Complimentary Desserts and more at Les Amis Group Restaurants

When was the last time you sat down for a great meal with your friends or family? With a hectic schedule, fitting in time for good food doesn’t seem to work easy.

BUT BUT BUT, it is important to preserve the ritual of a regular communal meal!

Here’s something to help you get rid of the “I’m busy” excuse. With any OCBC Credit or Debit Card, you get to enjoy a lot of great dining deals, including at the most popular restaurants under the Les Amis Group! With award-winning concepts ranging from top-notch restaurants to mid-market concepts offering a repertoire of cuisine such as French, Spanish, Italian and Japanese, Les Amis Group is undisputedly one of Singapore’s most well-respected restaurant groups.

It’s the first time Les Amis Group is partnering with OCBC Cards and these dining deals have been specially curated to encourage couples and friends to dine together. Why not arrange a date with your loved ones and make a reservation now?

JINzakaya

The retro-chic JINzakaya is tucked away in a pedestrian backstreet off Rangoon road. Disconnected from the tourist bustle, I did feel as if I was being transported back to old Tokyo train station taverns. Recently, JINzakaya has refreshed its menu. Apart from the mouth-watering yakimono, they also offer a variety of ramen, donburi, noodles and affordable lunch sets which start from a pocket-friendly S$15.

It was a girl’s day out after a busy work week, so diet was out of the question. We picked a wide selection of Yakimono to try, including Foie Gras (S$9.50), Tebasaki (S$2.50, chicken mid wing joint), Cherry Tomato Wrapped with Bacon (S$2.50), Shiitake Mushroom (S$2.50) and Asparagus wrapped with Bacon (S$2.50). Among the selection of yakitori, I liked the chicken mid wing that is smoky and tender; and cherry tomatoes with bacon.

Here are three recommended appetisers – Kanpachi Carpacico (S$16, thinly sliced amberjack with balsamic dressing), Jin Sake Harasu (fresh salmon belly with garden greens and drizzled with homemade ponzu dressing), and Fresh Handmade Gyoza (S$15). The pan–fried Japanese dumplings are bursting with juicy pork and garlic chives, and barely require the accompanying chilli-soy sauce.

Raindrop cake is one of the most talked about desserts and guess what, you can now enjoy it at JINzakaya! This Mizu Mochi (S$7) is served alongside soybean flour, red bean and a sugary syrup. JINzakaya is ideal for a fun-filled weekend with the family. Don’t forget to loosen up with a glass of sake. Kanpai!

Promo: Complimentary dessert platter with a minimum of S$100 spent, until 30 Apr 2017.

La Taperia

Located in the heart of the shopping district, La Tapería offers authentic Spanish signatures, affordable booze and spirited Spanish tunes. You can expect Spanish classics ranging from tapas to paellas, made with a myriad of ingredients flown in from Spain.

Tapas signatures include Gambas Al Ajillo which features juicy and fresh prawns served in a pool of sizzling olive oil, with lots of diced garlic and a bit of chilli pepper. Huevos Estrellados con Patatas Paja comprises a fried egg with ibérico chorizo, piquillo red pepper, mushroom and straw potato. The creamy egg with thin fries sealed the deal for me.

Apart from their Tapas, La Taperia is also known for their value-for-money set lunches that will not leave you full and satisfied. The Braised Lamb Shoulder from their set menu is fork tender and doused in sticky-sweet tomato sauce. Don’t forget to share some churros with your friends. These deep-fried doughy fritters go exceptionally well with chocolate sauce.

Promo: Free set lunch (U.P. S$35) with three set lunches ordered, until 30 Apr 2017

Peperoni Pizzeria

If you’re looking to enjoy a good pizza with a large group of friends without breaking the bank, Peperoni Pizzeria is the best choice. Famed for their 21” XXL Pizza (S$55, feeds 4-6 pax) served with an assortment of toppings, Peperoni is a great place to chill over wood-fired pizzas and traditional pastas. There is also no service charge and they absorb the GST at Peperoni Pizzeria.

They make their pizza dough fresh at each outlet and only make the pizzas upon order. Chefs will first stretch the dough by hand and add toppings before putting the pizza in the enormous wood-fire oven. Kudos to the crispy thin crust with slightly charred edges!

Popular flavours include Portobello Funghi Portobello, Verdurine é Funghi Rockets, Prosciutto Crudo di Parma (Pork), Prosciutto Cotto Di Parma and Margherita Mozzarella ‘di bufala’. We tried the Pancetta (Pork) pizza and loved how the richness of the egg yolk and tanginess of the sliced tomatoes balance the saltiness of the cured bacon. Combining two flavours into one pizza is allowed as well!

Peperoni Pizzeria has been working hard to perfect their very own recipe for deep-fried chicken wings which were recently introduced at their restaurants. Good news! You will be able to try it for free with every order of XXL pizza! The brand also made its way into the heartlands – late last year, they opened their 7th outlet at Upper Thomson. In addition, Peperoni Pizzeria also delivers direct to your doorstep within selected districts.

Other outlets: 6 Greenwood Avenue, Hillcrest Park, Tel: 6465 6556 | 7 Binjai Park, Tel: 6463 7800 | 95 Frankel Avenue, Tel: 6445 5661 | 56 Zion Road, Tel: 6732 3253 | 10 Biopolis Road, #01-01 Chromos Block, Tel: 6478 9091 | 267 Upper Thomson Road, Tel: 6509 1575

Promo: Free Deep Fried Chicken Wings (U.P. S$8) with every XXL Pizza ordered, until 30 Apr 2017. Promotion is valid for dine-in customers only.

Bistro Du Vin

From the furnishing and music right down to the convivial service style, the ambience at Bistro Du Vin offers a truly authentic French dining experience.

Focusing on an array of traditional dishes from France, the dishes are prepared with the freshest ingredients. Popular main courses include Braised Beef Cheek (S$35), Duck Confit (S$32) and the Char-grilled Australian 200 days grain-fed Angus Rib-Eye (S$46).

I particularly enjoyed the slow-braised beef cheeks that are deliciously rich in terms of taste, texture and aroma. Not forgetting the Iberian Secreto (S$38), a fantastically tender highly-prized cut from the shoulder. You can pair the meat with one of the four sauces – béarnaise, red wine, green peppercorn or mushroom.

Whenever I come here for a meal, I would always end off with Souffle au Grand Marnier. Souffle is any chef’s biggest nightmare because if it does not reach the table fast enough, it would deflate. The soufflé here is perfect as it is fluffy on the outside and moist on the inside. It has a mild aftertaste of rum, and I finished it within a few minutes! The restaurant also maintains a simple, friendly-priced yet comprehensive selection of French wines.

Other outlet: 1 Scotts Rd, #01-14 Shaw Centre, Singapore 228208 | Telephone: 6733 7763

Promo: Complimentary dessert with two main courses ordered, until 30 Apr 2017.

La Strada

La Strada is my favourite restaurant out of all. La Strada, which literally means ‘The Street’ in Italian, was inspired by the Italians’ love to socialise at the sidewalks. This homely ristorante is fitted with rustic décor, Tuscan wood panels, green awnings and dark colonial shutters.

You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to dining at La Strada. Be it pasta, poutry or seafood, there is something for everyone here. The appetisers already blew us away when we ordered Carpaccio Di Manzo (S$28) and Polpo (S$32). The former has got thin slices of beef, arugula and lemon with truffle dressing; while the latter is a huge piece of char-grilled octopus with tomato, basil and garlic.

To be honest, I was never a fan of cream-based pasta so I settled for Tagliolini Al Granchio (S$34), a flat pasta tossed with spanner crab, cherry tomatoes, white wine, chilli and garlic. However, Chef Dalton came out of the kitchen and insisted that I try their Carbonara (S$28). He was right, it was the best choice for that night. Carbonara may sound boring but La Strada’s rendition which comes with egg confit, truffle butter and parmesan cheese, was very well executed and accompanied by a generous amount of bacon crumble.

Mains got even better when the few of us shared a Cioppino (S$120). The fresh lobster, scallops and daily catch were such a treat. Another dish with bold flavours is the Ossobuco Alla Milanese (S$36), a dish featuring braised veal shank, saffron risotto and gremolata. Our dinner ended on a high note.

Promo: Complimentary dessert with two main courses ordered, until 30 Apr 2017.

For more dining deals, please visit www.ocbc.com/diningdeals

This post was brought to you by OCBC Singapore.