Reif + James

80 Mohamed Sultan Road
#01-03 The Pier at Robertson Quay
Tel: 6238 8817
Opening hours: 11.30am to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm (Tue to Friday); 10am to 3pm, 6pm to 10om (Sat, Sun and public holidays)

Watching calories while eating out? The good news is that at Reif + James, you have plenty of options

A light appetiser could be the consomme of watercress with pan-fried garoupa ($16, dinner only). The clear, delicately scented soup was the perfect foil for the firm and meaty texture of the fish.

Another healthy choice was the grilled baby octopus (right) with lychee and lamb's lettuce in homemade chilli jam ($18, lunch; $22, dinner). The lemongrass, chilli and garlic in the olive oil-based dressing cut the tender, rich flesh perfectly.

For the mains, the fresh crab claw pasta with pinenuts and chilli padi in white wine sauce ($19, lunch; $26, dinner) is highly recommended. Here, the sweet, juicy taste of the crab is supported and enhanced by the other ingredients.

Another superb creation is the marinated oven-baked Chilean seabass with soba noodles in lemongrass broth ($32, lunch; $38, dinner). The texture of the fish is silky smooth, and I loved the miso marinade.

Unfortunately, though the desserts were truly luscious, they were also quite sinful. After the healthy appetiser and main, you could indulge with the duo of cr�me brulee - kaffir lime and Bailey's ($15, lunch and dinner). Otherwise, the chef can be persuaded to whip up a sorbet with mixed fruits.

(Published in Straits Times, Oct 31, 2007)