Fresh with the memory of Bangkok's excellent Thai food and armed with a craving for Phad Thai, I headed down to First Thai at Purvis Street, which purportedly serves up authentic Thai food at reasonable prices.
The place sits right at the front of Purvis Street, making it easy to find and plays neighbours to Yet Con, which is next door and Chin Chin just across the road. Decor is very coffeeshop like save for the nice green olden style windows that look out to the main road. There is no airconditioning at this eatery so be prepared to sweat it out on a hot day. If the place is full, you'll probably have to share a table with someone or queue up outside the shop. Do note that you will not be seated until everyone in your group is present.
Tom Yam Soup Individual Serving - This is one of the better tom yam soups that I've tried in Singapore and at $7 a pop, it really isn't too expensive given the amount of ingredients in it. Light and sourish with a tinge of spiciness. But I would have preferred it a little spicier. And thats coming from someone whose spice tolerance level is rather low.
Pandan Chicken - Ok I got to admit that this isn't exactly cheap, at $8 for 4 bite sized pieces of pandan chicken. The chicken, though nice and juicy, didn't exactly wow me probably because of its rather mild taste. There was no burst in the mouth melody of flavours that I experienced while eating it in Bangkok. But still a nice eat nevertheless.
Phad Thai ($8)- One of the highly recommended dishes and purportedly one of the best in Singapore, the Phad Thai was actually quite good. Lightly sweet with a firm and chewy texture. However, it was a little too wet as compared to what I had in Bangkok. The ubiquitous dried shrimps were also missing. I know that dried shrimps are optional but they give an added texture and introduce a much appreciated salty dimension to the dish. Personally I still prefer the Phad Thai from Sweet Salty Spicy Food Market & Thai Canteen.
The cost of food sufficient for 1 pax stood at $23 (no GST, no service charge), which is still acceptable given the quality of food. However, drinks cost me an additional $8 which is terribly expensive. $3 for a glass of coconut juce, $4 if you want less ice. 50 cents for warm water and 50 cents for ice only. So technically if you wanted ice water, it will be $1/cup. Theres the more expensive option of bottled water though, starting at $2 (without ice). Sorry but I think its a rip off, especially when its only a coffeeshop. If I ever visit again, I'll be sure to bring my own water.
Chef Chan's restaurant, decked in expensive antiques which make up his very own private collection and located within out very own Art Museum, the place screams of taste and posh before you even step into it. And we were there during his anniversary to try out his signature dishes done out in a set menu for 8. Expectations ran high for this chef who touts himself as a top chef in his Chinese namecard, Shen Chu San Jue but is it really that good?
Well, first of all the place is interesting. Not quite what i was expecting with all the bells and whistles and highly provocative name. In fact, the place was quite the opposite, sublime, quiet and very much bare. This is true for the door that greets you to the interior which had a very minimalist approach apart from the gilded plates, jade set ornaments and glaring antiques. Each item within is painstakingly collected by the Chef, Mr Chan Chen Hei over the years and it shows. Simply refer to the pictures to understand.
Flashy stuff in terms of the decorations i would say. The place is also weird in that each table of guests had their own partitioned room and there were no open tables on the outside. In fact, it felt like an intimate gathering of friends in a mutual friend's place as opposed to a restaurant. Next up, on to the food.
Cashew Nuts Coated With Honey - The cashew nuts were good though. Exceptionally so, i could go for seconds and thirds of those cashew nuts easily. Crunchy with a finely roasted fragrance and honey sweet. Yep, its something i would want right now actually.
Melon Strips Enlivened With Orange Juice - The first dish to adorn our tables is a rather normal looking item. Cut melon pieces, the difference lay in the color and taste which strangely resembled a crunchy orange. Our guess is that it was soaked in orange juice or extract but wasn't sure how to explain the crunchiness it retained. Still, it was normal when the dust settled.
Prawn Balls Stuffed With Pate and Wine - I was actually looking forward to this particular dish. Pate and prawn and wine. How could it not be a winner? Well, in truth, it wasn't a winner nor was it totally bad. The prawn paste stuffing was springy and fragrant, the wine was minimal but could be tasted while the pate was a really small piece which didn't quite get its taste across due to the multitude of other flavors. The thing about this is that each of us got....1 miserable serving...which is rather miserly if you ask me
Stir Fried Shark's Fin with Eggs, Bean Sprouts And Spring Onion - This was good. Period. Fragrant, tasty and crunchy. It embodies all the elements within to good effect. The shark's fin actually tasted like vermicelli but it was more fine and lighter. The complaint here is going to follow through for the entire post. There just wasn't enough to go around. One plate is all we got and shared among each other. I would have loved more of this but that didn't happen.
Sauteed Lobster With Garlic - The lobster in garlic is another of those dishes which came a little too little. For the price, i would have expected to be served an entire lobster but i only got half of it. A good half nonetheless. Sweet springy meat in glorious garlic. The taste reminds me of the garlic prawns in Hai Tien Lo but with a little more meat. Good stuff, if there was more.
Steamed Red Garouper in Superior Soy Sauce - To be honest, i don't know much about fish. So i can't differentiate between a red garoupa and from the same species of another color. And i can't tell you the price of this fish as well as the difference between superior soy sauce and normal ones. Having said all that, this fish tasted just like the ones my mother does at home. Slightly salty and juicy with a smooth texture.
Chef Chan's Famous Crispy Roast Chicken - Ah yes, the legendary Chef Chan's crispy roast chicken. I'm happy to report that this at least, lives up to its name. Crispy, well roasted skin with hints of salt and other marinates tantalizes your taste buds while juicy and tender meat sit beneath it just waiting to be tasted. Its definitely something worth trying at least once.
Sauteed Vegetable With Shredded Mushroom - Normal sums it up pretty well. I don't even know how this could have made the list but it disappoints pretty badly. Its not bad per se mind you, just not something i would expect to see on my table during an expensive meal.
Glutinous Rice With Mango and Gui Ling Gao - We gave feed back in the restaurant and we'll give the same feed back here. This combination simply does not work. Not one bit. The glutinous rice is sweet, the mango is sour and the gui ling gao is bitter. Throw them all together and the result is still a bad idea.
White Fungus - This dessert however, was good. Sweet, clear, light and warm. It served to calm the senses a fair bit after the meal.
The final bill worked out to be $860.15 after a 10% discount. A hefty sum to pay for the meal on display though.
I expected more from this place. More atmosphere, more variety and most importantly, more food. Sadly, it didn't live up to expectations with the misses in the menu. Service was good overall and the items that were well done, were definitely worth trying. Still, i won't return for a second try anytime soon.
Had the opportunity to partake in a food tasting session at Fresh Bulggogi, courtesy of Benny, the marketing manager for Zingrill Holdings, which also owns and operates the Breeks, Seoul Garden and Zingdo chains of restaurants.
Located on level 3 of the viewing gallery at Changi Airport Terminal 2, Fresh Bulggogi spots a fresh lime green and black facade and plays immediate neighbour to Fish & Co. The interior (at least where I sat) consists of booth seats that can seat 4 pax very comfortably or 6 pax if you happen to be smaller in size. The concept of Fresh Bulggogi is built upon that of Seoul Garden save for 2 major differences. First, it only has an ala carte menu with no buffet option. Second, the food items sold are slightly more upmarket, with stuff like half shell scallops, sashimi grade salmon, just to name a few. It also serves up quick meals like Bibim Baps for time strapped customers who are in a hurry to catch their flights. For customers who dread perspiring while having steamboat, this place eliminates the problem by placing the pot in a dug in enclosure and installing cool air blowers right above the pot level. This prevents the heat from dissipating upwards and keeps the surroundings cool.
Pine Mushroom Salad with Prawns - Honestly the salad wasn't to my liking and was rather lacklustre in my humble opinion. The pine mushrooms tasted rather bland while the prawns were rather small in size and barely sweet. However there is one positive remark I must make and that is the effort put in to remove the prawn intestines. Not many places, even high class restaurants, bother doing so.
Deep Fried Assorted Mushrooms - This was actually comfort food for all of us. Assorted mushrooms coated with batter and deep fried till crisp on the outside yet soft on the inside. Very nice and chewy but I did find the batter a wee bit too thick. A little more moisture in the mushrooms would also be much appreciated.
Kimchi Jjigae with Sliced Salmon (김치찌개) - Unfortunately, none of us at the table could fully appreciate this humble Korean stew. It was essentially vegetables, mushrooms and rice cakes in a kimchi broth. According to wikipedia, Kimchi Jjigae is best cooked with older more fermented kimchi, which creates a much stronger taste and also contains more beneficial bacteria also found in yoghurt. The salmon slices were passably fresh but tasted rather weird with the kimchi broth.
Garlic Chicken Bap - A classic Korean dish and one that I've eaten a couple of times, the garlic chicken bap was surprisingly quite decent. For starters, the kimchi was lightly sour and spicy while the chicken was well marinated and you could actually taste the marination. Add the fact that the rice was moist and a little sticky and it made for a rather nice dish.
Premium Set C (Chicken Breast Meat, Beef Bulggogi, Chicken Bulggogi and Sliced Beef) - For our steamboat, we had a choice of 2 soup bases, kimchi and chicken, of which we chose the latter. I wouldn't go as far as to say the broth was great, but it was decently sweet yet light.
We had the premium set C for the sliced beef. Seriously, how bad can steamboat get? Everything tasted relatively fresh but the thinly sliced beef did look a darker shade of red as compared to what other tables were getting (this is based purely on our observations). The set is meant for 2 but in case the ingredients are insufficient, there is always the ala carte top up option.
Chicken Bulggogi & Korean Rice Cakes - 2 of our top up options, the chicken bulggogi, which the Koreans eat with lettuce and the rice cakes, which look like sliced fishcakes but tasted to me like chewy kueh when cooked.
Honestly, I know nuts to nothing about Korean food but personally I found the food overall to be rather decent, maybe not wholly authentic but certainly very edible. Prices are on the high side ( the damage for 4 pax was about $165 inclusive of 6 juices/soft drinks and 4 ice cream desserts) but thats to be expected since its at the airport. Oh and take note that they do not serve sky juice. Service was friendly but the place did seem a little short handed at times.
Anyway, Tango's at Holland V. We went there after eating at Coffee Club (Yes, there's still space in there). Oh man~ this place is a HOT house. Not hot as in popular but hot as in not cool, warm, hot and sweating. I think this is due to its open concept (Look ma~ No doors~!) but yet used a lot of yellow lighting. By the end of the night, I'm uncomfortable not because of tiredness but because its too warm.
This place has got impressive menu though and it took us some time to decide what we wanted.
Dar ordered the half Chix and according to him, its value for money and definitely great tasting. I had a piece of the Chix too and indeed, the skin is crispy while meat is tender not to mention the size of the portion given. Grilled squid took a long time to cook and came out Cao4 Ta1 and oily.
We ordered Margarita, Tropical Paradise (Martini) which took damn long to come and Erdinger. Can't really say anything good about them which I think its mostly because the heat there made the iced drinks warm fast. Cold drinks soon became room temperature and doesn't taste as nice as should be.
We should have stay at the outside seats which seems to be cooler. No wonder there wasn't much people sitting inside when we went there.
I am quite sad to say that even as a Singaporean, the first plane that I seat on was not a Singapore Airlines plane. Recently, I finally had the chance to sit on one. Hee….. Once step into the plane, it is pretty much like stepping into any other airlines plane, clean and tidy. Along the way, there will be friendly and smiling air steward or stewardess to guide and help you to get to your seat. After which, they would start serving hot towels to everyone as well. If I did not manage to get a copy of Straits Time before I board the plane, I would ask for a copy. Sad to say once in a while, the air stewardess would forget about it.
While on the plane, they did their best to keep us comfortable, and try to keep up with all our requests. Their service was really good when it comes to serving drinks and meals. This is definitely their plus point here. When it comes to their food, well it seems that they only changed their menu every two months, so in the end, I got to every dish in the menu over and over again. *Mental note: To request for special meals when booking tickets next time*
Next come to their entertainment system. Sad to say I am not very impressed with the system as it tends to fail me a few times or required a few times of reset. It is also a bit slow in reaction as well. At least they do change the movies every month so at least I got new movies to watch. It would be much better if they give better quality earphones. Once the system at the seat I was seating was defective, so they gave me a US$50 voucher to use for the KrisShop. Hee…. Too bad it can be only used on the plane.
All in all, I quite liked the service onboard the plane as they would make customers as comfortable as possible.
The main products are the Curious Curios charm jewellery, consisting of necklaces, rings and earrings.
There are also clutches that are specially and lovingly handsewn by Mel, the owner of the Curiosity Shoppe. She prides herself of extremely stringent quality control for her clutches, so much so that she's start from scratch if she's dissatisfied with any aspect of a clutch! Imagine the cost and efforts involved in that... it totally makes her clutches worth paying for!
There are also charms for DIY accessories available for sale on the site.
Not only does Mel make trinklets, she also makes the trees for you to hang you trinklets and keep them tidy! So basically, you'll have to look no further than this store because she kinda "thinks ahead" for you and makes what you need.
The highlight, however, i think should be her Curious Curios charm jewellery!
I've purchased rather many pieces of accessories from her (i think adding everything up, should have hit at least 10 pieces!) and i can assure you that the quality of her accessories is nothing short of awesome. I'm not kidding!
I especially love her necklaces! There are many different series and each have their uniqueness. Not much wire work in place, but the way the chains and charms all come together nicely to form something so awesome is just worthy of commending! Some pieces are nice and simple, others are more complex in design, but all are visually enticing!
Every necklace also comes with a different poetry or a short paragraph or some sort of short story that's uniquely written by Mel herself. It adds a very artistic feel to everything. She also takes it to another level by using charms that are quite out of the ordinary. Why do i say so? Because many other accessory-makers aren't willing to take the risk to experiment with those "weird looking" charms, but Mel essentially captures the whole spirit of the charm and really glorifies it to its fullest potential.
If I'm not mistaken, she uses gold-plated/non-tarnish chains and its really true. They really don't tarnish! Many other accessories have caused me to have itchy allergy reactions after wearing them for sometimes, especially if i perspire since i have horribly sensitive skin, but nothing ever seems to happen when i her accessories. I am really amazed and i can't help but keep going back for more!
Then there are the nice, simple and catchy word-necklaces that every youth is crazy over because one word says it all! Teenagers, especially, would digg those necklaces.
There are also pieces which make use of semi-precious stones and those would probably appeal more to slightly more matured ladies! Very elegant and classy pieces.
Recently, one of the well-loved necklaces (meaning i like it so much that i wear it very frequently) snapped and i immediately contacted Mel about it. She responded very promptly and offered to fix it at no charge! She is very friendly, easy-going and very helpful. Great after-sales service.
I'm a really satisfied customer of Mel's Curiosity Shoppe and you should totally check it out if you can!
Friends is a restaurant i've passed by plenty of times during my tenure in the bank at Serangoon Garden. It always appealed to me but never did entice me to go inside due to the mostly al fresco dining concept which i detested. How wrong i was when i finally tried and went inside for a quiet meal with a friend.
Complimentary Bread - Complimentary bread was served warm and covered in a rather tastily chosen basket with red cloth. The bread itself is normal though.
The exterior of the place belies the sheer space that adorns the inside of the restaurant. Once inside, i was astonished to see how big spacious the restaurant was and it came with comfortable short legged seats, wine glass and rectangular wooden tables. Lighting was dim and relaxed with a primarily laid back atmosphere to the place. It was also rather quiet that night which thus gave me the impression that no one will chase you away if you chose to have a quiet or rowdy night there with friends.
Tasmanian Apple Wood Smoked Salmon/Tea Smoked Tuna with Fennel Salad - For the above 2 appetisers, i managed to have a fair bit of both as my friend apparently doesn't like anything raw. The apple wood smoked salmon was pretty good, its possible to taste the smoke in the salmon rather strongly and it was quite salty as well. The taste grows on you after awhile but tends to overwhelm pretty soon. The tea smoke tuna was also smoke but to a much lesser extent. The taste was mild and lacked the strength the salmon version had.
South Australian Duo Of Grilled Lamb Shoulder Chops - The lamb shoulder chops was rather good. Done medium rather and served with garlic, shallots and mint jus, the overall concoction was light and sweet. The meat was tender and slightly bloody as well which was made to my order. Simple yet enjoyable.
Pan Seared "Sakura" chicken breast stuffed with macadamia & Bitter Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Campote - I had a piece of the chicken breast and it had a honey taste to it along with it being extremely tender and chewy. The bitter chocolate mousse was served with a strawberry and raspberry which turned out to be very sour. The chocolate mousse itself was not truly bitter and had some small chunks in it which was rather different. Not too bad really.
The meal came up to $47 after gst and service charge and a one for one meal offer. Expect to pay $100 for the above if you came without a Citibank card.
First off, thank you Max for the meal. Its fun catching up. The meal was pretty decent for me on this one but the best thing about it was the one for one offer which cut the bill in half. Upon further examination, i would not pay $39.90 for the meal per person as it strikes me as not value for money. However, for this round where the bill is basically $20 per head, its good enough to recommend. I repeat, bring a Citibank card. Go at your own peril without it.
Country Mana restaurant used to be one of my favorite restaurants during my younger years as it was more affordable then most and was easily found in the eastern end of Singapore. However, time has passed and now, there are only about 2 to 3 of this restaurant still running and it was this thought that i brought my gf to the branch at Serangoon Gardens.
The restaurant is located on the second floor along a group of shop houses which include Sushi Tei, Guardian Pharmacy and a chinese eating house. The interior is true to form with its country style wooden furnishings and dim lighting complete with a small counter.
Country Mana Soup ($4.99) - The country mana experience is never complete until you've tasted the soup. That used to be the case but not anymore unfortunately. In my memory, the soup was filled to the brim with chicken, vegetables and excellent broth but this version i got was lacking in precisely that. What it did retain was the nicely done pastry covering which was fragrant with a strong butter taste and still went well with the soup overall. Still, its difficult not to feel shortchanged when i've had the more full bodied version in ages past.
Whole Roasted Spring Chicken in Special Herbal Spices ($17.49) - After a bittersweet soup, we weren't holding much hope for the chicken to follow but we were sorely mistaken. The chicken was served cut in half and came with a baked potato sprinkled with some bacon bits and sour cream, a salad and some mango pieces. It looked pretty appetising to say the truth. The potato could have done with more sour cream and bacon bits and could be hotter when served but nothing devastating. The chicken is the real star. Cooked "home style" according to the menu, it was roasted to a nice golden brown with a thin crispy skin and well marinated meat. The meat itself was tender and contained minimal visible fat which was a big plus. The marinate probably contained ground pepper which gave it a light spicy taste. Otherwise, the chicken tasted strangely sweet with juices and slightly smokey. The only downside would be that it did come across as a tad too oily but otherwise, it was enjoyable.
Brownies with Vanilla Ice Cream ($5.99) - After a good main course, we were looking forward to a good finishing to wrap up the night. That was sadly not completed as the brownie was too dry and simply did not have the gourmet taste and texture it should. The ice cream was simple vanilla which i liked but still, the dessert was average at best.
The bill came up to $39.39 for 2 people.
To say the food was excellent is a lie but i can't deny that the main course was good. In fact, its the place's only saving grace that night apart from the wonderful service rendered. I wouldn't write the place off yet, partially due to nostalgia and partially due to the main course which gave me some hope that the other mains might be as good. Try it yourself to see if it fits your bill.
Green tea has been an obsession of Singaporeans since the introduction of it being a product for health began some years ago. How good it really is? Nobody really knows, it can be a myth, such as milk being really a by product which was overstocked and hence the "Got Milk?" campaign or maybe it does have wonderful healing properties. The bottom line is, nobody lives long enough to really understand it, do we? Anyhow, sorry for rambling, i met up with LIC one night for his first ever food outing which he organized. And the following is what we had.
First off, thank you LIC for organizing the event. Though there is still room for improvement, the general idea was a success. Good stuff.
O Cha cha is a green tea concept cafe located in the basement of Raffles City shopping center. Given its prime location, the cafe itself is rather small with a definite emphasis on space maximization. Tables and chairs were the generic plastic version with a clean overall look, there were cushion seats as well but as usual, its in short supply.
Complimentary chips - Seaweed crackers, always a welcome sight. I suspect they are Calbee potato chips but i may be wrong.
Matcha Rocks ($4.95) - Chilled green tea with sugar will sum this up. Its light and too sweet for my tastes. Can't imagine paying a premium price for this actually.
Ochacha Rocks ($4.95) - Chilled green tea with sugar and milk. Now why didn't i think of this item myself? Anyway, it has a heavier taste compared to its prior cousin and is also too sweet as well.
Shiitake Mushroom soup - The shittake mushroom soup reminds me of renditions in Eden cafe with the exception that there's cream thrown into the mix. The result is a soup reminiscent of campbells but with more mushroom bits thrown in. To its merit, the soup was filled with mushroom bits however, to its detriment, it was too salty.
Sakura Egg Sandwich ($4.80) - The size of this sandwich is rather consoling given the price. In fact, i'd gladly pay the money for it. The egg was done nicely and had a slight sweetness given off by the egg. Light and easily likable. Who can resist a simple egg sandwich? Not I says me.
Azuki Freezie ($6.90) - When i saw the drink, i was thinking: " oh my, another green tea?" But thankfully, this one was pretty good. Green tea with sugar/milk and crushed ice. Creativity never fails to amaze me. Either way, the drink was freezing cold and hit the spot for my sugar tooth this time around.
Salad With Orange Dressing - Something the boss added as a last minute item to the menu. Going for the same price, i'd normally rake in the praises for something free and healthy but would have to refrain from it this time. The salad itself is no contest, after all, how bad can salad be? The dressing is another story. Sour, saltish and totally unapalatable, it made me miss how normal salads should taste like. This is something no one should order....period.
Wasabi Tuna Sandwich ($5,90) - Furikake Salmon Sandwich ($5.90) - More sandwiches! The bread is the same, lightly toasted and buttered on the inside and soft on the outside. The only difference is in the stuffings which are basically wasabi laced tuna and smoked salmon. For what its worth, i liked them both. The wasabi with tuna is a no brainer winner because i simply love sniffing from the wasabi. The salmon was salty and smoked enough to leave a distinctive aftertaste which was enjoyable.
Macha Financier ($2.90) - The financier is simply a fancy name given to a simple dessert. It tastes like green tea tutu kueh with a crispy crust. There's a thin layer of sugar coated atop each financier to add to the taste but i didn't find anything noteworthy.
Macha Azuki ($4.90) - This dessert is significantly better then the Financier. Of particular mention is the red bean paste layer which made the otherwise green tea overloaded dessert bearable. Somehow, the red bean managed to contrast enough and add texture to the dessert for a more satisfying mouthful.
Macha Cotton ($2.90) - Another green tea cake dessert with an additional layer of whipped cream given. Nothing much else i can say apart from the cake being exceptionally fluffy and soft.
Macha Panna Cotta ($4.90) - By this dessert, i've had enough green tea to swear off it forever but still soldiered on to finish it. Smooth, soft and creamy with a balanced green tea taste, this turned out to be rather pleasant.
Macha Latte ($4.80) - Finally, the last item is a macha latte. Hot green tea with sugar and milk which surprisingly, turned out to be the best item i had that night simply because, its hot and served to wash everything down that came before it.
Too much of a good thing really does ruin the taste. Green tea taken by itself is decent but add all te additional stuff and it loses its purpose. The true green tea experience is one that borders on the art of serving and drinking. This version is more towards the younger fast food and Starbucks generation which probably likes the sugar in it. The sandwiches weren't half bad though.
The very unique thing that stood out most about this blogshop is the owner's ability to cross-market her items.
There seems to always be a "get $2 off this item if you purchase another item!" or some other privileges along those lines.
While i think that it is indeed a good sales tactic and it could be rather enticing, i feel that using the method too often could really be a spoiler. It might caused people to think "oh, i should just wait for the next time she has a cool offer again" This could cause her to lose out what she can earn!
However, i must really applaud her for her generosity. There was an entry whereby she offered to give away a necklace for free! No conditions! Simply because she felt inspired from a show she watched. Now THAT is really worth commending because i have NEVER come across anyone who would do such things!
Her accessories are generally intricately designed and exudes her personal style. You can tell that she tries her best to be different and make every piece of her creations as different from the others as possible, unless of course they belong in the same collection.
The website is also well maintained, photos are well taken and basically, very visually pleasing for any passers-by. You would be enticed to browse through her works. Thats a plus point for any blogshop and she's done well in securing that point!
1=SGD 0.0587
Fresh with the memory of Bangkok's excellent Thai food and armed with a craving for Phad Thai, I headed down to First Thai at Purvis Street, which purportedly serves up authentic Thai food at reasonable prices.
The place sits right at the front of Purvis Street, making it easy to find and plays neighbours to Yet Con, which is next door and Chin Chin just across the road. Decor is very coffeeshop like save for the nice green olden style windows that look out to the main road. There is no airconditioning at this eatery so be prepared to sweat it out on a hot day. If the place is full, you'll probably have to share a table with someone or queue up outside the shop. Do note that you will not be seated until everyone in your group is present.
Tom Yam Soup Individual Serving - This is one of the better tom yam soups that I've tried in Singapore and at $7 a pop, it really isn't too expensive given the amount of ingredients in it. Light and sourish with a tinge of spiciness. But I would have preferred it a little spicier. And thats coming from someone whose spice tolerance level is rather low.
Pandan Chicken - Ok I got to admit that this isn't exactly cheap, at $8 for 4 bite sized pieces of pandan chicken. The chicken, though nice and juicy, didn't exactly wow me probably because of its rather mild taste. There was no burst in the mouth melody of flavours that I experienced while eating it in Bangkok. But still a nice eat nevertheless.
Phad Thai ($8)- One of the highly recommended dishes and purportedly one of the best in Singapore, the Phad Thai was actually quite good. Lightly sweet with a firm and chewy texture. However, it was a little too wet as compared to what I had in Bangkok. The ubiquitous dried shrimps were also missing. I know that dried shrimps are optional but they give an added texture and introduce a much appreciated salty dimension to the dish. Personally I still prefer the Phad Thai from Sweet Salty Spicy Food Market & Thai Canteen.
The cost of food sufficient for 1 pax stood at $23 (no GST, no service charge), which is still acceptable given the quality of food. However, drinks cost me an additional $8 which is terribly expensive. $3 for a glass of coconut juce, $4 if you want less ice. 50 cents for warm water and 50 cents for ice only. So technically if you wanted ice water, it will be $1/cup. Theres the more expensive option of bottled water though, starting at $2 (without ice). Sorry but I think its a rip off, especially when its only a coffeeshop. If I ever visit again, I'll be sure to bring my own water.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Chef Chan's restaurant, decked in expensive antiques which make up his very own private collection and located within out very own Art Museum, the place screams of taste and posh before you even step into it. And we were there during his anniversary to try out his signature dishes done out in a set menu for 8. Expectations ran high for this chef who touts himself as a top chef in his Chinese namecard, Shen Chu San Jue but is it really that good?
Well, first of all the place is interesting. Not quite what i was expecting with all the bells and whistles and highly provocative name. In fact, the place was quite the opposite, sublime, quiet and very much bare. This is true for the door that greets you to the interior which had a very minimalist approach apart from the gilded plates, jade set ornaments and glaring antiques. Each item within is painstakingly collected by the Chef, Mr Chan Chen Hei over the years and it shows. Simply refer to the pictures to understand.
Flashy stuff in terms of the decorations i would say. The place is also weird in that each table of guests had their own partitioned room and there were no open tables on the outside. In fact, it felt like an intimate gathering of friends in a mutual friend's place as opposed to a restaurant. Next up, on to the food.
Cashew Nuts Coated With Honey - The cashew nuts were good though. Exceptionally so, i could go for seconds and thirds of those cashew nuts easily. Crunchy with a finely roasted fragrance and honey sweet. Yep, its something i would want right now actually.
Melon Strips Enlivened With Orange Juice - The first dish to adorn our tables is a rather normal looking item. Cut melon pieces, the difference lay in the color and taste which strangely resembled a crunchy orange. Our guess is that it was soaked in orange juice or extract but wasn't sure how to explain the crunchiness it retained. Still, it was normal when the dust settled.
Prawn Balls Stuffed With Pate and Wine - I was actually looking forward to this particular dish. Pate and prawn and wine. How could it not be a winner? Well, in truth, it wasn't a winner nor was it totally bad. The prawn paste stuffing was springy and fragrant, the wine was minimal but could be tasted while the pate was a really small piece which didn't quite get its taste across due to the multitude of other flavors. The thing about this is that each of us got....1 miserable serving...which is rather miserly if you ask me
Stir Fried Shark's Fin with Eggs, Bean Sprouts And Spring Onion - This was good. Period. Fragrant, tasty and crunchy. It embodies all the elements within to good effect. The shark's fin actually tasted like vermicelli but it was more fine and lighter. The complaint here is going to follow through for the entire post. There just wasn't enough to go around. One plate is all we got and shared among each other. I would have loved more of this but that didn't happen.
Sauteed Lobster With Garlic - The lobster in garlic is another of those dishes which came a little too little. For the price, i would have expected to be served an entire lobster but i only got half of it. A good half nonetheless. Sweet springy meat in glorious garlic. The taste reminds me of the garlic prawns in Hai Tien Lo but with a little more meat. Good stuff, if there was more.
Steamed Red Garouper in Superior Soy Sauce - To be honest, i don't know much about fish. So i can't differentiate between a red garoupa and from the same species of another color. And i can't tell you the price of this fish as well as the difference between superior soy sauce and normal ones. Having said all that, this fish tasted just like the ones my mother does at home. Slightly salty and juicy with a smooth texture.
Chef Chan's Famous Crispy Roast Chicken - Ah yes, the legendary Chef Chan's crispy roast chicken. I'm happy to report that this at least, lives up to its name. Crispy, well roasted skin with hints of salt and other marinates tantalizes your taste buds while juicy and tender meat sit beneath it just waiting to be tasted. Its definitely something worth trying at least once.
Sauteed Vegetable With Shredded Mushroom - Normal sums it up pretty well. I don't even know how this could have made the list but it disappoints pretty badly. Its not bad per se mind you, just not something i would expect to see on my table during an expensive meal.
Glutinous Rice With Mango and Gui Ling Gao - We gave feed back in the restaurant and we'll give the same feed back here. This combination simply does not work. Not one bit. The glutinous rice is sweet, the mango is sour and the gui ling gao is bitter. Throw them all together and the result is still a bad idea.
White Fungus - This dessert however, was good. Sweet, clear, light and warm. It served to calm the senses a fair bit after the meal.
The final bill worked out to be $860.15 after a 10% discount. A hefty sum to pay for the meal on display though.
I expected more from this place. More atmosphere, more variety and most importantly, more food. Sadly, it didn't live up to expectations with the misses in the menu. Service was good overall and the items that were well done, were definitely worth trying. Still, i won't return for a second try anytime soon.
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Had the opportunity to partake in a food tasting session at Fresh Bulggogi, courtesy of Benny, the marketing manager for Zingrill Holdings, which also owns and operates the Breeks, Seoul Garden and Zingdo chains of restaurants.
Located on level 3 of the viewing gallery at Changi Airport Terminal 2, Fresh Bulggogi spots a fresh lime green and black facade and plays immediate neighbour to Fish & Co. The interior (at least where I sat) consists of booth seats that can seat 4 pax very comfortably or 6 pax if you happen to be smaller in size. The concept of Fresh Bulggogi is built upon that of Seoul Garden save for 2 major differences. First, it only has an ala carte menu with no buffet option. Second, the food items sold are slightly more upmarket, with stuff like half shell scallops, sashimi grade salmon, just to name a few. It also serves up quick meals like Bibim Baps for time strapped customers who are in a hurry to catch their flights. For customers who dread perspiring while having steamboat, this place eliminates the problem by placing the pot in a dug in enclosure and installing cool air blowers right above the pot level. This prevents the heat from dissipating upwards and keeps the surroundings cool.
Pine Mushroom Salad with Prawns - Honestly the salad wasn't to my liking and was rather lacklustre in my humble opinion. The pine mushrooms tasted rather bland while the prawns were rather small in size and barely sweet. However there is one positive remark I must make and that is the effort put in to remove the prawn intestines. Not many places, even high class restaurants, bother doing so.
Deep Fried Assorted Mushrooms - This was actually comfort food for all of us. Assorted mushrooms coated with batter and deep fried till crisp on the outside yet soft on the inside. Very nice and chewy but I did find the batter a wee bit too thick. A little more moisture in the mushrooms would also be much appreciated.
Kimchi Jjigae with Sliced Salmon (김치찌개) - Unfortunately, none of us at the table could fully appreciate this humble Korean stew. It was essentially vegetables, mushrooms and rice cakes in a kimchi broth. According to wikipedia, Kimchi Jjigae is best cooked with older more fermented kimchi, which creates a much stronger taste and also contains more beneficial bacteria also found in yoghurt. The salmon slices were passably fresh but tasted rather weird with the kimchi broth.
Garlic Chicken Bap - A classic Korean dish and one that I've eaten a couple of times, the garlic chicken bap was surprisingly quite decent. For starters, the kimchi was lightly sour and spicy while the chicken was well marinated and you could actually taste the marination. Add the fact that the rice was moist and a little sticky and it made for a rather nice dish.
Premium Set C (Chicken Breast Meat, Beef Bulggogi, Chicken Bulggogi and Sliced Beef) - For our steamboat, we had a choice of 2 soup bases, kimchi and chicken, of which we chose the latter. I wouldn't go as far as to say the broth was great, but it was decently sweet yet light.
We had the premium set C for the sliced beef. Seriously, how bad can steamboat get? Everything tasted relatively fresh but the thinly sliced beef did look a darker shade of red as compared to what other tables were getting (this is based purely on our observations). The set is meant for 2 but in case the ingredients are insufficient, there is always the ala carte top up option.
Chicken Bulggogi & Korean Rice Cakes - 2 of our top up options, the chicken bulggogi, which the Koreans eat with lettuce and the rice cakes, which look like sliced fishcakes but tasted to me like chewy kueh when cooked.
Honestly, I know nuts to nothing about Korean food but personally I found the food overall to be rather decent, maybe not wholly authentic but certainly very edible. Prices are on the high side ( the damage for 4 pax was about $165 inclusive of 6 juices/soft drinks and 4 ice cream desserts) but thats to be expected since its at the airport. Oh and take note that they do not serve sky juice. Service was friendly but the place did seem a little short handed at times.
See all my pictures here.
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Anyway, Tango's at Holland V. We went there after eating at Coffee Club (Yes, there's still space in there). Oh man~ this place is a HOT house. Not hot as in popular but hot as in not cool, warm, hot and sweating. I think this is due to its open concept (Look ma~ No doors~!) but yet used a lot of yellow lighting. By the end of the night, I'm uncomfortable not because of tiredness but because its too warm.
This place has got impressive menu though and it took us some time to decide what we wanted.
Dar ordered the half Chix and according to him, its value for money and definitely great tasting. I had a piece of the Chix too and indeed, the skin is crispy while meat is tender not to mention the size of the portion given. Grilled squid took a long time to cook and came out Cao4 Ta1 and oily.
We ordered Margarita, Tropical Paradise (Martini) which took damn long to come and Erdinger. Can't really say anything good about them which I think its mostly because the heat there made the iced drinks warm fast. Cold drinks soon became room temperature and doesn't taste as nice as should be.
We should have stay at the outside seats which seems to be cooler. No wonder there wasn't much people sitting inside when we went there.
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I am quite sad to say that even as a Singaporean, the first plane that I seat on was not a Singapore Airlines plane. Recently, I finally had the chance to sit on one. Hee….. Once step into the plane, it is pretty much like stepping into any other airlines plane, clean and tidy. Along the way, there will be friendly and smiling air steward or stewardess to guide and help you to get to your seat. After which, they would start serving hot towels to everyone as well. If I did not manage to get a copy of Straits Time before I board the plane, I would ask for a copy. Sad to say once in a while, the air stewardess would forget about it.
While on the plane, they did their best to keep us comfortable, and try to keep up with all our requests. Their service was really good when it comes to serving drinks and meals. This is definitely their plus point here. When it comes to their food, well it seems that they only changed their menu every two months, so in the end, I got to every dish in the menu over and over again. *Mental note: To request for special meals when booking tickets next time*
Next come to their entertainment system. Sad to say I am not very impressed with the system as it tends to fail me a few times or required a few times of reset. It is also a bit slow in reaction as well. At least they do change the movies every month so at least I got new movies to watch. It would be much better if they give better quality earphones. Once the system at the seat I was seating was defective, so they gave me a US$50 voucher to use for the KrisShop. Hee…. Too bad it can be only used on the plane.
All in all, I quite liked the service onboard the plane as they would make customers as comfortable as possible.
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Very interesting online store!
The main products are the Curious Curios charm jewellery, consisting of necklaces, rings and earrings.
There are also clutches that are specially and lovingly handsewn by Mel, the owner of the Curiosity Shoppe. She prides herself of extremely stringent quality control for her clutches, so much so that she's start from scratch if she's dissatisfied with any aspect of a clutch! Imagine the cost and efforts involved in that... it totally makes her clutches worth paying for!
There are also charms for DIY accessories available for sale on the site.
Not only does Mel make trinklets, she also makes the trees for you to hang you trinklets and keep them tidy! So basically, you'll have to look no further than this store because she kinda "thinks ahead" for you and makes what you need.
The highlight, however, i think should be her Curious Curios charm jewellery!
I've purchased rather many pieces of accessories from her (i think adding everything up, should have hit at least 10 pieces!) and i can assure you that the quality of her accessories is nothing short of awesome. I'm not kidding!
I especially love her necklaces! There are many different series and each have their uniqueness. Not much wire work in place, but the way the chains and charms all come together nicely to form something so awesome is just worthy of commending! Some pieces are nice and simple, others are more complex in design, but all are visually enticing!
Every necklace also comes with a different poetry or a short paragraph or some sort of short story that's uniquely written by Mel herself. It adds a very artistic feel to everything. She also takes it to another level by using charms that are quite out of the ordinary. Why do i say so? Because many other accessory-makers aren't willing to take the risk to experiment with those "weird looking" charms, but Mel essentially captures the whole spirit of the charm and really glorifies it to its fullest potential.
If I'm not mistaken, she uses gold-plated/non-tarnish chains and its really true. They really don't tarnish! Many other accessories have caused me to have itchy allergy reactions after wearing them for sometimes, especially if i perspire since i have horribly sensitive skin, but nothing ever seems to happen when i her accessories. I am really amazed and i can't help but keep going back for more!
Then there are the nice, simple and catchy word-necklaces that every youth is crazy over because one word says it all! Teenagers, especially, would digg those necklaces.
There are also pieces which make use of semi-precious stones and those would probably appeal more to slightly more matured ladies! Very elegant and classy pieces.
Recently, one of the well-loved necklaces (meaning i like it so much that i wear it very frequently) snapped and i immediately contacted Mel about it. She responded very promptly and offered to fix it at no charge! She is very friendly, easy-going and very helpful. Great after-sales service.
I'm a really satisfied customer of Mel's Curiosity Shoppe and you should totally check it out if you can!
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Friends is a restaurant i've passed by plenty of times during my tenure in the bank at Serangoon Garden. It always appealed to me but never did entice me to go inside due to the mostly al fresco dining concept which i detested. How wrong i was when i finally tried and went inside for a quiet meal with a friend.
Complimentary Bread - Complimentary bread was served warm and covered in a rather tastily chosen basket with red cloth. The bread itself is normal though.
The exterior of the place belies the sheer space that adorns the inside of the restaurant. Once inside, i was astonished to see how big spacious the restaurant was and it came with comfortable short legged seats, wine glass and rectangular wooden tables. Lighting was dim and relaxed with a primarily laid back atmosphere to the place. It was also rather quiet that night which thus gave me the impression that no one will chase you away if you chose to have a quiet or rowdy night there with friends.
Tasmanian Apple Wood Smoked Salmon/Tea Smoked Tuna with Fennel Salad - For the above 2 appetisers, i managed to have a fair bit of both as my friend apparently doesn't like anything raw. The apple wood smoked salmon was pretty good, its possible to taste the smoke in the salmon rather strongly and it was quite salty as well. The taste grows on you after awhile but tends to overwhelm pretty soon. The tea smoke tuna was also smoke but to a much lesser extent. The taste was mild and lacked the strength the salmon version had.
South Australian Duo Of Grilled Lamb Shoulder Chops - The lamb shoulder chops was rather good. Done medium rather and served with garlic, shallots and mint jus, the overall concoction was light and sweet. The meat was tender and slightly bloody as well which was made to my order. Simple yet enjoyable.
Pan Seared "Sakura" chicken breast stuffed with macadamia
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Bitter Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Campote - I had a piece of the chicken breast and it had a honey taste to it along with it being extremely tender and chewy. The bitter chocolate mousse was served with a strawberry and raspberry which turned out to be very sour. The chocolate mousse itself was not truly bitter and had some small chunks in it which was rather different. Not too bad really.
The meal came up to $47 after gst and service charge and a one for one meal offer. Expect to pay $100 for the above if you came without a Citibank card.
First off, thank you Max for the meal. Its fun catching up. The meal was pretty decent for me on this one but the best thing about it was the one for one offer which cut the bill in half. Upon further examination, i would not pay $39.90 for the meal per person as it strikes me as not value for money. However, for this round where the bill is basically $20 per head, its good enough to recommend. I repeat, bring a Citibank card. Go at your own peril without it.
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Country Mana restaurant used to be one of my favorite restaurants during my younger years as it was more affordable then most and was easily found in the eastern end of Singapore. However, time has passed and now, there are only about 2 to 3 of this restaurant still running and it was this thought that i brought my gf to the branch at Serangoon Gardens.
The restaurant is located on the second floor along a group of shop houses which include Sushi Tei, Guardian Pharmacy and a chinese eating house. The interior is true to form with its country style wooden furnishings and dim lighting complete with a small counter.
Country Mana Soup ($4.99) - The country mana experience is never complete until you've tasted the soup. That used to be the case but not anymore unfortunately. In my memory, the soup was filled to the brim with chicken, vegetables and excellent broth but this version i got was lacking in precisely that. What it did retain was the nicely done pastry covering which was fragrant with a strong butter taste and still went well with the soup overall. Still, its difficult not to feel shortchanged when i've had the more full bodied version in ages past.
Whole Roasted Spring Chicken in Special Herbal Spices ($17.49) -
After a bittersweet soup, we weren't holding much hope for the chicken to follow but we were sorely mistaken. The chicken was served cut in half and came with a baked potato sprinkled with some bacon bits and sour cream, a salad and some mango pieces. It looked pretty appetising to say the truth. The potato could have done with more sour cream and bacon bits and could be hotter when served but nothing devastating. The chicken is the real star.
Cooked "home style" according to the menu, it was roasted to a nice golden brown with a thin crispy skin and well marinated meat. The meat itself was tender and contained minimal visible fat which was a big plus. The marinate probably contained ground pepper which gave it a light spicy taste. Otherwise, the chicken tasted strangely sweet with juices and slightly smokey. The only downside would be that it did come across as a tad too oily but otherwise, it was enjoyable.
Brownies with Vanilla Ice Cream ($5.99) - After a good main course, we were looking forward to a good finishing to wrap up the night. That was sadly not completed as the brownie was too dry and simply did not have the gourmet taste and texture it should. The ice cream was simple vanilla which i liked but still, the dessert was average at best.
The bill came up to $39.39 for 2 people.
To say the food was excellent is a lie but i can't deny that the main course was good. In fact, its the place's only saving grace that night apart from the wonderful service rendered. I wouldn't write the place off yet, partially due to nostalgia and partially due to the main course which gave me some hope that the other mains might be as good. Try it yourself to see if it fits your bill.
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Green tea has been an obsession of Singaporeans since the introduction of it being a product for health began some years ago. How good it really is? Nobody really knows, it can be a myth, such as milk being really a by product which was overstocked and hence the "Got Milk?" campaign or maybe it does have wonderful healing properties. The bottom line is, nobody lives long enough to really understand it, do we? Anyhow, sorry for rambling, i met up with LIC one night for his first ever food outing which he organized. And the following is what we had.
First off, thank you LIC for organizing the event. Though there is still room for improvement, the general idea was a success. Good stuff.
O Cha cha is a green tea concept cafe located in the basement of Raffles City shopping center. Given its prime location, the cafe itself is rather small with a definite emphasis on space maximization. Tables and chairs were the generic plastic version with a clean overall look, there were cushion seats as well but as usual, its in short supply.
Complimentary chips - Seaweed crackers, always a welcome sight. I suspect they are Calbee potato chips but i may be wrong.
Matcha Rocks ($4.95) - Chilled green tea with sugar will sum this up. Its light and too sweet for my tastes. Can't imagine paying a premium price for this actually.
Ochacha Rocks ($4.95) - Chilled green tea with sugar and milk. Now why didn't i think of this item myself? Anyway, it has a heavier taste compared to its prior cousin and is also too sweet as well.
Shiitake Mushroom soup - The shittake mushroom soup reminds me of renditions in Eden cafe with the exception that there's cream thrown into the mix. The result is a soup reminiscent of campbells but with more mushroom bits thrown in. To its merit, the soup was filled with mushroom bits however, to its detriment, it was too salty.
Sakura Egg Sandwich ($4.80) - The size of this sandwich is rather consoling given the price. In fact, i'd gladly pay the money for it. The egg was done nicely and had a slight sweetness given off by the egg. Light and easily likable. Who can resist a simple egg sandwich? Not I says me.
Azuki Freezie ($6.90) - When i saw the drink, i was thinking: " oh my, another green tea?" But thankfully, this one was pretty good. Green tea with sugar/milk and crushed ice. Creativity never fails to amaze me. Either way, the drink was freezing cold and hit the spot for my sugar tooth this time around.
Salad With Orange Dressing - Something the boss added as a last minute item to the menu. Going for the same price, i'd normally rake in the praises for something free and healthy but would have to refrain from it this time. The salad itself is no contest, after all, how bad can salad be? The dressing is another story. Sour, saltish and totally unapalatable, it made me miss how normal salads should taste like. This is something no one should order....period.
Wasabi Tuna Sandwich ($5,90) - Furikake Salmon Sandwich ($5.90) - More sandwiches! The bread is the same, lightly toasted and buttered on the inside and soft on the outside. The only difference is in the stuffings which are basically wasabi laced tuna and smoked salmon. For what its worth, i liked them both. The wasabi with tuna is a no brainer winner because i simply love sniffing from the wasabi. The salmon was salty and smoked enough to leave a distinctive aftertaste which was enjoyable.
Macha Financier ($2.90) - The financier is simply a fancy name given to a simple dessert. It tastes like green tea tutu kueh with a crispy crust. There's a thin layer of sugar coated atop each financier to add to the taste but i didn't find anything noteworthy.
Macha Azuki ($4.90) - This dessert is significantly better then the Financier. Of particular mention is the red bean paste layer which made the otherwise green tea overloaded dessert bearable. Somehow, the red bean managed to contrast enough and add texture to the dessert for a more satisfying mouthful.
Macha Cotton ($2.90) - Another green tea cake dessert with an additional layer of whipped cream given. Nothing much else i can say apart from the cake being exceptionally fluffy and soft.
Macha Panna Cotta ($4.90) - By this dessert, i've had enough green tea to swear off it forever but still soldiered on to finish it. Smooth, soft and creamy with a balanced green tea taste, this turned out to be rather pleasant.
Macha Latte ($4.80) - Finally, the last item is a macha latte. Hot green tea with sugar and milk which surprisingly, turned out to be the best item i had that night simply because, its hot and served to wash everything down that came before it.
Too much of a good thing really does ruin the taste. Green tea taken by itself is decent but add all te additional stuff and it loses its purpose. The true green tea experience is one that borders on the art of serving and drinking. This version is more towards the younger fast food and Starbucks generation which probably likes the sugar in it. The sandwiches weren't half bad though.
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The very unique thing that stood out most about this blogshop is the owner's ability to cross-market her items.
There seems to always be a "get $2 off this item if you purchase another item!" or some other privileges along those lines.
While i think that it is indeed a good sales tactic and it could be rather enticing, i feel that using the method too often could really be a spoiler. It might caused people to think "oh, i should just wait for the next time she has a cool offer again" This could cause her to lose out what she can earn!
However, i must really applaud her for her generosity. There was an entry whereby she offered to give away a necklace for free! No conditions! Simply because she felt inspired from a show she watched. Now THAT is really worth commending because i have NEVER come across anyone who would do such things!
Her accessories are generally intricately designed and exudes her personal style. You can tell that she tries her best to be different and make every piece of her creations as different from the others as possible, unless of course they belong in the same collection.
The website is also well maintained, photos are well taken and basically, very visually pleasing for any passers-by. You would be enticed to browse through her works. Thats a plus point for any blogshop and she's done well in securing that point!
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