PS. Cafe: A Romantic Place Perfect for Valentine Dinner

Are you looking for a romantic venue to bring your Valentine's date for dinner? Fret not, I found a perfect place for you!

Side Story: (Please feel free to skip this and jump into the main story if you are pressed with time.)

Yesterday after work, I was frantically searching for a place to dine with the hubby for our advance Valentine's date. I told him the other night that I don't wish to join the madness on Friday so I want to celebrate in advance. I was expecting him to bring me out for dinner today but he told me last minute yesterday that he wanted us to dine at Equinox because I have been asking since forever to date me there. LOL.

I tried to call Equinox's reservation hotline a few times but to no avail. "Nevermind, we can just dine anywhere in Orchard Road", I mumbled to my frustrated self. I was already on the bus on my way to meet the hubby in Orchard MRT station around 6pm when I suddenly remembered about PS. Cafe which was listed by Lady Iron Chef as one of Singapore's 20 Most Romantic Restaurants. I took my phone and searched PS. Cafe's contact number in Safari. I dialled it right away.

*Phone rings, my heart danced in glee whilst my fingers are crossed praying that they are not full*

(below conversation is based on what I remember, may not be exactly what we told each other)

Receptionist: (male with Filipino accent on the other line): Good evening, PS. Cafe Palais Renaissance. How may I help?

Me: Hi, good evening! Can I make a reservation for two? 

Receptionist: Sure ma'am. Are you looking for indoor or outdoor table?

Me: Can we decide later when we arrive there?

Receptionist: No ma'am. You have to decide now. We are not currently full anyway, so you may be able to change your table reservation later on. 

Me: Ok, then we'll have indoor table please. We will be there between 6:30 to 7pm. 

Receptionist: Ok ma'am, can I have your name and contact number?

So I finally secured a reservation at the last minute! Thanks to modern technology, our unplanned Valentine's date was saved. :)

After putting down the phone, I searched reviews about PS. Cafe and found out they are a bit overpriced. "Should I cancel my reservation?", I asked myself with a hint of disappointment. In the end, I let the hubby decide because he will be the one to pay our bill anyway (insert evil emoticon here).

"I want to see the place first, then I'll decide if I can just close my eyes and spend more", the hubby declared to my great surprise. Oh well, he is well-known as the frugal husband so when he's in the mood to splurge, I better take advantage of it. Haha!

Main Story:

Whilst walking in front of the Thai Embassy on our way to Palais Renaissance, I spotted an outdoor terrace that looks like the PS. Cafe photo I saw from Lady Iron Chef's blog. I pointed it to the husband and he commented that it looks like a really cool place to dine with.

Then we saw this signboard at the façade of Palais Renaissance. The hubby was looking forward to see the actual place...

... and this is what greeted us upon arrival. Can the frugal hubby say no in such a chic and classy place? Of course the answer is no. (insert overjoyed emoticon here)

We were initially escorted in a rectangle shaped table for 2 pax (see the photo background) where you are almost on elbow to elbow with other diners (well, that's a little exaggerated but you get the drift) so we asked to be transferred to a bigger table. We were given a round table for 4pax, the hubby wanted the corner table behind us but it has already been reserved. We were told that the next time we reserve a table, we have to specify if we want a corner spot.

Our table is facing an elegantly designed mirror wall, I just had to take a mandatory photo opp.  Hubby was busy scanning the outdoor dining area here. I have another photo with him looking on the camera but it's blurred.

Notice the dim light romantic effect? The ambiance is really perfect for an intimate dinner date. All you need is to find a great spot with more privacy. Our chosen spot wasn't bad at all. As you can see from the photo above, we were not on elbow-to-elbow position with the other two couples.

When we started browsing the menu, we agreed that PS. Cafe food indeed is a little overpriced. The cheapest main course is priced at $26, the salad and starters are almost the same price as the mains and the cheapest dessert is $12. We were not surprised though that they are already full house by the time we were devouring our food around 7:30pm. The service isn't excellent but not bad either and the atmosphere makes you really want to sit there forever and just chat and drink the day or night away.


I bet you are waiting for my verdict on the food, so I am not going to make you wait a little longer...

Here's what we devoured:

Hubby's pick: Moroccan Lamb 

Description from the menu: ginger and dukka crusted lamb skewers with roasted vegetable cous cous, oven roasted tomato, baby rocket and Harissa yoghurt. The meat-lover hubby loved this to bits! The lamb isn't very juicy yet it isn't too dry as well. Everything in this dish was cooked in perfection according to him.



My pick: Lulu's "Leftover" Lasagne

Description from the menu: layered ground beef lasagne topped with green garden vegetables tossed in herb pesto, spicy caramelized meatballs, penne pasta with rich chuncky tomato sauce, and mozarella cheese topped with a dollop of basil pesto. While the hubby's food choice is a real beauty (read: photogenic), mine isn't. But do not be deceived by the looks of the food.

This dish got my two thumbs and two toes up! Every ingredient was lovingly put together to complement each other, I felt like I was in lasagne heaven. This by far is my most favourite lasagne dish. I am not a fan of lasagne with overpowering taste of tomato sauce. The taste of tomato sauce in this genius food creation was drowned by the mozarella cheese, herb pesto and basil pesto. It has that very light hint of bitterness that I am so in love with!



Dessert: Southern Fudgy Chocolate Pecan Pie

If I remember it right, this dessert is one of the Chef's recommended desserts. The chocolate pecan pie is in perfect harmony with the ball of vanilla icecream. In my opinion, it is best paired and savoured with a tea as it was a bit too sweet for my taste buds.

It was a real challenge to take good photos because of the dim light so please forgive my below standard photos. The two collages here were lovingly edited by yours truly to add some drama.

Happy Valentine's Day to us! Haha! I told the hubby not to buy me roses anymore on Friday because I have already captured the beautiful flower from our table centrepiece. It was a coincidence (or may be meant to be?) that the flower colour is our colour motif when we got married. :)

Here's wishing everyone an equally romantic Valentine's Day! Do remember to keep the love alive. :)

PS.
One of our favourite date idea is trying new restaurants. You can see the list of gourmand places we have tried here.

PS Cafe

390 Orchard Road

#02-09A Palais Renaissance Singapore

Tel: +65 6887 2207

Other Locations:

28B Harding Road

Tanglin Village (Dempsey Road) Singapore

Tel: +65 6479 3343

290 Orchard Road

#03-41/44 The Paragon Singapore

Tel: +65 6735 6765

45 Ann Siang Road (ASH)

#02-02 Singapore

Tel: +65 6222 3143

Reservation is highly recommended.