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Nobu should be a familiar name with its Japanese fusion cuisine in restaurants worldwide crafted by Nobuyuki (Nobu) Matsuhisa. Blending traditional Japanese dishes with South American (Peruvian) ingredients, Nobu InterContinental Hong Kong features not only innovative culinary skills but also imagery of the Japanese countryside where Nobuyuki grew up. Having moved to Peru at 24 years of age, it played an instrumental moulding influence on Nobuyuki's cuisine as he began weaving Peruvian influences into his dishes as seen in his signature dishes.

For the wine-lovers, Nobu will not disappoint with 4,500 bottles and 550 labels in their collection, with 35% white wine and 55% red wine and a focus on wines from Burgundy, California and Australia. The remaining 10% consists of champagne and Nobu's list includes some rare vintages recommended in the Hugh Johnson pocket wine book and the various pairing options are designed to create an exceptional dining experience. In addition to the selective wines, there are also 12 different labels of sake, including Nobu's private label, all produced by one of Japan's most renowned breweries - Hokuesetsu, the Hazu family, who began brewing sake in 1871 and had won various Japan's most coveted beverage creation prizes. Reservations are a must prior to dining at Nobu and it would be advised to make bookings early especially if you intend to visit on the weekends. With a beautiful setting and spotlights casting the backdrop of the restaurant, it is about time to put the taste buds to work!

Sea urchin roe ('Uni') - ordered off the menu

Considered to be an aphrodisiac by the Japanese, uni is commonly eaten for its healthful properties for it is rich with protein, fiber, Vitamin C and a source of Vitamins A&E, iodine and calcium, helping to warm and energize the body and last but not least, promoting good blood circulation. Uni is however not the sea urchin roe, but rather the organs that produce the roe, in other words, the gonads.

Served very elegantly on spoons, the firm custard looking uni had a soft, buttery texture that melted gently in our mouths, leaving a delicately mild sweet after taste that was surprisingly pleasant. It was as fresh as we could possibly asked for and certainly one of the best renditions tried thus far. This little delicacy however has a love or hate relationship with most diners so do exercise discretion with our verdict!

Perhaps one of those that make it to the list when you speak of coffee or brunch places these days, Loysel's has been quite a popular spot, seeing how it's packed even on a rainy morning that we went on.

Known for having one of the best coffees in town, and having such a nice cosy space, it's no wonder that more people are flocking to this quiet little cafe. Situated right next to the Kallang river (though you can't really see it with the bushes around), it feels quite like a mini getaway from the usual skyscrapers and busyness of life. After hearing so much hype about the place, did Loysel's manage to meet our expectations?





It came to us looking dull and thick, sending our expectations crashing already. Indeed, it was too dense and thick, and it was just slightly warm, as though it had been reheated instead of freshly made in-house. Though it was the centrepiece, it just wasn't worth the calories trying to finish it. It got a bit dull after a while and it was just filling stomach space instead of enjoying it. Quite a no-go for us!

The name 'Angelababy' should be a familiar luminary in the social media, being a Hong Kong-based Chinese artist that shot to fame years back and even earned the title of 'Hong Kong Goddess' in Japan. Label me prejudiced, somehow, I am not quite exactly a fan of celebrity cafes. They came across to me more as a proposition for awareness and marketing rather than an avenue of fine gourmet in most instances. On that basis, I do admit that we carried a great sense of scepticism prior to our visit at iSQUARE. Will our perception change after this visit?

Quite naturally, a pretty face is paramount when it comes to the world of modelling. It would be difficult to miss the eatery with a full blown picture of 'Angelababy' donning the facade of the restaurant. As we arrived early before the dining peak period at about 6pm, there were no problems for a table for two as we were promptly ushered to our seats.

The first thing that came to our mind upon being shown to our table was that the adjacent tables beside were uncomfortably close and quite frankly, any gossips or chatter could be easily picked up. The set dinner came at $128/person for a two course meal and a free 'drink of the day' though you have the option to top up for a smoothie or one of their speciality drinks. For the two courses, you choose from between a salad or soup of the day (from the A option) and a main course from the B option. The formula is pretty much option A + B = 'Angelababy'. Right..let us move on to the food proper!

Salad of the Day


The salad of the day was plain, simple and honest. Spotting the usual rocket leaves, leafy vegetables, sliced boiled eggs and cherry tomatoes, it was the balsamic dressing that deserved the attention. The salad was crisp and fresh but the balance in complex flavours from the balsamic vinegar was sublime, maintaining the natural sweet and sour elements of the cooked grape juice with hints of wood from the casks. The balsamic vinegar was rich, glossy and deep brown in colour, which was more than acceptable by our standards. Despite the outstanding dressing, the salad could do with a touch of grated cheese just to enrich the flavours.


Bread roll with butter

The serving of bread rolls was a pleasant gesture. It was not stated on the menu but the warm black sesame bread rolls tasted fresh. I have my reservations whether they were freshly baked or rather just reheated and served. Nonetheless, it went well with a dash of the slightly salted butter or just on its own with a strong lingering aroma of the black sesame.

Angela Tasting Platter

Seared salmon fillet tartare

Tartare in general means in finely chopped portions and to be eaten raw. We enjoyed the salmon fillet the way it was prepared, where the surface was lightly seared yet not overly done while the raw inside was tender and 'melt-in-your-mouth'. The freshness of the fish was prime and it had a mildly sweet tangerine sauce that served to please the palate rather than overwhelm.

Japanese scrambled eggs with truffle

While the eggs were perfectly cooked remaining moist, slightly runny and creamy, it also had a strong 'eggy' fragrance. The toast was sharply crisp but the bread was dull and pedestrian to say the least. The taste of the truffle was present but sorely lacking as a dominating flavour of the taster.

Spaghetti with tomato sauce

It flawed severely, presentation wise, with the tomato sauce splashed onto the sides of the plate. The portion of grated cheese atop the spaghetti could certainly be more. Quite frankly, the pasta was passable and similar to what a home-made version would taste like, nothing too surprising.



Poisson en Papillote refers to 'fish in parchment' as seen in the pictures. The lemon sole was contained in the paper parchment before being baked on a cast iron skillet. Within the paper parchment is a spring vegetable flavoured broth used for poaching the lemon sole, where the broth is then reduced and thickened with butter. It is a brilliant technique to cook a tender fish like lemon sole where both steaming and braising are used to ensure that the fish is perfectly cooked and tender. Apart from being health-conscious where it is generally low in fat, cooking by this method infuses the entire packet with the herbs and additions like white wine and vegetables. Where the cooking is done internally within the parchment through steaming, it prevents the fish from drying itself out.

Enough rave over the technique employed, the lemon sole was delicate, tender and moist. Coupled with the mashy sliced yellow courgettes and peas (probably slightly overcooked), the overall texture of the dish was 'soft'. While the fish was beautifully cooked, the reduced broth was too salty for our palate. It required some washing down with a drink after every two servings or so. Even though some oolong tea leaves were in the broth and spotted on the fillet, we could barely taste or smell the fragrance of the tea. Great technique, but the flavours certainly need some tweaking.


Strawberry, grapefruit and pineapple smoothie (additional $19 top up over the free drink)

This drink offered a refreshing twist to the meal and the fruits worked in unison to create a naturally sweet smoothie which felt 'healthy'. The blended ice was smooth and for some reason, it kept luring me back for a second sip and it was not too long that we emptied it!

While running some search online for a worthy brunch outing, I could not help but wonder who came up with the term brunch? A portmanteau of breakfast and lunch essentially, the word 'brunch' was a term coined in 1895 by the English to describe a Sunday meal for the Saturday night carousers. It was thought that by eliminating the need to wake up early on Sundays, it would promote human happiness in many ways.

'Brunch is cheerful, sociable and inciting. It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week'. - William Grimes.

With plenty of restaurants each seemingly to offer the best brunch deal, we settled for Prime Steak located at Elements. With stylish steakhouse dining on the upper level, it also offered a wine bar on the ground level. The special brunch menus are only available on Saturday, Sundays and public holidays from 12 - 4pm, with a salad bar to go along with your chosen appetizers and mains at $258 excluding 10% and an additional $128 for free flow of wine, which was quite a steal with good quality red wine being served. Talking is done, here comes the food!

Baby Prawn Cocktail

We loved the presentation of the dish, which was served in a classy glass. The baby prawns were tender and slightly crunchy and we enjoyed the light sprinkle of acidity coming from the lemon slice. It complemented the Marie Rose sauce, which was a blend of ketchup and mayonnaise, harmoniously with a good balance of sweetness, creaminess and the tang from the lemon rounded up the palate. There were also chunks of lush ripe avocados that gave an added touch of richness to the appetizer. It was a clean classic appetizer which won us over.



We enjoyed the varied texture with crispy bread crumbs coating the soft shredded crab meat on the inside. The crab meat was tender yet firm and tasted fresh with no appalling odour. The juices from the diced cucumber blended with the crab meat gave the cake much desired moisture without soaking the breadcrumbs on the surface. The mango relish sauce could do with stronger flavouring, for it tasted too bland  and lacked a solid punch for the finishing touch.

The toast was thinly sliced and crisp, which gave that much desired crunch. On the downside, the sauce soaking the mussels tasted too salty for our palate. Even with the toast on dip was too much for our tastebuds. The salinity overwhelmed our tasting senses completely, to the extent that it masked the freshness of the seafood and we were left scurrying for plain water to wash it down.