Restaurant Review: 5 Senses

When you saw the title of the post, you may have wondered why I am posting review after review and no recipes. Am I changing this blog from a recipe blog to a restaurant review blog? The answer is NO!

If you follow me on my Facebook page, you probably know I was feeling a little under the weather for a few weeks, and the truth is that I am still not feeling myself. I did visit the doctor, and there is nothing to worry about - thank God! But I haven't had the energy to do much baking or cooking and I've been doing only what is absolutely necessary.

Thank you so much for all the messages, emails and wallposts asking how I am doing! It really makes me feel so good... Truly!

On to 5 Senses!

This was my second time at 5 senses. I must admit that my first experience was a very memorable one - but not for a very good reason. I remember going there with a big bunch of friends. I had taken my little girl along too. The food was tasty. The drinks were interesting. The service and ambiance were nice too. My only complaint was the portion-sizes. My 2 year old ate all my food! Seriously. I had like 2 bites and she ate all the rest. Now this place isn't cheap - and so I didn't want to order any more. So why was this meal so memorable? Because I left the place desperately HUNGRY! Not a good thing.

This time around, I kinda expected the same minuscule portions, but I am so, so, SO happy to tell you that I was wrong! This meal was one of the nicest I have had in a while!

Do you remember the chilly-lime drink I had at Dewberry's and how much I loved it? So, when I saw a Watermelon-Habanero Iced Tea on the menu, you know I just had to have it! This was a bold, spicy-sweet drink and I just loved it! All the other drinks seemed very nice too...

We also had some lovely focaccia (too soft and fluffy for me - I like my bread with a little bite - but still quite tasty), and some wonderful hummus (though I felt it could have been more lemon-y) and adorable baby pita bread!

The starters were really delicious - because we couldn't make up our minds, we ordered a Chef's choice platter and a Tapas platter. Everything I got to sample was delicious. Each dish was unique in flavor, the textures were spot-on, and they were absolutely perfect with their accompanying sauces/garnishes! My favorites were the smoked salmon-asparagus starter and the pork spare ribs! So yummy!

Apart from that, a friend ordered Spanakopita and the chef recommended a curry stuffed mushroom & some jalapeno fritters with a raw banana mousse and goats cheese mousse. My first experience with Spanakopita was not good, and so I really didn't expect much. I am so glad I was wrong again!

I. LOVED. EVERYTHING!

The mains were just as yummy!

The green apple and prosciutto pizza was just delicious! I loved the texture and flavors.

The ravioli was really interesting! I loved how it looked all deceptively cheesy. But guess what? It had a lovely hit of fresh, green chillies. It was not a combination I had tasted before, but I actually liked!

The pork chops were tasty, well-cooked and well-seasoned, but the stand-out for me on that plate was the side! It was a fluffy white couscous with cubes of ripe mango, cubes of semi-ripe mango and bokchoi! I had three helpings of that! Really awesome stuff!

The lamb chops were nice too, but nothing to write home about. :)

Because I am a total sucker for smoked salmon, the smoked salmon and asparagus pasta was one of my favorites! Just loved it and the combination of salmon and asparagus is just brilliant!

The only main I didn't enjoy was the lamb shank tagine. I found the flavors overwhelming and too Indian. Or maybe my palate wasn't responding well to all the spices after eating so much of non-spicy food. :)

Desserts are usually what I look forward to the most - and when I heard about the mango creme brulee, I was excited!

Sadly, that was the only let down of the day for me. In my opinion, a creme brulee needs to have that cracking sugar crust and this one had a few brown spots and no crack. It was more like a mango custard - tasty but not what I expected. It was served with a white coffee sorbet. The flavor of the sorbet was brilliant but I didn't enjoy the mango-coffee combination much.

The other dessert was a Callebaut Crostata with a Bailey's ice cream. The tart was molten and looked very appetizing, but the flavor seemed a little weak to me. Still it was chocolate, and I was in the mood for chocolate, and so I was happy to dig in. :) Definitely better than the mango dessert. The Bailey's ice cream was also a winner!

The ambiance of the restaurant is definitely worth a mention. The outdoor seating is lovely and would have been my pick if it wasn't for this awful, humid weather we've been having! The restaurant is lovely and the walls are adorned with gorgeous black-and-white pictures of some legends of cinema. Very classy! Who wouldn't want to dine with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck watching over you? :)

Overall, this was a superb meal, and I would be happy to go back again, and again, and again! And I am so happy to see the larger portion sizes!

For some delicious, creative food, head to 5 senses on KNK road! Definitely a must-try!

I'll be back soon with a recipe post! Thanks for being there for me while I've been away!:)