Wine Pairing Dinner at Portico Prime on 27 Oct 2016

What better way is there to wind down a busy work day with an amazingly exclusive wine pairing dinner by Portico Prime and Crystal Wines Pte Ltd, on 27th Oct 2016, 7pm?

Loads of thanks to Portico Prime and Crystal Wines Pte Ltd for a chance to check out the specially curated 5-course wine pairing dinner.  

Portico Singapore is a boutique home-grown F&B group. The corporate philosophy is that of creating dining concepts that give customers comfort dining pleasures paired with good service and good ambience.  Portico Singapore currently has 3 concepts under its wings – Portico Prime, Portico Host & Portico Platos.

Portico Prime, a modern European restaurant and bar, nested in the heart of Dempsey Hill, serves mouth watering casual modern European food-fare and tapas in an elegant colonial house setting.  With the tall ceilings, white brick columns and simple yet refined interiors, anyone can enjoy a relaxing lunch or dinner.

I think this will be one of the places I will frequent very often.  Besides the tasty food menu available, this place is so suitable for the #ootds... hahaha!  Just look at the cozy, one of a kind beautiful setting... your photos will turn out amazing!

Portico Prime has an alfresco area that looks out onto an expanse of lush greenery, a rare sight in Singapore. 

It is the perfect spot for many occasions: a business lunch, chilling out with friends, that romantic date or hearty family brunches on weekends.  But it was dark when I reached Portico Prime that evening hence I didn't manage to grab any photos of the alfresco area.  But I swear that area is just so suitable for my kids to roam around safely in the nature while I enjoy my meal.

I have so many favourite corners in this restaurant and I would like to share this cool bar setup in the middle of the restaurant with those who enjoy beers, wines, alcohols etc

You can grab a bar counter seat to sip your drinks, be it champagnes, wines, beers, whiskey etc. You name it, they have it.  I think it is so cool to sit around and watch the world go by while you relax the night away.

my favourite beverage... champagne!

Protico Prime is such a popular destination for food, wine and drinks that I strongly encourage everyone to make a reservation before dropping by in case of disappointment.

Portico Prime has also recently bagged the prestigious Singapore’s Top Restaurants 2016 Award by WINE&DINE under the Modern European Category.  So I'm not the only person singing praises of Portico Prime as well ya.  

Portico Prime was fully packed!

The friendly service staff are very attentive to customers while the kitchen is able to take into account what each customer's likes and dislikes as well as food allergies to customise dishes suitable for him/her.  For example, one of the guests that evening couldn't eat beef steak hence the kitchen prepared a fish dish instead for her.  This is indeed a thoughtful gesture!

I am super lucky to be able to Indulge in a carefully designed modern European menu, paired with a premium selection of Katnook wines, one of Australia's finest, hand-picked to complement each course. A gastronomical treat for the tastebuds!

With just 30 seats available, the dinner is priced at $88++ per person, which I feel is reasonable as customers get to taste a five course meal paired with five different wines.  This is a good deal so wine and food lovers, do check with Portico Prime when the next round of wine pairing dinner is scheduled on.

Just look at the amount of Katnook wines on the table for the customers to drink

My 1st course was matched with Katnook Foudner's Block Sauvignon Blanc 2015.  It is pale green with elegant herbaceous and gooseberry notes with hints of tropical lychee.  Richly layered fruit and hints of herbaceous notes, it is balanced by a subtle underlying minerality and a zesty, refreshing finish.

My 1st course was Vanilla Butter Poached Boston Lobster with edible soil, orange staranise emulsion and grilled spring onion.  This tasted amazingly fresh and sweet!  I was trying to figure out what the edible soil is and was wondering if it was oreo or some chocolate bites.  But after a while, I didn't really bother because it went so well with the crunchy succulent lobster flesh, I would rather focus on enjoying the dish.

What can I say... perfectly paired!

My 2nd course was paired with Katnook Founder's Block Chardonnay 2013.  The colour was straw yellow with tinges of green.  You can get the attractive Chardonnay aromas of peach and nectarine, along with zesty grapefruit.  The subtle creme caramel and creamy notes add a lovely touch of complexity.  Appealing flavours of white peach, pear and citrus, with hints of brioche, highlight the elegant palate.  The mouth feel is subtly rich and creamy with elegant oak, enticing fruit and fine acid that is fresh and lingering.

My 2nd course was my favorite Pan Seared Foie Gras with butter toasted bread, beetroot puree, mix berries and spiced mango chutney.

I am pretty biased... as long as Foie Gras is served, you have my vote... lol.

The foie gras was nicely done, not too hard and it just melted in my mouth.  I cut a bit of foie  gras and put in on top of a bit of bread, and spread the berries and mango chutney on top of everything, before I put them all in my mouth.  That exploding mix of flavours and textures was just so unforgettable.

I wished for a second serving... lol

My 3rd course was paired with Katnook Prodigy Shiraz 2009.  It has a rich and complex array of fruit, oak and subtle maturation aromas.  Attractive raspberry and plum fruit with subtle liquorice, vanilla and light toast adds complexity to the fruit aromas.  Raspberry and plum fruit with sweet spices of liquorice and light pepper are a feature.  Subtle oak with fine lingering tannins are in harmony with the well-rounded palate structure.

My 3rd course was Smoked Tea Chicken Consomme with silver needle noodles, edamame, cilantro and black truffle.  I could smell that distinct black truffle when the server was walking near to my table.  I loved how the soup sort of cleared my palate for the main course.  It was a very interesting course as I had never tried such soup combination before.  It wasn't heavy compared to the usual cream based soup which are served in most European restaurants.  The kitchen team is so smart to come up with this course so that diners won't feel so 'jalat' or too full for the next course.

The soup went well with the red wine!

The main course was paired with Katnook Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon 2009.  Deep garnet, bricking; the bouquet offers dried leather, crushed leaf, ample fine-grained tannins and a long carry oak conclusion; drying out and despite the price tag, it should be enjoyed from release in the short to medium term.

If you like your beef to be chewy with substance, then this is a course you should not missed.  The main course was Onglet Steak with citrus lime crushed purple potato, jerusalem artichoke and perppercorn sauce.

The heavier wine was well paired with the equally dense beef

What an amazing wine pairing dinner so far!

All the diners got a surprise when the chef and his team pushed out an equipment from the kitchen and announced that they will be prepared the ice-cream for everyone on the spot.

We were all treated to a visual display of how ice-cream was created using this equipment!  It was pure entertainment for the eyes!

The dessert was paired with Henri Abele Brut N.V.  It has a medium-weight style, with an elegant mousse and a crisp structure.  Mental, lemon and apple notes interplay, and the mineral theme echoes on the finish.  It is subtle but persistent.

The dessert was 3 Textures Chocolate Bande with hazelnut mousse lines, rhubarb coulis and strawberry ice cream.  You have the best of both world when you get a dessert that contains chocolate and strawberry flavours.

I am a big fan of desserts and this didn't fail my tastebuds at all.  The cake was soft and moist as I sinked my teeth into it.

Nothing is better to finish the dinner then with champagne and dessert! 

I am so looking forward to the next wine pairing dinner at Portico Prime.  The date is not out yet though but probably it should probably be in December.  Meanwhile, do visit Portico Prime to check out the food and drinks menu.  Portico outlets are available for events as well.  Do contact them if you are looking for venues for special events.

Also, look out for the date on Portico Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/porticoprime for the next wine pairing dinner or join the newsletter at http://portico.sg/contact-us/ and get the latest updates for future events like this!

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Gelish Manicure and Classic Pedicure by Nailz Treats on 27 Oct 2016

It is always a joy to visit Nailz Treats for my gelish manicure and pedicure as I have so much to chat with the friendly manicurists there, on top of the great services Nailz Treats provide.  Not to mention... the massage chairs which customers get to sit on, enjoying an awesome back massage while getting our nails done.

It had been more than a month since I last visited Nailz Treats.  Since my previous gelish manicure has peeled off on some of my fingers, it was time to visit Nailz Treats again.  Nails Treats has many outlets and I visited the one located in Clementi Mall #04-14.

The nice welcoming decor

 These are some of the massage chairs which I am super in love with.  Getting a back massage done while beautifying my nails... multi-tasking at its best!

Get a massage when getting your nails done

 The manicurist worked on removing my previous gelish nail polish first.

Another manicurist worked on my toe nails at the same time so that my nails are ready at a shorter time.

Cutting dead cuticles away

Buffing my nail to smooth it out 

Pushing the cuticles back

Cutting the dead cuticles away

Scrubbing the dead skin cells away from my foot

my feet felt cleaner now!

The manicurist applied the first layer of base coat on my nails before the rest of the colours.

The other manicurist massaged my leg and feet to ease the tension away.

A second layer of base coat was applied as the design called for it.

This was the first time I see this method of applying shiny specks of silver colour on the nails.  All the manicurist did was to use a sticker like tape and go over my nails to create a glitter effect.

See how unique the nail design on each nail looked.  I like the fact that it looked clean yet with subtle glam.

The manicurist also did two different nailart design on two different fingers as well to complete the look.

Just look at the amazing nailart design!  It was so meticulously drawn.

My nails are so ready for Singapore Fashion Week as I was invited to attend some of the fashion shows.

I absolutely adored this set of nails as most of the nails had a clear base hence when the nails grew longer, it wouldn't be too obvious.  The silver specks add a touch of understated glamour, which went well with the black nail polish and the interesting intricate nailart design.

I am so in love with this set of gelish manicure with nailart!

There are a total of 4 outlets by Nailz Treats now and you can call them up to make an appointment to give your nails a special treat!

For the outlet in Clementi Mall, you can call +65 62623727 or sms +65 8522 6771.  The outlet in Clementi Mall offers manicure, pedicure, eyelash extension and waxing services, which means it is a one stop centre for your beauty needs.

Make sure you call to make your appointment to avoid disappointment as Nailz Treats outlets are pretty packed especially during peak hours.

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Makeup and Hairstyling Services at Kenjo Salon on 23 Oct 2016

I can always count on Kenjo Salon to style my hair beautifully whenever I have major events to attend.  When I texted Joseph, the owner of Kenjo Salon, that I will be attending Mrs Singapore QOS Worldwide International 2016 Grand Finale as one of the judges and asked him if I could drop by on 23 Oct around 1pm to do my hairstyling, he immediately said ok to me.

On top of that, he mentioned that Kenjo Salon has started offering makeup services to clients and invited me to try out the makeup services that day too.

Some of the photos which I had taken were without makeup.  Please pardon my pale face.  Hope it is not too scary for anyone.

Washing the hair before styling

 Look at how my beautiful personal hairstylist Soo Bin skillfully used two hairdryers to dry my hair faster.

This requires a lot of skills to handle two hairdryers

Once my hair was dried, Soo Bin proceeded to curl my hair using a flat iron.

After my hair was curled, Soo Bin did backcombing to give my hair some volume before she proceeded to pin my hair to the style which she has designed for me.

Backcombing in progress

Pinning my hair up

We were almost done.  Want to see how the final hairstyle looks like?  Continue to read my blog post then. ;)

Soo Bin working on the final touches

 After the hairstyling, I proceeded to the makeup room to get my makeup done.

The makeup artiste did contouring for me so that my features will be more prominent.

Highlighting and contouring 

Don't laugh at me... the makeup is not finished yet

After the makeup artiste finished contouring my nose, she proceeded to contour my cheekbones.

Contouring my cheek

See how my cheekbone popped out

The makeup artiste applied false eyelashes so that my eyes will look more defined.

Trimming the falsies to fit my eyes

 Once my eye makeup was done, she proceeded to apply lipstick for me.

Love the lipstick colour

She went on to apply a pop of colour on my cheeks to make me look radiant and healthy.

I think every girl needs blusher to give the cheeks some dimension

 If you are looking for a one stop venue where you can get your hair and makeup done, you can try the services provided by Kenjo Salon as the salon is currently offering both hair and makeup services at a package price as stated below.

This is how I looked like that evening as the judge of Mrs Singapore QOS Worldwide International 2016 Grand Finale.

I love the whole look!  How about you?

Kenjo Salon is located at 68 Orchard Road, #04-72, Plaza Singapura (New Wing).

Check out Kenjo Salon's website at www.kenjosalon.com for more details on the services it provides.
You can also follow them at the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/KENJO-korean-Hair-Salon-살롱-293791920773570/.  The salon also has an instagram account : @kenjosalon, where you can see photos of hairstyles created by Kenjo Salon.

To make your appointment with Kenjo Salon, please call +65 6238 8083.

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