Ootoya

Passed by Ootoya, established in Japan since 1958, at both Clementi Mall and Orchard Central (it also has presence at Changi City Point) many times. The former looks empty from the outside while there is almost always a queue outside the latter. Was looking for a place to have an early dinner on a recent weekend when I finally decided to try the Japanese place, at its Orchard branch. As I would be having chawanmushi that was part of my dining companion's set order – also comes with rice, miso soup and pickles, I decided to have its Mushi Nabe as an alacarte item. It was described as steamed vegetables and Yongenton silky pork in hot pot. Served in a claypot with bonito flakes on the side, the thinly-sliced pork was tender with just the right amount of fats. Steamed vegetables comprised of lettuce, mushroom, onion and tomatoes that I could not fault. I enjoyed the pleasant dish despite the a-tad-bland soup, but not the meal due to its slow service that explained the perpetual queues.

Table @ Pip’s

My dining companions and I met up for dinner at Table @ Pip's last Friday. Located at B2 of Orchard Central on the same floor as MEDZS, it is tucked away at a corner near the underpass to Centrepoint. Hidden from view due to the lifts in this shopping mall, the casual dining place with an open-concept kitchen emphasises the use of fresh ingredients in its unpretentious food. Items on the menu include BBQ Crocodile Rib and Italian pastas, just to name a few. Foie Gras was lukewarm at best though I loved the sweet glazed apple that the pan-seared duck liver was served with. I have had better ones, just like Escargot Bourguignon – oven-baked Brandy snails stuffed in button mushrooms coated with garlic butter and topped with parsley leaves. With no reminiscence of mud or sand, the snails were not as plump as others I have tried. A tad chewy and bland, the succulent mushrooms were needed for taste.

Milagro Spanish Restaurant

Initially, my dining companion and I wanted to catch up over a drink at Malones Irish Restaurant and Bar. Not only were we in time for happy hours, but the light bites on the menu also looked enticing. Alas, it was located along Discovery Walk at 313@somerset with no indoor seats and we could smell haze in the air. So I suggested Spanish cuisine though my only experience at a place well-known for its suckling pig was less than stellar. My usually enthusiastic companion, who seemed adventurous enough to try any cuisine, was reluctant due to previous disappointment at the paella served at this same place. Nevertheless, we decided to visit Milagro Spanish Restaurant. Tucked away in a quiet corner on the 8th floor of Orchard Central, it opened in April this year. And the owner is 27-year-old Raymond Chong, a Singaporean with double degree in accounting and finance, who fell in love with Spanish food while on holiday in Barcelona and Madrid during his overseas exchange in Denmark.

TungLok XiHé Peking Duck

TungLok XiHé Peking Duck, collaboration between Tung Lok Group and Beijing's XiHe restaurant group, has opened a 2nd branch in Singapore after The Grandstand. Tucked away in a quiet corner on the 7th floor of Orchard Central, its signature dish is Peking duck. But not the Cantonese version, so do not expect thin egg skin but thick pancakes. No different from most other restaurants, the roasted duck served whole (there is no half portion here) was carved in front of customers. Cut such that the thin crisp skin came with a bit of meat, this was best dipped in blueberry sauce followed by sugar so the latter popped or at least crackled in the mouth – a modern twist to the original dish and a tad sweet. We were recommended to eat the breast meat, with skin still intact, as wraps.

New Kid on the Block – Noodle Stories

With the opening of Orchard Gateway, there are definitely more places to eat in the area. Despite so, queues can still be seen at Noodle Place Restaurant which shifted from Centrepoint to the new shopping mall. In addition, Hai Di Lao opened its 2nd branch at 313@somerset and Dean & Delucca expanded its space on the 4th floor of Orchard Central. At the latter, TungLok XiHé Peking Duck opened a 2nd branch after The Grandstand while Lao Beijing was revamped to Noodle Stories. Both are located on the 7th floor with the latter serving Northern Chinese cuisine such as dumplings, noodles and soup. According to its website, the exquisite yet simple everyday fare is easy to love and its traditional comfort dishes appeal to the modern tastes with its rich and tasty flavours.

Café Mondo

Located on the 2nd floor of Orchard Central where Seventh Heaven used to be, is Café Mondo by the same people. Opened in 2008, Seventh Heaven used to be at Raeburn Park with a kiosk at Takashimaya Food Hall (basement 2). Now, its kiosks are at Gardens by the Bay and Pasarbella @ The Grandstand. But this one, opposite Central Hong Kong Café, is a full-service café serving more than desserts and drinks. Understood it was revamped and renamed with the addition of appetisers and mains on its menu. My dining companion and I were looking for a place to sip a cuppa coffee after dinner when we decided to also have its ice-cream. So we could try more flavours, chose mini twelve putts over six packs – six normal-sized scoops of ice-cream served in a muffin tray. I loved their names and presentation. Our choice of 12 small scoops of ice-cream was served in a mini muffin tray.

Shabu Sai

The 2nd branch of Shabu Sai is located on the 8th floor of Orchard Central with Kiseki Japanese Buffet Restaurant, Ootoya Japanese Restaurant and Nolboo Hangari Galbi. Visited on a weekday for dinner and upon reaching the authentic Japanese restaurant that serves all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu (derived from the sound produced when ingredients are swirled in the hotpot) and sukiyaki buffet, I realised there were a 70 and 90 minutes time limit imposed for lunch and dinner respectively. Upon choosing two from six kinds of soup bases and deciding whether to top up for free flow of drinks and soft serve ice-cream, customers pay at the counter by the entrance before being brought to their tables with a kettle of water on each. So if the soups got too salty as the meal progressed, they could be diluted. And we did that a couple of times though the table beside us, on the contrary, requested for refills of soups. I like that the place is clean, spacious and simply furnished with lots of wood.

Sumiya

Was in Orchard Central looking for lunch on a weekend when I realised that Kuriya Penthouse (while Kuriya Dining has ceased operation at Raffles City Shopping Centre, you can still visit the branch at Great World City) and NUOC were no longer there. The latter, a joint venture between Modesto's group of restaurants and a Vietnamese partner, used to serve one of the better phõ in Singapore. Though it was a tad expensive, just like Annam Vietnamese Cuisine by Les Amis Group that has also closed. Located on the 12th floor now is Sumiya, literally translated in Japanese as "charcoal house" with a retro décor inspired by the Showa period. Depicting Japan in the 1950-80s, there are 3 sections in the 100-seater 6,500 sq ft space – 1950s garden with cook-it-yourself Japanese grill over water barrels, 1960s yokochos reminiscent of pubs in narrow alleys with old posters on zinc walls, 1970-80s izakaya with masks above a traditional Japanese drum near the entrance and copper crockery.

Tanuki

From the same people behind Standing Sushi Bar at Queen Street and Marina Bay Link Mall, Tanuki is named after a Japanese racoon dog. Inspired by classic American bars, it is located on the 2nd floor of Orchard Central with outdoor seats that overlook bustling Orchard Road and an air-conditioned indoor dining area. A few red metal chairs and green retro lamps stood out against the industrial-looking concrete bar counter and floor. Wooden tables with metal legs were paired with assorted chairs in wood and metal. When my dining companion and I visited on a weekday evening, the understaffed place was packed with happy hours (5-8pm) crowd made up mostly of working professionals. Overheard the couple in front being asked if they would like to sit at the bar counter but was just told there were no available seats when our turn came. So said we did not mind counter seats and sat at a high counter by the glass frontage facing the inside of the shopping mall.

New Kid on the Block – Kilo at Pact

Kilo, a restaurant at Kampong Bugis by owners of former Raw Kitchen Bar, teamed up with menswear boutique KIN from Haji Lane and hair salon Kizuki+Lim from Osaka to open Pact. Tucked away on the 2nd floor of Orchard Central, the 3-in-1 space had an industrial look with lots of concrete. Interestingly, the desert has been brought indoor with cactus and sand as part of the interior design at the sparsely furnished place. Paired with concrete tables were chairs in wood, a simple menu (black fonts on white paper) and wooden blocks that were given to customers as their table numbers. Every piece of furniture was either square or rectangle with sharp corners and edges that I had to be careful not to be jabbed by.

New Kid on the Block – Dean & Deluca

With all the hype and positive sneak previews, I just had to make a trip to Orchard Central visit Dean & Deluca though I have never been to any of its retail stores and cafés in the United States, Asia and the Middle East. But either Monday lunch was a bad choice or the staff had yet to get their act going less than three days after the American gourmet food retailer and café opened at 8pm (the unusual timing was probably to coincide with New York time or due to fengshui) on 22 Jun. The self-service place was packed and many customers on their own were wondering if they should take the risk to queue and order food at the counter lest they could not get a seat after that.