saveur art, ion orchard

I’ll start off with the best photo in this series, to make a point – it all looks gorgeous here, but I feel like the flavor fell short of expectation (both from reviews and looks).

this is the upmarket version of the much-lauded saveur restaurant in bugis, which is known for low-priced french cuisine – I didn’t like that one either, and this place strikes me the same way: the prices are low for a reason.

I don’t doubt there’s a strong selling point in making what is a typically expensive cuisine more accessible for the masses, and the food isn’t so subpar that you wouldn’t eat it – but I do think the prices are low because the portions are small, and the flavors are muted just because there doesn’t seem to be much in there to provide that flavor you’d expect.

so, not bad, but I feel like the hype can be attributed to the lower prices more than the food – and if you aren’t restrained by budget so much, I would recommend going somewhere else.

becasse bakery, ion orchard

pretty darn surprisingly delicious brunch at the top floor of the ion orchard. this australian chain was brought in by jones the grocer – which I wasn’t too impressed by – and they share the same kitchen at their orchard premises. unlike jones, though, I was impressed by the food – and this makes one heck of a good option in orchard (where good brunch offerings are actually surprisingly few).