Food - My Birthday Dinner at Dean & Deluca

It was my birthday yesterday. After two years of birthday parties, I felt weird that my birthday dinner this year was gonna be a quiet affair. Birthday dinners would usually be enjoyed with the family, but this year, I decided to have dinner with my friend, and asked him to plan it for me. He'd let slipped over the weekend that we were going to Dean and Deluca for dinner, and even though I really wanted to be surprised, I have also been wanting to try Dean and Deluca for a while now.

In case you didn't know, Dean and Deluca is a famous gourmet brand from the US. The US seems to have an abundance of such brands that we don't have over here in little old Singapore, but this has changed slowly over the past few years. I remember when I used to think A&F, American Eagle, Hollister and GAP were cool, but thank goodness I was over it before some of these brands decided to grace our shores with their presence. Heh. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Dean and Deluca was opening its first flagship store here at the very quiet peaceful Orchard Central. I enjoy good food, and I'd heard that Dean and Deluca serves good food.

My friend and I reached D&D (okay, very lazy to keep typing the full name) at about 645pm. It was mostly empty, with a few customers sitted here and there. There was no menu; we looked at the menu boards suspended above the food counter, and at the food displays. There is a great variety of choices, and I'd heard that the beef lasagne al forno was worth a try. It should also be noted that D&D offers all day breakfast, so if you crave pancakes at dinner time, you know where to head. In the end, we ordered a grilled chicken salad, lasagne al forno and sauteed brioche french toast with caramelised bananas.

Customers have to get the cutlery and water themselves, but the food will be served to them. I seem to be visiting such establishments quite often huh? Anyway, it is no trouble for me and I do not mind it much. The salad came quickly, and it was no big deal. It's just a simple salad consisting of grilled chicken (healthier choice), greens, grapes, green apple and walnut with balsamic vinegar. I think my standard salad of baby butterhead lettuce, ham, cherry tomatoes with japanese sesame seed dressing is much more satisfying than this.

Half-eaten Grilled Chicken Salad.

 Next up, the lasagne al forno. The lasagne has been pre-baked, and all they do when you order it is heat it up in an oven and then plate it with some greens. It's not bad, if not for the fact that the base is a little tough. I am not sure if it's normal, since it is the base and thus more susceptible to over cooking. However, it did make it a little troublesome to slice and eat. The lasagne was, in general, quite tasty, but it is a generous portion that should be shared instead. I would have enjoyed it more if they had Tabasco sauce. Most mains are better with a generous dashing of Tabasco sauce.

My friend decided to have a sweet breakfast item for his dinner. Yes, he ordered that knowing we were gonna have dessert somewhere else after that. But I think it was a good choice. The brioche was warm and soft, a very nice combination that works as breakfast food and dessert. The caramel was slightly salted as well, if I'm not wrong, and wasn't too cloying in its sweetness. The entire dish was easy to eat and enjoy, although again, it is a generous portion that should be shared.

Definitely something I will wake up for, and then head back to bed. ;)

On the whole, I enjoyed dinner at D&D. Price wise, be prepared to spend about $20+ per person. We shared the salad and had one dish each, all of which came up to nearly $50. It's not that expensive, but I happen to know a better restaurant with much more interesting items on the menu (and choice) just a short walk away - Jones the Grocer.

D&D is worth a visit though, if you are interested in its house brand items and other gourmet items the brand sells in its grocery section. I saw a few snacks that would definitely be interesting, but a little bit out of my price range for snacks at the moment. For example, a packet of cajun mix nuts cost $9.50. I was also very interested in its cheese and charcuterie section, where they offer a very wide range of cheeses and meats. I'm not a very big fan of cheese and meats, because they tend to stink and I'm not the type who finds the smell of cheese appetising, but I've developed a greater interest in such foods recently. Hopefully I'll have a chance to taste some of these myself soon! I left D&D's cheese section and about half an hour later, I was at Jones the Grocer, thinking about ordering its cheese board and a glass of wine... Right, maybe another time!

Dean & Deluca
#04-23/24 Orchard Central
181 Orchard Road
Singapore 238896

Facebook: Dean & Deluca SG

Contact No: 6509 7708

Opening Hours:
Mon - Sun: 11am - 10pm