Vietnamese Coffee

Yesterday, I had my first cup of gourmet vietnamese coffee at a chic restaurant along Club Street.



The coffee was served in a tall glass. On top of the glass was a metal filter pot. Into the filter pot, the efficient waitress poured the stream of freshly brewed unfiltered coffee. The entire sequence was done with great showmanship or should I say, show-womanship! The taste was not as strong as Columbian coffee and provide a fitting finishing touch to a 4 course meal comprising :

Gỏi Cuốn – Rice paper rolls with poached prawns, lettuce, bean sprouts, chives, mint leaves and rice vermicelli. Served with traditional sauce

Bún Tôm Nướng – Grilled tiger prawns with rice vermicelli, cucumber and lettuce. Garnished with mint leaves, basil, crushed peanuts and served with a unique sweet and sour chilli sauce

Ca Tuyet Hap Oliu – Fresh cod fish fillet steamed with crushed black olives, garlic, ginger, spring onion, chilli and mix capsicums.

Dau Hu Chien Toi Ot – Pan fried tofu with chilli and garlic

While my lunch partners prefered the cod fish and prawns, I was thoroughly enjoying munching into the cunchy vegetables and prawns wrapped in the fresh rice paper. You dip the rolls with the accompanying sauce and pop them into your mouth. For a light eater, the dish can be a meal by itself.



If you have not guessed by now, the restaurant belongs to the IndoChine Group. The restaurant chain focuses on viet-thai food. On Club Street, the restaurant is located on the 2nd floor. They also serve a $35 net 5 course set lunch.

I made a definite resolution for a return visit.

Exceptional Indonesian Fare

It is not often that I chance upon good Indonesian-Malay food but yesterday's lunch was certainly sedap! Pagi Sore, a delightful restaurant situated along one of the borders of Far East Square, was packed when 9 of us trooped into its premises at about 1 pm.



Thanks to our Malay colleague who is familiar with its offerings, we had an absolutely grand time feasting the restaurant's best dishes: Cumi Bali (char-grilled squid), Ayam Bali (grilled boneless chicken), tahu telor, kangkong belachan, beef rendang, and Ikan Otah Kukus.



Unlike the usual fish otah found at other Indonesian restaurant, Pagi Sore's Ikan Otah Kukus is leather jacket fish that had been thoroughly infused with a light otah and coconut milk seasoning and then steamed to perfection. Truly, it was my favourite dish and between me and another of my colleague, we wiped out the entire plate!



Besides the exceptional food, the restaurant also stresses on presentation. Even their plain rice comes encased in a pyramid made of banana leaves. When opened, the rice exudes the wonderful fragrance of banana leaves that serves to whet one's appetite!



To complete the enjoyable lunch, I decided to take up the restaurant's dessert recommendation: Avocado with gula melaka. And without a doubt, it is way above any I've tasted before. The avocado was rich, thick and comes topped with ice. When stirred into the avocado and gula melaka, the entire concoction was almost gel-like with just the right amount of sweetness. I scraped to taste the very last drop before I was willing to let go off my spoon!



The service staff are also friendly and thoughtful, making observations to top up your water glass - whether you take ice-cold or warm (like me!).

While the setting within the restaurant is decidedly cosy and comfortable, its decor is really nothing to shout about. What Pagi Sore scores is its Indonesian fare and to that, the restaurant truly delivers.