ニライ カナイ

My memorable meal at Mimigar some time ago left me craving for more, and it wasn't quite helping that I recently watched this movie titled Letters from Nirai Kanai. Last week, I found myself at Liang Court for another round of Okinawan fare.



Made to resemble a post-war Japanese diner, it's just hard not to fall in love with the rustic charm of this small restaurant located in the basement of Liang Court. Well separated cubicles provided some privacy for diners. Wine bottles with customers' names on next to the entrance were evidence of its strong following.







海ぶどう

An intersting appetizer that had the mild taste of raw seaweed. The vinegar sauce that came with it made the taste more rounded.



ゴーヤー チャンプル

The bittergourd dish here tasted drier than the perfect same thing I had at Mimigar. And it was also more bitter.



鶏もものごま味噌焼き

Tender chicken thigh grilled till faintly charred that went so well with the miso paste. The blackened leek wasn't that palatable unfortunately.



塩漬け三枚肉

I liked this one, fatty pork belly grilled to slight crispy on the outside. If that chunk of fat is too much you can take, some fresh lemon juice will definitely help.



やしそば

Rounded it off with cold noodle in a hearty sesame sauce. Soba was used for all the noodle items here, a refreshing change to the usual ramen noodles.











Although the bittergourd dish I had was quite a let-down, I very much enjoyed the other dishes as well the vibe of this little diner. That's all it takes to warrant another visit.


ニライ　カナイ　沖縄居酒屋
177 River Valley Road
#B1-01/02 Liang Court
6339 4811

Trattoria Gallo D'oro @ Central Mall

Central Mall, a place forgotten by many in Singapore. Although situated along the busy Clarke Quay river side, but the crowds seem to prefer the other side of the river. So what's nice to eat here? Well, we are here to try out this Italian restaurant which we have read about it in the media and on other blogs.



According to reports, the Italian chef here has previously worked at a local hotel. Bread was served and we were glad that they warmed it prior serving to us. We don't like cold breads.


Rather empty on a Saturday afternoon. But it's good to know that there are some places where you don't have to make reservations.


Free iced tap water from the restaurant.


According to previous recommendations, we had the Frittura di calamari (S$18) - Deep-fried squid with Tartar sauce and lemon. Good choice. Squid was tender and not those chewey type. Batter was crispy and we polished off the plate in no time.



Ordered Astoria Prosecco (S$14 per glass) & Peter Lehmann Chardonnay (S$10 per glass) to go with our Italian seafood lunch.



A rather large and hearty portion of the Minestrone del contadino (S$14) - Traditional vegetables soup. The soup was good, but a bit on the watery side. Would have been better if it was a bit more dense.



Carpaccio di manzo (S$18) - Thinly sliced raw beef with shaved Parmesan cheese, arugula salad and lemon. Cheese was good, so was the beef carpaccio.



Filetto di maiale arrosto (S$28) - Roasted pork tenderloin with Italian gravy, dry prune and mashed potatoes. Mixed review here. One find the pork a bit dry, while another find it juicy and tender. But overall, was quite well executed.



Another dish with mixed opinion. Foiade del Gallo D'Oro (S$20) - Homemade pappardelle pasta, with sausage and spinach. It may be too creamy for some, and that is why portions were kept small.



Ended our Saturday brunch with a Torta della Nonna con gelato (S$10) - Grandmother's custard cake with vanilla gelato. The Grandmother here is the chef's grandma. =)



Look out for this red wall entrance when you exit the lift from the car park.


Trattoria Gallo D'oro
7 Magazine Road,
#01-03
Central Mall