sometimes we just don't feel like paying extra (for view, ambiance, decor or mall realty) besides good food & decent seating. so this day we wandered around the eating neighborhoods between k11 & isquare & stumbled on this below ground lunch place.
1st, this place knows & practices efficiency during lunch hr on a weekday. a staff at the street entrance asked us the need & radioed the basement staff. then we went downstairs & was led to the empty table at the back. 2nd, they have many choices of set menu for each day of the week, including both western & asian dishes. 3rd, the customers seemed to be white collars, local walk-in or high school students. so the atmosphere around here is not too loud or roudy. 4th, set lunch costs around $50, incl soup/salad, entree & optional coffee/tea (add $10).
now to the food. 1st, borsch soup had a rich tomato color & good consistency (not too thick or thin). it is filled adequately w/ beef, cabbage, carrot & onion. the taste is authentic & fantastic, surprisingly w/ a hint of cinnamon (A-). 2nd, the singapore style fried rice noodle had more of typical ingredients than usual. it was cooked w/ the right balance of moist & crisp in the noodle. its spicy taste was not too overwhelming or weak (A-). 3rd, baked pork chop w/ tomato spagetti showed a light tomato color, which turned out to yield a plain-tasting sauce. however the pork chop was tender & flavorful (B). this dish definitely had deviated from the typical oven-baking in a casserole, hence the poor result. 4th, the coffee surprisingly had a strong & rich flavor, though lacking depth in taste (B+). but for its budget price, nobody would turn it away!
in such budget local restaurant, i had my fill in a decent setting w/o feeling of being cheated as in a tourist mall restaurant. will i return there? definitely when i have an urge to go frugal w/o unduely high expectation.