Lunch at Sufood Vegetarian Restaurant @ City Hall

252 North Bridge Road, #02-19, Raffles City Shopping Centre, Singapore 179103

Tel: 6333 5338

Website: https://www.sufood.com.sg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sufood.singapore/

Lunch with another client, this time a vegetarian, who strongly recommended Sufood Restaurant to me.

The restaurant is nestled in a corner of Raffles City Shopping Centre, near the escalators and spa services. Simple in design, with friendly service crew, they specialise in curated vegetarian dining with an emphasis on wholesome food.

They have various 4-course set meals (SGD$25.80), 6-course set meals (SGD$31.80) and 8-course set meals ($36.80).

We started with the Wholesome Trio (SGD$4.90, if ordered as an a la carte item).
Pleasing to the eyes and utterly palatable, this trio consists of Cherry Tomato Jelly, White Water Snowflake with Red. Pepper, Japanese Yuca Root with Blueberry Sauce.

Then we had Energized Salad with Avocado and Macadamia, a simple but tasty salad of fresh ingredients and crunch.

We also enjoyed a nutritious Miso-Kombu Soup with Shimeiji Mushrooms and Lotus Seed, and Sufood's signature Rosemary Breadsticks.

The chosen mains was Chickpea Rice Burger with Sweet Potato Fries (SGD$13.80 if ordered as a la carte).

Finally, dessert of Earl Grey Ice-cream Cookie Sandwich, which was creamy and decadent, the perfect ending to our meal.

Happy to have discovered this lovely place with healthy, tasty meatless meals, I will definitely come back to Sufood again.

Lunch at Teng Bespoke Vegetarian Restaurant @ Bugis

91 Bencoolen Street, #01-50 Sunshine Plaza, Singapore 189652

Tel: 6337 7050

Website: http://tengbespoke.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tengbespokevegetarianrestaurant

We chanced upon Teng Bespoke Vegetarian Restaurant not realising it was a vegetarian at first, because the Japanese food listed on the menu looked so enticing - bento sets, green tea soba in soup, grilled Yakitori and sashimi items, etc. The Host informed us that this was a vegetarian restaurant before leading us to the table, and we were excited (at least my lunch companions were) to try such interesting-looking vegetarian food.

You see, to many people, the thought of "vegetarian food" typically brings to mind greasy, deep-fried mock meat or salads with unappetising ingredients. Not anymore, though, because vegetarian restaurants have very interesting dishes to rival their non-vegetarian competitors, and Teng Bespoke is one such restaurant, creating their dishes based on Japanese cuisine. To be more specific, Teng Bespoke is your good alternative to Shojin ryori (Zen Buddhist temples), tailoring their interior decor and menu to this concept.

The appetiser provided by the restaurant is a bowl of Crispy Tapioca Crisps, served with sesame dip. We enjoyed this appetiser very much as it was lovely in the mouth, with its subtle dash of sweetness. We also ordered a pot of Hot Green Tea to go along with the meal.

We stared with Salmon Sashimi (SGD$9.00), served with wasabi for that authentic feel. The slices of  sashimi were springy in texture, oddly with the subtle sweet "fishy" taste one associates with eating real salmon sashimi.

Then there was the Japanese Sweet Potato, roasted lightly for it to retain its sweetness, moisture and softness. I am not a sweet potato fan, but most of my lunch companions enjoyed this item the most.

Teriyaki Chicken on Skewer (SGD$7.00) had what was being described by one of my companions as "tastes like rope".  I tried the charred piece at the end which was crispy with a smokey overture that I found was, quite good.

Then there was Potato Salad, served cold, with mayonnaise and lettuce.

Moving on, Avocado Maki, comprising mock ebi (shrimp), avocado, and nori. The avocado and rice were a little too mushy in my opinion, but taste-wise, was quite good.

Green Tea Soba Noodle Soup was was made up of flavourful broth but noodle and soup held no hint of green tea at all. Other ingredients included Tau Pok (dried beancurd) and mushrooms.

Cold Buckwheat Soba was served chilled, on a bed of ice. Tiny pieces of deep-fried ginger gave it a lovely flavor and crispiness. I tried it without the dipping sauce on the side, and thought it tasted good enough.

Finally, Mushroom and Tofu Hotpot (SGD$14.00) - a rather huge personal hotspot composed of a delicious, earthly soup filled with 6 silky tofu cubes, enoki mushrooms, shitake mushroom, one other type of mushroom, and 2 types of vegetables. I enjoyed this healthy dish immensely.

Overall verdict of dining experience here at Teng Bespoke Vegetarian Restaurant? Food-wise, there were hits and misses. Service could be improved upon, such as crew staff being more attentive.

Vegetarian Dinner at Marina Bay Sands Ballroom

1 Bayfront Avenue, Level 5, Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, Singapore 018971

Tel: 6688 8888

Website: http://www.marinabaysands.com/expo-events-and-convention-centre/event-venues/ballrooms.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marinabaysands

Many of us are no strangers to meals at Marina Bay Sands Ballroom; more likely than not, we have attended corporate or personal events here before because of the lovely location and wide selection of ballrooms.

I penned this entry because it was the first time I attended a Vegetarian Lohei meal here at Marina Bay Sands. Prior to dinner being served, I did not know what to expect at all.

Setting was sophisticated and lavish as usual, this time donned in lots of red and gold because of Lunar New Year. Neon lights and decorations were not spared at all, and as usual, a huge crew was around to ensure that every table received prompt attention.

Let us now take a look at the menu so you know what was in-store for us that night. We had the 8-course dinner which I was told cost around $1,888 per table of 10.

We were actually served a plate of "Shou Tao" (aka "Longevity Peaches"), which were actually lotus paste buns made in likeliness of pretty pink peaches. This first dish was not listed on the menu.

Because it was Lunar New Year, Rainbow Prosperity Yu Sheng was a must, a giant platter of salad with mock salmon sashimi for us to toss while muttering phrases of well wishes before consuming.

Next, something warm and nutritious and utterly tasty - Double Boiled Soup with Morel Muhroom, Cordyceps Flower and Bamboo Pith.

Following that, Braised Beancurd Knot with Mushroom and Broccoli, another satisfying dish with good flavours and crunchy texture.

Then there were a couple more dishes which I didnt manage to snap photos of, namely Wok Fried Shitake Mushroom and Asparagus, as well as Braised Beancurd and Cabbages. It's not hard to picture how these dishes look like, anyway.

The Sweet and Sour Mock Fish was very good as well, made from soy and beancurd for that springy texture and tastewise, palatable. It was the favorite dish of the night for many of us.

Another dish we enjoyed was the last course before dinner - Vegetarian Fried Rice on Lotus Leaf, with lots of chestnuts for bite and tinge of sweetness amidst the aroma of the earthly mushroom, dark-sauced dish.

Finally, Desserts, which comprised of 2 items, firstly Red Bean Soup with Glutinous Ball and Lotus Seed - we loved how the soup was not cloyingly sweet or disgustingly thick, like how most places serve them. Instead, flavour was light, gently sweetened and textures varied due to the added ingredients.

The Deep-fried Black Sesame and Red Bean Balls were also very welcomed, as they were devoured quickly.

Overall, we enjoyed the vegetarian meal very much - hearty, wholesome, delicious and healthy!

Lunch at Joie by Dozo Restaurant @ Orchard Central {Revisit]

181 Orchard Road #12-01 Orchard Central, Singapore 238896

Tel: 6838 6966

Website:  http://www.joierestaurant.com.sg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Joie-By-Dozo/1532068377026787

Having visited Joie by Dozo (review here) before, immensely impressed by their beautiful dishes and elegant dining concept, as well as luxurious settings, I decided to revisit. Mr. Huang was as hospitable and personable as ever, ensuring that diners enjoy their dining here at Joie. Both the dimly-lit, glossy interior and tranquil exterior settings are breath-taking, and overall service was impeccable.

There were minor changes to the menu over the course of these 2 years, but most of them items were still consistent.  Lunch consists of 6 courses and is priced at SGD$38.00 whereas dinner consists of 7 courses and is priced at SGD$68.00.

We started with a zesty, palate-refreshing beverages with citrusy flavours, served in pretty tubular glassware, cooled by a vase of ice and stunning floral decorations. This paved the palate for more exciting treats to come.

 

 

A dainty platter of starters ensued, comprising of a most delectable Raspberry Sphere that filled with mouth with tarty delight, Carrot Roll made in uncanny resemblance to salmon sashimi in terms of looks, texture and taste, as well as Wasabi Cracker which crunched merrily between the molars.

For Side Dish, we both decided to go for Baby Root Vegetables Garden - made up of tasty su vie baby root vegetables on a soft bed of truffle mash potato. Some colorful and delicious fruit jelly plated the dish prettily and added flavours.

Moving on, we had Soups. The Pumpkin Veloute with Tomato Ciabatta was creamy, luscious and slid down the tongue smoothly. Loved how the "soup bowl" resembled a large halved egg white, so the whole presentation resembled a giant "halved salted egg" viewed from the top.

The Infusion of Cepes and Truffle broth was rich, made up of cepes mushroom and winter truffle oil and black truffles, so that it was robust, flavorful and aromatic.

Came the Cold Dish, were the Vegetable Sashimi on Ice with Seagrapes Shooter Glass was served - coconut, konjac, mountain yam (huai san), aloe vera sashimi and carrot sashimi were arranged beautiful like a snow mountain filled with colourful slices of raw vegetarian "seafood".

Next, onto the Mains, where we enjoyed the Duo Ravioli Platter - stunning pumpkin and spinach ravioli shaped like open tulips, with fragrant flower emulsion and cream sauce. A mouth-watering dish, from the silken ravioli pockets to the creamy fillings within.

Grilled Summer Mushroom Steak on "Pu-Ye" Hot Stone - the first dish that drew my attention to Joie and made me fall in love - was as good as ever. A bed of colored, tiny hot lava pebbles nestled giant dried leave, topped with succulent monkey-head mushroom grilled with subtle hints of smokiness. Even the tiny fan of branches lying across the mushroom steak could be eaten - made up of deep fried flour sticks.

We finally tried Desserts next. Warm Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice-cream was moistened, decadent, and indulgent, surrounding the palate with melted chocolate gold whilst the eyes feasted upon the gorgeous plating.

Last but not least, Red Wine Poached Pear with Lime Sorbet -skilfully sliced so that the pear still looked whole and standing firm on the plate, wearing its leaf crown proudly. Not sure though, why it was yellow in hue and not deep red like that last time I ate here, but the wine infusion was lovely, lending a darker flavour to the sweet juiciness of the pear slices. The lime sorbet was a worthy accompaniment with its zesty tone.

Colorful tea concluded the extremely delightful meal. Hawaiian Blue was exactly that - capturing the very essence of the sea's aque hue. It rasted utterly refreshing, so drinkers could bask in its blueberry-lychee concoctiton.

My Hot Roselle Rhythm Tea had a striking scarlet hue, and was an explosion of flavours all in a glass pot - citrus peels, herbs and roselle flowers, beneficial and soothing.

Overall, we immensely enjoyed our dining experience here at Joie by Dozo once again, utterly posh dining on a good variety of creative, beautiful dishes made of finest ingredients and provides top-notch service.  Will be back, and glad to recommend more friends to try them out too.