L*E*O*N*I*E (glycerine.multiply.com)

Cheers to fab finger food

ONE ROCHESTER
No 1 Rochester Park
Tel: 6773-0070

WHEN it comes to nightspots and food, it is hard to top the quality found at One Rochester. The sinful pork crackles ($15) is a tried and tested hot favourite among guests but it tends to be sold out early on weekends by about nine o'clock. And in a bid to market themselves as a gastropub, One Rochester are adding seven new items to their menu within the next two months.

A definite must try is the Rochester pappads with spicy avocado salsa. The crispy homemade seafood flavoured wafers make for a classier alternative to potato chips. Tofu lovers cannot miss the Yin Yang tofu. It is reminiscent of the Japanese agedeshi tofu but owner Cheryl Lee said that it was modified - their version is served with a black sesame dressing.

Deemed 'uniquely Singapore' by the Singapore Tourism Board, One Rochester is precisely that. What used to be an old colonial house is now a chic garden bar which smacks of local Peranakan flavours and the food fits right in - modern with an Asian touch.

QUE PASA
7 Emerald Hill Road
Tel: 6235-6626

FOR those in the know, Que Pasa and its sister outlets Ice Cold Beer and No. 5 down at Emerald Hill are famed for two things - pizzas and chicken wings. And for the prudent small eaters, like we all claim to be, you have been warned that one serving of each is usually not enough.

At Que Pasa, the signature Que Pasa pizza ($15) is a thin crust topped with sinful but delicious strips of bacon. Its thin crust makes it good for a light snack, especially for those who do not like their pizzas overpowered by the strong taste of dough. As for the chicken wings ($8 for six and $14 for a dozen), well, they have been raved about enough.

For extra variety, check out its range of tapas that includes meatballs ($12) and tomato bread ($6). After all the salt and oil from the pizzas and chicken wings, ease your stomach with a small platter of assorted mushrooms ($8).

Food aside, Que Pasa reminds one of being in wine cellar full of fresh smelling woods and an understated decor and although it is not exactly Spain, it can still provide a flavourful experience.

LOOF Odeon Towers,
331 North Bridge Road
Tel: 6338-8035

TO lounge at the Loof is quite the rage these days. Perched on the top floor of Odeon Towers, one of the best things about Loof is its location. Centrally located near City Hall, it is a convenient stop for those who work in the nearby business district.

Interestingly, Loof recently launched a new lunch menu designed to go beyond the usual wedges ($8) and calamari ($10). Thus, the new menu includes crispy baby squid ($12), crayfish ($14) and cannelloni chicken ($14). Still, the food needs a bit more work in the quality and taste department, but kudos to Loof for trying to make a difference. The spicy chicken skewers ($12) make a nice snack and any bar that tries to serve lamb racks ($16) as bar food deserves some applause.

At least, the newly concocted drinks scores some points. The Loof Life ($15), a combination of pineapple, lychee, lime and fresh mint leafs and the Aloof Iced Tea ($15) made out of peach schanapps, vodka with peach green tea and marmalade are so yummy that it earns accolades all round.

Q-BAR
The Annex @ The Old Parliament House
Tel: 6336-3386

THE menu at this newest bar on the block may look run-of-the-mill but don't be fooled by its seemingly predictable food. It's actually very good. Lovingly created by chef Jeffrey Choo who also helms the restaurant Six across the river, the menu is best described as bar food with a Japanese touch.

Homely dishes like their Q Bar calamari ($12) and crispy chicken ($10) are finger-licking good and the aioli (garlic mayonnaise) dip served with the calamari is just divine. Japanese foodies should try the soba inari ($6) which is an interesting change from inari with rice.

Q Bar, of Q Bar Bangkok fame, also stocks the largest selection of vodkas in Singapore, culminating in a staggering list of over 100 varieties. Located at The Arts House, Q Bar is a modern respite amidst the historical beauty and colonial essence of the Singapore River and is worth checking out.

BREEZE/BOLD
The Scarlet, 33 Erskine Road
Tel: 6511-3333

OVER at The Scarlet Hotel, you can choose between the chic indoor bar Bold or go al fresco at Breeze. Bold is gorgeously decked out in red and black whilst Breeze is simply an outdoor paradise. If there is anything that is to be said about these two places, it is that they get top marks for ambience and service.

Foodwise, there is not much to complain about. The menu at Bold comprises mainly an assortment of canapes, easy for snacking on. Items worth trying include the stuffed chicken wings ($12) and the cornet of tiger shrimps with sweet chilli dip ($12). Not so appetising is the crustacean bolognaise in miniature vol-au-vent ($12) - the dry pastry and nondescript bolognaise filling does not impress.

The dark horse is the warm open-faced ham with cheddar and banana ($12), one of the strangest concoctions for a toastie. The saltiness of the ham combined with the sweetness of the bananas makes it a surprisingly addictive snack.

At Breeze, the food is slightly more filling since it doubles as a restaurant as well. The lamb cutlets with garlic thyme ($30) may be slightly fatty for some but is tender and very tasty. Likewise, the Piri Piri king prawns marinated with paprika, bird's eye chili & olive ($35). If there is anything one must try at Breeze, it would be their nage of rubarb soup with frozen yogurt lemon balm dessert ($16). It is sweet, tangy, refreshing and oh so good.

WINE NETWORK @ DEMPSEY
Blk 13 Dempsey Road #01-03A

Tel: 6479-2280

ONE would hardly expect a place called Wine Network to serve anything other than good wine, but the food there is a surprisingly good match. The menu is an assortment of pizzas and finger foods which are easy to just pick up and munch on.

The baked NZ mussels with mozzarella cheese ($12) is the only disappointment, being too dry and bland. The grilled German sausages ($12), beef meatballs in tomato & oregano sauce ($12) and their range of bruschettas ($12-$14) are much better.

For the bruschettas, you can choose toppings like bell peppers and zucchini ($12) or mushrooms and basil pesto ($12) but if you are looking for something slightly more unique, try the cod fish & potato mousse with parmesan bruschette ($14). The beef meatballs are also good. Expect nothing fancy of course, since it is bar food after all, but the tasty meatballs served with crusty garlic bread is wholesome enough to make a proper meal.

Ambience wise, there is much to like about the Wine Network. Tucked away in the up and coming Dempsey area, the rustic wooden furnishings of the Wine Network blends in nicely with its surroundings. All that plus a nice chilled glass of white wine on a warm summer's night would be a welcome respite for anyone after a hard day's work.

VILLA BALI
9A Lock Road Gillman Village
Tel: 6473-6763

HIDDEN in the once sleepy corner of Gillman Village sits Villa Bali, a beautiful Balinese retreat. The interesting thing about Villa Bali and the food that it serves is that customers can order food from its sister food court, Villa Frangipani, just that the price is slightly upward-adjusted.

They offer a wide variety of choices from Thai food like pineapple rice with seafood ($9.50) to Italian like deep fried stuffed mushrooms ($8) and Indonesian barbeque like the japit goreng prawns ($20), most of which can be considered good when it comes to bar food.

The must try here at Villa Bali is the Indian food. The butter chicken ($20.50) is supposed to be a huge favourite - one taste and it is not hard to figure out why. Tender, creamy, sweet and salty all at once, it is definitely one of the best dishes at Villa Bali.

THE BALCONY BAR
260 Orchard Road #01-K5/02-03
The Heeren
Tel: 6736-2326

A 24-HOUR urban party pad in downtown Singapore should be a sure-fire recipe for success and The Balcony Bar down at The Heeren, seemed set up for that when it opened last December. The two-floor outfit boasts a cafe on the first level and a bar on the second complete with a hot tub for the bikini babes to take a late night dip in or alternatively to double as a cool extra table should the need arise.

The pseudo-moroccan design concept that it adheres to would probably appeal to a younger yuppie crowd as opposed to the professional executives with its huge day beds, soft lighting and swirling draping curtains. This is especially so considering that the bar food served at the 2nd level Balcony Bar is nothing more than ordinary.

Dishes like the karage chicken ($10) and the chicken chipolata ($10) taste like they were just bought from a nearby Cold Storage. Slightly better are the Balcony Toastee ($10) which is basically toast topped with crispy bacon, eggs, olives and melted cheese, the chicken meatballs ($8) and the calamari ($10).

That said, The Balcony Bar will launch a series of new snack items come August. New items on the list include honey prawns, shrimp toast and breaded chicken wings which we hope will tantalise our taste buds more.

We shall have our fingers crossed in the meantime.