Stunning view of Boat Quay from Indochine Waterfront.
Chicken Basil with mint leaves as a delectable accompaniment.
The exquisite interior that screams chic!
This review is late but I simply have to post about it just to kick off my recent flurry of dining escapades. What I love about my eating adventures is how unpredictable they can be most of the time. Although budget and location are important considerations, sometimes my companions and I just end up at the most unexpected places and getting our tastebuds gastronomically stimulated as a reward. I'm no food critic but yeah, I love to share food reviews...especially when the dining experience is incredible!
So back to Indochine. Now I've heard about this famous entertainment lifestyle group before courtesy of generous press coverage and that square brochure which always comes with a copy of Juice. Even without experiencing any of the outlets or sampling any of its menus, the name "Indochine" gives off a chi-chi vibe and in my impression, is a place where I wouldn't visit unless I'm feeling the impulsiveness to splurge. In addition, the idea of mixing around with high-class executives and rich pple (no offense) isn't exactly my cup of tea (not that I can afford to anyway).
Inspired by his passion for food, entertaining and design, the ingenious and ambitious commodities trader turned food entrepreneur Mr Michael Ma founded the Indochine Group in 1999. Mr Ma, who was born in Laos in 1967, saw that that was a potential market for Laotian and Vietnamese food which was previously not available in Singapore. The first outlet Indochine Club Street was opened in 1999 and in a short 9 years, the group has expanded to include a diverse range of 14 restaurants/clubs/lounges in 5 prime locations in Singapore, as well as venues in Kuala Lumpur, Hamburg, New Delhi and Phuket. This business achievement alone is mind-boggling, not to mention the numerous accolades and awards the group has recieved in dining/experience/design, including being voted as one of Travel and Leisure's top 100 Fabulous Places and Things in 2001 and most significantly, being the choice destination for glamourous social events.
So you wonder? How did I, someone who isn't exactly into such fancy places, stumble into this place let alone taste its exquisite fare (lols). The trip began as innocuously enough when my companion EZ and I decided to have dinner @ nearby Timbre@ Arts House, thanks to my brillant suggestion, only to find out after the valet parked the car that this Timbre doesn't serve the delectable main course seen on Timbre's website. They only serve pizzas, finger food and booze as the waitress politely tells us. Not willingly to change location, we wander across to the next available option - which happens to be Tadah! Indochine Waterfront.
Chucking aside its chi-chi reputation, I actually dig this place for its atmosphere and decor. My other companions and I would have chosen to chill here on previous occasions if not for the price deterrant. Anyway, EZ tells me he dined @ Indochine Waterfront before and it was a memorable experience and I decided I should just give it at least a shot, so in we went.
We chose to sit inside but found out later that the alfresco setting was fully booked. With a breathtaking and romantic view of the river after sunset accentuated by live Jazz performances, it is no wonder that the alfresco area is so popular with regulars. So do remember to make reservations if you wanna sit outside. But the interior atmosphere ain't shabby as well. The decor is distinctively contemporary yet with a delightful nod to the Oriental with Buddha statues, rich saffron and burgundy hued drapes and antique cabinets contrasted with gleaming steel chairs. The other word to describe this place is luxurious, with its glittering chandeliers and dark leather chairs. The lighting is kinda dim though, perhaps to make the ambience more cozy, but it makes it quite difficult to see the food you are consuming.
The lack of visual stimulation shouldn't be much of a complain considering how amazing the food tasted. We ordered fried tofu, the basil chicken and the tom-yum seafood soup from the Vietnamese-Laotian-Cambodian-French fusion menu. My favourite dish has to be the basil chicken which tasted so homely with the addition of herbs and spices. The tofu was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and one of the best fried tofus I've ever tasted. You can choose how spicy you want your tom-yum soup to be but I would suggest that you go for the max because we chose the not-too-spicier version and it tasted more tomato-ish, which doesn't give the kick that good-tom-yam soup should provide. Even the rice (refillable from a basket which server carries around) tasted extraordinary and really yummy of course.
EZ was really generous to give me a treat and I really owe my first Indochine dining experience to him! Would I go back again? Definately yes. For the basil chicken and white rice and for the other highlights I've yet to try..oh and when I'm feeling rich. The service was excellent as well. The staff knew the food well and they were attentive without being intrusive. Indochine Waterfront is one place that proves that good food does come with a price!
---------------------------------------------------------------
Address:
IndoChine Waterfront
Asian Civilisation Musuem, The Historic District
1 Empress Place
63391720 (Reservations strongly encouraged)
http://www.indochine.com.sg/
Opening Hours: 12 - 230pm and 6.30 - 11pm from Sun to Thurs/
til midnight Fri - Sat
Cuisine: Vietnamese/Laotian/ Cambodian/ French Fusion
Price: approx $30 - $60 per pax
Dresscode: Smart Casual
Darkmuze's Rating: 8.5/10
Darkmuze's Remark: Good place for business dinner or a great place to impress your first date!!
This review is late but I simply have to post about it just to kick off my recent flurry of dining escapades. What I love about my eating adventures is how unpredictable they can be most of the time. Although budget and location are important considerations, sometimes my companions and I just end up at the most unexpected places and getting our tastebuds gastronomically stimulated as a reward. I'm no food critic but yeah, I love to share food reviews...especially when the dining experience is incredible!
So back to Indochine. Now I've heard about this famous entertainment lifestyle group before courtesy of generous press coverage and that square brochure which always comes with a copy of Juice. Even without experiencing any of the outlets or sampling any of its menus, the name "Indochine" gives off a chi-chi vibe and in my impression, is a place where I wouldn't visit unless I'm feeling the impulsiveness to splurge. In addition, the idea of mixing around with high-class executives and rich pple (no offense) isn't exactly my cup of tea (not that I can afford to anyway).
Inspired by his passion for food, entertaining and design, the ingenious and ambitious commodities trader turned food entrepreneur Mr Michael Ma founded the Indochine Group in 1999. Mr Ma, who was born in Laos in 1967, saw that that was a potential market for Laotian and Vietnamese food which was previously not available in Singapore. The first outlet Indochine Club Street was opened in 1999 and in a short 9 years, the group has expanded to include a diverse range of 14 restaurants/clubs/lounges in 5 prime locations in Singapore, as well as venues in Kuala Lumpur, Hamburg, New Delhi and Phuket. This business achievement alone is mind-boggling, not to mention the numerous accolades and awards the group has recieved in dining/experience/design, including being voted as one of Travel and Leisure's top 100 Fabulous Places and Things in 2001 and most significantly, being the choice destination for glamourous social events.
So you wonder? How did I, someone who isn't exactly into such fancy places, stumble into this place let alone taste its exquisite fare (lols). The trip began as innocuously enough when my companion EZ and I decided to have dinner @ nearby Timbre@ Arts House, thanks to my brillant suggestion, only to find out after the valet parked the car that this Timbre doesn't serve the delectable main course seen on Timbre's website. They only serve pizzas, finger food and booze as the waitress politely tells us. Not willingly to change location, we wander across to the next available option - which happens to be Tadah! Indochine Waterfront.
Chucking aside its chi-chi reputation, I actually dig this place for its atmosphere and decor. My other companions and I would have chosen to chill here on previous occasions if not for the price deterrant. Anyway, EZ tells me he dined @ Indochine Waterfront before and it was a memorable experience and I decided I should just give it at least a shot, so in we went.
We chose to sit inside but found out later that the alfresco setting was fully booked. With a breathtaking and romantic view of the river after sunset accentuated by live Jazz performances, it is no wonder that the alfresco area is so popular with regulars. So do remember to make reservations if you wanna sit outside. But the interior atmosphere ain't shabby as well. The decor is distinctively contemporary yet with a delightful nod to the Oriental with Buddha statues, rich saffron and burgundy hued drapes and antique cabinets contrasted with gleaming steel chairs. The other word to describe this place is luxurious, with its glittering chandeliers and dark leather chairs. The lighting is kinda dim though, perhaps to make the ambience more cozy, but it makes it quite difficult to see the food you are consuming.
The lack of visual stimulation shouldn't be much of a complain considering how amazing the food tasted. We ordered fried tofu, the basil chicken and the tom-yum seafood soup from the Vietnamese-Laotian-Cambodian-French fusion menu. My favourite dish has to be the basil chicken which tasted so homely with the addition of herbs and spices. The tofu was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and one of the best fried tofus I've ever tasted. You can choose how spicy you want your tom-yum soup to be but I would suggest that you go for the max because we chose the not-too-spicier version and it tasted more tomato-ish, which doesn't give the kick that good-tom-yam soup should provide. Even the rice (refillable from a basket which server carries around) tasted extraordinary and really yummy of course.
EZ was really generous to give me a treat and I really owe my first Indochine dining experience to him! Would I go back again? Definately yes. For the basil chicken and white rice and for the other highlights I've yet to try..oh and when I'm feeling rich. The service was excellent as well. The staff knew the food well and they were attentive without being intrusive. Indochine Waterfront is one place that proves that good food does come with a price!
---------------------------------------------------------------
Address:
IndoChine Waterfront
Asian Civilisation Musuem, The Historic District
1 Empress Place
63391720 (Reservations strongly encouraged)
http://www.indochine.com.sg/
Opening Hours: 12 - 230pm and 6.30 - 11pm from Sun to Thurs/
til midnight Fri - Sat
Cuisine: Vietnamese/Laotian/ Cambodian/ French Fusion
Price: approx $30 - $60 per pax
Dresscode: Smart Casual
Darkmuze's Rating: 8.5/10
Darkmuze's Remark: Good place for business dinner or a great place to impress your first date!!
No comments:
Post a Comment