Had the opportunity to partake in a food tasting session at Fresh Bulggogi, courtesy of Benny, the marketing manager for Zingrill Holdings, which also owns and operates the Breeks, Seoul Garden and Zingdo chains of restaurants.
Located on level 3 of the viewing gallery at Changi Airport Terminal 2, Fresh Bulggogi spots a fresh lime green and black facade and plays immediate neighbour to Fish & Co. The interior (at least where I sat) consists of booth seats that can seat 4 pax very comfortably or 6 pax if you happen to be smaller in size. The concept of Fresh Bulggogi is built upon that of Seoul Garden save for 2 major differences. First, it only has an ala carte menu with no buffet option. Second, the food items sold are slightly more upmarket, with stuff like half shell scallops, sashimi grade salmon, just to name a few. It also serves up quick meals like Bibim Baps for time strapped customers who are in a hurry to catch their flights. For customers who dread perspiring while having steamboat, this place eliminates the problem by placing the pot in a dug in enclosure and installing cool air blowers right above the pot level. This prevents the heat from dissipating upwards and keeps the surroundings cool.
Pine Mushroom Salad with Prawns - Honestly the salad wasn't to my liking and was rather lacklustre in my humble opinion. The pine mushrooms tasted rather bland while the prawns were rather small in size and barely sweet. However there is one positive remark I must make and that is the effort put in to remove the prawn intestines. Not many places, even high class restaurants, bother doing so.
Deep Fried Assorted Mushrooms - This was actually comfort food for all of us. Assorted mushrooms coated with batter and deep fried till crisp on the outside yet soft on the inside. Very nice and chewy but I did find the batter a wee bit too thick. A little more moisture in the mushrooms would also be much appreciated.
Kimchi Jjigae with Sliced Salmon (김치찌개) - Unfortunately, none of us at the table could fully appreciate this humble Korean stew. It was essentially vegetables, mushrooms and rice cakes in a kimchi broth. According to wikipedia, Kimchi Jjigae is best cooked with older more fermented kimchi, which creates a much stronger taste and also contains more beneficial bacteria also found in yoghurt. The salmon slices were passably fresh but tasted rather weird with the kimchi broth.
Garlic Chicken Bap - A classic Korean dish and one that I've eaten a couple of times, the garlic chicken bap was surprisingly quite decent. For starters, the kimchi was lightly sour and spicy while the chicken was well marinated and you could actually taste the marination. Add the fact that the rice was moist and a little sticky and it made for a rather nice dish.
Premium Set C (Chicken Breast Meat, Beef Bulggogi, Chicken Bulggogi and Sliced Beef) - For our steamboat, we had a choice of 2 soup bases, kimchi and chicken, of which we chose the latter. I wouldn't go as far as to say the broth was great, but it was decently sweet yet light.
We had the premium set C for the sliced beef. Seriously, how bad can steamboat get? Everything tasted relatively fresh but the thinly sliced beef did look a darker shade of red as compared to what other tables were getting (this is based purely on our observations). The set is meant for 2 but in case the ingredients are insufficient, there is always the ala carte top up option.
Chicken Bulggogi & Korean Rice Cakes - 2 of our top up options, the chicken bulggogi, which the Koreans eat with lettuce and the rice cakes, which look like sliced fishcakes but tasted to me like chewy kueh when cooked.
Honestly, I know nuts to nothing about Korean food but personally I found the food overall to be rather decent, maybe not wholly authentic but certainly very edible. Prices are on the high side ( the damage for 4 pax was about $165 inclusive of 6 juices/soft drinks and 4 ice cream desserts) but thats to be expected since its at the airport. Oh and take note that they do not serve sky juice. Service was friendly but the place did seem a little short handed at times.
I am quite sad to say that even as a Singaporean, the first plane that I seat on was not a Singapore Airlines plane. Recently, I finally had the chance to sit on one. Hee….. Once step into the plane, it is pretty much like stepping into any other airlines plane, clean and tidy. Along the way, there will be friendly and smiling air steward or stewardess to guide and help you to get to your seat. After which, they would start serving hot towels to everyone as well. If I did not manage to get a copy of Straits Time before I board the plane, I would ask for a copy. Sad to say once in a while, the air stewardess would forget about it.
While on the plane, they did their best to keep us comfortable, and try to keep up with all our requests. Their service was really good when it comes to serving drinks and meals. This is definitely their plus point here. When it comes to their food, well it seems that they only changed their menu every two months, so in the end, I got to every dish in the menu over and over again. *Mental note: To request for special meals when booking tickets next time*
Next come to their entertainment system. Sad to say I am not very impressed with the system as it tends to fail me a few times or required a few times of reset. It is also a bit slow in reaction as well. At least they do change the movies every month so at least I got new movies to watch. It would be much better if they give better quality earphones. Once the system at the seat I was seating was defective, so they gave me a US$50 voucher to use for the KrisShop. Hee…. Too bad it can be only used on the plane.
All in all, I quite liked the service onboard the plane as they would make customers as comfortable as possible.
The main products are the Curious Curios charm jewellery, consisting of necklaces, rings and earrings.
There are also clutches that are specially and lovingly handsewn by Mel, the owner of the Curiosity Shoppe. She prides herself of extremely stringent quality control for her clutches, so much so that she's start from scratch if she's dissatisfied with any aspect of a clutch! Imagine the cost and efforts involved in that... it totally makes her clutches worth paying for!
There are also charms for DIY accessories available for sale on the site.
Not only does Mel make trinklets, she also makes the trees for you to hang you trinklets and keep them tidy! So basically, you'll have to look no further than this store because she kinda "thinks ahead" for you and makes what you need.
The highlight, however, i think should be her Curious Curios charm jewellery!
I've purchased rather many pieces of accessories from her (i think adding everything up, should have hit at least 10 pieces!) and i can assure you that the quality of her accessories is nothing short of awesome. I'm not kidding!
I especially love her necklaces! There are many different series and each have their uniqueness. Not much wire work in place, but the way the chains and charms all come together nicely to form something so awesome is just worthy of commending! Some pieces are nice and simple, others are more complex in design, but all are visually enticing!
Every necklace also comes with a different poetry or a short paragraph or some sort of short story that's uniquely written by Mel herself. It adds a very artistic feel to everything. She also takes it to another level by using charms that are quite out of the ordinary. Why do i say so? Because many other accessory-makers aren't willing to take the risk to experiment with those "weird looking" charms, but Mel essentially captures the whole spirit of the charm and really glorifies it to its fullest potential.
If I'm not mistaken, she uses gold-plated/non-tarnish chains and its really true. They really don't tarnish! Many other accessories have caused me to have itchy allergy reactions after wearing them for sometimes, especially if i perspire since i have horribly sensitive skin, but nothing ever seems to happen when i her accessories. I am really amazed and i can't help but keep going back for more!
Then there are the nice, simple and catchy word-necklaces that every youth is crazy over because one word says it all! Teenagers, especially, would digg those necklaces.
There are also pieces which make use of semi-precious stones and those would probably appeal more to slightly more matured ladies! Very elegant and classy pieces.
Recently, one of the well-loved necklaces (meaning i like it so much that i wear it very frequently) snapped and i immediately contacted Mel about it. She responded very promptly and offered to fix it at no charge! She is very friendly, easy-going and very helpful. Great after-sales service.
I'm a really satisfied customer of Mel's Curiosity Shoppe and you should totally check it out if you can!
Friends is a restaurant i've passed by plenty of times during my tenure in the bank at Serangoon Garden. It always appealed to me but never did entice me to go inside due to the mostly al fresco dining concept which i detested. How wrong i was when i finally tried and went inside for a quiet meal with a friend.
Complimentary Bread - Complimentary bread was served warm and covered in a rather tastily chosen basket with red cloth. The bread itself is normal though.
The exterior of the place belies the sheer space that adorns the inside of the restaurant. Once inside, i was astonished to see how big spacious the restaurant was and it came with comfortable short legged seats, wine glass and rectangular wooden tables. Lighting was dim and relaxed with a primarily laid back atmosphere to the place. It was also rather quiet that night which thus gave me the impression that no one will chase you away if you chose to have a quiet or rowdy night there with friends.
Tasmanian Apple Wood Smoked Salmon/Tea Smoked Tuna with Fennel Salad - For the above 2 appetisers, i managed to have a fair bit of both as my friend apparently doesn't like anything raw. The apple wood smoked salmon was pretty good, its possible to taste the smoke in the salmon rather strongly and it was quite salty as well. The taste grows on you after awhile but tends to overwhelm pretty soon. The tea smoke tuna was also smoke but to a much lesser extent. The taste was mild and lacked the strength the salmon version had.
South Australian Duo Of Grilled Lamb Shoulder Chops - The lamb shoulder chops was rather good. Done medium rather and served with garlic, shallots and mint jus, the overall concoction was light and sweet. The meat was tender and slightly bloody as well which was made to my order. Simple yet enjoyable.
Pan Seared "Sakura" chicken breast stuffed with macadamia & Bitter Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Campote - I had a piece of the chicken breast and it had a honey taste to it along with it being extremely tender and chewy. The bitter chocolate mousse was served with a strawberry and raspberry which turned out to be very sour. The chocolate mousse itself was not truly bitter and had some small chunks in it which was rather different. Not too bad really.
The meal came up to $47 after gst and service charge and a one for one meal offer. Expect to pay $100 for the above if you came without a Citibank card.
First off, thank you Max for the meal. Its fun catching up. The meal was pretty decent for me on this one but the best thing about it was the one for one offer which cut the bill in half. Upon further examination, i would not pay $39.90 for the meal per person as it strikes me as not value for money. However, for this round where the bill is basically $20 per head, its good enough to recommend. I repeat, bring a Citibank card. Go at your own peril without it.
Country Mana restaurant used to be one of my favorite restaurants during my younger years as it was more affordable then most and was easily found in the eastern end of Singapore. However, time has passed and now, there are only about 2 to 3 of this restaurant still running and it was this thought that i brought my gf to the branch at Serangoon Gardens.
The restaurant is located on the second floor along a group of shop houses which include Sushi Tei, Guardian Pharmacy and a chinese eating house. The interior is true to form with its country style wooden furnishings and dim lighting complete with a small counter.
Country Mana Soup ($4.99) - The country mana experience is never complete until you've tasted the soup. That used to be the case but not anymore unfortunately. In my memory, the soup was filled to the brim with chicken, vegetables and excellent broth but this version i got was lacking in precisely that. What it did retain was the nicely done pastry covering which was fragrant with a strong butter taste and still went well with the soup overall. Still, its difficult not to feel shortchanged when i've had the more full bodied version in ages past.
Whole Roasted Spring Chicken in Special Herbal Spices ($17.49) - After a bittersweet soup, we weren't holding much hope for the chicken to follow but we were sorely mistaken. The chicken was served cut in half and came with a baked potato sprinkled with some bacon bits and sour cream, a salad and some mango pieces. It looked pretty appetising to say the truth. The potato could have done with more sour cream and bacon bits and could be hotter when served but nothing devastating. The chicken is the real star. Cooked "home style" according to the menu, it was roasted to a nice golden brown with a thin crispy skin and well marinated meat. The meat itself was tender and contained minimal visible fat which was a big plus. The marinate probably contained ground pepper which gave it a light spicy taste. Otherwise, the chicken tasted strangely sweet with juices and slightly smokey. The only downside would be that it did come across as a tad too oily but otherwise, it was enjoyable.
Brownies with Vanilla Ice Cream ($5.99) - After a good main course, we were looking forward to a good finishing to wrap up the night. That was sadly not completed as the brownie was too dry and simply did not have the gourmet taste and texture it should. The ice cream was simple vanilla which i liked but still, the dessert was average at best.
The bill came up to $39.39 for 2 people.
To say the food was excellent is a lie but i can't deny that the main course was good. In fact, its the place's only saving grace that night apart from the wonderful service rendered. I wouldn't write the place off yet, partially due to nostalgia and partially due to the main course which gave me some hope that the other mains might be as good. Try it yourself to see if it fits your bill.
Green tea has been an obsession of Singaporeans since the introduction of it being a product for health began some years ago. How good it really is? Nobody really knows, it can be a myth, such as milk being really a by product which was overstocked and hence the "Got Milk?" campaign or maybe it does have wonderful healing properties. The bottom line is, nobody lives long enough to really understand it, do we? Anyhow, sorry for rambling, i met up with LIC one night for his first ever food outing which he organized. And the following is what we had.
First off, thank you LIC for organizing the event. Though there is still room for improvement, the general idea was a success. Good stuff.
O Cha cha is a green tea concept cafe located in the basement of Raffles City shopping center. Given its prime location, the cafe itself is rather small with a definite emphasis on space maximization. Tables and chairs were the generic plastic version with a clean overall look, there were cushion seats as well but as usual, its in short supply.
Complimentary chips - Seaweed crackers, always a welcome sight. I suspect they are Calbee potato chips but i may be wrong.
Matcha Rocks ($4.95) - Chilled green tea with sugar will sum this up. Its light and too sweet for my tastes. Can't imagine paying a premium price for this actually.
Ochacha Rocks ($4.95) - Chilled green tea with sugar and milk. Now why didn't i think of this item myself? Anyway, it has a heavier taste compared to its prior cousin and is also too sweet as well.
Shiitake Mushroom soup - The shittake mushroom soup reminds me of renditions in Eden cafe with the exception that there's cream thrown into the mix. The result is a soup reminiscent of campbells but with more mushroom bits thrown in. To its merit, the soup was filled with mushroom bits however, to its detriment, it was too salty.
Sakura Egg Sandwich ($4.80) - The size of this sandwich is rather consoling given the price. In fact, i'd gladly pay the money for it. The egg was done nicely and had a slight sweetness given off by the egg. Light and easily likable. Who can resist a simple egg sandwich? Not I says me.
Azuki Freezie ($6.90) - When i saw the drink, i was thinking: " oh my, another green tea?" But thankfully, this one was pretty good. Green tea with sugar/milk and crushed ice. Creativity never fails to amaze me. Either way, the drink was freezing cold and hit the spot for my sugar tooth this time around.
Salad With Orange Dressing - Something the boss added as a last minute item to the menu. Going for the same price, i'd normally rake in the praises for something free and healthy but would have to refrain from it this time. The salad itself is no contest, after all, how bad can salad be? The dressing is another story. Sour, saltish and totally unapalatable, it made me miss how normal salads should taste like. This is something no one should order....period.
Wasabi Tuna Sandwich ($5,90) - Furikake Salmon Sandwich ($5.90) - More sandwiches! The bread is the same, lightly toasted and buttered on the inside and soft on the outside. The only difference is in the stuffings which are basically wasabi laced tuna and smoked salmon. For what its worth, i liked them both. The wasabi with tuna is a no brainer winner because i simply love sniffing from the wasabi. The salmon was salty and smoked enough to leave a distinctive aftertaste which was enjoyable.
Macha Financier ($2.90) - The financier is simply a fancy name given to a simple dessert. It tastes like green tea tutu kueh with a crispy crust. There's a thin layer of sugar coated atop each financier to add to the taste but i didn't find anything noteworthy.
Macha Azuki ($4.90) - This dessert is significantly better then the Financier. Of particular mention is the red bean paste layer which made the otherwise green tea overloaded dessert bearable. Somehow, the red bean managed to contrast enough and add texture to the dessert for a more satisfying mouthful.
Macha Cotton ($2.90) - Another green tea cake dessert with an additional layer of whipped cream given. Nothing much else i can say apart from the cake being exceptionally fluffy and soft.
Macha Panna Cotta ($4.90) - By this dessert, i've had enough green tea to swear off it forever but still soldiered on to finish it. Smooth, soft and creamy with a balanced green tea taste, this turned out to be rather pleasant.
Macha Latte ($4.80) - Finally, the last item is a macha latte. Hot green tea with sugar and milk which surprisingly, turned out to be the best item i had that night simply because, its hot and served to wash everything down that came before it.
Too much of a good thing really does ruin the taste. Green tea taken by itself is decent but add all te additional stuff and it loses its purpose. The true green tea experience is one that borders on the art of serving and drinking. This version is more towards the younger fast food and Starbucks generation which probably likes the sugar in it. The sandwiches weren't half bad though.
The very unique thing that stood out most about this blogshop is the owner's ability to cross-market her items.
There seems to always be a "get $2 off this item if you purchase another item!" or some other privileges along those lines.
While i think that it is indeed a good sales tactic and it could be rather enticing, i feel that using the method too often could really be a spoiler. It might caused people to think "oh, i should just wait for the next time she has a cool offer again" This could cause her to lose out what she can earn!
However, i must really applaud her for her generosity. There was an entry whereby she offered to give away a necklace for free! No conditions! Simply because she felt inspired from a show she watched. Now THAT is really worth commending because i have NEVER come across anyone who would do such things!
Her accessories are generally intricately designed and exudes her personal style. You can tell that she tries her best to be different and make every piece of her creations as different from the others as possible, unless of course they belong in the same collection.
The website is also well maintained, photos are well taken and basically, very visually pleasing for any passers-by. You would be enticed to browse through her works. Thats a plus point for any blogshop and she's done well in securing that point!
I stumbled upon this blogshop today when i was randomly blogshop-surfing.
*XiLe Creations has quite a wide variety of handmade accessories for sale. It is evident that the maker of the accessories has spent substantial amounts of time and effort in every stage of the process, from purchasing of materials to making the actual accessory.
There is a diverse range of materials used (stones and centerpieces and beads) and the maker of the accessories successfully creates a style for herself, as can be seen from her works.
Most of the accessories there are suitable for everyday casual use as the designs are rather simple and clean cut.
Worth visiting if you enjoy simplicty but also a variety of simplicty at the same time.
With a special breeding technique using advanced Japanese farming methods – the chickens are reared in climate-controlled environments and totally free of antibiotics, growth promoter and chemicals. Hence a menu that offers diners a healthy rendition of the local favourite with no compromise on the flavour and enjoyment factors is born. The Chicken Rice Company is the only chicken rice operator in Singapore to use Sakura Chicken in all their dishes.
Opened in end-May and presently located at Newton Food Centre and Lau Pa Sat, HFB is honoured to be invited by them for a food tasting. The Chicken Platter for Two ($9 for ¼ chicken) when served has noticeably less fat underneath its skin – similar to what you get from Kampong Chicken at Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice.
No doubt one won't be getting that succulent gelatin, or jelly-like texture when biting the skin, the flesh is remarkably tender, succulent and surprisingly sweet-tasting.
Carefully concocted and subjected to stringent recipe tests, The Chicken Rice Company has also put together their special brand of Chilli Sauce that consist of quality Vietnamese Chilli Padis, and hint of Calamansi Juice. In addition, they also came out with a separate Spring Onion-ginger Sauce that is an invigorating mix of spring onion, ginger, garlic and shallots. Therefore one can either dipped their chicken in both sauces separately, or a mixture of both for a combination of spices.
The rice ($0.60) is pretty fragrant and although one does not really taste the oily residue when consuming the rice, I do find the rice slightly mushy – I prefer it to be more al dente – firm and grainy.
For more healthy options, one can also order their Green Vegetables ($3.00). Garnished with fried shallots, I find the vegetables really fresh and crunchy. Although I reckon some would probably find the vegetables too “green”, I personally love vegetables that are not too over-cooked.
Overall, I believe the arrival of Sakura Chicken would be a delight to the health conscious that has been shunning Chicken Rice for ‘oily’ reasons. With a slight twitching to their rice, I surmise The Chicken Rice Company will be a force to reckon with in the industry in time to come.
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Heard that Friends was having a special promotion for dinner so popped down the Jelita outlet one weekday evening with my gf.
Located on the 2nd floor of Jelita Shopping Centre in the upclass residential area of Holland, Friends @ Jelita's interior was simply done up with nice leather seats. Very nice and clean feel till I spotted a table with empty plates and cutlery still on it and no one seemed to be taking the initiative to clear it. And no, the wait staff weren't busy. It wasn't until probably about 5 minutes after we had taken our seats were the plates unhurriedly cleared. Sadly, first impression speaks volumes.
Complimentary Bread - Served up in the folds of a napkin which obviously didn't do a good job of keeping it warm, the complimentary bread was average at best. Tasted like normal bread you could buy from any generic bakery in the heartlands.
Pan Seared Tuna with Nicoise Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette - The tuna was nicely seasoned with salt and pepper and pan seared till cooked on the outside but raw on the inside. Very nice and tasty. However I did find it a little too dry. And portions were rather dainty - 3 small slices of tuna.
Chicken Caesar Salad with Garlic Bread and Parmesan Biscuit - A most forgettable dish and one that relied soley on caesar salad dressing to give the whole dish taste. The chicken pieces were bland and rather soft.
Pan Seared Sakura Chicken Breast on Caramelised Pumpkin, Grilled Vegetables and Orange White Wine Reduction - As tantalising as the name may sound, the sakura chicken breast wasn't a big deal really. For one the meat tasted like normal chicken breast which you can get off the shelves at any supermarket. The caramelised pumpkin didn't exactly sit well with me as the sweetness of the pumpkin didn't blend well with the caramel in my humble opinion.
Peppered Sliced Beef Tenderloin with Sautéed Spaghetti & Vodka-Tomato Sauce - The spaghetti was overcooked, coming across as a tad too soft, which also happens to be the bane of the sliced beef. Taste but no texture. Probably the only saving grace was the tomato based sauce which was relatively light with a nice tinge of smoky after taste.
Chef Kenneth’s Gourmet Trio of Chocolate Desserts - This name bearing dessert was a letdown. Very very ordinary if you ask me. Put 3 small pieces of chocolate and mousse together and viola, you get Chef Kenneth's gourmet trio of chocolate desserts. Very chocolaty, which is good if you are a chocolate addict.
Coconut Panna Cotta - Another average dessert, the quivery but a little glutinous coconut panna cotta carried an evident taste of coconut without the raspberry sauce being too overwhelming. It should/could have been good but more work probably needs to be done on the texture first.
$47 for an average dinner for 2 isn't really that expensive honestly, especially when theres service and ambience thrown in as well. But quality of food here really needs to buck up and I believe I'm not the only one who thinks so.
1=SGD 0.0587
Had the opportunity to partake in a food tasting session at Fresh Bulggogi, courtesy of Benny, the marketing manager for Zingrill Holdings, which also owns and operates the Breeks, Seoul Garden and Zingdo chains of restaurants.
Located on level 3 of the viewing gallery at Changi Airport Terminal 2, Fresh Bulggogi spots a fresh lime green and black facade and plays immediate neighbour to Fish & Co. The interior (at least where I sat) consists of booth seats that can seat 4 pax very comfortably or 6 pax if you happen to be smaller in size. The concept of Fresh Bulggogi is built upon that of Seoul Garden save for 2 major differences. First, it only has an ala carte menu with no buffet option. Second, the food items sold are slightly more upmarket, with stuff like half shell scallops, sashimi grade salmon, just to name a few. It also serves up quick meals like Bibim Baps for time strapped customers who are in a hurry to catch their flights. For customers who dread perspiring while having steamboat, this place eliminates the problem by placing the pot in a dug in enclosure and installing cool air blowers right above the pot level. This prevents the heat from dissipating upwards and keeps the surroundings cool.
Pine Mushroom Salad with Prawns - Honestly the salad wasn't to my liking and was rather lacklustre in my humble opinion. The pine mushrooms tasted rather bland while the prawns were rather small in size and barely sweet. However there is one positive remark I must make and that is the effort put in to remove the prawn intestines. Not many places, even high class restaurants, bother doing so.
Deep Fried Assorted Mushrooms - This was actually comfort food for all of us. Assorted mushrooms coated with batter and deep fried till crisp on the outside yet soft on the inside. Very nice and chewy but I did find the batter a wee bit too thick. A little more moisture in the mushrooms would also be much appreciated.
Kimchi Jjigae with Sliced Salmon (김치찌개) - Unfortunately, none of us at the table could fully appreciate this humble Korean stew. It was essentially vegetables, mushrooms and rice cakes in a kimchi broth. According to wikipedia, Kimchi Jjigae is best cooked with older more fermented kimchi, which creates a much stronger taste and also contains more beneficial bacteria also found in yoghurt. The salmon slices were passably fresh but tasted rather weird with the kimchi broth.
Garlic Chicken Bap - A classic Korean dish and one that I've eaten a couple of times, the garlic chicken bap was surprisingly quite decent. For starters, the kimchi was lightly sour and spicy while the chicken was well marinated and you could actually taste the marination. Add the fact that the rice was moist and a little sticky and it made for a rather nice dish.
Premium Set C (Chicken Breast Meat, Beef Bulggogi, Chicken Bulggogi and Sliced Beef) - For our steamboat, we had a choice of 2 soup bases, kimchi and chicken, of which we chose the latter. I wouldn't go as far as to say the broth was great, but it was decently sweet yet light.
We had the premium set C for the sliced beef. Seriously, how bad can steamboat get? Everything tasted relatively fresh but the thinly sliced beef did look a darker shade of red as compared to what other tables were getting (this is based purely on our observations). The set is meant for 2 but in case the ingredients are insufficient, there is always the ala carte top up option.
Chicken Bulggogi & Korean Rice Cakes - 2 of our top up options, the chicken bulggogi, which the Koreans eat with lettuce and the rice cakes, which look like sliced fishcakes but tasted to me like chewy kueh when cooked.
Honestly, I know nuts to nothing about Korean food but personally I found the food overall to be rather decent, maybe not wholly authentic but certainly very edible. Prices are on the high side ( the damage for 4 pax was about $165 inclusive of 6 juices/soft drinks and 4 ice cream desserts) but thats to be expected since its at the airport. Oh and take note that they do not serve sky juice. Service was friendly but the place did seem a little short handed at times.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
I am quite sad to say that even as a Singaporean, the first plane that I seat on was not a Singapore Airlines plane. Recently, I finally had the chance to sit on one. Hee….. Once step into the plane, it is pretty much like stepping into any other airlines plane, clean and tidy. Along the way, there will be friendly and smiling air steward or stewardess to guide and help you to get to your seat. After which, they would start serving hot towels to everyone as well. If I did not manage to get a copy of Straits Time before I board the plane, I would ask for a copy. Sad to say once in a while, the air stewardess would forget about it.
While on the plane, they did their best to keep us comfortable, and try to keep up with all our requests. Their service was really good when it comes to serving drinks and meals. This is definitely their plus point here. When it comes to their food, well it seems that they only changed their menu every two months, so in the end, I got to every dish in the menu over and over again. *Mental note: To request for special meals when booking tickets next time*
Next come to their entertainment system. Sad to say I am not very impressed with the system as it tends to fail me a few times or required a few times of reset. It is also a bit slow in reaction as well. At least they do change the movies every month so at least I got new movies to watch. It would be much better if they give better quality earphones. Once the system at the seat I was seating was defective, so they gave me a US$50 voucher to use for the KrisShop. Hee…. Too bad it can be only used on the plane.
All in all, I quite liked the service onboard the plane as they would make customers as comfortable as possible.
Rating given:
Very interesting online store!
The main products are the Curious Curios charm jewellery, consisting of necklaces, rings and earrings.
There are also clutches that are specially and lovingly handsewn by Mel, the owner of the Curiosity Shoppe. She prides herself of extremely stringent quality control for her clutches, so much so that she's start from scratch if she's dissatisfied with any aspect of a clutch! Imagine the cost and efforts involved in that... it totally makes her clutches worth paying for!
There are also charms for DIY accessories available for sale on the site.
Not only does Mel make trinklets, she also makes the trees for you to hang you trinklets and keep them tidy! So basically, you'll have to look no further than this store because she kinda "thinks ahead" for you and makes what you need.
The highlight, however, i think should be her Curious Curios charm jewellery!
I've purchased rather many pieces of accessories from her (i think adding everything up, should have hit at least 10 pieces!) and i can assure you that the quality of her accessories is nothing short of awesome. I'm not kidding!
I especially love her necklaces! There are many different series and each have their uniqueness. Not much wire work in place, but the way the chains and charms all come together nicely to form something so awesome is just worthy of commending! Some pieces are nice and simple, others are more complex in design, but all are visually enticing!
Every necklace also comes with a different poetry or a short paragraph or some sort of short story that's uniquely written by Mel herself. It adds a very artistic feel to everything. She also takes it to another level by using charms that are quite out of the ordinary. Why do i say so? Because many other accessory-makers aren't willing to take the risk to experiment with those "weird looking" charms, but Mel essentially captures the whole spirit of the charm and really glorifies it to its fullest potential.
If I'm not mistaken, she uses gold-plated/non-tarnish chains and its really true. They really don't tarnish! Many other accessories have caused me to have itchy allergy reactions after wearing them for sometimes, especially if i perspire since i have horribly sensitive skin, but nothing ever seems to happen when i her accessories. I am really amazed and i can't help but keep going back for more!
Then there are the nice, simple and catchy word-necklaces that every youth is crazy over because one word says it all! Teenagers, especially, would digg those necklaces.
There are also pieces which make use of semi-precious stones and those would probably appeal more to slightly more matured ladies! Very elegant and classy pieces.
Recently, one of the well-loved necklaces (meaning i like it so much that i wear it very frequently) snapped and i immediately contacted Mel about it. She responded very promptly and offered to fix it at no charge! She is very friendly, easy-going and very helpful. Great after-sales service.
I'm a really satisfied customer of Mel's Curiosity Shoppe and you should totally check it out if you can!
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Friends is a restaurant i've passed by plenty of times during my tenure in the bank at Serangoon Garden. It always appealed to me but never did entice me to go inside due to the mostly al fresco dining concept which i detested. How wrong i was when i finally tried and went inside for a quiet meal with a friend.
Complimentary Bread - Complimentary bread was served warm and covered in a rather tastily chosen basket with red cloth. The bread itself is normal though.
The exterior of the place belies the sheer space that adorns the inside of the restaurant. Once inside, i was astonished to see how big spacious the restaurant was and it came with comfortable short legged seats, wine glass and rectangular wooden tables. Lighting was dim and relaxed with a primarily laid back atmosphere to the place. It was also rather quiet that night which thus gave me the impression that no one will chase you away if you chose to have a quiet or rowdy night there with friends.
Tasmanian Apple Wood Smoked Salmon/Tea Smoked Tuna with Fennel Salad - For the above 2 appetisers, i managed to have a fair bit of both as my friend apparently doesn't like anything raw. The apple wood smoked salmon was pretty good, its possible to taste the smoke in the salmon rather strongly and it was quite salty as well. The taste grows on you after awhile but tends to overwhelm pretty soon. The tea smoke tuna was also smoke but to a much lesser extent. The taste was mild and lacked the strength the salmon version had.
South Australian Duo Of Grilled Lamb Shoulder Chops - The lamb shoulder chops was rather good. Done medium rather and served with garlic, shallots and mint jus, the overall concoction was light and sweet. The meat was tender and slightly bloody as well which was made to my order. Simple yet enjoyable.
Pan Seared "Sakura" chicken breast stuffed with macadamia
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Bitter Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Campote - I had a piece of the chicken breast and it had a honey taste to it along with it being extremely tender and chewy. The bitter chocolate mousse was served with a strawberry and raspberry which turned out to be very sour. The chocolate mousse itself was not truly bitter and had some small chunks in it which was rather different. Not too bad really.
The meal came up to $47 after gst and service charge and a one for one meal offer. Expect to pay $100 for the above if you came without a Citibank card.
First off, thank you Max for the meal. Its fun catching up. The meal was pretty decent for me on this one but the best thing about it was the one for one offer which cut the bill in half. Upon further examination, i would not pay $39.90 for the meal per person as it strikes me as not value for money. However, for this round where the bill is basically $20 per head, its good enough to recommend. I repeat, bring a Citibank card. Go at your own peril without it.
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Country Mana restaurant used to be one of my favorite restaurants during my younger years as it was more affordable then most and was easily found in the eastern end of Singapore. However, time has passed and now, there are only about 2 to 3 of this restaurant still running and it was this thought that i brought my gf to the branch at Serangoon Gardens.
The restaurant is located on the second floor along a group of shop houses which include Sushi Tei, Guardian Pharmacy and a chinese eating house. The interior is true to form with its country style wooden furnishings and dim lighting complete with a small counter.
Country Mana Soup ($4.99) - The country mana experience is never complete until you've tasted the soup. That used to be the case but not anymore unfortunately. In my memory, the soup was filled to the brim with chicken, vegetables and excellent broth but this version i got was lacking in precisely that. What it did retain was the nicely done pastry covering which was fragrant with a strong butter taste and still went well with the soup overall. Still, its difficult not to feel shortchanged when i've had the more full bodied version in ages past.
Whole Roasted Spring Chicken in Special Herbal Spices ($17.49) -
After a bittersweet soup, we weren't holding much hope for the chicken to follow but we were sorely mistaken. The chicken was served cut in half and came with a baked potato sprinkled with some bacon bits and sour cream, a salad and some mango pieces. It looked pretty appetising to say the truth. The potato could have done with more sour cream and bacon bits and could be hotter when served but nothing devastating. The chicken is the real star.
Cooked "home style" according to the menu, it was roasted to a nice golden brown with a thin crispy skin and well marinated meat. The meat itself was tender and contained minimal visible fat which was a big plus. The marinate probably contained ground pepper which gave it a light spicy taste. Otherwise, the chicken tasted strangely sweet with juices and slightly smokey. The only downside would be that it did come across as a tad too oily but otherwise, it was enjoyable.
Brownies with Vanilla Ice Cream ($5.99) - After a good main course, we were looking forward to a good finishing to wrap up the night. That was sadly not completed as the brownie was too dry and simply did not have the gourmet taste and texture it should. The ice cream was simple vanilla which i liked but still, the dessert was average at best.
The bill came up to $39.39 for 2 people.
To say the food was excellent is a lie but i can't deny that the main course was good. In fact, its the place's only saving grace that night apart from the wonderful service rendered. I wouldn't write the place off yet, partially due to nostalgia and partially due to the main course which gave me some hope that the other mains might be as good. Try it yourself to see if it fits your bill.
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Green tea has been an obsession of Singaporeans since the introduction of it being a product for health began some years ago. How good it really is? Nobody really knows, it can be a myth, such as milk being really a by product which was overstocked and hence the "Got Milk?" campaign or maybe it does have wonderful healing properties. The bottom line is, nobody lives long enough to really understand it, do we? Anyhow, sorry for rambling, i met up with LIC one night for his first ever food outing which he organized. And the following is what we had.
First off, thank you LIC for organizing the event. Though there is still room for improvement, the general idea was a success. Good stuff.
O Cha cha is a green tea concept cafe located in the basement of Raffles City shopping center. Given its prime location, the cafe itself is rather small with a definite emphasis on space maximization. Tables and chairs were the generic plastic version with a clean overall look, there were cushion seats as well but as usual, its in short supply.
Complimentary chips - Seaweed crackers, always a welcome sight. I suspect they are Calbee potato chips but i may be wrong.
Matcha Rocks ($4.95) - Chilled green tea with sugar will sum this up. Its light and too sweet for my tastes. Can't imagine paying a premium price for this actually.
Ochacha Rocks ($4.95) - Chilled green tea with sugar and milk. Now why didn't i think of this item myself? Anyway, it has a heavier taste compared to its prior cousin and is also too sweet as well.
Shiitake Mushroom soup - The shittake mushroom soup reminds me of renditions in Eden cafe with the exception that there's cream thrown into the mix. The result is a soup reminiscent of campbells but with more mushroom bits thrown in. To its merit, the soup was filled with mushroom bits however, to its detriment, it was too salty.
Sakura Egg Sandwich ($4.80) - The size of this sandwich is rather consoling given the price. In fact, i'd gladly pay the money for it. The egg was done nicely and had a slight sweetness given off by the egg. Light and easily likable. Who can resist a simple egg sandwich? Not I says me.
Azuki Freezie ($6.90) - When i saw the drink, i was thinking: " oh my, another green tea?" But thankfully, this one was pretty good. Green tea with sugar/milk and crushed ice. Creativity never fails to amaze me. Either way, the drink was freezing cold and hit the spot for my sugar tooth this time around.
Salad With Orange Dressing - Something the boss added as a last minute item to the menu. Going for the same price, i'd normally rake in the praises for something free and healthy but would have to refrain from it this time. The salad itself is no contest, after all, how bad can salad be? The dressing is another story. Sour, saltish and totally unapalatable, it made me miss how normal salads should taste like. This is something no one should order....period.
Wasabi Tuna Sandwich ($5,90) - Furikake Salmon Sandwich ($5.90) - More sandwiches! The bread is the same, lightly toasted and buttered on the inside and soft on the outside. The only difference is in the stuffings which are basically wasabi laced tuna and smoked salmon. For what its worth, i liked them both. The wasabi with tuna is a no brainer winner because i simply love sniffing from the wasabi. The salmon was salty and smoked enough to leave a distinctive aftertaste which was enjoyable.
Macha Financier ($2.90) - The financier is simply a fancy name given to a simple dessert. It tastes like green tea tutu kueh with a crispy crust. There's a thin layer of sugar coated atop each financier to add to the taste but i didn't find anything noteworthy.
Macha Azuki ($4.90) - This dessert is significantly better then the Financier. Of particular mention is the red bean paste layer which made the otherwise green tea overloaded dessert bearable. Somehow, the red bean managed to contrast enough and add texture to the dessert for a more satisfying mouthful.
Macha Cotton ($2.90) - Another green tea cake dessert with an additional layer of whipped cream given. Nothing much else i can say apart from the cake being exceptionally fluffy and soft.
Macha Panna Cotta ($4.90) - By this dessert, i've had enough green tea to swear off it forever but still soldiered on to finish it. Smooth, soft and creamy with a balanced green tea taste, this turned out to be rather pleasant.
Macha Latte ($4.80) - Finally, the last item is a macha latte. Hot green tea with sugar and milk which surprisingly, turned out to be the best item i had that night simply because, its hot and served to wash everything down that came before it.
Too much of a good thing really does ruin the taste. Green tea taken by itself is decent but add all te additional stuff and it loses its purpose. The true green tea experience is one that borders on the art of serving and drinking. This version is more towards the younger fast food and Starbucks generation which probably likes the sugar in it. The sandwiches weren't half bad though.
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The very unique thing that stood out most about this blogshop is the owner's ability to cross-market her items.
There seems to always be a "get $2 off this item if you purchase another item!" or some other privileges along those lines.
While i think that it is indeed a good sales tactic and it could be rather enticing, i feel that using the method too often could really be a spoiler. It might caused people to think "oh, i should just wait for the next time she has a cool offer again" This could cause her to lose out what she can earn!
However, i must really applaud her for her generosity. There was an entry whereby she offered to give away a necklace for free! No conditions! Simply because she felt inspired from a show she watched. Now THAT is really worth commending because i have NEVER come across anyone who would do such things!
Her accessories are generally intricately designed and exudes her personal style. You can tell that she tries her best to be different and make every piece of her creations as different from the others as possible, unless of course they belong in the same collection.
The website is also well maintained, photos are well taken and basically, very visually pleasing for any passers-by. You would be enticed to browse through her works. Thats a plus point for any blogshop and she's done well in securing that point!
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I stumbled upon this blogshop today when i was randomly blogshop-surfing.
*XiLe Creations has quite a wide variety of handmade accessories for sale. It is evident that the maker of the accessories has spent substantial amounts of time and effort in every stage of the process, from purchasing of materials to making the actual accessory.
There is a diverse range of materials used (stones and centerpieces and beads) and the maker of the accessories successfully creates a style for herself, as can be seen from her works.
Most of the accessories there are suitable for everyday casual use as the designs are rather simple and clean cut.
Worth visiting if you enjoy simplicty but also a variety of simplicty at the same time.
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With a special breeding technique using advanced Japanese farming methods – the chickens are reared in climate-controlled environments and totally free of antibiotics, growth promoter and chemicals. Hence a menu that offers diners a healthy rendition of the local favourite with no compromise on the flavour and enjoyment factors is born. The Chicken Rice Company is the only chicken rice operator in Singapore to use Sakura Chicken in all their dishes.
Opened in end-May and presently located at Newton Food Centre and Lau Pa Sat, HFB is honoured to be invited by them for a food tasting. The Chicken Platter for Two ($9 for ¼ chicken) when served has noticeably less fat underneath its skin – similar to what you get from Kampong Chicken at Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice.
No doubt one won't be getting that succulent gelatin, or jelly-like texture when biting the skin, the flesh is remarkably tender, succulent and surprisingly sweet-tasting.
Carefully concocted and subjected to stringent recipe tests, The Chicken Rice Company has also put together their special brand of Chilli Sauce that consist of quality Vietnamese Chilli Padis, and hint of Calamansi Juice. In addition, they also came out with a separate Spring Onion-ginger Sauce that is an invigorating mix of spring onion, ginger, garlic and shallots. Therefore one can either dipped their chicken in both sauces separately, or a mixture of both for a combination of spices.
The rice ($0.60) is pretty fragrant and although one does not really taste the oily residue when consuming the rice, I do find the rice slightly mushy – I prefer it to be more al dente – firm and grainy.
For more healthy options, one can also order their Green Vegetables ($3.00). Garnished with fried shallots, I find the vegetables really fresh and crunchy. Although I reckon some would probably find the vegetables too “green”, I personally love vegetables that are not too over-cooked.
Overall, I believe the arrival of Sakura Chicken would be a delight to the health conscious that has been shunning Chicken Rice for ‘oily’ reasons. With a slight twitching to their rice, I surmise The Chicken Rice Company will be a force to reckon with in the industry in time to come.
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
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Heard that Friends was having a special promotion for dinner so popped down the Jelita outlet one weekday evening with my gf.
Located on the 2nd floor of Jelita Shopping Centre in the upclass residential area of Holland, Friends @ Jelita's interior was simply done up with nice leather seats. Very nice and clean feel till I spotted a table with empty plates and cutlery still on it and no one seemed to be taking the initiative to clear it. And no, the wait staff weren't busy. It wasn't until probably about 5 minutes after we had taken our seats were the plates unhurriedly cleared. Sadly, first impression speaks volumes.
Complimentary Bread - Served up in the folds of a napkin which obviously didn't do a good job of keeping it warm, the complimentary bread was average at best. Tasted like normal bread you could buy from any generic bakery in the heartlands.
Pan Seared Tuna with Nicoise Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette - The tuna was nicely seasoned with salt and pepper and pan seared till cooked on the outside but raw on the inside. Very nice and tasty. However I did find it a little too dry. And portions were rather dainty - 3 small slices of tuna.
Chicken Caesar Salad with Garlic Bread and Parmesan Biscuit - A most forgettable dish and one that relied soley on caesar salad dressing to give the whole dish taste. The chicken pieces were bland and rather soft.
Pan Seared Sakura Chicken Breast on Caramelised Pumpkin, Grilled Vegetables and Orange White Wine Reduction - As tantalising as the name may sound, the sakura chicken breast wasn't a big deal really. For one the meat tasted like normal chicken breast which you can get off the shelves at any supermarket. The caramelised pumpkin didn't exactly sit well with me as the sweetness of the pumpkin didn't blend well with the caramel in my humble opinion.
Peppered Sliced Beef Tenderloin with Sautéed Spaghetti & Vodka-Tomato Sauce - The spaghetti was overcooked, coming across as a tad too soft, which also happens to be the bane of the sliced beef. Taste but no texture. Probably the only saving grace was the tomato based sauce which was relatively light with a nice tinge of smoky after taste.
Chef Kenneth’s Gourmet Trio of Chocolate Desserts - This name bearing dessert was a letdown. Very very ordinary if you ask me. Put 3 small pieces of chocolate and mousse together and viola, you get Chef Kenneth's gourmet trio of chocolate desserts. Very chocolaty, which is good if you are a chocolate addict.
Coconut Panna Cotta - Another average dessert, the quivery but a little glutinous coconut panna cotta carried an evident taste of coconut without the raspberry sauce being too overwhelming. It should/could have been good but more work probably needs to be done on the texture first.
$47 for an average dinner for 2 isn't really that expensive honestly, especially when theres service and ambience thrown in as well. But quality of food here really needs to buck up and I believe I'm not the only one who thinks so.
See all my pictures here.
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