After lovely dine-in and takeaway experiences at Scotts Square's Maison Kayser, I decided to visit the branch at Wheelock Place. Located at B2 beside Nam Nam Noodle Bar, it is just across Paterson Link from Ion Orchard where Marks & Spencer used to be. My order of Original Blend Coffee had a nice aroma of roasted beans and was bitter with muted acidity. Neither too strong nor light, it was good enough sans condiments and served with Financier – there was an aroma of butter, the taste of which I found too overwhelming. Lacking a crisp on the outside and an aroma possibly because the Pain Au Chocolat was cold, it was not as fluffy on the inside as its croissant that was named the best by Paris newspaper Le Figaro. Still airy and soft, the lightness was somehow missing. While the chocolate was sweet and rich, it was overall a tad disappointing. Unlike its Croissant Praline which still had the same nice texture, with the bonus of a smooth hazelnuts and praline cream reminiscent of Nutella.
With three of its four branches within close proximity in the heart of town (the only one outside is at The Grandstand where its central kitchen for desserts like tarts is located), it was no wonder I could easily get seats for dinner on a weekend. The only branch to offer main course such as chef's daily special is the one at Wheelock Place with reasonably-priced lunch and dinner sets. This is in addition to the breakfast, salads, sandwiches and soups available at Scotts Square, the only branch listed on its website. I ordered a tomato-based spaghetti dinner set that came with assorted breads in a basket, an appetiser of soup of the day or side salad and a choice of coffee or tea. Though the breads were served cold, they had soft insides with crisp crust. Some contained sweet dates and figs while others had refreshing dried orange and yuzu. Loved the baguette with a charred aroma, evenly risen air pockets and no dense lumps but there was nothing to rave about or fault on the ciabatta.
Raw and fresh greens in light and tart French dressing went well with al dente spaghetti and grilled beef loin, my choice over other meats and seafood. Could smell and taste garlic in the side salad, and see bits of tomatoes in the sweet tomato-based sauce. Loved the cherry tomato (but not the onion) and how taste of spaghetti was accentuated by the coriander. Was not asked how I would like my beef loin and it came medium done. Grilled with a charred aroma and taste on the outside, the meat was red on the inside with no signs of blood. Tender and soft enough to be cut without a steak knife, it was cooked just nice. As its Signature Hot Chocolate was not included as an option, had its Original Blend Coffee again. And this time, it was served with Financier Chocolat and I preferred this to the original and Green Tea Financier. Found its mains yummy and the set worth it so now I have one more place right smack in the middle of Orchard Road to satisfy my hunger pangs beyond breads.
No comments:
Post a Comment