Balmoral Bakery is a very old-school bakery which is evident from the box they use for their bakes. Located at Sunset way, the bakery offers the type of breads and pastries which we grow up together with, but sadly are slowly disappearing from our sight.
Under the “undue” influence of my food partner, we jogged from our place to Sunset way, and pay the bakery a visit. She introduced me to Balmoral Bakery as she has been munching on their breads since young.
Egg tart ($1) The egg tart at Balmoral is those ‘watery’ type, my food partner love this type of egg tart, but i prefer those with crusty sides and firmer egg-fillings.
Custard Buns ($1.1) The custard buns are the star of the show! Billed as Balmoral Bakery’s signature item, the custard buns are really excellent! There are other customers who brought half a dozen or more at a go. Must try!!
Cake ($1) The cake is the very traditional type where you can only get at such bakeries, nowadays seldom do we still see such cakes around, well maybe if your neighbor still has such old-school bakeries around.
Char-siew Sau ($1) The char-siew sau is cripsy and the char siew inside sweet!
Cake with cream in centre ($1.20) I liked this one! The cake is very soft and fluffy, whipped cream in the center, and sugar white powder spread on top.
Total Bill for 5 items comes up to $5.50. I only brought 5 items as this is my first time there, but my food partner brought about more than 10 items!
The bread and pastries at Balmoral Bakery are mostly in the range of $0.80-$1.50, and there are really a lot of different types of traditional bakes which isn’t so commonly found nowadays. Go, and relieve your childhood memories!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
Hankook Rice Cake House is under the same management with the popular Auntie Kim’s Korean Restaurant which is on the same stretch of road at Upper Thomson.
After finishing our meal at Chicken House, and Ritz Apple Strudel, my friend and i saw this shop across the street so we decided to venture there to check the place out.
Hankook Korean Rice Cakes are featured on the Business Times
The interior of the shop is very small and simple, with some Korean decorations
Hankook Rice Cake house sell quite a variety of rice cakes, there are also samples available on the table for tasting. We tried a few of them, but to tell the truth, Korean rice cakes are not really to our liking, or rather we can’t really appreciate the beauty of it.
But because we have tried their samples, we felt rather guilty if we just walk out of the shop, so my friend decided to buy a box of rice cake for take-away.
If i didn’t really remember wrongly, these are pumpkim with nuts, seeds, and raisins fillings. Please correct me if I’m wrong. One box is in the range of 6 bucks.
Hankook Rice Cake sell rather authentic korean rice cakes, even though i’m no fan of it, but to open a shop just to sell rice cake, we should applause the owner for that!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
The opening of Vivo City has seen many new restaurants/cafes popping up to capitalize on the crowds that throng Vivo City daily. One such new restaurant/cafe is White Dog Cafe.
Located just a few doors away from the much talked about Kim Gary, White Dog Cafe hosts its own steady stream of customers in its simple yet cosy interior with a view of Sentosa to boot. The menu is interestingly done up to mimic the spots of the Dalmatian. Other than that, nothing else seems to suggest why the outfit is named White Dog Cafe.
Soup of the day - This was plain lousy. The soup was way too salty and tasted like cabbage soup with some small balls of meat in it. The accompanying garlic bread was equally bad, coming across as slip shod and bland.
Deep Fried Breaded Beef with Japanese Mayo - This was recommended to me by the waiter and it sort of blew me away with its quality (this is not a compliment in case you are wondering). The bread coating was way too thick and the beef was tasteless. It was no different from eating deep fried crispy bread. Probably the only thing that was still okay was the rice. Ironical isn't it?
Etoile - My dessert of a specialty cake, the Etoile, which is essentially a dark chocolate cake with chocolate mousse. Sadly, it didn't meet expectations. The outer layer of dark chocolate did look like dark chocolate, but certainly didn't taste like it. I couldn't detect any bitterness or strong chocolate taste for that matter. The chocolate mousse was bland and the cake wasn't spongy. Terribly done if you ask me and I'm very sure the cakes aren't made in house. If they are, its time to change a new pastry chef.
A disappointing lunch for 2 pax cost $28.40. Not really expensive price wise, but factor in the quality of food and you have a no brainer conclusion. I will not be back. I guess that pretty much sums it all up doesn't it?
Along Club Street lies this quaint little colonial style building that houses one of Singapore's well known Italian Restaurant - Senso Ristorante & Bar. Established in 2000, Senso has received numerous awards and nominations for its ambience, food and wine. So it was imperative that we (my gf and I) tried out this place! Reservations weren't made as it was a rather last minute decision and we didn't think it would be too difficult to get a seat on a Sunday evening (Actually we were torn between eating at Senso and Grand Shanghai, but since the latter didn't answer my calls, we chose the former). We got there at about 645pm and were surprised to find that it only opened for dinner at 7pm. Anyway, it was but a short wait and at the stroke of 7, we were shown to our table in the courtyard. Please let me say this. We didn't opt to sit in the courtyard, but there wasn't a choice as we didn't meet the dress code.
It would be almost criminal not to dedicate at least a paragraph to the very pretty courtyard. From the moment I stepped in, it almost felt like I had been transported right into the heart of a warmly lit Tuscan courtyard in Italy, complete with a Greek statue that adorns the gardens. This is definitely one place you must see! There are strong fans around to help the customers keep cool whilst dining. However, it can get quite sticky because of the humid nature of Singapore's weather. The air conditioned interior was rather pleasing as well, with hues of orange and touches of elegance coupled with dim lighting. Decor aside, we had the Mozzarella for starters and the Frutti Di Mare and the Ossobuco for mains. On a side note, we had the chef divide everything up into 2 individual portions so that we could share.
The meal started off with a complementary serving of warm bread and bread sticks, with Chick Pea Puree as a dip. I personally found the bread sticks a little too hard for me, but it tasted quite good, especially with the Chick Pea Puree. The wheat bread was a little too dry for me. I couldn't make out the other bread, but it had onions on top and tasted soft and appetising. Following the bread was a tiny serving of Chick Pea Salad, complementary as well. I found this quite good as the chick peas had a tinge of zest coupled with the evident taste of the basil leaf. Small serving, but it sure packs a punch!
Our appetiser, the Mozzarella, was essentially pan fried Buffalo Mozzarella wrapped in Parma Ham, Marinated Raisins and Pine Kernels in Balsamico (Traditional Balsamic Vinegar). The huge chunk of cheese was a little chewy, yet didn't have too strong a cheese taste. Wrap a slice of Parma Ham around it and dip in the sauce (I think the sauce comes from the Marinated Raisins and Pine Kernels in Balsamico. It tasted a little alcoholic.) and you get nothing short of stupendous. It sure didn't look like cheese though, or anything related to it. Little wonder why this is one of Senso's signature dishes.
With such a wonderful appetiser, we thus looked forward to the mains. The Frutti Di Mare, Carnaroli Risotto with Octopus, Prawns, Mussels, Calamari, fresh Tomato and Basil, was very nicely done without being too heavy on the cream and with the rich texture of the Risotto. It was good, but not fantastic. The Ossobuco, braised Veal shank "Ossobuco" served with mashed Potatoes, Rosemary and Lemon Gremolata was very tender and fibrous, so much so that there was no need to even remove the meat from the bone. The natural Veal taste was very prevalent in this dish, which suited me fine, but people who don't like it might just want to stay away. The accompanying mashed potatoes were soft and had a tinge of butter, but nothing to shout about.
We racked up a total of $93.24 for a very satisfying meal (for me at least). I was stuffed up so much that I could barely walk, which explains the absence of dessert. This is definitely one place you should bring your date or that special someone to. The ambience alone puts many other fine dining restaurants to shame. Service is excellent and so is the food. What more do you need? Do note that prices are quite steep here, but hey, I reckon every dollar is well spent.
Ritz apple strudel & cafe has been around for quite some time, but it’s until now then i got the chance to actually try out their strudel which they are famous for.
We went to Ritz apple at Upper Thomson, the outlet is just a stone throw away from Chicken House
The interior of the place is very neat and clean, with simple white furniture.
Durian Strudel mini ($4.80) We made a mistake on this one, Ritz apple strudel is call apple after all, but we had the durian strudel which doesn’t quite make it. The durian is more on the sour side. Period.
Durian Crepe ($4.80) Another mistake since the durian is the same. Actually i heard their apple, or even strawberry is not bad, but my friend likes durian so we ordered durian flavor crepe.
Smoothies ($4.90) The smoothies is quite refreshing, and like the name implies, smoothes the throat!
Cashew Beef ($5.90) Beef isn’t very good when it goes along with nuts, in this case cashew as we find out. The cashew taste is too strong, which clashes with the beef. In the end we take out the beef and eat without the cashew. So much for cashew beef!
Total bill is $20.40 for the desserts. Ritz apple strudel isn’t that expensive considering the mini strudel is $4.80, i guess go for their apple or strawberry flavor and you will be alright, but please leave their durians alone.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
Chicken is a very common dish in everybody’s meal table, there are so many different method of cooking it. I guess most people will have heard of Kampong chicken, which is quite unlike your typical chicken found in most places.
The normal chicken is usually injected with hormones, to make them grow faster so that the people who rear the chicken can get more profits. Most people thinks that it isn’t that healthy if the chickens are injected.
Kampong Chickens are different, they are usually rear in a manner where they are allowed to “run free”, instead of staying all day in the cages like the normal chicken. The “run free” manner of growing the chicken allows them to train and “strengthen” their legs and bodies, which make the chicken meat firmer and nicer to eat.
My friend had a craving for kampung chicken, so we went to Chicken House along the stretch of Upper Thomson road where they sell only Kampung chicken.
Half a chicken cost $11, and there are also other dishes like internal organs, vegetables, and thai style chicken feet available.
Apparently the store got featured in some publications as well.
Kampong chicken for 2 people ($8) I guess we can easily finish half a chicken as well, but we just ordered Kampong chicken for 2 servings. Unless you haven’t eaten Kampong chicken before, you should roughly know the texture and taste of it.
Kampong chicken is less meaty compared to the normal chicken, but in this way you won’t get so sick of eating too much meat. The chicken is firmer and nicer to eat!
Oyster sauce Kai Lan ($4) The oyster sauce kai lan is very normal, not very well stir-fried, we couldn’t really finish the vegetables.
Total Bill was $17.10 for 2 person, we had lime juice as well, which in my opinion is one of the beverage that goes well with many type of different food. The Kampong chicken is good, and i guess not that many places sell kampong chicken in Singapore.
So if you got a craving for Kampong chicken, you know where to go!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
Ever since the demise of A&W in Singapore, Waffletown is probably the only fast food outlet in Singapore that serves up fried chicken and waffles in a small unit reminiscent of an old school American diner.
Located at Balmoral Plaza, the place isn't big and comes with brown table tops and orange chairs affixed to the ground just like A&W in the old days. A very serene sense of nostalgia sets in and one can't help but relish in the comfort it offers.
2 Piece Chicken Set - The chicken skin was crispy sans the layer of fats beneath, which of course is the lesser of two evils. Meat was moist and juicy and didn't come across as oily as those served up by KFC. Only downside was the seasoning of the chicken, which I personally felt was a little inadequate. The accompanying fries and coleslaw tasted like those ready made ones you can buy off the shelves from any supermarket.
Waffle with Blueberry and Vanilla Ice Cream & Waffle with Blackberry and Rum and Raisin Ice Cream - Since the place is called waffletown, its really a no brainer that waffles are their specialty. The waffles were very crispy but that in itself presents a problem, to me at least. Crispy waffles aren't moist and my idea of an ideal waffle should be crisp on the outside yet moist and full of bite on the inside. It must also be fragrant. Waffletown's waffles fulfilled the aroma criteria but they were crispy inside out, which made it a little like eating crackers. Fortunately, thats where the toppings and ice cream come into play, lending the waffles with additional flavour and moisture. All in all a good eat.
At about $6.70 for a 2 piece chicken set that comes with 2 sides and a drink, Waffletown goes for about the same price as KFC. Quality is much higher here though but there is the problem of location.
Sun Moulin is located just beside the Isetan Japanese Supermarket at Lido. My food partner and i went there after our lunch at Tetsu. I believe those who frequent the supermarket will need no introduction to this delightful bakery.
There are quite a wide range of breads, pastries, and cakes around, with prices ranging from 1 to 2 bucks, quite similar to your more commonly found Breadtalk and Four Leaves.
I was so full from the lunch at Tetsu, but my food partner is amazing, she brought quite a few home!
She has tried almost all the bread and pastries at Sun Moulin, so below are some of the ones which she highly recommended.
Soft An-pan ($2) The soft An-pan is actually more familiar to most of us as the red bean paste bun. But at Sun Moulin, they use Hawaiian Bread dough. Soft and fluffy!
Belgian Waffle ($1.30) The Belgian Waffle caught my attention first because i’m a sucker for good waffles. And at $1.30 its definitely worth a try, even though the waffle might be a little small in size. It will be excellent if you managed to get them hot off the pan.
Zebra Mini Croissant There are a few selections of Croissant here, with $0.65 for one, $1.80 for 3, and $2.70 for 5. Naturally the more you get the cheaper it is.
Petit Sesame Croissant Crispy layer of dough, with black and white sesame.
Mini croissant Mini-size croissant, try the original taste!
Mini Choc Croissant Your mini croissant now comes in chocolate flavour!
Double Taste Bun ($2) Enjoy 2 kind of home-made taste, chocolate and custard cream inside.
My food partner got the double taste bun for me, and boy the bread is really good! Peeling off part of the bread, fills my nose with aroma of the warm chocolate and custard cream.
The bread is super soft, and its delicious even eaten on its own!
Total bill for 5 items were $9.10. I only tried one of the bread, and i’m already thinking of going back to Sun Moulin for more! My plan is to go there on an empty stomach, then order a lot of different bread to have them for lunch!
Sun Moulin’s bread are definitely better than your typical bakeries (you-know-what), and the prices are also in about the same range with the most expensive bread at 2 bucks.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
The yoghurt craze is catching on in Singapore with the opening of yoghurt outlets like Frolick and Yoguru. The former currently has 3 outlets in Singapore whereas the latter only has one.
Located in the still sleepy Kallang Leisure Park, Yoguru has a steady following of fans who swear by the brand's fat free yoghurt which comes in 2 varieties - original and YoguBliss, with the latter comprising of dragonfruit and pomegranate in the mixture. Prices start at $3.30 for a regular cup of original yoghurt to $7.90 for a jumbo take home container. Prices for the YoguBliss are slightly higher, at $3.80 for a regular and $9.30 for a jumbo. Toppings start at $1.20 each. Definitely not cheap.
Not being a fan of dragonfruit or pomegranate, I had a go at the original with toppings of diced strawberries. To be honest, I'm never liked yoghurt because my tolerance for sour stuff is minimal so it came as quite a surprise that I could actually finish up a whole cup of Yoguru's yoghurt by myself. The yoghurt is much sweeter than any of the other brands of yoghurt that I've tried and the smooth creamy texture reminds me more of ice cream, which is totally different from what you can get from NTUC or Frolick for that matter.
I like the idea of fat free pseudo ice cream with a sourish tinge enough to continue my patronage.
Attended a wedding tasting lunch at Hilton courtesy of my friend who will be tying the knot later this year.
Well not much can be said about the interior because it was held in one of the function rooms which are named after countries, with this particular one being Singapore.
Complimentary Bread - It was a unanimous decision. The bread was good. Served up warm, it exuded a mild fragrance together with a nice crackling sound when I broke off a piece to savour. The soft yet fluffy dough complemented with a thin layer of salted butter was enough to make us request for seconds. And for the record, I had 5 buns, which is definitely a first for me in such situations.
Gazpacho - I'm honestly not a fan of tomato soup, even more so chilled tomato soup, so I didn't quite take to it. And neither did anyone else around the table. But I personally felt that it could have been stronger on the taste as it did seem a little runny to me.
Madras Long Grain Rice with Raisin and Almond - The good thing about long grain rice is that the grains stay seperate and fluffy after cooking, which was the case in this dish. When eaten with the almond slices and raisins, it made for a nice and light (healthy as well!) rice dish. A pity there weren't enough almonds or raisins to go around so there was quite a bit of rice leftover.
Roasted Stuffed Duck on Sauteed Sweet Cabbage with Mustad Cream - Ironically, the star of this dish wasn't the duck but the cabbage, which was sauteed to the right softness and flavourful. The duck on the other hand, wasn't exactly duck per se. According to the chef, a mixture of minced chicken, walnut and spinach were used to make the stuffing which was then rolled with a layer of fatty duck skin with some duck meat attached. The result? A highly chewy duck skin which was almost impossible to cut through, probably due to the amount of fats under the skin. The stuffing was still decent though but the skin really spoilt the whole dish.
Sea Bream with Roots Vegetables in Saffron Cream - The aesthetics of this dish proved to be the sole consolation for this dish, which is sad really. Huge portions aside, the fish meat was seriously tough and I was left wondering if it was really fish because the texture said otherwise. The saffron cream sauce was also a tad weak and it didn't help that the fish itself was rather bland.
Smoked Chicken Breast with Fresh Poached Prawn & Spicy Mango Salsa - I'm sorry but wheres the spice? The diced mangoes were sinfully sweet and had nary a taste of spice. As for the chicken breast, it had but an ever so faint trace of smokiness, which I would definitely have missed if I had eaten it with the mangoes. A longer smoking time would definitely be appreciated.
Hilton's Famous Cheesecake - Hilton has every right to be proud of its cheesecake because its really in a class of its own. Lightly moist and extremely cheesy, this classic American cheesecake is good enough to make me throw any diet plans out of the window. If you prefer the lighter chiffon variant, I would suggest you steer clear of Hilton's offering and head down to Cheesecake Cafe instead.
A good start and a good ending. Hilton just needs to fill up the hollow center. Thanks for the invite!
1=SGD 0.0587
Balmoral Bakery is a very old-school bakery which is evident from the box they use for their bakes. Located at Sunset way, the bakery offers the type of breads and pastries which we grow up together with, but sadly are slowly disappearing from our sight.
Under the “undue” influence of my food partner, we jogged from our place to Sunset way, and pay the bakery a visit. She introduced me to Balmoral Bakery as she has been munching on their breads since young.
Egg tart ($1)
The egg tart at Balmoral is those ‘watery’ type, my food partner love this type of egg tart, but i prefer those with crusty sides and firmer egg-fillings.
Custard Buns ($1.1)
The custard buns are the star of the show! Billed as Balmoral Bakery’s signature item, the custard buns are really excellent! There are other customers who brought half a dozen or more at a go. Must try!!
Cake ($1)
The cake is the very traditional type where you can only get at such bakeries, nowadays seldom do we still see such cakes around, well maybe if your neighbor still has such old-school bakeries around.
Char-siew Sau ($1)
The char-siew sau is cripsy and the char siew inside sweet!
Cake with cream in centre ($1.20)
I liked this one! The cake is very soft and fluffy, whipped cream in the center, and sugar white powder spread on top.
Total Bill for 5 items comes up to $5.50. I only brought 5 items as this is my first time there, but my food partner brought about more than 10 items!
The bread and pastries at Balmoral Bakery are mostly in the range of $0.80-$1.50, and there are really a lot of different types of traditional bakes which isn’t so commonly found nowadays. Go, and relieve your childhood memories!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
Rating given:
Hankook Rice Cake House is under the same management with the popular Auntie Kim’s Korean Restaurant which is on the same stretch of road at Upper Thomson.
After finishing our meal at Chicken House, and Ritz Apple Strudel, my friend and i saw this shop across the street so we decided to venture there to check the place out.
Hankook Korean Rice Cakes are featured on the Business Times
The interior of the shop is very small and simple, with some Korean decorations
Hankook Rice Cake house sell quite a variety of rice cakes, there are also samples available on the table for tasting. We tried a few of them, but to tell the truth, Korean rice cakes are not really to our liking, or rather we can’t really appreciate the beauty of it.
But because we have tried their samples, we felt rather guilty if we just walk out of the shop, so my friend decided to buy a box of rice cake for take-away.
If i didn’t really remember wrongly, these are pumpkim with nuts, seeds, and raisins fillings. Please correct me if I’m wrong. One box is in the range of 6 bucks.
Hankook Rice Cake sell rather authentic korean rice cakes, even though i’m no fan of it, but to open a shop just to sell rice cake, we should applause the owner for that!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
Rating given:
The opening of Vivo City has seen many new restaurants/cafes popping up to capitalize on the crowds that throng Vivo City daily. One such new restaurant/cafe is White Dog Cafe.
Located just a few doors away from the much talked about Kim Gary, White Dog Cafe hosts its own steady stream of customers in its simple yet cosy interior with a view of Sentosa to boot. The menu is interestingly done up to mimic the spots of the Dalmatian. Other than that, nothing else seems to suggest why the outfit is named White Dog Cafe.
Soup of the day - This was plain lousy. The soup was way too salty and tasted like cabbage soup with some small balls of meat in it. The accompanying garlic bread was equally bad, coming across as slip shod and bland.
Deep Fried Breaded Beef with Japanese Mayo -
This was recommended to me by the waiter and it sort of blew me away with its quality (this is not a compliment in case you are wondering). The bread coating was way too thick and the beef was tasteless. It was no different from eating deep fried crispy bread. Probably the only thing that was still okay was the rice. Ironical isn't it?
Etoile - My dessert of a specialty cake, the Etoile, which is essentially a dark chocolate cake with chocolate mousse. Sadly, it didn't meet expectations. The outer layer of dark chocolate did look like dark chocolate, but certainly didn't taste like it. I couldn't detect any bitterness or strong chocolate taste for that matter. The chocolate mousse was bland and the cake wasn't spongy. Terribly done if you ask me and I'm very sure the cakes aren't made in house. If they are, its time to change a new pastry chef.
A disappointing lunch for 2 pax cost $28.40. Not really expensive price wise, but factor in the quality of food and you have a no brainer conclusion. I will not be back. I guess that pretty much sums it all up doesn't it?
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Along Club Street lies this quaint little colonial style building that houses one of Singapore's well known Italian Restaurant - Senso Ristorante & Bar. Established in 2000, Senso has received numerous awards and nominations for its ambience, food and wine. So it was imperative that we (my gf and I) tried out this place! Reservations weren't made as it was a rather last minute decision and we didn't think it would be too difficult to get a seat on a Sunday evening (Actually we were torn between eating at Senso and Grand Shanghai, but since the latter didn't answer my calls, we chose the former). We got there at about 645pm and were surprised to find that it only opened for dinner at 7pm. Anyway, it was but a short wait and at the stroke of 7, we were shown to our table in the courtyard. Please let me say this. We didn't opt to sit in the courtyard, but there wasn't a choice as we didn't meet the dress code.
It would be almost criminal not to dedicate at least a paragraph to the very pretty courtyard. From the moment I stepped in, it almost felt like I had been transported right into the heart of a warmly lit Tuscan courtyard in Italy, complete with a Greek statue that adorns the gardens. This is definitely one place you must see! There are strong fans around to help the customers keep cool whilst dining. However, it can get quite sticky because of the humid nature of Singapore's weather. The air conditioned interior was rather pleasing as well, with hues of orange and touches of elegance coupled with dim lighting. Decor aside, we had the Mozzarella for starters and the Frutti Di Mare and the Ossobuco for mains. On a side note, we had the chef divide everything up into 2 individual portions so that we could share.
The meal started off with a complementary serving of warm bread and bread sticks, with Chick Pea Puree as a dip. I personally found the bread sticks a little too hard for me, but it tasted quite good, especially with the Chick Pea Puree. The wheat bread was a little too dry for me. I couldn't make out the other bread, but it had onions on top and tasted soft and appetising. Following the bread was a tiny serving of Chick Pea Salad, complementary as well. I found this quite good as the chick peas had a tinge of zest coupled with the evident taste of the basil leaf. Small serving, but it sure packs a punch!
Our appetiser, the Mozzarella, was essentially pan fried Buffalo Mozzarella wrapped in Parma Ham, Marinated Raisins and Pine Kernels in Balsamico (Traditional Balsamic Vinegar). The huge chunk of cheese was a little chewy, yet didn't have too strong a cheese taste. Wrap a slice of Parma Ham around it and dip in the sauce (I think the sauce comes from the Marinated Raisins and Pine Kernels in Balsamico. It tasted a little alcoholic.) and you get nothing short of stupendous. It sure didn't look like cheese though, or anything related to it. Little wonder why this is one of Senso's signature dishes.
With such a wonderful appetiser, we thus looked forward to the mains. The Frutti Di Mare, Carnaroli Risotto with Octopus, Prawns, Mussels, Calamari, fresh Tomato and Basil, was very nicely done without being too heavy on the cream and with the rich texture of the Risotto. It was good, but not fantastic. The Ossobuco, braised Veal shank "Ossobuco" served with mashed Potatoes, Rosemary and Lemon Gremolata was very tender and fibrous, so much so that there was no need to even remove the meat from the bone. The natural Veal taste was very prevalent in this dish, which suited me fine, but people who don't like it might just want to stay away. The accompanying mashed potatoes were soft and had a tinge of butter, but nothing to shout about.
We racked up a total of $93.24 for a very satisfying meal (for me at least). I was stuffed up so much that I could barely walk, which explains the absence of dessert. This is definitely one place you should bring your date or that special someone to. The ambience alone puts many other fine dining restaurants to shame. Service is excellent and so is the food. What more do you need? Do note that prices are quite steep here, but hey, I reckon every dollar is well spent.
Rating given:
Ritz apple strudel & cafe has been around for quite some time, but it’s until now then i got the chance to actually try out their strudel which they are famous for.
We went to Ritz apple at Upper Thomson, the outlet is just a stone throw away from Chicken House
The interior of the place is very neat and clean, with simple white furniture.
Durian Strudel mini ($4.80)
We made a mistake on this one, Ritz apple strudel is call apple after all, but we had the durian strudel which doesn’t quite make it. The durian is more on the sour side. Period.
Durian Crepe ($4.80)
Another mistake since the durian is the same. Actually i heard their apple, or even strawberry is not bad, but my friend likes durian so we ordered durian flavor crepe.
Smoothies ($4.90)
The smoothies is quite refreshing, and like the name implies, smoothes the throat!
Cashew Beef ($5.90)
Beef isn’t very good when it goes along with nuts, in this case cashew as we find out. The cashew taste is too strong, which clashes with the beef. In the end we take out the beef and eat without the cashew. So much for cashew beef!
Total bill is $20.40 for the desserts. Ritz apple strudel isn’t that expensive considering the mini strudel is $4.80, i guess go for their apple or strawberry flavor and you will be alright, but please leave their durians alone.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
” Apple and strawberry, no durians! “
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Chicken is a very common dish in everybody’s meal table, there are so many different method of cooking it. I guess most people will have heard of Kampong chicken, which is quite unlike your typical chicken found in most places.
The normal chicken is usually injected with hormones, to make them grow faster so that the people who rear the chicken can get more profits. Most people thinks that it isn’t that healthy if the chickens are injected.
Kampong Chickens are different, they are usually rear in a manner where they are allowed to “run free”, instead of staying all day in the cages like the normal chicken. The “run free” manner of growing the chicken allows them to train and “strengthen” their legs and bodies, which make the chicken meat firmer and nicer to eat.
My friend had a craving for kampung chicken, so we went to Chicken House along the stretch of Upper Thomson road where they sell only Kampung chicken.
Half a chicken cost $11, and there are also other dishes like internal organs, vegetables, and thai style chicken feet available.
Apparently the store got featured in some publications as well.
Kampong chicken for 2 people ($8)
I guess we can easily finish half a chicken as well, but we just ordered Kampong chicken for 2 servings. Unless you haven’t eaten Kampong chicken before, you should roughly know the texture and taste of it.
Kampong chicken is less meaty compared to the normal chicken, but in this way you won’t get so sick of eating too much meat. The chicken is firmer and nicer to eat!
Oyster sauce Kai Lan ($4)
The oyster sauce kai lan is very normal, not very well stir-fried, we couldn’t really finish the vegetables.
Total Bill was $17.10 for 2 person, we had lime juice as well, which in my opinion is one of the beverage that goes well with many type of different food. The Kampong chicken is good, and i guess not that many places sell kampong chicken in Singapore.
So if you got a craving for Kampong chicken, you know where to go!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
” Kampong chicken, they run free! “
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Ever since the demise of A&W in Singapore, Waffletown is probably the only fast food outlet in Singapore that serves up fried chicken and waffles in a small unit reminiscent of an old school American diner.
Located at Balmoral Plaza, the place isn't big and comes with brown table tops and orange chairs affixed to the ground just like A&W in the old days. A very serene sense of nostalgia sets in and one can't help but relish in the comfort it offers.
2 Piece Chicken Set - The chicken skin was crispy sans the layer of fats beneath, which of course is the lesser of two evils. Meat was moist and juicy and didn't come across as oily as those served up by KFC. Only downside was the seasoning of the chicken, which I personally felt was a little inadequate. The accompanying fries and coleslaw tasted like those ready made ones you can buy off the shelves from any supermarket.
Waffle with Blueberry and Vanilla Ice Cream & Waffle with Blackberry and Rum and Raisin Ice Cream - Since the place is called waffletown, its really a no brainer that waffles are their specialty. The waffles were very crispy but that in itself presents a problem, to me at least. Crispy waffles aren't moist and my idea of an ideal waffle should be crisp on the outside yet moist and full of bite on the inside. It must also be fragrant. Waffletown's waffles fulfilled the aroma criteria but they were crispy inside out, which made it a little like eating crackers. Fortunately, thats where the toppings and ice cream come into play, lending the waffles with additional flavour and moisture. All in all a good eat.
At about $6.70 for a 2 piece chicken set that comes with 2 sides and a drink, Waffletown goes for about the same price as KFC. Quality is much higher here though but there is the problem of location.
See all my pictures here.
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Sun Moulin is located just beside the Isetan Japanese Supermarket at Lido. My food partner and i went there after our lunch at Tetsu. I believe those who frequent the supermarket will need no introduction to this delightful bakery.
There are quite a wide range of breads, pastries, and cakes around, with prices ranging from 1 to 2 bucks, quite similar to your more commonly found Breadtalk and Four Leaves.
I was so full from the lunch at Tetsu, but my food partner is amazing, she brought quite a few home!
She has tried almost all the bread and pastries at Sun Moulin, so below are some of the ones which she highly recommended.
Soft An-pan ($2)
The soft An-pan is actually more familiar to most of us as the red bean paste bun. But at Sun Moulin, they use Hawaiian Bread dough. Soft and fluffy!
Belgian Waffle ($1.30)
The Belgian Waffle caught my attention first because i’m a sucker for good waffles. And at $1.30 its definitely worth a try, even though the waffle might be a little small in size. It will be excellent if you managed to get them hot off the pan.
Zebra Mini Croissant
There are a few selections of Croissant here, with $0.65 for one, $1.80 for 3, and $2.70 for 5. Naturally the more you get the cheaper it is.
Petit Sesame Croissant
Crispy layer of dough, with black and white sesame.
Mini croissant
Mini-size croissant, try the original taste!
Mini Choc Croissant
Your mini croissant now comes in chocolate flavour!
Double Taste Bun ($2)
Enjoy 2 kind of home-made taste, chocolate and custard cream inside.
My food partner got the double taste bun for me, and boy the bread is really good! Peeling off part of the bread, fills my nose with aroma of the warm chocolate and custard cream.
The bread is super soft, and its delicious even eaten on its own!
Total bill for 5 items were $9.10. I only tried one of the bread, and i’m already thinking of going back to Sun Moulin for more! My plan is to go there on an empty stomach, then order a lot of different bread to have them for lunch!
Sun Moulin’s bread are definitely better than your typical bakeries (you-know-what), and the prices are also in about the same range with the most expensive bread at 2 bucks.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
” My new favourite bakery “
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The yoghurt craze is catching on in Singapore with the opening of yoghurt outlets like Frolick and Yoguru. The former currently has 3 outlets in Singapore whereas the latter only has one.
Located in the still sleepy Kallang Leisure Park, Yoguru has a steady following of fans who swear by the brand's fat free yoghurt which comes in 2 varieties - original and YoguBliss, with the latter comprising of dragonfruit and pomegranate in the mixture. Prices start at $3.30 for a regular cup of original yoghurt to $7.90 for a jumbo take home container. Prices for the YoguBliss are slightly higher, at $3.80 for a regular and $9.30 for a jumbo. Toppings start at $1.20 each. Definitely not cheap.
Not being a fan of dragonfruit or pomegranate, I had a go at the original with toppings of diced strawberries. To be honest, I'm never liked yoghurt because my tolerance for sour stuff is minimal so it came as quite a surprise that I could actually finish up a whole cup of Yoguru's yoghurt by myself. The yoghurt is much sweeter than any of the other brands of yoghurt that I've tried and the smooth creamy texture reminds me more of ice cream, which is totally different from what you can get from NTUC or Frolick for that matter.
I like the idea of fat free pseudo ice cream with a sourish tinge enough to continue my patronage.
See all my pictures here.
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Attended a wedding tasting lunch at Hilton courtesy of my friend who will be tying the knot later this year.
Well not much can be said about the interior because it was held in one of the function rooms which are named after countries, with this particular one being Singapore.
Complimentary Bread - It was a unanimous decision. The bread was good. Served up warm, it exuded a mild fragrance together with a nice crackling sound when I broke off a piece to savour. The soft yet fluffy dough complemented with a thin layer of salted butter was enough to make us request for seconds. And for the record, I had 5 buns, which is definitely a first for me in such situations.
Gazpacho - I'm honestly not a fan of tomato soup, even more so chilled tomato soup, so I didn't quite take to it. And neither did anyone else around the table. But I personally felt that it could have been stronger on the taste as it did seem a little runny to me.
Madras Long Grain Rice with Raisin and Almond -
The good thing about long grain rice is that the grains stay seperate and fluffy after cooking, which was the case in this dish. When eaten with the almond slices and raisins, it made for a nice and light (healthy as well!) rice dish. A pity there weren't enough almonds or raisins to go around so there was quite a bit of rice leftover.
Roasted Stuffed Duck on Sauteed Sweet Cabbage with Mustad Cream - Ironically, the star of this dish wasn't the duck but the cabbage, which was sauteed to the right softness and flavourful. The duck on the other hand, wasn't exactly duck per se. According to the chef, a mixture of minced chicken, walnut and spinach were used to make the stuffing which was then rolled with a layer of fatty duck skin with some duck meat attached. The result? A highly chewy duck skin which was almost impossible to cut through, probably due to the amount of fats under the skin. The stuffing was still decent though but the skin really spoilt the whole dish.
Sea Bream with Roots Vegetables in Saffron Cream - The aesthetics of this dish proved to be the sole consolation for this dish, which is sad really. Huge portions aside, the fish meat was seriously tough and I was left wondering if it was really fish because the texture said otherwise. The saffron cream sauce was also a tad weak and it didn't help that the fish itself was rather bland.
Smoked Chicken Breast with Fresh Poached Prawn & Spicy Mango Salsa - I'm sorry but wheres the spice? The diced mangoes were sinfully sweet and had nary a taste of spice. As for the chicken breast, it had but an ever so faint trace of smokiness, which I would definitely have missed if I had eaten it with the mangoes. A longer smoking time would definitely be appreciated.
Hilton's Famous Cheesecake - Hilton has every right to be proud of its cheesecake because its really in a class of its own. Lightly moist and extremely cheesy, this classic American cheesecake is good enough to make me throw any diet plans out of the window. If you prefer the lighter chiffon variant, I would suggest you steer clear of Hilton's offering and head down to Cheesecake Cafe instead.
A good start and a good ending. Hilton just needs to fill up the hollow center. Thanks for the invite!
See all my pictures here.
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