hotel
Showing posts with label hotel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hotel. Show all posts

[Hotel Review] Little National Hotel Sydney (King Room): Convenient Location, Smart Design

 

Little National Hotel Sydney is the #1 top-rated hotel in Sydney at TripAdvisor. Newly opened in 2020, we read rave reviews about its modern smart design and prime location. Not knowing what to expect as it was our first trip post-COVID, we decided to stick to a safe choice and booked our stay at this hotel for our 5-day trip. 


Location

Located right above the Wynyard Station and just minutes away from Bangaroo and the popular Circular Quay, we knew this was a great choice the moment we reached the hotel. Numerous cafes and restaurants are within walking distance, and Sydney's key tourist attractions were easily accessible by train. 



Lobby and Check-In

The check-in area is located on the second floor of the hotel. We checked in via the touch screen and it was a very seamless and fast experience. If you prefer the human touch, staff at the reception counter are always around to help.

Our card brought us directly to our room, and this feature made us feel safe in the hotel. 


Room

Overall

Admittedly, a tap on the room card revealed a room that was smaller than expected. However, the efficient smart design made all the difference, and all the amenities we needed were available in that cosy space.  


All rooms are fitted with a King-sized bed. As the end of the bed was by the end of the wall, there may be issues for guests who are taller. Nonetheless, the bed and pillows were very comfortable. With good soundproofing in the room, we woke up refreshed every morning. 




The rooms was equipped with black-out blinds, high tech tablets, a built-in Bluetooth speaker system and multiple lighting options. 

Something we liked about the room's design was how the TV was closely fitted in front of the bed, and we could just lie down to watch a movie or two before sleeping - pure bliss! 

Apart from free-to-air TV channels, there were free movies available, and the selection was generous and covered various genres. We managed to catch about one movie per night, each night.


The wardrobe space was relatively small, but it was sufficient enough for us to hang up a few thick jackets and other key clothings which we brought for our 5-day trip.


Bathroom

The shower and toilet area all fitted very well into a small area - another example of great planning. The hotel offered quality bathroom products from Appelles too.


Rooftop Lounge, Library and Bar

Something we also liked about the hotel were the rooftop lounge, library and bar which looked really welcoming. The lounge offered complimentary T2 tea and coffee, and the disposable cups meant that we could bring the drinks back to our room - something we did every night. 




If a quiet, private workspace is required, the library offered unlimited WIFI, USB and power ports, as well as a wireless colour printer. 

The rooftop bar was modern and welcoming, and if we had friends in Sydney, we would definitely invite them up for drinks.



Verdict

Overall, we loved Little National Hotel Sydney's great location, how modern, new and clean the hotel was, and were impressed by the efficient room/ bathroom layout. 

It offered everything that we needed for our 5D4N stay. The service was friendly throughout our stay too.

We would return, and highly recommend this hotel for short trips and even business stays. 





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[Review] Morton’s New Autumn Menu


Last Thursday, we tried out the new seasonal menu at Morton’s The Steakhouse Singapore, the establishment known for its legendary steaks. And I must say that we were pretty impressed by their new entries.


New Autumn Menu

Offering a plethora of exquisite fall aromas, we had the opportunity to savour hearty autumn dishes in the heart of our city. With robust flavours setting the tone, we were pleasantly surprised by two new premium cuts of Wagyu beef accompanied by decadent sides.


Appetiser - Burrata Salad

The first dish that we tried was the Burrata, Brussels Sprouts & Roasted Butternut Squash Salad (SGD $28++) and I must say that we enjoyed it immensely. This colourful composition was a healthy plate featuring the creaminess and richness of burrata cheese balancing the earthy flavour of charred brussel sprouts and roasted butternut squash. The salad was also finished with a house-made basil pesto, crispy prosciutto and toasted pine nuts.  A healthy option in a steakhouse!  I have a hunch that this dish is destined to be a fan favourite.


The Highlights - Wagyus

The hallmark of a good steakhouse though lies in its steaks and we also had the opportunity to try the Black Truffle & Porcini-Crusted Center-Cut Wagyu Filet (SGD $118++). As a very picky steak aficionado, we found this highly coveted cut simply divine and astounding. The Wagyu Filet was an impossibly tender and lean cut. Dusted with porcini mushroom seasoning and black truffle zest, broiled and topped with balsamic & roasted shallot butter, the indulgent steak was an explosion of deep intense flavours.


We also tried the  “Gold Label” Wagyu New York Medallion (SGD $138++).  Arguably the star of the show, the magnificent ‘’Gold Label’’  cut was simply broiled and finished with Morton’s signature au jus and features superior marbling, flavour and texture.  Both steaks were equally excellent, and the opportunity to savour both must have taken us to gastronomic heaven.


Sides - Gnocchi

To accompany the succulent steaks was the Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cream (SGD $18++), which served as a perfect side dish. We liked the rich flavours, creamy texture, and with just the right hint of lemon zest, it made for the ultimate comfort dish.


Dessert Trio

After a hearty main course comprising of top quality steaks, we ended off the dinner with a dessert trio featuring Morton’s signature Key Lime Pie, Chocolate Mousse and New York Cheesecake.


All three desserts were wonderful but special mention must go to the New York cheesecake. Probably inspired by crème brûlée, the richness of the cheesecake was made even more perfect by the texturally contrasting layer of hardened caramelized sugar.


Overall

Overall, we feel very blessed to be able to enjoy the new autumn menu at Morton’s and we’d certainly be back for more!


Morton’s The Steakhouse Singapore
5 Raffles Ave, Fourth Storey Mandarin Oriental, Singapore 039797

Tel: +65 63393740


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[Review] Sunday Brunch at The Knolls (Capella Hotel Singapore)



Recently, we celebrated our wedding anniversary at Capella Hotel Singapore, and this culminated in a leisurely indulgent Sunday Brunch at The Knolls.

Ambience

With an intimate and inviting atmosphere overlooking cascading pools and the South China Sea, The Knolls at Sentosa Island boasts a Mediterranean-inspired cuisine that sits in complementary contrast to the colonial Asian detail and classic antiques of its designer interiors.

More importantly, it was an enjoyable, memorable experience marking this significant chapter in our lives.

 

Food

The Sunday Brunch at The Knolls was one of the more lavish, extravagant ones that we have had the opportunity to experience and it certainly did not disappoint. We were welcomed by a very refreshing young coconut juice for us to savour before we started our epicurean adventure.

To start off, there was a surfeit of artisan breads and mini bites to choose, ranging from onion cheese rolls, raspberry muffins, cuttlefish ink lavosh, chilli crab puffs and yummy bread sticks. The appetizer selection also included couscous and smoked salmon for those who prefer healthier options.



Like a kid's first ever visit to a candy store, we could not help but try a bit of everything. The foie gras terrine with red wine, cherry, rosemary croutons, citrus crab ratatouille, assorted sushis, scallops topped with caviar were some of the notable delectable food that we tried.

But one of the highlights that deserves to be mentioned has to be the seafood. I am not too sure what garnishes were included in the lobsters but they were simply delectable and complemented the taste of the fresh lobsters immensely. So were the fresh oysters with a special dressing and the scallops topped with caviar.

The variety on offer was pretty outstanding. There was assorted sushi, sashimi, grilled meats, pasta, risotto but we did not manage to eat everything as there was just so much on offer and our eyes were certainly bigger than our stomachs in this case.


Another gastronomic delight worth mentioning is the A5 wagyu beef with a generous shaving of truffle, served specially by the Culinary Director of Capella (Chef David Senia) himself. Being the highest grade of wagyu, this slice was well-marbled, tender and almost melt-in-the-mouth. Simply divine.


Desserts

The pièce de résistance of the meal has got to be the lovely intricately handmade desserts which epitomise the hard work and immense dedication of the talented pastry chefs. It was quite evident that every dessert was intricately and affectionately constructed.




I am sure it must have taken a lot of inspiration, creativity, talent, hard work and culinary flair to craft. Word of advice: save some space in your stomach for the decadent desserts.

 

Overall

Some diners may find this a little pricey at $208++ per pax with free flow of Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose NV Champagne (or $128++ with juices and mocktails), but we feel that the value here is really in the astounding variety of premium quality gastronomic offerings and the overall experience.


In my opinion, the only detriment to the entire experience was that there was a lot of people. At this price point, one would perhaps expect a little more exclusivity. If you are looking for a fine dining experience with a little more exclusivity and perhaps something lighter on the wallet, then perhaps you may want to look elsewhere. However, having said that, there is always a reason why this Sunday Brunch is fully booked and there's lots of people.


The raison d'tre is that this is genuinely an all round high quality buffet experience, with arguably one of the most splendid platters of fine gourmet food. Also, the food is replenished pretty quickly so we didn't really have to queue for more than a minute.


Overall we feel that it is most certainly worth the experience, especially if you are a food afficionado who desires a memorable brunch serving tantalising seafood and gourmet meats to delightful desserts and pastries, complemented by the upbeat tunes of an acoustic band. We know we'll be back for sure.
 
 


The Knolls
1 The Knolls,
Capella Hotel Singapore,
Singapore 098297 
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[Review] Yan Ting @ The St Regis Singapore: The Place For Exquisite Cantonese Cuisine



Yan Ting is one of those dining venues that brings back a treasure trove of fond memories and finer moments. It is one of our favourite places to dine at on special occasions. I recall having celebrated my mum's 60th birthday here a couple of years ago. As a dining venue, this Michelin-rated dining establishment is the cornerstone of many other joyous family gatherings all year round.

It is indeed the ideal place to celebrate life in part because of its intimate, graceful and tranquil atmosphere, which is complemented by the uncompromising service standards of the St Regis.
 
The restaurant has been around for a long time and I reckon that it has not undergone much refurbishment. Nevertheless, it has aged well, like fine wine and still impresses with its artistically designed interiors with contemporary architectural and modern sophistication. The light tones and colour scheme of the furniture, tablecloths and other finishings brings a very tranquil, peaceful vibe to the restaurant, and an intrinsic sense of assuredness, both hallmarks of a fine dining establishment in terms of ambience.

On this occasion, we opted for specific items on the dinner ala carte menu, as we wanted to customise our meal and there were some favourites that we were keen to reminisce and re-experience.

For our starters, we had Yan Ting's Specialty "Kung Fu" soup, one of their signature, award winning dishes presented by their masterchefs. We had the Double-boiled Sea Whelk Consomme with Black Garlic served in Teapot (S$22++/serving) and the Double-boiled Oxtail Soup with Supreme Chinese Tonic (S$22++/serving).

Both were masterfully crafted and I would best describe it as an intense concoction that brings out the essence of each ingredient. It was served piping hot, with very strong, distinctive flavours from the sea whelk and oxtail and a lot of depth to it. We both enjoyed it but we wished that their portions were bigger. A few sips from that little teapot and it was finished. But what a beautiful, nourishing concoction it is!

Highly recommended for diners who need that extra nourishment after a stressful day of work. This is soup for nourishing the soul.

Another soup that we highly recommend is the Double-boiled Baby Cabbage Consomme with Matsutake Mushroom (S$14++/serving).

This is as authentic and faithful to the traditional cooking techniques of Cantonese cuisine as you can get and showcases the cooking excellence of their masterchefs. It is a simple dish, yet it does not taste too one dimensional. A perfect balance and harmony between the artisanal produce of baby cabbage and matstake.

We also ordered the Cantonese-style Stir Fried Venison with Black Pepper Sauce (S$22++/serving) which was both tender and succulent. 

As a dish, I think it is very underrated because the service staff probably would not recommend this ahead of the more mainstream meats such as the Wagyu beef and so on. But we liked it mostly because we got a bit bored of eating beef and not many restaurants are able to bring out the best in the venison meat. This is testimony to the fact that the exquisite Cantonese fine dining at Yan Ting can allure palates to satisfy even the most discerning gastronomes.  

One of Yan Ting's other signature Cantonese classics that we absolutely revere is the Crispy Rice with Alaskan Crab Meat in Lobster Broth (S$28++/serving).

Not many restaurants serve this dish and what we like best about this dish is the medley of natural flavours emanating from the diverse ingredients. It also tasted really nutritious and epitomises their unpretentious cooking philosophy of bringing out the natural flavours from the freshest of ingredients. The crispy texture of the rice also ignited a deeply rewarding contrast to the immensely flavourful lobster broth and crab meat.

Of course, every dinner/ celebration must have a sweet ending. For desserts, we had the Chilled Orange and Pumpkin Cream with Coconut Ice Cream (S$12++/serving) and the chef's signature Chilled White Sesame Panna Cotta with Red Bean Puree (S$12++/serving).

Both were fantastic, but I have to say that the panna cotta is certainly a trailblazer in terms of infusing a touch of Cantonese traditions in a typically Italian dessert.

Overall, Yan Ting has been one of our favourite restaurants to dine at and it is not difficult to understand why. Top notch service and excellent food always bring a smile to our faces. :)


Yan Ting
29 Tanglin Road,
The St. Regis Singapore, Level 1U,
Singapore 247911
 
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