Fancy having a distinguished guest join you for dinner? That’s what we had—our choice alfresco spot by the river had Sir Stamford Raffles looking over our shoulders throughout the entire meal. Those of you who don’t mind feeling like a tourist will enjoy the picturesque view of the river and beyond, and lovebirds will definitely appreciate the ambiance enhanced by blue fairy lights. Indulging ourselves, we started off with port wine glazed foie gras, which came with spinach, sauteed mushrooms and toast. The foie gras was rich and creamy with a smooth texture, melting in our mouths to release the port wine in which it was soaked. If appetizers serve to whet appetites, consider ours stimulated. We had servings of French onion soup on the side, which we found to be authentic and abundant with browned onions. We could have done with more melted cheese—call us cheesy, but yes, we’re unabashed fans. Enough with the foreplay though, our stomachs were getting frisky. Mains consisted of crab linguine aglio olio and lamb chops. The aglio olio was well worth its price—every bite of the al dente pasta had a morsel of crabmeat to go along, and the pasta itself was richly coated in garlicky olive oil that gave the dish a spicy but not overpowering fragrance. We requested chili to go with the aglio and this was served by the cheery and obliging staff in a dish with soy sauce, hawker style. For something heavier, the lamb chop—medium—was nicely done, with the surface slightly charred, and when cut, the meat was firm but still juicy. The accompanying pecan sauce and gravy might sound like a sinful combination, but they enriched the flavor of the dish’s mashed potato. We decided to go all out with what was turning into a very rich meal, and ordered sticky date pudding for dessert. The pudding was a tad on the dry side, but the intriguing cream cheese ice cream—yes, guilty as charged—helped smooth the pudding’s texture. Good service, great meal, lovely ambiance, and Sir Stamford Raffles approves too, so what are you waiting for?
