gurume

6.3 Average

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  6     

As usual, tapas is not cheap. I went with just the two of us and the bill came to $70.

The chorizo was nice, the prawn in tomato was very sweet and tender. The lamb skewers were very tender but very bland. I fixed this by dipping it into the prawn sauce. The omelettes were average. The deep fried potato was exquisite but I would recommend asking for the sauces to go on the side not on top. I gets really soggy and overpowering during the meal.

I don’t recommend the roasted capsicum with goats cheese that accompanies the bread. It was old and spoilt to the point where it was extremely sour. More sour than vinegar. Not hurrying to go back. The meal was average.

Feb 02, 2012

4.5 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  6      Service  5      Value  4     

I have been here many times but I wonder why I keep going back when I have been disappointed most of the times? The xiao long bao is delicious. Another favourite are the turnip pastries.

But the a la carte menu is really disappointing. The scallops with XO sauce was so over cooked. They were tasteless and rubbery. They were served on reheated frozen corn (cooked in butter) and the XO sauce? Non-existent. We paid $15 (per head) for 3 scallops…Ridiculous.

The shredded chicken in Tea tree mushroom was interesting. The sauce was spicy but there was not enough chicken. And the celery does not go well with this dish.

I was served tea that must have been the last 5 grams in the container. It was all broken and I was pretty much eating the tea leaves. I don’t think I will be back soon for a la carte menu but I might come back for the xiao long bao and turnip pastries.

Feb 02, 2012

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  10     

Chase Oyster Bar has an extensive menu but if you are not sure of something, just ask the wait staff.

The baked-on-premise bread came out first. I don’t eat bread even if they are offered because they just make you full but I was promised by my friend across the table that these were the best bread ever and that I would regret it if I didn’t try them. And I am glad I ate them. How should the bread be described? Simply the best bread ever. Just try them and be your own judge.

We started with the Grilled Scallops which was succulent and cooked to perfection. We even dipped the bread in the juices. Highly recommended dish.

There was something on the menu that I hadn’t tried before - Sugar cured Salmon Salad ($20) – so had to try it. It had a nice hum from the mustard or wasabi and you can taste the dill which really complemented the salmon.

We then had Mussels Marinara ($12) which was cooked in tomato and basil. Again- fresh, succulent and sweet. I like mussels (as well as scallops and oysters) so I have eaten them at many different restaurants (cooked in various ways too) in my time and these were very good ones. We did not waste the “juices” and wiped down our bowls clean with their baked-on-premise bread.

Next were the mains. I had the Risotto Marinara mixed seafood in tomato ($25). Firstly, the price-So cheap. You cannot find another restaurant that sells risotto marinara at this price. The risotto marinara was so flavoursome and sweet. We had to ask the waitress to ask the kitchen if they added sugar to the sauce and to the mussels marinara. She reported that they DO NOT put sugar in the Napolitana sauce. The tomatoes are crushed and cooked for 1.5hrs with olive oil to cook out the acidity so there is no need to add sugar when making the Mariana sauce.

My friend tried the Grill Barramundi with Asparagus, mushroom, beurre blanc, and potato gratin ($25). Generous serving and very affordable. The barramundi was moist and the skin was extra crispy. The best way to enjoy it!

But the highlight of our dinner was the Chocolate marquise ($10). This is on the specials menu so make sure to ask whether they have any left as there are only a set number of slices. It is like a bitter-sweet chocolate mousse but slightly firmer like a ganache. An absolute must for any chocolate lover!

Will definitely be back to try the black chitarra pasta and the other fish that were on the specials menu.

Feb 02, 2012

6.3 Average

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  6     

As usual, tapas is not cheap. I went with just the two of us and the bill came to $70.

The chorizo was nice, the prawn in tomato was very sweet and tender. The lamb skewers were very tender but very bland. I fixed this by dipping it into the prawn sauce. The omelettes were average. The deep fried potato was exquisite but I would recommend asking for the sauces to go on the side not on top. I gets really soggy and overpowering during the meal.

I don’t recommend the roasted capsicum with goats cheese that accompanies the bread. It was old and spoilt to the point where it was extremely sour. More sour than vinegar. Not hurrying to go back. The meal was average.

Feb 02, 2012

4.5 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  6      Service  5      Value  4     

I have been here many times but I wonder why I keep going back when I have been disappointed most of the times? The xiao long bao is delicious. Another favourite are the turnip pastries.

But the a la carte menu is really disappointing. The scallops with XO sauce was so over cooked. They were tasteless and rubbery. They were served on reheated frozen corn (cooked in butter) and the XO sauce? Non-existent. We paid $15 (per head) for 3 scallops…Ridiculous.

The shredded chicken in Tea tree mushroom was interesting. The sauce was spicy but there was not enough chicken. And the celery does not go well with this dish.

I was served tea that must have been the last 5 grams in the container. It was all broken and I was pretty much eating the tea leaves. I don’t think I will be back soon for a la carte menu but I might come back for the xiao long bao and turnip pastries.

Feb 02, 2012

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  10     

Chase Oyster Bar has an extensive menu but if you are not sure of something, just ask the wait staff.

The baked-on-premise bread came out first. I don’t eat bread even if they are offered because they just make you full but I was promised by my friend across the table that these were the best bread ever and that I would regret it if I didn’t try them. And I am glad I ate them. How should the bread be described? Simply the best bread ever. Just try them and be your own judge.

We started with the Grilled Scallops which was succulent and cooked to perfection. We even dipped the bread in the juices. Highly recommended dish.

There was something on the menu that I hadn’t tried before - Sugar cured Salmon Salad ($20) – so had to try it. It had a nice hum from the mustard or wasabi and you can taste the dill which really complemented the salmon.

We then had Mussels Marinara ($12) which was cooked in tomato and basil. Again- fresh, succulent and sweet. I like mussels (as well as scallops and oysters) so I have eaten them at many different restaurants (cooked in various ways too) in my time and these were very good ones. We did not waste the “juices” and wiped down our bowls clean with their baked-on-premise bread.

Next were the mains. I had the Risotto Marinara mixed seafood in tomato ($25). Firstly, the price-So cheap. You cannot find another restaurant that sells risotto marinara at this price. The risotto marinara was so flavoursome and sweet. We had to ask the waitress to ask the kitchen if they added sugar to the sauce and to the mussels marinara. She reported that they DO NOT put sugar in the Napolitana sauce. The tomatoes are crushed and cooked for 1.5hrs with olive oil to cook out the acidity so there is no need to add sugar when making the Mariana sauce.

My friend tried the Grill Barramundi with Asparagus, mushroom, beurre blanc, and potato gratin ($25). Generous serving and very affordable. The barramundi was moist and the skin was extra crispy. The best way to enjoy it!

But the highlight of our dinner was the Chocolate marquise ($10). This is on the specials menu so make sure to ask whether they have any left as there are only a set number of slices. It is like a bitter-sweet chocolate mousse but slightly firmer like a ganache. An absolute must for any chocolate lover!

Will definitely be back to try the black chitarra pasta and the other fish that were on the specials menu.

Feb 02, 2012