I bought my DARLING MR CASH here at Happy Paws.. After much tedious research and hunting... I finally found the PET HAVEN OF SINGAPORE.. Its not some pet farm.. its not a ulu place like deep in the some reserves.. its right at serangoon north.... West landers like me will not know such a place until you have read enough blogs and forums to find out...
I went to farmway, went to SPCA, however i could not find the THE ONE... and after much hunting, found my darling guinea pig which i named him MR CASH at Happy Paws.....
There are many shops there... selling Chinchillas, Dogs, Cats, Birds, Hamsters, Rabbits, Guinea Pigs and Fishes.. however upon viewing so many shops, i decided to buy my first REAL PET at Happy Paws.. and the reason is obvious...
First, they have a comprehensive range of products and the prices are very reasonable.. on top of that they have given me good discounts...
Second... I saw 2 well kept and cleaned caged guinea pigs.. unlike some where the cages are so dirty and you wonder if you are bringing back a sick pet which will just pass on in a few days... I was glad when i asked to hold the gp i chose before commiting to buy i was declined as handling them will make them frightened.. i'm sure my pig is going to survive.....
The things i bought included cages, pellets, cat's litter bedding, water bottle, shit bowl, hay and Mr Cash.... When I asked, they actually took the time to help me fix up everything, dress up the cage before putting Mr Cash in.. and they also included his toy ball he was playing with and the apple sticks he chews on.... Before putting him in his new house... The owner actually talks to him, cooed him and whisper some soothing words to him and it really helps calm him down.....
She then advices me on him.. telling me what are his favourite food and how to handle him.... Matter of fact she had his brother which is one of the earlier batch from the same parantage and his brother was such a big boy in such good conditions... I was impressed when she told me she feeds them organic carrots and corns as treats and I'm so sure... MR Cash is going to be so healthy....
If you are looking for a pet, or pet supplies or any grooming services, you can put your trust in Happy Paws Pet Kiosk.... as I know my pets are in good hands when they are with them.... Such passionate animal lovers are the most important criteria in grooming, caring and even introducing you the best they can offer for the well being of your companion.... Most importantly.. they are associated with a REASONABLE PRICE...
If you feel particularly chinese today, then you should lunch as hand in hand.... Though i like the name of the restaurant, i however do not like to hold hands with rude waitresses...
I was trying to get a quick bite one busy afternoon at jurong point where it seems like EVERYWHERE is packed.... Oh.. School Holidays Again and when i saw there are special in-house seats for these restaurants in the food court, i have no choice but to get in as there are the only seats available.
There again.. friendly calls that promises nothing but good food and friendly services still gets a hold of me.. however they are nothing but empty promises.. and the worse thing is I get conned again and again, hoping that things wll improve. This lady at the counter attracted me with the good variety of spread in the menu and most of all.. available seats..... I mean, one can't help but want to get away from crowds and so... i took the bait and went in hoping to get a good meal..
As i admired the deco, which is typically china chinese style, I was rudely offered some cutleries with a bang on the table.... There she goes.. stating all the famous dishes and me and my pal basically chose some noodles and giving the dumplings a miss... She hounded on about how good the dumpling are and blah blah blah but when i ask for some warm water, she told me there was none.... Not Even Tap Water.....
The food came in about 10 mins and while the food court is bustling away... I was stranded with my poor pal in a quiet corner in this part of beijing... However, the fried noodles was quite nice... chewy and well flavoured noodles with some prawns, veg and other stuffs. The braised beef noodles were good as well.... The soup savoury and beef soft... We also tried the century egg toufoo which however is not to my liking... I find it too plain but my pal thinks its nice...
All In All.. the food was great and if these chinese friends can have more social responsibility in providing better services and more kindness.. It would just be great... Heal the world... Make it a better place... For you and for me and the Great China.....
Nihon Mura is part of the Sakura group of restaurants dominating the buffet lanes in Singapore.
My first impression of the Tampines outlet has since been altered recently in my subsequent visits to this restaurant.
The Cathay outlet is similar to the other outlets in terms of its decor and food offerings but the entire place is almost always packed with people and the queues are quite amazing.
The food has improved a whole lot since i've last been here and the quality of sushi is also a step above the last visit with new $1.99 plates of premium sushi that usually would have cost about $5.99 at a rival restuarant.
The salmon sashimi here is definitely worth a try. I'm not sure why but its very tender, cold and sweet as compared to other places. Including my favorite Wasabi Tei. @ $5.99 for 6 pieces of reasonable size, this place has stolen my heart for salmon sashimi to eat. The rest of the sashimi i've tried are ho hum though. So just go for the salmon sashimi.
All said and done, the new offerings and good salmon sashimi has won me over and i will indeed be returning for more.
Le Grenier a Pain originated from Paris France under the leadership of Michel Galloyer. The bakery has since accumulated multiple accolades before being franchised into Singapore by Ms Ellis Noval in an attempt to bring authentic French pastries into Singapore.
The pastry on sale has taken up a decidedly Singaporean flair with local favorites such as ham, bacon and even chicken curry flavors to appeal to the locals. Within it, you will find fancy named breads and cakes along with a rather high end price tag. In terms of the pastry, i bought about $15 worth of bread with a Chocolate fondant being the more expensive item. Tastewise, its mostly above average with the bread being soft and crusty and the chocolate being of better quality then usual. Cream and custard were both light and airy without impacting its taste. The fondant came across as average because we overbaked it and it turned out to be more chocolate sponge cake then an actual fondant.
Overall score: 6/10
Last word: I love eating bread but i simply am not able to stomach the cost thats levied on them by this bakery. In fact, when i saw how much the bread cost, i was rather shocked that 5 pieces of bread with a chocolate fondant could cause $15. I was also unable to ascertain the reason for the cost through taste but maybe thats just a personal issue of not understanding quality bread when i have one. For me, i'll probably stick with the local brands for now.
I need some chocolate, I need some sweets; to cure my oh-so-painful-heartache. I need a patissier to cheer me up: Tiramisu, mont blanc, creme brulee, macaron, le royale; give it to me, give it all to me.
“A slice of everything on display, and a cup of hot chocolate with extra chocolate.” “Everything?” “Yes! Which part of every-thing do you not understand?”
The patissier is my best friend, he will know how to make this go away. Stepping into the patisserie, a tiny part of the gloominess was lifted, at the sight of the so-many-pretty-and-petite desserts.
I sunk my teeth into it, and oh-boy, it was good, I already felt better! The richness of the cake was soaked and immersed in the essence of the espresso, brandy & white rum, I was literally intoxicated.
Bittersweet. It’s all about chocolate. The first taste, so sweet and rosy, followed by the slightly bitter taste from the dark chocolate; the perfect analogy to life, the bitterness, the happy times, it depends on which part you want to taste - I want sweet now!
* * *
(1) The above is a largely exaggerated story on my part, no doubt sweets and chocolates helps when you are feeling down, but it is only a temporary measure. A heart-to-heart chat with a good friend does wonders, and the best part: we had it over desserts.
(2) The two slices of cake are Tiramisu and Chocolate Amer. The latter was a half-price promotional item for Bakerzin in the month of May. The current dessert that is on half-price is the New York cheesecake.
(3) As much as I do not really fancy Bakerzin, and the fact that I’ve tried almost every cakes there, the half-price promotion on a slice of cake was too tempting.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
I've always had a thing for reclusive enclaves like that of Portsdown, with its lush greenery and quaint little restaurants that lead you away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. And the area welcomes its newest tenant, an Italian restaurant specializing in pastas going by the name of Soprano (which in singing terms is a voice that has a vocal range that spans 2 octaves - roughly middle C to Soprano C) that opened just 2 weeks ago. Maybe the restaurant aspires to soar to great heights?
Located along Portsdown Road just opposite the building that houses Pietrasanta and cooking academy Palate Sensations, Soprano's sizeable compound comes with its own mini carpark, lawn and pool (not sure if it belongs to Soprano though). There is an option of al fresco seating or indoor seating, with the former perfect for chilling out on a cooling/windy afternoon or evening and the latter a life saver on warm days (the air conditioning seemed to be at a minimum when I was there that afternoon though).
The appetisers consisted of baby onions, onions and a mixture of button mushrooms, olives and capsicums - all of which provided a nice way to start off the meal. The bread on the other hand, wasn't served warm and tasted like ordinary baguette, albeit much denser in the center. Nothing impressive.
Bruschetta - I am actually quite perplexed by the amount of salad that came with the bruschetta. It formed the bulk of this dish save for generous helpings of halved cherry tomatoes atop 2 slices of ciabatta bread. Shouldn't the bread take center stage here? That aside, the ciabatta was toasted to a crisp and sprinkled with olive oil and fine salt granules, giving it a nice resounding texture marrying the sweetness and plumpness of the cherry tomatoes. Given the price ($9), not something I would order again though.
Linguine Aragostina - For $15 a pop, this was a steal honestly. You get 2 halves of a baby lobster served with al dente linguine in a robust and spicy (check out the cut chillis) tomato base sauce. If you prefer other sorts of pasta besides linguine, the aragostina option is also open to spaghetti. They need to fix the problem with the baby lobster though. It wasn't stale but it wasn't exactly fresh either, coming across as a little fishy.
Ravioli Ai Funghi Porcini e Tartufo - This was a cream based pasta and tended to be rather overwhelming after a few mouthfuls. But that wasn't to say that it wasn't good. The ravioli skin was not too thick and came with cheese and spinach stuffing (you can choose what stuffing you would like) in a sea of thick fragrant creamy gravy. I personally thought that the porcini mushrooms tasted great as well - crunchy with a nice woody taste.
Tiramisu - There was something different about this tiramisu. The mascarpone cheese was really yellowish in colour, probably due to the excess addition of egg yolks. I couldn't quite make out any substantial difference though except it being more dense then usual. The sponge to mascarpone ratio was rather lopsided in favour of the cheese. Whatever sponge fingers there were at the bottom was soaked in weak coffee, which meant that this was a teetotaler's rendition. Overall a decent dessert.
Profiterole - The profiterole was complimentary of Soprano and came stuffed with milk chocolate mousse drenched in chilled liquid white chocolate. I am a sucker for such stuff and honestly this is the first time I'm seeing a restaurant in Singapore serving profiteroles drenched in chocolate, which is the way they do it in France. Simple decadent! I wonder how much this goes for though because desserts are not listed on the menu.
$52.80 for 2 pax isn't expensive given the portions of food and decent quality (save for the baby lobster). Throw in reasonably good service and a charming environment and you have a serious contender in the portsdown dining scene. Prices for most pastas hover around the $15-$16 range and lets hope they keep it that way. There is also no GST, only service charge, which is definitely a plus and don't be shy to ask for tap water.
Rainy days are good for sleeping in, but if you are not, the weather makes you sleepy and gloomy. Sunny days are best if you are at the beach, otherwise you probably will be cursing at the blazing sun! I like windy & cloudy day, the breeze simply cheers me up; just like a slice of that very delicious cake.
It took a while before the first of the lot arrived on our table, and everybody focused on the pretty decorations before returning our gaze back to the beautiful cake. The patissier’s hands must be a gift from god - they make everything so pretty!
Honey, would you like some honey? Oh yes honey, I’ll like your honey!
One particular word stood out in the description, “layers of HONEY chiboust cream and strawberry jelly sandwiched within crispy almond dacquoise.” Baby, I was attracted to you, just like bees to honey. And lovely name too, Nid d’abeilles ($7.90).
Why is a black forest call a black forest? Is it because the cake was first created in a forest so black and depressing that it was a shining beacon that brightened up everything? This, was my kind of black forest cake ($7.90); it had very little kirsch soaked cherries. I always wondered why nobody did a black forest without any cherries.
My dear, would you do one for me, pretty please?
The red velvet ($7.90) was completely opposite from its name, it was red but nowhere velvety; the cake was overly-dry. It was definitely a bimbo; pretty to look at, but no substance inside. A real pity - I was eyeing the cherry ganache with much interest.
I always had a thing for rose, you know she’s pretty, cute and even her name sounds so sexy! Even though she got together with lychee, but I’m happy for the sweet couple. They tasted good together, so dreamy, blissful and pleasant! And Oh, how I wish there’s more of the Valrhona ivory chocolate glaze; I’m on cloud nine after having the Lychee rose ($7.90)!
Mango cakes are typically the type of cake that I used to have for my childhood birthdays. For the Mango Mascarpone ($8.90), there was hardly any cake since the composition was made up mostly of the mascarpone cheese cream. It came slightly disfigured, personally I felt that it would taste better if not for the addition of the coconut crumble.
And I will like the cake to have a bit of cake.
And this, was totally my-kind-of-cake! The breathtaking of her beauty seemed to suck the air out of the room, and to complete this vision of perfectness, there was the cute chocolate-film decoration. It would be divine if there’s more of the hazelnut praline feuilletine; I just couldn’t get enough of it!
If there’s a dessert to define me, this would be it, the chocolate praline cake ($7.90).
When the dessert-holics come out to play, there’s only sweets and more sweets! I love desserts outing, we get to try so many cakes just by paying one slice of cake each! Are you a dessert-holic? Join us for more sweets next time!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
I visited this stall 2 times within a month. The first time I visited this place because I saw a long queue. The second time was because my son came back from overseas and he wanted to take some local food.
The first time was OK for me but I don't see anything special about the food. The queue was long but the serving was relatively fast. It takes about 15 mins for 15-20 person.
The second time I visited this stall is also my last visit to this place. I have no complain about their service because there is no service required at all.
But I feel that the food is slighly over priced. A plate of nasi lemak can easily cost more than $5. The chicken wing is huge but not cooked ( it happen on both my visit ). The rice is normal and so do all other dishes. The only thing that is nice perhaps is the chilli.
I don't think it is worth queueing and I don't think I will visit this stall again.
It is not easy to find a reliable and honest plumber, therefore, I think it is worth while to post this review.
My interior designer recommended a plumber to check on my water leakage problem. This plumber ( his boss is David ) came empty handedly and I have to provide him with a ladder.
Unforetunately, my ladder was too short and he didn't access the false ceiling to examine the problem area, he simply guess the possible fault. The worse part is that his mobile phone kept ringing and he was busy attending to every single call. I find it very irritating to discuss my problem with him because of the frequent interruption. He seems to be in a rush and told me that he have to come back another day with a longger ladder. But I waited for many days and he did not even call back. I wonder why can't he tell me directly if he is not interested in this small job but rather lost his company's reputation for not keeping his promise.
I have no choice but to ramdomly pick another Plumber from Internet. This guy came without ladder too but he manage to access to my false ceiling with the short ladder. After checking for a
while, he confirmed that the culprit was the water heater tank. He simply told me that both my water heater tanks need replacement and the cost is $1850 for 2 units. I had no idea whether I should replace it because I can't see the condition of the heater at all.
I hesitated because I felt that the price was rather high, so I search for another contractor. This time, I search under 'water heater' and made a few phone calls. Most of them can't provide me with the information and pricing immediately until I came across this company, Dairen. The receptionist answered my call and quoted me
a price of $460 per 10Gallon tank incusive of installation and GST. In the even if the fault lies with the valve control, it can be repaired at $95.
Without hesitation, I asked them to go ahead but requested them to double confirm if the tank was really faulty.
The Technician came equipped in a van with the long ladder and the spare heater tank ( brand new ). After checking, they told me only one tank has a faulty valve. It can be repaired but may not last long because the tank has a little rust. Finally, I replace the tank instead of repairing it and the other tank remain unchanged.
I found that the contractors ( not all, but mostly ) in Singapore are generally un-reliable. I am quite supprised that this company provide such a timely and honest service at such a reasonable price. They can always tell me both tanks are damaged or at a higher price like the previous ones but they didn't. They are well equipped and they can provide neccessary advice and charges on the spot. I will not hesitate to recommend them to anyone who need to replace water heater or water related services.
Spring Ju Chun Yuan - a collaboration between Far East Hospitality and Ju Chun Yuan, which is known for its Fuzhou cuisine in China. Apparently the boss of Far East ate at the restaurant in China and was so impressed by the food that he decided to bring it to Singapore, lock, stock and barrel with no modifications done to suit the Singaporean palate. And Ju Chun Yuan's claim to fame? It's purportedly the birth place of the extremely pricey and decadent "Buddha Jumps Over The Wall" (佛跳墙).
Aptly located at Far East Square, Ju Chun Yuan is housed in a conserved Chinese courtyard complete with traditional frontage and a tiled roof from ancient Chinese times as well as bamboo shoots flanking the walkway that leads to the restaurant. The interior however, is modern Chinese with a touch of class and sophistication.
Three Delicacies "Min Appetizers" Combination - The first of the three delicacies - Cashew nuts lightly coated with sugar to give it a mild sweetness and sheen. Nice and crunchy and I happen to have a weakness for cashews so this suited me just fine. The second delicacy was essentially winter melon strips dipped into orange syrup. The strips had a nice crunch and tasted mildy sweet with a zesty tinge of orange. Great as a snack. Third was the cucumber slices that had a mild and sharp spicy taste to it. Not a big fan of cucumbers though, so I didn't venture past my first piece.
Pan Fried Cod Fish with House Recipes - According to the waitress, the house recipe contained about 10 different spices in it and I was sold, especially when you throw cod fish into the equation. But honestly, it didn't quite pan out as expected. Sure, the sauce was mildly sweet and very light but the batter coating on the fish slices was a little too thick and I couldn't quite make out the texture of the cod nor the sweetness of the flesh. Disappointing.
Braised Beancurd with Vegetables Served in Fuzhou Style - Beancurd is comfort food to me and I like it done in any way, well almost. I don't exactly know what fuzhou style tofu entails but this dish tasted like normal braised beancurd (红烧豆府) to me. Average but edible.
Braised "Lychee" Minced Pork with Water Chestnut - I opted for this dish because I was intrigued by lychee, water chestnut and minced pork together in 1 dish. It turned out to be a most unwise decision. For starters, the minced pork comprised mostly fatty pork and carried an overwhelming pork taste. The lump of chestnut in the center of the meat ball added a nice crunch to it while the drizzled sauce tasted sweet, very much like those you would find on sweet and sour pork (咕噜肉). There was no taste of lychee whatsoever.
Fried Rice with Minced Shrimp and Egg White Served in Fuzhou Style - As aesthetically pleasing as the fried rice looked with its homogeneously egg coated grains of rice, it fell short in taste. There was no discernible wok hei taste and the whole dish lacked any flavour to the extent of being bland. Still edible though as the rice was soft and moist with reasonable servings of chopped prawns and other condiments. One thing I realised was that the rice seemed more steamed then fried. The restaurant probably steamed it for quite a bit before doing a fast fry with minimal oil.
Cold White Fungus with Osmanthus Syrup - A light and sweet cold white fungus dessert with floral connotations from the osmanthus to end off the disappointing meal. As average as it gets.
Fuzhou Yam Pudding - I had been dying to try out Ju Chun Yuan's rendition of my favourite dessert, yam pudding, ever since it was billed as one of the best by local media sometime back. On hindsight, I should have known about the overhyping that plagues most local media these days. Though the yam pudding was smooth, it retained little moisture, making it a tad dry. It wasn't fragrant either, probably due to the minimal or lack of lard. What was different was the addition of sesame seeds, which really boils down to personal preference.
Dinner for 2 cost to the tune of $71, which isn't expensive for the quantity and variety of food. However, quality is suspect, which does make $71 seem a little over the top. To be fair, it may be because I am not used to authentic Fuzhou cuisine like the way they do it in China? Either that, or they really need to work on their food.
1=SGD 0.0587
I bought my DARLING MR CASH here at Happy Paws.. After much tedious research and hunting... I finally found the PET HAVEN OF SINGAPORE.. Its not some pet farm.. its not a ulu place like deep in the some reserves.. its right at serangoon north.... West landers like me will not know such a place until you have read enough blogs and forums to find out...
I went to farmway, went to SPCA, however i could not find the THE ONE... and after much hunting, found my darling guinea pig which i named him MR CASH at Happy Paws.....
There are many shops there... selling Chinchillas, Dogs, Cats, Birds, Hamsters, Rabbits, Guinea Pigs and Fishes.. however upon viewing so many shops, i decided to buy my first REAL PET at Happy Paws.. and the reason is obvious...
First, they have a comprehensive range of products and the prices are very reasonable.. on top of that they have given me good discounts...
Second... I saw 2 well kept and cleaned caged guinea pigs.. unlike some where the cages are so dirty and you wonder if you are bringing back a sick pet which will just pass on in a few days... I was glad when i asked to hold the gp i chose before commiting to buy i was declined as handling them will make them frightened.. i'm sure my pig is going to survive.....
The things i bought included cages, pellets, cat's litter bedding, water bottle, shit bowl, hay and Mr Cash.... When I asked, they actually took the time to help me fix up everything, dress up the cage before putting Mr Cash in.. and they also included his toy ball he was playing with and the apple sticks he chews on.... Before putting him in his new house... The owner actually talks to him, cooed him and whisper some soothing words to him and it really helps calm him down.....
She then advices me on him.. telling me what are his favourite food and how to handle him.... Matter of fact she had his brother which is one of the earlier batch from the same parantage and his brother was such a big boy in such good conditions... I was impressed when she told me she feeds them organic carrots and corns as treats and I'm so sure... MR Cash is going to be so healthy....
If you are looking for a pet, or pet supplies or any grooming services, you can put your trust in Happy Paws Pet Kiosk.... as I know my pets are in good hands when they are with them.... Such passionate animal lovers are the most important criteria in grooming, caring and even introducing you the best they can offer for the well being of your companion.... Most importantly.. they are associated with a REASONABLE PRICE...
Rating given:
If you feel particularly chinese today, then you should lunch as hand in hand.... Though i like the name of the restaurant, i however do not like to hold hands with rude waitresses...
I was trying to get a quick bite one busy afternoon at jurong point where it seems like EVERYWHERE is packed.... Oh.. School Holidays Again and when i saw there are special in-house seats for these restaurants in the food court, i have no choice but to get in as there are the only seats available.
There again.. friendly calls that promises nothing but good food and friendly services still gets a hold of me.. however they are nothing but empty promises.. and the worse thing is I get conned again and again, hoping that things wll improve. This lady at the counter attracted me with the good variety of spread in the menu and most of all.. available seats..... I mean, one can't help but want to get away from crowds and so... i took the bait and went in hoping to get a good meal..
As i admired the deco, which is typically china chinese style, I was rudely offered some cutleries with a bang on the table.... There she goes.. stating all the famous dishes and me and my pal basically chose some noodles and giving the dumplings a miss... She hounded on about how good the dumpling are and blah blah blah but when i ask for some warm water, she told me there was none.... Not Even Tap Water.....
The food came in about 10 mins and while the food court is bustling away... I was stranded with my poor pal in a quiet corner in this part of beijing... However, the fried noodles was quite nice... chewy and well flavoured noodles with some prawns, veg and other stuffs. The braised beef noodles were good as well.... The soup savoury and beef soft... We also tried the century egg toufoo which however is not to my liking... I find it too plain but my pal thinks its nice...
All In All.. the food was great and if these chinese friends can have more social responsibility in providing better services and more kindness.. It would just be great... Heal the world... Make it a better place... For you and for me and the Great China.....
Rating given:
Nihon Mura is part of the Sakura group of restaurants dominating the buffet lanes in Singapore.
My first impression of the Tampines outlet has since been altered recently in my subsequent visits to this restaurant.
The Cathay outlet is similar to the other outlets in terms of its decor and food offerings but the entire place is almost always packed with people and the queues are quite amazing.
The food has improved a whole lot since i've last been here and the quality of sushi is also a step above the last visit with new $1.99 plates of premium sushi that usually would have cost about $5.99 at a rival restuarant.
The salmon sashimi here is definitely worth a try. I'm not sure why but its very tender, cold and sweet as compared to other places. Including my favorite Wasabi Tei. @ $5.99 for 6 pieces of reasonable size, this place has stolen my heart for salmon sashimi to eat. The rest of the sashimi i've tried are ho hum though. So just go for the salmon sashimi.
All said and done, the new offerings and good salmon sashimi has won me over and i will indeed be returning for more.
Rating given:
Le Grenier a Pain originated from Paris France under the leadership of Michel Galloyer. The bakery has since accumulated multiple accolades before being franchised into Singapore by Ms Ellis Noval in an attempt to bring authentic French pastries into Singapore.
The pastry on sale has taken up a decidedly Singaporean flair with local favorites such as ham, bacon and even chicken curry flavors to appeal to the locals. Within it, you will find fancy named breads and cakes along with a rather high end price tag.
In terms of the pastry, i bought about $15 worth of bread with a Chocolate fondant being the more expensive item. Tastewise, its mostly above average with the bread being soft and crusty and the chocolate being of better quality then usual. Cream and custard were both light and airy without impacting its taste.
The fondant came across as average because we overbaked it and it turned out to be more chocolate sponge cake then an actual fondant.
Overall score: 6/10
Last word:
I love eating bread but i simply am not able to stomach the cost thats levied on them by this bakery. In fact, when i saw how much the bread cost, i was rather shocked that 5 pieces of bread with a chocolate fondant could cause $15. I was also unable to ascertain the reason for the cost through taste but maybe thats just a personal issue of not understanding quality bread when i have one. For me, i'll probably stick with the local brands for now.
Rating given:
I need some chocolate, I need some sweets; to cure my oh-so-painful-heartache. I need a patissier to cheer me up: Tiramisu, mont blanc, creme brulee, macaron, le royale; give it to me, give it all to me.
“A slice of everything on display, and a cup of hot chocolate with extra chocolate.”
“Everything?”
“Yes! Which part of every-thing do you not understand?”
The patissier is my best friend, he will know how to make this go away. Stepping into the patisserie, a tiny part of the gloominess was lifted, at the sight of the so-many-pretty-and-petite desserts.
I sunk my teeth into it, and oh-boy, it was good, I already felt better! The richness of the cake was soaked and immersed in the essence of the espresso, brandy & white rum, I was literally intoxicated.
Bittersweet. It’s all about chocolate. The first taste, so sweet and rosy, followed by the slightly bitter taste from the dark chocolate; the perfect analogy to life, the bitterness, the happy times, it depends on which part you want to taste - I want sweet now!
* * *
(1) The above is a largely exaggerated story on my part, no doubt sweets and chocolates helps when you are feeling down, but it is only a temporary measure. A heart-to-heart chat with a good friend does wonders, and the best part: we had it over desserts.
(2) The two slices of cake are Tiramisu and Chocolate Amer. The latter was a half-price promotional item for Bakerzin in the month of May. The current dessert that is on half-price is the New York cheesecake.
(3) As much as I do not really fancy Bakerzin, and the fact that I’ve tried almost every cakes there, the half-price promotion on a slice of cake was too tempting.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Rating given:
I've always had a thing for reclusive enclaves like that of Portsdown, with its lush greenery and quaint little restaurants that lead you away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. And the area welcomes its newest tenant, an Italian restaurant specializing in pastas going by the name of Soprano (which in singing terms is a voice that has a vocal range that spans 2 octaves - roughly middle C to Soprano C) that opened just 2 weeks ago. Maybe the restaurant aspires to soar to great heights?
Located along Portsdown Road just opposite the building that houses Pietrasanta and cooking academy Palate Sensations, Soprano's sizeable compound comes with its own mini carpark, lawn and pool (not sure if it belongs to Soprano though). There is an option of al fresco seating or indoor seating, with the former perfect for chilling out on a cooling/windy afternoon or evening and the latter a life saver on warm days (the air conditioning seemed to be at a minimum when I was there that afternoon though).
The appetisers consisted of baby onions, onions and a mixture of button mushrooms, olives and capsicums - all of which provided a nice way to start off the meal. The bread on the other hand, wasn't served warm and tasted like ordinary baguette, albeit much denser in the center. Nothing impressive.
Bruschetta - I am actually quite perplexed by the amount of salad that came with the bruschetta. It formed the bulk of this dish save for generous helpings of halved cherry tomatoes atop 2 slices of ciabatta bread. Shouldn't the bread take center stage here? That aside, the ciabatta was toasted to a crisp and sprinkled with olive oil and fine salt granules, giving it a nice resounding texture marrying the sweetness and plumpness of the cherry tomatoes. Given the price ($9), not something I would order again though.
Linguine Aragostina - For $15 a pop, this was a steal honestly. You get 2 halves of a baby lobster served with al dente linguine in a robust and spicy (check out the cut chillis) tomato base sauce. If you prefer other sorts of pasta besides linguine, the aragostina option is also open to spaghetti. They need to fix the problem with the baby lobster though. It wasn't stale but it wasn't exactly fresh either, coming across as a little fishy.
Ravioli Ai Funghi Porcini e Tartufo - This was a cream based pasta and tended to be rather overwhelming after a few mouthfuls. But that wasn't to say that it wasn't good. The ravioli skin was not too thick and came with cheese and spinach stuffing (you can choose what stuffing you would like) in a sea of thick fragrant creamy gravy. I personally thought that the porcini mushrooms tasted great as well - crunchy with a nice woody taste.
Tiramisu - There was something different about this tiramisu. The mascarpone cheese was really yellowish in colour, probably due to the excess addition of egg yolks. I couldn't quite make out any substantial difference though except it being more dense then usual. The sponge to mascarpone ratio was rather lopsided in favour of the cheese. Whatever sponge fingers there were at the bottom was soaked in weak coffee, which meant that this was a teetotaler's rendition. Overall a decent dessert.
Profiterole - The profiterole was complimentary of Soprano and came stuffed with milk chocolate mousse drenched in chilled liquid white chocolate. I am a sucker for such stuff and honestly this is the first time I'm seeing a restaurant in Singapore serving profiteroles drenched in chocolate, which is the way they do it in France. Simple decadent! I wonder how much this goes for though because desserts are not listed on the menu.
$52.80 for 2 pax isn't expensive given the portions of food and decent quality (save for the baby lobster). Throw in reasonably good service and a charming environment and you have a serious contender in the portsdown dining scene. Prices for most pastas hover around the $15-$16 range and lets hope they keep it that way. There is also no GST, only service charge, which is definitely a plus and don't be shy to ask for tap water.
See all my pictures here.
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Rainy days are good for sleeping in, but if you are not, the weather makes you sleepy and gloomy. Sunny days are best if you are at the beach, otherwise you probably will be cursing at the blazing sun! I like windy & cloudy day, the breeze simply cheers me up; just like a slice of that very delicious cake.
It took a while before the first of the lot arrived on our table, and everybody focused on the pretty decorations before returning our gaze back to the beautiful cake. The patissier’s hands must be a gift from god - they make everything so pretty!
Honey, would you like some honey? Oh yes honey, I’ll like your honey!
One particular word stood out in the description, “layers of HONEY chiboust cream and strawberry jelly sandwiched within crispy almond dacquoise.” Baby, I was attracted to you, just like bees to honey. And lovely name too, Nid d’abeilles ($7.90).
Why is a black forest call a black forest? Is it because the cake was first created in a forest so black and depressing that it was a shining beacon that brightened up everything? This, was my kind of black forest cake ($7.90); it had very little kirsch soaked cherries. I always wondered why nobody did a black forest without any cherries.
My dear, would you do one for me, pretty please?
The red velvet ($7.90) was completely opposite from its name, it was red but nowhere velvety; the cake was overly-dry. It was definitely a bimbo; pretty to look at, but no substance inside. A real pity - I was eyeing the cherry ganache with much interest.
I always had a thing for rose, you know she’s pretty, cute and even her name sounds so sexy! Even though she got together with lychee, but I’m happy for the sweet couple. They tasted good together, so dreamy, blissful and pleasant! And Oh, how I wish there’s more of the Valrhona ivory chocolate glaze; I’m on cloud nine after having the Lychee rose ($7.90)!
Mango cakes are typically the type of cake that I used to have for my childhood birthdays. For the Mango Mascarpone ($8.90), there was hardly any cake since the composition was made up mostly of the mascarpone cheese cream. It came slightly disfigured, personally I felt that it would taste better if not for the addition of the coconut crumble.
And I will like the cake to have a bit of cake.
And this, was totally my-kind-of-cake! The breathtaking of her beauty seemed to suck the air out of the room, and to complete this vision of perfectness, there was the cute chocolate-film decoration. It would be divine if there’s more of the hazelnut praline feuilletine; I just couldn’t get enough of it!
If there’s a dessert to define me, this would be it, the chocolate praline cake ($7.90).
When the dessert-holics come out to play, there’s only sweets and more sweets! I love desserts outing, we get to try so many cakes just by paying one slice of cake each! Are you a dessert-holic? Join us for more sweets next time!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
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I visited this stall 2 times within a month. The first time I visited this place because I saw a long queue. The second time was because my son came back from overseas and he wanted to take some local food.
The first time was OK for me but I don't see anything special about the food. The queue was long but the serving was relatively fast. It takes about 15 mins for 15-20 person.
The second time I visited this stall is also my last visit to this place. I have no complain about their service because there is no service required at all.
But I feel that the food is slighly over priced. A plate of nasi lemak can easily cost more than $5. The chicken wing is huge but not cooked ( it happen on both my visit ). The rice is normal and so do all other dishes. The only thing that is nice perhaps is the chilli.
I don't think it is worth queueing and I don't think I will visit this stall again.
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It is not easy to find a reliable and honest plumber, therefore, I think it is worth while to post this review.
My interior designer recommended a plumber to check on my water leakage problem. This plumber ( his boss is David ) came empty handedly and I have to provide him with a ladder.
Unforetunately, my ladder was too short and he didn't access the false ceiling to examine the problem area, he simply guess the possible fault. The worse part is that his mobile phone kept ringing and he was busy attending to every single call. I find it very irritating to discuss my problem with him because of the frequent interruption. He seems to be in a rush and told me that he have to come back another day with a longger ladder. But I waited for many days and he did not even call back. I wonder why can't he tell me directly if he is not interested in this small job but rather lost his company's reputation for not keeping his promise.
I have no choice but to ramdomly pick another Plumber from Internet. This guy came without ladder too but he manage to access to my false ceiling with the short ladder. After checking for a
while, he confirmed that the culprit was the water heater tank. He simply told me that both my water heater tanks need replacement and the cost is $1850 for 2 units. I had no idea whether I should replace it because I can't see the condition of the heater at all.
I hesitated because I felt that the price was rather high, so I search for another contractor. This time, I search under 'water heater' and made a few phone calls. Most of them can't provide me with the information and pricing immediately until I came across this company, Dairen. The receptionist answered my call and quoted me
a price of $460 per 10Gallon tank incusive of installation and GST. In the even if the fault lies with the valve control, it can be repaired at $95.
Without hesitation, I asked them to go ahead but requested them to double confirm if the tank was really faulty.
The Technician came equipped in a van with the long ladder and the spare heater tank ( brand new ). After checking, they told me only one tank has a faulty valve. It can be repaired but may not last long because the tank has a little rust. Finally, I replace the tank instead of repairing it and the other tank remain unchanged.
I found that the contractors ( not all, but mostly ) in Singapore are generally un-reliable. I am quite supprised that this company provide such a timely and honest service at such a reasonable price. They can always tell me both tanks are damaged or at a higher price like the previous ones but they didn't. They are well equipped and they can provide neccessary advice and charges on the spot. I will not hesitate to recommend them to anyone who need to replace water heater or water related services.
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Spring Ju Chun Yuan - a collaboration between Far East Hospitality and Ju Chun Yuan, which is known for its Fuzhou cuisine in China. Apparently the boss of Far East ate at the restaurant in China and was so impressed by the food that he decided to bring it to Singapore, lock, stock and barrel with no modifications done to suit the Singaporean palate. And Ju Chun Yuan's claim to fame? It's purportedly the birth place of the extremely pricey and decadent "Buddha Jumps Over The Wall" (佛跳墙).
Aptly located at Far East Square, Ju Chun Yuan is housed in a conserved Chinese courtyard complete with traditional frontage and a tiled roof from ancient Chinese times as well as bamboo shoots flanking the walkway that leads to the restaurant. The interior however, is modern Chinese with a touch of class and sophistication.
Three Delicacies "Min Appetizers" Combination - The first of the three delicacies - Cashew nuts lightly coated with sugar to give it a mild sweetness and sheen. Nice and crunchy and I happen to have a weakness for cashews so this suited me just fine. The second delicacy was essentially winter melon strips dipped into orange syrup. The strips had a nice crunch and tasted mildy sweet with a zesty tinge of orange. Great as a snack. Third was the cucumber slices that had a mild and sharp spicy taste to it. Not a big fan of cucumbers though, so I didn't venture past my first piece.
Pan Fried Cod Fish with House Recipes - According to the waitress, the house recipe contained about 10 different spices in it and I was sold, especially when you throw cod fish into the equation. But honestly, it didn't quite pan out as expected. Sure, the sauce was mildly sweet and very light but the batter coating on the fish slices was a little too thick and I couldn't quite make out the texture of the cod nor the sweetness of the flesh. Disappointing.
Braised Beancurd with Vegetables Served in Fuzhou Style - Beancurd is comfort food to me and I like it done in any way, well almost. I don't exactly know what fuzhou style tofu entails but this dish tasted like normal braised beancurd (红烧豆府) to me. Average but edible.
Braised "Lychee" Minced Pork with Water Chestnut - I opted for this dish because I was intrigued by lychee, water chestnut and minced pork together in 1 dish. It turned out to be a most unwise decision. For starters, the minced pork comprised mostly fatty pork and carried an overwhelming pork taste. The lump of chestnut in the center of the meat ball added a nice crunch to it while the drizzled sauce tasted sweet, very much like those you would find on sweet and sour pork (咕噜肉). There was no taste of lychee whatsoever.
Fried Rice with Minced Shrimp and Egg White Served in Fuzhou Style - As aesthetically pleasing as the fried rice looked with its homogeneously egg coated grains of rice, it fell short in taste. There was no discernible wok hei taste and the whole dish lacked any flavour to the extent of being bland. Still edible though as the rice was soft and moist with reasonable servings of chopped prawns and other condiments. One thing I realised was that the rice seemed more steamed then fried. The restaurant probably steamed it for quite a bit before doing a fast fry with minimal oil.
Cold White Fungus with Osmanthus Syrup - A light and sweet cold white fungus dessert with floral connotations from the osmanthus to end off the disappointing meal. As average as it gets.
Fuzhou Yam Pudding - I had been dying to try out Ju Chun Yuan's rendition of my favourite dessert, yam pudding, ever since it was billed as one of the best by local media sometime back. On hindsight, I should have known about the overhyping that plagues most local media these days. Though the yam pudding was smooth, it retained little moisture, making it a tad dry. It wasn't fragrant either, probably due to the minimal or lack of lard. What was different was the addition of sesame seeds, which really boils down to personal preference.
Dinner for 2 cost to the tune of $71, which isn't expensive for the quantity and variety of food. However, quality is suspect, which does make $71 seem a little over the top. To be fair, it may be because I am not used to authentic Fuzhou cuisine like the way they do it in China? Either that, or they really need to work on their food.
See all my pictures here.
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