In the nineteenth century, it was a port that marked both the end and start of the journey of immigrants who sailed to seek new fortunes in Singapore. Fast forward to today, the port was revamped to become a classy dining destination called the Clifford Pier. 

With that provenance, local delicacies, naturally, take centre stage in the menu offered at the Clifford Pier. The menu is mainly made of $15 laksas, chicken rice and other local hawker fare which you could get for less than one third of the price in a real hawker centre. Which is also a reason why I have put on hold a visit to Clifford Pier for a long time. So this visit was made only due to a request by a friend whom I was supposed to treat.

Located on the ground floor of Fullerton Bay Hotel with high ceilings that gave the place its grandeur, the restaurant ambience was cosy and sophisticated without being intimidating. We were there on a weekday and most of the patrons were made up of the business crowd, tourists and occasionally the tai tai. 

Complimentary appetizing crackers helped to soothe the agony of waiting for our food to arrive. 

We took a two-course set lunch at $31 menu. Starters featured Kong Bak Bao, Satays, fried carrot cakes, rojak. We got the fried carrot cake which was surprisingly same same but different from the hawker centre version. The larger than usual carrot cake pieces were addictive and a burst of sweet and savory in every bite. I loved the full prawns that accompanied them. Give me this version anytime.

Instead of going for hawker cuisine for our mains, we got the lobster roll (+$15)  and the Porchetta (+$19). Ironically, a very Singaporean thing to do. Luckily the lobster roll did not disappoint. The lobster meat was tasty and succulent in delicious mayo that filled a well toasted brioche bun. 

As for the Porchetta, just skip it.

Service was very attentive without being intrusive. My friend accidentally watered a pot of hot water on me and the waiter dashed from nowhere to render assistance before I could recover from my shock. However, the same lightning speed cannot be said for the serving time. One bowl of Keropok is not enough to feed our impatience. 

Overall, we largely enjoyed our experience dining at the Clifford Pier.  It did certainly clear some of my bias of it being a touristy restaurant with the chi chi associated. I would say it's a decent place to bring a foreign friend to for some local food in a comfortable setting.

Address: 80 Collyer Quay, The Fullerton Bay Hotel, Singapore 049326

I woke up 5 months ago and suffered a serious case of writer's block which was beyond the capability of any prescription. While the blog took a break, my stomach never relented during the 5 months... The passion for eating never ceases. With the festive feasting came the mood to write again. I hope this bout of inspiration will last a while.

The Black Swan would be apt to mark the occurrence of this post. It's not as if the Art Deco style of the place was not enough to impress me, I had the Black Swan burger  which was one of the best that I've eaten so far. The patty was well seasoned and so soft that it melts in the mouth with the cheddar cheese and runny egg. Even the lightly buttered toasted buns which were crisped on one side and pillowy on the other were heaven on their own. I would have gobbled the burger as a whole if not for my petite mouth. The candied bacon was well caramelized and crispy. Everything was perfect at the Black Swan, from the food to the service.