Food Review: Western Food Series: Jack Place, Lenas, Fig & Olive, Fish & Co, Hot Tomato, Swensen, Earle Swensen, Manhattan Fish Market

Jthejon western food hunting adventure begin!!

First stop, Jack Place.

History of Jack Place.

First restaurant, which was called Cola Restaurant and Bar in 1967. The restaurant served the British and Commonwealth troops and their families residing in Sembawang neighborhood.

Mr. Say Lip Hai’s break came in 1968 when a British housewife tasted the steak prepared by him and suggested that he start a catering business in her husband’s pub in Killiney Road. Her husband’s name was Jack Hunt. Mr. Say agreed with the condition that he take over the whole kitchen operation leading to the birth of the famous Jack’s Place Steak House. Jack Hunt sold the business to Mr. Say in 1974 and relocated back to England.

Lobster Bisque $5.90,

Rich and creamy, lobster meat was fresh.

New Zealand Sliver Fern Farms Ribeye Steak $22.90,

A flavorful and juicy 180g of Ribeye steak. Opting for sauce and meat separated.

The sauce was just average, the steak was really good, and the side was just normal. The only bad was the sizziling hot plate that did not ‘sizzile’.

Slipper Lobster & Dory fish fillet Combo $25.30,

The Grilled Sipper lobster was fresh and tender. Best to mix with the garlic crunch on it as the lobster was tasteless. The only bad was the sizziling hot plate that did not ‘sizzile’.

New Zealand Sliver Fern Farms Lamp Chops $19.40,

Lamp Chops in thick cuts was tender and flavorful but i felt that it was lacking of some sauce. It will be better with some sauce on it.

Food: 3/5

Ambience: 3/5

Service: 3.5/5

For more information on the menu, do check out http://jacksplace.com.sg/ .

Second Stop, Lenas.

LENAS, a modern American Italian restaurant in Singapore under the MOF group (Ministry of Food).

Cesar Salad,

Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Hard Boiled Egg, Grilled Chicken, Salad Dressing.

Salad was fresh and appetizing. The sauce was refreshing and creamy.

Mixed Bruchetta,

Ingredients was fresh and good. Baguette was crisp, crunchy crust and slightly chewy in the center .

Hamburger Steak in Japanese Curry,

The Japanese curry was bad as it was not spicy and it was tasteless. The hamburger steak was overcooked and it became very tough.

Soft Shell Crab Aglio Olio,

Soft shell crab was really tasty as it was well fried, fresh, and chewy. Noodles texture was soft and springy. Well cooked aglio olio.

Mushroom Aglio Olio,

Mushroom was fresh and well seasoned. The mushroom sauce make the pasta even more tasty and fragrant.

Hawaiian Pizza,

Thin Crust pizza was a bit of soft and not crisp enough. The sauce for the pizza was a bit tasteless. But the ingredients was fresh.

Hoegaarden Fruit Beer,

The fruity beer was really good and the portion was huge!! It definitely worth the price.

Food: 3/5

Ambience: 3/5

Service: 2/5

Overall, the food quality was just average, but the fruity beer was really good. I don't mind just order beer and chill with friends.

Third Stop, Fig & Olive.

Fig & Olive serves casual Mediterranean food with flair. It has also been endorsed by the Health Promotion Board as an ambassador for providing healthy food.

Figo fish aglio $15.90,

Breaded dory fish served with aglio in tomato sauce.

Dory fish was a bit plain, over fried, and not so fresh. Pasta sauce was so normal.

Margribi Chicken Olive Rice $16.10,

Herbs Grilled chicken with Mediterranean style sauce served with olive rice.

Herbs was well blended with chicken. The chicken was tender and full of herbs aroma. Olive rice was too dry and plain.

Chicken Carbonara Pasta $17.90,

Herbs grilled chicken topped with bbq sauce served with carbonara pasta.

Similar to margribi chicken. Bbq sauce was normal. Cabonara sauce was too little and it was not creamy and slightly plain.

Grilled Chicken Carbonara pasta $18.90,

Grilled Chicken served with carbonara pasta.

Cabonara sauce was not creamy and slightly plain. Chicken was a bit salty.

Food: 2/5
Ambience: 2/5
Service: 2.5/5

For more information on the menu, do check out http://www.figolive.com/menu.html .

Fourth Stop, Fish & Co.

Fish & Co is a seafood restaurant located. Fish & Co. serves all food in a unique Mediterranean style - in a pan! This was an inspiration drawn from the simple practices of South African fisherman, who caught seafood fresh from the seas and cooked them immediately in the pan.

Mussels with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce,

Mussels was fresh and juicy. The homemade garlic lemon butter sauce was pretty good as it was quite appetizing.

Bombay Fish and Chips,

The fish was marinated with indian herbs and spices. The flavor was very strong and it was not that spicy.

Grilled Barramundi with Sambal Sauce,

The barramundi was fresh, soft and tender. But the sambal was quite salty instead of spicy.

Food: 3/5

Amience: 2.5/5

Service: 2/5

For more information on the menu, do check out http://www.fish-co.com/menu-item?page-id=1

Fifth Stop, Hot Tomato.

Hot Tomato Café & Grill is a lifestyle family restaurant, with the concept of fusing the charm of the Parisian sidewalk café and the tastiness of a specialized grill house with the best cuts and seafood catch.

Sirloin Steak & Aglio Olio,

I had the beef meat in medium. The steak was pretty good as it was fresh and tender. Aglio olio was just average.

Teriyaki Chicken & Aglio Olio,

Teriyaki sauce was a bit too sweet, but the chicken was tender and well grilled.

Food: 3.5/5

Ambience: 2/5

Service: 1/5

For more information on the menu, do check out http://www.hottomato.com.sg/about-hot-tomato/ .

The service was quite bad, the waiter first forgotten our order, second the waiting time for our food was very slow although the restaurant was only quite empty, third they over charged us!!

Sixth Stop, Swensen.

Swensen's has developed over the years to become a restaurant chain offering not only ice cream, but fun and friendly casual-dining with a wide selection of hearty food, desserts, beverages, ice cream cakes and takeaway novelties.

Mushroom Soup,

The mushroom soup was pretty good as it was rich, fresh and creamy. The bread was crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

Black pepper seafood pasta,

The black pepper sauce was too water and it was not that peppery. That's not much seafood in it too. Quite an disappointing dish.

Salmon Mushroom Baked Rice,

It was quite an awful dish. The salmon doesn't blend well with the mushroom and cheese.

Food: 2/5

Ambience: 3.5/5

Service: 4/5

For more information on the menu, do check out http://www.swensens.com.sg/main-menu .

Seventh Stop, Earle Swensen.

Earle Swensen’s, It's the fancier and refined version of the ever-so-popular Swensen’s, which of course comes with a slighter bigger price tag.

Earle's American Burger,

The american burger was pretty good. The beef patty was pretty huge and it was fresh and tender. The sauce in it was quite good as it was very appetizing.

Black Pepper Chicken,

Black pepper sauce was good. Chicken was well grilled and tender.

Banana Crumble with Butterscotch Syrup And Real Banana Pieces

Banana was fresh, and the crumble was soft and creamy. The vanilla ice cream was rich and creamy and it was topped up with banana sauce.

Food: 4/5

Ambience: 4/5

Service: 4/5

All mains at Earle Swensen’s now come with complimentary access to their salad buffet bar (also available a la carte at $13.90).

For more information on the menu, do check out http://www.earleswensens.com.sg/ .

Eighth Stop, Manhattan Fish Market.

Tuck into succulent and fresh seafood served in a pan inspired by the finest seafood restaurants found along Fulton Street in Manhattan. Try its specialty flaming seafood platter and watch as the prawns are being blow torched right before it's served to your table.

Grilled Dory Fish,

The sauce is really appetizing when coupled w rice, steamed carrots and veggie at the side. Peppery sauce is served along w the dish too for a heavier punch. The dory was fresh and soft.