4.50

Do you know Eng Hoon Street? I'm sure you do, especially after Tiong Bahru Bakery shot to fame. Right next to it, though, often overlooked, is the Orange Thimble. Part art gallery, part café; part retro, part modern. They serve the usual - eggs fry-up, tarts, pastries, sandwiches, and coffee. Good coffee.

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