Whenever you hear that a restaurant is owned by the chef himself, you can be sure to expect pretty high standards from his cuisine. However, to hear that it is owned by Yuan Oeij, the food-loving entrepreneur who started the private dining chef business “Chef for Hire”, the expectations that people will have are definitely anchored well above the bar. Since its opening just a few months ago in November 2006, Brown Sugar has grown to attract a steady casual dining audience, but also gained popularity as a choice destination for hosting elegant dinner parties that have left many talking long after their meal.

• The Vibe
  Neatly tucked away from the prying eyes of the River Valley crowd, Brown Sugar is a quaint little dining space that seems somewhat out of place in the midst of the Stardus Clubhouse. However, step through its frosted glass doors into a room of muted mood lighting cast over simple furnishings, and diners will be set right at ease. Following the theme of its name, the restaurant is appareled in soft cappuccino brown cushion seats that line the mirrored walls, together with cream-coloured tables and a subtle imprint of flowers on its pristine white walls. With a soft and casual ambience, it is effortless to simply relax in its cosy interiors.

• The Food
  One thing to note about Yuan's restaurant is that every dish comes out tasting incredibly fresh, with abundance in using healthy ingredients like fruits and vegetables to tease out the tastes of the European dishes.

  While many restaurants can have their selection of salads, the signature in this restaurant is the carefully layered Salad of deconstructed apple, walnuts, brie cheese drizzled over with a tangy apple balsamic dressing ($13). Rather than mixing everything up, the technique of this salad serves more to let the diners savour an assortment of tastes that changes with each layer, which was an interesting attempt although not as spectacular as I had hoped. However, the grilled squid salad ($13) that came served over a bed of arugula, olives, orange and Mediterranean vinaigrette is definitely a good recommendation, as well as alternative to start your meal off on. The orange slices added a delightful zest to this appetizer, and complemented the sweetness of the squid and the spices of the salad harmoniously. Those who must have their soups will do well to order the Cappuccino of Porcini Mushroom ($10) that is fragranced by truffle oil and delightfully bittersweet in its taste.

  While the starters were noteworthy, less so could be said about the main courses which I feel could use a lot more tweaking. The signature dish of Baby spinach-stuffed chicken leg with spaghetti puttanesca ($19) was not well balanced in its tastes as the flavour of the chicken was too subtle, as compared to the ambrosial spaghetti. Similarly, the Hand-chopped Wagyu burger ($28) was a disappointment, although the piquant mushrooms that glazed the top of its steak afforded some saving grace to this dish.

  As for desserts, Brown Sugar sure knows how to end it off on a sweet tune to put you right back in favour of them. You will not go wrong with the Sticky date pudding ($12). Soaked in aromatic brown sugar butterscotch and cheekily topped off with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, the pudding crumbles upon touching the tip of your tongue! Another praiseworthy selection includes the Tarte tartin of pears ($12) that is paired off with a generous scoop of honey and fig ice-cream. With a light and fluffy crust that enrobes the honey poached pears, be sure your senses will be pleasurably numbed after just a few bites of this luscious creation.

• The Service
  Approachable and sure of everything that runs in Brown Sugar, the restaurant manager Mr. Pandian was precise in his explanation of the food served, and showed commendable professionalism in his service. Guests will do well to ask him for any recommendations or assistance if they are unsure of what to order for their meal.

The SD Food Advisor's take on Brown Sugar
To pay a reasonable price for such a comfortable ambience, it is pleasing to know that a restaurant like Brown Sugar exists. Coupled with pretty good food, it is almost effortless to feel a sense of positive inclination toward this unpretentious restaurant.  While adventurous, some of its dishes do show signs of requiring more adjustments to its tastes. Perhaps give it half a year to a year more – it should have perfected its recipes by then.