Etna Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria's the perfect place for great company and food. An intimate setting with dimmed lights and fantastic service. We also like that it's tucked away amongst rows of shop houses in good ol' Duxton Hill. Had a such a nice time at Etna's, in fact it was my second time there!

Lucky for us we made reservations cause they were full house that night! Ambience was nice, quiet and intimate, though a tad small. There were lotsa couples and a few after work cliques.

We were served the usual complimentary bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Dee thinks it's the best she's ever had, she continued munching on them even after our mains arrived.

Burrata di Andria con Rucola, Pomodorini Pachino e Prosciutto di Parma ($32.00)

For starters, we shared the Burrata di Andria con Rucola, Pomodorini Pachino e Prosciutto di Parma ($32.00) which for us translates to, Fresh mozzarella cheese with rocket salad, Pachino cherry tomatoes and Parma raw ham. I love Parma ham and the mozzarella cheese was amazingg, +++ points! Definitely a great start to our meal. Dee preferred the starters at Spizzico, though she says the oozing mozzarella cheese was "fascinating".

Merluzzo Norvegese alla Griglia con Pomodorini Secchi al Limone ($28.00)

We had the Merluzzo Norvegese alla Griglia con Pomodorini Secchi al Limone ($28.00), Grilled Norwegian Codfish with sundried tomatoes in lemon sauce for one of our mains. Decent portion of fresh codfish with a wee bit of an antipasto flavour with the kalamata olives & sundried tomatoes! 

Taglierini al Nero di Seppia ai Frutti di Mare ($26.00)

Our second main was the Taglierini al Nero di Seppia ai Frutti di Mare ($26.00), Squid ink pasta with seafood. Pats self on back for a great choice. Full of flavor and fresh seafood! Definitely a must if you don't mind having black teeth for awhile, unless well you're on a first date, then maybe squid ink pasta's not the way to go.

I'd definitely go back to Etna, cuz well what's there not to love? Ideal location, stellar service and great authentic Italian food! Perfect for a fancy date night, or if you're looking to impress that special someone. Oh and they've also got an ongoing 3 course weekday lunch promotion @ $27.80++ that we're hoping to check out soon!


Etna Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria
49-50 Duxton Road
Singapore 089513
Tel : 6220 5513
Fax : 6220 5613

Opening hours: Daily: 12:00PM - 2:30PM, 6:30PM - 10:30PM

Etna Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria (East Coast) 
 110 Upp East Coast Road
Singapore 455298
Tel : 6444 9530
Fax : 6444 9553

Opening hours: Mon to Sat (Lunch): 12:00PM – 2:30PM; (Dinner): 6:30PM – 10:30PM
Sunday 11:00AM – 11:00PM

What better way to spend a Wednesday afternoon than to take a nice long never-ending drive to the other end of Singapore for lunch. Well the plan was to check out Table Manners at Changi City Point (which was a serious maze to get to) but they were already closed for lunch by the time we got there. So we headed to Eggs & Berries next door!

It's a pretty place, all pink and brightly lit. The chairs reminded me of candy canes and my friend really wanted to take them home. But I guess what really set Eggs & Berries apart was their extensive menu and how affordable everything was.

We had the Pan Seared Smoked Chicken & Eggs ($10.70), a hearty portion of chicken, rosti, tomato, baked beans, salad, poached eggs and 3 mini buttermilk pancakes on the side. A good balance of savory and sweet in one meal. The poached eggs were nicely done but there wasn't much to shout about for the rest of the food. But hey no complains since the meal was pretty much a steal at $10.70 and definitely filling, especially after an hour's drive.

Pan Seared Smoked Chicken & Eggs ($10.70)

We also tried the Spicy Lamb Sausage & Eggs ($11.70) which was pretty similar, with the eggs scrambled and the sausage replacing the chicken. The pancakes were served with mini jars of chocolate, maple and strawberry syrup. I had quite a bit of fun mixing the syrups up.

Spicy Lamb Sausage & Eggs ($11.70)

Eggs & Berries is a casual place to hang out for a decent affordable meal. While it isn't the best all day breakfast place around, it does serve some pretty damn good eggs. But for someone who lives on the other side of Singapore, I'd probably head to Hatched for some eggs instead!


Eggs & Berries

While I'd swear by my sashimi anyday, Dee's not-so-guilty pleasure remains her classic makcik-style rendang! And so we found ourselves at one of her family favorites - Tambuah Mas at Paragon for some Indonesian. She was pretty much at home talking to the waiter like a long lost friend about our order. She took it upon herself to decide for me too, I didn't even try. Hell hath no fury like a woman interrupted at her favorite restaurant!

Tahu Telor ($9.00)

The Tahu Telor ($9.00) here is hands down the best we've tried. Also known as Indonesian beancurd omelettes, their signature dish is served with a savoury tomato-soy sauce and garnished with sliced green onions. The beancurd cubes were still soft and warm when we bit into the crispy egg batter mmm and the slightly sweet soy sauce was a great complement to the rest of the dish. Tahu-tower of heaven!

Chicken Satay ($7.50)

We expected a more authentic preparation of the Chicken Satay ($7.50) since they originate from Indonesia, but we realised that they didn't vary much from the satay we get from our local hawker centres. Nothing to complain though, tender meat moderately charred accompanied with a thick homemade peanut sauce.

Beef Rendang ($8.50) / Sambal Kangkong ($9.00)

For our veggies, we had Sambal Kangkong ($9.00)! This fiery dish had the right amount of belacan (shrimp paste) and well, I wish I could say the same for the oil. You could've guessed the number of red chillies used from the intensity of the red. 

And of course the much awaited Beef Rendang ($8.50)! Guess who couldn't stop smiling. Also known as Rendang Lembu, tender and chunky meat in a rich and aromatic gravy. Needless to say we stuffed ourselves with it!

Ikan Pepes ($6.00)

We both agreed Tambuah Mas serves the best version of Ikan Pepes ($6.00), or more commonly known as Otah. These seabass fillets were marinated in spice and grilled in banana leaves. Not too much of a fish paste, neither a leaf full of thick chunks of fish, we were pleased to unwrap the leaf to find well proportioned fish meat that was rich in flavour.





To no one's surprise, we were too full to try their famous Es Apokat, an avocado milkshake but with mocha syrup. A perfect quencher and dessert, this all in one glass of treasure is something we won't miss on our next visit! If you're craving spicy authentic Indonesian food you'd wanna head down to Tambuah Mas for that Rendang fix. But for couples who are looking for an intimate evening with Indonesian food, you might want to check out The Moluccas Room!


Tambuah Mas
290 Orchard Road
Paragon B1-44
Tel:+65 6733 2220

Opening Hours: Daily: 11:00AM - 10:00PM

So we popped by Arbite for a quick dessert indulgence. Indie cafes with quirky names like Wimbly Lu and Arbite seem to be quite the trend these days. Spent a good few minutes entertaining myself (and annoying Dee) with "We're going to Arbite for Arrrrr(Our) Bite" - I'd like to believe my sense of humor is acquired.

Dee had her obvious choice of dessert or rather what she'd say was the "best of both worlds" in one - Gula Meleka Tiramisu ($8.00). Topped with berries and served in a cute glass, this light and fluffy dessert was made up of a rich layer of gula meleka mascarpone and a dense base of sponge fingers that were soaked in liquor and coffee. Just the right consistency and sweetness, this dessert is definitely one of the better tiramisus we've tasted!

Gula Melaka Tiramisu ($8.00)

I settled for the Fruit Terrine ($7.00)! Layers of berries, bananas, citrus segments held together by a passion fruit jelly served with a delicious scoop of classic Vanilla ice cream. It was a light and refreshing alternative to the usual calorie-heavy desserts.

Fruit Terrine ($7.00)

I liked Arbite, white washed walls with random Lego bricks, unpretentious food and friendly waiters - it's a great place for a casual mid afternoon hang out. Even though we're not big fans of cakes for dessert, Arbite's famous My Wife's Chocolate Cake is one thing on the menu we'd wanna share when we're back again for brunch!




Arbite 
66 Serangoon Garden Way
Singapore 555962
Tel:+65 6287 0430

Opening Hours: Tues - Fri: 11:30AM - 10:30PM, Sat - Sun: 11:00AM - 10:30PM
(Closed on Mondays)

We decided to have some Italian at Spizzico Ristorante Italiano, post yoga/post Valentines, since it's tucked away from the usual hustle and bustle in town and the last thing you'd want is to bump into yet another couple with a huge bouquet and an abundance of balloons, teddy bears and chocolates. The place was a nice quiet escape for a romantic afternoon.

For our meal we used a Groupon voucher ($20 for $40 worth of Italian Cuisine)! Well we aren't usually keen on getting dining vouchers since past experiences have led us to believe that the serving size and quality of service is greatly compromised. But Spizzico was an exception - extremely efficient and friendly waiters serving up palatable dishes!

We were spoilt for choice with their comprehensive menu of salads and soups, pastas, pizzas, risottos and main dishes.

Prosciutto e Melone ($20.00)

The Prosciutto e Melone ($20.00) for our appetizer was a unanimous decision - simple, yet refreshing and perfect for the afternoon heat. The sweetness of the rock melon complemented the parma ham well. The last time we had proscuitto was at Etna Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria - a classic mix of parma ham with burrata and rocket salad.

Crab Meat and Prawn Ravioli ($24.00)

The Crab Meat and Prawn Ravioli ($24.00) was divine. A lovely dish of homemade ravioli covered in a creamy saffron sauce, accompanied with onions and sundried tomatoes. Did I mention the ravioli was heart shaped? Plus points for details! Dee wished they were more generous with the filling though; cause she felt full too soon from having plain dough for majority of the dish.

Crab Meat Linguine with Arrabiata Sauce ($20.00)

I opted to customise my pasta selection with a Crab Meat Linguine with Arrabiata sauce ($20.00). It was perfect for me, just the right amount of spiciness and generous servings of crab meat with garlic slices. I couldn't decide if their version was better than the one I had at La Nonna! Though the 1-for-1 lunch promotion at La Nonna makes it a tough contender.

We were eager to end the meal with sweet treats such as the Crème Brûlée or Tiramisu, but we were too stuffed by then. Contented with our meal, we'll be finding our way back to try Spizzico's Set lunch. Priced at just $14.50++, the set includes an appealing variety of starters, mains and desserts of the day. Besides who wouldn't want to spend a nice afternoon in a pretty Italian restaurant hidden away from the crowds!

Spizzico Ristorante Italiano
81A Clemenceau Avenue #01-13
UE Square
Tel: 6333 6174 / 6333 6833

Opening Hours: Daily: 11:30AM - 2:30PM, 6PM - 10:30PM

On a quiet Wednesday evening, I found myself at Koh Grill & Sushi Bar with an old friend (who also happens to love Japanese food). I love sushi, sashimi and wasabi. Okay I just added wasabi cause it rhymed but hey, I love my Japanese food - wasabi or not.

Located right next to Food Republic at Wisma Atria, this is a pretty small place for all the attention it's been receiving lately. We were there at about 5pm and managed to get seats at the counter, but it was still kinda crowded for a weekday.

Please do not leave the bar without ordering a plate of Shiok Maki ($16.80). This is, the mother of all makis. Grilled unagi and avocado rolled in seaweed, topped with lightly roasted salmon, drizzled in mayonnaise sauce, and an abundance of fish roe. You must get a taste of maki-heaven served on a plate.

Shiok Maki ($16.80)

We also had the Seafood Fried Rice ($10.00) and Black Cod Fish Soup ($14.00). The fried rice was decent, and I wouldn't mind having it again the next time, though it was a tad salty. I'd give the soup a miss though, it was pretty bland and I got bored of it quickly. Might trade the soup for Crappy Maki ($18.00), next time, since they're known more for their amazing makis.

Seafood Fried Rice ($10.00)

An affordable and casual Japanese sushi bar, Koh Grill & Sushi Bar might be my new go-to place for a quick sushi fix next time. But I'll probably head there early during the day since by the time we left, a really long queue had formed outside.


Koh Grill & Sushi Bar
435 Orchard Road
#04-21 Wisma Atria Shopping Centre
Tel: 91803805

Opening Hours: Daily: 11:30AM - 10:30PM

Turned out we had some time to kill before Ang Lee's Life of Pi and as usual, we popped by the nearest cafe to laze around for a bit with some breakfast for lunch (cause saying brunch just isn't as fun). The service was probably as long as the movie. Okay I kid. But hey it was pretty slow that day, could be a busy weekday afternoon.

I've always found the interior and deco of Pique Nique to be a tad quirky - the brick walls, the hanging lights, mismatched furniture and the tiny jar of soil found on each table. The outlet at JCube is much bigger and cosier. So we decided to go with the Farmer's Omelette ($12.80) and the Eggs Ben for Dee - she's in a poached eggs phase.

Farmer's Omelette ($12.80)

The presentation of my three egg omelette could have been improved, but that was made up for once I cut through it to reveal a hidden gem of bacon, sausage, potatoes, mushroom, onions and tomatoes! I was pretty satisfied.

Eggs Benedict ($12.00)

As for Dee, she's easily contented with her Eggs Benedict ($12.00) as long as the eggs are cooked to perfection: yolk is runny and oozes all over and soaks the English muffin underneath. Runny egg yolks - check! While Prive remains close to her heart on the Eggs Benedict chart, these weren't too far from the top. The steamed ham was pretty bland though, nothing special.

Hot Iron Waffle with Maple Syrup ($11.80)

The best part of Pique Nique? Hot Iron Waffle with Maple Syrup ($11.80). Made upon order, this was warm and crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. The homemade vanilla ice cream was a perfect complement and delicious on it's own - creamy and silky smooth, you could even see the vanilla pods! I've been there thrice, just for the waffle, yes it's that good.




Pique Nique's a pretty nice place to head to for some after meal dessert, their cupcakes and coloured macarons are a definite visual treat and their waffles are easily one of the best we've had!


Pique Nique
#B1-01 Takashimaya Shopping Centre
Ngee Ann City Tower A
391A Orchard Road
Tel: +65 6238 6705