Red Baron

A little quaint cafe at Gillman Barracks, Red Baron is one of the newest additions to the booming cafe scene. From the people at Artistry, Red Baron takes on a more 'chill-out vibe' away from the heartlands and the crowd.

Offering a simple menu ranging from salad, sandwiches to pasta, the 20-seater stops their food menu at evening and serves beer instead - making it a perfect spot for chilling out during happy hour, or when work ends. The decor is simplistic with wooden tables, rattan stools and bricks all over - the perfect backdrop for that Instagram photo.

As mentioned, their simple 'made-from-scratch' menu is far from anything pretentious, hence don't expect to find truffle fries or eggs benedict on the menu. We had a go at the Caesar Salad which came in a generous portion of fresh greens, sprinkled with fried anchovies (yes, ikan bills), croutons and topped with a nicely poached egg. The dressing however, came off a little too garlicky for our liking and packed on a bit of a heat from the raw garlic.

We will definitely be going back for the Beefy Ploughman Sandwich, which came in a monstrous portion of freshly baked bread with striploin, caramelised onion, tomatoes and cheddar in between. We also hear that they bake their bread on-site daily.

The French Toast at Red Baron is something you won't want to be missing out on, especially if you are a huge fan of gula melaka (palm sugar). Brioche, caramelised banana, desiccated coconut - all drenched in a savoury sweet gula melaka sauce. If you are thinking of ordering this to share, we urge you to think twice. The flavours and textures were delectably enjoyable and the brioche (that's also baked fresh daily) was of the right thickness so it didn't turn out too soggy.

We also have to mention the fridge of cakes that's just beside the counter. With a selection of tarts and cakes, you can expect originals such as Blackforest Smores Tart and Toffee Crumble Cake - all baked in-house by their extremely talented pastry chef. We had a go at the Lemon Meringue Tart which had a fragrant buttery crust and the right amount of acidity in the curd.

The prices at Red Baron are fairly priced, especially if you are going to compare pricing to the art works at the galleries just beside. As of now, they do not have GST and service charge. Which brings us to the point why we are hesitant on posting this - because we know it has the potential to be the next hipster place!



Red Baron
45 Malan Road
Gillman Barracks
Singapore 108937
+65 6334 6734
www.facebook.com/redbaronsg


This was an invited media tasting.

Aquamarine : Mother's Day

They say mothers are gift from God, and therefore they deserve nothing but the best - that is something you can be assured of this Mother's Day at Aquamarine. Known for their sumptous spread of buffet line-up at Marina Mandarin, Aquamarine is taking extravagant one notch up this year for the special weekend with extra dishes on the buffet line including Lobster Popiah, Baked Jumbo Prawn with Sambal and Herbal Braised Duck.

Made a-la-minute by a chef on site, the Lobster Popiah is definitely the highlight of the Mother's Day spread. Seared juicy lobster de-shelled and rolled together with savoury turnip and fresh greens - simply divine.

Known for their spread of fresh seafood, one can also expect to feast on chilled prawns and scallops from the seafood section. The buffet line is almost never-ending, from cooked European food such as roast and pasta, to Japanese cuisine and local cuisine.

From the Japanese counter, prepare to feast on sushi made on site, as well as freshly sliced sashimi. We definitely like how there was an assortment of sushi and sashimi to choose from. The Japanese counter is one you should visit at least twice while dining at Aquamarine.

From the spread of local cuisine, be sure to head straight for the Chicken Rice, which was one of the favorites. A choice of roast or steamed chicken, the meat of the chicken was extremely tender and juicy and the fluffy aromatic rice accompanying it was simply delectable to the extent one serving just wasn't enough.

Of course like all buffets, the rule is to always save space for dessert. The dessert spread includes quite a handful of cakes and of course their famous Durian Pengat, which i shamelessly always go for multiple servings each time i am at Aquamarine. If you are a durian lover, remember to save a lot, a lot of space for many rounds of the Singaporean favorite.

The Mother's Day buffet spread runs from 9 - 10 May 2015 (Lunch) and 8 - 10 May 2015 (Dinner). We hear the tables are filling up, so it's best to make a reservation before heading down. And because it's a buffet, we can't help but emphasise - Sashimi, Lobster Popiah, Chicken Rice, Durian Pengat, and we'll have that on repeat please.



Aquamarine
6 Raffles Boulevard
Marina Mandarin Singapore
Singapore 039594
+65 6845 1111


This was an invited media tasting.