Din Tai Fung at Tampines Mall had the initial long queues... They still have them but Saturday dinnertimes only.
I've been here twice but I seriously don't know why I went the second time after the first experience.
After hearing so much about this place from my colleagues, my friends and I head down to the place. It was a weekday afternoon so it was quite empty. We had some fried rice, the widely acclaimed crystal buns and the crystal buns with crabmeat.
The fried rice was a little oily but tasted normal. The crystal buns are alright too, but a tad too flimsy so we couldn't drink that much soup cos it spilled. The highlight was the crabmeat ones. There were 10 and I ate 2.... both had crab shells. Well if you want to think positively, they are pretty fresh in that sense... but seriously when you only eat 2 out of 10 and both have your teeth crunching down on the shells? BLAH. And the waitress didn't do anything when we told her about it.
The second time I went it was with my family. We ordered some crystal buns and some noodles and rice. All went fine. One crystal bun was already broken when it arrived but they changed it immediately. So that was ok.
They don't have much variety. And the crystal buns are the only exceptional items. If the crab shell incident didn't happen I'll probably give it 4 stars.
Parking can be a headache at Tampines Mall though.
Honestly, I'm a mini fan of Kenny Rogers and I have no idea why.
Suntec is a really central area to go. Very accessible by MRT and bus and with plenty of shopping space I would say this is a good restaurant to seek.
The ambience is cosy. The seats are a little run-down upon inspection but the overall look's alright.
It's a self service thing but the servers are always on hand to help you with your trays. It can be really heavy at times.
It's mostly chicken but they also have some fish fillet. They have chicken fillet for those who can't be bothered to operate on those bones. There's also the Chicken Soup in a bread bowl thingy which is very filling and delicious!
I rarely order the chicken as I eat very little. But I love the sides. I prefer the rice, the vegetables and the mashed potatoes. Sometimes I can caught up with the cheese macaroni.
2 plates are generally enough for 3 people. So it's possible for 3 to eat below $20 which is very reasonable. Drinks come in a big cup but are non-refillable. I don't think you would want to get them refilled anyway.
I'm sure many men and women have heard of Victoria's Secret before.
It's a US store which sells mainly lingerie. It's not available in any store in SG. For your info, if any shop sells it in SG, it's illegal and the shop may face legal action as VS does not allow any shop to sell its stuff in Asia.
That aside, its online store has a wide variety of lingerie and sleepwear. Not to mention it has many sexy tops and dresses for you to choose from. They also have a comprehensive size chart which you can have a good gauge of your size from. The cutting of the clothing is not very big so it's fine.
The staff are very helpful when you ask for assistance, whether through email or phone.
When it's sale time, the prices of the items can be so low that it's worth it even with the hefty shipping costs.
The whole thing would be a good experience if not for one incident. I had clicked on a top which should have costed $20, but in the shopping cart it sneakily appeared at $25. And no matter how I clicked it didn't change. For those not too careful they would have then paid an extra $5 for that item.
This is located at the Tampines Store along Tampines Ave 10. You can take a free shuttle there from Tampines/Bedok MRT station. Parking is free and plentiful. You can even park at Giant which is opposite Ikea.
It's very crowded during weekends and weekday mealtimes. There are quite a number of people even during weekday off-peak hours. So be prepared!
Some of the most popular food here is the Swedish Meatballs and the chicken wings as mentioned by the other reviewers. However the Meatballs are made of beef which I don't eat. The only one time I did have it... It was quite dry. I guess it was because it was near the bottom of the tray and had been there quite long already. But the cranberry sauce that came with it was tasty. I personally feel that the chicken wings are also a tad dry but much healthier than the ones you find at Hawker Centres. It's less oily but dry because of the same reason.
I usually take the Salmon and chips. I like the fries as they are the fat kind. The salmon is alright, just that the sauce can be a tad thick occasionally. The kids' burger meal is quite tasteless. The burger is just two dry buns sandwiching the meat. Without any sauce it's quite hard to swallow.
However i like the system there. The self service system so that you can "tailor" things the way you like them. I also clear my own cutlery although that is not too successful with Singaporeans.
It's usually $15 for a meal for two adults plus drinks. Of cos if you are an Ikea Member you get the free drinks thingy which is great.
Relatively good place to rest and relax before heading the the rest of Ikea. :)
Cafe Cartel has been in Siglap for a long time... 6-7 years maybe. It's a permanent fixture now. They've recently adopted a 10% service charge (across all outlets) and started to serve the customer, instead of having the customer go pay at the counter. (I prefer the old system actually)
These are my usual orders: Pork Ribs, Chicken Lasagna, Aloha Soda.
I love the Aloha Soda. But well it's the only drink which has remained constant. Due to the change of servers all the time, the blended drinks tend to taste different every time my friend orders them.
The food portions have gotten a little smaller. But still sufficient for one person. The fries that come with the Pork Ribs... have been reduced to about less than 20 bits. But it's the kind I like the fat sort.
The cakes are pretty good. They go half price after 9 every night so that's a good thing if you love cakes.
All in all, I still frequent the place, but it's not really worth the price. 2 people for about $30 ...
Giraffe is situated at Istana Park, right opposite Plaza Singapura. It's a glass building amongst all the greenery. Needless to say it has fantastic ambience with great music playing, perfect for a romantic meal or a chill-out with friends.
The first level is the bar with wine, spirits and some finger food. From what I know, the drinks are fine, but don't get the finger food.
Head to the second floor for the dining area. The servers are all smiley and look welcoming. There are seats inside and outside so you can choose. They have some sofa seats and regular dining ones. :)
They basically serve up international cuisine. We picked quite a bit and enjoyed all. Food was a tad oily for my taste. But they change their menu so couldn't get the exact names of the dishes we had anymore. In the middle of our meal, we decided to change to indoor seats... This was the only glitch in the meal where the servers took very long to respond to us and to help us move in. Other than that, all was fine.
We spent about $40 for the 2 of us so that's pretty regular. :) Good Stuff
This Wanton Noodle is CHEAP CHEAP... $2-$2.50 a plate and the portion is not tiny. Value for money really.
The noodles are cooked just right, slightly chewy. Not for people who likes theirs soft. The char siew is a very wierd red colour but it tastes good. I've yet to eat large fatty bits there. The char siew is always fresh and chewy.
The service is ok, I guess. They're fast. But don't expect any smiles or anything... it's strictly business.
The bad part would be having to find the place itself and not much parking space. :P
Beadyplace is a a blogshop which has been around for more than a year. It's established a good clientele base with many regular customers purchasing from it on a frequent basis.
It boasts a variety of accessories in various styles. In fact there are always some items in each update that are absolutely unique. Even I myself cannot remake them. (Yes I own this blogshop.)
The price range is between $5 - $30, which is dirt-cheap for something unique and handmade. I provides personalised service such as remaking in a different colour or giftwrapping and providing cards.
The only flaw would be that updates are so far apart...
Just to get the pie for my mom on her birthday (yes she requested for the pie and not a cake), I walked round the entire China Square area a few times with a bad tummyache for 1 and a half hours.
The outlet's between two lanes and it's not very easy to see so I think I must have missed it many times, then when I was finally near, I could smell it... Yummy.
A pie could be cut equally into size portions with an egg in each portion and large chunks of chicken in generous helpings of potato. Just one slice would be enough for any meal of the day. It's absolutely yummy.
The staff was also very helpful and full of initiative. Seeing that I was tired from the walk and seemed to be in pain, they escorted me out and flagged a cab for me.
The price is normal for a pie this size. about $18-$20 per pie.
Well lucky for me, they now have an outlet at Parkway. :)
Mix and Match Merchandise is a store in People's Park that sells mainly the components you would need for jewellery making. There are many such shops in People's Park Complex.
But M&M is the only one very well stocked with QUALITY components. They sell a range of those made in China and those made in the US. There's also quite a bit of semi precious stones to choose from, but the variety of stones and beads are not as wide as those shops at Arab Street.
So I would recommend this place, if you're looking for good quality nylon or metal parts.
The staff are very helpful and they are very knowledgeable their products, since they also know how to make accessories themselves. They provide books for you to refer from and you could find the items needed in the pattern you want from their shops.
They have two outlets in People's Park Complex. One's on the first level the other on the second.
1=SGD 0.0587
Din Tai Fung at Tampines Mall had the initial long queues... They still have them but Saturday dinnertimes only.
I've been here twice but I seriously don't know why I went the second time after the first experience.
After hearing so much about this place from my colleagues, my friends and I head down to the place. It was a weekday afternoon so it was quite empty. We had some fried rice, the widely acclaimed crystal buns and the crystal buns with crabmeat.
The fried rice was a little oily but tasted normal. The crystal buns are alright too, but a tad too flimsy so we couldn't drink that much soup cos it spilled. The highlight was the crabmeat ones. There were 10 and I ate 2.... both had crab shells. Well if you want to think positively, they are pretty fresh in that sense... but seriously when you only eat 2 out of 10 and both have your teeth crunching down on the shells? BLAH. And the waitress didn't do anything when we told her about it.
The second time I went it was with my family. We ordered some crystal buns and some noodles and rice. All went fine. One crystal bun was already broken when it arrived but they changed it immediately. So that was ok.
They don't have much variety. And the crystal buns are the only exceptional items. If the crab shell incident didn't happen I'll probably give it 4 stars.
Parking can be a headache at Tampines Mall though.
Rating given:
Honestly, I'm a mini fan of Kenny Rogers and I have no idea why.
Suntec is a really central area to go. Very accessible by MRT and bus and with plenty of shopping space I would say this is a good restaurant to seek.
The ambience is cosy. The seats are a little run-down upon inspection but the overall look's alright.
It's a self service thing but the servers are always on hand to help you with your trays. It can be really heavy at times.
It's mostly chicken but they also have some fish fillet. They have chicken fillet for those who can't be bothered to operate on those bones. There's also the Chicken Soup in a bread bowl thingy which is very filling and delicious!
I rarely order the chicken as I eat very little. But I love the sides. I prefer the rice, the vegetables and the mashed potatoes. Sometimes I can caught up with the cheese macaroni.
2 plates are generally enough for 3 people. So it's possible for 3 to eat below $20 which is very reasonable. Drinks come in a big cup but are non-refillable. I don't think you would want to get them refilled anyway.
Great place. :)
Rating given:
I'm sure many men and women have heard of Victoria's Secret before.
It's a US store which sells mainly lingerie. It's not available in any store in SG. For your info, if any shop sells it in SG, it's illegal and the shop may face legal action as VS does not allow any shop to sell its stuff in Asia.
That aside, its online store has a wide variety of lingerie and sleepwear. Not to mention it has many sexy tops and dresses for you to choose from. They also have a comprehensive size chart which you can have a good gauge of your size from. The cutting of the clothing is not very big so it's fine.
The staff are very helpful when you ask for assistance, whether through email or phone.
When it's sale time, the prices of the items can be so low that it's worth it even with the hefty shipping costs.
The whole thing would be a good experience if not for one incident. I had clicked on a top which should have costed $20, but in the shopping cart it sneakily appeared at $25. And no matter how I clicked it didn't change. For those not too careful they would have then paid an extra $5 for that item.
Rating given:
This is located at the Tampines Store along Tampines Ave 10. You can take a free shuttle there from Tampines/Bedok MRT station. Parking is free and plentiful. You can even park at Giant which is opposite Ikea.
It's very crowded during weekends and weekday mealtimes. There are quite a number of people even during weekday off-peak hours. So be prepared!
Some of the most popular food here is the Swedish Meatballs and the chicken wings as mentioned by the other reviewers. However the Meatballs are made of beef which I don't eat. The only one time I did have it... It was quite dry. I guess it was because it was near the bottom of the tray and had been there quite long already. But the cranberry sauce that came with it was tasty. I personally feel that the chicken wings are also a tad dry but much healthier than the ones you find at Hawker Centres. It's less oily but dry because of the same reason.
I usually take the Salmon and chips. I like the fries as they are the fat kind. The salmon is alright, just that the sauce can be a tad thick occasionally. The kids' burger meal is quite tasteless. The burger is just two dry buns sandwiching the meat. Without any sauce it's quite hard to swallow.
However i like the system there. The self service system so that you can "tailor" things the way you like them. I also clear my own cutlery although that is not too successful with Singaporeans.
It's usually $15 for a meal for two adults plus drinks. Of cos if you are an Ikea Member you get the free drinks thingy which is great.
Relatively good place to rest and relax before heading the the rest of Ikea. :)
Rating given:
Cafe Cartel has been in Siglap for a long time... 6-7 years maybe. It's a permanent fixture now. They've recently adopted a 10% service charge (across all outlets) and started to serve the customer, instead of having the customer go pay at the counter. (I prefer the old system actually)
These are my usual orders: Pork Ribs, Chicken Lasagna, Aloha Soda.
I love the Aloha Soda. But well it's the only drink which has remained constant. Due to the change of servers all the time, the blended drinks tend to taste different every time my friend orders them.
The food portions have gotten a little smaller. But still sufficient for one person. The fries that come with the Pork Ribs... have been reduced to about less than 20 bits. But it's the kind I like the fat sort.
The cakes are pretty good. They go half price after 9 every night so that's a good thing if you love cakes.
All in all, I still frequent the place, but it's not really worth the price. 2 people for about $30 ...
Rating given:
Giraffe is situated at Istana Park, right opposite Plaza Singapura. It's a glass building amongst all the greenery. Needless to say it has fantastic ambience with great music playing, perfect for a romantic meal or a chill-out with friends.
The first level is the bar with wine, spirits and some finger food. From what I know, the drinks are fine, but don't get the finger food.
Head to the second floor for the dining area. The servers are all smiley and look welcoming. There are seats inside and outside so you can choose. They have some sofa seats and regular dining ones. :)
They basically serve up international cuisine. We picked quite a bit and enjoyed all. Food was a tad oily for my taste. But they change their menu so couldn't get the exact names of the dishes we had anymore. In the middle of our meal, we decided to change to indoor seats... This was the only glitch in the meal where the servers took very long to respond to us and to help us move in. Other than that, all was fine.
We spent about $40 for the 2 of us so that's pretty regular. :) Good Stuff
Rating given:
This Wanton Noodle is CHEAP CHEAP... $2-$2.50 a plate and the portion is not tiny. Value for money really.
The noodles are cooked just right, slightly chewy. Not for people who likes theirs soft. The char siew is a very wierd red colour but it tastes good. I've yet to eat large fatty bits there. The char siew is always fresh and chewy.
The service is ok, I guess. They're fast. But don't expect any smiles or anything... it's strictly business.
The bad part would be having to find the place itself and not much parking space. :P
Rating given:
Beadyplace is a a blogshop which has been around for more than a year. It's established a good clientele base with many regular customers purchasing from it on a frequent basis.
It boasts a variety of accessories in various styles. In fact there are always some items in each update that are absolutely unique. Even I myself cannot remake them. (Yes I own this blogshop.)
The price range is between $5 - $30, which is dirt-cheap for something unique and handmade. I provides personalised service such as remaking in a different colour or giftwrapping and providing cards.
The only flaw would be that updates are so far apart...
Rating given:
You know how good this place is?
Just to get the pie for my mom on her birthday (yes she requested for the pie and not a cake), I walked round the entire China Square area a few times with a bad tummyache for 1 and a half hours.
The outlet's between two lanes and it's not very easy to see so I think I must have missed it many times, then when I was finally near, I could smell it... Yummy.
A pie could be cut equally into size portions with an egg in each portion and large chunks of chicken in generous helpings of potato. Just one slice would be enough for any meal of the day. It's absolutely yummy.
The staff was also very helpful and full of initiative. Seeing that I was tired from the walk and seemed to be in pain, they escorted me out and flagged a cab for me.
The price is normal for a pie this size. about $18-$20 per pie.
Well lucky for me, they now have an outlet at Parkway. :)
Rating given:
Mix and Match Merchandise is a store in People's Park that sells mainly the components you would need for jewellery making. There are many such shops in People's Park Complex.
But M&M is the only one very well stocked with QUALITY components. They sell a range of those made in China and those made in the US. There's also quite a bit of semi precious stones to choose from, but the variety of stones and beads are not as wide as those shops at Arab Street.
So I would recommend this place, if you're looking for good quality nylon or metal parts.
The staff are very helpful and they are very knowledgeable their products, since they also know how to make accessories themselves. They provide books for you to refer from and you could find the items needed in the pattern you want from their shops.
They have two outlets in People's Park Complex. One's on the first level the other on the second.
Rating given: