this is highly recommended
i was pretty happy about today, since my tuition kid cancelled out on me hence giving me a precious FREE DAY.
(seriously, i can show u my schedule... it's been packed since... hmm... the start of june? yes, people whom i wanna meet or vice versa have to book 2-3 weeks in advance! i'm taking a one month break from meetings in august, i need to relack one corner, yo.)
so i was happily planning out my free evening: i need to get a clock, sturdy black flats for work, a new mouse, and um, some clothes and accessories while i'm at it. where else can i find everything trendy but at marina square!
alvin offered his company (which made me quite the gleeful girl) so i was envisioning the whole evening shopping hand in hand and picking out nice stuff to get...
oh wait. food is important... where to eat first?
i browsed through hungrygowhere.com, checking out all the highest rated (and cheap) restaurants/eateries at suntec/city hall/marina square. in the end i decided on Pho House at Suntec...
but when we arrived at City Hall i was loathe to walk all the way to the END of suntec (is it just me or do you also reckon the new walkway to suntec is longer than the old rickety escalator + overhead bridge?)
so alvin and i start walking around city hall aimlessly... and then i see my bro.
hurhurhur. *rubs hands with glee*
i tiptoed around adrean, and hugged him like a koala bear!! it was all so worth it... the look on his face and the little scared sound that shuddered out of his throat was priceless.
his face had 'WHAT THE! which mad girl...' kinda scared look. hehehehehehe.
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE.
and alvin and i continue wandering aimlessly.
alvin: ochacha?
me: no...
a: spageddies?
v: nope.
a: new york new york?
v: noooooo... ok ok u choose, and i'll just follow. OH LOOK IT'S HALF PRICED WAFFLE DAY!!!
a: oh u wanna go?
v: hmm... nope.
a: -_-"'. how about shokudo pasta?
v: nope.
alvin was about to tear his hair out from frustration and hunger by the time we reached marina square. we chose to walk around a quieter part of marina where no one really goes to... and i suspected previously that it's because that's the uppity fine dining area where everything is priced exorbitantly...
OH THERE, I'M RIGHT! there's Tomo Fine Dining! i just read reviews of that restaurant on hungrygowhere. the reviews were great, but when i looked at the price range, it was $75-$85 per pax.
GOSH!!
but alvin was interested to just check out the prices since i mentioned they got really good reviews, and besides, their set lunch was advertised on a standee chalk board @ $15-19 (i can't really remember) so how ex can the set dinner be right?
and i was right again! the set dinner was only $20+ ... again, my memory has failed me. (i hope u realize where this is going now)
we happily decided to eat at Tomo (Fine Dining worrr) since, fine dining apparently comes for cheap. yay!
i can't stop gushing about them and i need to explain why. this is also why it's friggin' 12:24am and i'm still sitting here typing while nursing a headache (i think i got over excited and all my blood vessels must have dilated and caused too much blood pressure in the brain. but oh no, the headache didn't ruin the meal at all, oh no it didn't!)
at first we were seated at the dining area, and then we were coaxed by the head chef (who said he was nursing an injured finger that's why he wasn't behind the counters; i'm not sure if i believe him, he's always joking around!) to move to the counter seats so we could see what the chefs were doing. he said it'd be more fun and interactive that way and we'd be able to check out the chefs' skillz.
so ok, we upped and moved over, while i began to get excited about watching chefs do their stuff. once we sat down, the lady tending to us (Candy, who's extremely informative to us noobs to fine dining; chatty but not overbearing at all) persuaded us to go for the Omakase.
i looked for the Omakase 'set'. OMG THIS IS THE ONE THAT ALL THE REVIEWERS ATE! IT'S $80 (or more, depending on quality) PER PAX and was extremely vague in their description of the food served in every course. i was torn between the reviews that i read (everyone must've gone Omakase! it must be good!) and the price i was paying for 7 unknown dishes...
what swayed me was that i just got my tuition pay and this week during service i missed tithing coz the bag had already passed by the time i got back from the loo. WHY SO EFFICIENT SUDDENLY??? *grrawww* so all the money was still there...
'ok let's go for it.'
Candy warmed up to us first and she reassured us that we will enjoy the experience. well, everything was still up in the air, so i just smiled and had a 'i really hope so' face.
ok this is where i feel like stopping my descriptions.
i don't want to tell u what i ate because if you go, u will surely have something different. also... there was a certain dish that when presented to us, my jaw dropped and alvin was positively squealing with delight.
i've been eating (sometimes excessively) for 25 years, and u really have to trust Candy coz, my word, she is fantastic. trust her with your palate!!!!!!!!
and they actually made things with wasabi in it... and i gobbled everything up. mind you, i do not like wasabi. i really don't, but the entire meal... *wobbly chin*
OK FROM HERE ON, I START MY DESCRIPTIONS. IF, LIKE MOVIES, YOU HATE SPOILERS...
PLEASE STOP READING HERE!!!
------------------------------------------------
alvin and i had:
1. appetizer - jellyfish with Japanese cucumber
2. salad - veggie with amazing dressing, grilled sweet potato, pumpkin and sweet corn which was in season and hence SO SWEET
3. sashimi - GOT SCALLOP YAY YAY YAY YAY!!!!!! after this you'll forget about salmon. srsly, this will open up your sashimi mind... *in heaven* alvin grinned like a maniac over the yellowtail though. We also had maguro, which was in a thick slab, and salmon, of course.
i can't say i eat a lot of sashimi but i think i'm at a stage where i eat less, but appreciate more. u have to try this restaurant. after this place, sakae (YUCKS, REALLY.) and random sashimi u pay $$ for will not appeal to you. maybe only the sakuraya fish market sashimi can stave off my cravings now. and i thought sakuraya was already the freshest it can get in singapore... -_-
4. teppanyaki beef - it is not as plain as u'd think it be... the beef cubes and shitake were absolutely bursting with flavor *KAPOW!!!*
5. chawanmushi - this was the dish that made both our jaws drop when presented. It's called the ikura chawanmushi, but Candy calls it the "happy chawanmushi", and it's not a misnomer by any means. When you open the lid of the cup, you don't see the egg, all you see is salmon roe. It mixes just wonderfully with the egg, and even better, they use real crab meat instead of cheapo crab sticks. Absolute heaven.
in between courses the head chef andrew was strolling around, and popped in once in awhile to ask if the food was good. while i was having the chawanmushi i accidentally phrased myself 'don't wanna eat' when i actually meant that 'i can't bear to eat it all up'. he looked abit affronted but grinned when i cleared it up. *phew*
ah, my stupid mouth that speaks before the brain can communicate with it.
6. grilled fish - i don't eat fish coz it's troublesome and bony. but this particular fish was in season, so Candy recommended it as one of the dishes. they chose to grill it and the skin was crispy, the fish oil was so fragrant and the meat was tender and juicy. alvin and i devoured everything!
7. hotate - this had spicy mayo over it and rather heavy tasting so i can't say i LOVED it. still, it's better than the smaller version i've tried at sushi tei.
oh the presentation was great as well! they were served in huge sea shells the size of my palm... i wanted to bring both shells home and make a mermaid costume out of it, hehe.
8. sushi - we had 3 pieces; swordfish, maguro, and eel. huge slabs of fish balanced on a small wad of rice sprinkled with black sesame seeds. I CAN REALLY GET USED TO THIS!!! XD~ Alvin liked the unagi best, but I liked the swordfish best. The maguro was very very lightly flavoured and topped with a slice of avocado, which made it the perfect piece to eat in between 2 stronger flavoured sushi.
9. soup - it was just boiled fresh seaweed and water. but oh so flavourful... :D:D:D
10. ice cream - yuzi sorbet - THE BEST THING TO MAKE YOUR MOUTH TINGLY AND FRESH AGAIN. and once again, i normally hate sorbets. so sour and way too tangy on the tongue, bleurgh... but yuzi was just nice. and so was alvin's black sesame gelato, which had a right balance of sweetness.
i very delightedly told the chefs at every turn that everything was so awesome and pleasantly a lot better than the usual fare we get at average restaurants (like, duh right), and their reply was, 'oh because we get everything direct from hokkaido... even the ice cream!'
sodesune.
11. rock melon - $12 per slice. ice cold- crispy, sweet and juicy. what a lethal combination.
we also made friends with the chefs over the counter, jack and situ. apparently it was jack's last day at tomo!
'oh no where're u going??'
'oh hahahaha i'm going over to the new Tomo branch at M hotel.'
'ok we'll go look for u there.'
'ah, no problem, i'll surely recognize you.'
i love their staff. so personable, and fine dining that's just so homey at the same time. it's so unlike my currently 2nd most expensive meal at the italian restaurant place... it was a lot more upper crust and stiff. it's all behave, behave, behave, and you're expected to know what that xxxx-ette meant.
but no it's so different here! i hounded the waitresses with questions about tea and ice cream and unknown slabs of sashimi and ground up iffy stuff. they also gladly provided me with methods to mix my food with the separate garnishes for taste-tests and didn't laugh when i stabbed at my fish (coz i'm quite failed at chopsticks and fish eating.) like a cavewoman. *blush*
there was only once when Candy had to shush me coz i laughed with delight over the prospect of free ice cream. heeh. so paiseh. but she smiled and said, 'hey not too loud, otherwise other customers might want it too.'
i think they were so nice to us because we were like wide-eyed children in a candy store... and we were!!
i am definitely going back. and after this, the only other place left to go is Hokkaido where they get their supplies WOOOOOOO!!!
this has turned out to be the best meal i've ever had in my life. it's also the best $100 i've spent on food, ever. it is also the meal that made me the happiest, the only meal that pleased me at every turn, and the one meal that made BOTH of us want to jump up and down on our stools with ecstasy at every serving.
wah kau! yes, over FOOD.
we left the restaurant in a serious state of HAPPY.
(seriously, i can show u my schedule... it's been packed since... hmm... the start of june? yes, people whom i wanna meet or vice versa have to book 2-3 weeks in advance! i'm taking a one month break from meetings in august, i need to relack one corner, yo.)
so i was happily planning out my free evening: i need to get a clock, sturdy black flats for work, a new mouse, and um, some clothes and accessories while i'm at it. where else can i find everything trendy but at marina square!
alvin offered his company (which made me quite the gleeful girl) so i was envisioning the whole evening shopping hand in hand and picking out nice stuff to get...
oh wait. food is important... where to eat first?
i browsed through hungrygowhere.com, checking out all the highest rated (and cheap) restaurants/eateries at suntec/city hall/marina square. in the end i decided on Pho House at Suntec...
but when we arrived at City Hall i was loathe to walk all the way to the END of suntec (is it just me or do you also reckon the new walkway to suntec is longer than the old rickety escalator + overhead bridge?)
so alvin and i start walking around city hall aimlessly... and then i see my bro.
hurhurhur. *rubs hands with glee*
i tiptoed around adrean, and hugged him like a koala bear!! it was all so worth it... the look on his face and the little scared sound that shuddered out of his throat was priceless.
his face had 'WHAT THE! which mad girl...' kinda scared look. hehehehehehe.
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE.
and alvin and i continue wandering aimlessly.
alvin: ochacha?
me: no...
a: spageddies?
v: nope.
a: new york new york?
v: noooooo... ok ok u choose, and i'll just follow. OH LOOK IT'S HALF PRICED WAFFLE DAY!!!
a: oh u wanna go?
v: hmm... nope.
a: -_-"'. how about shokudo pasta?
v: nope.
alvin was about to tear his hair out from frustration and hunger by the time we reached marina square. we chose to walk around a quieter part of marina where no one really goes to... and i suspected previously that it's because that's the uppity fine dining area where everything is priced exorbitantly...
OH THERE, I'M RIGHT! there's Tomo Fine Dining! i just read reviews of that restaurant on hungrygowhere. the reviews were great, but when i looked at the price range, it was $75-$85 per pax.
GOSH!!
but alvin was interested to just check out the prices since i mentioned they got really good reviews, and besides, their set lunch was advertised on a standee chalk board @ $15-19 (i can't really remember) so how ex can the set dinner be right?
and i was right again! the set dinner was only $20+ ... again, my memory has failed me. (i hope u realize where this is going now)
we happily decided to eat at Tomo (Fine Dining worrr) since, fine dining apparently comes for cheap. yay!
i can't stop gushing about them and i need to explain why. this is also why it's friggin' 12:24am and i'm still sitting here typing while nursing a headache (i think i got over excited and all my blood vessels must have dilated and caused too much blood pressure in the brain. but oh no, the headache didn't ruin the meal at all, oh no it didn't!)
at first we were seated at the dining area, and then we were coaxed by the head chef (who said he was nursing an injured finger that's why he wasn't behind the counters; i'm not sure if i believe him, he's always joking around!) to move to the counter seats so we could see what the chefs were doing. he said it'd be more fun and interactive that way and we'd be able to check out the chefs' skillz.
so ok, we upped and moved over, while i began to get excited about watching chefs do their stuff. once we sat down, the lady tending to us (Candy, who's extremely informative to us noobs to fine dining; chatty but not overbearing at all) persuaded us to go for the Omakase.
i looked for the Omakase 'set'. OMG THIS IS THE ONE THAT ALL THE REVIEWERS ATE! IT'S $80 (or more, depending on quality) PER PAX and was extremely vague in their description of the food served in every course. i was torn between the reviews that i read (everyone must've gone Omakase! it must be good!) and the price i was paying for 7 unknown dishes...
what swayed me was that i just got my tuition pay and this week during service i missed tithing coz the bag had already passed by the time i got back from the loo. WHY SO EFFICIENT SUDDENLY??? *grrawww* so all the money was still there...
'ok let's go for it.'
Candy warmed up to us first and she reassured us that we will enjoy the experience. well, everything was still up in the air, so i just smiled and had a 'i really hope so' face.
ok this is where i feel like stopping my descriptions.
i don't want to tell u what i ate because if you go, u will surely have something different. also... there was a certain dish that when presented to us, my jaw dropped and alvin was positively squealing with delight.
i've been eating (sometimes excessively) for 25 years, and u really have to trust Candy coz, my word, she is fantastic. trust her with your palate!!!!!!!!
and they actually made things with wasabi in it... and i gobbled everything up. mind you, i do not like wasabi. i really don't, but the entire meal... *wobbly chin*
OK FROM HERE ON, I START MY DESCRIPTIONS. IF, LIKE MOVIES, YOU HATE SPOILERS...
PLEASE STOP READING HERE!!!
------------------------------------------------
alvin and i had:
1. appetizer - jellyfish with Japanese cucumber
2. salad - veggie with amazing dressing, grilled sweet potato, pumpkin and sweet corn which was in season and hence SO SWEET
3. sashimi - GOT SCALLOP YAY YAY YAY YAY!!!!!! after this you'll forget about salmon. srsly, this will open up your sashimi mind... *in heaven* alvin grinned like a maniac over the yellowtail though. We also had maguro, which was in a thick slab, and salmon, of course.
i can't say i eat a lot of sashimi but i think i'm at a stage where i eat less, but appreciate more. u have to try this restaurant. after this place, sakae (YUCKS, REALLY.) and random sashimi u pay $$ for will not appeal to you. maybe only the sakuraya fish market sashimi can stave off my cravings now. and i thought sakuraya was already the freshest it can get in singapore... -_-
4. teppanyaki beef - it is not as plain as u'd think it be... the beef cubes and shitake were absolutely bursting with flavor *KAPOW!!!*
5. chawanmushi - this was the dish that made both our jaws drop when presented. It's called the ikura chawanmushi, but Candy calls it the "happy chawanmushi", and it's not a misnomer by any means. When you open the lid of the cup, you don't see the egg, all you see is salmon roe. It mixes just wonderfully with the egg, and even better, they use real crab meat instead of cheapo crab sticks. Absolute heaven.
in between courses the head chef andrew was strolling around, and popped in once in awhile to ask if the food was good. while i was having the chawanmushi i accidentally phrased myself 'don't wanna eat' when i actually meant that 'i can't bear to eat it all up'. he looked abit affronted but grinned when i cleared it up. *phew*
ah, my stupid mouth that speaks before the brain can communicate with it.
6. grilled fish - i don't eat fish coz it's troublesome and bony. but this particular fish was in season, so Candy recommended it as one of the dishes. they chose to grill it and the skin was crispy, the fish oil was so fragrant and the meat was tender and juicy. alvin and i devoured everything!
7. hotate - this had spicy mayo over it and rather heavy tasting so i can't say i LOVED it. still, it's better than the smaller version i've tried at sushi tei.
oh the presentation was great as well! they were served in huge sea shells the size of my palm... i wanted to bring both shells home and make a mermaid costume out of it, hehe.
8. sushi - we had 3 pieces; swordfish, maguro, and eel. huge slabs of fish balanced on a small wad of rice sprinkled with black sesame seeds. I CAN REALLY GET USED TO THIS!!! XD~ Alvin liked the unagi best, but I liked the swordfish best. The maguro was very very lightly flavoured and topped with a slice of avocado, which made it the perfect piece to eat in between 2 stronger flavoured sushi.
9. soup - it was just boiled fresh seaweed and water. but oh so flavourful... :D:D:D
10. ice cream - yuzi sorbet - THE BEST THING TO MAKE YOUR MOUTH TINGLY AND FRESH AGAIN. and once again, i normally hate sorbets. so sour and way too tangy on the tongue, bleurgh... but yuzi was just nice. and so was alvin's black sesame gelato, which had a right balance of sweetness.
i very delightedly told the chefs at every turn that everything was so awesome and pleasantly a lot better than the usual fare we get at average restaurants (like, duh right), and their reply was, 'oh because we get everything direct from hokkaido... even the ice cream!'
sodesune.
11. rock melon - $12 per slice. ice cold- crispy, sweet and juicy. what a lethal combination.
we also made friends with the chefs over the counter, jack and situ. apparently it was jack's last day at tomo!
'oh no where're u going??'
'oh hahahaha i'm going over to the new Tomo branch at M hotel.'
'ok we'll go look for u there.'
'ah, no problem, i'll surely recognize you.'
i love their staff. so personable, and fine dining that's just so homey at the same time. it's so unlike my currently 2nd most expensive meal at the italian restaurant place... it was a lot more upper crust and stiff. it's all behave, behave, behave, and you're expected to know what that xxxx-ette meant.
but no it's so different here! i hounded the waitresses with questions about tea and ice cream and unknown slabs of sashimi and ground up iffy stuff. they also gladly provided me with methods to mix my food with the separate garnishes for taste-tests and didn't laugh when i stabbed at my fish (coz i'm quite failed at chopsticks and fish eating.) like a cavewoman. *blush*
there was only once when Candy had to shush me coz i laughed with delight over the prospect of free ice cream. heeh. so paiseh. but she smiled and said, 'hey not too loud, otherwise other customers might want it too.'
i think they were so nice to us because we were like wide-eyed children in a candy store... and we were!!
i am definitely going back. and after this, the only other place left to go is Hokkaido where they get their supplies WOOOOOOO!!!
this has turned out to be the best meal i've ever had in my life. it's also the best $100 i've spent on food, ever. it is also the meal that made me the happiest, the only meal that pleased me at every turn, and the one meal that made BOTH of us want to jump up and down on our stools with ecstasy at every serving.
wah kau! yes, over FOOD.
we left the restaurant in a serious state of HAPPY.
posted by feline @ 11:35 PM
unagi sushi is the boooomb!!! :D