Valen(dine) Out

Take your Valentine’s date up a notch. From classy open-air bars to plate-smashing displays, Melissa Teh, Michelle Leong and Ng Yan Xiang show how you can make this Valentine’s Day one to be remembered.

Courtship – To Impress

Dallas Restaurant & Bar
31 Boat Quay
S049820

Tel: 65322131

Opening hours:
Mon-Thurs: 11:30am to 12am
Fri: 11:30am to 2am
Sat: 12pm to 12am
Sun: 12pm to 11pm

It is the first date and one is eager to impress. Think fancy set-ups, a sophisticated ambience and a hefty price tag.

Cue Dallas Restaurant & Bar, a hidden gem in bustling Boat Quay with wallet-friendly prices.

With its simple white exterior, it might be hard to spot the unassuming Dallas building among the many dining establishments along the Singapore River. The three-storey building consists of a bar on the first floor, a restaurant on the second, and balcony seats on the third.

However, its interior couldn’t be more different. Dallas immediately impresses with its plush chairs, wall-length mirrors and warm lighting, creating a cosy ambience in the main dining-area on the second-floor. A seat by the window offers a tantalising glimpse of the Singapore River.

To make this a night to remember, place a dinner reservation for the exclusive, Valentine’s-Day-only balcony seats on the third floor. You and your dinner date will be treated to an unobstructed view of the Singapore River set against skyscrapers of the Central Business District.

Dallas has a monthly set menu ($26++ for a two-course meal, $32++ for a three-course) that offers mains not found in its à la carte menu, such as the Chicken Schnitzel –– breaded fried chicken cutlet in mushroom sauce, served with generous sides of fries, peas and coleslaw. Deep-fried to a lovely golden brown, the chicken is tender and juicy, and goes well the mushroom sauce.

There are only three desserts on the menu. We recommend the Warm Chocolate Fudge Brownie ($10), served with Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream. The warm chocolate sauce was inlaid with tiny, crunchy chocolate balls. Each spoonful of the moist brownie left a bittersweet taste that was not too cloying. Lovebirds take note: the dessert, meant for one, is in a portion suitable for two.

Honeymoon Phase – To share an intimate moment

Professor Brawn Café
Novena Square
#02-78/79 238
Thomson Road
S307683

Tel: 62534650

Opening hours:
Daily: 11:30am to 9:30pm

Anyone wanting to marry the spirit of Valentine’s Day with a good cause will do well to consider Professor Brawn Café. It aims to work towards an unprejudiced workforce regardless of ability, age and social class.

From its logo fashioned after a school crest to academic text-inspired food menus, the team behind the café has diligently reproduced a scholastic theme, minus the stress. The chalkboard walls scribbled with fun facts also provide a cosy setting for couples with special campus memories.

A recommended main course is the Gourmet Sausage with Rosti ($14.90). The Swiss Cheese Pork Sausage is firm on the inside and the first bite introduces a hearty burst of cheesy flavour. The well-textured rosti is not too fibrous; making for a good combination with the sausage. Alternatively, the Prof’s Signature Fish and Chips ($13.90) features a crispy golden batter coated with herbs and spices that complement the juicy fish fillet without leaving a fishy aftertaste.

For dessert, the Oreo Cheesecake is a popular choice ideal for sharing. It features three layers of yummy goodness: a thin and delicate crust, a generous portion of rich cream cheese filling and a topping of Oreo cookie crumbs.

Long-Term Relationship – To Spice Things Up

Riders Café
51 Fairways Dr
S286965

Tel: 6466 9819

Opening hours:
Tues-Sat: 8:30am to 9pm

Valentine’s Day can often be a multi-course display of extravagance. A homemade picnic is a popular option to convey sincerity and an old-world romance. But for frazzled individuals seeking to recreate the experience without the fuss, Riders Café is an astute choice.

Tucked away in a discreet corner of Bukit Timah, amid lush greenery, the 60-seater evokes a simpler time of idyllic afternoons, finger sandwiches and English tea. Dark wood furnishings and a spacious interior complete the intimate atmosphere.

The menu is concise and features daily specials. The Caprese Bruschetta ($16) was a sublime pairing of crisp bread and a stomach-warming duo of tomato and mozzarella drenched in olive oil. Heaps of basil atop the pillow of cheese mix provide texture and a kick of pepper. But the true star is the House Truffle Fries ($10). The version served here is appropriately sinful without being greasy.

We ended on a sweet note with the highly recommended Death by Chocolate Cake ($13) – an enormous slab of fudge sitting in a pool of chocolate, and accompanied with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The 15-minute waiting time was quickly forgiven with the first bite – this dessert does not hold back on chocolate. The cake was dense without being dry. It was rich, luscious and truly to die for.

For those who fancy something more substantial, Riders Café also serves mains like pastas and burgers. The Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Compote & Maple Butter ($14) and Blackstone Benedict with Bacon, Tomatoes, Poached Eggs & Hollandaise on Sourdough ($16) are also popular brunch options.

For more Valen(dine) Out recommendations, grab a copy of the Nanyang Chronicle, Volume 20.7.