Being on leave has its merits and on Friday, DL and I finally decided to take our craving for good paella to the next level. Hence we headed out to the Don Quijote Spanish Restaurant in Lorong Kilat.

For those who are directionally challenged (like moi), this quaint little restaurant is located in Jalan Jurong Kechil. This is in the Beauty World vicinity, off Bukit Timah. I'll post the address at the end of this post so you can check it out for yourself and please call to make reservations! The restaurant is especially busy on the weekends.

It has been many years since I've had good paella and DL and I have tried out a few places which were alright but not great. Until we heard abiout this little place. Firstly, we had no idea where it is all that we knew came from HungryGoWhere.com, then we had no idea exacly how far out this was. But at the end end of the day...it was worth it!

The service was warm and friendly, and even thought he restaurant was almost filled to capacity at 8pm, they still managed to get us some seats outside. Since it was a Spanish restaurant, we naturally had to order a Sangria. Our very friendly waitress (whose name I regret not asking) recommended the Sparkling Sangria, which is made with sparkling De Cava wine. Made with oranges, lemons, red and green apples, this is one heck of a refreshing drink. Especially after one hell of a painful workout. It had the right amount of zest and wine, making it a great companion to the food we later had.

First up, we had asparagus wrapped with bacon. This was alright. Nothing to crow about but the good thing was that the bacon was nice and crisp and the asparagus was not overdone.

And then came the Quijote Special Paella. Please note that it will take 20-30mins for the paella to be prepared, so you may need to sample some appetisers first. Or have the warm bread with herb butter...Yum! Done el dente with fresh mussles, clams, prawns, squid and chicken...Food orgasm! I thnk was groaning in despair when I was telling the owner about that particualr tidbit. The rice was fragrant and very well flavoured, the seafood fresh and succulent.

Every bite was really heaven...and then our intrpid waitress was like...would you like some chili with that? Let's just say that if you like it spicy, then the chili is a fantastic accompaniment to the paella. This is strictly not for pussies as the chili really gave the dish a good spicy kick. Hello tastebuds!

We were being a little greedy thereafter and also had the roasted beef. Done kebab style with thick cubes of meat, finely sliced chorizos, onions and capsicum, this is a meat lovers dream. The chorizos' natual saltiness gave teh meat an additional boost and it was just well seasoned without being overwelming. The only downside was that the meat was a little tough. The wedges were a real winner though - thickly cut and seasoned with sea salt. I was happily eating up the entire bunch :P

Sadly, by the time we had the beef, we had no more space for dessert! Dang it! But no worries, there is always the second visit, where I hear the squid ink pasta is waiting for me...along with another jug of sangria :o)

Overall rating: 4/5 for excellent food, great ambience and warm with plenty of smiles.

Don Quijote Spanish Rsetaurant
17 Lorong Kilat #01-09
Singapore 598139
Tel: 6465 1811

Located at 39C Harding Road, The White Rabbit is the latest addition to Singapore’s dining scene. Opened by the guys who also own Loof, this is certainly one of the more interesting dining experiences that I’ve had in recent memory.

What’s good: Its location and ambience. What used to be the old Ebenezer Chapel, has now been wonderfully restored. While, the wide hall and spacious seating areas gives diners a sense of space, the little dining alcoves on the side provide intimacy for groups or even couples.

What’s great: Oh, definitely the food. From presentation to taste, everything was prepared with much flourish and love. And it shows, especially after the first bite. What comes highly recommended is the foie gras as a starter as well as the prawn bisque which is reminiscent of the hearty soups that you’d have after a long day at work. The lamb chops that I had were very nicely cooked and tender. For those who are not too fond of the gamey smell of lamb, this version comes with breadcrumbs of mint with a hint of wasabi. Very tasty. But the winner of the night was definitely the Mac & Cheese. It reminded one of a sense of home and a very old-school Americana feeling. Simply de-lish. The desserts were another thing entirely, from the Dark Chocolate Mousse to the Mars Bar Soufflé and the Baked Alaskan was a delight to the senses. Very well presented and not too sweet to the palate, it is safe to say that everything was polished off the plates regardless of how full we were to start of with.

What could be improved: At the risk of being overly picky, I’d say, the lighting. While striving for intimacy in such a big space, it would be great if you guys could add a wee bit more light at the table so that we can see our food better. Note: I sincerely apologize at my supremely horrendous photography skill, which had nothing to do with the lighting.

Overall, we had a fantastic experience which was supplemented by The White Rabbit’s very experienced and friendly service staff. Kudos, guys!

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!