I love visiting new restaurants and doing food reviews. It's something about going to a new place and discovering great food and drinks that appeals to the innate foodie in me.

That's not to say that I'm a food snob but once in a while, I come across really great places. Take for example House @ Dempsey. Located at 8D Dempsey Hill, House is a little hard to find but man, what a discovery.

What was good: Definitely, the food. Everything is made ala minute and came to our table well-presented. The ingredients are all fresh and very well prepared so nothing came too overcooked or dried or tasteless. What we loved was the Lamb Shank, which was simply divine and melt-in-your-mouth with every bite. The big boon was the seasoning and the mashed potatoes - no puny powdered crap, but real, chunky mashed potatoes flavored lightly with garlic. Oh and, and...little globs of marrow that just explodes with flavor.

The lobster linguine was al-dente and served with a slightly spicy Harissa sauce which just refreshes the palate. What's great is that it's served with chunks of fresh lobster as well as the lobster shell for those who love to chew on it for the extra flavor. And the we had the Ratatouille stuffed eggplant which was light, and refreshing to the palate and is highly recommended for those looking for something light, yet substantial. And, no, I did not spot any rats preparing this. And did I mention the dessert?

Just look at the looks of ecstasy that my dinner companions had! If you are a dessert junkie and your dinner companions have a separate stomach for dessert or love chocolate, you are in for a treat! I'd suggest that you try the Moby Dessert box where you can select any three of their mouthwatering desserts at 10% off. Yippee! The clear winner of the night in this round was the warm chocolate coffee cake...it's warm, it's got lots and lots of toffee fudge and it's divine-ness in a uh, metal lunch box. The Strawberry Shortcake was surprisingly delightful though not terribly sweet as some places but the one that was the most surprising was the Green Tea Tiramisu. It's took a little getting used to having tofu in my dessert but generally, it helped give a clean finish to a great meal.

What was quirky: The drinks. Which I love, love. Good restaurants usually come with their signature wines and beer but. What was great about House was its inventive drinks menu. Recently overhauled, the drinks is served in House's quirky style where you get Long Island Iced Tea in a set set. If you cannot hold your alcohol, I would suggest that you ask for something lighter, because despite looking so cute, this drink can really pack a punch. Oh, and the little jug that comes together with the drink is coke. Not guilin-gao...yes, I am a plebeian at times.

The other drink that we had was the refreshing Tiffin Punch. It's orange, lychee and ginger with a healthy douse of Bombay sapphire, lychee liqueur and champagne. To add that extra kick to the drink, try the lychee and ginger together - guaranteed to awaken your full but otherwise happy belly.

Things that improved: I know that House used to be knocked for its lackluster service and under-informed staff but its recent overhaul has done the restaurant a world of good as its cheery the staff are very prompt and great with suggestions, even when faced with silly questions. Kudos to Jaclyn Chan and Eric who had our meal a thoroughly enjoyable one.

The result. Three very happy campers indeed who would probably return to revisit the cocktail and dessert menu!