Never try the food in this store till recently my brother being curious and order one cheesy fish set from the Paddy's fish store.
Well this store is located at the foodcourt of Northpoint shopping centre in Yishun .
The price range is $4.50 to $20
so it is quite Extraordinary to have this kind of stall found in a food court as most of the food stall only sell their food pricing range from $4 to $6 max ....which is what i think....
We were in dilemma of cheesy fish or mushroom fish so after the auntie recommend we decide on cheesy fish ! $4.50
it is unexpectedly NICE !!!
as the cooking was on the outside which mean we watched how the fish is being cooked...the process was quite fun !haha, i am thrilled by it !
so after trying i have decided that next time when i passed by northpoint i will try the next fish meal !
this is really something different from the usual western food !
i just wanted to point out that in addition to my review earlier, they called asking me to go for a trial session (just!) under the name 'cuppage spa.' i asked whether they were under true spa before they said yes. and yes, as usual there are a gazillion slots for trialists but none for members. you have been warned.
the number used was 64386359. smart company isnt it? changing their publicised name in the hopes of swindling even more people. disgusting, filthy creatures.
Hua Yu Wee (华友园) is the last standing seafood restaurant along Upper East Coast Road, an area that used to be populated by many seafood restaurants which have now all shifted to East Coast Park, save for this sole survivor. I remember eating at this restaurant with my relatives from time to time as a kid when there were occasions for celebration.
Hua Yu occupies an old colonial bunglow that has been converted into a restaurant and offers both al fresco and airconditioned dining areas. The interior is homely with its white washed walls but noise is a big problem here as the area is enclosed and with so many conversations going on at the same time, you might really have to raise your voice a little to be heard.
Homemade Tofu - The tofu was quite good. A little crisp on the outside yet soft and quivery on the inside. The layer of compacted spinach and dried scallop shreds atop provided a nice savoury taste to the tofu while the golden mushrooms and enoki gave it that extra bite.
Stir Fried Dou Miao - I thought that the dou miao fried with garlic was a little too bland and a dash of salt would have been much appreciated. On the upside, it wasn't overcooked, which sealed in the flavour and texture of this vegetable.
Salted Egg Pork Ribs - Interestingly, this is the first time I've eaten pork ribs coated with salted egg yolk and deep fried. And it didn't really impress me much. For starters, the taste of the egg yolk was rather faint and overall the ribs were bland. To compound matters, the ribs didn't taste fresh, more like frozen products really. Judging from the colour of the ribs (red), I believe duck eggs were used.
Black Pepper Crayfish - $14 for 2 small crayfish halved up into 4 pieces is definitely a no go. But to give it credit, the crayfish was fresh and the meat firm. However I did think that the pepper taste was overwhelming, threatening to numb my tastebuds.
The 3 of us chalked up a bill of $53 which is decent enough for the food quality. Standards seemed to have dropped significantly since the last time I visited about 10 years ago but that seems to be the trend everywhere! I doubt I'll be back though. Adiós my old friend.
A Tudor-style dining place with waitresses dolled in French maids outfits, stepping into Angus Steakhouse, located at a corner of Ngee Ann City 4th level, is akin to entering into a time-wrapped. One will find piped-in Muzak piano to give the place a rustic, quaint yet comforting character. However, one might want to avoid seating near the open kitchen, as it might get too greasy and smoky from the fumes.
Dinner was underway with the complimentary bread and butter – served warm, crusty on the outside and fluffy on the inside, a spread of the Japanese soft butter seeks to enhance the best of this simple yet wonderful dough.
The appetiser, that was part of the set dinner, which initially thought to be Vietnamese Rice-paper Roll by all of us, was given a magnificent twist – prawns were battered and deep fried, coupled by a hint of Japanese mayo, instantaneously brought the plain old boring rice-paper roll back to life. The harmony between the crusty prawn and crunchy greens was simply delightful – so much so that it prompted my mum to comment that the serving wasn’t enough.
½ dozen of Fresh Live Oysters ($18.00) served chilled were fresh and plump – no complains here as HFB thinks this is how oysters should be served. A wrench of lemon, a drip of Tabasco sauce, and a big slurp completes this simple yet always pleasing dish.
The Carrot Soup, again part of the set dinner, was subtle with a tint of sweetness from this root vegetable. We all agreed that it could be slightly more salted for a more robust taste as the cream seeks to overwhelm the flavour towards the end.
Garden Salad, provided along with the set dinner, was drizzled in Japanese Sesame Dressing – uncomplicated dish.
After a series of starters, the main lead finally arrived – 200gm Ribeye Steak ($53.50 for a set dinner). Doneness of the steak was partially achieved, some parts came in medium rare as how HFB would want it to be, but other parts were significantly medium-well to well done.
But no complains from me this time round as the steak was still tender and marbled with fats. Paired with a slab of herb butter, this steak was slightly velvety and smooth to consume. However, what I find objectionable was the cut of beef soaked in brimming, what seemed like brown sauce with radish. Not too sure whether that was deliberate, or a result of juices from a not so rested piece of steak.
Dessert for the night was a small slice of Tiramisu. Not the best, but what HFB like was that it was well laden with the alcohol – not too overwhelming yet strong enough to taste.
Dinner was completed not with wine this time round, but Asahi Draft Beer ($8.50) instead, served in a nice vintage-looking bronze metal cup.
You can view the all photos and other reviews HERE.
Basilico at The Regent Singapore is named after basil, a humble perennial herb that is featured prominently in Italian cuisine. This two month old Italian restaurant, which took over the now defunct Capers, is helmed by 3 Italians - Executive Chef Claudio Rossi, Restaurant Chef Angelo Ciccone and Pizza Chef Carmine Esposito, who hail from northern and southern Italy.
Located on the second level of this prestigious Four Seasons hotel, Basilico's interior is designed by renowned Japanese architect Yasuhiro Koichi and dazzles with its centrepiece crystal chandelier and circular open space dining concept which houses three open kitchens - antipasto, the hot kitchen and pasticceria (desserts). For those who wish to dine al fresco, there is the option of dining by the pool.
Complimentary Bread - I thought that the focaccia was quite decent, just a tad cold when served, which made it a little dry and hard on the outside. But I did like the slightly chewy texture it carried and of course the interesting repertoire of dips that came alongside, with the most notable one being mascarpone cheese, which can usually be found in tiramisu. The sheets of cheese crackers came across as rather average though.
Cacciucco di Pesce (Fresh Seafood in Lobster and Tomato Stew) - The lobster and tomato stew was rich in flavours yet did not overwhelm, making for a nice savoury soup with a tinge of spice. The servings of scallops, prawns and squid cubes were relatively generous as a whole, which was definitely a step in the right direction.
Focaccia Pita - I couldn't quite catch the name of this dish but it is, beyond a doubt, the shining star of the evening. Made with focaccia and stuffed with black truffle and mascarpone cheese, it looked anything but asthetically pleasing. However, the charmer came in the form of its considerably thin crust that had a nice chewy texture to it. Throw in a nice and light creamily cheesy undertone sans the nausea and you get an excellent pita dish.
Pizza Prosciutto - To be very honest, I thought the pizza was quite good but certainly not to the extent of outstanding. Granted, the crust was thin and baked to a crisp golden brown with the parma ham lightly smokey. But the pizza did seem a little bland overall. There was a harmonious cohesion amongst the ingredients but that failed to ignite any sparks (aka boring).
Risotto alla Pugliese - The risotto didn't quite do it for me as the arborio rice came across as a tad too hard for my liking. If its any consolation, the servings of diced lobster, prawn, scallop and asparagus were generous to say the least. I do wonder about the green foam atop though.
Wagyu Beef - Grilled to medium rare as per my request, the wagyu failed to impress. That's not to say it wasn't any good, just that I'm rather picky when it comes to steak. The beef carried an oily aftertaste that was quite prominent and invoked nausea. The steak sauce that came alongside wasn't really effective in masking the oily taste even though it carried a noticable amount of alcohol. On the upside, this was a quality piece of meat, which was naturally sweet and succulent with a proportionate amount of fats.
Semifreddo al Torroncino - I thought that the almond parfait was quite good with a consistently smooth and creamy texture which had bits of almond in it. The stewed sour cherries below provided a much needed jolt to tingle my jaded senses.
Apple Tart with Marsala Cream - Personally I felt that the apple tart was rather normal as the crust was a bit too dry but lightly buttery. The apple slices were bland and the marsala cream provided the alcoholic content.
Fig Tart - I dislike figs but surprisingly the crust was different from that of the apple tart, coming across as moist and leaning a little towards crumble. Personally I prefered this crust over that of the apple tart.
Raspberry Panna Cotta - One of the more unusual panna cottas I've come across so far, Basilico's rendition tasted more like mousse with an almond jelly aftertaste. Certainly not what I would expect from a good panna cotta.
The meal ended with a glass of groppino, which is essentially a lemon sorbet, champagne, mint and vodka concoction that is supposed to help you digest. I'm not sure it did the trick for me though.
All in all the meal was rather satisfying except for the desserts, which fell rather flat in my humble opinion. I'm not exactly sure how prices are like because the meal was complimentary, courtesy of HGW. I'm sure that in time, with some tweaks here and there, Basilico will be able to hold its own against the likes of other well know Italian restaurants like Senso, Garibaldi, Il Lido etc.
Heard quite a fair bit about Ah Chiang's porridge, which is situated amongst the conservation area of Tiong Bahru and boasts a rich history dating back to 1971. The various media appearances are seemingly testament to its honest to goodness bowls of porridge which are painstakingly cooked over a charcoal stove.
Occupying a corner unit, Ah Chiang's can take about 30 people or so and tables are on a first come first serve basis, very much like any mom and pop coffee shops around. On both occasions that I went, at 1230pm on a Saturday and 1030am on a Sunday, seats were readily available but I understand that long waits are to be expected especially in the morning.
Intestine Porridge with Meatballs & Century Egg Porridge with Chicken - At $5.50, this was a rather expensive bowl of porridge. The focus was undoubtedly on the porridge, which came across as smooth with bits of grains and didn't seem too starchy. The quantity of ingredients were acceptable at best and if it wasn't for the extra meatballs, the intestines alone would have been a sorry sight. Not that the meatballs or intestines tasted fantastic anyways. I could also detect MSG in the porridge, but I guess that's rather common in porridge nowadays. The bowl of century egg porridge cost slightly lesser, at $4.50 for a sprinkling of century egg and chicken slices. As with the previous dish, the porridge itself was the star while the century egg and chicken slices were merely average.
Honestly, I found the porridge quite decent overall, just that prices are a tad too steep.
MYnt is blogshop worthy of visiting simple because of the owner's honesty and humility.
Some other blogshop owners think that they are "high and mighty" just because they can make accessories that people want to buy, and many times, even a small request for changes would be turned down and rejected using the "I would like to preserve my artistic dignity" approach. But this is not the case for MYnt.
I'm not saying that she doesn't protect the rights to alter her work, but she's very nice about it. I took a liking to a pair of earrings but they were 9cm in length which was too long for me, so i asked if she would shorten it to 6cm and even add another shorter 4cm chain. She very kindly did it and sent me a photo of how it looked after alterations.
Best of all, she didn't try to increase the price of the item! Many other blogshop owners will increase the price as long as something even as small as a 4cm length of chains is being added. I think that isn't a very nice thing to do. Which is why i'm commending MYnt for her kindness and for being un-calculative over such matters.
I also ordered another necklace from her. Typically, based on comparisons with several other blogshops that i visit regularly, the necklace i purchased (refer to the 4th photo) could cost from $35 to $48 because of the uniqueness of the design and the various materials used. However, MYnt only charges $15 for the necklace! It looked like something from Betsy Johnson's past-season collection which i was in love with but didn't manage to get! So i knew i HAD to have it!
I like her blogshop because the only thing that's editted are the wordings. Other than that, the photos aren't drastically brightened just to make the accessories look better than they are, which i really appreciate, cuz it can suck when accessories look better on the computer screen and you get so disappointed when you receive it and see it as what it really is. I was very pleased with my purchase when i received them! They actually looked a tiny bit better than in photos.
After i paid the owner, she even thanked me vociferously for supporting the blogshop and that's something that very very few blogshop owners do. And for that, i WILL carry on patronizing MYnt, cuz i think she deserves it.
Do visit MYnt soon! Nice and chic accessories at very affordable prices... you don't even have to think twice about it!
Just happened to pass by this stall at Bugis Junction which was featured in the Straits Times sometime back about its fries so decided to give it a shot, especially since this is probably the only place in Singapore that sells poutine (to my limited knowledge).
Poutine - $4.90 gets you a medium size serving of thick cut fries with the skin still intact, covered in a sporadic layer of cheese curds and drizzled with beef gravy. I personally felt that the fries were too thickly cut, which resulted in some parts being overly hard while some parts were soft. The gravy wasn't hot enough( it was at room temperature!) to melt the cheese curds, unlike that of New York Fries, which pours hot/warm gravy over the curds to melt them onto the fries for a absolutely delicious experience. I also thought that the salt content was a little too excessive as good fries, in my humble opinion, only require minimal salt.
Its origins dated back to the nineteenth century of Qing Dynasty – affectionately known as Bamboo Noodles, or 竹升面, it is highly regarded for its smooth and tangy texture. The secret to its delectable taste and texture lies in the rigorous production process.
Traditionally hand-made, it is rubbed, kneaded and mixed into dough before being pressed with a long and thick bamboo pole. Using his whole body weight, the master chef will skillfully maneuver the pole back and forth to achieve the springy bite of the noodles.
However, at 大吃の喜, thanks to the ingenious engineering brain of Mr John See and the support from his wife, Amy, one no longer needs to travel all the way to Guangzhou, China (where John first discovered the dish) to sample this appetising noodles – he spent 18 months to invent his very own bamboo noodles production machine! What used to painstakingly take 2 hours to produce this wonderful chow is now reduced to a mere 45 minutes!!! Located in one of the refurbished shophouses along Joo Chiat, at the corner of Koon Send Road, 大吃の喜, or Tai Shek Hei, is a noodle specialist that produces their own palatable noodles with the freshest ingredients.
The verdict: This was probably one of most “Q” or springy noodles HFB has ever tried in his life (The trick is to slurp the noodles, as quickly as Japanese eating ramen, when served, and not wait too long, especially the soup version, as the texture will start to turn soggy).
And unlike the typical noodles one finds in Singapore, there’s none of the lye water taste or “Kee”, in dialect, presented in the noodles. Like how the old Gardenia Bread Ad that goes “It is so good that you can eat it’s on its own”.
Price ranges from $6.50 to $6.80 and comes with choices of Dumplings, Roast Duck, Soy Chicken, Char Siew and even Mushroom and Curry Pork! And that is not to say there’s nothing else good to eat at this restaurant – the appetiser dish of Deep-fried Enoki Mushrooms with Mayonaise (off-menu item) was simple but delightful. It was well fried without the greasy aftertaste and every bite produces an enjoyable crunch.
Another off-menu item of Marinated Chilled Chicken Wings was said to be Amy’s favourite dish in China. Marinated and slightly coloured yellow, it was served chilled for consumption. Slightly salty on it’s own, this would probably go along better with the noodles – however, HFB’s intolerance for cold food means he didn’t appreciate it fully.
The Fried Tobiko Dumpling ($4.00 for 4 pcs) was excellent in its own right. The skin, also home-produced by John’s machine, came with an excellent taste and texture that gave one a perfect crunch. Bountiful with ingredients, the dumplings were full with meat and prawn, and the extra dash of Tobiko, or Flying Fish Roe, freshly imported from Japan gave one an extra dimension to the dish.
However, the same astonishingly couldn’t be said about their soup version ($8.00 for 8pcs). Perhaps soaked in the soup for quite awhile, the skin just wasn’t as enjoyable as the deep-fried ones, and HFB found them a tad salty. Initially HFB thought it was the tobiko, but John confirmed that it was the meat instead that was intentionally marinated saltier to compensate for the clear soup.
The Roast Combination dish of Roast Duck and Char Siew ($10.00 for small serving) was another hit and misses. Everyone knows it is the skin that rates the duck, and 大吃の喜’s version is pretty good. Health conscious eaters would be happy to discover that the duck didn't come with much fat at the bottom of the skin, but yet the thinly strips of skin was so scrumptious and crispy. However, the char siew didn’t exactly wow HFB. He felt the char siew was under-flavoured and could be roasted slightly longer and make do with stronger marinates. Also, the lacked of fats also means it was slightly on the tougher side.
The Chives & Egg Pancake ($3.50 for small serving), shaped like mini curry-puffs, was another healthy option. However, HFB believed that the strong flavour of chives would probably turn many people off from it, although he himself thought the dish was not too bad.
Lunch was rounded off with a dessert of Fungus with Red Dates ($3.00) served chilled. Double-boiled with plenty of ingredients, the pleasant surprise was the inclusion of thinly strips of orange peel that gave a lovely zesty vigor to this otherwise straight forward dessert. On the other hand, HFB thought that the chef was pretty generous with the rock sugar.
You can view the all photos and the production process of the noodles @ His Food Blog.
1=SGD 0.0587
Never try the food in this store till recently my brother being curious and order one cheesy fish set from the Paddy's fish store.
Well this store is located at the foodcourt of Northpoint shopping centre in Yishun .
The price range is $4.50 to $20
so it is quite Extraordinary to have this kind of stall found in a food court as most of the food stall only sell their food pricing range from $4 to $6 max ....which is what i think....
We were in dilemma of cheesy fish or mushroom fish so after the auntie recommend we decide on cheesy fish ! $4.50
it is unexpectedly NICE !!!
as the cooking was on the outside which mean we watched how the fish is being cooked...the process was quite fun !haha, i am thrilled by it !
so after trying i have decided that next time when i passed by northpoint i will try the next fish meal !
this is really something different from the usual western food !
Rating given:
Went to MOF and had our lunch on one of the day ...
i ordered a ramen set while my friend ordered vegetarian set and together we ordered one dessert .
Total cost us $50 after rounding up...
For drinks we have hot green tea which is -FOC .
The ramen i had is fried chicken ramen ...
Love the soup and ramen but not the chicken ...
The soup taste deliciously as it really bring out the Ramen .....
so i have finished up the soup before i finished my noodles and chicken ..haha
the noodles was very nice too ! it was "Q" and long ....haha
i guess the reason why it taste nice was because of this
"No Added MSG, Chemicals, Preservatives, Artificial Colourings or Flavourings"
i don;t think the chicken is nice was because i guess fried food don't really go well with soup dishes. .
their dessert we ordered was strawberry ice cream....
but i feel it is normal !
anyway , want to mention that their GREEN TEA is very nice...not because it is FOC but it really had the fragrant of the tea !
Rating given:
i just wanted to point out that in addition to my review earlier, they called asking me to go for a trial session (just!) under the name 'cuppage spa.' i asked whether they were under true spa before they said yes. and yes, as usual there are a gazillion slots for trialists but none for members. you have been warned.
the number used was 64386359. smart company isnt it? changing their publicised name in the hopes of swindling even more people. disgusting, filthy creatures.
do join mei in her lawsuit!
Rating given:
Hua Yu Wee (华友园) is the last standing seafood restaurant along Upper East Coast Road, an area that used to be populated by many seafood restaurants which have now all shifted to East Coast Park, save for this sole survivor. I remember eating at this restaurant with my relatives from time to time as a kid when there were occasions for celebration.
Hua Yu occupies an old colonial bunglow that has been converted into a restaurant and offers both al fresco and airconditioned dining areas. The interior is homely with its white washed walls but noise is a big problem here as the area is enclosed and with so many conversations going on at the same time, you might really have to raise your voice a little to be heard.
Homemade Tofu - The tofu was quite good. A little crisp on the outside yet soft and quivery on the inside. The layer of compacted spinach and dried scallop shreds atop provided a nice savoury taste to the tofu while the golden mushrooms and enoki gave it that extra bite.
Stir Fried Dou Miao - I thought that the dou miao fried with garlic was a little too bland and a dash of salt would have been much appreciated. On the upside, it wasn't overcooked, which sealed in the flavour and texture of this vegetable.
Salted Egg Pork Ribs - Interestingly, this is the first time I've eaten pork ribs coated with salted egg yolk and deep fried. And it didn't really impress me much. For starters, the taste of the egg yolk was rather faint and overall the ribs were bland. To compound matters, the ribs didn't taste fresh, more like frozen products really. Judging from the colour of the ribs (red), I believe duck eggs were used.
Black Pepper Crayfish - $14 for 2 small crayfish halved up into 4 pieces is definitely a no go. But to give it credit, the crayfish was fresh and the meat firm. However I did think that the pepper taste was overwhelming, threatening to numb my tastebuds.
The 3 of us chalked up a bill of $53 which is decent enough for the food quality. Standards seemed to have dropped significantly since the last time I visited about 10 years ago but that seems to be the trend everywhere! I doubt I'll be back though. Adiós my old friend.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
A Tudor-style dining place with waitresses dolled in French maids outfits, stepping into Angus Steakhouse, located at a corner of Ngee Ann City 4th level, is akin to entering into a time-wrapped. One will find piped-in Muzak piano to give the place a rustic, quaint yet comforting character. However, one might want to avoid seating near the open kitchen, as it might get too greasy and smoky from the fumes.
Dinner was underway with the complimentary bread and butter – served warm, crusty on the outside and fluffy on the inside, a spread of the Japanese soft butter seeks to enhance the best of this simple yet wonderful dough.
The appetiser, that was part of the set dinner, which initially thought to be Vietnamese Rice-paper Roll by all of us, was given a magnificent twist – prawns were battered and deep fried, coupled by a hint of Japanese mayo, instantaneously brought the plain old boring rice-paper roll back to life. The harmony between the crusty prawn and crunchy greens was simply delightful – so much so that it prompted my mum to comment that the serving wasn’t enough.
½ dozen of Fresh Live Oysters ($18.00) served chilled were fresh and plump – no complains here as HFB thinks this is how oysters should be served. A wrench of lemon, a drip of Tabasco sauce, and a big slurp completes this simple yet always pleasing dish.
The Carrot Soup, again part of the set dinner, was subtle with a tint of sweetness from this root vegetable. We all agreed that it could be slightly more salted for a more robust taste as the cream seeks to overwhelm the flavour towards the end.
Garden Salad, provided along with the set dinner, was drizzled in Japanese Sesame Dressing – uncomplicated dish.
After a series of starters, the main lead finally arrived – 200gm Ribeye Steak ($53.50 for a set dinner). Doneness of the steak was partially achieved, some parts came in medium rare as how HFB would want it to be, but other parts were significantly medium-well to well done.
But no complains from me this time round as the steak was still tender and marbled with fats. Paired with a slab of herb butter, this steak was slightly velvety and smooth to consume. However, what I find objectionable was the cut of beef soaked in brimming, what seemed like brown sauce with radish. Not too sure whether that was deliberate, or a result of juices from a not so rested piece of steak.
Dessert for the night was a small slice of Tiramisu. Not the best, but what HFB like was that it was well laden with the alcohol – not too overwhelming yet strong enough to taste.
Dinner was completed not with wine this time round, but Asahi Draft Beer ($8.50) instead, served in a nice vintage-looking bronze metal cup.
You can view the all photos and other reviews HERE.
Rating given:
Basilico at The Regent Singapore is named after basil, a humble perennial herb that is featured prominently in Italian cuisine. This two month old Italian restaurant, which took over the now defunct Capers, is helmed by 3 Italians - Executive Chef Claudio Rossi, Restaurant Chef Angelo Ciccone and Pizza Chef Carmine Esposito, who hail from northern and southern Italy.
Located on the second level of this prestigious Four Seasons hotel, Basilico's interior is designed by renowned Japanese architect Yasuhiro Koichi and dazzles with its centrepiece crystal chandelier and circular open space dining concept which houses three open kitchens - antipasto, the hot kitchen and pasticceria (desserts). For those who wish to dine al fresco, there is the option of dining by the pool.
Complimentary Bread - I thought that the focaccia was quite decent, just a tad cold when served, which made it a little dry and hard on the outside. But I did like the slightly chewy texture it carried and of course the interesting repertoire of dips that came alongside, with the most notable one being mascarpone cheese, which can usually be found in tiramisu. The sheets of cheese crackers came across as rather average though.
Cacciucco di Pesce (Fresh Seafood in Lobster and Tomato Stew) - The lobster and tomato stew was rich in flavours yet did not overwhelm, making for a nice savoury soup with a tinge of spice. The servings of scallops, prawns and squid cubes were relatively generous as a whole, which was definitely a step in the right direction.
Focaccia Pita - I couldn't quite catch the name of this dish but it is, beyond a doubt, the shining star of the evening. Made with focaccia and stuffed with black truffle and mascarpone cheese, it looked anything but asthetically pleasing. However, the charmer came in the form of its considerably thin crust that had a nice chewy texture to it. Throw in a nice and light creamily cheesy undertone sans the nausea and you get an excellent pita dish.
Pizza Prosciutto - To be very honest, I thought the pizza was quite good but certainly not to the extent of outstanding. Granted, the crust was thin and baked to a crisp golden brown with the parma ham lightly smokey. But the pizza did seem a little bland overall. There was a harmonious cohesion amongst the ingredients but that failed to ignite any sparks (aka boring).
Risotto alla Pugliese - The risotto didn't quite do it for me as the arborio rice came across as a tad too hard for my liking. If its any consolation, the servings of diced lobster, prawn, scallop and asparagus were generous to say the least. I do wonder about the green foam atop though.
Wagyu Beef - Grilled to medium rare as per my request, the wagyu failed to impress. That's not to say it wasn't any good, just that I'm rather picky when it comes to steak. The beef carried an oily aftertaste that was quite prominent and invoked nausea. The steak sauce that came alongside wasn't really effective in masking the oily taste even though it carried a noticable amount of alcohol. On the upside, this was a quality piece of meat, which was naturally sweet and succulent with a proportionate amount of fats.
Semifreddo al Torroncino - I thought that the almond parfait was quite good with a consistently smooth and creamy texture which had bits of almond in it. The stewed sour cherries below provided a much needed jolt to tingle my jaded senses.
Apple Tart with Marsala Cream - Personally I felt that the apple tart was rather normal as the crust was a bit too dry but lightly buttery. The apple slices were bland and the marsala cream provided the alcoholic content.
Fig Tart - I dislike figs but surprisingly the crust was different from that of the apple tart, coming across as moist and leaning a little towards crumble. Personally I prefered this crust over that of the apple tart.
Raspberry Panna Cotta - One of the more unusual panna cottas I've come across so far, Basilico's rendition tasted more like mousse with an almond jelly aftertaste. Certainly not what I would expect from a good panna cotta.
The meal ended with a glass of groppino, which is essentially a lemon sorbet, champagne, mint and vodka concoction that is supposed to help you digest. I'm not sure it did the trick for me though.
All in all the meal was rather satisfying except for the desserts, which fell rather flat in my humble opinion. I'm not exactly sure how prices are like because the meal was complimentary, courtesy of HGW. I'm sure that in time, with some tweaks here and there, Basilico will be able to hold its own against the likes of other well know Italian restaurants like Senso, Garibaldi, Il Lido etc.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Heard quite a fair bit about Ah Chiang's porridge, which is situated amongst the conservation area of Tiong Bahru and boasts a rich history dating back to 1971. The various media appearances are seemingly testament to its honest to goodness bowls of porridge which are painstakingly cooked over a charcoal stove.
Occupying a corner unit, Ah Chiang's can take about 30 people or so and tables are on a first come first serve basis, very much like any mom and pop coffee shops around. On both occasions that I went, at 1230pm on a Saturday and 1030am on a Sunday, seats were readily available but I understand that long waits are to be expected especially in the morning.
Intestine Porridge with Meatballs & Century Egg Porridge with Chicken - At $5.50, this was a rather expensive bowl of porridge. The focus was undoubtedly on the porridge, which came across as smooth with bits of grains and didn't seem too starchy. The quantity of ingredients were acceptable at best and if it wasn't for the extra meatballs, the intestines alone would have been a sorry sight. Not that the meatballs or intestines tasted fantastic anyways. I could also detect MSG in the porridge, but I guess that's rather common in porridge nowadays.
The bowl of century egg porridge cost slightly lesser, at $4.50 for a sprinkling of century egg and chicken slices. As with the previous dish, the porridge itself was the star while the century egg and chicken slices were merely average.
Honestly, I found the porridge quite decent overall, just that prices are a tad too steep.
See all my pictures here.
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MYnt is blogshop worthy of visiting simple because of the owner's honesty and humility.
Some other blogshop owners think that they are "high and mighty" just because they can make accessories that people want to buy, and many times, even a small request for changes would be turned down and rejected using the "I would like to preserve my artistic dignity" approach. But this is not the case for MYnt.
I'm not saying that she doesn't protect the rights to alter her work, but she's very nice about it. I took a liking to a pair of earrings but they were 9cm in length which was too long for me, so i asked if she would shorten it to 6cm and even add another shorter 4cm chain. She very kindly did it and sent me a photo of how it looked after alterations.
Best of all, she didn't try to increase the price of the item! Many other blogshop owners will increase the price as long as something even as small as a 4cm length of chains is being added. I think that isn't a very nice thing to do. Which is why i'm commending MYnt for her kindness and for being un-calculative over such matters.
I also ordered another necklace from her. Typically, based on comparisons with several other blogshops that i visit regularly, the necklace i purchased (refer to the 4th photo) could cost from $35 to $48 because of the uniqueness of the design and the various materials used. However, MYnt only charges $15 for the necklace! It looked like something from Betsy Johnson's past-season collection which i was in love with but didn't manage to get! So i knew i HAD to have it!
I like her blogshop because the only thing that's editted are the wordings. Other than that, the photos aren't drastically brightened just to make the accessories look better than they are, which i really appreciate, cuz it can suck when accessories look better on the computer screen and you get so disappointed when you receive it and see it as what it really is. I was very pleased with my purchase when i received them! They actually looked a tiny bit better than in photos.
After i paid the owner, she even thanked me vociferously for supporting the blogshop and that's something that very very few blogshop owners do. And for that, i WILL carry on patronizing MYnt, cuz i think she deserves it.
Do visit MYnt soon! Nice and chic accessories at very affordable prices... you don't even have to think twice about it!
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Just happened to pass by this stall at Bugis Junction which was featured in the Straits Times sometime back about its fries so decided to give it a shot, especially since this is probably the only place in Singapore that sells poutine (to my limited knowledge).
Poutine - $4.90 gets you a medium size serving of thick cut fries with the skin still intact, covered in a sporadic layer of cheese curds and drizzled with beef gravy. I personally felt that the fries were too thickly cut, which resulted in some parts being overly hard while some parts were soft. The gravy wasn't hot enough( it was at room temperature!) to melt the cheese curds, unlike that of New York Fries, which pours hot/warm gravy over the curds to melt them onto the fries for a absolutely delicious experience. I also thought that the salt content was a little too excessive as good fries, in my humble opinion, only require minimal salt.
See all my pictures here.
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Its origins dated back to the nineteenth century of Qing Dynasty – affectionately known as Bamboo Noodles, or 竹升面, it is highly regarded for its smooth and tangy texture. The secret to its delectable taste and texture lies in the rigorous production process.
Traditionally hand-made, it is rubbed, kneaded and mixed into dough before being pressed with a long and thick bamboo pole. Using his whole body weight, the master chef will skillfully maneuver the pole back and forth to achieve the springy bite of the noodles.
However, at 大吃の喜, thanks to the ingenious engineering brain of Mr John See and the support from his wife, Amy, one no longer needs to travel all the way to Guangzhou, China (where John first discovered the dish) to sample this appetising noodles – he spent 18 months to invent his very own bamboo noodles production machine! What used to painstakingly take 2 hours to produce this wonderful chow is now reduced to a mere 45 minutes!!! Located in one of the refurbished shophouses along Joo Chiat, at the corner of Koon Send Road, 大吃の喜, or Tai Shek Hei, is a noodle specialist that produces their own palatable noodles with the freshest ingredients.
The verdict: This was probably one of most “Q” or springy noodles HFB has ever tried in his life (The trick is to slurp the noodles, as quickly as Japanese eating ramen, when served, and not wait too long, especially the soup version, as the texture will start to turn soggy).
And unlike the typical noodles one finds in Singapore, there’s none of the lye water taste or “Kee”, in dialect, presented in the noodles. Like how the old Gardenia Bread Ad that goes “It is so good that you can eat it’s on its own”.
Price ranges from $6.50 to $6.80 and comes with choices of Dumplings, Roast Duck, Soy Chicken, Char Siew and even Mushroom and Curry Pork! And that is not to say there’s nothing else good to eat at this restaurant – the appetiser dish of Deep-fried Enoki Mushrooms with Mayonaise (off-menu item) was simple but delightful. It was well fried without the greasy aftertaste and every bite produces an enjoyable crunch.
Another off-menu item of Marinated Chilled Chicken Wings was said to be Amy’s favourite dish in China. Marinated and slightly coloured yellow, it was served chilled for consumption. Slightly salty on it’s own, this would probably go along better with the noodles – however, HFB’s intolerance for cold food means he didn’t appreciate it fully.
The Fried Tobiko Dumpling ($4.00 for 4 pcs) was excellent in its own right. The skin, also home-produced by John’s machine, came with an excellent taste and texture that gave one a perfect crunch. Bountiful with ingredients, the dumplings were full with meat and prawn, and the extra dash of Tobiko, or Flying Fish Roe, freshly imported from Japan gave one an extra dimension to the dish.
However, the same astonishingly couldn’t be said about their soup version ($8.00 for 8pcs). Perhaps soaked in the soup for quite awhile, the skin just wasn’t as enjoyable as the deep-fried ones, and HFB found them a tad salty. Initially HFB thought it was the tobiko, but John confirmed that it was the meat instead that was intentionally marinated saltier to compensate for the clear soup.
The Roast Combination dish of Roast Duck and Char Siew ($10.00 for small serving) was another hit and misses. Everyone knows it is the skin that rates the duck, and 大吃の喜’s version is pretty good. Health conscious eaters would be happy to discover that the duck didn't come with much fat at the bottom of the skin, but yet the thinly strips of skin was so scrumptious and crispy. However, the char siew didn’t exactly wow HFB. He felt the char siew was under-flavoured and could be roasted slightly longer and make do with stronger marinates. Also, the lacked of fats also means it was slightly on the tougher side.
The Chives & Egg Pancake ($3.50 for small serving), shaped like mini curry-puffs, was another healthy option. However, HFB believed that the strong flavour of chives would probably turn many people off from it, although he himself thought the dish was not too bad.
Lunch was rounded off with a dessert of Fungus with Red Dates ($3.00) served chilled. Double-boiled with plenty of ingredients, the pleasant surprise was the inclusion of thinly strips of orange peel that gave a lovely zesty vigor to this otherwise straight forward dessert. On the other hand, HFB thought that the chef was pretty generous with the rock sugar.
You can view the all photos and the production process of the noodles @ His Food Blog.
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