cchoi127's Profile

The service overall was sufficient and serving staff were basically friendly and efficient. However, the room is slightly cramped for a round table of 13 booked for a PV fam bday dinner.  It was as cramp as everyone rubbing shoulders and everyone had difficulty climbing in and out of the seat.   Service became significantly more attentive, more smiles and suddenly a few others were very keen to come in , guess it was because we had extra tipped the initial server, who was nice and pleasant since we arrived.Food was so-so, very basic , 100 % not outstanding.   We selected one fixed menu and all the dishes were really very average. Too much cornstarch in almost any dish they could add cornstarch to thicken. Most were on the salty side too. The chicken was small and tough , like a spring chicken but it was supposed to be for 13 people. The lobster in e-fu noodles looked pale and was again smothered in cornstarch,; the e-fu noodles were definitely too overcooked that they were lifeless and way too limp. The mixed veggie in a big clay pot was swimming in a pool of cornstarch, again, on the salty side.The abalone and fish maw was salty and abalone could be braised much longer. Thick in cornstarch.Steamed fish was ok, and perhaps that was the best of the average.The bday buns as a finale were perhaps the most appealing--Chinese steamed buns in lavender hue with gold dusting in the dented line.  We bought our own LadyM cake and they were nice to have waived the ' cake fee '. This is going to be a been-there-done-that experience. Nothing to lure us to revisit.…Read More

Underwhelming and overrated. Been waiting anxiously for a really scrumptious evening after queuing for 2.5 weeks , braved the pestering rain to arrive at the little green trattoria , but left with a disappointed soul and a dissatisfied stomach.Everything was a tad too salty and two signature dishes ( sea urchin pasta and yellow chicken ) were all sold out when we arrived at 8:30pm, which  was a disappointment because we asked for an earlier table but declined. The rest of the much reviewed dishes on foodie websites were nondescript.  Portions are on the small side and the skate that was highly recommended by the Italian manager was a letdown cos albeit meaty and flesh easily forked off the bone, the presentation was very "canteen".  Not expected of two restaurateurs hailing from 5* hotels and well-heeled F & B establishments and fine kitchens who should have executed better.  I was right just looking at it that it would not be amazing even before tucking in----everything from the tepid temperature, pale appearance, ok freshness , starchy sauce , weak pairing of veggie ( three pale baby potatoes  tossed in ) and average taste added up to a mere mediocre.The carbonara egg was ok creamy but salty; the burrata toast was ok but on the greasy side and burrata not fragrant; the ham on sour dough was ok but bread was hard and scratched the palate; Hamachi seviche was too coarse -- from the uneven slicing to the too-thick slices to the cornstarch sauce to the random garnishing.  The bread basket was ok , at least fresh and warm but again the herb butter was too salty.Service was ok, wait staff smiling as their job entails. Seating was rather ' too cosy' and when everyone is rubbing elbows it is not a sin to eavesdrop. The raw concrete walls and low ceiling mean you need to shout to be heard. We are always ready & happy to spend on delightful meals.  Expensive doesn't mean brilliant & great , while economical doesn't mean average edible or passable.  It is all relative.  With that price + food + culinary skills we definitely could have had something more refined and value-for-money.Overhyped.…Read More

Grappa's in QRE used to be one of our fave restos but sadly no more.  Could it be that they have changed the chefs or they have switched suppliers? Their huge clams freshly supplied every Tuesday and Friday used to be succulent, sweet and delectable but recently have become smaller and the white wine sauce on the bland and watered-down side. Their spaghetti carbonara used to top of the list but lately the bacon was too coarsely chopped, while the cheese sauce coagulated.  Their burrata turned hard and the sliced cherry tomatoes were a stingy portion.  Pizzas could easily be won by the few Italian outlets in the area, so they should install a better brick oven and dig into a finer dough.But what was most off-putting was the service. The QRE staff used to be very welcoming and great for small talk.   We had been there forever so everyone knew everyone.  Yet somehow under the leadership of their once amiable manager who , for some strange reason, is no longer friendly and pleasant and smiling, but has turned aloof and not wanting to make an effort to walk over even for a ' How're things ?  And weird enough, his team has turned chilly, even black faced on a few occasions.  We scratched our heads as to why this sudden change.  Not saying this is a big deal or it should make us popular, but every CNY we made a point to go so we could  give red packets to each and every staff without fail. Once we brought up a comment when they asked, so we figured we could be honest.  I told the manager about their toilet with stains in toilet bowl,   sticky wet floor and dusty hinges on toilet door, so maybe that all too candid remark propelled us into the ' black list '.  Well, we were asked to comment and we gave them something they heard but not welcoming.  They must remember that customers spend not only on good food but also for warm welcoming service.  We had given them at least 4-5 more visits after the honest comments to ascertain if such bland service and nondescript food was random or really something permanent.  When both crucial elements  i.e. good food and good hospitality for a repeat patronage have not been met, we see no reason for continuous visits.It is really sad that our very loyal patronage since their heyday at PP's atrium has come to this when we reluctantly have to call it quits. …Read More