The Catalunya Catastrophe (Service-wise)

Having read a multitude of reviews exalting and exhorting Catalunya, the newly-opened tapas place at One Fullerton Bay, my dining partner and I decided to give it a shot. Unfortunately, even with the pretty scrumptious food, the service was catastrophic, completely marring our experience. In fact, it was so intolerable to the extent that I decided to write in to the management (the first time I have done as such) so as to highlight our dissatisfactory experience. My email reads:

Dear Sir/Mdm,

I wish to bring to your attention the poor service that I received during my dinner experience at Catalunya the past Sunday, 15 June 2014. Upon my arrival, I informed the reception staff that I wanted two bar seats. As she was on the phone, she told me to take my pick instead of entrusting me to another server - the first of a litany of faux pas that the servers committed. 

Thereafter, I proceeded to the bar counter, which was full except for one section. As there was a bag and no one else seated at that section, I inquired with the bartenders (who had been facing the bar seats) as to whether the seats were taken, only to have received a nonchalant "I do not know", with no effort made to verify with their colleagues. 

After a while, I decided to take a seat, and to my horror, ten minutes later, no one had served me yet - no glass of water had been served, and I had not been provided with a menu. As a result, I had to call for the inattentive female server, who took notice only after a few attempts at getting her attention. She proceeded to provide me with only a cocktail menu and did not bring out the tapas menu until I requested for it again. 

By then, irate with the poor service standards, I called for the manager and informed him that the servers ought to step up their service. While the manager seemed to express contrition, it is unfortunate that other than a dish which was on the house (a gesture that I appreciated), there was hardly any improvement in service standards.

All in all, I deeply feel that the shabby treatment I received is unacceptable and unbecoming of a restaurant that aims to be a premier restaurant on the local scene. While the food is good, the dining experience will not be complete with such poor service. I trust that it will be in the best interest of the management and for the restaurant's reputation to look into hiring better-trained servers or to improve staff training programmes.

Thank You.

Frankly speaking, my wrath had only been quelled after their customer relations senior executive replied to me:

First and foremost, please allow me to apologise on behalf of the team for the undesirable experience that you have encountered. Thank you for taking time to share with us your feedback and truly appreciate it as we firmly believe that guests who do so actually mean well for the restaurant. 

The management has taken time to speak with the operations team in order to better understand the circumstance that night and provide an explanation for this unfortunate encounter. Unfortunately, our guest relations team that greeted you is currently experiencing a lack of man power with only 3 in a team instead of the usual 6. This led to the inexcusable service experience which we deeply regret as they were trying their best to ensure that reservation calls were entertained whilst at the same time ushering guests to their tables.

With all that is said, we empathise with your sentiments and concur that there were service lapses and that our staff did not display a professional attitude that is in line with the service philosophy of Catalunya, leading to discontent. The management has spoken to the relevant staff to ensure that this will be corrected and not continued. The team leader has stressed to her staff that the priority should have been given to guests who are entering the restaurant and not entertaining calls from the hotline.

As a business that place great emphasis in continuously improving our customer service experience, we regret to hear of your experience and appreciate your feedback . We strongly believe that this is an isolated event and sincerely seek your kind understanding as we seek to address the issues you’ve highlighted. Your continued patronage will be a strong support for the team during this time and will be most valuable to us.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any further questions. Thank you and have a great week ahead.

All in all, I had no intention of being vituperative but was simply appalled by the ineptitude of the servers as well as their lackadaisical/nonchalant attitude. Whilst I wholeheartedly accept the PR manager's apology, I thought it fair to share this on Rumrum, as I believe that it would only be fair to give a holistic impression of my experience as I have done with the other restaurants reviewed here. 

Anyway, on to the food:

First and foremost, we tasted the spherical olives, which comprised a gelatinous sac filled with an olive oil-based concoction. While the olives were unique, they were not as special as I had expected them to be, given the gratuitous hype that surrounded this dish. 

Spherical Olives

Next up, we had the bread, which was well done, given that the bread retained its crisp even with the tomato on the surface having been baked slightly beneath the top layer. In addition, it was nice that the tomato had not become overly mushy despite the baking, bearing testament to a good time and temperature control in the kitchen. 

Bread

One of the highlights of dinner was the Octopus "A Feira", which consisted of lightly grilled octopus in melted cheese. While this dish was delectable, I would have liked it to be warmer as well as for the octopus to have been grilled a tad longer as this might have brought out more of the octopus' fragrance.

Octopus "A Feira"

In addition to the octopus, we also opted for the Croquettes de Jamon which were highly recommended by the server, though they tasted rather plebeian (though decent, nevertheless). 

Croquettes de Jamon

Furthermore, we also ordered the Patatas Bravas with "Ali a Oli", i.e., fried potatoes with two special Catalan sauces. Unfortunately, they were mediocre at best, with the sauces being akin to mayonnaise and another commonly found sauce which gives off a half-barbecued-half-ascerbic taste. 

Patatas Bravas

Alas! With the mostly pedestrian dishes, there was finally a winner: the suckling pig tapa. The meat was succulent, and the buttery, milky layers of fat melted ambrosially in one's mouth, tingling and delighting one's tastebuds. In addition, the skin had a nice tier of crisp on the surface, giving the pork belly a slight crunch. Should one visit Catalunya, this would have to be the must-order dish.

Pork Belly

In the final analysis, dinner at Catalunya was decent, though the food was less stunning than I had expected it to be. In addition, the disastrous service was certainly off-putting, calling into question Catalunya's reputation as a world-class restaurant that Singapore might (or now, might not be) proud of. 

Blackbird Cafe: Ravenous for Risotto

Having nursed a risotto craving for quite a while, I jumped at the opportunity to visit Blackbird Cafe after a friend recommended this eatery for its rendition of this classic Italian dish. 

For the mains, I had the seafood risotto, while my dining partner had a burger (oops, my faulty memory fails me now as to the specific kind of burger that she ordered). According to her, the burger was decent, and the fries - which I sampled as well - were more like potato wedges. More specifically, they were chunky and hearty while refraining from being overly greasy and salty, making for a delicious side. 

Burger

Despite the above-average burger, there was no doubt that the highlight of the meal was the seafood risotto, which was the best risotto that I have tasted thus far. Unlike the risotto at Platypus (Bugis Junction) which is often rather grainy, Blackbird's rendition was cooked to soft, silky perfection, replete with an aromatic appeal. Furthermore, the risotto was infused with a multitude of flavours characteristic of the sea, though the chef could have added a tad less of salt. To top it off, the generous serving of seafood (3-4 scallops and 2-3 prawns) was befitting of the dish's "seafood risotto" title, giving me immense joy in polishing everything off my plate.

Mm, what a delight.

As for the drinks, we had the bird's nest, a berry smoothie and a lychee soda. The bird's nest - a cocktail with Chinese white wine as a base and complemented by syrups of traditional Chinese ingredients - was extremely light and tasted a little awkward. As for the non-alcoholic drinks, the berry smoothie was good in that it was not cloyingly nectareous, although it had not been blended homogeneously enough as annoying bits of ice remained. Finally, the lychee soda was decent in that it was not overly saccharine as well. 

Bird's Nest

Berry Smoothie

Lychee Soda

All in all, the meal at Blackbird Cafe was a surprisingly satisfying one. Given the reasonable prices and above-average standard of the food, I would definitely not hesitate to make a return trip to this diner. 

The Song of India: Mellifluous Melody or Clattering Cacophony?

Having read a litany of "encomia" on The Song of India's food, my dining partner and I decided to make a trip down to verify the veracity of these claims. Unfortunately, The Song of India has proven itself to be overrated, and these claims remain, well...unfounded assertions, at least in my opinion.

For starters, the service was extremely poor, for the reception lacked genuine hospitality and the servers seemed nonchalant and ill-trained. Although it was completely empty upon our arrival, the servers were completely inattentive to our calls for service as they had been preoccupied with engaging in conversation amongst themselves. Furthermore, the server was incapable of performing basic duties such as refilling empty glasses of water, bearing testament to the poor service standards at The Song of India - an abysmal experience, given that we paid about $130 per person. 

Both of us opted for the "Journey Through India" six-course degustation experience which was preceded by an amuse bouche consisting of a melange of interesting flavours, one of which consisted of a mayonnaise-like cream with a note of tangy spice.

Amuse Bouche

To get the ball rolling, we were first served some thin, crispy rolls with an accompaniment of two sauces - mint sauce and vegetable chunks/purée. While the mint sauce was decent, the vegetable purée was extremely ascerbic and whether one liked it or not probably depended on his acquired taste for it.

Crispy Rolls

Next up, the soup was below average, and though it was meant to be chicken soup (I believe, for it was so tasteless that I was unable to discern its purported ingredients), it was dismal as it probably represented the nadir of competency in concocting soups. In fact, it tasted as though chicken-flavoured cubes had been carelessly thrown into a pot of water, and even so, it was so dilute to the point that it had no distinct flavours. Isn't it amazing that one can bungle a dish as simple as this?

It can be whatever you imagine it to be, for its tastelessness gives you much room for creativity and imagination

In fact, the poor service was evident at this point, for when I gave the server my honest opinion upon his request for feedback, he was stumped into silence. Instead of apologising and making an attempt at customer recovery - which seems like the protocol, or at least what would be expected of a high-end restaurant - he stared at me unbelievingly, his mouth agape. The best part was that this awkward episode lasted at least a minute, thereby interrupting our dining experience.

Next up, for the appetiser, a duo of chicken and fish - complemented with a slice of lime, chopped green apple and a smear of mango reduction - was served. While the fish had a nice texture and an alluring aroma, the chicken was slightly dry for my liking, and the dish - while decent overall - was not outstanding.

Appetiser

Of all the dishes, the palate-cleanser (lime sorbet) would have had to be the most exceptional, for the hint of lime perfused the entire sorbet without it being overwhelmingly sour. Instead, there was a tinge of saccharine goodness made more complete with a dash of Indian spice, giving this dish a unique spin that was much appreciated. 

Lime Sorbet

As for the mains, a sextet of small portions was beautifully served on a palette along with saffron rice and naan, so, kudos to the restaurant for having at least given some thought to the presentation of its food. Tastewise, the prawn - cooked in the most acrid-tasting, flaming red curry - was pretty delectable, and the chicken was quite decent as well. On the other hand, the beans were mediocre while the beef (if I remember correctly) was slightly tough and sinewy. However, the two highlights of the dish would have to be the soft cheese (cooked and topped with vegetables) as well as the yoghurt with a hint of mango, as these two dishes were novel and interesting. Unfortunately, the downside to the main course was that each individual component was heavy on the palate, such that my appetite was sated after having consumed no more than half of the mains. 

Main Course

Naan

Last but not least, dessert comprised a spongy bolus immersed in cloyingly sweet, diabetes-inducing sugar syrup, as well as some ice cream in which a strong, buttery flavour presented itself. While the ice cream was distinctive initially, it was overly rich, and the fruits - which were not sufficiently citrus-y - represented an inadequate attempt to balance the slightly oleaginous and strongly milky texture of the ice cream.

Putting my insulin to work

To round off our meal, we had teh tarik (milk tea), which was alright but not spectacular, though I shall refrain from commenting further due to my personal aversion to milk tea. 

Teh Tarik

In the final analysis, the food at The Song of India was decent, though nothing was extraordinary, such that the meal ended up being rather monotonous. In my opinion, the larger issue was with the lacklustre service which has definitely turned me off. To diners who may be thinking of patronising this restaurant, perhaps, you may wish to consider otherwise and visit other restaurants (e.g. Punjab Grill) where you can get exquisite, more nuanced Indian cuisine, as well as indulge in the exceptional service that The Song of India is completely deficient in. 

Punctilious about Pizza

Having read part of Plato's The Apology recently (still a work in progress), I have been pondering about a profound question, though one that is not entirely related to the gist of the work itself: What justifies my casting of judgement on the restaurants that I've dined at? Does my identity as a diner who pays for the meal (and thus, who expects the restaurant to reciprocate with good service and food) serve as adequate justification? In addition, is it fair to judge a restaurant solely based on a few dishes that I have sampled?

These encircling queries have not been internally resolved as yet, and perhaps, my critical personality behooves me to dish out my opinion on the food I've tried so as to give diners a better idea of what could and could not be worth their time/money. And so, here I am once again - though today's post will be relatively short and un-scathing, for  critical or even censorious as I may be, I would like to believe that I am fairly impartial. No sugar-coating but no horse-flogging either.

Having dined at Pizzeria Mozza before, my dining partner and I made a return trip there. For starters, we had the Calamari al forno with fagioli and oregano. "Al forno" traditionally refers to food that has been oven-baked, but for this dish, it seemed as though the calamari had been grilled. Nevertheless, the whiff of the lightly-grilled and salted squid was titillatingly tantalising, and the calamari was springy yet easily sliced through. What a delight! Furthermore, the tangy concoction of beans and spices as well as chopped vegetable bits acted as an appropriate counterbalance to the heavier flavours of the calamari, making this dish one that we enjoyed.

Calamari Al Forno

As for mains, we shared a Funghi mist, fontina, talego and thyme 10'' pizza. The mushroom pizza (essentially, that's what it is, barring the jargon and highfalutin names) was pretty delectable with its generous serving of fungi and cheese, though its heat capacity must have been rather poor for it cooled down to room temperature within a matter of minutes. In addition, I appreciate the fact that it was thin-crusted, although the crust at the edges were extremely tough and hardly malleable.

Funghi Mist Pizza

As for drinks, I had the purportedly homemade raspberry soda, which, though decent, might not have been homemade afterall. 

In a nutshell (or a pizza box?), the meal at Pizzeria Mozza was fairly satisfying, and this restaurant has managed to escape my fastidious palate relatively unscathed.

Plebeian Plates

Recently, I've been busy with a multitude of other preoccupations, so much so that updating Rumrum has taken a back seat. Truth be told, I'm losing steam as well, for I no longer feel any inspiration to write. Instead, many-a-time, my infrequent postings are "motivated" by a sense of compulsion, though it remains a mystery as to why I feel this way. I reckon that this is in part due to a writer's block (I seem to have run up against a literary wall and lost my flourish in writing) and in part due to the low viewer ratings. While I must say that this blog was never written with the intention to cater to the mass market and was meant as a space for me to expound on my love for food, dismal viewer ratings have undeniably made me feel as though my efforts have gone unappreciated (please understand). Anyhow, I decided to briefly run through several plebeian eateries that I've been to in the past few weeks, none of which have really stood out.

1. Le Cuisine

Having been hailed as one of ten hot new tables by TimeOut Singapore for the month of May, my dining partner and I decided to give this French fusion eatery a shot (despite its barf-worthy name, for "cuisine" is a feminine noun and should be used with the definite article "la" instead). While the establishment made a fair attempt to mimic the quaintness of a Parisian restaurant, unfortunately, the same cannot be said of their nourriture, which represented an archetypal matrimony of blandness and pretentiousness.

Interior

For starters, a pumpkin/papaya mint soup was served. While I have had on several occasions bouts of amnesia about exact ingredients used in dishes, the fact that the primary ingredient of the soup eludes my memory bears testament to the sheer tragedic tastelessness of the broth, which bore a rather close resemblance to a flour-water mixture. 

Soup

For the mains, I ordered the signature Lychee Pork dish while my dining partner ordered the Braised Lamb Shank. While the former was interesting in that it contained lychee pearls, the pork was overly tough and dry - perhaps, the pigs had come from an arid desert and had been dehydrated as a result? As for the braised lamb shank, while the meat was more tender, the gravy was overly salty for our liking, making the dish mediocre at best.

Lychee Pork

Braised Lamb Shank

Drinks

All in all, the meal at Le Cuisine did not live up to expectations and certainly does not deserve a return trip.

2. Stuttgart Blackforest Boutique S-Cafe

Having heard and read about this supposedly authentic German restaurant in Bras Basah, my dining partners and I decided to pop by one night for dinner. Once again, kudos to Stuttgart Cafe for their quirky and rather characteristic decor, what with a water wheel and a wall of cuckoo clocks. Unfortunately, the meal left me with a gnawing dissatisfaction, and while it did not fail spectacularly, there was a deep-set ennui that promises to deter me from ever patronising S-Cafe again. 

Decor

For starters, we had their specialty dish, i.e., Maultaschen or Swabian dumplings with potato salad and sauteed onions. Honestly, the dish did not excel in a single aspect (what with the paltry amount of filling and indistinct flavours), thus making me wonder as to why this should even have been a crown jewel of S-Cafe. Truly puzzling.

Unremarkable

As for the mains, we shared a sausage platter with two specialty sausages, complemented with sauerkraut and potato salad. To my dismay, the sausages were overly oleaginous (the perfect recipe for some atherosclerosis) and their insides were laden with salt, although the sauerkraut represented quite a delightful contrast. Nevertheless, in my opinion, having delectable sides but a less-than-wonderful centrepiece defeats the purpose of a main course, for it is akin to donning one's bridesmaids in silk gowns while the bride is covered in drab fabric. Furthermore, due to the widely available nature of sauerkraut, I doubt that the sides were freshly prepared - thus, any commendation should go to the people who were involved in the preparation of the sauerkraut instead of to the restaurant. 

Sausages in a pool of glistening oil

Having had a rather pedestrian meal thus far, we had been hoping for at least an attempt at last-minute salvation - some decadent dessert, perhaps? Sadly, our hopes were dashed, for the lava cake which we had ordered had a rather unctuous and oily chocolate filling that resembled goo more like fast-flowing lava. Furthermore, the vanilla ice cream tasted so creamy to the point that it was cringeworthy and lacked the true vanilla bean taste as well. As for the supposedly famous blackforest cake - which the cafe has eponymously named itself after - it was a terrible disaster, for the sponge was dry and the cake was lacking in its rum taste. Wow, so much for the dish which was reportedly the crème de la crème of this eatery.

Disappointing Desserts

3. A Western diner near Regent Hotel, whose name I am unable to recall

The food here requires no verbose verbiage, for ALL food was served lukewarm and were either lacking in flavour (especially the soups) or finesse (the pork ribs were charred and hard; the restaurant could not even get their basics right - what more is there to speak of finesse?)

Abysmal

That's about all for now. Apologies if everything sounds like a lamentation, but do understand that substandard food that does not meet basic expectations cannot and should not be tolerated.

Hong Kong Finale: Tea Time & Some Tete-a-Tete

As much as I enjoy sightseeing on vacation, many-a-time, my predilection for relaxation means that tea for an entire afternoon can equate to time well-spent. Afterall, what is the point of a hiatus if one adheres to the same harried routine back home and is unable to take a break from all that helter skelter?

Having made a trip to The Landmark, one of the most grandiose shopping malls in Hong Kong that boasts an impressive line-up of designer brands, we decided to stop over at Joel de Robuchon's tea atelier (Le Salon de Thé de Joel Robuchon) for some light delights. 

Upon arrival, I was flabbergasted by the splendid display - rows and rows of immaculately arranged macaroons resembled an impeccably ordered cavalry, and the wide selection of a plethora of cakes arranged side by side painted a scene of different regiments being lined up at the frontlines in gastronomic garrisons.

What valour, o cakes, soon to be devoured!

Sad to say, the positive first impression that we had did not last, for the counter staff was impudent and inflexible, refusing vehemently to get us a table prior to ordering even after we had explained that one of our members was feeling under the weather. Furthermore, their insolence was compounded by their curt attitude in dealing with us (e.g. when making payment at the cashier upon ordering), calling into question the standard of their staff training. 

As for food and drinks, we ordered a berry smoothie and cappucino, both of which were decent but not outstanding. What was sui generis though (and yes, I know I've used that term in a recent post, but unfortunately, no other word comes to mind now) was their dessert. We ordered a chocolate gateau, a fruit macaroon and a passionfruit tart (if I remember correctly), all of whose names I am unable to recall. While the chocolate cake was decadent, it tasted slightly like peanut butter and was too nutty for my liking. On the other hand, the macaroon was extremely well-presented and had soft fruity notes without being too overpowering nor overwhelmingly saccharine, such that its finesse automatically propelled it to the highest echelons of all macaroons I have had. (I would dare say that it rivals and even beats some of the macaroons at Ladurée.) Last but not least, the tart was subliminally nuanced, what with its gelatinous covering and hints of passionfruit within. Simply exceptional. 

Dessert

A maternal macaroon topped with a baby macaroon!

All in all, tea at the Salon de Thé provided some much-needed respite from the blazing summer Sun, though the management should definitely look into raising service standards that threaten to mar an otherwise enjoyable experience.

A Hotchpotch of Hong Kong: Two

Due to personal matters in recent weeks past, it's been fairly difficult for me to catch a breather, much less update RumRum. Regardless, I've finally managed to steal some time to complete the slew of posts on the local cuisine that I had in Hong Kong, so here goes:

1. Egg Tarts at Shan Dao Eatery (Wanchai)

Having read about this eatery's famously fragrant egg tarts in several guide books, we decided to give it a try ourselves. Indeed, the egg tarts far exceeded my expectations with their airy, wafer-thin crust and the creme brulee-like texture of the egg yolk filling. Importantly, the flaxen filling was not overly saccharine (the cardinal sin that most egg tarts commit), making it unparalleled in texture and taste. 

The golden gleam of the tart shines forth

2. Chee Cheong Fun 

Whilst most of us in Singapore have grown accustomed to the usual prawn or char siew (roast meat) renditions of chee cheong fun, I had the opportunity to sample two rather unusual kinds of chee cheong fun containing beef and fish. While I was thrilled by the prospect of having beef and fish slices paired with silky, translucent flour skins, unfortunately, my excitement was met with slight disappointment as the meat within had been chopped and had lost its flavour. 

Chee Cheong Fun

3. Beef Soup

Of the cornucopia of delicacies that we had, one of the better ones would have to be the beef broth with beef innards (including the gut, tendon, and meaty parts). While the chefs had put a dash too much of salt, the beef soup was tasty and care had been taken to ensure that the meat had not been overcooked. Overall, it made for a pretty hearty meal, especially since it warmed us up on a rainy day. 

Beef Soup

4. MacDonald's

Whilst some may cluck in disapproval or cast a judging glare when it comes to dining at MacDonald's when vacationing in a foreign land, I maintain that eating at foreign fast food chain restaurants does give a glimpse into the local food culture (as well as MacDonald's brilliant strategy of high adaptibility and crafting dishes to suit local palates). Indeed, dining at MacDonald's served to reinforce this opinion of mine, for lo and behold, we discovered dishes such as macaroni, korean beef wrap, beef with rice and a german chicken wrap - dishes that we had not seen before in other MacDonald's elsewhere! Although the macaroni soup was rather briny, I enjoyed the beef bulgogi wrap for the beef was well-marinated and served in generous portions. At the end of the day, when it comes to multinational fast food chains, perhaps we should also acknowledge that these fast food chains adapt to cater to local tastes instead of single-mindedly lamenting the cultural homogenisation that seems to be the only result of penetration of such international firms into the global market. 

MacDonald's

5. Xiao Chi

Aside from the usual wanton mee and dim sum, a melange of snacks are also peddled along the streets, including exotic items ranging from shellfish to innards (e.g. pig's intestines) as well as post-dinner treats like the ji dan zai (Egg-shaped waffle). 

Local Delicacies found along the Streets

Ji Dan Zai

6. Pig's blood Porridge

One of the best meals that I had reflecting Hong Kong's local cuisine would be the pig's blood porridge. Having been an avid fan of congealed blood cubes for a while (and having previously tried turtle and cow blood), I decided to give pig's blood a try this time. While the blood had formed gelatinous cubes of coppery-brown goodness that were silky and smooth (even more so than tofu), pig's blood stood out in that it bore a slightly heavy taste that was redolent of its porcine origins, whereas the kinds of animal blood that I had tasted previously were less strong on the tastebuds. Hence, while I thoroughly enjoyed this dish, a note of caution to less adventurous eaters as the porcine flavour could be off-putting to some.

Pig's Blood Porridge

In a nutshell, dining in Hong Kong was an experience and made for some firsts - including the first time I had dined at Michelin-starred restaurants, my virgin attempt at tasting snake soup as well as my maiden encounter with pig's blood. What a journey!