It is always exciting to try out new restaurant. Quemo opened last week quietly but the food has a lot to rave about. I found out the name means "Hot" or "Beware" and is commonly used amongst chefs. The team behind this place is impeccable. While Tony the manager comes from ABAC (Michelin 2 star) , the two executive chefs Quim comes from El Quim de Boqueria (rated best tapas bar in Barcelona) and Aitor Olebaiyor won the Best Young Chef in Spain in 1999.

The restaurant which has a rustic contemporary design lined with aged wood,mediterranean tiles and ambience lighting is not unlike the restaurants you find in Barcelona. It sets you into the perfect mood for the food to follows. Tony was kind enough to offer us a sangria which he aged for a week with many ingredients and it is refreshing and thirst quenching. He also recommended a bottle of 2011 Honoro Vera (100% granache) which was chosen as the official wine for the Oscar Award Gala Dinner. I was delighted to be drinking the same wine that Ben Afflek and Ann Hathway drank that night.

The food we orderd are:

1)Pregnant tomatoes - filled with smoked fish and the taste is fresh and appetizing. The savoury smokiness and the tangy tomato combines to give a great uplifting flavor.

2)Stuffed Squid- The squid is stuffed with minced pork and vegetables. The combination with thick black ink sauce produce a strong lasting savoury seafood flavour in the mouth.

3)Oyster burger- the sweet potato bun is home made and combined with froe gras, oyster ,tangy sauce and crunchy sesame brings a unique texture and taste that is new to the palate.

4)Mediterranean rice- The mussels comes seperately from the bomba rice which makes this dish appealing. For one order you can taste two dishes. The aroma of the rice brings memory of seaside holidays. Caramelized perfectly, the texture and taste is as authentic as you can get. This is best paella i ever had.

Overall, I am glad the food is not molecular at all. It is rustic cooking raised to a new level with traditional recipe and modern technique. The portion is also generous and satisfying. We are quite full and had no room for dessert. Tony said that i must try the liquid bonbon next time.

Quemo also has two terraces which is ideal for a cigar smokers like me. The only fault i can find is there is no umbrella yet in the terrace. The total bill comes to about $300 per person. It is reasonable considering the quality of the food and service. They must have chosen the name right as this restaurant will be a "HOT" restaruant in town.

This is yet another new restaurant opened by the expanding Dining Concept Group. The Chef is formerly from Terance Conran Group in Lonon and has successfully opened his own restaurant in Shanghai 8 years ago.

The restaurant is still in its trial period but judging from what i had, this is surely a restuarant to watch in 2013. The lunch menu is very reasonable and the ingrediaent used is first class. The deco is very intimate and modern with Laris' signature Carrera marble used lavishly. The service is cordial and well mannered and the sommelier Marisco knows his australian wine well. The wine by the glass offer good value and with a good choice of award winning wine.

Cream of Pumpkin-the soup is creamy but airy and made with caramelized shallot and bacon. It produce a savoury flavour that blends perfectly with the sweetness of the pumpkin.

Traditional turkey with stuffing - this is the best turkey i had this season. It is tender and juicy and the home made ketchup is full of fresh tomato and rasberry flavour.

Sticky rice pudding- this is a seasonal dessert. The presentation is very impressive and is baked upon order. It is a nice x'mas dessert although a bit sweet for my palate. Nevertheless it is a nice and warm dessert for winter.

All in all, i think the restaurant is a winner in food, taste , deco and value. I wil surely return again very soon.

The popular Oolaa restaurant has arrived to Star Street and is adding more charm to the area. The decor and the menu is very similar to the original shop. It also has a frontage that opens up to the street and ideal for smokers.

It was sunday night and I was able to find a table there. This is a place for comfort food at a affordable price.The food portion is generous and the taste leans towars americna flavour.

Ceasar Salad - good portion with real anchoves and pancetta. The green is very fresh. It will be perfect if more dressing is provided.

Wagyu beef bolognese -A generous portion of quality ground beef with a tangy tomato sauce. we asked for al dente but the pasta still came out a bit soggy. May be this is how american prefers them.

Dessert- there is no dessert menu except 2 daily items which was not too exciting so we didnt go for it.

Overall, it is a convenient location for friends to gather for some comfort food without breaking your wallet. I was impressed that the waiters didnt push us for mineral waters.The service is alright but it will be more pleasant if they can smile more. Take advantage of the BYOB before they get the liquor license!

The Ammo is the new creation from the Drawing Room group and it found the perfect niche in today's market by providing hearty food with great atmosphere, good service and a reasonable pricing policy.

I went for lunch to check out the food and was not dissapointed. Both Chef Roland and manager Kevin (Drawing Room) were there to make sure things are seemless. The lunch is very reasonable ($188 for 2 courses) with dessert and coffee at a additional charge.

I opt for the mushroom cappuccino and the Fettucine with osso bucco ragout. the soup has a generous portion and it is very light and creamy testured and has lots of mushroom and porcini flavour into it. The fettucini is freshly made using the best flour and is done Al Dente. The ragout is made with prime beef and cook for long hours which came out tender and meaty. I ended the meal with the lemon tart reccommended by the manager. The dessert is tangy and refreshing but the tart is just a bit hard for my preference. The interior is cozy and new york inspired with lots of brass ornaments.

After lunch I toured the Arts Society which is full of surprises to be found. It is refreshing to find such an oasis in the middle of the jungle.I highly reccomend people coming for lunch to spend half an hour checking out the venue. Ammo is definitely worth a visit.

I heard that Matsushima Tatsuhiko (the ex-executive chef of 天勺 ) has just opened a new restaurant , so i went there to check it out. The shop is located at Tiffan Tower in Wanchai Road, the same building of Mirror Restaurant. It seems the building is slowly becomig a gastronomic hideout.

Upon entering the restaurant, i immediately have a feeling of being in Tokyo as the design is very contemporary and cozy. There is a open counter and Matsushima san is behind the counter overlooking the team. The menu has a lot of variety and set courses, but we decided to order a bit of everything to try:

1) Sakura Sashimi Platter ($800)- it is very very fresh and comes with 3 piece of oh toro and shrimp, hamachi and ark shell. The chef told us the tuna fish came from Kansai area.

2) Fresh liver yakitori ($25)- this is a signature dish and only limited supply each day. The outside is nicely grilled and the inside very tender and juicy.

3)Meitaiko chicken wing ($50)- Another tasty dish and the spicyness of the meitaiko blends well with the juicy chicken wing.

4)Cheese Rice cake ($60) - this is a MUST try. The texture of the crispy skin , chewy flour cake and the melted cheese inside makes perfect combination.

5)Chicken Meatball with sauce($40)- The meatball is mixed with chiken bone and the crunchinesss makes it an interesting texture.

6)Assorted Tempura ($100)- Although not as good as Tenmasa Macau , the shrimp is very fresh and the price is reasonable. The chef is probably using the same shrimp they use for sashimi.

After dinner, the chef came to chat and he told me actually the restaurant is related to IPPO Yakitori Restaruant in Azabu Tokyo and the chef went there to learn the art of yakitori. Also the recipe of the chicken hot pot is originated from Tokyo. We are too full already so I would definitely come back to try it next time. They also have a good sake collection including the "Born Daiginjo" - the Emperor's sake). Overall, the food is impressive, the pricing is reasonable and the atmosphere is invitng.