Dining in a Michelin starred restaurant is not an everyday affair and it goes beyond the food experience (given the price of such meals are often not cheap). Even though I have only dined in a small number of Michelin starred restaurants, I enjoy the experience of having knowledgeable waiters share with you how each dish is meticulously created by the chef and the specially chosen seasonal ingredients. The climax then comes when each mouthful is a burst of flavours that are unexpected and bordering on inconceivable. Perhaps to justify the price, the duration of such meals are often longer than usual (~3 hours), hence it is often the dinner table conversations that complete the meal.

My itinerary for Warsaw came together really quickly (credits to D's super prompt turnaround on recommendations for edits + the perks of travelling solo) and in my research for food places to visit, I came across Senses Restaurant. I initially held apprehensions over dining solo in a Michelin starred restaurant - Would it be weird? What am I to do in between courses? Will I be judged?

Pushing those thoughts aside, I bit the courage pill and called the restaurant to make a reservation for one. During the call, the waitress asked if I was celebrating a special occasion. Not expecting that question, I responded with "well.. (thinks really hard)..it is my first time in Warsaw?" That literally came out as a question. Even though I am still embarrassed with my answer, now thinking back, this is a sign of good service, isn't it?

Back to the actual dinner. D and the rest of SG were asleep after I had found the restaurant and settled into my seat. Given that I was dining alone, I spent most of my time observing, reflecting and conversing with the waiters. Hence, I would like this post to be beyond the amazing food that I had tasted, and instead be about my dinner table reflections.

Reflection 1: A dinner table brings together a family of people. Take the time to enjoy each other's presence and to engage in meaningful conversation.

A well dressed family of three (father, mother and son) were in the restaurant when I arrived. One can tell that they are from the upper class given their dress sense and that their presence instigated a personal greeting by the head chef. They were perhaps regulars there. However, it was sad that during their entire dinner, the father was engaged on his smartphone whilst the son was either playing on his iPad Pro in between courses or gobbling down his food in order to earn his time on the iPad Pro. It is a pity to see that even though they are wealthy in material sense, that does not seem to extend into their relationship with each other at the dinner table.

D and I discussed this the next day, and I am glad to hear his views. Agree that it may not be easy to constantly be engaged in conversations with people that you meet everyday, but that should still not be a natural escape for one to prefer technology over the pure simple joy of enjoying each other's presence.

Reflection 2: Celebrate good meals beyond your other half and family. Do it with your friends, especially the ones that you hold dear to.

There was a table of two ladies sat diagonally across me. Whilst I did not know their story, it was clear that they were there for a celebration. Fine dining is probably not something they do often. Well, just based on my sense, really. This sight made me think about the meals that I have with my best friend, G. We often enjoy indulging in meals, creating occasions deserving of a celebration. And given that work has now pretty much taken over our lives, we eat well beyond just for occasions. That said, I do miss our weekly or bi-monthly dinner catch-ups now that I am here in Poland, even though I still do enjoy pretty good meals and with a mix of different people.

D and I both hold our friends really dear to our heart, and I think that is something that will not change over time.

Reflection 3: It is endearing to see old couples sharing conversations lovingly, giggling over each other's jokes and genuinely enjoying each other's company.

There were a few tables with old couples and it is indeed heartwarming to see how they still treat each other with that much love, patience and kindness. They probably fulfill the definition of what our generation would call #relationshipgoals. I believe that this is something we are no stranger to. Knowing is one thing, executing is another. And for sure, this is something we are constantly working on and I hope that you readers also share the same goals with your other half!

Senses Restaurant's version of a bespoked cocktail -
A mix of passion fruit, lychee, Belvedere vodka, vanilla and two other ingredients which I can no longer recall.

A fancy bread platter to kickstart the meal.

Senses is out to surprise you with what is not shown on the menu.
The first amuse-bouche served to tickle the palette.

And then the second amuse-bouche served.

No, it does not end with two or three..

Just as you start craving for more, this is the last amuse-bouche served.

First course of the degustation menu: Sea Trout - Cucumber Salad - Cultello

Second course of the degustation menu: Pierogi Ruskie - Red Prawn - Smoked Cream

Third course of the degustation menu: Pork Cheek - Tomato - Pea - Black Caviar - Herbal Ricotta

Fourth course of the degustation menu: Seafood - Goulash - Lard - Yuzu - Rapini

Fifth course of the degustation menu: Beef - Polish Korma - Leek - Potato - Mushrooms - Artichoke

Sixth course of the degustation menu: Apple Pie

The meal does not end with one dessert, or two, or three, but at least six to ensure you leave satisfied.

A creative and meticulous creation, which leaves one craving for more.

Yes, another dessert and the meal is not ending.

Just when you think the surprise is over, Senses tops it up with a dry ice on 2 more desserts,
which leaves the rest of the customers in the restaurant wondering.

A "cigar" to end the meal. Nicely smoked and beautifully put together.
You would think you are having a cigar, but truth is, this is a lot healthier on the lungs!

To the next foodie adventure.

xx,
L

Wished you had a go-to place in a neighboring shopping mall you could head to whenever you are too lazy to cook? An affordable place with no need for pretense or a spot for casual communal gatherings? MEET Dining might just be that place for you if you happen to be in the Farrer Park vicinity!

We were recently invited to a media tasting event at MEET Dining in City Square Mall. "Meet" is a Japanese-French fusion restaurant which aims to serve quality food at an affordable price. From my understanding, this is a play on the actual word "meet" - a place where people gather, and a phonetical play on the owners' focus on "meat" specialties.

MEET Dining shared two of its specialties from their menu for this tasting event.

MEET's menu boasts a wide selection of seafood, meat cuts and craft beers. On this occasion, the team specially prepared two of their specialties, the Mussel, Prawn, Garlic Pan and Beef Tenderloin. For now, alcohol is served in bottles, but the owners have plans to bring in wines by the barrel and draught beer in the near term.

MEET Dining's Mussel, Prawn and Garlic Pan (S$20) is accompanied with a mushroom risotto.

My favourite dish goes to the Mussel, Prawn and Garlic Pan, accompanied with a mushroom risotto. This was nicely cooked with white wine and garlic cloves, bringing out the good fresh flavours from the mussels and prawns. Served on a metal skillet, this dish remained warm throughout dinner. The mushroom risotto was moist with generous servings.

MEET Dining's Beef Tenderloin (S$28) served medium rare.

The beef tenderloin was well seared and true to its medium rare preparation, served with a pinkish-red core. However, a good cut of steak should always be served on a hot plate to best retain heat, with due planning and consideration given to not overcooking the meats.

Be sure to check MEET Dining out the next time you are in the area and let us know what you think!

xx,
L

In a blink of an eye, we bode 2016 farewell and welcomed 2017! Looking at our archives in this space, I realised that it had been exactly a month since we updated our blog. Incredibly, so many events, experiences and memories have been forged between D and myself in this short span of time. In summary, there was our first Christmas celebrated together as a couple, our first holiday getaway (Vietnam), our first New Year's countdown and our second holiday getaway (Thailand). As this blog was founded on documenting our stories on travels, food and lifestyle, that in itself creates quite a backlog for our blogposts. Breathe L...Slowly, we will get there. On the bright side, I am really proud of how we have been consistent on sharing about our lives, travels and favourites on Instagram. :)

For all things important that happen for the first time, there is often the process of seeking an understanding of how it used to be done, and subsequently, establishing your own rules and boundaries. This is nonetheless true for our first Christmas celebration. Christmas 2016 was celebrated amongst our friends, coordinating schedules so that we could attend our respective gatherings together. D cooked up a feast for his family, and not forgetting our own mini celebration as a couple. All in all, it was a 4-day affair, which I am glad that we had so much good fun, created bonds with each others' friends and now have fond memories of.

Celebrating our first Christmas at Monti Singapore.

Kickstarting our Christmas celebrations was a gathering with D's Cambridge University friends at Starkers' Bistro Katong on Friday evening (23 December). On our way to dinner, one of D's close college mate, T, dropped D a text asking him to drop by his place. The text sounded pretty important and needed to be talked through face-to-face, hence we took a detour to T's place, and sent our apologies for a late dinner arrival. When we arrived at T's place, we found out that T was now engaged with his longtime girlfriend, P, with whom D had been instrumental in setting up! P was flying back to London that night and the couple had wanted to ask D physically to be one of the three groomsmen for the multi-city weddings, which D can't be more excited for. 

After dinner, we celebrated T's engagement with cocktails and desserts at Baba Chews. We would recommend a visit to Baba Chews if you enjoy your cocktails strong.

Celebratory drinks at Baba Chews

On Christmas Eve, D spent the day visiting the meat grocers and prepared a beef roast feast for his family, while I joined my close friends from secondary school and their families for a homely gathering.

D's Annual Christmas roast

On Christmas Day, we visited Marina Barrage for our first picnic and kite-flying experience. We stocked up on a good variety of fruits from the supermarket, bought some Italian food takeaway, and D brought along some refreshing Pimms, adding a booze to this joyous occasion.

Marina Barrage: Our picnic spread

Our kite-flying experience was a great one! D is secretly a pro at handling kites - trust his engineering degree came in handy, even though we ended our session with some tangled strings.

Marina Barrage - Our first picnic and kite-flying experience

For dinner, we headed to my best friend's place for a gathering with the rest of the girls and their plus ones. It was jolly affair over food, drinks and the annual Christmas gift exchange!

On Boxing Day, it was finally our celebration together! A mini reservation mishap led us to a hidden gem - Monti Singapore, an Italian restaurant located at the pavilion right beside the Fullerton Bay Hotel. The restaurant can be recognised by its iconic dome and is situated along the waters of Marina Bay, making for outstanding views of the Marina Bay Sands and its surroundings. We had a fantastic dining experience, beyond satisfied with both the service and food quality. We did a fair bit of research on the food reviews and would recommend the following dishes that we had tasted. Perhaps because the restaurant is fairly new, there was only a small crowd at dinner time. The ambience makes a great hide-out from the city's hustle and bustle. We highly recommend a visit here, before this place gets popular with local foodies!

Antipasti Di Terra (Appetiser): Carpaccio Di Vitello Contartufo
Tajima wagyu beef carpaccio / Caramelised pear / Truffle / Parmigiano region / Rocket

Primi Di Terra: Invertiti
Ravioli filled with braised veal ossobuco / Cream of bone marrow / Lemon zest / Parmigiano Regiano

Il Pesce: Signor Monti
Monkfish wrapped in Italian bacon / Spring-time ratatouille / Rosemary sauce

Dolci: Rosmarino E Caffe
Pannacotta / Crunchy almond chocolate tuile / Vanilla sauce

Looking forward to our next festive celebration together!

xx,

L