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