(CLOSED)Equinox

Restaurant Week

Located at Swissotel The Stamford, I'm sure everyone has heard of Equinox
It has long been famous for its unparalleled view and being the "tallest" restaurant in Singapore
This was our final dining destination of Restaurant Week. A little sad that it was coming to an end ]:

Parking spaces are available in Raffles City. Parking charges are relatively cheap for a Saturday evening.

Private lift








The receptionist told us that we were very lucky because there was only one table by the window left. And we were like "Wow!" And she proceeded to tell us that the window seats will cost an additional $20. And guess what... We took it HAHA. And a few months earlier, we met the folks from Food PHD who told us about the $20 charge which they thought was ridiculous and X and I agreed readily with them and now, we wilingly paid for SEATS. HAHA




Really fantastic view. Feels good being so high up


The design seems to be Chinese-inspired or something



 
Our table!


Complimentary tomato juice


Two different baguettes! Didn't get what the waiter said about the difference haha but the darker one tasted a little more bitter


X got himself a glass of white wine - $24
and he really liked it haha


Cream of Button Mushroom soup with Sauteed Wild Mushrooms

Every mouthful was fragrant and filled with tiny bits of mushrooms. I love mushroom soup and I really liked this! Not too creamy nor does it reek too heavily of mushrooms. Everything about it was just right.


Slow Braised Pork Belly, Sage Scented Apple Puree, Celeriac Remoulade

The pork belly was tender and flavourful but the highlight has got to be the apple puree! It's really yummy!




Pan Seared Seabass with Ratatouille, Pesto and Black Olive Tapenade

The skin of the seabass was crisp, albeit a little burnt. The fish was fresh and does not carry the fishy taste. The black olive tapenade did not quite suit our tastebuds though. It was a queer kind of salty haha


Confit of Duck Leg, Creamed Ouy Lentils with Lardons and baby Onions

The duck confit was alright. The duck meat was a tad too dry and I felt that this dish looked somewhat boring and unappealing


Night view




William Poire Caramel Creme Brulee

I failed to capture the flame ]:



The creme brulee was delicious! Crunchy caramelised sugar atop a soft custard body! The portion was pretty huge!


Grand Cru Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch with Madagascar Vanilla Icecream

The hazelnut crunch was indeed crunchy and was an absolute delight when paired with the chocolate cream and vanilla icecream. The chocolate cream was not overly rich or overpowering and the vanilla icecream was great on its own. Chocolate and vanilla is a heavenly pair that can hardly go wrong. The bits beneath the vanilla icecream were soft and fluffy and they carried a tint of nuttiness and added an unique edge to the whole dessert





Service was good even though the staff weren't that fluent in English and sometimes we had difficulty understanding what they were saying. But they were, nonetheless, attentive and all smiles. It was nice dining with an extraordinary view in front of us. The night view of the city is beautiful



Total cost: $181 +

Level 70, Equinox Complex
Swissotel The Stamford

 Lunch
Monday - Saturday: 12.00pm - 2.30pm

Brunch
Sunday: 11.00am - 2.30pm

High Tea
Monday - Sunday: 3.30pm - 5.00pm

Dinner
Monday - Sunday: 6.30pm - 10.30pm

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Love, K

K's rating of Equinox: 8/10

The Lighthouse

Restaurant Week

Lighthouse was one of the restaurants that K wanted and we were lucky to be able to get most of the places that we wanted to dine at.



 
A private lift to the restaurant on the 8th storey.





 
Lift landing within the restaurant


Waiting area


View from Lighthouse


Hazy day but unobstructed view of our most iconic skyscraper




I like the simplicity of Lighthouse. The white theme fits my expectation of a perfect lunch place.



Our reservation was at 230 but Lighthouse called me in the morning and told us the last order was at 2pm. So we tried our best to rush there but only got there around 215. Once we were seated, we were served immediately.

The whole meal felt really rushed. The starter came before the bread did.

Cappon Magro di pesci al basilico
Marinated seafood salad with crispy seasonal vegetable on cream bread and basil dressing

The taste of raw veggie and the sweetness of seafood is a good combination. Definitely a good way to start your meal.


The assortment of bread was average and it wasn't warm


Pici saltati in ragu'd'oca con le briciole e spinaci
Homemade pici in wine and spices braised duck ragout with wilted spinach and aromatic crumbs

Super filling main course! We could hardly finish everything. I supposed this dish is fine as a lunch item, but I would be disappointed if it came for a dinner course.

Dessert was supposed to be classic Venetian styled tiramisu but we were served brownies instead. We were not informed that the dessert had been changed.



Was looking forward to their tiramisu but the brownie was a good replacement. I like how it was subtly moist and chewy on the inside. Thats how I like my brownies to be. But still cant help but wonder how good their tiramisu would be.


Fullerton blend

We did not have a choice in any of the three courses. It'd be nice if they had offered a selection.

Overall, I like the ambience of the Lighthouse. The white interior under the afternoon sun-rays is quite a sight to behold. Not to mention, it comes with an unobstructed view of the entire marina area.The food was pretty decent but I was more captivated by the place itself. A recommended place for a good laid back lunch.

Total cost : $94+

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EDITED BY K
Here's something that happened at The Lighthouse that sent both of us bursting into laughter. When we were leaving the restaurant, we entered the private lift and the door closed. So X asked me how many levels are there in Fullerton. Being a really poor judge of height, I said something like "I don't know? Twenty levels?" HAHAHA and X was like"?!?!? How can Fullerton be 20 levels? There's only 8 levels!" And I replied "Oh, is it. Then why is it that we're in the lift for so long and haven't reached yet?" And thats when we both looked at the panel of buttons on the lift and realised that I didn't press 8. HAHAHAHAH and we both burst out laughing. Can you imagine the receptionist dying of laughter because she could hear whatever we were saying. Haha

Hope this made your day better [: 
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1 Fullerton Square

#08-00 Fullerton Hotel

Mon - Fri: 12:00 - 14:30
Daily: 18:30 - 22:30

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Love, X

X's rating of The Lighthouse : 7.5/10

Novus

Restaurant Week

The fourth place on our restaurant week list is Novus. I once saw the interior of the restaurant online and was captivated by its decor. So when the chance came to dine here, I jumped on it.


Colonial styled exterior






The restaurant isn't very huge, a long hallway divided into 2. One side for the bar and the other as dining area.  Its dim and warm lighting is befitting of a romantic dinner






All our dining experience has culminated into good appreciation of a good round of fragrant bread. This was ordinary. In my opinion, Forlino's and Clifford's was better. Also, the butter was rock hard and we had to wait for it to melt




Have you ever been in the situation where the restaurant staff tried to explain to you what you are having for dinner but they speak too fast and too much for you to catch a word? Then you just nod your head and pretend like you understood because you know its gonna be the same even if they repeated ? Thats me all the time. Novus went the extra mile to have them on little slips of paper where the information on the dish and the ingredients are stated clearly for you to appreciate at your own time. I kinda dig this idea.


French Onion soup
Made with beef stock, melted gruyere, baguette

Sweet caramelized onion soup. A great start to the meal


Tiger Prawn Salad
Market Lettuce with grilled tiger prawns, vine cherry tomatoes, red radish, balsamic vinaigrette

When i first saw this salad, I felt its gonna be too raw but in the end i was delighted by the impeccable blend of sauce and vege. Complemented by the freshness of the prawns. A palate whetting appetiser.


Duck confit
Crisp duck leg confit, braised mixed mushrooms, roasted potatoes

Duck confit seems to be the must have dish for restaurant week menu. According to K, who said that according to CNN, this is the best Duck confit in Singapore! K enjoyed this dish. A fan of duck and mushroom, this was perfect for her. The portion was big and the duck was crispy and tender.


Truffle & Cheese Risotto
Carnaroli risotto, seasonal mushrooms, mascarpone cheese, white truffle oil, chives

I went for the truffle and cheese risotto. A wise decision indeed. It was cooked brilliantly. A generous portion of cheese and wild mushrooms were given and the texture of the risotto was just right. Plus the fragrance of truffle, this makes a good hearty meal.


Valrhona Chocolate Test
Chocolate in 5 textures and 5 different percentages of cocoa mass

K loves chocolate, so this was a no brainer. This chocolate platter had 5 bite size dessert of varying cocoa concentration. Quite an interesting concept.


Aerated mousse : 33% cocoa


Chocolate souffle! 55% cocoa


Sorbet : 66%


Warm Custard : 72% cocoa.


Dehydrated chocolate : 85% cocoa.

Dehydrated chocolate that looked like something we wouldnt eat. haha. It tasted like a dry airy chocolate biscuit.


Jubilee Tart
Dark and sweet pitted cherry, puff pastry, served with vanilla icecream

Desserts is a very integral part of my dining experience, so when they fail to live up to the mark, its like a bad ending to an exciting novel. And sadly, this was the case for my dessert. The biscuit bottom was bland , the infused cherry sauce tasted like concentrate. The only saving grace was the ice cream but overall this dessert paled in comparison to what I had expected in mind.

Novus was one of the two restaurants that offered choices for all three courses and we were definitely pleased with that

Overall, we had a good dining experience at Novus. Service was efficient and the staff were attentive. If only my dessert was better.


Total cost: $129 +


National Museum
93 Stamford Rd  

Monday- Saturday : 10am-10pm
Sunday: 10am-6pm

Brunch available on Sat,Sun & PH
10am - 6pm

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Love , X

X's rating of Novus: 7/10