Swensen's is so synonymous with delicious ice-cream that despite offering many other food items on its attractive menu, no dish has ever left much of an impression. Now, America 's Ice Cream Man's stab at a new concept restaurant in Singapore 's all new mega-mall – Vivocity, signals a serious attempt to re-brand and revitalize its food menu. There also seems a conscious effort to move up-market, and target the working class, shaking away the image of the cozy casual ice-cream café immensely popular with the college students.

• The Vibe
  The 150-seater restaurant is chic and stylishly designed. What is pleasantly refreshing is how spacious the premises are. With a combination of both tangelo and pure white seats, there is a bright and cheerful feel about the place. A dash of tasteful elegance is infused together with a large salad bar and a classy dessert counter at one end of the eatery.

• The Food
  At Earle Swensen's, the menu only retains a couple of old favourites such as the chicken baked rice, hence there is much for the curious diner to discover. Even the presentation of the classic ice-cream selections may be different.

  The salad bar buffet goes for $10.80, which is a good choice for a low-carb lunch. For a satisfying main, one need look no further than the Charbroiled Prime Ribs ($26.30). Served with fries, baked potato and greens, the meat is juicy and tender enough to satisfy and please. Not to be outdone, the Cioppino ($28.80, serves 2), a San Francisco inspired favourite of various seafood delights is also a good choice. The mussels, shrimp, crayfish and fish are braised and simmered in a delicious sauce and is a good-sized portion.

  Another highlight of the menu is the Baked Lobster in Mustard Mayonnaise ($38.80). Earle Swensen's, being a certified Halal restaurant, has to prepare the crayfish without the use of alcohol. However, this was no stumbling block as mustard sauce is cleverly used to mask the fishy taste and enhance the succulent sweet flash of the lobsters. The tangy mustard with the creaminess of mayonnaise is an ideal complement to the sweetness of the lobster meat.

  Traces of fusion influences can be seen in the Grilled Cod with Wild Rice ($29.80). The high-fibre rice grains form a bed, on which the delicately-grilled cod fish lies. While the fresh cod is a delight to savour, the wild rice may be a bit of an acquired taste.

  The drinks menu bears rather close resemblance to that of Swensen's with only some minor differences. You may try the chlllers which are light and refreshing on a hot day. The Lychee Glacier ($5.30) or the Peach Razzle ($5.30) are some picks you may consider.

  From the desserts' section, you will recognize the highly familiar crumbles Swensen's is well known for. Therefore, give their new cousin, the White Chocolate Blondie ($11.30) a try, especially if you like the generous sprinkling of nuts on the ice cream crumble. Why “blondie”? you may ask. It is simply the white chocolate version of “brownie”.

• The Service
  Since Earle Swensen's is branded a more upmarket eatery, with many food items priced higher accordingly, customers will expect more also in this department. However, the hiring of inexperienced service staff can prove to be a minus for the restaurant.

The SD Food Advisor's Take on Earle Swensen's
Earle Swensen's needs some time to find its footing but its potential is immense. It is a cosy and comfortable place to dine, but do note that although there is greater variety of selections and the food quality is pretty decent, the pricing of its food items is rather steep. If lowered, a large following will almost be a certainty.