When you buy a car, you want to test drive it first. Now you can “test drive” an upscale restaurant, before deciding if you want to return for more.

For 30 days, from 3 Nov – 2 Dec, American Express and HungryGoWhere jointly bring you special menus for only $30++ at more than 30 restaurants. To enjoy the delectable 30licious deals, log on to HungryGoWhere to make reservations.

Carnitas (U.P. $32) at El Mero Mero, one of the courses offered for their 30licious set menu.

The offered cuisines are varied, from Thai to Italian, from Mexican to Mod-Sin. There are several restaurants that I’ve been to and would recommend them, like the new Mexican place El Mero Mero, and Siam Society, which I revisited just 2 weeks ago.

But I’d like to talk about the under-rated Seasons Bistro. Helmed by Chef Benjamin Fong, the bistro uses seasonal ingredients from sustainable, traceable sources. Dips, sauces, and stocks are made in-house.

The 3-course 30liciousAmex menu at Seasons Bistro includes starter, a main, and a dessert. The main, surf & turf gumbo (U.P. $27++), at its usual price already costs almost as much as the 30licious deal! It consists smoky shrimps, chicken, okra, pickled onion, cilantro, chow chow relish, French beans, and a chorizo that is Chef Fong’s own secret recipe. It uses long grains, instead of the usual short grains, because Fong wanted it to have texture, not gooey. There is a clean, bright bite, closer to the Louisiana style of sharp, tart taste, than to a South Carolina’s sweet, spicy stew.

Other participating restaurants include A for Arbite, Al Forno, Beaulieu House, Bedrock (my review), Bridge Café, Brizo, Buyan, Cali Café, Cocobolo, Der Biergarten, El Mero Mero (review), Gyu-Kaku, Indulge at Park, Kiku, Lawry’s (review), Marukyu, Nuvo (review), Oso, Park Palace, Place to Read, Procacci, Rattana Thai, PepeNero, Sankai Japanese, Santa Fe Tex-Mex, Sawadee Thai, Seasons Bistro (review), Senor Taco, Set, Siam Society (review), Smokey’s BBQ (Joo Chiat and Clementi), Spruce (Tanglin, and Upper Bukit Timah, my review), Sync Korean, Bank Bistro, Fat Cat, King Louis (review), WEJS, Town Restaurant, Beast, Ujong (review), UNA (review), and Wan He Lou. Phew, that’s a long list.

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