This review is a bit late but better late than never I guess. I booked a promotional massage at $33 on a Saturday together with a facial too. When we called to make the appointment, we informed that we were booking for 2 treatments accordingly.
When we arrived, surprise surprise, we were told that as both promos were for first timers, we were allowed only for 1 as technically after the first treatment, we would no longer be first timers and thus not eligible for the 2nd treatment.
Left with no choice, we opted for the massage instead of the facial, but was told that the massage was arranged for the 2nd hour only, and for us to go walk around and return. So we concluded that they'd rather have the slots empty and not make a sale instead of letting us proceed with both treatments.
We walked around and returned after 1 hour and were ushered in. Annoyingly, I was asked 3 time what my full name was and was addressed by the wrong name even when I was already lying on the treatment bed. On 1 of the occasions, I replied with my first name and was told that it was not sufficient and the masseur insisted on me saying my full name. How rude of them.
When I finally got to my massage, I thought nothing else could go wrong. WRONG. My masseur was falling sleep. I could feel her finger sliding and making sudden and jerking movements while massaging my head. And when I tried to quietly make some noise in the hope of making her more alert, but it didnt work at all.
When leaving, the manager asked for my feedback but she really couldnt care less, so I didnt bother.
Leenie Pigssaid: hahaha... Hburn... glad you are back... Rather I find your experience humorous!!! I'm sorry for the bad experience but you sure make it sounds like fun! *hahaha* 26 Nov 2012 at 1:14 pm
hburn10said: Yup, I try to make light of annoying situations. What to do. And avoid them next time hopefully! 26 Nov 2012 at 1:53 pm
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!
Came here on a Sunday evening on a kind invitation to find the place sparsely populated - perhaps due to its relatively unknown location. Many people also would not have thought that a cafe existed inside a bookstore.
A pity, as the set up is really comfy, with plenty of window seats available so you can watch the hustle and bustle of Orchard without being stuck in it. Bright cheery decor added a vibrant feel to the place - perfect spot for chilling out and catching up, especially with those comfy chairs.
Unfortunately, the food was a hit and miss for me. I tried a number of dishes so I could give a more balanced reviews:
Cheesy beef pastrami ($10.50) - one of their hot sandwiches. I find the beef quite nice but there was too much cheese making the whole dish very salty. They also drizzled a sauce on top of the cheese which just killed it. Bread was toasted nicely though, and the accompanying greens were given a nice zest with vinaigrette.
Mushroom Macaroni and Cheese ($9) - This was very strange to us. The bowl was only half full and had the mac and cheese in a broth. Yes, broth. I couldnt figure out what it was - melted cheese could not have melted down that much. Servings of mushrooms were little too. A pity - it could have made it as the pasta and cheese (the normal melted ones) combi was actually quite nice.
Ultimate beef meatballs ($4) - This was a signature which you can choose to have it as a sandwich if you like. Its 3 meatballs for $4 but you also have the option of 7 pcs for $8.50. The meatballs were a larger size than expected and honestly quite nice but it came with the inside a little cold, which was a disappointment.
Baked potato wedges with mixed herbs ($7) - This was to me the best of the evening. Fat wedges with skin still on baked to a nice firmness and sprinkled with herbs like rosemary (I think?) etc.
Soup of the Day ($5) - served with breadsticks - we had mushroom soup and it was good and didnt taste like it came out if a can. Good effort for a simple cafe.
Cafe Latte ($6) - Came with a cute latte art but unfortunately there was too much milk with too little coffee and tasted bland. Iced Cafe Mocha Mint ($7) - Nothing to complain about according to my dining companion.
Signature Affogato ($6) - This was indeed nice! Cold ice cream thrown into hot expresso. Nothing to not like in my books!
Cakes - I also tried their Red Velvet cake and some mocha coffee cakes which were forgettable.
For a cafe with 2-3 staff, I salute them for having a expansive menu. But perhaps they can trim things down a little and focus on bringing the quality up a notch.
Service was alright with food not taking too long to be served. Prices were mostly reasonable too.
I would still come back of course, but perhaps just for drinks and chilling out.
So rare for me to meet a friend who has a car on a Friday evening so we decided to explore somewhere ulu. That's why we ended up here, with ending the night at Wimbly Lu in mind of course.
Our reservation was made for 7pm and we arrived just on dot, and probably just in time too as the crowd started swelling at about 7:30pm (so book before you go!). The place reminds me alot of Pepperoni @ Greenwood - pizza place in a quiet neighborhood. And happy to say that the food is good too. And cheaper.
Burratina Con Prosciutto Crudo ($16.90) - fresh cheese imported from italy and served with parma ham - this is so refreshing after you get used to the other processed cheese elsewhere. A nice blob of super fresh cheese served separately from the parma ham ( tomatoes and salad). The parma ham and tomatoes were good but the salad can be fresher though. You get to drizzle your own olive oil and vinaigrette and the combi makes a nice light appetizer. The only thing is, serving it separately takes up alot of table space which is tight if you're sitting at a table for 2pax. Parma and Rucola Pizza ($16.90) - My default order at a good pizza place anywhere. The pizza base is one of the best I've ever tasted - not too thin not too thick with just enough to make you feel that its still a pizza base. It comes with this alluring smokey taste which was the draw for me. Generous portion of ham too!
Service was alright - pizza came very quick and water was served promptly. Nothing bad about this place so far I must say. A place with pizzas equivalent to Peppropni (Greenwood) standard but cheaper and nearer for me. Niceee~
So much has been said, printed, blogged, pictured etc etc about this relatively new chocolate / dessert place. So I had to try this after the pizza next door. And nope, they don't take reservations so come early to grab your seats. Accordingly to the staff, 8pm is still safe but not 8:30pm and beyond - which turned out to be true.
Still full from pizza, I decided to go for something which does not look so sinful and petite enough to look that way.
Root beer float cake ($7.90) - served with only vanilla ice cream - I think they actually meant 'served only with vanilla ice cream' but oh well. The chocolate cake is good but very dense, and the root beer is not too evident although there is a very very slight tinge of something different in the taste. Basically I wouldnt be able to say it has something to do with root beer if I dont look at the name of the cake.
Molten lava chocolate cake ($6.90) - The traditional chocolate dessert and tastes that way - rich dark quality chocolate molten in the middle, served in a souffle cup. (I cant remember the price exactly but it is around there...)
They also have an interesting list of fruit beers and a whole lot of other stuff on display, and the richness of most of the desserts make it hard to try too many at one go. Worth a return visit but I wouldnt come all the way here if I dont have a convenience of a car. They also have a small food menu too so this can be one-stop if you dont fancy trying your luck dropping by only after dinner. Coffee is no good so skip it.
Had been curious about this pancake place since I read about it on 8days, and finally got the chance to try it this afternoon. They are located quite opposite Katong112, directly facing the HK cafe next to 112. You can look out for the cutest (fat) sheep mascot signage along the shophouses, or the actual sized sheep plonked at its entrance.
We were the first customers to step in at slightly past noon on a weekday which was surprisingly to me. The decor is nicely cute with a simple yet colourful setup. Seating could not have been more than say 35, including 2 corners of cosy seats.
The menu was simply done up but with plenty of offerings of pancakes (savoury or sweet), dotted with bites like truffle ruffles (truffle fries) and an interesting coffee menu that comes with visuals of what they are. Nice touch. And they have a very interesting beer & ciders and bottled tea menu. I like!
Okay, the food. All 5 of us had savories (each comes with 2 pancakes) and I only tried one so here goes:
Breakfast Mambo Combo ($14) - A delicious combo of ham, bacon, poached eggs, and chipolata sausages - I decided that all breakfast-y stuff should stick together. The portion is not overwhelming and really, its a comfort platter. The sausages were done crispy on the outside which is always a plus, and the poached eggs done well. But the bacon was too oily, and the ham tasted like it was plain old shoulder ham - disappointing. And the pancakes were....not fantastic which was a huge negative for a place which supposedly specializes in them. They were too dry and left a weird aftertaste in the mouth. Not fluffy at all. So much so that one of us thought it was frozen pancakes until we saw the chap pouring the batter.
Chicken Kebab Blab ($12) - chicken chunks, crunchy capsicum, juicy cube pineapples, mini eggs, and white grilled button mushrooms threaded on a kebab - a colourful plate and generous chucks of the ingredients.
Mushrooms and Tiger Prawns ($15) - buttery grilled portobello mushrooms with juicy tiger prawns - this looked the best: a huge mushroom sitting in the middle of the 2 pancakes with 2 medium tiger-ish prawns nestled within it.
Fishy Flaps ($14) - battered fish fillets with house-made tartar sauce and coleslaw - fish ad chips with pancakes.
Service was okay but it seemed like it was only 1 staff outside and 1 staff inside cooking. But the food took a really long time to arrive as I guess the chaps only had 2 hands. At least they arrived hot. The place also started to fill up around 1pm with students and teenagers, after school maybe.
I'm quite disappointed that a pancake place cant get it pancake right. Sigh. But if I'm in the vicinity, I dont mind returning just to try their beers :)
Leenie Pigssaid: I always associate pancakes with sweet food like ice-creams, maple syrup... Guess I have to get used to having it with savoury food.... Pancakes are like ANGMO Prata :) 05 Sep 2012 at 2:23 pm
hburn10said: Yes well said ahaha. The savories are refreshing but the pancakes are disappointing 05 Sep 2012 at 2:45 pm
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!
1=SGD 0.0587
When we arrived, surprise surprise, we were told that as both promos were for first timers, we were allowed only for 1 as technically after the first treatment, we would no longer be first timers and thus not eligible for the 2nd treatment.
Left with no choice, we opted for the massage instead of the facial, but was told that the massage was arranged for the 2nd hour only, and for us to go walk around and return. So we concluded that they'd rather have the slots empty and not make a sale instead of letting us proceed with both treatments.
We walked around and returned after 1 hour and were ushered in. Annoyingly, I was asked 3 time what my full name was and was addressed by the wrong name even when I was already lying on the treatment bed. On 1 of the occasions, I replied with my first name and was told that it was not sufficient and the masseur insisted on me saying my full name. How rude of them.
When I finally got to my massage, I thought nothing else could go wrong. WRONG. My masseur was falling sleep. I could feel her finger sliding and making sudden and jerking movements while massaging my head. And when I tried to quietly make some noise in the hope of making her more alert, but it didnt work at all.
When leaving, the manager asked for my feedback but she really couldnt care less, so I didnt bother.
Touche Elite? What a joke.
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!hahaha... Hburn... glad you are back... Rather I find your experience humorous!!! I'm sorry for the bad experience but you sure make it sounds like fun! *hahaha*
26 Nov 2012 at 1:14 pm
Yup, I try to make light of annoying situations. What to do. And avoid them next time hopefully!
26 Nov 2012 at 1:53 pm
Came here on a Sunday evening on a kind invitation to find the place sparsely populated - perhaps due to its relatively unknown location. Many people also would not have thought that a cafe existed inside a bookstore.
A pity, as the set up is really comfy, with plenty of window seats available so you can watch the hustle and bustle of Orchard without being stuck in it. Bright cheery decor added a vibrant feel to the place - perfect spot for chilling out and catching up, especially with those comfy chairs.
Unfortunately, the food was a hit and miss for me. I tried a number of dishes so I could give a more balanced reviews:
Cheesy beef pastrami ($10.50) - one of their hot sandwiches. I find the beef quite nice but there was too much cheese making the whole dish very salty. They also drizzled a sauce on top of the cheese which just killed it. Bread was toasted nicely though, and the accompanying greens were given a nice zest with vinaigrette.
Mushroom Macaroni and Cheese ($9) - This was very strange to us. The bowl was only half full and had the mac and cheese in a broth. Yes, broth. I couldnt figure out what it was - melted cheese could not have melted down that much. Servings of mushrooms were little too. A pity - it could have made it as the pasta and cheese (the normal melted ones) combi was actually quite nice.
Ultimate beef meatballs ($4) - This was a signature which you can choose to have it as a sandwich if you like. Its 3 meatballs for $4 but you also have the option of 7 pcs for $8.50. The meatballs were a larger size than expected and honestly quite nice but it came with the inside a little cold, which was a disappointment.
Baked potato wedges with mixed herbs ($7) - This was to me the best of the evening. Fat wedges with skin still on baked to a nice firmness and sprinkled with herbs like rosemary (I think?) etc.
Soup of the Day ($5) - served with breadsticks - we had mushroom soup and it was good and didnt taste like it came out if a can. Good effort for a simple cafe.
Cafe Latte ($6) - Came with a cute latte art but unfortunately there was too much milk with too little coffee and tasted bland.
Iced Cafe Mocha Mint ($7) - Nothing to complain about according to my dining companion.
Signature Affogato ($6) - This was indeed nice! Cold ice cream thrown into hot expresso. Nothing to not like in my books!
Cakes - I also tried their Red Velvet cake and some mocha coffee cakes which were forgettable.
For a cafe with 2-3 staff, I salute them for having a expansive menu. But perhaps they can trim things down a little and focus on bringing the quality up a notch.
Service was alright with food not taking too long to be served. Prices were mostly reasonable too.
I would still come back of course, but perhaps just for drinks and chilling out.
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!
Our reservation was made for 7pm and we arrived just on dot, and probably just in time too as the crowd started swelling at about 7:30pm (so book before you go!). The place reminds me alot of Pepperoni @ Greenwood - pizza place in a quiet neighborhood. And happy to say that the food is good too. And cheaper.
Burratina Con Prosciutto Crudo ($16.90) - fresh cheese imported from italy and served with parma ham - this is so refreshing after you get used to the other processed cheese elsewhere. A nice blob of super fresh cheese served separately from the parma ham ( tomatoes and salad). The parma ham and tomatoes were good but the salad can be fresher though. You get to drizzle your own olive oil and vinaigrette and the combi makes a nice light appetizer. The only thing is, serving it separately takes up alot of table space which is tight if you're sitting at a table for 2pax.
Parma and Rucola Pizza ($16.90) - My default order at a good pizza place anywhere. The pizza base is one of the best I've ever tasted - not too thin not too thick with just enough to make you feel that its still a pizza base. It comes with this alluring smokey taste which was the draw for me. Generous portion of ham too!
Service was alright - pizza came very quick and water was served promptly. Nothing bad about this place so far I must say. A place with pizzas equivalent to Peppropni (Greenwood) standard but cheaper and nearer for me. Niceee~
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!Wow... its nice!!!
05 Sep 2012 at 2:11 pm
Still full from pizza, I decided to go for something which does not look so sinful and petite enough to look that way.
Root beer float cake ($7.90) - served with only vanilla ice cream - I think they actually meant 'served only with vanilla ice cream' but oh well. The chocolate cake is good but very dense, and the root beer is not too evident although there is a very very slight tinge of something different in the taste. Basically I wouldnt be able to say it has something to do with root beer if I dont look at the name of the cake.
Molten lava chocolate cake ($6.90) - The traditional chocolate dessert and tastes that way - rich dark quality chocolate molten in the middle, served in a souffle cup. (I cant remember the price exactly but it is around there...)
They also have an interesting list of fruit beers and a whole lot of other stuff on display, and the richness of most of the desserts make it hard to try too many at one go. Worth a return visit but I wouldnt come all the way here if I dont have a convenience of a car. They also have a small food menu too so this can be one-stop if you dont fancy trying your luck dropping by only after dinner. Coffee is no good so skip it.
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!
We were the first customers to step in at slightly past noon on a weekday which was surprisingly to me. The decor is nicely cute with a simple yet colourful setup. Seating could not have been more than say 35, including 2 corners of cosy seats.
The menu was simply done up but with plenty of offerings of pancakes (savoury or sweet), dotted with bites like truffle ruffles (truffle fries) and an interesting coffee menu that comes with visuals of what they are. Nice touch. And they have a very interesting beer & ciders and bottled tea menu. I like!
Okay, the food. All 5 of us had savories (each comes with 2 pancakes) and I only tried one so here goes:
Breakfast Mambo Combo ($14) - A delicious combo of ham, bacon, poached eggs, and chipolata sausages - I decided that all breakfast-y stuff should stick together. The portion is not overwhelming and really, its a comfort platter. The sausages were done crispy on the outside which is always a plus, and the poached eggs done well. But the bacon was too oily, and the ham tasted like it was plain old shoulder ham - disappointing. And the pancakes were....not fantastic which was a huge negative for a place which supposedly specializes in them. They were too dry and left a weird aftertaste in the mouth. Not fluffy at all. So much so that one of us thought it was frozen pancakes until we saw the chap pouring the batter.
Chicken Kebab Blab ($12) - chicken chunks, crunchy capsicum, juicy cube pineapples, mini eggs, and white grilled button mushrooms threaded on a kebab - a colourful plate and generous chucks of the ingredients.
Mushrooms and Tiger Prawns ($15) - buttery grilled portobello mushrooms with juicy tiger prawns - this looked the best: a huge mushroom sitting in the middle of the 2 pancakes with 2 medium tiger-ish prawns nestled within it.
Fishy Flaps ($14) - battered fish fillets with house-made tartar sauce and coleslaw - fish ad chips with pancakes.
Service was okay but it seemed like it was only 1 staff outside and 1 staff inside cooking. But the food took a really long time to arrive as I guess the chaps only had 2 hands. At least they arrived hot. The place also started to fill up around 1pm with students and teenagers, after school maybe.
I'm quite disappointed that a pancake place cant get it pancake right. Sigh. But if I'm in the vicinity, I dont mind returning just to try their beers :)
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!I always associate pancakes with sweet food like ice-creams, maple syrup... Guess I have to get used to having it with savoury food.... Pancakes are like ANGMO Prata :)
05 Sep 2012 at 2:23 pm
Yes well said ahaha. The savories are refreshing but the pancakes are disappointing
05 Sep 2012 at 2:45 pm