Christmas Dining at Quayside Isle

*Tis the season to be jolly, Fa la la la la, la la la la ~* Christmas is just around the corner and we’re in the mood for great food and new experiences. If you have not yet made any plan, celebrate it at Quayside Isle and make your Christmas even more special this year. In hearty celebration of the festive season, many of the F&B outlets at Quayside Isle have created menus that tastebuds will sing for with resounding joy.

In this post, let me share with you the Christmas offerings for Blue Lotus – Chinese Eating House, Brussels Sprouts – Belgian Beer & Mussels, Cove Stadium, Picotin Express, Quayside Fish Bar & Bistro, Sabio by the Sea, Tapas Bar & Grill, Saint Pierre. There is no better way to enjoy Christmas than having impeccable food with a gorgeous view of the marina.

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Sabio by the Sea, Tapas Bar & Grill Unit: #01-02 Tel: 6690 7568 Website: www.sabio.sg/bythesea Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 12pm – 10pm; Friday & Saturday 12pm – 12am; Sunday 10.30am – 10pm.

Sabio by the Sea, Tapas Bar & Grill is one of my favourites as they do excellent grilled meats along with an array of traditional tapas and a large selection of Spanish wines and beers. Of course, the laidback and spacious interior with an expansive view of the marina are keys to a leisurely enjoyable Spanish lunch.

Revel in Spanish classics when you partake of Sabio by the Sea’s festive brunch (Adults 78++; Kids $48++, only on 25 December 2014 & 1 January 2015) or festive dinner set at $58++ per pax.

We start with a great variety of starters such as serrano ham, salmon rillette, chicken garlic & queso cheese and grilled mussels, anchovy and pimentos olives etc.

Tapas I recommend include classics such as Gambas Al Ajillo, plump and fresh prawns served sizzling in olive oil with some garlic and chilli to give it a lovely kick. I also love the beef meat balls which are covered with lightly spiced tomato sauce. The beef balls are huge and tender, with perfect bite.

The meaty texture of the whole chargrilled tentacle is another clear winner. Lying on a bed of purple sweet potato, the octopus was incredibly tender and flavourful. I thought it would be chewy, but no I was wrong.

You can order a variety of tapas and share with your friends as you enjoy the great scenery. And vegetarians, do not worry, the festive menu has a good number of vegetarian tapas such as caviar of eggplant, traditional potato and onion omelette, fried potatoes with garlic mayo and more that ensures you can dine with your carnivore friends and still have a good time.

Spanish food appeals to me on so many levels. Besides tapas, I also love their paella. I had the seafood paella which was loaded with prawns, mussels, clams, and peppers. The rice was very flavourful with the saffron coming through beautifully and the seafood was not over cooked. I especially liked the caramelised bits of rice at the bottom of the pan. And that smell—that wonderful, hearty aroma emanating from the pan.

Since I always have room for dessert, I ended the meal with churros – the Spanish style doughnuts – dipped in warm chocolate. Oh so delicioso!~

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Picotin Express Unit: #01-06 Tel: 6438 4747 Website: www.picotin.com.sg Opening hours: Monday to Friday 5pm – 11pm; Weekends and Public Holidays 12pm – 10pm. For this Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day 12pm-10pm.

Well known for its laidback vibe and assortment of rustic European dishes, Picotin Express offers a traditional Christmas experience during this period. From 12 to 31 December 2014, the bistro will be offering Christmas Blackboard specials featuring traditional European dishes enjoyed during the yuletide season.

We tried 2 of the Christmas specials which include the Potato Rosti ($19++) with smoked salmon and horseradish cream. The thick rosti deep fried till golden and crispy. Drizzle some lemon on it and enjoy! Other starters include Split Pea and Ham Soup ($15++) and Country Pate with Gherkinds and Pickled Onions ($19++).

Much more deserving of praise is the Lamb Rack ($35++) served with swede and carrot gratin on a bed of french beans. Crispy skin, rendered fat and pink meat on the inside. If you are not a fan of lamb, Picotin Express also offers Honey Glazed Ham with seasonal vegetables ($28++) or Roasted Turkey Breast ($28++) with chestnut stuffing and cranberry sauce.

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Quayside Fish Bar & Bistro Unit: #01-11 Tel: 6268 8633 Website: www.qsfishbar.com Opening hours: Monday 5.30pm – 12am; Tuesday to Thursday 12pm – 12am; Friday and Eve of Public Holidays 12pm – 1am; Saturday 10am – 1am; Sunday and Public Holidays 10am – 12am.

Designed to have a casual boardwalk vibe and matched with the freshest produce, Quayside Fish Bar & Bistro has a reputation for producing great seafood lunches and dinner. Their seafood is air flown on the day itself, you can pick your favourite item, choose how you’d like it done and pair with their fine selection of wine. They also provide fresh seafood retails if you wish to bring home some fresh fish or seafood for a home-cooked meal.

Three-course Christmas Set Lunch ($69++ per person) includes dishes such as Butternut Squash with Porcini Emulsion and Lumpfish Caviar; Baked Herb Spiced King Seabream; Dark Chocolate Mousse.

Christmas Set Dinner (four-course $109++; five-course $119++) includes Smoked Rainbow Trout, Sous Vide Wagyu Ribeye and Pan Seared All-spice Swordfish Steak.

Who can deny the appeal of having seafood right on the marina? I love their Baked Herb Spiced King Seabream drizzled with buttermilk fluid gel, sweet tomato smoked chipotle relish and roasted celeriac. Alternatively, the Pan Seared All-spice Swordfish Steak is another recommended choice. It comes with butter poached squash, freeze dried coconut crumbs and feijoa emulsion.

Quayside Fish Bar & Bistro’s food presentation wins hands down. The beautiful plate of dark chocolate mousse with hazelnut sponge and milk chocolate glaze is very good! This indulgent bittersweet dessert has such deep chocolate flavour and rich consistency, which is perfectly balanced with mixed berries sorbet and passion fruit powder.

Come on down to Quayside Fish Bar & Bistro with your friends and family to enjoy their Christmas Set Lunch and Dinner by the scenic waterfront. Available from 1 to 31 December 2014, all Christmas set menus are served with a complimentary glass of Black Cottage Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir or Prosecco.

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Blue Lotus – Chinese Eating House Unit: #01-13 Tel: 6339 0880 Website: www.bluelotus.com.sg Opening hours: Monday to Friday 6pm – 10pm; Saturday and Sunday 11.30am – 3pm and 6pm – 10pm. For this Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day 6pm-10pm.

Blue Lotus is the first Asian addition to the Emmanuel Stroobant Group. Its interior has a contemporary Chinese design, complete with lantern-like lights and Zen-like furnishing. The casual dining restaurant serves traditional Chinese dishes and a wide selection of noodles, seafood and roasted meats.

Celebrate an oriental Christmas over dinner at Blue Lotus – Chinese Eating House, available with a minimum of 10 people in attendance. Great for family and company dinners, choose from two set menus: 7-course Set at $58++ per person ($48++ per person if more than 30 pax) or 10-course Set at $88++ per person ($78++ per person if more than 30 pax).

Inspired from Chao Tom (Vietnamese grilled shrimp oh sugar cane), Blue Lotus’s prawn balls (ala carte $16) are wrapped around lemongrass instead. The prawns are minced by hand manually. I like that the lemongrass gives the prawns a juicy and lightly sweet flavour. Pair it with the citrus spicy sauce for that little kick.

One memorable dish from Blue Lotus is Chef’s Special Gong Bao Chicken with dried chilli & cashew nuts (ala carte $30). Lemon juice is used instead of the usual vinegar. What you get is a more refreshing touch to the dish. I like how this restaurant comes up with creative ways to cook these traditional Chinese dishes.

New in the menu is Poached Live Prawns with Chinese wine & herbs in claypot (ala carte $36). Fresh prawns are cooked with herbal wine and the chef’s secret herbs in stock, and you get a really wicked concoction. The prawns were fresh and succulent; the soup was light with a hint of herbal taste. The herbs did not overpower the soup, as the sweetness of the prawns was evident in the soup too.

Festive menus are available from 1 to 31 December 2014, between 6pm-10pm. Reservations are required 2 days in advance.

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Brussels Sprouts – Belgian Beer & Mussels Unit: #01-01 Tel: 6684 4344 Website: www.brusselssprouts.com.sg Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 5pm – 11pm; Saturday & Sunday 12pm – 11pm. For this Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve 5pm – 1am, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day 12pm – 11pm.

If you wish for a Belgian Christmas celebration, visit Brussels Sprouts as they offer a range of Christmas specials with a touch of Belgian creativity available from 22 November to 1 January 2015.

Enjoy specially designed items like Saumon Fume Tiede ($18) – warm salad of smoked salmon, frisee, snow pea, micro cress with truffle oil dressing.

There are two main dishes available – Soupe de Coquillage au Saffran ($28) and Boudin de Noel ($32). We picked the former which is mussel and clam soup with saffron chervil and crème friche. The mussel and clam soup is full of warm flavours and interesting textures.

My favourite is the Mousse Au Chocolate et Massepain ($14). Deliciously rich belgian chocolate mousse with such a cute star shape homemade marzipan.

Prices quoted are ala carte pricing. Alternatively, you can order a three-course set (salad, one main and dessert) at $55++.

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Cove Stadium Unit: #01-04/05 Tel: 6734 0530 Website: www.covestadium.com.sg Opening hours: 12pm to 1am daily

We absolutely adore the interior of Cove Stadium with its open and spacious interior, coupled with a clean modern industrial look. This unique sports bistro bar offers a four-course all day dining Christmas set menu ($48 nett) from 15 to 28 December 2014.

Our Christmas set menu started with Smoked Duck Salad – a gorgeous festive starter that combines walnuts and raspberries. Following that, we were served a smooth and creamy Leek and Potato Soup.

For the mains, we can either pick Butter Roasted Turkey with homemade sage and onion stuffing or Grilled Salmon Fillet with butter mash and snow pea. I like the grilled salmon more as it is more tender and flaky.

For dessert, choose from traditional Christmas pudding cake with brandy sauce or christmas log cake. While enjoying these Christmas sets, sports fans can also catch the latests matches with a group of friends!

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Saint Pierre Unit: #01-15 Tel: 6438 0887 Website: www.saintpierre.com.sg Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 5.30pm – 12am; Weekends and Public Holidays 11.30am – 3pm and 5.30pm – 12am. For the festive month of December, they are open from Monday to Sunday and on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve 5.30pm – 12am, Christmas Day 11.30am-3pm, New Year’s Day –Closed.

For that one-of-a-kind Christmas affair, Saint Pierre, with its unsurpassed flair and elegance will be the choice venue. Chef Emmanual Stroobant has crafted three exquisite menus for celebration. On Christmas Eve, a lavish 8-course dinner priced at $158++ per person awaits. On Christmas Day, enjoy a sumptuous Christmas Day Roast at $88++ per person. Saint Pierre will also be offering a festive takeaway menu from 1 to 31 December 2014.

We started with Home-smoked Salmon ($180/kg min. 100g) with cream cheese, chives, organic lemon on sourdough. Black Truffle Marbled Foie Gras Terrine ($280/kg min. 100g) is firm and does not fall apart, allowing clean cuts of meat and a tidy presentation. Finally I meet the man himself! *screams*

Among Chef Stroobant’s dishes, I thoroughly enjoyed the Braised Beef Short Rib on the Bone ($98/kg min. 4pcs). Braised for 48 hours with ginger, garlic, shallot and rendang spices, the meat is cooked perfectly – tender without losing its shape and marbled with fat that gives it great flavour. Pair it with Truffle Mashed Potato (S$25/250g) as one of the sides.

Grandma Stroobant’s Flourless Chocolate Cake ($65++/kg min. 1kg) is exactly what you would expect in a dense chocolate ganache. Chocolate cake lovers can indulge without feeling the guilt.

Other takeaway desserts include Organic Date & California Raisin Pudding ($65++/kg min. 1kg) and Pavlova Meringe with Vanilla Cream and Fresh Berries ($65++/kg min. 1kg).

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It is not difficult to come here. A free shuttle service is available for the public within Sentosa. Just hop onto bus number 3, available between 8am and 10.30pm daily with 30 minutes interval, from Beach Station Bus Interchange and alight at W Hotel, which is a 1 minute walk to Quayside Isle. If you are driving, you get to enjoy free weekday lunchtime parking from 12pm to 2.30pm at Quayside Isle.

From 14 November to 31 December 2014, be rewarded when you celebrate at Quayside Isle. Simply spend $150 in maximum of two same-day receipts (one of which has to be from a dining outlet) and be one of the 20 lucky winners to receive $300 worth of Quayside Isle vouchers and a mini hamper from Little Provence. UOB cardmembers only need to spend $120 to qualify.

Visit www.quaysideisle.com for more information.

There will also be an Instagram contest going on! Simply take a photo at Quayside Isle, with hashtag #quaysideisleuob and 3 lucky winners will stand a chance to win $200 worth of Quayside Isle vouchers!

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Here’s the directory for your reference:

FOOD & BEVERAGE BLUE LOTUS − CHINESE EATING HOUSE • BRUSSELS SPROUTS – BELGIAN BEER & MUSSELS • COVE STADIUM • EARL OF HINDH • KITH • MISKA CAFÉ • MUSEO • MYKONOS ON THE BAY • NOTE DI SICILIA • OYSTER BAR & GRILL WHARF • PARADISO RESTAURANT & BAR • PICOTIN EXPRESS • QUAYSIDE FISH BAR & BISTRO • SABIO BY THE SEA, TAPAS BAR & GRILL • SAINT PIERRE • SOLEPOMODORO TRATTORIA-PIZZERIA

SPECIALTY STORES & SERVICES EASYCLEAN LAUNDRY • HEALTHCARE MEDICAL @ SENTOSA • HERA BEAUTY SALON • JASONS THE GOURMET GROCER • LITTLE PROVENCE • PETPAWRONI • QUAYSIDE ISLE PREPARATORY SCHOOL • THE GOOD SOLE • THE STRAITS WINE COMPANY

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This post is brought to you by Quayside Isle. Visit www.quaysideisle.com for more information.