Went there for dinner during our stay at MBS. The buffet and last order for the ala carte ends at 1030pm. We didn't go for the buffet since it's already 930pm.
The reception staff was polite, no fake accent and ask for our room number and my husband's first name and led us to a nicely and clean table. Not sure whether this is true, but we got the same waitress serving our everything during the dinner. My husband's was also addressed by his first name during the dinner. Which means the waitress got to remember which table belongs to which guest. Not sure whether this only apply to guests staying at the hotel though. Polite-ness every where, questions of our well being and how we liked our food. There wasn't a need to request for refill of iced water as our glasses were refilled quite promptly.
Price, well, quite expected for MBS, $19 - $25 for main courses such as chicken rice, nasi goreng or laksa. $49 for stirloin steak. We ordered a Stirloin Steak, Lime Cheesecake and a coke and it came up to a whopping $79~ Luckily, the food quality is also quite standard... Steak succulent and to the mark when we requested for "medium well", a bit over marinated but still acceptable. Love the sorbet ice cream that came with the cheese cake. But the cake itself was too thick though. Not bad for an anniversary dinner but cannot visit too often, otherwise it will burn a hole in the pocket.
Chanced upon this online shop that sells various tops, dresses and bottoms. But it seems to have more tops and dresses than bottoms. Although I seldom find an item that I really like and bother to go to the trouble to purchase it (including the transferring of money, waiting for the item to be sent to my house etc. Yes I find online shopping very troublesome!), I find that Loef sells rather decent items. If I were in a shop, I would probably have tried on most of them and bought more than what I already have gotten!
I have been rather skeptical about shopping online, mostly because I can't try the clothes. So I usually limit my purchases to dresses and flair clothing to avoid fitting problems. I'm also rather concerned about the quality of the product, especially since I had a couple of bad experience over the past 3 years which contributed to my skepticism towards online shopping! What made me less worried about shopping at Loef was the fact that their items would often sell out in a matter of days after posting, which led me to infer that they have regulars who constantly go to their shop and trust their products.
What I don't like about the shop: There is additional mailing cost on top of the price stated. I guess it is common, but I tend to prefer other blogshops that have the mailing cost already included in the price.
What I like: There's honestly all to like about this shop in terms of service and quality. As for preference, it is hard to say as each individual has different taste. But if you find that their clothes is to your liking, you could consider visiting this shop more! Why? 1. Consistent. They consistently update their items twice a week - sometime midweek and end of the week. So you always have something new to look forward to! 2. Good service. I remember purchasing an item from them which was not the color reflected on their website. I was rather disappointed and wrote in to them, and was really pleased with the way they handled my "problem". They offered to refund me for the item and pay for my mailing fees. Since I already washed the dress and couldn't send it back to them to re-sell, they offered me a discount on my dress which they could send to me in credit form for my next purchase, or direct cash transfer to my bank account. This problem was settled in a matter of 3 exchange of emails! I think this is good customer service and there's much to learn from them! Also, I later realized that they included a note on their website to inform other customers of the difference between the color of the dress on the picture and the actual color. Goes to show that they are concerned about putting up accurate information and immediately made changes upon receiving feedback! 3. Quality. While I have not shopped a lot online, I was particularly pleased with the quality of the material used. There's no need to worry about the dress expanding after wash or loosing its color. 4. On time. I have made 3 purchases at this shop within a period of 1 month. As I usually make my purchase on Friday or over the weekend, they can only mail it to me on Monday and I am always very glad when I receive my package on Wednesday - showing that there is no delay in mailing the items!
All in all, I have been very pleased with the quality of the items and the service and will definitely introduce friends to this site! :)
Had dinner at Ootoya, a casual Japanese restaurant chain with outlets in Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, HK, Indonesia and more recently, Singapore. I've seen the outlets in Tokyo, but it never really occurred to me to try them out, especially with no dearth of excellent food options there.
With its discreet and minimalistic frontage, Ootoya could well be mistaken for an upclass Japanese restaurant. But walk in and be greeted by a casual, almost cafe like amostphere complete with shouts of Japanese greeting and a long U shape table (a little like a teppanyaki table except that this one doesn't have a chef standing in front of you preparing food) and small "semi private" rooms for those who have a bigger group (which we were lucky to get).
Charcoal Grilled Pork with Special Sauce ($16) - To be honest, how exciting can grilled pork get? But I was quite taken aback by how well Ootoya grilled its generous pieces of hog - Relatively tender with grilled lines to show for it and a flittering taste of charcoal smokiness. Coupled with plump, mildly sticky rice grains, it made for a wonderful combination.
Banana Parfait ($8) - I am rather skeptical about Japanese desserts as they always seem to prefer form (aesthetics) over substance (might be a misconception). Ootoya's Banana Parfait sought to realign that misconception with a surprisingly good and sweet ending to my meal. The parfait didn't come across as too gelatin and sat on a bed of azuki beans which hinted of coffee. 2 small slices of banana and sponge completed the picture.
Overall I spent about $28 for a wonderful dinner inclusive of free flow green tea. Well worth the money in my humble opinion and definitely worth a revisit.
It was one of those quiet weekday evenings that we headed to town to grab a bite while running some errands. Chinese food was on the list and Tang Dian Wang (汤点王)seemed decent enough for us to pop by for dinner. This Shanghainese restaurant is owned by the folks who brought you New York New York, Xin Wang HK Cafe, Thai Express etc - restaurants that leave much to be desired in my humble opinion. But hey, life is full of second (or maybe third or fourth) chances.
Prominently situated amongst the ring of eateries that circle the Fountain of Wealth in the basement, Tang Dian Wang practises a open dining concept where passers by and customers alike are free to let their gaze roam. The decor is decidedly modern Chinese with a nod to tradition in the form of round laterns hanging from the ceiling. During our visit, the place was barely a quarter full, though I can't say the same for weekends.
Roasted Meat & Salted Egg Fragrant Rice in Lotus Wrappers (烧肉咸蛋荷叶饭) - I don't usually order rice in lotus leaf wraps (荷叶饭) when dining out because of the high oil content but apparently Tang Dian Wang is known for it so I made an exception. Oily as usual but moist with a nice lingering aroma. However I did find the roasted meat way too fatty for my liking and overall a little too bland for my liking. Decent but nothing fantastic.
Prawns with Golden Pumpkin Sauce (金瓜奶虾球) - Initial impressions of this dish were good as the prawns were crunchy with a crisp along the edges due to the light batter coating. But it soon became nausea inducing due to the starchy and bland pumpkin sauce that masked any sweetness the prawns might have to offer. Overall a rather insipid dish.
Deep-fried Bean Curd with Bak Kwa (炸肉干豆腐) - The bean curd with bak kwa (dried meat jerky) was a let down honestly. Deep fried till crisp on the outside but lacking the smoothness that I was expecting. Granted, I could make out tiny shards of bak kwa embedded within but they were too little, too small to have any impact on the dish. Although bean curd is one of my favourite dishes, I gave up after the second piece.
Sauteed Horfun with Seafood - The humble horfun(河粉) was the most unlikely star of the evening with its silky smoothness and hint of wok hei. Another plus point was the relatively fresh seafood that it came served with. On the flip side, I did think that the egg gravy was a little too starchy for my liking, which added to the nausea from the earlier dishes.
The 2 of us chalked up a bill of about $65 for dinner which I felt was a little pricey given the quality of food. Every seemed to be heavy on the starch/flour which made me squeamish after a while. Service was okay but that's not enough reason for me to ever step in again.
Specialty burger stalls are a dime a dozen these days so I procrastinated in trying out the one of the latest burger offering at Most Original Burgers (MOB for short) even though I am quite a sucker for new burger outlets. I was finally swayed when MOB ran a joint promotion with a website to offer a set meal at a discounted rate (cheapo me!)
The location isn't ideal, tucked away in a nondescript corner of Vivo City, along a small section of eateries that include the more illustrious Tung Lok Signatures. The decor reminds me of a typical fast food type casual eatery usually associated with the likes of the big M and slightly more "upclass" offerings like New York New York (yucks!).
Wild Mushroom Soup - A little runny but the generous chunks of mushroom more than made up for it. The reduced usage of cream as an ingredient was a welcome change and overall a decent rendition of this classic soup.
The Goodfellas - The Goodfellas actually refer to a trio of mini burgers, selected by the customer from a preset list of flavours/combinations. Yours truly chose the safest option - Classic Beef, Philly Cheese Steak and Grilled Chicken, all on MOB's signature brioche. Aesthetics wise, this dish as a whole was rather pleasing to the eye and the brioche came linked together, which I personally found a tad amusing. It didn't taste like the brioche I knew and instead, carried a hint of beer in every bite. And it was rather dry. I thought that the classic beef, which came in the form of a ball, was quite decent but a tad dry. The philly was just way tough and I couldn't quite make out the taste of cheese even though it was visually very evident. Nothing like the real deal from Philadelphia. Best of the lot was the grilled chicken, which had a nice smokiness to it that I personally like. It also helped that the meat was tender.
Grilled Oregano Chicken - This dish seemed like a super sized up version of the grilled chicken burger and no, I'm definitely not complaining. Nicely grilled and tender with a sizeable portion to boot, the chicken was well complimented by the oregano and pommery mustard sauce, which imbued a rich saltiness to it.
Waffle with Ice Cream - Crisp but a little too hard. And the ice cream tasted like hardened milk, lacking the usual richness I would expect even from lower end brands like Kings, which is easily available at most supermarkets. I ate a quarter and gave up.
Apparently my set (mushroom soup good fellas waffle & ice cream drink) would have cost in excess of $40 without the voucher but I only paid $17, which I personally thought was still within the reasonable range. But have me pay the original price for the set and its definitely a big no no. Also, I'm not sure the grilled chicken was worth the $18.90 . Overall it is my personal judgment that this place falls into the same category as Swensens and the likes - not worth a revisit.
This bar is located at the top of Swissotel. Being the highest building in Singapore (or not?), it inevitably commands the highest power of best views in town. When I stepped out of the lift on the 70th floor of the hotel, I was impressed by the magnificent view ahead of me. One little spoiler was that there were steps down to Equinox, and steps up to New Asia Bar. In my mind, I thought they could have been more considerate to remove the steps (especially for ladies in super high heels who probably would frequent the Bar) or to have the sound from heels on the wooden steps insulated by carpet.
Stepped into the Bar, was rather impressed. But on hindsight, I think I was more impressed by the view out the full-length glass window than the place per se. It gives me the feeling like they can't decide if they should be a bar, chill-out place for drinks or a club. They have a floor area that's too small for dancing for too big as a corridor-walking space; they have couches and coffee tables that's good for putting drinks but difficult to eat from. At the same time, they've got bar counters and a couple of bar stools and tables around the place. They have quite a range of alcohol but they also serve pizzas, burgers and light snacks - and only wooden chopsticks or fingers for utensils, no forks or knives.
Sat at a comfortable couch with a window view. Must say I was lucky, there was only one table that wasn't reserved and the couple at the window just left, so I could take over that table. The whole time I was really awed by the view. Must say it was truly spectacular and if you're looking for a chill-out place, book a table early and head right up to the top of Swissotel!
For drinks, I got an Equinox Blue - ladies' favourite I was told. Fruity, punchy, but not mixed very well. The alcohol was right at the bottom. Was it a cocktail or just layers of liquid? But the blue curacao in drinks never fail to make the drink appear better than it is. Good presentation I guess, and in a cool glass with a tilted base!
For food, we had a seafood platter and a Wagyu Beef burger, with onion rings and both came with potato wedges.
It was really difficult to eat the burger. It was bigger than a double Big Mac. And it didn't help that they only served wooden chopsticks. The Burger was $48 and tasted fine, just that for the name - Wagyu beef - I was really expecting better beef. Only that I felt like I was eating beef patty with foie gras texture. I really can't decide if I had the better end of the deal or not.
The seafood platter (can't remember the price) was rather pathetic. 2 sticks of fish, 1 stick of prawn, 1 stick of squids, some wedges and that's it. So much for a platter. I only tried the squid and found it rather tasteless though chewy - disappointing.
Service was substandard for what you might expect at a "cool bar" at Swissotel. The waiter who brought us our food was really polite but there were other waitresses at the entrance were just loitering around the bar without bothering to attend to us, apart from one lady who gave us the menus we requested and walked away. I was rather unimpressed by this, given that the bar was evidently crowded by waitresses! Not even one out of, at least, 5 of them could attend to us.
On the whole, I really liked the view up at the bar and find it a great place to hang out. Just have to call early for reservations and next time, I would really avoid ordering food next time. Maybe a pizza would be the safest (with regards to taste and ease of eating). But great view, great great view. Worth a visit, at least once!
Dear Guinea Pig Lovers... If you wonder, if Guinea pigs go to heaven? I think i just walked right into GP heaven on earth...
PetXchange is the Guinea Pig HEAVEN on earth.... You turn right... there are peeking at you from their cages.. Turn left another couple eyeing you curiously and you could hear continuos happy chattering as the piggies commune in their play spaces.
I've never seen so many different breeds, adorable and active guinea pigs for sale at one shop. This is a super must go shop for those who wants to choose and buy a piggy for themself.
I was just searching online for some super affordable guinea pig wares and necessities when i 'bumped' into PetXchange. As i entered the shop i was so super shocked... and what shocked me best was the super friendly owner. While i was 'ooowing' at one of the cute looking creature in the cage, he just walked by and carried him out and put him near my feet while he explained to me his character, breed and age. I was so surprised. Matter of fact, this was the only person that did that for me when i even didn't show interest for being. Eric was so kind to let me play with his piggies and took each out for me to touch and get to know them better and at the end of it... I can't wait to get back to the shop again.
I remembered when i bought my first 2 piggies at the other shops, even after i paid for my piggies, i don't get to hold them. All i get is the box and the poor frightened little pet shivering frantically inside. But this will not happen at PetXchange. They will make sure you get connected to the guinea pig first before deciding to purchase.
After you purchase your piggy, maintainance is an utmost important thing. Food, Hay, Toys and Cat;s Litter is super important for everyday life. Ever since my first visit to PetXchange, I never step into another pet shop to buy anything else. Because, for the same price to pay for one packet of lets say food outside... You could buy at least one and half of the same brand of food here. For the brand i buy its 2 packets of food. Everything sold in this shop is so affordable and i will never buy anything else other then for this shop. Even toys like huts, balls or water bottle is SUPER AFFORDABLE. I mean why pay for the membership to get the meagre 10% or at most 20% discount when here. You get everything at minimum 40% discount without having to beg or scrimp. Cages are the super expensive things though they are one time expenses, but don't forget your pets grow and they breed.. hopefully.... and they will need a bigger playboy mansion :). i have never came across a more economical priced shop selling cage then this.
Expect no frill..... but expect good prices....
Seriously.. If you are a cavy owner or owned some small animals.... This is the SHOP TO GO.... But its mine little secret... Don't start telling everybody.......... just tell your good friends.....
Don't have too many good friends...
We guinea pig owners... buy in style..... *perspire*
What I really like about this place is the vast number of storage options. The way they guide us through the different options is so simple and tempting to buy everything.
It's like me discovering new toys to put at home and seeing the showrooms makes me want to have the same layout too.
I like the storage options as I'm always in need of organising my stuff with categorised cabinets. That way, it's so much easier to remember where I kept my stuff.
I've tried the cafe and the long queue is really too much. The way the tables and chairs are placed are too close to each other and there are prams all over the place. It makes the place even more squeezy and it isn't comfortable. I just like more walking space between chairs.
We were enticed by the $1 soya sauce chicken offer dangled by Canton-i in conjunction with DBS credit cards. Us and a ton of other people as well, judging by the long queue that had formed by 6pm on a Saturday evening. If you are not interested in queuing, reservations would probably be recommended.
Hailing from neighbouring Malaysia, Canton-i's Singapore outlet is located on the 3rd level of swanky ION Orchard. The interior is awash in white with hues of red radiating from bird cage lamps hanging from the ceiling - traditional in a fun sort of way. Wooden tables and chairs complete the whole outlook.
Roasted Meat Combination - The roasted meats (烧腊) are apparently a signature of Canton-i. And it's honestly not difficult to understand why. The BBQ pork (叉烧) was literally melt in your mouth with a high fat to meat ratio (50%-50%). Absolutely heart stopping (literally!) but simply delightful, especially with the little charred bits along the edges and the robust sweet sauce that didn't overwhelm. I wasn't too taken by the Roasted pork (烧肉) though, seeing that I've had better ones at Imperial Treasure Cantonese. That's not to say it wasn't any good though. The skin had a noticeable (and audible!) crisp but as the fat to meat ratio was very high, it left a greasy aftertaste in my mouth which was a little overbearing in my humble opinion.
Soya Sauce Chicken - Call us cheapo but this was the main reason why we were at Canton-i; for the $1 soya sauce chicken. And what a disappointment it turned out to be. The meat was tender but I honestly didn't find it anything out of the ordinary. It tasted like chicken with a hint of sugar sweetness, which sort of defied my preconceived notion that soya sauce chicken should be salty. I probably haven't eaten much soya sauce chicken to know but it wasn't exactly my cup of tea.
Long Beans Fried with Minced Pork - Not many places do this dish well and Canton-i falls into the minority. The long bean was fried till crunchy while retaining a wee bit of moisture, boasting a wonderful hint of wok hei and topped with savoury minced pork. An excellent dish, but only if you aren't adverse to oil.
Beancurd with Luffa (Loofah) in Abalone Sauce - This is the first time I've ever eaten luffa/loofah (胜瓜) and I must say that it was rather interesting. Soft with a mildly raw vegetable taste that hits you towards the end. I can't say that I'm a fan of it but I wouldn't mind having another go at it, especially when paired with the flavourful and not too starchy abalone sauce. The beancurd was egg based and came across as smooth and silky. Pity about the lack of savouriness though.
The 3 of us chalked up a bill of about $82, which was honestly a little on the high side considering that the soya sauce chicken was a mere $1. Sky juice is chargeable at $1 /pax and so are the wet towels and tidbits, all pretty much standard stuff at a Chinese restaurant (save for the water though but they do tell you upfront that it's not free). However, the quality of food is undeniable and service is decent, making it a viable, albeit pricier alternative to Imperial Treasure Noodle & Congee House a couple of floors down.
Met up with my former classmates for a long awaited dinner at Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck (ITSPD for short), a branch of the esteemed chain of restaurants which I personally like. As the name suggests, the restaurant is well known for what else but its peking duck. I do think that the name could be a little more polished though as the current one sounds downright cheesy. But that's just me.
The interior has a dated elegance to it and a portion of the sitting area consists of semi private partitioned areas linked by a common corridor which can comfortably fit a table of 4. Lighting is dim but adequate and the whole atmosphere has a somber tone to it, perfect for a business gathering.
Appetiser - The glazed cashew nuts were a nice start to the dinner. Crunchy and fresh without the rancid oil taste and topped with a smattering of sesame seeds.
Asparagus with Garlic - A simple dish yet well executed with the asparagus crunchy and fried alongside diced garlic. Fragrant and tasty.
Peking Duck - The signature dish of ITSPD - Peking duck. Honestly I wasn't very wowed by it, seeing that the skin, though crisp to a certain extent, did seem a little limp. Best eaten with sugar. Crepes were provided for the loose slivers of skin and meat but they were a little too thick for my liking. I personally liked the plain and simple chunks of duck served up in a swan like platter - no frills, just juicy and tender and probably the sole saving grace. We opted to use the remaining duck to do a noodle dish and well, let's just say it was very decent but not something that I personally would have gone for.
Sauteed Scallops with Italian White Truffle Oil - One of my must order dishes whenever I visit any Imperial Treasure outlet (provided they carry it of course!), ITSPD's rendition of the scallops with white truffle oil was a wee bit lacklustre as compared to its cousin at Crowne Plaza Hotel. That's not to say it wasn't any good though. As a matter of fact, the scallops were fragrant from the aromatic truffle oil and tasty to say the least. The only gripe I had was that they seemed a little too soft. Still the pièce de résistance nonetheless.
Sauteed Beancurd with Mushrooms - Smooth but not exactly savoury, the beancurd was decent and I liked the generous topping of mushrooms - comfort food for the soul.
Steamed Custard Bun - This is usually a dim sum item but apparently it's so popular that they stock up some for dinner as well. Having eaten this quite a few times, I am still of the opinion that Peach Garden does a better rendition (at least they used to!), but Imperial Treasure's offering comes in a close second with its oozing sinful custard infused with egg yolk sediment.
Durian Pudding - The moment I set my eyes upon the durian pudding, I had a hunch it wasn't going to turn out well. And I was right. The pudding wasn't rich enough and tasted way too gelatin for my liking. More durian please.
The 4 of us spent a total of $204 for dinner, which isn't too expensive considering the decent quality of food and the reasonably good service. I personally like the privacy that the restaurant offers and I'm sure ITSPD will give nearby Crystal Jade Golden Palace a run for it's money.
1=SGD 0.0587
Went there for dinner during our stay at MBS. The buffet and last order for the ala carte ends at 1030pm. We didn't go for the buffet since it's already 930pm.
The reception staff was polite, no fake accent and ask for our room number and my husband's first name and led us to a nicely and clean table. Not sure whether this is true, but we got the same waitress serving our everything during the dinner. My husband's was also addressed by his first name during the dinner. Which means the waitress got to remember which table belongs to which guest. Not sure whether this only apply to guests staying at the hotel though. Polite-ness every where, questions of our well being and how we liked our food. There wasn't a need to request for refill of iced water as our glasses were refilled quite promptly.
Price, well, quite expected for MBS, $19 - $25 for main courses such as chicken rice, nasi goreng or laksa. $49 for stirloin steak. We ordered a Stirloin Steak, Lime Cheesecake and a coke and it came up to a whopping $79~ Luckily, the food quality is also quite standard... Steak succulent and to the mark when we requested for "medium well", a bit over marinated but still acceptable. Love the sorbet ice cream that came with the cheese cake. But the cake itself was too thick though. Not bad for an anniversary dinner but cannot visit too often, otherwise it will burn a hole in the pocket.
Rating given:
Chanced upon this online shop that sells various tops, dresses and bottoms. But it seems to have more tops and dresses than bottoms. Although I seldom find an item that I really like and bother to go to the trouble to purchase it (including the transferring of money, waiting for the item to be sent to my house etc. Yes I find online shopping very troublesome!), I find that Loef sells rather decent items. If I were in a shop, I would probably have tried on most of them and bought more than what I already have gotten!
I have been rather skeptical about shopping online, mostly because I can't try the clothes. So I usually limit my purchases to dresses and flair clothing to avoid fitting problems. I'm also rather concerned about the quality of the product, especially since I had a couple of bad experience over the past 3 years which contributed to my skepticism towards online shopping! What made me less worried about shopping at Loef was the fact that their items would often sell out in a matter of days after posting, which led me to infer that they have regulars who constantly go to their shop and trust their products.
What I don't like about the shop:
There is additional mailing cost on top of the price stated. I guess it is common, but I tend to prefer other blogshops that have the mailing cost already included in the price.
What I like:
There's honestly all to like about this shop in terms of service and quality. As for preference, it is hard to say as each individual has different taste. But if you find that their clothes is to your liking, you could consider visiting this shop more! Why?
1. Consistent. They consistently update their items twice a week - sometime midweek and end of the week. So you always have something new to look forward to!
2. Good service. I remember purchasing an item from them which was not the color reflected on their website. I was rather disappointed and wrote in to them, and was really pleased with the way they handled my "problem". They offered to refund me for the item and pay for my mailing fees. Since I already washed the dress and couldn't send it back to them to re-sell, they offered me a discount on my dress which they could send to me in credit form for my next purchase, or direct cash transfer to my bank account. This problem was settled in a matter of 3 exchange of emails! I think this is good customer service and there's much to learn from them! Also, I later realized that they included a note on their website to inform other customers of the difference between the color of the dress on the picture and the actual color. Goes to show that they are concerned about putting up accurate information and immediately made changes upon receiving feedback!
3. Quality. While I have not shopped a lot online, I was particularly pleased with the quality of the material used. There's no need to worry about the dress expanding after wash or loosing its color.
4. On time. I have made 3 purchases at this shop within a period of 1 month. As I usually make my purchase on Friday or over the weekend, they can only mail it to me on Monday and I am always very glad when I receive my package on Wednesday - showing that there is no delay in mailing the items!
All in all, I have been very pleased with the quality of the items and the service and will definitely introduce friends to this site! :)
Rating given:
Had dinner at Ootoya, a casual Japanese restaurant chain with outlets in Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, HK, Indonesia and more recently, Singapore. I've seen the outlets in Tokyo, but it never really occurred to me to try them out, especially with no dearth of excellent food options there.
With its discreet and minimalistic frontage, Ootoya could well be mistaken for an upclass Japanese restaurant. But walk in and be greeted by a casual, almost cafe like amostphere complete with shouts of Japanese greeting and a long U shape table (a little like a teppanyaki table except that this one doesn't have a chef standing in front of you preparing food) and small "semi private" rooms for those who have a bigger group (which we were lucky to get).
Charcoal Grilled Pork with Special Sauce ($16) - To be honest, how exciting can grilled pork get? But I was quite taken aback by how well Ootoya grilled its generous pieces of hog - Relatively tender with grilled lines to show for it and a flittering taste of charcoal smokiness. Coupled with plump, mildly sticky rice grains, it made for a wonderful combination.
Banana Parfait ($8) - I am rather skeptical about Japanese desserts as they always seem to prefer form (aesthetics) over substance (might be a misconception). Ootoya's Banana Parfait sought to realign that misconception with a surprisingly good and sweet ending to my meal. The parfait didn't come across as too gelatin and sat on a bed of azuki beans which hinted of coffee. 2 small slices of banana and sponge completed the picture.
Overall I spent about $28 for a wonderful dinner inclusive of free flow green tea. Well worth the money in my humble opinion and definitely worth a revisit.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
It was one of those quiet weekday evenings that we headed to town to grab a bite while running some errands. Chinese food was on the list and Tang Dian Wang (汤点王)seemed decent enough for us to pop by for dinner. This Shanghainese restaurant is owned by the folks who brought you New York New York, Xin Wang HK Cafe, Thai Express etc - restaurants that leave much to be desired in my humble opinion. But hey, life is full of second (or maybe third or fourth) chances.
Prominently situated amongst the ring of eateries that circle the Fountain of Wealth in the basement, Tang Dian Wang practises a open dining concept where passers by and customers alike are free to let their gaze roam. The decor is decidedly modern Chinese with a nod to tradition in the form of round laterns hanging from the ceiling. During our visit, the place was barely a quarter full, though I can't say the same for weekends.
Roasted Meat & Salted Egg Fragrant Rice in Lotus Wrappers (烧肉咸蛋荷叶饭) - I don't usually order rice in lotus leaf wraps (荷叶饭) when dining out because of the high oil content but apparently Tang Dian Wang is known for it so I made an exception. Oily as usual but moist with a nice lingering aroma. However I did find the roasted meat way too fatty for my liking and overall a little too bland for my liking. Decent but nothing fantastic.
Prawns with Golden Pumpkin Sauce (金瓜奶虾球) - Initial impressions of this dish were good as the prawns were crunchy with a crisp along the edges due to the light batter coating. But it soon became nausea inducing due to the starchy and bland pumpkin sauce that masked any sweetness the prawns might have to offer. Overall a rather insipid dish.
Deep-fried Bean Curd with Bak Kwa (炸肉干豆腐) - The bean curd with bak kwa (dried meat jerky) was a let down honestly. Deep fried till crisp on the outside but lacking the smoothness that I was expecting. Granted, I could make out tiny shards of bak kwa embedded within but they were too little, too small to have any impact on the dish. Although bean curd is one of my favourite dishes, I gave up after the second piece.
Sauteed Horfun with Seafood - The humble horfun(河粉) was the most unlikely star of the evening with its silky smoothness and hint of wok hei. Another plus point was the relatively fresh seafood that it came served with. On the flip side, I did think that the egg gravy was a little too starchy for my liking, which added to the nausea from the earlier dishes.
The 2 of us chalked up a bill of about $65 for dinner which I felt was a little pricey given the quality of food. Every seemed to be heavy on the starch/flour which made me squeamish after a while. Service was okay but that's not enough reason for me to ever step in again.
See all my pictures here.
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Specialty burger stalls are a dime a dozen these days so I procrastinated in trying out the one of the latest burger offering at Most Original Burgers (MOB for short) even though I am quite a sucker for new burger outlets. I was finally swayed when MOB ran a joint promotion with a website to offer a set meal at a discounted rate (cheapo me!)
The location isn't ideal, tucked away in a nondescript corner of Vivo City, along a small section of eateries that include the more illustrious Tung Lok Signatures. The decor reminds me of a typical fast food type casual eatery usually associated with the likes of the big M and slightly more "upclass" offerings like New York New York (yucks!).
Wild Mushroom Soup - A little runny but the generous chunks of mushroom more than made up for it. The reduced usage of cream as an ingredient was a welcome change and overall a decent rendition of this classic soup.
The Goodfellas - The Goodfellas actually refer to a trio of mini burgers, selected by the customer from a preset list of flavours/combinations. Yours truly chose the safest option - Classic Beef, Philly Cheese Steak and Grilled Chicken, all on MOB's signature brioche. Aesthetics wise, this dish as a whole was rather pleasing to the eye and the brioche came linked together, which I personally found a tad amusing. It didn't taste like the brioche I knew and instead, carried a hint of beer in every bite. And it was rather dry. I thought that the classic beef, which came in the form of a ball, was quite decent but a tad dry. The philly was just way tough and I couldn't quite make out the taste of cheese even though it was visually very evident. Nothing like the real deal from Philadelphia. Best of the lot was the grilled chicken, which had a nice smokiness to it that I personally like. It also helped that the meat was tender.
Grilled Oregano Chicken - This dish seemed like a super sized up version of the grilled chicken burger and no, I'm definitely not complaining. Nicely grilled and tender with a sizeable portion to boot, the chicken was well complimented by the oregano and pommery mustard sauce, which imbued a rich saltiness to it.
Waffle with Ice Cream - Crisp but a little too hard. And the ice cream tasted like hardened milk, lacking the usual richness I would expect even from lower end brands like Kings, which is easily available at most supermarkets. I ate a quarter and gave up.
Apparently my set (mushroom soup good fellas waffle & ice cream drink) would have cost in excess of $40 without the voucher but I only paid $17, which I personally thought was still within the reasonable range. But have me pay the original price for the set and its definitely a big no no. Also, I'm not sure the grilled chicken was worth the $18.90 . Overall it is my personal judgment that this place falls into the same category as Swensens and the likes - not worth a revisit.
See all my pictures here.
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This bar is located at the top of Swissotel. Being the highest building in Singapore (or not?), it inevitably commands the highest power of best views in town. When I stepped out of the lift on the 70th floor of the hotel, I was impressed by the magnificent view ahead of me. One little spoiler was that there were steps down to Equinox, and steps up to New Asia Bar. In my mind, I thought they could have been more considerate to remove the steps (especially for ladies in super high heels who probably would frequent the Bar) or to have the sound from heels on the wooden steps insulated by carpet.
Stepped into the Bar, was rather impressed. But on hindsight, I think I was more impressed by the view out the full-length glass window than the place per se. It gives me the feeling like they can't decide if they should be a bar, chill-out place for drinks or a club. They have a floor area that's too small for dancing for too big as a corridor-walking space; they have couches and coffee tables that's good for putting drinks but difficult to eat from. At the same time, they've got bar counters and a couple of bar stools and tables around the place. They have quite a range of alcohol but they also serve pizzas, burgers and light snacks - and only wooden chopsticks or fingers for utensils, no forks or knives.
Sat at a comfortable couch with a window view. Must say I was lucky, there was only one table that wasn't reserved and the couple at the window just left, so I could take over that table. The whole time I was really awed by the view. Must say it was truly spectacular and if you're looking for a chill-out place, book a table early and head right up to the top of Swissotel!
For drinks, I got an Equinox Blue - ladies' favourite I was told. Fruity, punchy, but not mixed very well. The alcohol was right at the bottom. Was it a cocktail or just layers of liquid? But the blue curacao in drinks never fail to make the drink appear better than it is. Good presentation I guess, and in a cool glass with a tilted base!
For food, we had a seafood platter and a Wagyu Beef burger, with onion rings and both came with potato wedges.
It was really difficult to eat the burger. It was bigger than a double Big Mac. And it didn't help that they only served wooden chopsticks. The Burger was $48 and tasted fine, just that for the name - Wagyu beef - I was really expecting better beef. Only that I felt like I was eating beef patty with foie gras texture. I really can't decide if I had the better end of the deal or not.
The seafood platter (can't remember the price) was rather pathetic. 2 sticks of fish, 1 stick of prawn, 1 stick of squids, some wedges and that's it. So much for a platter. I only tried the squid and found it rather tasteless though chewy - disappointing.
Service was substandard for what you might expect at a "cool bar" at Swissotel. The waiter who brought us our food was really polite but there were other waitresses at the entrance were just loitering around the bar without bothering to attend to us, apart from one lady who gave us the menus we requested and walked away. I was rather unimpressed by this, given that the bar was evidently crowded by waitresses! Not even one out of, at least, 5 of them could attend to us.
On the whole, I really liked the view up at the bar and find it a great place to hang out. Just have to call early for reservations and next time, I would really avoid ordering food next time. Maybe a pizza would be the safest (with regards to taste and ease of eating). But great view, great great view. Worth a visit, at least once!
I would give the place 3.5 instead of 3.
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Dear Guinea Pig Lovers... If you wonder, if Guinea pigs go to heaven? I think i just walked right into GP heaven on earth...
PetXchange is the Guinea Pig HEAVEN on earth.... You turn right... there are peeking at you from their cages.. Turn left another couple eyeing you curiously and you could hear continuos happy chattering as the piggies commune in their play spaces.
I've never seen so many different breeds, adorable and active guinea pigs for sale at one shop. This is a super must go shop for those who wants to choose and buy a piggy for themself.
I was just searching online for some super affordable guinea pig wares and necessities when i 'bumped' into PetXchange. As i entered the shop i was so super shocked... and what shocked me best was the super friendly owner. While i was 'ooowing' at one of the cute looking creature in the cage, he just walked by and carried him out and put him near my feet while he explained to me his character, breed and age. I was so surprised. Matter of fact, this was the only person that did that for me when i even didn't show interest for being. Eric was so kind to let me play with his piggies and took each out for me to touch and get to know them better and at the end of it... I can't wait to get back to the shop again.
I remembered when i bought my first 2 piggies at the other shops, even after i paid for my piggies, i don't get to hold them. All i get is the box and the poor frightened little pet shivering frantically inside. But this will not happen at PetXchange. They will make sure you get connected to the guinea pig first before deciding to purchase.
After you purchase your piggy, maintainance is an utmost important thing. Food, Hay, Toys and Cat;s Litter is super important for everyday life. Ever since my first visit to PetXchange, I never step into another pet shop to buy anything else. Because, for the same price to pay for one packet of lets say food outside... You could buy at least one and half of the same brand of food here. For the brand i buy its 2 packets of food. Everything sold in this shop is so affordable and i will never buy anything else other then for this shop. Even toys like huts, balls or water bottle is SUPER AFFORDABLE. I mean why pay for the membership to get the meagre 10% or at most 20% discount when here. You get everything at minimum 40% discount without having to beg or scrimp. Cages are the super expensive things though they are one time expenses, but don't forget your pets grow and they breed.. hopefully.... and they will need a bigger playboy mansion :). i have never came across a more economical priced shop selling cage then this.
Expect no frill..... but expect good prices....
Seriously.. If you are a cavy owner or owned some small animals.... This is the SHOP TO GO.... But its mine little secret... Don't start telling everybody.......... just tell your good friends.....
Don't have too many good friends...
We guinea pig owners... buy in style..... *perspire*
G*Force RULEs............
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What I really like about this place is the vast number of storage options. The way they guide us through the different options is so simple and tempting to buy everything.
It's like me discovering new toys to put at home and seeing the showrooms makes me want to have the same layout too.
I like the storage options as I'm always in need of organising my stuff with categorised cabinets. That way, it's so much easier to remember where I kept my stuff.
I've tried the cafe and the long queue is really too much. The way the tables and chairs are placed are too close to each other and there are prams all over the place. It makes the place even more squeezy and it isn't comfortable. I just like more walking space between chairs.
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We were enticed by the $1 soya sauce chicken offer dangled by Canton-i in conjunction with DBS credit cards. Us and a ton of other people as well, judging by the long queue that had formed by 6pm on a Saturday evening. If you are not interested in queuing, reservations would probably be recommended.
Hailing from neighbouring Malaysia, Canton-i's Singapore outlet is located on the 3rd level of swanky ION Orchard. The interior is awash in white with hues of red radiating from bird cage lamps hanging from the ceiling - traditional in a fun sort of way. Wooden tables and chairs complete the whole outlook.
Roasted Meat Combination - The roasted meats (烧腊) are apparently a signature of Canton-i. And it's honestly not difficult to understand why. The BBQ pork (叉烧) was literally melt in your mouth with a high fat to meat ratio (50%-50%). Absolutely heart stopping (literally!) but simply delightful, especially with the little charred bits along the edges and the robust sweet sauce that didn't overwhelm.
I wasn't too taken by the Roasted pork (烧肉) though, seeing that I've had better ones at Imperial Treasure Cantonese. That's not to say it wasn't any good though. The skin had a noticeable (and audible!) crisp but as the fat to meat ratio was very high, it left a greasy aftertaste in my mouth which was a little overbearing in my humble opinion.
Soya Sauce Chicken - Call us cheapo but this was the main reason why we were at Canton-i; for the $1 soya sauce chicken. And what a disappointment it turned out to be. The meat was tender but I honestly didn't find it anything out of the ordinary. It tasted like chicken with a hint of sugar sweetness, which sort of defied my preconceived notion that soya sauce chicken should be salty. I probably haven't eaten much soya sauce chicken to know but it wasn't exactly my cup of tea.
Long Beans Fried with Minced Pork - Not many places do this dish well and Canton-i falls into the minority. The long bean was fried till crunchy while retaining a wee bit of moisture, boasting a wonderful hint of wok hei and topped with savoury minced pork. An excellent dish, but only if you aren't adverse to oil.
Beancurd with Luffa (Loofah) in Abalone Sauce - This is the first time I've ever eaten luffa/loofah (胜瓜) and I must say that it was rather interesting. Soft with a mildly raw vegetable taste that hits you towards the end. I can't say that I'm a fan of it but I wouldn't mind having another go at it, especially when paired with the flavourful and not too starchy abalone sauce. The beancurd was egg based and came across as smooth and silky. Pity about the lack of savouriness though.
The 3 of us chalked up a bill of about $82, which was honestly a little on the high side considering that the soya sauce chicken was a mere $1. Sky juice is chargeable at $1 /pax and so are the wet towels and tidbits, all pretty much standard stuff at a Chinese restaurant (save for the water though but they do tell you upfront that it's not free). However, the quality of food is undeniable and service is decent, making it a viable, albeit pricier alternative to Imperial Treasure Noodle & Congee House a couple of floors down.
See all my pictures here.
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Met up with my former classmates for a long awaited dinner at Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck (ITSPD for short), a branch of the esteemed chain of restaurants which I personally like. As the name suggests, the restaurant is well known for what else but its peking duck. I do think that the name could be a little more polished though as the current one sounds downright cheesy. But that's just me.
The interior has a dated elegance to it and a portion of the sitting area consists of semi private partitioned areas linked by a common corridor which can comfortably fit a table of 4. Lighting is dim but adequate and the whole atmosphere has a somber tone to it, perfect for a business gathering.
Appetiser - The glazed cashew nuts were a nice start to the dinner. Crunchy and fresh without the rancid oil taste and topped with a smattering of sesame seeds.
Asparagus with Garlic - A simple dish yet well executed with the asparagus crunchy and fried alongside diced garlic. Fragrant and tasty.
Peking Duck - The signature dish of ITSPD - Peking duck. Honestly I wasn't very wowed by it, seeing that the skin, though crisp to a certain extent, did seem a little limp. Best eaten with sugar. Crepes were provided for the loose slivers of skin and meat but they were a little too thick for my liking. I personally liked the plain and simple chunks of duck served up in a swan like platter - no frills, just juicy and tender and probably the sole saving grace.
We opted to use the remaining duck to do a noodle dish and well, let's just say it was very decent but not something that I personally would have gone for.
Sauteed Scallops with Italian White Truffle Oil - One of my must order dishes whenever I visit any Imperial Treasure outlet (provided they carry it of course!), ITSPD's rendition of the scallops with white truffle oil was a wee bit lacklustre as compared to its cousin at Crowne Plaza Hotel. That's not to say it wasn't any good though. As a matter of fact, the scallops were fragrant from the aromatic truffle oil and tasty to say the least. The only gripe I had was that they seemed a little too soft. Still the pièce de résistance nonetheless.
Sauteed Beancurd with Mushrooms - Smooth but not exactly savoury, the beancurd was decent and I liked the generous topping of mushrooms - comfort food for the soul.
Steamed Custard Bun - This is usually a dim sum item but apparently it's so popular that they stock up some for dinner as well. Having eaten this quite a few times, I am still of the opinion that Peach Garden does a better rendition (at least they used to!), but Imperial Treasure's offering comes in a close second with its oozing sinful custard infused with egg yolk sediment.
Durian Pudding - The moment I set my eyes upon the durian pudding, I had a hunch it wasn't going to turn out well. And I was right. The pudding wasn't rich enough and tasted way too gelatin for my liking. More durian please.
The 4 of us spent a total of $204 for dinner, which isn't too expensive considering the decent quality of food and the reasonably good service. I personally like the privacy that the restaurant offers and I'm sure ITSPD will give nearby Crystal Jade Golden Palace a run for it's money.
See all my pictures here.
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