BTO: The good life just got a lot more affordable

Business Times - 30 Mar 2009

The good life just got a lot more affordable

NEW MENU

Les Amis
#02-16 Shaw Centre 1 Scotts Road
Tel: 6733-2225

IF there's one positive thing that can be said about the recession, it might be this: for a bunch of supposedly depressed people, we sure are eating very well. As restaurants hunker down to the new reality of value-for-money pricing, it's getting harder even for seasoned tightwads to resist the new dining catchphrase: 'one-for-one'.

 

Fine-dining doyenne Les Amis has not gone the one-for-one route, but it may well have gone one better by putting truffles in its just introduced two-course $38 lunch: home-made pasta in an earthy madeira-infused sauce and shavings of black Perigord truffles is offered as one of its decadent menu choices.

 

On top of this, you just add another $10 to make it a three-course meal, which is a sizeable drop from its regular-priced set lunch of $60. A four-course lunch is now $68 - a sure sign that, like SIA offering free upgrades, the good life has gotten a lot more affordable.

 

To juice things up, Chef Armin Leitgeib has just launched his new menu and it's filled with vibrant flavours that show a steady hand and a cool confidence with a role that he stepped into less than six months ago.

 

Take the aforementioned pasta, for example, which usually gets a dainty treatment of light olive oil to allow the truffles to take centrestage, particularly with white Alba truffles. But black truffles being less delicate, Chef Leitgeib adds more depth of flavour with the sauce and he doesn't stint on the truffles either.

 

Lest you think you'll need to add a Big Mac after merely teasing your palate with a two-course meal (you can pick from appetiser, main and dessert), the portions are very decent. In fact, if you really want to, you can combine the pasta with an equally rich confit of egg wrapped in crisp ciabatta with a delicious combination of spinach and finely chopped parma ham and more truffle shavings. It's a bit overkill, but if value's what you're looking for . . .

 

The real dilemma, though, will be stopping at two courses. You'll find excellent value in the $68++ four-course set lunch which features a juicy, marinated white asparagus spear wrapped in raw blue fin tuna and served with a perky sauce gribiche of mayonnaise mixed with chopped egg and pickles, followed by the aforementioned egg confit.

 

Add a serving of beef entrecote with truffle French fries and a refreshing terrine of fruit sorbets and you'll be rolling out the front door for less than you think. Chef Leitgeib's food is not as coy as that of his predecessor Thomas Mayr, who's now wooing Hongkongers to Cepage, Les Amis' first overseas outpost. While Chef Mayr's cooking tends to be more understated with elegant flavours that tap you on the shoulder rather than yell 'Oy!' in your ear, Chef Leitgeib takes a more daring approach. His flavours are well defined and confident, a little more hearty and rich tempered with the right proportion of acidity.

 

One of his must-tries is the pickled pork leg with crispy skin (from the two-course menu) where he reveals his inner Chinese chef with the crunchiest, most melt-in-the- mouth crackling tasted in a restaurant that doesn't serve char siew. The lightly salted pork is tender and juicy, served with a mild sauerkraut and grated fresh horseradish to complete the treat.

And if you're there for dinner and the kitchen managed to get hold of some baby monkfish, splurge on it because Chef Leitgeib roasts the whole fish with just fresh herbs and olive oil, and the aroma combined with the sweet, meaty flesh is simplicity perfected.

 

For those with slightly deeper pockets, a six-course tasting menu now costs $200 instead of $250. Meanwhile, sister restaurants Au Jardin and La Strada have also dropped prices a bit. Au Jardin's $55 set lunch is now $45 while La Strada's is down marginally to $34 for three courses and $28 for two.

 

So, if you want to cheer yourself up these days, it's nice to know you don't have to lower your expectations.

 

Rating: 7.5
By Jaime Ee

BTO: Authentic Lebanese fare in Arab Street

Business Times - 30 Mar 2009

Authentic Lebanese fare in Arab Street

NEW RESTAURANT

Gulf Beach Restaurant & Cafe
41 Arab Street
Tel: 6292-2330

PART of what makes food from a particular country 'authentic' are the ingredients used. At Gulf Beach Restaurant, spices from Lebanon and Syria are used to create Lebanese fare, says Lebanese chef Mohamad Nabil Baroudi.

 

The spices he uses for Shawerma meat are from Damascus, Syria, for example, while falafel spices are brought in from the United Arab Emirates.

 

'And I'd describe the cuisine I make as quite home- made and authentic. I don't try to try too hard to make Lebanese food that suits the local palate,' says the chef, who used to own and run Alaa El Din in Jalan Pinang, near Arab Street.

 

He has since sold the restaurant and is now executive chef at the month-old Gulf Beach, opened by Singaporean Alvin Bee, who worked in Dubai for five years. Mr Bee got into the F&B business with a friend, initially in Bangkok, where they opened a restaurant serving mainly Omani cuisine. That one is also named Gulf Beach, so the Singapore outlet is actually the second branch.

 

Lebanese restaurants apparently have good standing in the Middle East, with 'Lebanese' being a catchword for quality fare. Over in Singapore, unfortunately, one does not get a sense of how luxurious it can be, mainly because eating practices are quite different here.

 

Instead of having a huge tray at the table serving all kinds of appetisers, for example, serving portions here are more modest. You can still simulate the mezza platter, of course - it's just that it comes on a biggish plate rather than a silver tray.

 

For starters, the Byblos Mezza ($15) is good value that gives you a taster of the appetisers, which you can share as well. Chef Mohamad's hummus is very good and fresh, with the paste of chick peas and white sesame drizzled with Lebanese extra virgin olive oil. It's worth your while ordering a single bowl of humus, in fact, if you're fond of the paste.

 

We also liked the well char-grilled eggplant mash (baba abou saiid), while the fattoush was a toss of fresh vegetables like tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, onions, mixed peppers and fresh mint with a sweetish salad sauce. The Waraq inab (vine leaf rolls, $7 a handful) was also yummy, with tasty warm cooked rice rolled in grape leaves.

 

As for the main course, you can go the easy route and order the mixed BBQ platter ($18). It's a combination of lamb chop, taouk (grilled chicken breast), lamb kofta and shish awsal (beef tenderloin), served with char-grilled vegetables.

 

The menu descriptions tend to raise expectations overly high where the char-grilled meats are concerned. Except for the minced lamb rolls, the other meat was on the tough side and slightly dry. But maybe some who like their meat 'au naturel' would appreciate the fact that they are lightly marinated so the spices are quite balanced and not overwhelmingly strong.

 

The platters come with some decent condiments, like garlic mayonnaise and a fresh chilli paste that was fiery red but tasted very mild.

 

There are some choices on the menu for the non-adventurous. But if you veer away from the Lebanese selections that are clearly this restaurant's strength, you may not like the consequences. The vegetarian option is a Pasta Bolonaise that has a strong tomato paste-like base dotted with green and red peppers, but served with melted cheese on top which seemed like it was microwaved. Not the best-tasting, which really limits the vegetarian options here.

 

As for the fish and chips, put on the menu for the benefit of children, the crunchy batter is a tad thick, while the fish used is grouper fillet, which is slightly on the oily side and doesn't have enough 'body' for Western-style fish and chips.

 

Do finish off with the delicious cardamom-infused Lebanese coffee ($4.50) and syrup-soaked crunchy nut-and-pastry baklavas ($1.50 per piece), which are very nice.

 

Another drink worth checking out is the Brik Chay, which is tea flavoured with cinnamon and mint leaves ($7 for a pot).

 

The restaurant introduced set lunches last week, where you can get a starter or soup, main meal and drinks for $15. The main meal could be fish and chips, Byblos Mezza or char-grilled chicken breast.

 

On the whole, the cuisine at Gulf Beach is quite light and should generally satisfy the folks who go to Arab Street to soak up the atmosphere.

 

Rating: 6/10
By Cheah Ui-Hoon

STI: When it's good to get news

March 29, 2009

When it's good to get news

By James Rainey 

 

Los Angeles - When news anchor Brian Williams asked at the end of the NBC Nightly News three weeks ago for viewers to send along good news, he couldn't have imagined the thousands of e-mail that would pour in overnight.

 

The resulting stories on 'acts of kindness in this cruel economy' have made NBC the most visible of many media outlets pushing to give audiences some good news amid bad times.

 

The trend-bucking efforts might have the public wondering: What took so long?

 

I'd say a bit of the good news deficit comes from the misguided conviction among some news people that happy endings and serious journalism don't mix. But I'd lay some of the blame with audiences too. There's more good news out there than you have recognised.

 

Let's start with one of the most basic tenets of journalism - that 'news' is what we don't expect. We pull out our notepads for the unexpected. Man bites dog. Plane cartwheels off the runway.

 

To that old rule most big outlets apply a corollary - that a complete paper or newscast must include a 'mix' of breaking news and features, of photos and words, covering subjects both trifling and transcendent.

 

Most networks, cable outlets and big newspapers try to cover the entire spectrum but their highest hearts really soar for the weighty, heavy stuff. That means lots of focus on dark stories, regardless of whether they hint at a resolution, or even much hope.

 

Prize-winning investigative reporter Frank Greve of McClatchy newspapers talked about the queasy reaction he got from some colleagues a couple of years ago when he announced he would start a 'good news' beat.

 

'Some of my old friends, when I told them what I was doing, reacted as if I'd told them I had cancer,' Mr Greve told the Poynter Institute, a non-profit school for professional journalists.

 

'Most, but not all' of those reporters encouraged him when they saw he still reported and wrote with rigour.

 

He has written about how delayed licensing of drivers has driven down the teenage accident rate. He has written about how many old people remain sexually active. He has raised doubts about whether we need to worry about pharmaceutical contamination in drinking water.

 

That list of topics might seem like a hodge-podge, but there's a common theme. Bad news grows out of conflict. Good news often means just following the conflict through to a resolution.

 

It might seem counter-intuitive, but I'd argue one of the best 'good news' stories in the Los Angeles Times in recent years was about a grizzly bear attack.

 

My colleague Tom Curwen painstakingly detailed how a father and daughter struggled to survive the 181kg of raw fury that bore down on them in Glacier National Park in Montana. His follow-up paid particular attention to how the daughter fought to regain her equilibrium.

 

Without struggle and loss, we'd lose resilience and hope.

 

That's been the theme of the Making A Difference reports that have concluded many NBC Nightly News shows this month. Williams told me it was his wife, Jane, who recommended a counterpoint to the drumbeat of bad news.

 

'We were having one of those kitchen-table discussions, and she said the other part of this story is what everyone has taken on themselves, how they're doing more to help,' he said.

 

He called the response from viewers 'incredible'.

 

Among the panoply of do-gooders NBC has profiled: A small-town Alabama pharmacist who gave out US$16,000 (S$24,135) in US$2 bills to his employees, requiring them to prime the local economy with the money; the Kansas trailer-hitch manufacturer who sent recession-idled employees out to fix ball fields, homes and churches; and the Denver restaurant that offered free or cut-rate meals to those who couldn't pay full price.

 

Even a hard-bitten newsman had to be moved by some of those tales and the thousands of dollars of donations and new volunteers they inspired.

 

I'd guess that most newsrooms in the country have talked about how to make the economic calamity real, but not overwhelming. Every reporter out there has heard from a friend or neighbour that they just can't take much more bad news.

 

At the Bakersfield Californian newspaper, executive editor Mike Jenner talked to business editors a couple months ago about not recycling foreclosure and unemployment statistics. 'It's going to be bad for a while, and we don't need to repeat all these numbers breathlessly,' Jenner said.

 

He has also got 'every reporter and editor in the room on the lookout for upbeat stories'.

 

Last weekend, the paper's local section featured a spread about workers who love their jobs.

 

In New England, the Cape Cod Times has taken to writing full stories on new businesses, rather than the briefs it once presented.

 

Editor Paul Pronovost won a small concession the other day - getting the paper to run a front page photo of the first spring crocuses in bloom.

 

He had to fight off an argument from at least one other editor who preferred something from Iraq.

 

Pronovost said: 'There is something to be said for offering a little bit of inspiration in dark times.'

 

Many commentators are making a living now channelling people's fears and rage. That's nice for blowing off steam, but will it make anything better? Not long ago, I got an e-mail from a guy who wondered if the Los Angeles Times would write about his parents on their 70th wedding anniversary. That once might have provoked a quick blowoff from me, Mr Serious.

 

Now I'm thinking the story of a seven-decade marriage must include a few lessons about surviving hard times. I asked the proud son to send me more information.

 

Los Angeles Times

STI: Show-and-tell 'em like it is

March 29, 2009

Show-and-tell 'em like it is

By Chris Erskine 

 

Los Angeles - I'm pretty much deaf now. The male ear can withstand only so many gripes, accusations, hissy fits and requests for cash before the eardrum itself just implodes.

 

My left eardrum went the other day. First, there was a giant sucking sound - well, actually, that was me eating lunch. Then immediately after that, the eardrum disappeared in a gust of pleas for homework help.

 

'Hey, Dad.' 'Hey what?' 'What's another word for thesaurus?' was the last thing I remember hearing.

 

Now I am half deaf and never happier. In fact, I look forward to the day when the other eardrum implodes, and I'll never have to listen to another TV report about Chris Brown.

 

The only thing I'll miss, I figure, is the warm personal exchanges that often go on in our house, resonant as the Lord's Prayer.

 

'I don't have time now, okay? Okay!!!!' is the most common refrain lately, voiced by one of the wee children after being asked to perform some simple chore.

 

'Dad, I'll do it later, I swear.' They couldn't be more willing to help, but they're busy, see? Really busy.

 

Still, I'm of the mind that a kid should keep up the bedroom and not treat the family car like a stinkin' closet.

 

Jeez, the things I find in their mother's minivan. Hair bows and nail clippers, ticket stubs and salad forks. Lacrosse sticks. Make-up brushes. Pizza crust dating to the Crimean War. Altoids. Lots of sticky coins. Study guides for Hamlet. Evidently, there is an entire family living in our car. They enter at night, have parties, weddings, book club meetings and yoga class.

 

Judging by what they leave behind, they are exceptionally well-groomed.

 

'Could there be,' I ask my wife, 'people living in our car?' 'Huh?' she says.

 

See, she's deaf too. Actually, Posh hears only what she wants to hear, which is nothing except my sweet and constant declarations of love, which come twice annually (if you count her birthday).

 

In fact, I believe all parents eventually go deaf, just to survive.

 

Because, to acknowledge every petty grievance and cat fight would make you completely crazy. Better a silent world. Better an Amish Mardi Gras.

 

That doesn't mean I tune out everything, no way. The other day, I heard Posh mutter 'pervert' because I accidentally clicked on some late-night HBO show that featured the naked human form. It wasn't gratuitous or gross, nothing like that.

 

The show was called Boobs, Thighs And Butts, one of those thought-provoking dramas that our premium cable package offers over and over again. As luck would have it, Posh walks in at the exact moment I happen to click on Boobs, Thighs And Butts. The chances of this eventually happening are approximately one to one.

 

'Um, what are you watching?' she asks.

 

'Boobs, Thighs And Butts,' I tell her.

 

'Um, do you think that's appropriate?' 'That's what I'm trying to determine,' I tell her.

 

Quickly, I click off Boobs, Thighs And Butts, and I come across the pilot for Confessions Of A Confused And Vapid Streetwalker, which I think is a Showtime series. It is a repulsive show, rife with bad language and enormous numbers of boobs, thighs and butts. I don't expect it to last more than five years.

 

Thing is, after Lakers games and Friday Night Lights, I find nothing interesting to watch these days, do you? Football is over and baseball has yet to begin. It's like TV Lent.

 

So I'm thinking of producing my own series. I would take our little video camera and follow Posh around the house, recording her screen test. There would be just a hint of sexual tension, but no one would ever discuss it. Contractually, I would insist on complete access, which would be a first for us.

 

Recently, the little guy has taken up breakdancing. He spins around on that worn little patch of wood floor in front of the washing machine, picking up splinters in his soft hands and feet.

 

They are the tiniest splinters you ever saw, two pixels in width, like the eyelash of an eyelash. So, I've been forced to become the Dr DeBakey of splinter removal. With a team of 12 assistants, I pin the little guy to the couch, then remove the splinter in about three seconds.

 

In fact, I am one of the best splinter surgeons around. I accept Blue Cross, Red Cross and uncashed lottery tickets. Seriously, if you ever get a splinter, just call my office for an appointment.

 

'Dad, want to clean my ears now?' the little guy asks after I take out another splinter.

 

This show is going to be such a hit.

 

Los Angeles Times

STI: Older but wiser

March 29, 2009

Older but wiser

Growing older is inevitable, no matter how many face creams I slap on. But not feeling over the hill is key

By Ignatius Low 

 

It's a bit like the day you lost your virginity.

 

Some people experience it earlier in life, some later, But it's an experience that you instinctively know is life-changing.

 

From here on, you've changed trains or buses or whatever, and are on a different track. You're on your way to some place else. Heck, you probably are already someone else.

 

I'm talking about the day you get called 'uncle'. And it's a day that you will forever recall with crystal clarity.

 

For me, it was last week when the neighbourhood coffee shop lady - a woman who looked to be about 50 - cheerily came up to me and uttered that fateful phrase.

 

'Uncle, drink what?'

 

It did not matter that I was in a tank top that showed off my many hours at the gym. Or that I was engaged in the very modern and young pastime of sending Facebook messages on my very 21st-century iPhone.

 

In two seconds, she managed to 'crush the lily in my soul', as the British songstress Kate Bush put it in her 1978 classic, Moving.

 

And then, when she returned with the coffee, she crushed it again with her '$1, uncle!'

 

Before you think I am just being overly dramatic, I have to tell you why this silly little incident was particularly significant.

 

Coming from a young person, it might be construed as respectful or polite.

 

But from someone old enough to be your mother, it has to be recognition of one's own kind. And it hurt. Deeply.

 

Secondly, it came after a week of feeling out-of-it.

 

One night, as I was crossing the road to said coffee shop to get supper after work, I ran into a colleague in his early 20s who was on his way to the Esplanade to watch a concert.

 

'At 11.30pm?' I asked incredulously.

 

'Ya,' he said. 'N.E.R.D. is playing.'

 

Trying to fight off a tell-tale blank expression on my face, I made some guttural sounds and desperately nodded my head.

 

The next day, I discovered that another young colleague had not only gone to see the rap group, she had somehow made it to the after-concert party in their hotel room.

 

She posted some pictures she had taken with the legendary producer and musician Pharrell Williams on her Facebook page. N.E.R.D. is one of his many projects apparently.

 

I told one of my friends about this, and enthused about how impressive that was.

 

But in my heart I knew that if I had met Williams, it would have been a disaster.

 

Because the only thing an old fuddy-duddy like me could have said would have been 'Good work on the Madonna album, bro'.

 

'Wow... niiice,' my friend dead-panned. 'That would have been real cool.'

 

At this point, lots of people much older than me are probably rolling their eyes and maybe even getting a little angry.

 

One cannot be complaining about feeling old at the age of 37.

 

In fact, many agree that a man is at his prime when he is in his late 30s and 40s. He has attained some level of success in his career and is financially secure enough to afford the things he wants.

 

Most men have also started families and are emotionally more mature and stable.

 

At 37, there are still many milestones and accomplishments ahead of a man. In a nutshell, the best is yet to be.

 

Then there is the argument that you are only as old as you feel.

 

Age is just a number, people always say.

 

If you feel young and energetic inside, then you will exude that vibrancy on the outside - no matter how many people call you 'uncle'.

 

But if you feel old and defeated, you will shut yourself away and let that negativity eventually take over your life. And this will speed up that inevitable downhill slide into the decrepit existence that you so fear.

 

I agree wholeheartedly with all of this, for sure.

 

But there is also a difference between feeling old and feeling over the hill.

 

The former is more about losing one's physical and mental faculties. And that is hopefully, a long way away for me.

 

The latter is a different, more intangible kind of loss. It's about losing one's edge and the irreversible loss of one's youth.

 

So you shun birthday parties at hip nightspots with 20-somethings because your clothes may look the part, but your face doesn't anymore.

 

And you realise that all the new bands you like play music which remind you of the old bands that you used to like.

 

Now, some people don't mind this at all.

 

They are eager, in fact, to quickly transit from growing up to grown-up - from the superficiality and awkwardness of youth to the regularity and rootedness that adulthood brings.

 

The transition is also more natural for certain people, depending on the type of lives they lead.

 

My friends who married young and are now raising school-going children have found the mantle of adulthood easy to put on.

 

They were glad to have traded Saturday club nights for Sunday church mornings. And they are happy working to support their families and watching their kids grow up.

 

For the rest of us, the road ahead just isn't as straightforward.

 

The dawn of 'uncledom' isn't so much about feeling indignant towards well-meaning service staff or rushing off to slap on more anti-ageing cream - although I must confess to doing just that.

 

I'm also considering options for my 'high forehead' which used to signal high intelligence but now just screams receding hairline.

 

Rather, it's about deciding what the next phase of life should look like, because if you grew up in the 1980s like me, then make no mistake, the last one is decidedly over.

 

Just try not to hurt my feelings while I'm at it.

 

ignatius@sph.com.sg

STI: Tough time's the best time

March 29, 2009

Tough time's the best time

The economic forecast is gloomy but low start-up costs and interesting dining concepts are spurring restaurateurs to open new eateries

By Huang Lijie 

 

Opening a new restaurant amid a recession may sound like a half-baked idea, but at least six dining establishments have done so since last month.

 

They include Yoshimaru Ramen Bar in Holland Village, a Japanese ramen store by the Jumbo group of restaurants, and Bonifacio, a Filipino restaurant in Kreta Ayer Road (see other story).

 

Restaurateurs of these new outlets tell LifeStyle they took the plunge because they are confident their dining concepts will appeal even in these tough times.

 

Take Ms Phyllis Ong, co-owner of Naive, a modern Asian restaurant specialising in vegetarian food in East Coast Road.

 

The 32-year-old says of the 50-seat restaurant, which cost $250,000 to set up: 'Some of my friends thought I was naive to open it in this current economic situation and advised me to wait until times are good before setting up shop.'

 

However, her confidence seems vindicated. She says that business has been brisk, with repeat customers amounting to 40 per cent of those coming through the door. The eatery has also doubled its takings in its second month of operation.

 

The restaurant serves food free from artificial flavours and heavily processed ingredients, and Ms Ong - who also owns Whole Earth restaurant in Geylang Road - says: 'There is a global trend of people wanting to eat healthy. A lot of health-food restaurants here, however, are marketed in such a way that they draw mostly a vegetarian clientele.

 

'With this new outlet, I hope to appeal to vegetarians and non-vegetarians who are looking for healthy, flavourful food.'

 

The restaurant does not use mock meat or attempt to mimic meat textures. Offerings focus on enhancing the natural taste and texture of ingredients such as mushrooms and tofu.

 

For the partners of Filipino restaurant Bonifacio, who include Singaporean stunt director Picasso Tan and Filipino wushu champion Lester Pimentel, it was a craving for Filipino food that sparked their venture.

 

The $300,000 restaurant, which seats 60, opened 10 days ago.

 

Mr Tan says: 'I've been flying frequently to the Philippines for work in the last five years, and every time I return to Singapore, I find myself missing Filipino food.

 

'It was then that I noticed that there aren't many Filipino restaurants here and saw a potential in this food business.'

 

Similarly, Mr Richard Kwon, owner of Bonga Korean Restaurant in Dempsey Road, thinks the potential for traditional Korean charcoal barbecue dining here will transcend the tough times.

 

He jumped at the chance to take over the space of former Japanese restaurant Yen Dining when it became available last December.

 

The Korean IT consultant, whose family owns hotels as well as a golf course and country club in Seoul, manages the 100-seat Korean barbecue restaurant with his Korean wife, Ms Hera Oh. The eatery cost $500,000 to set up.

 

Business at the two-month-old restaurant has been 'steady', although he has not marketed it aggressively.

 

Mr Kwon, 46, who spent seven years working in the IT industry here from 1996 to 2003, explains why he opened his eatery: 'In the past, whenever I visited a Korean restaurant here, I found myself dissatisfied with the service, food quality and decor, among other things.

 

'So, I decided to fulfil my dream of opening a restaurant with a friendly atmosphere that serves high-quality Korean food at a competitive price.'

 

Lunch at Bonga costs between $15 and $20 a person, while dinner is between $25 and $40 a head.

 

For contemporary Western restaurant Spruce in Tanglin Road, opening in the downturn has actually worked in its favour. (See review on Page 29)

 

Mr Travis Masiero, 29, executive chef and co-owner of the restaurant, says: 'The initial start-up cost was relatively low because we had room to negotiate rental and building costs.

 

'Also, we were able to source much of our furniture and kitchen equipment through second-hand shops, which had items from restaurants that had recently closed. So, we paid very little for some items that would cost three to four times as much if they were new.'

 

The 7,000 sq ft restaurant, which can seat up to 100 diners, cost less than $500,000 to set up. It would have easily cost twice as much to set up two years ago during the boom time.

 

Indeed, the general doom and gloom does not always spell bad news for the food and beverage industry.

 

Japanese yakiniku (grilled meats) restaurant Aburiya in Robertson Quay, for example, continues to run at full capacity daily. Bolstered by such enthusiastic response, its owner, Mr Kitagawa Keizo, decided to open a complementary yakitori (grilled skewers) restaurant, Aburiyatei, nearby.

 

And customer numbers have been increasing week by week at Aburiyatei, he says, although he does not have exact figures.

 

Mr Ang Kiam Meng, 46, general manager of the Jumbo group of restaurants which recently brought in ramen chain Yoshimaru Ramen Bar from Japan, says: 'Customers are prudent with their spending in these difficult times but good quality food and reasonable pricing will bring them in.'

 

lijie@sph.com.sg

 

New kids on the block

 

Aburiyatei

Where: 60 Robertson Quay, 01-10 The Quayside, open: 6 to 11.30pm (Mon to Sat), 6 to 10pm (Sun), tel: 6836-5370

What: The chicken in its skewers is from free-range poultry imported from Johor, which is less fatty and offers a firmer bite. Must-tries include its chicken thigh meat skewer with balsamic vinegar ($4.80 for two skewers) and grilled meatball with egg dip ($5).

 

Bonga Korean Restaurant

Where: 22 Dempsey Road, level 2, open: noon to 2.30pm and 6 to 10.30pm daily, tel: 6476-8034

What: Signature items at this traditional Korean charcoal barbecue restaurant include marinated short ribs ($38 for 200g) and cold Korean noodles ($15).

 

Bonifacio

Where: 35 Kreta Ayer Road, open: 11am to 3pm and 6 to 10.30pm daily, tel: 6222-6676

What: Specialities include crispy pata (deep-fried pork knuckle, $24.90) and barbecued chicken ($9.90).

 

Naive

Where: 99 East Coast Road, open: 11.30am to 10pm daily, tel: 6348-0668

What: Savour healthy, flavoursome food here. Popular items include tamarind tofu cake ($13.80) and monkeyhead mushroom with wolfberry, broccoli and angelica root ($12.80).

 

Spruce

Where: 320 Tanglin Road, open: 10.30am to 10.30pm (weekdays), 8.30am to 10.30pm (weekends), tel: 6836-5528

What: The menu of this contemporary Western eatery includes burgers ($17) and fish and chips ($21). There is also a bakery where homemade bread such as ciabatta ($4 per loaf) are sold.

 

Yoshimaru Ramen Bar

Where: 31 Lorong Liput, open: 11am to 11pm (Sun to Thu), 11 to 1am (Fri and Sat), tel: 6463-3132

What: The eatery specialises in Hakata-style ramen, which is characterised by its rich, flavourful pork bone broth. Highlights include its Hakata ramen ($11).

STI: Phoenix magic

March 29, 2009

Phoenix magic

A new restaurant in Tanglin serves delightful food amid charming surroundings

By Wong Ah Yoke 

 

If, like me, you are a little disenchanted with the overcrowded situation in the Dempsey restaurant enclave, here is some good news. You can find its former rustic charm in a new restaurant nearby.

 

Spruce was opened about three weeks ago by chef Travis Masiero, who used to run the kitchen at the Wine Garage, and a partner.

 

It is located just a five-minute drive from Dempsey in an old building in Phoenix Park off Tanglin Road.

 

Although it is by the main road, it is on top of a slope and shielded by trees. So you get a relaxed countryside feeling even though you are just a skip and a jump from the city.

 

The building itself has been, well, spruced up and a glass wall put in so that sunlight filters in during the day and diners can look out onto the greenery.

 

There is also outdoor seating under a porch with ceiling fans and it looked so inviting when I was there last week that I asked for a table outside instead of inside the air-conditioned room.

 

The place is totally charming and I like that it is not overdone to designer perfection.

 

Equally charming was the service during my dinner. The young waiters, who could not have much experience seeing that one of them was only 22 years old, did most things right.

 

They recommended dishes with confidence and asked a question one does not get to hear often: 'Would you like still or sparkling water, or tap?'

 

And they were so earnest when they asked for feedback that I easily forgave whatever tiny faults there were.

 

One of the mistakes was that my friend and I had both ordered starters, pastas as well as main courses, and the pastas and main courses were all served at the same time. So there were four big plates of food on the table running the risk of getting cold as we valiantly tried to taste everything at the same time.

 

And some of the dishes should never have to run that risk.

 

One of them was the sweet onion crepe with white truffle fonduta ($16) I had for a starter. The onion crepe on its own was not outstanding, being merely caramelised onions wrapped in a crepe like a popiah. But combined with the fonduta, it became something magical as the sweet onion and the savoury melted cheese played against each other. I did not quite taste white truffles but it did not matter. The dish was good.

 

From the pasta section, I liked the Bolognese ravioli with kurobuta pork, chilli and parmigiano ($22). What made this work was the pork, which was minced coarsely enough to have plenty of bite left in it.

 

That, too, was the secret behind the Spruce burger with hand-cut chips ($17). The beef patty had excellent texture, the result of not being minced too finely and you could taste the flavour of the Australian chuck.

 

It costs $19 with bacon. The bursts of flavour when I chewed into the salty bits were such a delight. The chips were good too, but the burger was definitely the star.

 

If you like chips, you should also try the crispy fish and chips with tartar sauce and roasted lemon ($23). The batter was a bit hard but it was crispy, and the snapper used was fresh and flaked beautifully.

 

As for the not-so-good dishes, a common problem was that they were under-salted.

 

The grilled squid with herbs, capsicum and preserved lemon oil ($17), for example, would have been much better if it had more dimensions to the flavour other than the lemony tartness.

 

And the mushroom risotto with truffled hen egg ($22) was rather bland. The rice was too mushy for me too.

 

Desserts were decent, especially the yogurt and buttermilk panna cotta ($12). It was like a firm, creamy yogurt and the crumble sprinkled on top was rather interesting.

 

Another great thing about Spruce is the prices. Other than a USDA prime striploin which costs $25 per 100g, the most expensive dish - steak frites - is only $29.

 

Also, the restaurant opens all day. And parking is free. Now, what more can you ask for?

 

ahyoke@sph.com.sg

 

MUST TRY

The Spruce burger with hand-cut chips ($19)

One of the best burgers I have eaten. Splurge and pay the $2 for the bacon. It is worth it.

 

SPRUCE

320 Tanglin Road, tel: 6836-5528

Open: 10.30am to 10.30pm (Mondays to Fridays), 8.30am to 10.30pm (Saturdays and Sundays)

Food: *** 1/2

Service: *** 1/2

Ambience: *** 1/2

Price: Budget from $50 a person

STI: Late-night treat

March 29, 2009

CHEAP & GOOD

Late-night treat

By Thng Lay Teen 

 

After finishing work late one recent Friday night, I found myself at the food centre in Toa Payoh Lorong 6, hoping to find something decent for dinner.

 

Most of the stalls were closed as it was already past 10.30pm but the zi char (cooked food) stall, Chuan Kee Seafood, located in a nearby coffee shop, was still open.

 

But it did not look promising as there was only one diner there. Too hungry to venture elsewhere, I ordered what the guy was eating: gong bao chicken with rice ($4).

 

It turned out to be better than expected: tasty, with a spicy sauce that was just hot enough to give a nice kick and enough boneless chicken meat to give me my money's worth.

 

Impressed, I returned the following night with my family.

 

This time, the coffee shop was pulsing with life as the tables in the open area outside were all filled.

 

The guifei beancurd ($7), which came with a topping of dried shrimp and minced pork, was good, with the deep-fried dark brown crispy coating a nice contrast to the silky-smooth homemade beancurd.

 

I ordered the gong bao chicken ($6) again and I could see my daughter relishing every morsel. One thing was lacking though - the cashew nuts that usually go with this dish.

 

The belly pork with pumpkin and potato ($8) did not disappoint though. The pork was cooked in a brownish sauce, using red fermented beancurd, oyster sauce and spices such as star anise and cinnamon, till almost dry. The tender meat slices were coated with the thick gravy. The pumpkin wedges, which were done just right and not mushy, added a natural sweetness to the dish.

 

This was one of the weekend specials, available as and when the chef decides to cook it.

 

The Nonya fish slices ($7), a signature dish, went well with rice. Despite its name, it was not cooked the authentic Peranakan way, but the Hokkien eatery's take on it was not too bad.

 

Apparently, the fish slices were blanched briefly in oil, then tossed well in a homemade sauce that had the right balance of sweetness, spiciness and sourness.

 

But not everything was good. For example, the signature ginger chicken ($7), which was strongly recommended, tasted more like the usual deep-fried chicken. The unmistakable fragrance of well-fried ginger was not there.

 

Still, the eatery, which goes by the Chinese name Quan Ji Hai Xian on its signboard, serves decent food at decent prices. You just need to know what to order.

 

CHUAN KEE SEAFOOD

Toa Payoh Lorong 6, Block 19

Open: 3 to 11pm daily

Rating: ***

STI: Inspired by Enid Blyton

March 29, 2009

Inspired by Enid Blyton

Reading about tomato sandwiches and blackberry pies in children's books inspired Bryan Koh to take up cooking

By Huang Lijie 

 

Inspiration comes in many forms and for graduate student Bryan Koh, 25, it was stories of fairies and adventures by children's writer Enid Blyton that lured him into the kitchen.

 

He says: 'Reading about tomato sandwiches and blackberry pies in books by authors such as Enid Blyton got me interested in food as a child.'

 

And it was the idea of creating such 'charming' treats, he adds, that captivated him more than a chance to tuck into them.

 

So at the age of eight, he had his mother buy him a baking magazine from which he happily churned out cakes and cookies every few weeks with minimal adult supervision.

 

Of the first thing he baked, a chocolate cake, he says: 'It turned out well, although it did 'volcano' very slightly. It had a huge hump because I used too small a baking pan.'

 

His epicurean leaning at that early age, however, was very much shaped by his parents.

 

His father, a general practitioner, and mother, a businesswoman, would take him and his younger sister out to dine at restaurants regularly. This exposed him to various cuisines, including Japanese and Italian food, from young.

 

The National University of Singapore mathematics graduate is so open to exotic flavours and tastes that he did not flinch in horror when, as a 10-year-old, he ate whale sperm at a Japanese restaurant here.

 

He says: 'It was soft, voluptuous, very creamy.'

 

His mother, who enjoys whipping up items such as sushi in her free time, had him help out in the kitchen when he was younger too.

 

When he entered secondary school, his passion for cooking intensified, spurred by culinary TV shows and recipe books by celebrity chefs such as Madhur Jaffrey and Delia Smith.

 

He would spend several hours in the kitchen every week, trying his hand at French, Italian and Indian recipes from the almost 20 cookbooks his parents bought him.

 

He says: 'At that stage, I was just experimenting with recipes, exploring culinary ideas and having fun in the kitchen. I didn't worry about how the food would turn out in the end.'

 

Fortunately for his family members, who ate what he cooked, his culinary experiments never resulted in inedible fiascoes.

 

However, he did not have the guts to let his friends try his food then because he was still honing his cooking skills.

 

That changed one day when he and two other junior college schoolmates found themselves starving after an intensive study session at his home.

 

Driven by hunger, he whipped up a simple tomato sauce-based pasta for the trio.

 

The dish drew such enthusiastic response that it bolstered his confidence and since then, he has relished cooking everything from pasta to roast chicken for friends when they visit his home.

 

Indeed, word of his tasty home-cooking spread so quickly that he was approached in 2007 by the Singapore online lifestyle portal AsiaOne to contribute recipes.

 

Koh, who will be pursuing a post-graduate degree in hospitality at Cornell University in the United States in May, continues to post his recipes for dishes such as Turkish eggs and dark chocolate ice cream on the AsiaOne website every two to three weeks.

While he is adept at cooking most types of food, he admits to having avoided Asian curries briefly in the past.

 

He says: 'I always thought cooking curries involved a fair bit of sorcery.

 

'But once I understood the essential ingredients involved in cooking the dish, it was demystified.'

 

Now, curries are an integral part of his repertoire and he frequently cooks them for his family and friends.

 

One such dish is the prawn and squid moilee, a Kerala-style curry, for which he shares a recipe below.

 

He says he was impressed with the moilee, which he ate on a recent holiday to Kerala in south-western India, because it is not overpowered by fiery spices and the coconut milk used in the dish lends it a 'mellow and sweet' taste.

 

After he returned to Singapore, he recreated the dish by relying on his taste memory and referring to recipes for it in cookbooks.

 

He substituted the fish used in the Kerala version he tried with prawns and squid because of his taste preference.

 

He adds: 'The curry is easy to cook because the recipe is straightforward and most of the ingredients are store cupboard essentials.'

 

lijie@sph.com.sg

 

MAKE IT YOURSELF: PRAWN AND SQUID MOILEE

INGREDIENTS

2-1/2 Tbs coconut oil

1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced

3 green chillies, finely sliced

2.5cm-long piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

2 sprigs curry leaves, remove leaves from stalks

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

500g medium prawns, shelled

4 squid tubes, about 15cm long each, cleaned and sliced into 0.5cm rings

550ml coconut milk

1 tsp lime juice

Salt to taste

 

METHOD

 

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or a wok over low heat.

 

2. Add onion, chillies and ginger and stir for about 5 minutes until the onion turns translucent and faintly golden.

 

3. Add curry leaves and cook for a further 3 minutes.

 

4. Add chilli powder, turmeric powder and fennel seeds. Stir for 3 minutes.

 

5. Raise the heat to medium and add the prawns. Once the prawns begin to curl, add the squid.

 

6. Stir fry the mixture for a minute then pour in the coconut milk. Allow the curry to cook and when it reaches a gentle boil, let it simmer for 4 minutes.

 

7. Season with lime juice and salt.

 

Serves 4

STI: Get set for cheap lunches

March 29, 2009

Get set for cheap lunches

Some eateries are rolling out under-$15 set lunches. Even high-end restaurants are getting into the act

By Huang Lijie 

 

Lunch-lovers are drooling: Restaurant set menu prices are falling so much that diners can enjoy near-foodcourt prices, but with quality food, nice surroundings and, often, table service.

 

The set-lunch limbo-dance is seeing some restaurants drop prices below the psychologically important $20 threshold to even under the $10 mark.

 

This has raised the bar for dollar-wise diners, as some of these meals, priced as low as $6.90 for a soup and pasta, start to rival foodcourt prices.

 

There is extra cause for folk to lick their lips: Big names are among those offering these small prices.

 

At least 24 dining establishments, from the newly opened Italian restaurant Buono in Lorong Chuan to the swanky Latin American eatery El Toro Restro Bar in Penang Road, are offering these gastronomic steals (see story on facing page).

 

The cheap eats include casual Italian restaurant Bistro Senso at the Singapore Flyer, which lowered its three-course set lunch menu from $22 to $12 earlier this month.

 

Despite the cheaper prices, items remain similar to previous offerings, such as pasta as an option for the main course.

 

As a result, its lunchtime customer numbers have doubled while its takings increased by 20 per cent over the last few weeks.

 

Similarly, three-course set menus recently launched by chain restaurant Bistro Delifrance priced at $7.90 and $11.90 are being snapped up. These are cheaper than its previous 2005 offering of $11.95 for the same number of courses.

 

While its premium $11.90 set is just 5 cents less, the reduction remains significant given how food prices have generally escalated in the last few years.

 

Over at Clarke Quay, CapitaLand Retail, which manages the complex, worked with its food and beverage (F&B) tenants to launch a $15 nett set lunch promotion earlier this month, to pull in the crowds.

 

Of its 20 or more F&B outlets open for lunch, 15 decided to take part.

 

According to Clarke Quay's general manager, Ms Dawn Tan, these outlets have seen their lunch sales increase between 20 and 50 per cent in just four weeks.

 

Cheaper set lunches in the ambience of a restaurant are proving a hit with consumers amid the tough financial times.

 

Senior sales manager Koh Tat Yong, 47, who regularly has lunch at a foodcourt, recently dined at Western restaurant Jalapeno's Pepper at the Flyer, where two-course set lunches start from $6.90.

 

Mr Koh says: 'I work in the Marina Square vicinity and lunch at a foodcourt in the area usually costs more than $5.

 

'Not only is the set lunch at Jalapeno's Pepper comparable in price, it also offers table service and a great atmosphere, unlike at a foodcourt where it is noisy and crowded and I have to queue for my food.'

 

Ms Leong Lai Lin, 40, a sales manager at an interior design company, used to spend around $50 per person for a business lunch at hotels, but now meets her clients only at restaurants with set lunch promotions.

 

Her new lunchtime haunts include chain restaurant Lerk Thai, which specialises in Thai food and offers a three-for-two set lunch at $11.90 per person.

 

The four-course set includes a main course, soup and two appetisers.

 

She says: 'The restaurant offers good service and ambience which makes business discussions over lunch possible, unlike at a foodcourt. Also, the food at the restaurant is not bad.'

 

While diners are price-sensitive, they are discerning about the quality of the set lunch.

 

Mr Daniel Quek, 54, a manager in the financial industry, who recently had the $10 set lunch at the Western restaurant Hooters in Clarke Quay, says: 'Some deals may be too cheap to be true, but the one at Hooters is really value for money.

 

'The food tastes good, the portions are filling and the set comes with so many items, including a soft drink, soup, main course, dessert and coffee.'

 

Given the drastic price cuts, how do these restaurants manage to keep a healthy bottomline?

 

For home-grown family-style restaurant chain Han's, the secret to why it has been serving set lunches for almost 30 years is a slimmer profit margin.

 

Mr Han Choon Fook, 64, managing director of Han's, says: 'As a socially responsible business, it has always been our policy to price our food with integrity and ensure that it is affordable for our customers.'

 

Its three-course lunches, which come with a drink and are priced as low as $8.80, form the bulk of the chain's takings.

 

For Lerk Thai, the set lunch pricing strategy pays off because although the average bill drops by 5 per cent to 10 per cent, the promotion generates greater sales volume which keeps the business humming along.

 

On whether these heavily slashed set lunch prices might spark a price war, Mr Jeremy Goh, 34, marketing director of El Toro, says: 'While the F&B business gets more competitive in these times, I'd caution against a set lunch price war.

 

'It would hurt the restaurants' bottomlines and the quality of food the diner gets may be compromised.'

 

Cheap but tasty

By Wong Ah Yoke 

 

The prices are almost unbelievable. A three-course meal for less than $10, and in some cases, the price includes a drink as well. But is the food any good? To answer that question, I went to three eateries serving some of the cheapest set meals last week.

 

The first stop was the Hans outlet at Marina Square.

 

The self-service eatery was less than half full at about 1.20pm. On top of the counter were two signs advertising the specials - chicken rendang and chicken curry. Each costs $6.80 but add another $3 and you get soup, dessert and a drink thrown in.

 

I asked for chicken rendang and instead of coffee or tea, opted for an ice lemon tea. Everything was placed on a tray which you carry to the table yourself.

 

The soup that day was cream of asparagus. It tasted like it came from a can. Dessert was a slice of musk melon, which shared a plate with a slice of garlic toast. The toast had gone soft.

 

The chicken, which came with a plate of rice, was the best part. But it looked and tasted like chicken curry except the gravy was brown instead of yellow. I had expected rendang gravy to be thicker. Still, it was not too bad and the serving was generous, with five meaty pieces of chicken. It was a no-frills meal but was filling and at $9.80, it was decent.

 

Then I went over to Jalapeno's Pepper at the Singapore Flyer, and was even more impressed. The restaurant was spacious and cheerful, though almost empty when I got there at about 1.45pm. There was table service and the meal was served in courses by friendly and efficient waiters.

 

There was a big selection of set meals and the two cheapest, featuring spaghetti aglio olio or pie, cost only $6.90. The set came with a soup or a salad. Dessert was $2 extra.

 

I ordered both sets. The tomato and mussel soup, which also had lots of sliced onion, was let down by a weak stock but tasted freshly made. It came with crisp garlic toast.

 

The salad, however, was standard issue with iceberg lettuce, strips of red cabbage, black olives and hard-boiled egg plus cheese dressing on the side.

 

Between the two main courses, I preferred the spaghetti, which had a bit of kick from red chilli slices sprinkled over it. The pie suffered from a crust that was too soft.

 

Dessert was a small piece of brownie served warm and drenched with thick chocolate sauce. It was rich but a bit too sweet.

 

The price did not include taxes or service charge. Still, at a total of about $10.50, it was a good deal.

 

The only snag was that the meal did not come with a drink, and I was not served any water.

 

The last stop was at the Delifrance bistro in Parkway Parade. I got there at almost 2.30pm and it was still half full. This eatery, too, provided full service. The set meal started with a mushroom soup that appeared freshly made but was too salty.

 

The main course for the set changes every day and was beef spaghetti aglio olio when I was there. It was an odd combination but tasted good. There were pieces of tender, pan-fried beef and slices of capsicum and black olives. And the pasta had been tossed in chilli-infused oil.

 

I would have preferred al dente spaghetti, but I understand that mid-priced restaurants usually cook pasta through because that is how their customers like it.

 

Dessert was a small piece of fluffy chocolate cake with chocolate sauce.

 

The meal ended with a nice, big cup of freshly brewed coffee accompanied by a tiny cookie - a very classy touch.

 

And for all that, the bill came to just $9.30, inclusive of taxes and service charge.

 

This was definitely the deal to beat.

 

Deals $15 and under

 

Absolute Haven

Where: 70 Prinsep Street, lunch: noon to 2.30pm, closed on Mondays, tel: 6333-4358

Price: $9.90, Tuesdays to Fridays

What: Three-course set comes with a soup of the day, two choices for main course, including grilled fish and spaghetti aglio olio, and dessert or coffee.

 

Bayang

Where: 3A River Valley Road, 01-05, Clarke Quay, lunch: 11.30am to 3pm, tel: 6337-0144

Price: $15, weekdays only

What: Three lunch sets are available - each with an appetiser, a main course and a drink - such as coriander chicken wrapped in pandan leaf (below), fried rice and lime juice.

 

Bistro Delifrance

Where: 15 outlets including 391 Orchard Road, B1-37, Takashimaya Shopping Centre; offer available from 11.30am to 10pm, tel: 6238-9326

Price: $7.90 and $11.90, weekdays only

What: Three-course sets come with coffee or tea. Main course is fixed for the day but changes daily and includes items such as beef spaghetti aglio olio for the $7.90 set and seared fish with lemon pepper sauce for the $11.90 set.

 

Bistro Senso

Where: 30 Raffles Avenue, 01-03, Singapore Flyer, lunch: 11am to 3pm, tel: 6338-8550

Price: $12, weekdays only

What: Three-course set includes choice of salad or soup, pizza, spaghetti or penne for main course and panna cotta with mixed berries or tiramisu for dessert.

 

Buono

Where: Block 246 Lor Chuan, 01-02, Chuan Park Condo, lunch: 11.45 to 2.30pm, tel: 6280-8325

Price: $15, weekdays only

What: Two-course set comes with choice of salad or soup and four options for main course, including half a roasted chicken served with fries and salad.

 

Coffee Club

Where: 3B River Valley Road, 01-18, Clarke Quay, lunch: noon to 3pm, tel: 6336-5663

Price: $15, weekdays only

What: Two-course set comes with a soup of the day and a main course such as a sandwich or pasta.

 

El Toro Restro Bar

Where: 165 Penang Road, level 2, lunch: 11.30am to 3.30pm, tel: 6887-4787

Price: From $8, Mondays to Saturdays

What: Three-course set includes free flow of salad and soup as well as a main course such as an Asian dish, which changes daily.

 

Essential Brew

Where: 269 Holland Avenue, lunch: 11am to 3pm, tel: 6467-6717

Price: From $9.95, weekdays only

What: Set lunch comes with soup, main course and a drink. Main course options include pasta bolognaise and Earl Grey teriyaki chicken.

 

Han's

Where: 21 outlets including 1 Pickering Street, 01-03, Great Eastern Centre, offer available from 11.30am to 10pm, tel: 6438-3959

Price: From $8.80 daily

What: Three-course set of soup, main course, dessert and coffee or tea.

 

Hooters

Where: 3D River Valley Road, 01-03, Clarke Quay, lunch: 11am to 3pm, tel: 6332-1090

Price: $10 and $15, daily

What: The $10 set comes with a soft drink, a soup, a choice of 10 main courses, including minty lamb chops (above), a dessert and coffee or tea. The $15 set has as its main course grilled sole fillet with two tiger prawns in a white wine cream sauce, salad and mashed potatoes.

 

Hot Stones Steak & Seafood Restaurant

Where: 3D River Valley Road, 01-06, Clarke Quay, lunch: noon to 3pm, tel: 6333-4868

Price: $15, daily

What: The two-course set offers a main course, such as Kurobuta pork tenderloin cooked over a stone slab at the table, and choice of an appetiser or a dessert.

 

Ivory - The Indian Kitchen

Where: 3A River Valley Road, 02-04, Clarke Quay, lunch: noon to 2.30pm, tel: 6333-4664

Price: $15, weekdays only

What: Buffet lunch includes an assortment of curries, salads, freshly baked naan and tea or coffee.

 

Jack's Place

Where: 13 outlets including 101 Thomson Road, B1-54/55, United Square, lunch: 11am to 2.30pm, tel: 6253-9097

Price: From $9.20, daily

What: Three-course set comes with soup, choice of main course such as grilled chicken with pepper teriyaki sauce, dessert and coffee or tea.

 

Jalapeno's Pepper

Where: 30 Raffles Avenue, 02-01, Singapore Flyer, lunch: 11am to 4pm, tel: 6333-1017

Price: From $6.90, Mondays to Saturdays

What: Two-course set comes with soup or salad and main course options such as quiche and spaghetti aglio olio.

 

Kura no Naka Japanese Restaurant

Where: 3B River Valley Road, 02-02, Clarke Quay, lunch: 11.30am to 2.30pm, tel: 6336-6659

Price: $15, daily

What: Bento set lunch includes sashimi, tempura items, grilled fish and vegetables.

 

Le Noir

Where: 3C River Valley Road, 01-01, Clarke Quay, lunch: 12.30 to 5pm, tel: 6339-6365

Price: $15, weekdays only

What: Three-course set comes with soup of the day, a choice of spinach pasta with seafood or roasted chicken thigh with vegetables, dessert and a soft drink.

 

Lerk Thai

Where: 10 outlets, including 6 Raffles Boulevard, 02-202, Marina Square Shopping Centre, lunch: 11.30am to 4pm, tel: 6334-3323

Price: $11.90, with a three-for-two promotion, daily

What: The four-course set includes two appetisers, soup and a main course such as fried minced chicken with basil leaf.

 

Lotus Grill

Where: 3D River Valley Road, 01-04, Clarke Quay, lunch: noon to 2.30pm, tel: 6338-0902

Price: $15, weekdays only

What: A two-course Asian lunch with options such as deep-fried prawn rolls for starters and laksa for mains.

 

Mama's Caribbean Bar

Where: 3B River Valley Road, 01-16, Clarke Quay, lunch: 12.30 to 7pm, tel: 6333-4482

Price: $15, weekdays only

What: Set-lunch diners choose their main course and dessert from the a la carte menu. Set includes a soup or salad.

 

Marrakesh - Moroccan Lounge & Bar

Where: 3D, River Valley Road, 01-01, Clarke Quay, lunch: noon to 3pm, tel: 6338-7331

Price: $15, weekdays only

What: Three-course set at this Middle Eastern restaurant includes a soup or salad, a main course and dessert.

 

Ras The Essence of India

Where: 3D River Valley Road, 01-05A, Clarke Quay, lunch: noon to 2.30pm, tel: 6837-2800

Price: $15, weekdays only

What: Three-course set includes soup, a main course with rice or bread, and dessert.

 

RENNthai

Where: 3D River Valley Road, 01-05, Clarke Quay, lunch: 11.30am to 3pm, tel: 6338-7200

Price: $15, weekdays only

What: Choose from three set menus which offer items such as tom yum soup for starters and Thai-style pineapple rice for mains. All sets come with a drink.

 

The Tent Mongolian Fresh Grill & Bar

Where: 3D River Valley Road, 01-02, Clarke Quay, lunch: noon to 2.30pm, tel: 6339-0200

Price: $15, weekdays only

What: The three-course set includes soup or salad, a serving of grilled meat and dessert.

 

Tomo Izakaya

Where: 3A River Valley Road, 01-04, Clarke Quay, lunch: noon to 2.30pm, tel: 6333-0100

Price: $15, daily

What: Set includes sashimi, salad, soup, rice, pickles and main course options such as salmon teriyaki.

 

Upmarket places go low

 

It sounds too good to be true, but it is now possible for diners to enjoy a set lunch at fine-dining restaurant Les Amis in Shaw Centre for just $38.

 

From this Wednesday, it is offering a new two-course set lunch for $38. And its traditional three-course lunches, which used to start from $60, will drop to $48. Correspondingly, its four-course set lunch will cost $68 instead of $88.

 

Women diners who opt for the three- and four-course sets on Mondays and Tuesdays also get a complimentary glass of Henri Giraud champagne.

 

As a sign of the times, even upscale restaurants are slashing their prices to drive up customer numbers. The move to offer more affordable set lunches is a reaction to the economic downturn, says Les Amis spokesman Raymond Lim.

 

He says: 'Some of our regular customers are telling us that their company entertainment budgets have been cut by 50 per cent. So if we maintain our prices, they cannot afford to patronise us.'

 

He adds that business has been volatile, with the restaurant being 'full some days and quiet on other days'.

 

The items for Les Amis' new set menus are currently being designed by its executive chef, Armin Leitgeb.

 

To price its set lunches at the new rates, the restaurant will be cutting profit margins and using cheaper ingredients such as locally sourced fish instead of fish from Brittany, France.

 

Mr Lim says: 'In airline parlance, we want to get the load factor up, before working on the yield. Once the diners are in through the doors, hopefully we can get them to order some wine.'

 

But he adds: 'Cheaper prices do not imply a compromised experience. The restaurant settings are still luxurious and clients can entertain with pride and confidence.'

 

Other upmarket restaurants under the Les Amis group are also slashing set lunch prices this week.

 

The four-course set lunch at its French restaurant Au Jardin in the Singapore Botanic Gardens will be $45 instead of $55.

 

And at its Italian eatery La Strada in Shaw Centre, the two-course set lunch will be $28 instead of $30, while its three-course set lunch will cost $34 instead of $38.

 

Fine-dining Italian restaurants Il Lido in Sentosa and Forlino in One Fullerton earlier this year scaled down the price of their three-course set lunch from $45 to $38.

 

Il Lido beefed up the value of its set lunch options from pastas to include fish and meat dishes, which change regularly.

 

Items on its set lunch menu are now more likely to include a la carte offerings as well. Mr Beppe De Vito, the restaurants' managing director, says this overlap lowers operating costs.

 

Streamlining the menu offerings keeps the restaurants from buying too many ingredients for different dishes, he says.

 

He adds that food portions for the set menus are the same as before despite the reduced prices.

 

The promotion has been so successful that lunch business at Il Lido has been picking up, while Forlino has been running at full capacity for lunch over the last three weeks.

 

For upmarket Chinese restaurants Jing in One Fullerton and Majestic Restaurant in Bukit Pasoh Road, lower-priced four-course set lunches at $35 and $30 respectively were added to the menus earlier this month.

 

Previously, the cheapest set at Jing was $45 for a five-course lunch, while at Majestic Restaurant, it was $40 for a five-course meal. These five-course sets are still available.