[Media Food Tasting] An Exciting New Menu At Swensen's Awaits To Delight Your Senses

Great new readers!


Swensen’s launches an exciting new menu this July, serving unique breakfast options, an extensive array of delectable main courses, and sweet treats guaranteed to delight your senses. 

When I received the media food tasting invite from the awesome people in Touch PR & Events, I immediately rsvp so that I could try the food and update everyone here.  Thanks Swensen's and Touch PR & Events for the kind invite!

As the Swensen's in ION Orchard located at unit B1-31 doesn't serve the salted egg lava rolls, I didn't have a chance to test it out but here is a photo of it.  Just looking at the photo makes me want to go Swensen's to eat this right now!

I tried the Chicken N Waffle ($13.90) as my first choice after looking at the new menu offerings.

This dish comprises of chunks of fried chicken stacked on a golden waffle, drizzled with butter lime dressing. It is also served with buttered potatoes, creamy mushrooms and cheesy sausages. 

Even though the chicken was fried, they didn't taste oily at all.  Hence the waffle which was placed at the bottom didn't become soggy even after I took some time to take some photos of the dish.  It was still crispy and went very well with the maple syrup.

I also tried the BBQ Chicken (S$15.20).  it is grilled chicken generously brushed with BBQ sauce infused with guava, served with buttery mashed potatoes and vegetable-of-the-day.  The guava balanced out the sweetness of the BBQ sauce such that one can finish the chicken without the sweet clogging taste.  The chicken thigh meat was tender so I could easily finish the whole plate.

Another hot favourite for me was the Teriyaki Salmon (S$17.90).  The Grilled salmon was topped with julienne ginger and leek and glazed with umami teriyaki sauce. At the side was mashed potatoes and vegetables-of-the-day.  The salmon was done perfection such that the meat flaked off nicely and it was soft to the bite.  The teriyaki sauce was not the usual super sweet type but instead it had different nuances of umami flavour which gave the salmon more character. 

And when you thought that a hawaiian pizza is too common, Swensen's brings it to a higher level with its Hawaiian Special (S$15.90).  Chicken ham, green peppers, pineapples, mushrooms, onions and cheese on charcoal dough crust... what more can I ask for?

Swensen's was super generous with the cheese.  Just by looking at the goofy cheese made me so happy as I am a cheese lover! 

A visit to Swensen's is definitely not completed without checking out the sundaes.  On the new menu were new creations like Yummy Sticky Coco Yam Sundae (S$11.80) and Salty Eggy Creamy Sundae (S$11.80)

It was so hard to make a choice so I decided to try both!

Coconut yam ice cream layered with fragrant Thai sticky rice, red beans, coconut bits and fresh coconut milk is perfect for people who love coconut and yam and prefer a taste which is more familiar.

Salted egg ice cream sandwiched between layers of waffle cubes, topped with salted egg pieces and butterscotch was a very innovative creation and surprisingly the salted egg ice cream tasted amazing, with the light fragrance of salted egg without being overpowering.

Besides the above dishes, Swensen's new menu also offers Seafood Arrabbiata Pasta ($16.20) made for the seafood aficionado.  I considered this dish as comfort food which will never go wrong.  The spicy tomato cream sauce might be too overwhelming for some so if you prefer something mild, you can ask the kitchen to go easy with the chilli.  Again, Swensen's is generous with the ingredients like fresh blue mussels and succulent prawns, which makes this dish value for money.

Indulge in tummy rumbling additions to the Swensen’s menu such as Pulled Chicken Salad ($12.50) for a healthier option and not forgetting the crowd pleaser Meatballs in Tomato Sauce ($9.60). 

The Swensen’s New Menu is available at all Swensen’s outlets island wide from 1st July 2016. 

Swensen’s Outlets

Ang Mo Kio Hub 53 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 #B1-25/26	Bedok Mall 311 New Upper Changi Road #01-77	Bugis Junction 200 Victoria Street #01-68
Bukit Panjang Plaza 1 Jelebu Road #03-04	Causeway Point 1 Woodlands Square #02-08/09	City Square Mall 180 Kitchener Road #03-37/38
Clementi Mall 3155 Commonwealth Ave West #05-31/32/33	E! Hub @ Downtown East 1 Pasir Ris Close #02-121/122	IMM 2 Jurong East Street 21 #01-111
ION Orchard 2 Orchard Turn #B1-31	Junction 8 9 Bishan Place #01-39	Jurong Point 63 Jurong West Central 3 #B1-64
Marina Square 6 Raffles Boulevard #01-206/207	Nex Mall 23 Serangoon Central #02-07/08	Parkway Parade 80 Marine Parade Road #B1-33/34
Plaza Singapura 68 Orchard Road #03-23	Tampines Mall 4 Tampines Central 5 #03-30	The Seletar Mall 33 Sengkang Avenue #02-11/12
The Sun Plaza 30 Sembawang Drive #02-21/22	Thomson Plaza 301 Upper Thompson Road #03-23	Waterway Point 83 Punggol Central #02-35
West Mall 1 Bukit Batok Central Link #02-05	Compass One *NEW (Opening September 2016)	Northpoint *NEW (Opening end 2016)

24 hours Swensen's Outlet

Changi Airport Terminal 2
Mezzanine Level, Arrival Meeting Hall North

Spend time with loved ones today over a scrumptious meal in Swensen’s fun and friendly casual-dining atmosphere, with its exciting new menu offerings.

Continue reading

Swensen's

Food Tasting Review at Perbacco Restaurant on 29 Feb 2016

Many Italian restaurants do not make their sauces and pasta from scratch nowadays due to the increasing cost of food ingredient as well as the number of manhours required.

I am glad that PerBacco restaurant, located at 20 Craig Road, #01-03 Craig Place, makes its pasta and sauces from scratch, the true italian style, according to the restaurant owner.

PerBacco's decor has a very simple rustic feel, with its high ceiling, brownish touches and warm lighting, giving it a cozy inviting feel.

A lovely drink bar greeted me when i walked into the restaurant.  There were many different types of Italian wines, prosecco, alcohol, aperitifs etc on the display hence diners have many choices when it comes to drinks.  The bar also serves non-alcoholic drinks, if you do not touch alcohol.

I would strongly recommend a glass of Prosecco with some antipasti before the start of your dinner to chill and relax.  This is a great place to catch up with friends as the atmosphere was relaxed and serene.

I tried a total of three antipasti that evening and this was my favourite... Strudel di Verdure e Fonduta di Formaggio (Grilled Vegetables & Mozzarella Strudel with Cheese Fondue) which cost S$18.  I am a big cheese lover and the soft eggplants and vegetable against the crispy baked pastry provided an excellent contrast to the texture of this dish.

Frittelle Soffici e Involtini al Prosciutto e Scamorza or better known as Smoked Scamorza Cheese Wrapped with Italian ham and soft Fritters was also pretty interesting.  It is best to cut a bit of the Italian ham cheese wrapped together with a bit of the soft fritter and eat them together.  This dish costs S$18. 

Another antipasti which I tried was Crocchette al Granchio ($12) which is Crab Meat Crocchette with Spicy Tuna Sauce.  I was pleasantly surprised that crab and tuna could go well together.  The crocchette was breaded and deep fried yet they didn't taste oily.

After three antipasti, it was time to proceed with pasta tasting.

This has got to be my favourite of the two pasta which were served.  Linguine alla Carbonara di Astice(Linguine with Lobster and Egg Yolk Cream Sauce) which costs $28.  The restaurant owner mentioned that real authentic carbonara sauce is made of eye yolk , instead of those sauce made from cream which you find in other restaurants.  The Boston lobster tasted so fresh that you would still have that lingering seafood taste in your mouth long after you chewed on it.  The lobster flesh was crunchy and sweet, creating a good contrast to the linguine done in close to 'al dente' style.  Al Dente is Italian for 'to the teeth' and it refers to pasta that is cooked just long enough that it is neither crunchy nor too soft, and its texture appeals to the teeth.  The restaurant owner mentioned that locals are not quite used to true Italian 'al dente' style and some customers thought that the pasta wasn't cooked and requested for the kitchen to cook it longer.  However, 'Al Dente' is the best way to cook pasta, giving it the best texture, in my own opinion.

A glass of white Italian wine to go with the food anytime!

Another pasta which I tasted was Gnocchi di Patata con Coda di Manzo Brasata e Tartufo (Potato Gnocchi with Braised Oxtail and Truffle Essence) which is priced at S$28.  Gnocchi are thick, soft dough dumplings that may be made from semolina, ordinary wheat flour, egg, cheese, potato, breadcrumbs, or similar ingredients.  

This dish was pretty interesting as the gnocchi soaked up the oxtail sauce to give it some flavour.  It is pretty similar to Korean spicy fried rice cakes just that this is not spicy at all.

 

Here come the main courses.  First up was Dentice al Forno con Sugo di Pomodorini e Burrata(Oven Baked Red Snapper Fillet, Cherry Tomato Sauce and Fresh Burrata) which costs S$32.  I was surprised that burrata cheese was paired with fish as normally burrito cheese usually appears as an antipasti together with ham. 

The fish was tender and succulent even though it was pan fried.  The cheery tomato sauce gave it a sweet and sour flavour and that worked well with the burrata cheese so that it does not taste overly overwhelming.

Guanciale di Vitello Brasato al Vino Rosso(Braised Veal Cheek in red wine with Cannellini Beans) was next in the menu.  This was priced at S$34.  The veal cheek was so soft that the meat just tore off when you sunk the fork into the meat.

After the main course, the desserts were served.  By then, I was extremely full but I couldn't resist but try this dessert, cheesecake alla Ricotta e Pesche Sciroppate(Ricotta Cheese Tart with Peach Compote) S$14.

The peach compote was made from scratch and it wasn't overly sweet like those readily available in cans.  It proved to be a great add-on to the cheesecake, with a good balance of creamy cheese and sweetness.

 

The last dessert of the day was Pannacotta alle Nocciole Caramellate(Caramelized Hazelnuts Pannacotta) priced at S$12.  The smoothness of the pannacotta against the crunchness of the hazelnuts was a perfect match in heaven.  

Want to try the above Italian cuisine and much more?  Visit PerBacco restaurant, which is within walking distance from Tanjong Pagar MRT station.  For more details on the menu which the restaurant offers, check out the website at www.perbacco.sg.  Make your reservations today!

Love,
Elaine Heng

Corporate Website: www.elaineheng.com

Get Cash back shopping: www.SingaporeMart.com

Let’s network at:

Blog: http://www.elaineheng.blogspot.com

ig: mselaineheng

twitter: Elaine Heng

facebook: Elaine Heng

LinkedIn: Elaine Heng

Continue reading

wine