Fancy cakes with a strong chocolate twist? Tired of old and run-of-the-mill cakes available everywhere else? Want something reasonably affordable and yet packing in the taste department? Well, welcome to choc-a-bloc. Coincidentally, the word "bloc" actually means blissfully luscious orgasmic chocolate as is positioned on their website. I wouldn't go that far to say their cakes are the best but i do second the fact that they are less common then the rest thus far.
This is a customized version of the "Mom's coco fudge cake". One thing about the cake is that its generously big (though of course you have to pay for it to be big.) The cake is surprisingly simple and expensive. 2 layers of chocolate and 3 layers of sponge cake is pretty much all you get for the price and yet. It feels surprisingly worthwhile. For one thing, the dark chocolate used is tastefully chosen. Being just the right balance of sweetness and bitterness which it balances very well. So much so that despite the big portion, i had no difficulty in finishing the cake at all. Being a fudge cake, it is also nicely soft and filling. One of the simplest and better tasting cakes i've had actually. I have to say its pretty much on par with the renditions even in Secret Recipe and some french gourmet cakes i've had. (Maybe i just have not eaten enough cakes to have a cake that has a higher standard yet but i'm getting there.)
I'm interested in having more actually but i do feel the pricing is abit steep and seems to have increased. Anyone who has tried better cakes out there, do let me know so i can try others yeah?
Perfect Mum is a shop selling Maternity Wear in Suntec. It's located on the 3rd floor in the mum and kids' section between Toys 'r us and the cinema.
I like the clothing in Perfect Mum. They are modern looking and not frumpy like what some of the shops sell. They also have a good range of clothing for the working mum and even evening wear which looks very presentable. All the clothing seemed very well designed to cater to the different stages of pregnancy.
The only gripe I have is that they don't have much choices for the nursing mum. Those are quite limited and it's not as well-designed as some other tops I've seen at other shops.
The staff here are all very polite and friendly. They are very knowledgeable and give very good advice. I do notice that the prices are slightly higher compared to other places but I still find them reasonable due to the quality and design.
Spotlight used to have 3-4 stores around Singapore but now they are left with one outlet at Plaza Sing. They sell a large variety of craft items and fabric so you can practically find anything there.... IF you have the patience.
I hate how the things are always in a mess. The shelves are hardly ever tidy even when you go when they open shop. The items are not packaged properly so it makes it easy for people to tear them out. They don't put out samples for people to see, forcing people to buy blindly or to rip their packaging...
They have very few staff around this huge store so don't expect help in locating things. not to mention, everytime you go back they would have shifted the things around. Few things remain in the same corner for long.
Also the prices of some of the items are more expensive... so choose wisely.
I wouldn't go there if I had a choice... Sometimes only Spotlight stocks up stuff from American brands...
I had the chance to go to Hilton on my own yesterday. It was rainy and I got out on the doorsteps on the hotel. It was bustling with activity for the doormen and valets were all trying to get cabs for the guests who were patiently waiting at the glass door. I have been running to quite a few hotels recently and this wasn't done at those hotels anymore. It was nice to see some things like this still done.
The doorman who opened the door for me greeted me with a very nice "good evening". I was ah hour early for my appointment so I decided to loiter about in the hotel. Every staff greeted me. When I was in the lift alone and 3 of them entered, all three smiled and one said hello even. When I got out of the lift the staff outside, held the door for me and greeted me as well. While I was being a busybody around the swimming pool and entertained myself taking pictures, the staff greeted me and waited till I was done before coming up to offer extra information about the venue.
When I met up with the catering manager later, she immediately offered me a drink from their cafe when we sat down. That was a first which I certainly didn't experience in other hotels. She also patiently answered all the questions, even those which I vaguely remember asking before. She was also very flexible with some details agreed to change some things for me.
The place looks nice and pretty posh. I like the interior decor pretty much. The arrangement for the wedding solemnisation to be held by the pool then the lunch to be served in the function rooms next to the pool is a very good idea. I viewed the rooms which I was quite satisfied with. But they are going at $300 per night. ($1080 for F1 nights)
To be honest, I haven't tried the food yet. But the overall atmosphere of the place was very warm and made one feel at home. I guess the only reason why I haven't given it a 5-star is the hefty price tag. I'll update when I've tasted the food. ;)
My partner & I decided to try out this place after seeing several reviews with good feedback on the place. Somemore, with the 15% discount offered by Yebber, what are we waiting for??
We did not make any table reservation & but luckily the place was not packed with diners. Probably it’s because it’s a weekday and also that we were there pretty early, at about 6 pm. We were given a choice between the outdoor seats and the indoor ones. We chose the latter. The interior looks cosy & spacious. Each table came with a small tea light candle to brighten up the dim interior a little. Of course it did make the place more romantic too. Haha…
We were greeted by their friendly manager who even let us choose the seats since the place wasn’t packed with diners. Interestingly, the ice water they served had slices of strawberries in it. That’s really special, as most places at most serve lemon ice water. Strawberries in water? That’s really my 1st time trying it! Well, the strawberries did give the ice water a tint of sweetness & sourness. Pretty refreshing!
Here comes the food part! When we asked about certain dishes in the menu, the manager was very patient in her explanation & made some recommendations to us. These are what we have ordered.
Asparagus Roll with Bacon Dressing ($8.50) – This starter was great. I like it! The combination of asparagus & bacon was a perfect match! The asparagus was crunchy and a little sweet while the bacon was salty. So when the two came together, the taste & crunchiness made u crave for more. It will definitely improve your appetite & get you ready to indulge on the main course. Thumbs up!
Chef’s Special: “Rocket” Soup ($3.90) – “Rocket? What’s that??” That’s the first thought which came to our mind when the manager recommended the soup to us. Nevertheless, we decided to give it a try. Well, it looked like some blended spinach soup. But upon tasting it, it has this very unique taste which I quite like it. After checking with the manager, we realized that rocket is a kind of bitter vegetable. Yet the chef managed to cook it in such a way that the bitterness of the soup was gone. Wow!!
Prawn Bites ($9.50) – Quite a normal dish to me. Tasted just like the Japanese prawn tempura. But the light wasabi sauce which came with it was nice.
Stella Artois Battered Fish & Chips ($16) – This was my main course. It came with two big pieces of fish, deep fried and coated with the beer batter and a large serving of fries. The fish is fresh and tender, with a little beer taste. Find it quite a normal dish & I ended up attacking my partner’s main course which I am going to talk about next.
Tenderloin Steak ($28) – It’s my partner’s main course but I find it more yummy than mine. It came as a generous serving of steak. Looked good & smelt good. It was also served as requested – medium rare. Perfect! The sauce went well with the steak too.
Victorian Crème Brulee ($8) –I’m not a big fan of crème brulee and thus definitely not an expert in judging it. Yet I find it quite nice, with the milk taste not too overwhelming.
Crepes Haven ($12) – It was recommended by the manager. It did look good, with a flame over it when served. However, it did not taste up to our expectation. The sauce which went with the crepe was too sour for my liking.
On the overall, most of the dishes we have ordered were good. To add on, the service was excellent, with our glasses constantly topped up with ice water. The manager was warm and friendly too and was open to feedback on the food from us.
Touted as the Biggest Annual F&B event in town, it looks like a rojak fair to me. I see booths taken by beauty salons, kitchenware supplier, cleaning detergents manufacturer...., even got footwear wor! These products can eat and drink meh!? *scratch my head*
The irritating sales promoters from these 'others' category kept shoving their flyers and products at me.
I walked round the hall 3 times, bought some food and 3-in-1 coffee......, balik kampung. Less than one hour spent there.
One would expect new products to be launched at such fairs, I didn't see any. Some food items are sold at a discount. The food I bought from a Teochew restaurant tasted awful.
I bought a Blended Mango with Pomelo from a dessert stall and it wasn't up to standard. So expensive at S$3.50 some more! Most of the companies are not big-names.
Expect lots of people scrambling for free samples. It's going to be crowded during weekends. Personally, I find it not worth a visit.
At least they have lots of tables and chairs for the visitors to sit down and eat comfortably.
12th - 16th March 2008 Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre ( Suntec City ) Level 4 Halls 403 & 404 Opening Hours : 11am to 10pm Free Admission
Vien Thai, it doesn't get clearer then this i suppose. Vietnam and Thailand cuisine together in the same restaurant. For the love of me, i have no idea what differentiates normal cuisine from Vietnamese cuisine, all i know is the Thai cuisine are generally a combination of sweet, sour and spicy all in one. The location of this place isn't much to shout about either.
Crispy Beancurd - Forgive me if i seem to be simply belching out names on this post. It just so happened that all information i had of this place has been lost. Still not going to stop me from writing a post however. The beancurd skin was very thick and hard while the beancurd itself lack much taste. The only saving grace turned out to be the sweet and sour Thai garnishing and sauce that made it at least palatable. Overall, save yourself the trouble on this dish.
Clear Tom Yam Seafood Soup - The Tom Yam soup was barely passable. Not in the least spicy but not the least bit lacking in the sour department. The ingredients were generous as you can see but i wouldn't recommend trying it as well.
Vietnamese Beef Vermicelli - The only item that brought a refreshing taste. A little sour, a little spicy and very fresh. The beef turned out a little too tough for my liking. The vermicelli when mixed with everything ended up tasting significantly pleasant and refreshing. Thats not saying alot however, because the material for comparison are sub par items.
Simple and overly pricey sums up the experience and offerings here. For some reason, i couldn't taste much difference between what is offered here and similar offerings elsewhere. It could have been better of course. Much better.
I believe the place needs no introduction. Its already the third time i've visited this place so basically its just a different location with a different crew. Does it uphold the tradition though?
Well, what can i say? The balcony seats overlook the river with all its hustle and bustles going on below it. Low buildings and little tourist boats cramp the location, giving it an otherworldly feeling that is very relaxing. Service wise, i did get the impression that the people there didn't really want to be there however.
Burning Action - Some people call it showy, others say unnecessary, but i still find the whole process very interesting however. And most importantly, it gives the rice and prawn a wonderfully fragrant and interesting taste.
Soup of the day ($3.90) - Since its already the third time i'm having everything (fourth actually), i'll leave you to check out the older posts for comments on the soup. Nothing much has changed on that front.
Garlic Lemon Mussel ($8.90) - The bread and mussels are supposed to go well with each other and to the better of the experience, they do. The white sauce that the mussels were swimming in is the same as the sauce that comes with the mushrooms below and the oysters after. According to my dear friend, Andrew, the sauce is the best thing about the restaurant. I'm inclined to agree on that since it does add to the taste quite a bit. However, i must say the mussels are not one of the better items here and i would advice against having it.
Fried Country Mushrooms ($9.90) - I've had these mushrooms as many times as i've come to this restaurant. It is definitely one of the better things to have and still one i can heartily recommend.
Deep Fried Oysters ($11.90) - Essentially, this is the same cooking method as the mushrooms above. And sad to say, it tastes the same as well. The oysters themselves were reasonably fresh and sweet but i prefer the mushrooms as they are healthier.
Fisherman's Platter ($36.90) - We asked to switch one of the side items for the flaming prawns so the final deal we had consists of calamari, chips, mushrooms, prawns and fish. The best thing about this? It fed 4 people to the brim. The downside, health issues abound if you take this for protracted periods of time. The rice when added with sauce is still the best thing for me, personally of course. Everything else is as it should be, meaning its good but not necessarily impression making since i've had it this many times. Overall, this platter is good for big eaters and up to 3 people.
Tiramisu ($5) - The waiter heartily told us that we qualified for a $5 dessert special which we took without much thought. Tiramisu is a dessert that has been done to death and their rendition is interesting. Cocoa powder adorns the top while a small layer of cake fills the bottom. Cream and rum filled the rest. Its overwhelming actually and somehow, i didn't like it too much in the end. Not recommended.
The bill turned out to be $98 for 4 people. Lots of food and a full tummy later, reflection on the process doesn't bring much to mind since i paid for it in full. My treat to my friends and i'm happy for giving.
They say "too much of a good thing makes it bad". Well, in this case, its starting to sound pretty true. I've heard much about the branch in Central and somehow, there are parts that are true and some parts which are not. I found the normal service staff helpful and generally good but the supervisor level however, disappointed me when i asked what the sauce was. Maybe its a trade secret but repeating the same rubbish when i asked twice isn't my idea of good service. Food is simple and non elegant but gets the job done. All said, the mushrooms are still something i would pine for. If you have not had it before, it warrants a try at the least.
Qian Hu Ornamental Fish Farm operates a nail spa that is different. Instead of using conventional tools to remove the dead skin and cuticle of your feet, it uses the fish, garra rufa.
This fish is also known as Doctor Fish, Nibble Fish, Kangal Fish or Lickers Fish. It is found in the rivers of Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Turkey and Syria. It can live at a temperature around 37 degree Celsius in hot pools. They have a lifespan of 4 to 6 years.
At Qian Hu Fish Spa, customers are seated round a huge communal fish pool with their legs immersed in it. Scores of fish nibble away at the dead skin on their feet. I felt hundreds of tweezers pecking at my feet. It was ticklish, occasionally a bigger Nibble fish would take a big bite. eowwwww ........
I was told my skin would feel silky smooth and healthy after the dull and dead skin is removed. So I graciously endured for 30 minutes. Guys at the pool were giggling. A lady claimed her skin was smoother after the treatment and intends to have her whole body immersed the next session. Horrors!
This Doctor Fish therapy is said to heal Psoriasis. The fish nibble at the diseased skin until the upper skin is completely removed and release a small quantity of dithranol, an enzyme which results in skin rejuvenation.
Qian Hu sells these fish, so you can re-create the spa at home. A small Garra rufa costs $10 and a larger one is $20. Don't worry, these are not Pirahna fish, your kid would not turn into a skeleton should he accidentally fall into the pool. hehehe....
Charges : $10 for 30 minutes, with slippers and towels which you are free to take home.
Open Daily Mon - Thurs : 9 am to 6 pm Fri - Sun & Public Holiday : 9 am to 7 pm
Had the opportunity to partake in a media dinner at the newly reopened The Seafood International Market & Restaurant, or TSIMR for short, courtesy of The New Paper. It was a reunion of sorts as I vaguely remember dining at its former premises at UDMC some years back. It has since transplanted to become the anchor tenant of Big Splash @ Playground.
TSIMR occupies an impressive 18,000 sq ft and can seat up to 700 people if my memory serves me right. The draw of this place is its live seafood market concept which allows you to choose your desired seafood from the tanks and it will be cooked and served to your table. This concept, though not unheard of, was pioneered in the early 1980s by TSIMC.
The live seafood section is reminiscent of a supermarket while the dining area is like your typical seafood restaurant - huge and noisy. I liked the private dining areas at the two extensions though, which offered a nice view of the park and pond in the day. What I didn't appreciate was the fact that when the sky turned dark, outside visibility became close to zero and passers by could look in aka fishtank. Did I mention that the partitions were nothing more than a facade? During the course of our dinner, I could hear the adjourning rooms' conversation and loud guffaws.
Assorted Mushrooms Deep Fried with Seven Spice Salt - Imagine my astonishment when I heard that the mushrooms were sold by weight. Its definitely a first for me and honestly, as preposterous as selling Tofu by weight. The seven spice salt was purportedly made from dried shrimp powder, curry powder, chilli, szechuan peppercorn, salt and two other secret spices. As impressive as this may sound, I found it nothing out of the ordinary, coming across merely as salty with a hint of spiciness. Ditto for the batter as well, which I personally found too thick and hinting subtly of oil residue.
Prawns Stir Fried with Chilli & Basil Leaves - Beautifully presented with ornamental garnishes, the prawns gave an illusion of being terribly spicy. In reality, even someone who can't really take chilli like me could handle it without much effort (and water of course!). I didn't quite take to it though as the flesh was a tad soft and not firm. My guess is that it was a little undercooked.
Sakura Chicken Braised with Tri - Sauce in Stonepot - I liked this dish the best even though it wasn't outstanding. Probably more of something that's close to my heart. Dished out in a huge stonepot, the chicken wasn't too dry and easy on the sweetness, carrying with it a light spice that made every bite rather enjoyable
Golden Platter - Stir Fried Pumpkin with Salted Egg Yolk - Aptly named the golden platter, this dish intrigued me as I've never actually seen pumpkin cooked this way before. Prawns/lobsters with salted egg yolk? Yes. But pumpkin? It didn't turn out to be very appealing after all as the pumpkin slices were a little too soft for my liking. Coupled with the strong overtones of salted egg yolk, it was a recipe for nausea.
Curry Crab & Bread - I didn't try the crabs so I shall not comment, but the curry tasted rather normal to me, albeit a little heavier on the coconut milk. I liked the bread that came with the crabs though, sinfully buttery and crispy. Guaranteed to increase your cholesterol!
Pad Thai - Call me ignorant or mountain tortise, but to my understanding, Pad Thai should be cooked with thin flat strips of glass noodles. TSIMR does a different rendition using thin vermicelli like noodles which I suppose are glass noodles as well. To be honest, the noodles were way too chewy and had the tendency to clump together, which made me feel like i was chewing on some kind of non sticky kueh.
Wonder Four on Ice - With such a fanciful name, who needs superheroes? Corny jokes and stunning aesthetics aside, this dessert was just red bean kueh, mango pudding, some fruits and lemon grass jelly served on a bed of ice. As normal as it gets.
A little bird told me that the above dinner for 6 pax would have cost about $40/pax, which to me is a tad pricey. Food quality is average and service could have been more attentive. With that, I would like to thank TNP for the dinner once again.
1=SGD 0.0587
Fancy cakes with a strong chocolate twist? Tired of old and run-of-the-mill cakes available everywhere else? Want something reasonably affordable and yet packing in the taste department? Well, welcome to choc-a-bloc. Coincidentally, the word "bloc" actually means blissfully luscious orgasmic chocolate as is positioned on their website. I wouldn't go that far to say their cakes are the best but i do second the fact that they are less common then the rest thus far.
This is a customized version of the "Mom's coco fudge cake". One thing about the cake is that its generously big (though of course you have to pay for it to be big.) The cake is surprisingly simple and expensive. 2 layers of chocolate and 3 layers of sponge cake is pretty much all you get for the price and yet. It feels surprisingly worthwhile. For one thing, the dark chocolate used is tastefully chosen. Being just the right balance of sweetness and bitterness which it balances very well. So much so that despite the big portion, i had no difficulty in finishing the cake at all. Being a fudge cake, it is also nicely soft and filling. One of the simplest and better tasting cakes i've had actually. I have to say its pretty much on par with the renditions even in Secret Recipe and some french gourmet cakes i've had. (Maybe i just have not eaten enough cakes to have a cake that has a higher standard yet but i'm getting there.)
I'm interested in having more actually but i do feel the pricing is abit steep and seems to have increased. Anyone who has tried better cakes out there, do let me know so i can try others yeah?
Rating given:
Perfect Mum is a shop selling Maternity Wear in Suntec. It's located on the 3rd floor in the mum and kids' section between Toys 'r us and the cinema.
I like the clothing in Perfect Mum. They are modern looking and not frumpy like what some of the shops sell. They also have a good range of clothing for the working mum and even evening wear which looks very presentable. All the clothing seemed very well designed to cater to the different stages of pregnancy.
The only gripe I have is that they don't have much choices for the nursing mum. Those are quite limited and it's not as well-designed as some other tops I've seen at other shops.
The staff here are all very polite and friendly. They are very knowledgeable and give very good advice. I do notice that the prices are slightly higher compared to other places but I still find them reasonable due to the quality and design.
**I'm not a mum-to-be. Just a tag-along...**
Rating given:
Spotlight used to have 3-4 stores around Singapore but now they are left with one outlet at Plaza Sing. They sell a large variety of craft items and fabric so you can practically find anything there.... IF you have the patience.
I hate how the things are always in a mess. The shelves are hardly ever tidy even when you go when they open shop. The items are not packaged properly so it makes it easy for people to tear them out. They don't put out samples for people to see, forcing people to buy blindly or to rip their packaging...
They have very few staff around this huge store so don't expect help in locating things. not to mention, everytime you go back they would have shifted the things around. Few things remain in the same corner for long.
Also the prices of some of the items are more expensive... so choose wisely.
I wouldn't go there if I had a choice... Sometimes only Spotlight stocks up stuff from American brands...
Rating given:
I had the chance to go to Hilton on my own yesterday. It was rainy and I got out on the doorsteps on the hotel. It was bustling with activity for the doormen and valets were all trying to get cabs for the guests who were patiently waiting at the glass door. I have been running to quite a few hotels recently and this wasn't done at those hotels anymore. It was nice to see some things like this still done.
The doorman who opened the door for me greeted me with a very nice "good evening". I was ah hour early for my appointment so I decided to loiter about in the hotel. Every staff greeted me. When I was in the lift alone and 3 of them entered, all three smiled and one said hello even. When I got out of the lift the staff outside, held the door for me and greeted me as well. While I was being a busybody around the swimming pool and entertained myself taking pictures, the staff greeted me and waited till I was done before coming up to offer extra information about the venue.
When I met up with the catering manager later, she immediately offered me a drink from their cafe when we sat down. That was a first which I certainly didn't experience in other hotels. She also patiently answered all the questions, even those which I vaguely remember asking before. She was also very flexible with some details agreed to change some things for me.
The place looks nice and pretty posh. I like the interior decor pretty much. The arrangement for the wedding solemnisation to be held by the pool then the lunch to be served in the function rooms next to the pool is a very good idea. I viewed the rooms which I was quite satisfied with. But they are going at $300 per night. ($1080 for F1 nights)
To be honest, I haven't tried the food yet. But the overall atmosphere of the place was very warm and made one feel at home. I guess the only reason why I haven't given it a 5-star is the hefty price tag. I'll update when I've tasted the food. ;)
Rating given:
After so long, my post is finally ready! Haha…
My partner & I decided to try out this place after seeing several reviews with good feedback on the place. Somemore, with the 15% discount offered by Yebber, what are we waiting for??
We did not make any table reservation & but luckily the place was not packed with diners. Probably it’s because it’s a weekday and also that we were there pretty early, at about 6 pm. We were given a choice between the outdoor seats and the indoor ones. We chose the latter. The interior looks cosy & spacious. Each table came with a small tea light candle to brighten up the dim interior a little. Of course it did make the place more romantic too. Haha…
We were greeted by their friendly manager who even let us choose the seats since the place wasn’t packed with diners. Interestingly, the ice water they served had slices of strawberries in it. That’s really special, as most places at most serve lemon ice water. Strawberries in water? That’s really my 1st time trying it! Well, the strawberries did give the ice water a tint of sweetness & sourness. Pretty refreshing!
Here comes the food part! When we asked about certain dishes in the menu, the manager was very patient in her explanation & made some recommendations to us. These are what we have ordered.
Asparagus Roll with Bacon Dressing ($8.50) – This starter was great. I like it! The combination of asparagus & bacon was a perfect match! The asparagus was crunchy and a little sweet while the bacon was salty. So when the two came together, the taste & crunchiness made u crave for more. It will definitely improve your appetite & get you ready to indulge on the main course. Thumbs up!
Chef’s Special: “Rocket” Soup ($3.90) – “Rocket? What’s that??” That’s the first thought which came to our mind when the manager recommended the soup to us. Nevertheless, we decided to give it a try. Well, it looked like some blended spinach soup. But upon tasting it, it has this very unique taste which I quite like it. After checking with the manager, we realized that rocket is a kind of bitter vegetable. Yet the chef managed to cook it in such a way that the bitterness of the soup was gone. Wow!!
Prawn Bites ($9.50) – Quite a normal dish to me. Tasted just like the Japanese prawn tempura. But the light wasabi sauce which came with it was nice.
Stella Artois Battered Fish & Chips ($16) – This was my main course. It came with two big pieces of fish, deep fried and coated with the beer batter and a large serving of fries. The fish is fresh and tender, with a little beer taste. Find it quite a normal dish & I ended up attacking my partner’s main course which I am going to talk about next.
Tenderloin Steak ($28) – It’s my partner’s main course but I find it more yummy than mine. It came as a generous serving of steak. Looked good & smelt good. It was also served as requested – medium rare. Perfect! The sauce went well with the steak too.
Victorian Crème Brulee ($8) –I’m not a big fan of crème brulee and thus definitely not an expert in judging it. Yet I find it quite nice, with the milk taste not too overwhelming.
Crepes Haven ($12) – It was recommended by the manager. It did look good, with a flame over it when served. However, it did not taste up to our expectation. The sauce which went with the crepe was too sour for my liking.
On the overall, most of the dishes we have ordered were good. To add on, the service was excellent, with our glasses constantly topped up with ice water. The manager was warm and friendly too and was open to feedback on the food from us.
I shall be back to try out other dishes!
Rating given:
Touted as the Biggest Annual F&B event in town, it looks like a rojak fair to me. I see booths taken by beauty salons, kitchenware supplier, cleaning detergents manufacturer...., even got footwear wor! These products can eat and drink meh!? *scratch my head*
The irritating sales promoters from these 'others' category kept shoving their flyers and products at me.
I walked round the hall 3 times, bought some food and 3-in-1 coffee......, balik kampung. Less than one hour spent there.
One would expect new products to be launched at such fairs, I didn't see any. Some food items are sold at a discount. The food I bought from a Teochew restaurant tasted awful.
I bought a Blended Mango with Pomelo from a dessert stall and it wasn't up to standard. So expensive at S$3.50 some more! Most of the companies are not big-names.
Expect lots of people scrambling for free samples. It's going to be crowded during weekends. Personally, I find it not worth a visit.
At least they have lots of tables and chairs for the visitors to sit down and eat comfortably.
12th - 16th March 2008
Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre
( Suntec City )
Level 4 Halls 403 & 404
Opening Hours : 11am to 10pm
Free Admission
Rating given:
Vien Thai, it doesn't get clearer then this i suppose. Vietnam and Thailand cuisine together in the same restaurant. For the love of me, i have no idea what differentiates normal cuisine from Vietnamese cuisine, all i know is the Thai cuisine are generally a combination of sweet, sour and spicy all in one. The location of this place isn't much to shout about either.
Crispy Beancurd - Forgive me if i seem to be simply belching out names on this post. It just so happened that all information i had of this place has been lost. Still not going to stop me from writing a post however. The beancurd skin was very thick and hard while the beancurd itself lack much taste. The only saving grace turned out to be the sweet and sour Thai garnishing and sauce that made it at least palatable. Overall, save yourself the trouble on this dish.
Clear Tom Yam Seafood Soup - The Tom Yam soup was barely passable. Not in the least spicy but not the least bit lacking in the sour department. The ingredients were generous as you can see but i wouldn't recommend trying it as well.
Vietnamese Beef Vermicelli - The only item that brought a refreshing taste. A little sour, a little spicy and very fresh. The beef turned out a little too tough for my liking. The vermicelli when mixed with everything ended up tasting significantly pleasant and refreshing. Thats not saying alot however, because the material for comparison are sub par items.
Simple and overly pricey sums up the experience and offerings here. For some reason, i couldn't taste much difference between what is offered here and similar offerings elsewhere. It could have been better of course. Much better.
Rating given:
I believe the place needs no introduction. Its already the third time i've visited this place so basically its just a different location with a different crew. Does it uphold the tradition though?
Well, what can i say? The balcony seats overlook the river with all its hustle and bustles going on below it. Low buildings and little tourist boats cramp the location, giving it an otherworldly feeling that is very relaxing. Service wise, i did get the impression that the people there didn't really want to be there however.
Burning Action - Some people call it showy, others say unnecessary, but i still find the whole process very interesting however. And most importantly, it gives the rice and prawn a wonderfully fragrant and interesting taste.
Soup of the day ($3.90) - Since its already the third time i'm having everything (fourth actually), i'll leave you to check out the older posts for comments on the soup. Nothing much has changed on that front.
Garlic Lemon Mussel ($8.90) - The bread and mussels are supposed to go well with each other and to the better of the experience, they do. The white sauce that the mussels were swimming in is the same as the sauce that comes with the mushrooms below and the oysters after. According to my dear friend, Andrew, the sauce is the best thing about the restaurant. I'm inclined to agree on that since it does add to the taste quite a bit. However, i must say the mussels are not one of the better items here and i would advice against having it.
Fried Country Mushrooms ($9.90) - I've had these mushrooms as many times as i've come to this restaurant. It is definitely one of the better things to have and still one i can heartily recommend.
Deep Fried Oysters ($11.90) - Essentially, this is the same cooking method as the mushrooms above. And sad to say, it tastes the same as well. The oysters themselves were reasonably fresh and sweet but i prefer the mushrooms as they are healthier.
Fisherman's Platter ($36.90) - We asked to switch one of the side items for the flaming prawns so the final deal we had consists of calamari, chips, mushrooms, prawns and fish. The best thing about this? It fed 4 people to the brim. The downside, health issues abound if you take this for protracted periods of time. The rice when added with sauce is still the best thing for me, personally of course. Everything else is as it should be, meaning its good but not necessarily impression making since i've had it this many times. Overall, this platter is good for big eaters and up to 3 people.
Tiramisu ($5) - The waiter heartily told us that we qualified for a $5 dessert special which we took without much thought. Tiramisu is a dessert that has been done to death and their rendition is interesting. Cocoa powder adorns the top while a small layer of cake fills the bottom. Cream and rum filled the rest. Its overwhelming actually and somehow, i didn't like it too much in the end. Not recommended.
The bill turned out to be $98 for 4 people. Lots of food and a full tummy later, reflection on the process doesn't bring much to mind since i paid for it in full. My treat to my friends and i'm happy for giving.
They say "too much of a good thing makes it bad". Well, in this case, its starting to sound pretty true. I've heard much about the branch in Central and somehow, there are parts that are true and some parts which are not. I found the normal service staff helpful and generally good but the supervisor level however, disappointed me when i asked what the sauce was. Maybe its a trade secret but repeating the same rubbish when i asked twice isn't my idea of good service. Food is simple and non elegant but gets the job done. All said, the mushrooms are still something i would pine for. If you have not had it before, it warrants a try at the least.
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Qian Hu Ornamental Fish Farm operates a nail spa that is different. Instead of using conventional tools to remove the dead skin and cuticle of your feet, it uses the fish, garra rufa.
This fish is also known as Doctor Fish, Nibble Fish, Kangal Fish or Lickers Fish. It is found in the rivers of Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Turkey and Syria. It can live at a temperature around 37 degree Celsius in hot pools. They have a lifespan of 4 to 6 years.
At Qian Hu Fish Spa, customers are seated round a huge communal fish pool with their legs immersed in it. Scores of fish nibble away at the dead skin on their feet. I felt hundreds of tweezers pecking at my feet. It was ticklish, occasionally a bigger Nibble fish would take a big bite. eowwwww ........
I was told my skin would feel silky smooth and healthy after the dull and dead skin is removed. So I graciously endured for 30 minutes. Guys at the pool were giggling. A lady claimed her skin was smoother after the treatment and intends to have her whole body immersed the next session. Horrors!
This Doctor Fish therapy is said to heal Psoriasis. The fish nibble at the diseased skin until the upper skin is completely removed and release a small quantity of dithranol, an enzyme which results in skin rejuvenation.
Qian Hu sells these fish, so you can re-create the spa at home. A small Garra rufa costs $10 and a larger one is $20. Don't worry, these are not Pirahna fish, your kid would not turn into a skeleton should he accidentally fall into the pool. hehehe....
Charges :
$10 for 30 minutes, with slippers and towels which you are free to take home.
Open Daily
Mon - Thurs : 9 am to 6 pm
Fri - Sun & Public Holiday : 9 am to 7 pm
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Had the opportunity to partake in a media dinner at the newly reopened The Seafood International Market & Restaurant, or TSIMR for short, courtesy of The New Paper. It was a reunion of sorts as I vaguely remember dining at its former premises at UDMC some years back. It has since transplanted to become the anchor tenant of Big Splash @ Playground.
TSIMR occupies an impressive 18,000 sq ft and can seat up to 700 people if my memory serves me right. The draw of this place is its live seafood market concept which allows you to choose your desired seafood from the tanks and it will be cooked and served to your table. This concept, though not unheard of, was pioneered in the early 1980s by TSIMC.
The live seafood section is reminiscent of a supermarket while the dining area is like your typical seafood restaurant - huge and noisy. I liked the private dining areas at the two extensions though, which offered a nice view of the park and pond in the day. What I didn't appreciate was the fact that when the sky turned dark, outside visibility became close to zero and passers by could look in aka fishtank. Did I mention that the partitions were nothing more than a facade? During the course of our dinner, I could hear the adjourning rooms' conversation and loud guffaws.
Assorted Mushrooms Deep Fried with Seven Spice Salt - Imagine my astonishment when I heard that the mushrooms were sold by weight. Its definitely a first for me and honestly, as preposterous as selling Tofu by weight. The seven spice salt was purportedly made from dried shrimp powder, curry powder, chilli, szechuan peppercorn, salt and two other secret spices. As impressive as this may sound, I found it nothing out of the ordinary, coming across merely as salty with a hint of spiciness. Ditto for the batter as well, which I personally found too thick and hinting subtly of oil residue.
Prawns Stir Fried with Chilli & Basil Leaves - Beautifully presented with ornamental garnishes, the prawns gave an illusion of being terribly spicy. In reality, even someone who can't really take chilli like me could handle it without much effort (and water of course!). I didn't quite take to it though as the flesh was a tad soft and not firm. My guess is that it was a little undercooked.
Sakura Chicken Braised with Tri - Sauce in Stonepot - I liked this dish the best even though it wasn't outstanding. Probably more of something that's close to my heart. Dished out in a huge stonepot, the chicken wasn't too dry and easy on the sweetness, carrying with it a light spice that made every bite rather enjoyable
Golden Platter - Stir Fried Pumpkin with Salted Egg Yolk - Aptly named the golden platter, this dish intrigued me as I've never actually seen pumpkin cooked this way before. Prawns/lobsters with salted egg yolk? Yes. But pumpkin? It didn't turn out to be very appealing after all as the pumpkin slices were a little too soft for my liking. Coupled with the strong overtones of salted egg yolk, it was a recipe for nausea.
Curry Crab & Bread - I didn't try the crabs so I shall not comment, but the curry tasted rather normal to me, albeit a little heavier on the coconut milk. I liked the bread that came with the crabs though, sinfully buttery and crispy. Guaranteed to increase your cholesterol!
Pad Thai - Call me ignorant or mountain tortise, but to my understanding, Pad Thai should be cooked with thin flat strips of glass noodles. TSIMR does a different rendition using thin vermicelli like noodles which I suppose are glass noodles as well. To be honest, the noodles were way too chewy and had the tendency to clump together, which made me feel like i was chewing on some kind of non sticky kueh.
Wonder Four on Ice - With such a fanciful name, who needs superheroes? Corny jokes and stunning aesthetics aside, this dessert was just red bean kueh, mango pudding, some fruits and lemon grass jelly served on a bed of ice. As normal as it gets.
A little bird told me that the above dinner for 6 pax would have cost about $40/pax, which to me is a tad pricey. Food quality is average and service could have been more attentive. With that, I would like to thank TNP for the dinner once again.
See all my pictures here
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