Couch Company: May 2011

Reservation: recommended for big groups; long aluminium-top tables seat up to eight persons each.

Go if you want: authentic North Indian Punjabi food in casual airconditioned setting.

Parking: Along Race Course Road and the area.

Tel: 6296-6141

It was Sunday and Mother's Day and there was no better place to go to avoid eateries packed with families taking their mothers out to lunch than heading off the beaten track to Race Course Road to find a charmingly simple ethnic restaurant that serves up ambrosial Punjabi favourites that look as good as they taste! This day, the dad has taken the right alimentary course to delight the mum!

Finger-licking good surely originated in India - there's no other way to consummate a meal with fragrant, hot naans and curries than with bare hands.

Reservation: best done beforehand
Go if you want: good food with competent service, and arrangements for special occasions.
Parking: Free around Greenwood, if you can find a space.
Tel: 6467-4950
Menu avail @ http://www.fishshop.sg/

It was the family's first visit to the Fish Market, but my second in a week - both times to celebrate birthdays. I've read raving online reviews about their fish and chips, but what took the cake was the unparalleled service standards, product knowledge and attention to detail demonstrated by every server - all of whom happen to be male.

Having had a foretaste of their service excellence at the first visit, I called the next day to make a lunch reservation for a party of five for May Day. Upon arrival, we were ushered a few doors away from the main bistro to a surprisingly quiet and private dining area beyond the fish market [yes, the area where they actually sell fresh seafood]. The smell of fish was very strong at first, but the privacy and cozy ambience soon put us at ease and in happy banter and photo-taking mood for the ocassion.

Two bottles of drinking water were served swiftly without our asking, followed by delicious and warm homemade pre-meal buns and breads. We would have been happy if the good service had stopped here... but it didn't!

The three girls had to try the House Fish & Chips, and I, having had that a few days ago, chose the Hervey Bay Whiting Fish & Chips. The sides of vegetable salad with olive oil and French fries were generous. Kenny had Pacific Cod, pan seared served with mashed sweet potato and vegetable salad.

One of the birthday girls commented that this was the first time the batter did not overwhelm the taste of the fish fillet or her digestion. I rather like the less fishy taste of the Hervey Bay Fish.

After our mains, a server named 'Key' discreetly suggested a molten chocolate with ice-cream dessert with candles and inscriptions for the birthday girls. Key took down the full message given: "Happy Birthday to Krystle and Tessa." and even asked if we would like to add an exclamation mark to that! I wasn't sure how he was going to put all that on a single serving of molten cake but his confidence assured me of his competence. And he and his team delivered! THAT was the real birthday treat for my whole family!

At a time when simple, pleasurable dining often turns out to be a complex and frustrating experience with poorly trained foreign servers with poor knowledge of menu and accents that are hard to understand, this trip to the Fish Market today keeps us hopeful that conventional good service, though scarce, is still to be found in modern Singapore.