Restaurant Review: Violet Oon's Kitchen

Violet Oon's Kitchen

881 Bukit Timah Road
279893 Singapore

+65 6468 5430

If you're thinking about visiting Violet Oon's Kitchen, it's probably because someone mentioned this restaurant to you, or you read about it someplace. You're unlikely to stumble across it, as it is a rather small, out-of the way and inconspicuous eatery. Even so, it made it into the NY Times, a fact Ms. Oon doesn't fail to mention to her guests. Ms. Oon has been much lauded and talked about in Singapore, being a celebrity chef and even Singapore's Food Embassador.

I hadn't heard about Violet Oon's Kitchen until a colleague told me, and even with his detailed description it was a chore to guide our taxi driver there, as actually it is located in a little side alley running parallel to Bukit Timah Road. When we arrived, we were wondering why it was so crowded and noisy for a restaurant, until we figured out that we had actually gone into Bar Bar, which is right next to Violet Oon's Kitchen.

With Bar Bar as it's next door neighbor, dinner at Violet Oon's Kitchen is not a quiet affair, at least not sitting outside on the weekends. Aside from that, the atmosphere is rather relaxed and casual. The staff is friendly, and Ms. Oon and her son make the rounds with guests to chit-chat and to ask if everything is in order, a nice touch.

Appearances are not everything. Even though Ms. Oon's creations sounded good on the menu, and were indeed nicely presented, I unfortunately have to say that I don't understand the hype. Reinventing and adjusting Peranakan cuisine is a great idea, but none of the three dishes we tried at Violet Oon's Kitchen was a revelation.

All in all it was a decent dinner, with good service, for a just-ok amount of money, but nothing that I would deem outstanding. Also, I don't quite get the concept of putting shepherd's pie on the same (rather limited) menu as beef rendang. Portions are reasonable, and after 3 mains and desert we were actually stuffed. That said, neither the mains nor the dessert were truly great-tasting food. The mixture of Nonya with Western food might be working, but it's not the holy grail of Peranakan it is made out to be in many blog reviews. Our bill came to SGD 120, and for less money I can get better Straits food, therefore I doubt I will visit again.

3/5 Stars

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Restaurant Review: Botan Japanese Restaurant

Botan Japanese Restaurant
37 Pekin Street
Singapore 048761

+65 6536 4404

Botan Japanese Restaurant in Singapore is located in the hustle and
bustle of Pekin Street, right next to another Japanese restaurant named Shin Kushiya and close to Sushi-Tei on China Street. You can easily miss Botan, and as indeed I did when I first came to check out the Japanese food in Pekin Street, ending up at Shin Kushiya instead. Shin Kushiya and Sushi-Tei are both noticeably bigger than Botan, and a notch higher in terms of elegant interior design. However, Botan has its very own charm, and it is very noticeable that the restaurant is run by a Japanese owner (whom you can watch preparing seafood dishes from the main dining area. So, if you want to have the “real-Japanese” feel, Botan is the way to go.

Ambiance apart, and in terms of food served, Botan plays in totally different league. Both Shin Kushiya and Sushi-Tei are typical Singapore-Japanese restaurants, with dishes that are tasty, but not the kind of quality food you’d get in Japan. In contrast, and as my Japanese friends have assured me, Botan is the real deal. If you want your Japanese food to taste exactly like it would if you ordered it in the land of cherry blossoms, go to Botan.

I never go during lunch hour or early evening because the place is too packed, as there is a lot of people coming over from China square, Raffles Place and the Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi. If you want to go around these times, better reserve a table. If you go in the late evening though, you will most likely get a place.

The menu is extensive, yet Botan makes it hard for you not to order something from the first page, as their value-for-money offering is just too compelling, especially in Singapore. For around SGD 20 you get a complete dinner set, served on tray laden with delicacies. My favorites are the Tonkatsu set and the Grilled Salmon Set, the Grilled Chicken set is also quite yummy.

Botan Japanese Restaurant Grilled Chicken Set

 Besides the main course of your dinner set, you will get an assortment of sashimi (usually 3 different types, including salmon and tuna), miso soup, Japanese pickles, daikon or other vegetables with chicken in a delicious homemade sauce, chawanmushi (egg custard), noddles, and of course rice. To add variety, some of the side dishes change from time to time. 

Botan Japanese Restaurant Grilled Salmon Set

Taste-wise, this is some of the best Japanese food I have ever eaten, and you immediately notice that it is made by a food artist. Whatever dishes you try, there are always new and interesting flavors flooding your mouth, and from experience I know this is what home-cooked Japanese food tastes like.

The staff is friendly, fast and knowledgeable. Little details matter, and the hot towels before and after the meal as well as the complimentary lemon-flavored iced water add to the experience. Definitely one of the best dining experiences in Singapore.

5/5 Stars

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Restaurant Review: Ricciotti at China Square

Restaurant Review: Ricciotti at China Square

3, Pickering Street,
#01-36/37 Nankin Row,
China Square Central
Singapore 048660

+65 6438 8040

Due to on-going construction works at China Square at the time of this review, I doubt most people would stumble across Ricciotti Italian restaurant if they hadn’t heard about it beforehand. I understand there also is a second Riciotti at Clarke Quay, which might offer a better atmosphere, at least until the construction work in China Square is concluded. Even so, this place is a hidden gem.

I’ve been at Ricciotti three times in the past couple of weeks, so you already get an inclination of where this review is going. The first time, I had Hawaiian Pizza, the second time I had the Linguetti Pesto (basil pesto, sundried tomatoes and French beans) and recently we ordered Fusilli al Gorgonzola and Linguine al Granchio (crabmeat in creamy tomato sauce). 

Having lived with an Italian from Southern Italy, I have a clear concept of what pasta and pizza should taste like. Unfortunately, in many Italian/Western restaurants in Singapore one gets the distinct impression that the cook never has tasted proper Italian food, or is just incapable of replicating that taste. Luckily, Ricciotti is a laudable exception to that rule. The pasta is al dente, and the sauces are evidently home-made, with fresh, high-quality ingredients. The pizza I had was quite sizeable and again the ham and pineapple toppings were as one would desire them to be, fresh and tasty.

The staff at Ricciotti is friendly and quick, at least at the times when I dropped by, which admittedly were not peak hours. Lunch time is usually busy, but if you go in the afternoon/evening I doubt you need to make reservations, even on a weekend. The atmosphere in the restaurant is rustic, made for casual dining. The only downside to Ricciotti is that it’s not cheap, with pasta and pizza (9”/12”) ranging between S$18 and S$25. At the time of this review, Ricciotti had a dinner special going on, offering the 2^ndpasta for 50%. They also have some lunch specials and promo offers for DBS cardholders, which are decent value for your money as well.

Overall, if you value good Italian food, I would recommend Ricciotti without hesitation, unless you require a particularly fancy setting for your dinner.

4/5 Stars

Edit: Yesterday, I tried one of their lunch specials: grilled chicken breast with herbs, combined with a small salad as well as mashed potatoes and gravy on the side. Apart from the fact that the tomatoes in the salad were not ripe (ripe, flavorful tomatoes are something I have yet to taste in any restaurant in Singapore), this lunch special at S$ 12  is great value for money.

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