Photos, what would life and blogging be without them? Snapz offers everything from weddings packages to outing shots to make overs and photo editing and splicing services to clients to ensure they look as good looking and pretty as they can ever be on print. Well, life's not perfect, so why not let your memories in print be isn't it?
How i learned of the place was a rather mundane one. I received a call while at work claiming i've be chosen for a free makeover and photo shot session courtesy of "paying sponsors" and i would be entitled to "choose my 2 favorite shots" upon completing the shot without any commitment nor package. In fact, Frederick and Alex both assured me that there would be no commitment whatsoever and it was simply a privilege i have the "honor" of being chosen. Well, i've been kinda bored so i thought:"There's no way things are gonna be that good. But hey, lets go take a look and see how it goes." I even roped in my gf to join me in the shoot since i'm not much of a looker. And so we went.
Upon traversing the extremely ulu lane to find the shop in the blazing hot sun, i was glad that the place was thankfully air conditioned. I told them my name and filled a form so that i could get my shoot ready. Anyway, i was surprised there were quite a few people in the vicinity including myself. Seems like i wasn't the only person who was "privileged". Still, why not? This was definitely a marketing tactic from the get go so i wasn't too surprised.
Counter staff was pleasant until we were introduced to this lady by the name of Valerie. She wasn't unpleasant as she led us up the steps to the makeover room but the way she spoke definitely did not sit well with me even then. More on the lady later.
The makeover room was rather small with approximately 12 seats for guests to have attended to. We were greeted by a couple of people who were to be our make up artists and was told to select and change into our desired costumes for the shoot. Everything there was fine and the service of the costume designer and the make up artists were quite pleasant. At the end of a 40 minute makeover, my gf looked Japanese and i looked....like dragonball characters. I felt they made up my gf too much because i liked her better without it but well, the lighting and camera and such needed it so what the hey. The artists were a real sport, telling us how nice the hair was and how good my gf looked which was a rather professional move i thought. Always make the customer feel good and comfortable.
Next up, we met the photographer who invited us to the area for the shot which was sadly...just a black backdrop. Nonetheless, we had fun posing for the shots and upon viewing, there were a few pretty good shots in the 50 that were taken. The camera man was pleasant and encouraging which was also a good and necessary move.
Now things turn for the worse. We then returned the borrowed costumes and tried to get rid of the now dry and stiff hair but was told there was no room to wash up. Upon asking to remove the make up on our faces, the lady simply dabbed a little off mine and told me she was done. That was rubbish because the concealer was still all over my face... and leaving that on would be a bad idea. My gf didn't get much attention too in removing make up, asking to remove it only met with comments of, it looks good on you and blah blah blah. Is the company running out of make up remover? I don't know but this is not good service when we've made our requests known.
When we were led downstairs again, we waited for another 30 minutes before we were told we could see the shots. Apparently, they were uploading the shots to the computer....well, last i checked, computers were plug and play in terms of photos but maybe i just haven't had a DSLR before so i may be wrong.
Valerie came out to meet us again and blatantly asked us if we felt if there was anything to complain about. Well, politely we said no because though there were hitches, the experience was still pleasant so far. As we were led into the viewing area, which were basically Apple Macs and shown our photos. Valerie spoke non stop about how we needed their services and touch up because "our eye bags were too obvious" and said to my gf as she removed my blemishes "there, so much better now, don't you wish your boyfriend looked like this?" Talk about saying the wrong things.
Heck, we were just getting started. Well, i knew there was a catch and here it is. Snapz actually has a VIP membership system that basically requires you to sign up for a lifetime membership to be their VIP. It sounds pretty good too and may save you alot of money on photos in the long run if you and your entire family loves taking photographs. Thats not a bad thing i feel but with a sales pitch like that, the membership is definitely in the $4-6k category since they were giving loads of freebies every year. All service and photograph related of course. Free makeovers, free photoshoots, free outdoor service, one on one photography and make up classes and better yet, guaranteed employment by the company. Talk about a full package.
Well, that was an interesting package but Valerie unfortunately, delivered the message over 40 minutes and amidst the whole time, reiterating that we needed the service because they could make us look a whole lot better then we really are. (i'm quite happy with my flawed look though, thank you very much.) Now, here's the kicker of the day: read on for the actual reason i said no.
When asked if i could have a private discussion with my gf, she said: "what is there to discuss when you don't know the price?" (point taken) so i followed up by asking her: "Ok, so how about we cut the chase and you tell me how much a membership costs?" Which was met by: "Are you really interested? Because if you aren't then we shouldn't waste each others time. I can't tell you the price as i'll need someone else to illustrate to you."
So i said: "I see, but i'm in a bit of a rush as i have an appointment. Can we just get the photos and i could consider before letting you know?"
Her response: "I'm afraid not, if you miss this chance then you will not be allowed to enjoy our package again."
My response: " I'm sure i can find a way to come back."
Her respone: "What do you mean by that? What do you think this place is? Anyway, i can assure you that you cannot join us again because we can track and prevent double entry."
My response: " Are you saying that if my friend refers me back and i come with the intention to join a membership after i've had more time to think, your company will not let me join?"
Her response: " Yes."
My response: "So you will refuse me time to think and i must sign today to get the deal. If i refuse to do so, if i do return, your company will turn away my business, is this what you are saying?"
Her response: "Yes"
My response: "In that case, i am not interested in the deal anymore, please allow us to choose the photos and leave."
Her response: "Sure"
After which, we signed a form stating that we received the photos and a feedback form where i thanked the company. But suddenly, we were given a disc with photos we have not chosen.
I queried: "Excuse me, i thought we could choose our own 2 best shots?"
Her response: " I'm afraid not. Over here, we choose the shots for you when you don't sign."
My response: " I see....May i have your name again?"
Her response: " Valerie."
And thats that. I wouldn't say the entire experience was bad but the sales person definitely needed a lot more training. And the policy of having to sign immediately? Bah, i work in sales, i know the tactics. And this is the hardest force selling i've come across thus far. I would have considered but unfortunately, the lady simply was not pleasant and quite obviously, cared less of clients than she did her own wallet.
In sales, what people buy is not the company, not the product when a saleperson is selling. People buy what the sales person represents of the company. If she is anything to go by, i'm never giving them a chance again. That, my friends is what brings companies and overall experiences down.
Had dinner at Stiff Chilli, a chain of 4 restaurants in Bali and a sole one in Singapore. Owned by Rodney Holt, an Italian - Australian chef, it is so named because Holt liked the offbeat sound of it.
Complimentary Bread - I honestly don't remember much about the bread except that it came served with a mini platter of sauces, namely olive oil, vinegar and chilli sauce. I remember it didn't come warm and that it was rather dry.
Burrata Parma Ham - Stiff Chilli flies in the Burrata, a fresh cheese, from southern Italy every week. I personally didn't quite take to it as it was rather bland and akin to eating cold tofu with a milky texture. The parma ham balanced out the blandness, but unfortunately there wasn't enough to go around.
Pasta all'Inchiostro - The squid ink pasta was actually quite good, lightly sweet and al dente without the light smoky cream sauce being overpowering. It could seriously do with more ingredients, but for the price I can hardly complain.
Cassata - From what I understand, Cassata is a traditional dessert from Sicily which is essentially a layered cake, with sponge, ricotta cheese and candied peel. Stiff Chilli's rendition was all ice cream and tasted like the mudpies from Burger King. And it certainly didn't look home made or freshly made for that matter. Fresh from a box in the freezer more like it. $6 for this dessert is really pushing it in my humble opinion.
A sweaty dinner with 1 appetiser, 1 main and 1 dessert cost about $45, which isn't exactly cheap given the quality of food and the whole dining in a crumbly shophouse experience. Once is enough.
Yes my comrades, i'm back and the posts from here on will be from Singapore unless i get to go overseas again. (I'm aiming Aussie next.) First up, a long overdue post which has been sitting in the shadows awaiting its turn to be aired. This was during my birthday this year and the treat was given by my lovely colleagues and boss which i'm forever thankful for. Thank you guys!
Ahhhh......Swenson's is a nostalgic topic indeed. I remember a time long ago when my idea of good food brought me to Swenson's....well, thats a long long time ago. And now, they've come up with a new property. Earl @ Swenson's belong to their upmarket version of the tried and old Swenson's formula, but upmarket doesn't mean its expensive though, simply that it seems expensive. Established a year and a half ago, I've tried Earl @ Swenson's twice, this being the second time and i can say this, it has changed for the better.
The glorious salad bar at T3 Earl's. This deserves a write up quite simply because it happened to be the best thing about the place. The myriad of choices available ranges from simple salads, tortilla chips and fruits to thai style vermicelli, potatoes, pumpkins and clams in shooters with lime juice. Of special notice is the vermicelli which was surprisingly well done and a definite item not to be missed. Fresh salads, pumpkins and other greens serve to balance the oil intake from the main dishes. Oh, did i mention? Everything on the salad counter is for your taking no matter however many rounds you can handle and its absolutely free! (with any main course) Sadly however, the salad counter was also about the only thing good about the place.
Stuffed Chicken Quesadillas ($15.90) - My boss had this item. It came as a shock because quesadillas are supposed to come with melted cheese....lots of melted cheese but this was not the case. The chicken, she commented, was rather dry and the wrap tough to chew on. The end result was that this was left mostly untouched so thats saying a lot.
Charbroiled Beef Tenderloin With Mushroom Sauce ($19.90) - Beef is always my favorite meat so that's what i usually order when trying things out. This was done medium rare as i ordered but was strangely cold when eaten. The thick layer of fat also meant that edible meat was kept to a minimum and the mushroom sauce was definitely too salty for my tastes. Portion size was small as well.
Pan Fried Dory Fillet ($16.40) - I got to try a piece of this fish which was probably the best order of the day comparing everything else that has been ordered. Crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, the dory was also mildly sweet and easily stomached.
Herb Sausages With Mustard ($15.90) - Presentation wise, i'm not sure if this looks aesthetically pleasing or downright....unappetizing. I did manage to have a go at it and found the mustard mostly tasteless while the sausage reeked of too much pepper. The meat texture was also a little on the squishy side which was nausea inducing.
The ice cream was below average basically. Mine was the mint flavored ice cream which was toothpaste in disguise. Definitely not made in house. Thank goodness i love the taste of toothpaste so i managed to finish it. Otherwise, this is something they need to improve real quick.
Total bill for 7 worked out at $142.77 with everything in. Not too expensive i should say but the quality of the mains definitely need improvement.
Definitely improved on the salad bar concept because previously, you had to pay to eat it to being free with a main. Value for money in this case but the mains are something that should be looked upon for improvements. To its credit however, the website revealed a new menu for mains which hopefully means better quality. Until then, i'm keeping my money away and waiting for better reasons before i visit it again.
Wood Restaurant & Bar, a newly opened upmarket restaurant that offers food cooked only by wood and charcoal - the old fashioned method before gas came about and certainly an interesting concept.
Hidden on the ground floor in one forsaken corner of Vivocity, Wood's chef is none other Jake Klein, whose stepfather, Steven Raichlen, is the creator of Barbecue University and known as America's grilling expert. From the facade to the interior, Wood oozes unadulterated class in itself. A short walk through the wooden tunnel from the entrance leads to a magnificent glass wine cellar and the sublimely chic seating area with its posh booth seats, floor to ceiling windows and the huge open concept kitchen. One gripe though. The windows don't face the sea directly, unlike most of the other restaurants at Vivocity.
Complimentary Bread - Its the first time I'm eating focaccia that comes in pizza slices and it was something different. It almost tasted like pizza sans the toppings except that the bread was a little burnt and dry. I still liked it enough with the olive oil though to gobble it all up and yearn for seconds, which unfortunately was never offered.
Smoked Chicken Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette and Toasted Peanut - Aesthetically pleasing, the salad portion was small, no doubt about it. What I liked about it was the lightly smoked chicken slivers which went well with the savoury Hoisin vinaigrette and toasted grounded peanuts. It helped that the vegetables were fresh as well.
Roasted Asparagus, Baby Greens and Poached Egg - I personally found this dish a little lacklustre as compared to the smoked chicken salad. But having said that, it was still quite good. For starters, this has got to be the biggest asparagus I've seen (not that I've been around much though) and it was well seasoned with salt and pepper. The poached egg wasn't anything special though but the greens were fresh and crunchy.
Wood Roasted Spring Chicken with Lemon, Garlic and Parsley - The chicken looked a tad charred when served. However it was very fragrant and juicy with a lingering herb taste in every bite. I did find it a little too salty at certain parts though, probably due to the heterogeneous seasoning distribution. But all in all a most delightful dish.
14 Days House Aged Ribeye, Rosemary, Garlic & Extra Virgin Olive Oil - I honestly can't taste the difference between a 14 days aged ribeye and a normal ribeye or a 90 days aged ribeye for that matter, so its just a name to me. The ribeye was done medium instead of the medium rare that I had requested, but it was still good. Succulent and juicy with a strong hint of herbs that didn't threaten to overpower the inherent beefy taste. Not the best I've tried, but certainly in a league of its own. Watch out for the small portions though. The beef is probably around 5-6 oz (just a rough guess).
Valhorna Chocolate Pudding with Lavender Croutons and Sea Salt - The chocolate pudding didn't come across as too sweet and very smooth with the dried lavender providing a nice floral complement to the chocolate. The croutons provided a nice crunchy texture to the whole dessert.
Thyme Roasted White Peach with Yogurt Ice Cream - I can't help but profess my liking for this dessert. A didn't taste like it was roasted piece of peach sitting atop chunks of biscuit crumbs with buttery overtones and topped with a nice creamy and sourish yogurt ice cream. Most delightful if you ask me.
An excellent lunch for 2 cost an almost princely sum of about $95 ($10 goes to the bottled water. They don't serve iced water by the way). Good things definitely don't come cheap and the 4 course set dinner starts from $75 per pax ($120 with wine pairing) with slightly bigger portions and a larger variety of dishes to choose from. Service is good as well and for those who prefer privacy, there are private rooms to cater to various group sizes. There's even a romantic private room for 2 complete with a private entrance, if you can afford/are willing to chalk up $300 in bills that is.
I'll definitely be back, but probably only for lunch. The small portions and steep prices for dinner are a little bit too much for me to swallow. For now.
Held at the mint museum of toys, the event was to house 50 individuals from Yebbers to sponsors and major holders of interest with the beloved website we've all grown to love and grow with.
The mint museum was an extremely interesting choice to have an event as first of all, i've never heard of it before and secondly, who would have thought the museum actually served decent food??? (thats a post ill save for later though. Muahahaha!)
Back to the event, loads of prizes ranging from creative zen stones to a 4gd zen player (which i wanted badly but didn't win in the end. Sigh) to webcams and optical mice. Its definitely a wonderful plethora of prizes which entices and keeps the interest of the people when it came to the games. Well done, loved bingo but the winner always seems to be that extremely lucky girl!?!? Nevertheless, never say die i suppose.
I did have a few gripes which were basically small ones about the very limited space for activity and lack of seating in the place but its mostly minor.
The architecture of the museum is pretty interesting with its second place hanging glass exhibition hall directly above our heads which was surprisingly suspended by the ceiling instead of having pillars for support. (Thank you PB for this piece of info.) The selection of old school toys were also astonishing but my gf wasn't quite comfortable with some of the scarier looking ones. I would be frightened too if i had to spend the night with that load of antique toys staring at me. Still, interesting place.
The venue staff were great and helped solve whatever questions or needs that arose.
......i need to talk about the food, it was good. Particularly the bruschetta and the chicken potato hybrid which i've had multiple servings. Nice work on Yebber's part to source out great places for events.
Finally, the best part was learning more about the people present that made the system work. Great stuff, lets keep them coming!!!
Pasta Fresca is an Italian restaurant chain that has a presence in China and Singapore, with 4 outlets currently operating in the latter. Managed to have a quick dinner with my friend at its Siglap outlet one evening when the crowds were still slowly trickling in.
The interior was rather simplistic yet cosy through the injection of earthly tones into its colour scheme and overhanging pieces of cloth (or whatever you call them). Coupled with warm lights and Italian style painting panels, it made for a lazy and somewhat sleepy dinner.
Alfredo Fettuccine - One of the more decent renditions around, the fettuccine was al dente with the cream based sauce not too heavy on the palate. The toppings of diced chicken, ham and garden peas were quite generous as well, which made this dish quite bang for the buck.
Quattro Stagioni - Bearing the same name as Vivaldi's Four Seasons, the Quattro Stagioni was quite decent with the exception of the crust, which could have been thinner and crispier. Although we only ordered a small pizza, it was already quite a size. Ingredients were generous as well, with the olives, ham, mushrooms and artichokes scattered throughout.
Mousse Al Cioccolato - I'm pretty sure chocolate fanatics will like this dish - chocolaty rich and gooey but not overwhelming. Served chilled, it made for a nice and sweet, albeit heart stopping dessert. The funny thing was that it was supposedly flavoured with orange peel, something that I couldn't make out at all.
Tiramisu - For the price, I honestly didn't expect much. The tiramisu looked good but was let down by quite a few factors. First of all, there was the glaring absence of the liqueur taste. Secondly, the mascarpone cheese came across as more creamy then light or fluffy. But having said all that, it was still very palatable.
I was stuffed at the end of it and so was my friend. Food quality in general was a notch above average but the best part was, it didn't cost an arm or leg, standing at about $46 for 2 mains & 2 desserts. Service was quite good and I would be inclined to drop by if I was in the area and craving for a hearty Italian fix.
It has been more than a year since my family last visited Guan Hin so a revisit was in order especially after Guan Hin had just undergone a facelift. The new Guan Hin now boasts a more spacious interior through efficient usage of space and whitewashed walls to go along with the spanking new carpet and furniture. The lingering nostalgia is gone as well, covered up by the fresh coat of paint that dons the walls.
Braised Goose - The goose was thinly sliced and tasted great with the not too salty gravy. Some work needs to be done on the beancurd though, coming across as a tad too rough for my liking. Comparisons are inevitable between Guan Hin's rendition and that of Hung Kang, with the latter taking the cake effortlessly with its polished rendition of this traditional Teochew dish.
Sauteed Kailan - Nicely stir fried without being overcooked. However it was a little too oily and watery. What I liked was that it came served with "Ti Po" or crispy fried sole fish, which gave the occasional crunch and added saltiness.
Steamed Pomfret - Fresh and steamed just right, with the flesh firm and sweet. Just the way a good dish of steamed pomfret should be. Paying compliments to the fish was the gravy, tasty from all the sour plums and tomatoes in it.
Liver Roll - The liver roll or "Ngoh Hiang" was honestly quite good. Thin crispy skin covering a mould of finely chopped liver but with only a slight hint of liver taste. Dipped in the sweet and sticky plum sauce, it made for a nice dish.
Yam Paste with Gingko Nuts - As mentioned before, I consider yam paste or Orh Nee as one of the hallmarks of Teochew food, which explains my high expectations of it. While I used to praise Guan Hin for their rather stellar rendition of this traditional Teochew dessert, the same compliments couldn't be extended that evening. Barely warm when served, it looked pre made and as though it had been sitting in a corner for quite a long period of time. Texture wise, it wasn't smooth, coming across as chunky and oily. Even the gingko nuts were too soft and bland. A total disappointment.
A rather filling dinner for 5 came up to about $90, which really isn't very expensive but somehow or rather, food standard has slided a little, especially in the case of the Orh Nee. Service was acceptable but could be better. Has the hype over Guan Hin resulted in a decline in its culinary standard - one that took decades to build?
Fortunate Xin Fu Yum Cha Restaurant should be quite a familar name with most people, largely due to their heavily advertisements on TV. The other being Yum Cha restaurant which also did a lot of TV advertisements. Their main branch is located at Toa Payoh, with a second added at Intenational Building, Orchard Road (beside Lido Scotts) which i say makes it easier for patrons to visit them because of the accessible location.
Anyway, Fortunate Yum Cha is currently having a promotion, 50% off Dim Sum during weekdays 3-5pm, and i must admit that’s the main reason which draws me to the place.
The restaurant is old-school traditional restaurant, with the decors your typical chinese restaurant style. When my buddy and I arrived at 245pm, we went into the place and browse through the menu until 3pm for the promotion to start.
We asked politely whether we can used the powerpoint for our laptop, but we were told they’ll charged us a fee of $5 per hour for the usage. This rather turn us off as we needed the laptop for some discussions, and we even contemplate leaving to find another place which allow us the use of powerpoint. But we decided to stay, have some dim-sum and get off.
Well, thats the main issue, if they had allowed us to use the powerpoint, I believe we’ll have stay longer and order more Dim Sum, but due to the fact that we aren’t allow to use, we order just about 7 Dim Sum between the two of us.
Another issue which we encountered was that the staff told us that the Dim Sum promotion from 3-5pm will be only 30% instead of 50% which we saw on the newspaper, because the 50% is for Dim Sum during 8-10am. We accepted it without much questioning because there was still 30% discount anyway.
But shortly after that, when the assistant manager passed by, I inquire her on the promotion and she told me it was 50% during 3-5pm also. Well, speak of double standards.
Oh ya, and as the place wasn’t really crowded, they didn’t have their usual staff pushing the trolley around to offer Dim Sum. Instead, we ordered the dim sum, and they bring it to our table.
Siew Mai ($4) Like i said before during my visit to Red Star previously, I always felt the true test for a dim sum restaurant will be its Siew Mai, and the ones here are good! The prawn in the siew mai is big, real big!
Prawn Dumplings ($4) The Prawn Dumplings or more commonly known as Har-Gau, is also excellent. The skin of the Har-Gau isn’t too sticky like some of the one available elsewhere, one bite into the prawn dumpling, and you will get the result below!
A big prawn inside the skin of the Har-Gau. Simply goodness!
Fried Carrot Cake ($3.80) The waitress came up with a stove and fried the carrot cake right in front of us. I suppose its not bad, at the orginal price of $3.80 i probably won’t take it again. But having 50% discount, i guess $1.90 isn’t that expensive considering we had 4 pieces of carrot cake.
Char Siew Chee Chong Fun ($3.50) Chee Chong Fun is always one Dim Sum which i’ll always order when I go to dim sum restaurant. No exceptions here, the chee chong fun is like your usual chinese restaurant one.
BBQ Pork Bun ($2.50) There is no problem with the char siew bun, the bun is good, but the only thing is if i’m not wrong, usually char siew buns come in 3 instead of 2? I got a feeling that because there was two of us so they served two buns instead of three? Maybe this is how Fortunate serve their char siew bun, can someone enlighten me on this?
Pork Ribs ($3.80) The pork ribs were not to my liking. N’uff said!
Century Egg Congee ($3) Usually i don’t really facny century egg congee, but since my buddy wanted some, so we order this to share. And to my surprise, the congee was not bad! But again, $3 for a bowl of congee is probably too high a price for me to order again, unless there’s a promotion again of course.
Mango Pudding ($5) The mango pudding was really ordinary like all normal mango pudding, and at $5 you can call me a miser, but I won’t pay the money for it. Simply its not worth the five bucks
Total Bill was $21.10 for 2 person, 7 dim sum, 1 dessert, chinese tea. The total price before the 50% discount was $30. I must say the dim sum at Fortunate Yum Cha is quite average, i’ll still prefer Red Star over Fortunate, but given there’s a 50% discount again, i won’t mind going back to Fortunate for some dim sum.
Service-wise you shouldn’t really be expecting any, and go during weekdays where there’s 50% discount. But then nowadays many other restaurants are offering 50% discount on their dim sum, such as Ah Yit abalone restaurant, and Tung Lok Seafood.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written above are my geniune feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or bias. Please do not feel emotional or distress should you have any violent objections. Kindly click the little X at the upper, extreme right of your screen if negative adjectives would be derived. Otherwise, feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
My colleague and I were wandering along East Coast road wondering what to have for lunch when we stumbled upon Stewhaus - a nondescript cafe located just next to Sushi Jiro.
Stepping into the simple no frills interior made me feel all warm and fuzzy, with its wooden finishings and smallish interior - just like returning home. Service was cordial but a little inattentive that sunny weekday afternoon though.
I've never actually drank summer vegetable soup before so it was quite an experience for me. The soup was refreshing and light but I didn't quite take to the kidney beans (personal preference). Overall a decent soup, but not something I would order again. As for the mushroom soup, it was nice and thick with generous bits of mushroom. However I did find it a bit too salty for my liking.
Half Pork Knuckle - Pork Knuckles are usually grilled (at least those that I've eaten) so it came as a surprise that Stewhaus's rendition was baked instead. The pros of such a cooking method is that the pork knuckle turns out healthier (less oil) but the downside is that it sacrifices quite a bit on taste and texture. For one, the meat wasn't fibrous, coming across as gluten like and the nice grilled taste which I personally like was missing. Thumbs up for the skin still retaining its crispiness though.
Mixed Berry Stew - Another first for me. Zesty from all the berries yet sweet at the same time from the ice cream. Very contrasting flavours indeed but not exactly something to shout about.
$38 for 2 soups, 1 main and 1 dessert isn't exactly expensive but its not cheap either. Food quality falls just above the average mark and only service charge is levied (No GST). Would I be back? If I happen to be in that area, maybe.
Had its humble beginnings located at Tampines mall for about 3 years before shifting to the nearby Century Square. Being my first rating on gameshops, allow me to seperate the review into a few categories.
1. Staff and service 2. Timeliness of stock 3. Assortment of Titles 4. Price and competitiveness 5. Perks
1. Staff and service - I've known quite a few people from the shop since a long time ago. Approximately 7 years to be exact. Ever since the Tampines mall stint, one of the guys, Willy has been at the shop for a long long time. Well, what can i say? The guys there are great, always friendly and ready to help. And seeing that they remember me, i'd say they have pretty good service. No black faces or anything bad from this shop, just smiles and generally good service attitude. I guess the one reason they are nice is due to the fact they are gamers themselves and thus, talking is easy.
In a nutshell, service is good.
2. Timeliness of stock - Now this is a little difficult to judge. I'm a gamer so i know what games are great, what games are bad. And generally, if you don't reserve from the shop, the good games disappear real fast. And stock comes really slow when depleted. I mean reeeaalllyyy sllloooowww... I've also had experiences when i was anticipating a release but generally had to wait an additional week or 2 before it gets to the shop. Thus the timeliness is average at best.
3. Assortment of Titles - The shop is quite decent in this department. Stocking upwards of 1000 titles ranging from the DS, gameboy, Xbox360, PS2, PS3 and Nintendo Wii. The titles on sale are a mixed bag of hits and misses which most shops have to endure since to them, its just a guessing game.
4. Price and Competitiveness - Ah....now the most important part. The games, if new, range from $50 - 130. And they are smart to price the better games at high prices. And generally, all their games at priced at higher then average prices. This humble reviewer only bought the best hits and the second hand games so that he can maximize his dollar. And thats what everyone else should do.
5. Perks - Trade ins. I love trading in old stuff. Exchange it for cash or simply get a new game by topping up a minimal amount. This shop does it but definitely ain't giving your dollar any stretch however. There are bonus points for buying their stuff but it doesn't seem to translate into savings. So thats that.
In a pinch, a good shop with good service but definitely overpriced if you knew where else to look. (To the guys from the shop, no offense on your service but its just that i'm struggling financially thats all. lol)
1=SGD 0.0587
Photos, what would life and blogging be without them? Snapz offers everything from weddings packages to outing shots to make overs and photo editing and splicing services to clients to ensure they look as good looking and pretty as they can ever be on print. Well, life's not perfect, so why not let your memories in print be isn't it?
How i learned of the place was a rather mundane one. I received a call while at work claiming i've be chosen for a free makeover and photo shot session courtesy of "paying sponsors" and i would be entitled to "choose my 2 favorite shots" upon completing the shot without any commitment nor package. In fact, Frederick and Alex both assured me that there would be no commitment whatsoever and it was simply a privilege i have the "honor" of being chosen. Well, i've been kinda bored so i thought:"There's no way things are gonna be that good. But hey, lets go take a look and see how it goes." I even roped in my gf to join me in the shoot since i'm not much of a looker. And so we went.
Upon traversing the extremely ulu lane to find the shop in the blazing hot sun, i was glad that the place was thankfully air conditioned. I told them my name and filled a form so that i could get my shoot ready. Anyway, i was surprised there were quite a few people in the vicinity including myself. Seems like i wasn't the only person who was "privileged". Still, why not? This was definitely a marketing tactic from the get go so i wasn't too surprised.
Counter staff was pleasant until we were introduced to this lady by the name of Valerie. She wasn't unpleasant as she led us up the steps to the makeover room but the way she spoke definitely did not sit well with me even then. More on the lady later.
The makeover room was rather small with approximately 12 seats for guests to have attended to. We were greeted by a couple of people who were to be our make up artists and was told to select and change into our desired costumes for the shoot. Everything there was fine and the service of the costume designer and the make up artists were quite pleasant. At the end of a 40 minute makeover, my gf looked Japanese and i looked....like dragonball characters. I felt they made up my gf too much because i liked her better without it but well, the lighting and camera and such needed it so what the hey. The artists were a real sport, telling us how nice the hair was and how good my gf looked which was a rather professional move i thought. Always make the customer feel good and comfortable.
Next up, we met the photographer who invited us to the area for the shot which was sadly...just a black backdrop. Nonetheless, we had fun posing for the shots and upon viewing, there were a few pretty good shots in the 50 that were taken. The camera man was pleasant and encouraging which was also a good and necessary move.
Now things turn for the worse. We then returned the borrowed costumes and tried to get rid of the now dry and stiff hair but was told there was no room to wash up. Upon asking to remove the make up on our faces, the lady simply dabbed a little off mine and told me she was done. That was rubbish because the concealer was still all over my face... and leaving that on would be a bad idea. My gf didn't get much attention too in removing make up, asking to remove it only met with comments of, it looks good on you and blah blah blah. Is the company running out of make up remover? I don't know but this is not good service when we've made our requests known.
When we were led downstairs again, we waited for another 30 minutes before we were told we could see the shots. Apparently, they were uploading the shots to the computer....well, last i checked, computers were plug and play in terms of photos but maybe i just haven't had a DSLR before so i may be wrong.
Valerie came out to meet us again and blatantly asked us if we felt if there was anything to complain about. Well, politely we said no because though there were hitches, the experience was still pleasant so far. As we were led into the viewing area, which were basically Apple Macs and shown our photos. Valerie spoke non stop about how we needed their services and touch up because "our eye bags were too obvious" and said to my gf as she removed my blemishes "there, so much better now, don't you wish your boyfriend looked like this?" Talk about saying the wrong things.
Heck, we were just getting started. Well, i knew there was a catch and here it is. Snapz actually has a VIP membership system that basically requires you to sign up for a lifetime membership to be their VIP. It sounds pretty good too and may save you alot of money on photos in the long run if you and your entire family loves taking photographs. Thats not a bad thing i feel but with a sales pitch like that, the membership is definitely in the $4-6k category since they were giving loads of freebies every year. All service and photograph related of course. Free makeovers, free photoshoots, free outdoor service, one on one photography and make up classes and better yet, guaranteed employment by the company. Talk about a full package.
Well, that was an interesting package but Valerie unfortunately, delivered the message over 40 minutes and amidst the whole time, reiterating that we needed the service because they could make us look a whole lot better then we really are. (i'm quite happy with my flawed look though, thank you very much.) Now, here's the kicker of the day: read on for the actual reason i said no.
When asked if i could have a private discussion with my gf, she said: "what is there to discuss when you don't know the price?"
(point taken) so i followed up by asking her: "Ok, so how about we cut the chase and you tell me how much a membership costs?" Which was met by: "Are you really interested? Because if you aren't then we shouldn't waste each others time. I can't tell you the price as i'll need someone else to illustrate to you."
So i said: "I see, but i'm in a bit of a rush as i have an appointment. Can we just get the photos and i could consider before letting you know?"
Her response: "I'm afraid not, if you miss this chance then you will not be allowed to enjoy our package again."
My response: " I'm sure i can find a way to come back."
Her respone: "What do you mean by that? What do you think this place is? Anyway, i can assure you that you cannot join us again because we can track and prevent double entry."
My response: " Are you saying that if my friend refers me back and i come with the intention to join a membership after i've had more time to think, your company will not let me join?"
Her response: " Yes."
My response: "So you will refuse me time to think and i must sign today to get the deal. If i refuse to do so, if i do return, your company will turn away my business, is this what you are saying?"
Her response: "Yes"
My response: "In that case, i am not interested in the deal anymore, please allow us to choose the photos and leave."
Her response: "Sure"
After which, we signed a form stating that we received the photos and a feedback form where i thanked the company. But suddenly, we were given a disc with photos we have not chosen.
I queried: "Excuse me, i thought we could choose our own 2 best shots?"
Her response: " I'm afraid not. Over here, we choose the shots for you when you don't sign."
My response: " I see....May i have your name again?"
Her response: " Valerie."
And thats that. I wouldn't say the entire experience was bad but the sales person definitely needed a lot more training. And the policy of having to sign immediately? Bah, i work in sales, i know the tactics. And this is the hardest force selling i've come across thus far. I would have considered but unfortunately, the lady simply was not pleasant and quite obviously, cared less of clients than she did her own wallet.
In sales, what people buy is not the company, not the product when a saleperson is selling. People buy what the sales person represents of the company. If she is anything to go by, i'm never giving them a chance again. That, my friends is what brings companies and overall experiences down.
Stay as far away as possible. You were warned.
Rating given:
Had dinner at Stiff Chilli, a chain of 4 restaurants in Bali and a sole one in Singapore. Owned by Rodney Holt, an Italian - Australian chef, it is so named because Holt liked the offbeat sound of it.
Complimentary Bread - I honestly don't remember much about the bread except that it came served with a mini platter of sauces, namely olive oil, vinegar and chilli sauce. I remember it didn't come warm and that it was rather dry.
Burrata Parma Ham - Stiff Chilli flies in the Burrata, a fresh cheese, from southern Italy every week. I personally didn't quite take to it as it was rather bland and akin to eating cold tofu with a milky texture. The parma ham balanced out the blandness, but unfortunately there wasn't enough to go around.
Pasta all'Inchiostro - The squid ink pasta was actually quite good, lightly sweet and al dente without the light smoky cream sauce being overpowering. It could seriously do with more ingredients, but for the price I can hardly complain.
Cassata - From what I understand, Cassata is a traditional dessert from Sicily which is essentially a layered cake, with sponge, ricotta cheese and candied peel. Stiff Chilli's rendition was all ice cream and tasted like the mudpies from Burger King. And it certainly didn't look home made or freshly made for that matter. Fresh from a box in the freezer more like it. $6 for this dessert is really pushing it in my humble opinion.
A sweaty dinner with 1 appetiser, 1 main and 1 dessert cost about $45, which isn't exactly cheap given the quality of food and the whole dining in a crumbly shophouse experience. Once is enough.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Yes my comrades, i'm back and the posts from here on will be from Singapore unless i get to go overseas again. (I'm aiming Aussie next.) First up, a long overdue post which has been sitting in the shadows awaiting its turn to be aired. This was during my birthday this year and the treat was given by my lovely colleagues and boss which i'm forever thankful for. Thank you guys!
Ahhhh......Swenson's is a nostalgic topic indeed. I remember a time long ago when my idea of good food brought me to Swenson's....well, thats a long long time ago. And now, they've come up with a new property. Earl @ Swenson's belong to their upmarket version of the tried and old Swenson's formula, but upmarket doesn't mean its expensive though, simply that it seems expensive. Established a year and a half ago, I've tried Earl @ Swenson's twice, this being the second time and i can say this, it has changed for the better.
The glorious salad bar at T3 Earl's. This deserves a write up quite simply because it happened to be the best thing about the place. The myriad of choices available ranges from simple salads, tortilla chips and fruits to thai style vermicelli, potatoes, pumpkins and clams in shooters with lime juice. Of special notice is the vermicelli which was surprisingly well done and a definite item not to be missed. Fresh salads, pumpkins and other greens serve to balance the oil intake from the main dishes. Oh, did i mention? Everything on the salad counter is for your taking no matter however many rounds you can handle and its absolutely free! (with any main course) Sadly however, the salad counter was also about the only thing good about the place.
Stuffed Chicken Quesadillas ($15.90) - My boss had this item. It came as a shock because quesadillas are supposed to come with melted cheese....lots of melted cheese but this was not the case. The chicken, she commented, was rather dry and the wrap tough to chew on. The end result was that this was left mostly untouched so thats saying a lot.
Charbroiled Beef Tenderloin With Mushroom Sauce ($19.90) - Beef is always my favorite meat so that's what i usually order when trying things out. This was done medium rare as i ordered but was strangely cold when eaten. The thick layer of fat also meant that edible meat was kept to a minimum and the mushroom sauce was definitely too salty for my tastes. Portion size was small as well.
Pan Fried Dory Fillet ($16.40) - I got to try a piece of this fish which was probably the best order of the day comparing everything else that has been ordered. Crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, the dory was also mildly sweet and easily stomached.
Herb Sausages With Mustard ($15.90) - Presentation wise, i'm not sure if this looks aesthetically pleasing or downright....unappetizing. I did manage to have a go at it and found the mustard mostly tasteless while the sausage reeked of too much pepper. The meat texture was also a little on the squishy side which was nausea inducing.
The ice cream was below average basically. Mine was the mint flavored ice cream which was toothpaste in disguise. Definitely not made in house. Thank goodness i love the taste of toothpaste so i managed to finish it. Otherwise, this is something they need to improve real quick.
Total bill for 7 worked out at $142.77 with everything in. Not too expensive i should say but the quality of the mains definitely need improvement.
Definitely improved on the salad bar concept because previously, you had to pay to eat it to being free with a main. Value for money in this case but the mains are something that should be looked upon for improvements. To its credit however, the website revealed a new menu for mains which hopefully means better quality. Until then, i'm keeping my money away and waiting for better reasons before i visit it again.
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Wood Restaurant & Bar, a newly opened upmarket restaurant that offers food cooked only by wood and charcoal - the old fashioned method before gas came about and certainly an interesting concept.
Hidden on the ground floor in one forsaken corner of Vivocity, Wood's chef is none other Jake Klein, whose stepfather, Steven Raichlen, is the creator of Barbecue University and known as America's grilling expert. From the facade to the interior, Wood oozes unadulterated class in itself. A short walk through the wooden tunnel from the entrance leads to a magnificent glass wine cellar and the sublimely chic seating area with its posh booth seats, floor to ceiling windows and the huge open concept kitchen. One gripe though. The windows don't face the sea directly, unlike most of the other restaurants at Vivocity.
Complimentary Bread - Its the first time I'm eating focaccia that comes in pizza slices and it was something different. It almost tasted like pizza sans the toppings except that the bread was a little burnt and dry. I still liked it enough with the olive oil though to gobble it all up and yearn for seconds, which unfortunately was never offered.
Smoked Chicken Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette and Toasted Peanut - Aesthetically pleasing, the salad portion was small, no doubt about it. What I liked about it was the lightly smoked chicken slivers which went well with the savoury Hoisin vinaigrette and toasted grounded peanuts. It helped that the vegetables were fresh as well.
Roasted Asparagus, Baby Greens and Poached Egg - I personally found this dish a little lacklustre as compared to the smoked chicken salad. But having said that, it was still quite good. For starters, this has got to be the biggest asparagus I've seen (not that I've been around much though) and it was well seasoned with salt and pepper. The poached egg wasn't anything special though but the greens were fresh and crunchy.
Wood Roasted Spring Chicken with Lemon, Garlic and Parsley - The chicken looked a tad charred when served. However it was very fragrant and juicy with a lingering herb taste in every bite. I did find it a little too salty at certain parts though, probably due to the heterogeneous seasoning distribution. But all in all a most delightful dish.
14 Days House Aged Ribeye, Rosemary, Garlic & Extra Virgin Olive Oil - I honestly can't taste the difference between a 14 days aged ribeye and a normal ribeye or a 90 days aged ribeye for that matter, so its just a name to me. The ribeye was done medium instead of the medium rare that I had requested, but it was still good. Succulent and juicy with a strong hint of herbs that didn't threaten to overpower the inherent beefy taste. Not the best I've tried, but certainly in a league of its own. Watch out for the small portions though. The beef is probably around 5-6 oz (just a rough guess).
Valhorna Chocolate Pudding with Lavender Croutons and Sea Salt - The chocolate pudding didn't come across as too sweet and very smooth with the dried lavender providing a nice floral complement to the chocolate. The croutons provided a nice crunchy texture to the whole dessert.
Thyme Roasted White Peach with Yogurt Ice Cream - I can't help but profess my liking for this dessert. A didn't taste like it was roasted piece of peach sitting atop chunks of biscuit crumbs with buttery overtones and topped with a nice creamy and sourish yogurt ice cream. Most delightful if you ask me.
An excellent lunch for 2 cost an almost princely sum of about $95 ($10 goes to the bottled water. They don't serve iced water by the way). Good things definitely don't come cheap and the 4 course set dinner starts from $75 per pax ($120 with wine pairing) with slightly bigger portions and a larger variety of dishes to choose from. Service is good as well and for those who prefer privacy, there are private rooms to cater to various group sizes. There's even a romantic private room for 2 complete with a private entrance, if you can afford/are willing to chalk up $300 in bills that is.
I'll definitely be back, but probably only for lunch. The small portions and steep prices for dinner are a little bit too much for me to swallow. For now.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Yebber's 1st Year Anniversary went with a Bang!
Held at the mint museum of toys, the event was to house 50 individuals from Yebbers to sponsors and major holders of interest with the beloved website we've all grown to love and grow with.
The mint museum was an extremely interesting choice to have an event as first of all, i've never heard of it before and secondly, who would have thought the museum actually served decent food??? (thats a post ill save for later though. Muahahaha!)
Back to the event, loads of prizes ranging from creative zen stones to a 4gd zen player (which i wanted badly but didn't win in the end. Sigh) to webcams and optical mice. Its definitely a wonderful plethora of prizes which entices and keeps the interest of the people when it came to the games. Well done, loved bingo but the winner always seems to be that extremely lucky girl!?!? Nevertheless, never say die i suppose.
I did have a few gripes which were basically small ones about the very limited space for activity and lack of seating in the place but its mostly minor.
The architecture of the museum is pretty interesting with its second place hanging glass exhibition hall directly above our heads which was surprisingly suspended by the ceiling instead of having pillars for support. (Thank you PB for this piece of info.) The selection of old school toys were also astonishing but my gf wasn't quite comfortable with some of the scarier looking ones. I would be frightened too if i had to spend the night with that load of antique toys staring at me. Still, interesting place.
The venue staff were great and helped solve whatever questions or needs that arose.
......i need to talk about the food, it was good. Particularly the bruschetta and the chicken potato hybrid which i've had multiple servings. Nice work on Yebber's part to source out great places for events.
Finally, the best part was learning more about the people present that made the system work. Great stuff, lets keep them coming!!!
Happy Birthday Yebber!
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Pasta Fresca is an Italian restaurant chain that has a presence in China and Singapore, with 4 outlets currently operating in the latter. Managed to have a quick dinner with my friend at its Siglap outlet one evening when the crowds were still slowly trickling in.
The interior was rather simplistic yet cosy through the injection of earthly tones into its colour scheme and overhanging pieces of cloth (or whatever you call them). Coupled with warm lights and Italian style painting panels, it made for a lazy and somewhat sleepy dinner.
Alfredo Fettuccine - One of the more decent renditions around, the fettuccine was al dente with the cream based sauce not too heavy on the palate. The toppings of diced chicken, ham and garden peas were quite generous as well, which made this dish quite bang for the buck.
Quattro Stagioni - Bearing the same name as Vivaldi's Four Seasons, the Quattro Stagioni was quite decent with the exception of the crust, which could have been thinner and crispier. Although we only ordered a small pizza, it was already quite a size. Ingredients were generous as well, with the olives, ham, mushrooms and artichokes scattered throughout.
Mousse Al Cioccolato - I'm pretty sure chocolate fanatics will like this dish - chocolaty rich and gooey but not overwhelming. Served chilled, it made for a nice and sweet, albeit heart stopping dessert. The funny thing was that it was supposedly flavoured with orange peel, something that I couldn't make out at all.
Tiramisu - For the price, I honestly didn't expect much. The tiramisu looked good but was let down by quite a few factors. First of all, there was the glaring absence of the liqueur taste. Secondly, the mascarpone cheese came across as more creamy then light or fluffy. But having said all that, it was still very palatable.
I was stuffed at the end of it and so was my friend. Food quality in general was a notch above average but the best part was, it didn't cost an arm or leg, standing at about $46 for 2 mains & 2 desserts. Service was quite good and I would be inclined to drop by if I was in the area and craving for a hearty Italian fix.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
It has been more than a year since my family last visited Guan Hin so a revisit was in order especially after Guan Hin had just undergone a facelift. The new Guan Hin now boasts a more spacious interior through efficient usage of space and whitewashed walls to go along with the spanking new carpet and furniture. The lingering nostalgia is gone as well, covered up by the fresh coat of paint that dons the walls.
Braised Goose - The goose was thinly sliced and tasted great with the not too salty gravy. Some work needs to be done on the beancurd though, coming across as a tad too rough for my liking. Comparisons are inevitable between Guan Hin's rendition and that of Hung Kang, with the latter taking the cake effortlessly with its polished rendition of this traditional Teochew dish.
Sauteed Kailan - Nicely stir fried without being overcooked. However it was a little too oily and watery. What I liked was that it came served with "Ti Po" or crispy fried sole fish, which gave the occasional crunch and added saltiness.
Steamed Pomfret - Fresh and steamed just right, with the flesh firm and sweet. Just the way a good dish of steamed pomfret should be. Paying compliments to the fish was the gravy, tasty from all the sour plums and tomatoes in it.
Liver Roll - The liver roll or "Ngoh Hiang" was honestly quite good. Thin crispy skin covering a mould of finely chopped liver but with only a slight hint of liver taste. Dipped in the sweet and sticky plum sauce, it made for a nice dish.
Yam Paste with Gingko Nuts - As mentioned before, I consider yam paste or Orh Nee as one of the hallmarks of Teochew food, which explains my high expectations of it. While I used to praise Guan Hin for their rather stellar rendition of this traditional Teochew dessert, the same compliments couldn't be extended that evening. Barely warm when served, it looked pre made and as though it had been sitting in a corner for quite a long period of time. Texture wise, it wasn't smooth, coming across as chunky and oily. Even the gingko nuts were too soft and bland. A total disappointment.
A rather filling dinner for 5 came up to about $90, which really isn't very expensive but somehow or rather, food standard has slided a little, especially in the case of the Orh Nee. Service was acceptable but could be better. Has the hype over Guan Hin resulted in a decline in its culinary standard - one that took decades to build?
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Fortunate Xin Fu Yum Cha Restaurant should be quite a familar name with most people, largely due to their heavily advertisements on TV. The other being Yum Cha restaurant which also did a lot of TV advertisements. Their main branch is located at Toa Payoh, with a second added at Intenational Building, Orchard Road (beside Lido Scotts) which i say makes it easier for patrons to visit them because of the accessible location.
Anyway, Fortunate Yum Cha is currently having a promotion, 50% off Dim Sum during weekdays 3-5pm, and i must admit that’s the main reason which draws me to the place.
The restaurant is old-school traditional restaurant, with the decors your typical chinese restaurant style. When my buddy and I arrived at 245pm, we went into the place and browse through the menu until 3pm for the promotion to start.
We asked politely whether we can used the powerpoint for our laptop, but we were told they’ll charged us a fee of $5 per hour for the usage. This rather turn us off as we needed the laptop for some discussions, and we even contemplate leaving to find another place which allow us the use of powerpoint. But we decided to stay, have some dim-sum and get off.
Well, thats the main issue, if they had allowed us to use the powerpoint, I believe we’ll have stay longer and order more Dim Sum, but due to the fact that we aren’t allow to use, we order just about 7 Dim Sum between the two of us.
Another issue which we encountered was that the staff told us that the Dim Sum promotion from 3-5pm will be only 30% instead of 50% which we saw on the newspaper, because the 50% is for Dim Sum during 8-10am. We accepted it without much questioning because there was still 30% discount anyway.
But shortly after that, when the assistant manager passed by, I inquire her on the promotion and she told me it was 50% during 3-5pm also. Well, speak of double standards.
Oh ya, and as the place wasn’t really crowded, they didn’t have their usual staff pushing the trolley around to offer Dim Sum. Instead, we ordered the dim sum, and they bring it to our table.
Siew Mai ($4)
Like i said before during my visit to Red Star previously, I always felt the true test for a dim sum restaurant will be its Siew Mai, and the ones here are good! The prawn in the siew mai is big, real big!
Prawn Dumplings ($4)
The Prawn Dumplings or more commonly known as Har-Gau, is also excellent. The skin of the Har-Gau isn’t too sticky like some of the one available elsewhere, one bite into the prawn dumpling, and you will get the result below!
A big prawn inside the skin of the Har-Gau. Simply goodness!
Fried Carrot Cake ($3.80)
The waitress came up with a stove and fried the carrot cake right in front of us. I suppose its not bad, at the orginal price of $3.80 i probably won’t take it again. But having 50% discount, i guess $1.90 isn’t that expensive considering we had 4 pieces of carrot cake.
Char Siew Chee Chong Fun ($3.50)
Chee Chong Fun is always one Dim Sum which i’ll always order when I go to dim sum restaurant. No exceptions here, the chee chong fun is like your usual chinese restaurant one.
BBQ Pork Bun ($2.50)
There is no problem with the char siew bun, the bun is good, but the only thing is if i’m not wrong, usually char siew buns come in 3 instead of 2? I got a feeling that because there was two of us so they served two buns instead of three? Maybe this is how Fortunate serve their char siew bun, can someone enlighten me on this?
Pork Ribs ($3.80)
The pork ribs were not to my liking. N’uff said!
Century Egg Congee ($3)
Usually i don’t really facny century egg congee, but since my buddy wanted some, so we order this to share. And to my surprise, the congee was not bad! But again, $3 for a bowl of congee is probably too high a price for me to order again, unless there’s a promotion again of course.
Mango Pudding ($5)
The mango pudding was really ordinary like all normal mango pudding, and at $5 you can call me a miser, but I won’t pay the money for it. Simply its not worth the five bucks
Total Bill was $21.10 for 2 person, 7 dim sum, 1 dessert, chinese tea. The total price before the 50% discount was $30. I must say the dim sum at Fortunate Yum Cha is quite average, i’ll still prefer Red Star over Fortunate, but given there’s a 50% discount again, i won’t mind going back to Fortunate for some dim sum.
Service-wise you shouldn’t really be expecting any, and go during weekdays where there’s 50% discount. But then nowadays many other restaurants are offering 50% discount on their dim sum, such as Ah Yit abalone restaurant, and Tung Lok Seafood.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written above are my geniune feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or bias. Please do not feel emotional or distress should you have any violent objections. Kindly click the little X at the upper, extreme right of your screen if negative adjectives would be derived. Otherwise, feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
” I love dim sum, dim sum love me “
Rating given:
My colleague and I were wandering along East Coast road wondering what to have for lunch when we stumbled upon Stewhaus - a nondescript cafe located just next to Sushi Jiro.
Stepping into the simple no frills interior made me feel all warm and fuzzy, with its wooden finishings and smallish interior - just like returning home. Service was cordial but a little inattentive that sunny weekday afternoon though.
I've never actually drank summer vegetable soup before so it was quite an experience for me. The soup was refreshing and light but I didn't quite take to the kidney beans (personal preference). Overall a decent soup, but not something I would order again. As for the mushroom soup, it was nice and thick with generous bits of mushroom. However I did find it a bit too salty for my liking.
Half Pork Knuckle - Pork Knuckles are usually grilled (at least those that I've eaten) so it came as a surprise that Stewhaus's rendition was baked instead. The pros of such a cooking method is that the pork knuckle turns out healthier (less oil) but the downside is that it sacrifices quite a bit on taste and texture. For one, the meat wasn't fibrous, coming across as gluten like and the nice grilled taste which I personally like was missing. Thumbs up for the skin still retaining its crispiness though.
Mixed Berry Stew - Another first for me. Zesty from all the berries yet sweet at the same time from the ice cream. Very contrasting flavours indeed but not exactly something to shout about.
$38 for 2 soups, 1 main and 1 dessert isn't exactly expensive but its not cheap either. Food quality falls just above the average mark and only service charge is levied (No GST). Would I be back? If I happen to be in that area, maybe.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Mega multimedia.
Had its humble beginnings located at Tampines mall for about 3 years before shifting to the nearby Century Square. Being my first rating on gameshops, allow me to seperate the review into a few categories.
1. Staff and service 2. Timeliness of stock 3. Assortment of Titles 4. Price and competitiveness 5. Perks
1. Staff and service - I've known quite a few people from the shop since a long time ago. Approximately 7 years to be exact. Ever since the Tampines mall stint, one of the guys, Willy has been at the shop for a long long time. Well, what can i say? The guys there are great, always friendly and ready to help. And seeing that they remember me, i'd say they have pretty good service. No black faces or anything bad from this shop, just smiles and generally good service attitude. I guess the one reason they are nice is due to the fact they are gamers themselves and thus, talking is easy.
In a nutshell, service is good.
2. Timeliness of stock - Now this is a little difficult to judge. I'm a gamer so i know what games are great, what games are bad. And generally, if you don't reserve from the shop, the good games disappear real fast. And stock comes really slow when depleted. I mean reeeaalllyyy sllloooowww... I've also had experiences when i was anticipating a release but generally had to wait an additional week or 2 before it gets to the shop. Thus the timeliness is average at best.
3. Assortment of Titles - The shop is quite decent in this department. Stocking upwards of 1000 titles ranging from the DS, gameboy, Xbox360, PS2, PS3 and Nintendo Wii. The titles on sale are a mixed bag of hits and misses which most shops have to endure since to them, its just a guessing game.
4. Price and Competitiveness - Ah....now the most important part. The games, if new, range from $50 - 130. And they are smart to price the better games at high prices. And generally, all their games at priced at higher then average prices. This humble reviewer only bought the best hits and the second hand games so that he can maximize his dollar. And thats what everyone else should do.
5. Perks - Trade ins. I love trading in old stuff. Exchange it for cash or simply get a new game by topping up a minimal amount. This shop does it but definitely ain't giving your dollar any stretch however. There are bonus points for buying their stuff but it doesn't seem to translate into savings. So thats that.
In a pinch, a good shop with good service but definitely overpriced if you knew where else to look. (To the guys from the shop, no offense on your service but its just that i'm struggling financially thats all. lol)
Rating given: