One Twenty Six is a relatively new and swanky restaurant located at the now half year old rejuvenated Big Splash. Run by the same team behind One Rochester, the waterfront restaurant has a lot to live up to if it is to impress. Situated directly in front of the East Coast coastline, One Twenty Six boasts 2 seating arrangements. One alfresco seating and the other which is the usual fine dining establishment. In other words, the place is chic and demands at least a visit to see what the woo ha is a all about.
First off, let me apologise for the badly taken photos of the restaurant, the place definitely looks much better when you actually see it. And it is advisable to visit it at night when it is cooler since afternoons tend to heat the primarily glass made restaurant up quite a bit.
Complimentary Bread - To its credit, the place serves good bread which is made in house. They are all served warm and definitely gives the impression of being in a fine dining restaurant with its soft, fluffy and fragrant bread. Some had hazelnuts baked into them while others had raisins and hints of coffee. Add a dash of butter and its practically a meal on its own, if you are here for lunch, my advice is to ask for as much bread as possible if you are a big eater. That's my advice, take it if you like, ignore it at your own peril.
Salmon Roll/Seasoned Baby Octopus On Bed of Mesclun Salad with Japanese Dressing/Mediterranean Caprese Salad - All of the above starters had a fresh and satisfying taste about it to usher in the actual meal. The seasoned baby octopus was soft and sweet while the salmon was light and fresh. The caprese salad tastes like a cross between fish cakes and cheese with its tangy texture and milky taste but is still pretty good in the grand scheme of things.
Capellini Arrabiatta With Prawns - This main course packs quite a punch as it is very spicy albeit still maintaining a sweet tomato taste. The pasta itself tastes like a cross between chinese bee hoon and pasta with its fine strands but is definitely softer and more springy then the usual bee hoon strands. The prawns are juicy, sweet and crunchy as well. Overall, its a good filling course for people who like it spicy.
Oven Roasted Spatchcock, fork mash potato with sage jus - Spatch cock actually refers to the way the chicken is prepared. In this sense, it means the chicken is spread flat and roasted. A taste reveals an aromatic peppery taste and tender juicy meat. Pity the serving size was rather small though.
Pan Fried Sea Bass with potatoes and foam - In all honesty, the sea bass was rather thin and small. It was pan fried rather well despite the small serving. Crispy skin with a cheesy tasting foam around it. The meat itself retained much of its natural flavors and was sweet.
Roasted Lamb Loin - The lamb was done medium rare and very nice indeed. My tasting reveals well marinated and juicy meat which went well with the stew-like bed of greens below. Due to some technical issues, the waitress accidentally gave too much pepper to the dish but still, it turned out to be my favorite item at the restaurant so far.
Tiramisu/Rum and raisin nougat - While the main courses and starters might be hit or miss items, the desserts definitely had no such issue. Made fresh and sold on the day, the desserts differ daily for the lunch menu. The tiramisu had a good balance of cheese, rum and cake which helped bring out the flavors of each section. One of the better tiramisu's i've had but thats my opinion while the nougat was an interesting mixture of raisins, rum and ice cream which is very different. Nougat being nougat, i'd expected a cake or cookie like texture but this tasted more like ice cream and it melts albeit slowly. The taste of rum is strong but thats the way i like it.
All set lunches come with a choice of coffee or tea and i must say, they serve rather good coffee. Without the sourish taste that accompanies most gourmet coffees, this one was sightly bitter, strong and quite high on the acidity scale if i'm not wrong. I had the impression that it was also smooth and its something i wouldn't miss ordering if i'm here.
Portion size aside, the lunches offer a nice variety of choices to choose from and differs weekly so you'll rarely get the same choices twice. Judging by the way the restaurant cooked the lamb, i'll brave the storm and say that they probably do good in their meats (lamb and beef) but thats to be decided after i do try their 200 day old aged wagyu beef. The view and location is nice but slightly warm during noon. The service is good and friendly and their desserts are above average. Looking forward to try their degustation menu.
An Outing with the GAGA Girls and their Lovable male Pals last nite.... In order to continue the SAGA of the GAGA Girl's Famous "Ha Ha Ha n Hee Hee Hee" we have decided to choose a place less prone to be starred at when we share our nonsensical thoughts louder then usual.
Brotzeit seemed like just the place. First the environment is NICE AND FRIENDLY... You can chill out or party there... makes no difference... The ambience is just so amiable With the beautiful long stretch of high bar side seats to the log like tables and the out door high bar tables to suit every needs.
Just what needs are we talking about? There had been a theory going around:
BAR SIDE SEATS = Available and Looking
LOG TABLE SEATS = Available but I'm With Friends.. So not free.
OUTDOOR HIGH BAR TABLEs = Not Available and We want some personal time.
So next time choose your seats carefully.
Now to the Food and Beer......
The GAGA Girls Loved White Wine which I have to say i'm not such a big fan of it.... But they love the Sauvignon Blanc the best and I believed if you look close enough in the bottle, you might find a baby fish swimming in it... Perhaps thats why I always felt it was fishy to taste... BTW the GAGA Girls are CRAZY DRINKERS.... They way they drink.. I'm sure I can be a fish monger soon. The other drink we tried was the mango beer.. It was a hue darker with a nice mango aroma not to mention a sparkle of zesty note to the taste.
We also tried dessert and the chocolate creme is the best. Its actually creme, coated with dark chocolate and has cherries inside. Its creamy and smooth texture makes the extra calories so worth it. The chocolate was of just the right sweetness and it simply melts in your mouth. As you dig deeper, you will find layers of soaked cherries which is rather delightful.
I must mention about the service. The waiters are so helpful, and not to mention Sooo Cute Looking.... Quite an eyeful i must say... They are prompt, friendly and sure knows what their specialities are. I can't help but feel so AT HOME in this restaurant.. Perhaps bring some cute waiters Home.... Oooppss.......
A must go.. especially single and available girls who enjoy good food, good drink and a good eyeful of cute waiters.....
I came here with popeye after our weekday lazy afternoon shopping spree..
It was one of those places where we always remind ourselves we will go but will never go.. So today, It was pretty much after lunch time and there was no queue, so we went in... The deco was ok... a little too dim for my liking and the sits are tight... We sat on the corner and the table was STICKY.. yes quote me STICKY...
The service was ok.. with many waiters and waitresses walking around however none have got attention for me...
I ordered this nice drink, something with lemon grass and found it pretty refreshing and amazing.. Though it reminds me of TomYum soup, it was something different and I would say special. Popeye ordered the french toast which looked rather Normal and slumpy and it taste great! Not too oily but creamy butter makes it savoury and they give you a jar of honey for you to drizzle on top... TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU WANT. As a kiasu singaporean on a shopping spree.. I WAS DELIGHTED...
I ordered PorkChops Sandwich and it was so NICE.... Pork was soft and chewie and the sauce is yummy... It was really fabulous.... If you want yummy high tea.. this is surely the place to go..... Recharge the leg power for more CHEAP CHEAP BIG SALE... Yeah!!!!!
Today I brought my dad and mum out to TOWN for shopping.. Though they are not so IN... I've decided to show them the Hang Out Place for the Youngsters.. as what they always call us..
After the much shocking experience with jap fashion, everywhere piercings and pacifiers, I thought i should bring them back to earth for a while and there we are.. the most decent looking, normal chinese cafe... the XW Cafe...
Serving HongKong styled cuisines, My dad and mum heaved a sigh of relieve and then they got another shock.... My dad's Ice Kopi came in a metal mug... He can't help but have to hum the jian yu feng yun song... (Famous Movie starring Chow Yuan Fatt in jail).
My mum then ordered her favourite PorK Chop and its really true.... Hong Kong style PORK CHOP really nice.... Dad Ordered the nominal HorFun, perhaps coz he wants to have some fun... But boy.. its yummy. It came with 5 huge prawns all fresh and so crunchy.... The prawn juice pratically squirts out when i chew on it....Of Course.. I make sure i look gracious and very high class when i wipe the juice from my mouth.. heehee! I ordered this french toast thingee and it appeared as a cube of bread... But boy.. the maple syrup and the cold storage butter goes so well with the pipping hot french toast... As u slice the toast, the maple syrup drools down the side.. Can you imagine that....... Sooo Soooo Tantalizing....
When i finally manage to slice a nice piece and savour it in my mouth.. stars laterally appeared.. I'm not sure if its the yummy sensation or the low blood pressure.. but gosh I REALLY SEE STARs.... Since then I've decided that I'll BE BACK........
The price is reasonable and its a wonderful place to hang out with young or the NOT SO YOUNG Pals... Includes mum n dad.... NOT TO BE MISSED.....
It was another fabulous nite out with my GAGA pals.. and guess what... we decided to rave it out the gangster way....
I was actually hoping to find a xiao ma ge mannequin inside.. But don't have leh.... Only could find some really sissy waiters... (oops) Like those in the movie.... (Movie Star ok)!
The deco of the place was CHIC... Too CHIC to be like the famous HongKong Gangster movie starring Chow Yuan Fatt... The Black mirriory Like finishes are simply too fabulous.. I mean you can detect stucked veg in between your teeth everywhere u turn.... Its what i call customer concious designs. The place was huge with a nice view of the sea and smooching couples.... but one thing you must really do.. Thats to check out the LOO... aka TOOLET... It took me like 5 minutes to find it.... There are mirriors everywhere and its so camoflaged i almost peed on the washing basin...
NOW I KNOW WHY IT IS CALLED BOSSES.... In the event you need to hide... u can just camoflaged yourself or hide in some hidden space like the toolet and wait it out.. Your enemy can NEVER find you.... CHECKING THE TOILET IS A SUPER MUST....
Now we come to the food.. I pretty like the idea that they serve an excellent selection of teas.. If you are just feeling chatty, you could ask the waitress whats this tea for and what that tea is used to.. and soon you'll find yourself in a TCM class...
We ordered so much food but there are a few I must mention. 1st there this duck on fruit platter and boy... Its so good.. refreshingly sinless... Judging by the small strips of duck meat on top of this fruit platter, we won't get high cholestrol perhaps will only be overworked as we try to out eat all the others GRACEFULLY.... And theres this fried brinjal or eggplant.... its soft and crispy and very healthy.. Yum Yum... The fried noodles are great too... and not to forget the soup in which the serving is so huge.. One serving and there goes half my stomach.... Not to forget Cold Chickens.... So tender and soft and its COOL... really really nice..
Overall It was an intriguing experience... and its simply too fabulous for the GAGA Girls as in such an environment we are not frowned upon when we do the loud Ooohsss and Aaahhhss and the HA HA HA and the OH MY GOD! THIS IS GREAT.....
Its a experience of the lifetime... Be BOLD.. Try to be a Big Boss... You just never know what you never know....
=i 1st go with my friend, Angie. i want to treated her something special so i choose yaki and yuki. the price was reasonable and the food was very good.
=i thought there only have BBQ and DIY ice cream, but to my discover, there too have steamboat,and only cooked finger foods. choose of food was good. about 50 plus to choose. ice cream flavor was about 10 plus.
=there, they have unlimited butter to get. you also can ask the staff to change the BBQ grill for a new piece. if you don't know how to make the ice cream, ask the staff and they will demo for you to see.
=really, really, really good to eat there. BBQ steamboat DIY ice cream. where can you find another shop like this???
Since I was working at Yishun NorthPoint Mall and have to rush to work, I decide to chosse between 2 cafe: Ah Mei Cafe and Ya Kun Toasted Bread, for a quick breakfast and i choose Ah Mei. There were only three customers and two staffs. I order set A [2 eggs, 1 kaya bread, hot drink). Taking my drink and eggs to my seat, i started to crack the eggs and was disspointed as one of the eggs was almost fully cooked and the other was 3/4 cooked. Wasn't the eggs could be 1/2 cooked NOT ALMOST FULLY COOKED EGGS? When the bread was ready, I have to get up myself to take the item. They never send it to me???? VERY DiSSPOINTED that I told myself that I could go to Ya Kun. Few days ago, I went to buy their Ah Mei Milk Tea. Drinking it, I feel that it was too milky and I could not taste the tea. Is it me or is it that Ah Mei Cafe cooking and their service have been dropping. At this rate, I rather go to Ya Kun which is a bit too expensive then going to Ah Mei. Please give me comments on how you think/feel about the food and service of Ah Mei Cafe?
Ma Maison, which means my home in French, started out with an outlet at Bugis Junction and soon expanded to include one at The Central. Known for its take on Japanese Western food aka fusion food, Ma Maison packs in the crowds at meal times so don't be surprised if you have to wait for a seat if you arrive without a reservation.
Located just a few units down from Wakashachiya on the third floor, Ma Maison's interior is reminiscent of a quaint little European cottage with lots of wood, overhanging crockery and shelves of various liquids. The cozy cottage feel is further reinforced by replica ornaments of yesteryear placed along the wooden window sill. If you are lucky enough, you can get a window seat which overlooks Clarke Quay and the river, but there's probably only 5 such tables or so.
Doteni Hamburger - A signature dish of Ma Maison, the Doteni Hamburger was essentially a beef and pork patty covered with a fried egg, topped with beef tendons and draped with a demi glaze sauce that has been left to simmer for 28 days. And I liked it. The beef, though almost well done, was moist and juicy with a slightly uneven texture. The egg was perfectly done while the gelatinous beef tendon came across as a little chewy and not overly soft. Coupled with the robust sauce, it set the right note for our lunch.
Tonakatsu - After the horrendous tonkatsu experience at Wakashachiya just a couple of hours before, I was rather skeptical about the tonkatsu at Ma Maison. Those fears were put to rest as the pork cutlet turned out fine and surpassed expectations. Sure the meat wasn't kurobuta like Tampopo's, but it was still decently tender while retaining moisture and bite. There was no evident taste of oily residue either. The breaded batter could have been a wee bit thinner though, which would have made it crispier and less oily.
Beef Stroganoff with Omu Rice - My personal favourite. Who can resist tender beef slices served up in a thick savoury sauce coupled with smooth milky omelette enveloping fragrant and tasty buttery rice? If I'm coming back to Ma Maison, its definitely going to be for this dish. I would prefer a little more butter to go into the rice though, which would make it heartier and of course more artery clogging.
Squid Ink Spaghetti - Honestly I didn't quite take to the spaghetti. It wasn't al dente and came across rather bland. Maybe thats the way Japanese spaghettis are supposed to taste like, unlike the richer and more robust renditions from the Italians. If you like light stuff then this dish would probably suit you but do note that squid ink leaves a dark stain on your teeth so remember to rinse!
Heading back to Hong Lim Food Centre for lunch a few days later, I can’t help but pay another familiar stall a visit. Located at the once famous Ellenborough Market, one of the earlier wet markets available. While the Malays called it Pasar Bahru meaning “New Market”, the Chinese on the other hand named it “Seng Pa Sat”. Teochews populated the area, and with intent the market was located at Teochew Street (where The Central now stood). Ping Ping Curry Noodle was one of the few stalls I would visit for lunch when I was young, and I could still remember vividly bringing along $1 that I have saved up and specifically told my mum that I would like to add extra ingredients in my bowl of noodles.
Even though it was spicy for me then, I love everything that was within it – Chicken, Fishcake, Tau Pok or Beancurd Skin, Potato and the spicy curry soup. The same husband and wife team is still operating today in Hong Lim, but unfortunately the experience I had that day wasn’t as expected. Maybe nothing can beat the wonderful memories I had at Ellenborough Market but I remembered the soup to be much thicker and packed with more tang. Adding the chilli paste helps to bring out the flavour but sadly it still didn’t impress me. For a $4 version, the ingredients weren’t as plentiful as I expected it to have – or maybe I have just grown up. The “everyone’s favourite” potato was measly and I left the place feeling disappointed.
Perhaps I went with too high an expectation that day or perhaps good times doesn’t really last.
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Had the opportunity to be part of the Gourmet Safari Tour hosted by SPH at The Central over the weekend. Together with Leslie from ieatishoot fame, we were ushered to 4 different Japanese restaurants within the mall to sample their various specialties, with Wakashachiya being the first stop.
Located on the third floor of Central, Wakashachiya originates from Nagoya city and specialises in Japanese curry udon noodles. The paneled simply done up interior is smallish and can probably squeeze in about 30 pax or so.
Tebasaki - Nagoya city is well known for its Tebasaki, which is essentially deep fried batterless chicken wings with a coating of sweet and spicy sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds and black pepper. And being from Nagoya, Wakashachiya serves this delicacy as well. The wings, though small, packed a savoury punch from the myriad of different flavours all fused together. Sublimely sweet, salty and spicy. A pity the wings were so small and oily. Its $5 for 4 wings by the way.
Hitsu-mabushi - This dish was seriously a case of aesthetics over taste. Served up in a huge pot lookalike container, the lid went off to reveal neatly sliced pieces of unagi, cooked to a beautiful crisp as evident by the charred bits on the shimmery surface. However taste wise, I personally felt that it could have been better. For one, the unagi was too soft and disintegrated easily, lacking the firm and crisp texture that I personally like. The daishi soup (fish stock made from bonito flakes) and the plump chewy rice was good though.
Curry Udon with sides of Tonkatsu, Chicken, Tomatoes and Ebi Tempura
- The dish that Wakashachiya apparently is known for - Japanese curry udon. Wakashachiya's curry tended towards the bland side and didn't seem coagulated enough for my liking. The udon was good though, thick and chewy without making me feel like I'm chomping down on flour. Some work needs to be done on the sides though, with the Tonkatsu coming across as hard and dry while the batter encrusting the chicken was overly salty and oily. Same goes for the ebi tempura, with the batter leaning towards the thick side. The tomatoes were, well, just diced fresh tomatoes.
1=SGD 0.0587
One Twenty Six is a relatively new and swanky restaurant located at the now half year old rejuvenated Big Splash. Run by the same team behind One Rochester, the waterfront restaurant has a lot to live up to if it is to impress. Situated directly in front of the East Coast coastline, One Twenty Six boasts 2 seating arrangements. One alfresco seating and the other which is the usual fine dining establishment. In other words, the place is chic and demands at least a visit to see what the woo ha is a all about.
First off, let me apologise for the badly taken photos of the restaurant, the place definitely looks much better when you actually see it. And it is advisable to visit it at night when it is cooler since afternoons tend to heat the primarily glass made restaurant up quite a bit.
Complimentary Bread - To its credit, the place serves good bread which is made in house. They are all served warm and definitely gives the impression of being in a fine dining restaurant with its soft, fluffy and fragrant bread. Some had hazelnuts baked into them while others had raisins and hints of coffee. Add a dash of butter and its practically a meal on its own, if you are here for lunch, my advice is to ask for as much bread as possible if you are a big eater. That's my advice, take it if you like, ignore it at your own peril.
Salmon Roll/Seasoned Baby Octopus On Bed of Mesclun Salad with Japanese Dressing/Mediterranean Caprese Salad - All of the above starters had a fresh and satisfying taste about it to usher in the actual meal. The seasoned baby octopus was soft and sweet while the salmon was light and fresh. The caprese salad tastes like a cross between fish cakes and cheese with its tangy texture and milky taste but is still pretty good in the grand scheme of things.
Capellini Arrabiatta With Prawns - This main course packs quite a punch as it is very spicy albeit still maintaining a sweet tomato taste. The pasta itself tastes like a cross between chinese bee hoon and pasta with its fine strands but is definitely softer and more springy then the usual bee hoon strands. The prawns are juicy, sweet and crunchy as well. Overall, its a good filling course for people who like it spicy.
Oven Roasted Spatchcock, fork mash potato with sage jus - Spatch cock actually refers to the way the chicken is prepared. In this sense, it means the chicken is spread flat and roasted. A taste reveals an aromatic peppery taste and tender juicy meat. Pity the serving size was rather small though.
Pan Fried Sea Bass with potatoes and foam - In all honesty, the sea bass was rather thin and small. It was pan fried rather well despite the small serving. Crispy skin with a cheesy tasting foam around it. The meat itself retained much of its natural flavors and was sweet.
Roasted Lamb Loin - The lamb was done medium rare and very nice indeed. My tasting reveals well marinated and juicy meat which went well with the stew-like bed of greens below. Due to some technical issues, the waitress accidentally gave too much pepper to the dish but still, it turned out to be my favorite item at the restaurant so far.
Tiramisu/Rum and raisin nougat - While the main courses and starters might be hit or miss items, the desserts definitely had no such issue. Made fresh and sold on the day, the desserts differ daily for the lunch menu. The tiramisu had a good balance of cheese, rum and cake which helped bring out the flavors of each section. One of the better tiramisu's i've had but thats my opinion while the nougat was an interesting mixture of raisins, rum and ice cream which is very different. Nougat being nougat, i'd expected a cake or cookie like texture but this tasted more like ice cream and it melts albeit slowly. The taste of rum is strong but thats the way i like it.
All set lunches come with a choice of coffee or tea and i must say, they serve rather good coffee. Without the sourish taste that accompanies most gourmet coffees, this one was sightly bitter, strong and quite high on the acidity scale if i'm not wrong. I had the impression that it was also smooth and its something i wouldn't miss ordering if i'm here.
Portion size aside, the lunches offer a nice variety of choices to choose from and differs weekly so you'll rarely get the same choices twice. Judging by the way the restaurant cooked the lamb, i'll brave the storm and say that they probably do good in their meats (lamb and beef) but thats to be decided after i do try their 200 day old aged wagyu beef. The view and location is nice but slightly warm during noon. The service is good and friendly and their desserts are above average. Looking forward to try their degustation menu.
Rating given:
An Outing with the GAGA Girls and their Lovable male Pals last nite.... In order to continue the SAGA of the GAGA Girl's Famous "Ha Ha Ha n Hee Hee Hee" we have decided to choose a place less prone to be starred at when we share our nonsensical thoughts louder then usual.
Brotzeit seemed like just the place. First the environment is NICE AND FRIENDLY... You can chill out or party there... makes no difference... The ambience is just so amiable With the beautiful long stretch of high bar side seats to the log like tables and the out door high bar tables to suit every needs.
Just what needs are we talking about? There had been a theory going around:
BAR SIDE SEATS = Available and Looking
LOG TABLE SEATS = Available but I'm With Friends.. So not free.
OUTDOOR HIGH BAR TABLEs = Not Available and We want some personal time.
So next time choose your seats carefully.
Now to the Food and Beer......
The GAGA Girls Loved White Wine which I have to say i'm not such a big fan of it.... But they love the Sauvignon Blanc the best and I believed if you look close enough in the bottle, you might find a baby fish swimming in it... Perhaps thats why I always felt it was fishy to taste... BTW the GAGA Girls are CRAZY DRINKERS.... They way they drink.. I'm sure I can be a fish monger soon. The other drink we tried was the mango beer.. It was a hue darker with a nice mango aroma not to mention a sparkle of zesty note to the taste.
We also tried dessert and the chocolate creme is the best. Its actually creme, coated with dark chocolate and has cherries inside. Its creamy and smooth texture makes the extra calories so worth it. The chocolate was of just the right sweetness and it simply melts in your mouth. As you dig deeper, you will find layers of soaked cherries which is rather delightful.
I must mention about the service. The waiters are so helpful, and not to mention Sooo Cute Looking.... Quite an eyeful i must say... They are prompt, friendly and sure knows what their specialities are. I can't help but feel so AT HOME in this restaurant.. Perhaps bring some cute waiters Home.... Oooppss.......
A must go.. especially single and available girls who enjoy good food, good drink and a good eyeful of cute waiters.....
GIRLS RULEZ!!!!!!
Rating given:
I came here with popeye after our weekday lazy afternoon shopping spree..
It was one of those places where we always remind ourselves we will go but will never go.. So today, It was pretty much after lunch time and there was no queue, so we went in... The deco was ok... a little too dim for my liking and the sits are tight... We sat on the corner and the table was STICKY.. yes quote me STICKY...
The service was ok.. with many waiters and waitresses walking around however none have got attention for me...
I ordered this nice drink, something with lemon grass and found it pretty refreshing and amazing.. Though it reminds me of TomYum soup, it was something different and I would say special. Popeye ordered the french toast which looked rather Normal and slumpy and it taste great! Not too oily but creamy butter makes it savoury and they give you a jar of honey for you to drizzle on top... TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU WANT. As a kiasu singaporean on a shopping spree.. I WAS DELIGHTED...
I ordered PorkChops Sandwich and it was so NICE.... Pork was soft and chewie and the sauce is yummy... It was really fabulous.... If you want yummy high tea.. this is surely the place to go..... Recharge the leg power for more CHEAP CHEAP BIG SALE... Yeah!!!!!
Rating given:
Dear Diary,
Today I brought my dad and mum out to TOWN for shopping.. Though they are not so IN... I've decided to show them the Hang Out Place for the Youngsters.. as what they always call us..
After the much shocking experience with jap fashion, everywhere piercings and pacifiers, I thought i should bring them back to earth for a while and there we are.. the most decent looking, normal chinese cafe... the XW Cafe...
Serving HongKong styled cuisines, My dad and mum heaved a sigh of relieve and then they got another shock.... My dad's Ice Kopi came in a metal mug... He can't help but have to hum the jian yu feng yun song... (Famous Movie starring Chow Yuan Fatt in jail).
My mum then ordered her favourite PorK Chop and its really true.... Hong Kong style PORK CHOP really nice.... Dad Ordered the nominal HorFun, perhaps coz he wants to have some fun... But boy.. its yummy. It came with 5 huge prawns all fresh and so crunchy.... The prawn juice pratically squirts out when i chew on it....Of Course.. I make sure i look gracious and very high class when i wipe the juice from my mouth.. heehee! I ordered this french toast thingee and it appeared as a cube of bread... But boy.. the maple syrup and the cold storage butter goes so well with the pipping hot french toast... As u slice the toast, the maple syrup drools down the side.. Can you imagine that....... Sooo Soooo Tantalizing....
When i finally manage to slice a nice piece and savour it in my mouth.. stars laterally appeared.. I'm not sure if its the yummy sensation or the low blood pressure.. but gosh I REALLY SEE STARs.... Since then I've decided that I'll BE BACK........
The price is reasonable and its a wonderful place to hang out with young or the NOT SO YOUNG Pals... Includes mum n dad.... NOT TO BE MISSED.....
Rating given:
It was another fabulous nite out with my GAGA pals.. and guess what... we decided to rave it out the gangster way....
I was actually hoping to find a xiao ma ge mannequin inside.. But don't have leh.... Only could find some really sissy waiters... (oops) Like those in the movie.... (Movie Star ok)!
The deco of the place was CHIC... Too CHIC to be like the famous HongKong Gangster movie starring Chow Yuan Fatt... The Black mirriory Like finishes are simply too fabulous.. I mean you can detect stucked veg in between your teeth everywhere u turn.... Its what i call customer concious designs. The place was huge with a nice view of the sea and smooching couples.... but one thing you must really do.. Thats to check out the LOO... aka TOOLET... It took me like 5 minutes to find it.... There are mirriors everywhere and its so camoflaged i almost peed on the washing basin...
NOW I KNOW WHY IT IS CALLED BOSSES.... In the event you need to hide... u can just camoflaged yourself or hide in some hidden space like the toolet and wait it out.. Your enemy can NEVER find you.... CHECKING THE TOILET IS A SUPER MUST....
Now we come to the food.. I pretty like the idea that they serve an excellent selection of teas.. If you are just feeling chatty, you could ask the waitress whats this tea for and what that tea is used to.. and soon you'll find yourself in a TCM class...
We ordered so much food but there are a few I must mention. 1st there this duck on fruit platter and boy... Its so good.. refreshingly sinless... Judging by the small strips of duck meat on top of this fruit platter, we won't get high cholestrol perhaps will only be overworked as we try to out eat all the others GRACEFULLY.... And theres this fried brinjal or eggplant.... its soft and crispy and very healthy.. Yum Yum... The fried noodles are great too... and not to forget the soup in which the serving is so huge.. One serving and there goes half my stomach.... Not to forget Cold Chickens.... So tender and soft and its COOL... really really nice..
Overall It was an intriguing experience... and its simply too fabulous for the GAGA Girls as in such an environment we are not frowned upon when we do the loud Ooohsss and Aaahhhss and the HA HA HA and the OH MY GOD! THIS IS GREAT.....
Its a experience of the lifetime... Be BOLD.. Try to be a Big Boss... You just never know what you never know....
Rating given:
=i 1st go with my friend, Angie. i want to treated her something special so i choose yaki and yuki. the price was reasonable and the food was very good.
=i thought there only have BBQ and DIY ice cream, but to my discover, there too have steamboat,and only cooked finger foods. choose of food was good. about 50 plus to choose. ice cream flavor was about 10 plus.
=there, they have unlimited butter to get. you also can ask the staff to change the BBQ grill for a new piece. if you don't know how to make the ice cream, ask the staff and they will demo for you to see.
=really, really, really good to eat there. BBQ steamboat DIY ice cream. where can you find another shop like this???
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Since I was working at Yishun NorthPoint Mall and have to rush to work, I decide to chosse between 2 cafe: Ah Mei Cafe and Ya Kun Toasted Bread, for a quick breakfast and i choose Ah Mei. There were only three customers and two staffs. I order set A [2 eggs, 1 kaya bread, hot drink). Taking my drink and eggs to my seat, i started to crack the eggs and was disspointed as one of the eggs was almost fully cooked and the other was 3/4 cooked. Wasn't the eggs could be 1/2 cooked NOT ALMOST FULLY COOKED EGGS? When the bread was ready, I have to get up myself to take the item. They never send it to me???? VERY DiSSPOINTED that I told myself that I could go to Ya Kun. Few days ago, I went to buy their Ah Mei Milk Tea. Drinking it, I feel that it was too milky and I could not taste the tea. Is it me or is it that Ah Mei Cafe cooking and their service have been dropping. At this rate, I rather go to Ya Kun which is a bit too expensive then going to Ah Mei. Please give me comments on how you think/feel about the food and service of Ah Mei Cafe?
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Ma Maison, which means my home in French, started out with an outlet at Bugis Junction and soon expanded to include one at The Central. Known for its take on Japanese Western food aka fusion food, Ma Maison packs in the crowds at meal times so don't be surprised if you have to wait for a seat if you arrive without a reservation.
Located just a few units down from Wakashachiya on the third floor, Ma Maison's interior is reminiscent of a quaint little European cottage with lots of wood, overhanging crockery and shelves of various liquids. The cozy cottage feel is further reinforced by replica ornaments of yesteryear placed along the wooden window sill. If you are lucky enough, you can get a window seat which overlooks Clarke Quay and the river, but there's probably only 5 such tables or so.
Doteni Hamburger - A signature dish of Ma Maison, the Doteni Hamburger was essentially a beef and pork patty covered with a fried egg, topped with beef tendons and draped with a demi glaze sauce that has been left to simmer for 28 days. And I liked it. The beef, though almost well done, was moist and juicy with a slightly uneven texture. The egg was perfectly done while the gelatinous beef tendon came across as a little chewy and not overly soft. Coupled with the robust sauce, it set the right note for our lunch.
Tonakatsu - After the horrendous tonkatsu experience at Wakashachiya just a couple of hours before, I was rather skeptical about the tonkatsu at Ma Maison. Those fears were put to rest as the pork cutlet turned out fine and surpassed expectations. Sure the meat wasn't kurobuta like Tampopo's, but it was still decently tender while retaining moisture and bite. There was no evident taste of oily residue either. The breaded batter could have been a wee bit thinner though, which would have made it crispier and less oily.
Beef Stroganoff with Omu Rice - My personal favourite. Who can resist tender beef slices served up in a thick savoury sauce coupled with smooth milky omelette enveloping fragrant and tasty buttery rice? If I'm coming back to Ma Maison, its definitely going to be for this dish. I would prefer a little more butter to go into the rice though, which would make it heartier and of course more artery clogging.
Squid Ink Spaghetti - Honestly I didn't quite take to the spaghetti. It wasn't al dente and came across rather bland. Maybe thats the way Japanese spaghettis are supposed to taste like, unlike the richer and more robust renditions from the Italians. If you like light stuff then this dish would probably suit you but do note that squid ink leaves a dark stain on your teeth so remember to rinse!
See all my pictures here.
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Heading back to Hong Lim Food Centre for lunch a few days later, I can’t help but pay another familiar stall a visit. Located at the once famous Ellenborough Market, one of the earlier wet markets available. While the Malays called it Pasar Bahru meaning “New Market”, the Chinese on the other hand named it “Seng Pa Sat”. Teochews populated the area, and with intent the market was located at Teochew Street (where The Central now stood). Ping Ping Curry Noodle was one of the few stalls I would visit for lunch when I was young, and I could still remember vividly bringing along $1 that I have saved up and specifically told my mum that I would like to add extra ingredients in my bowl of noodles.
Even though it was spicy for me then, I love everything that was within it – Chicken, Fishcake, Tau Pok or Beancurd Skin, Potato and the spicy curry soup. The same husband and wife team is still operating today in Hong Lim, but unfortunately the experience I had that day wasn’t as expected. Maybe nothing can beat the wonderful memories I had at Ellenborough Market but I remembered the soup to be much thicker and packed with more tang. Adding the chilli paste helps to bring out the flavour but sadly it still didn’t impress me. For a $4 version, the ingredients weren’t as plentiful as I expected it to have – or maybe I have just grown up. The “everyone’s favourite” potato was measly and I left the place feeling disappointed.
Perhaps I went with too high an expectation that day or perhaps good times doesn’t really last.
You can view the all photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
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Had the opportunity to be part of the Gourmet Safari Tour hosted by SPH at The Central over the weekend. Together with Leslie from ieatishoot fame, we were ushered to 4 different Japanese restaurants within the mall to sample their various specialties, with Wakashachiya being the first stop.
Located on the third floor of Central, Wakashachiya originates from Nagoya city and specialises in Japanese curry udon noodles. The paneled simply done up interior is smallish and can probably squeeze in about 30 pax or so.
Tebasaki - Nagoya city is well known for its Tebasaki, which is essentially deep fried batterless chicken wings with a coating of sweet and spicy sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds and black pepper. And being from Nagoya, Wakashachiya serves this delicacy as well. The wings, though small, packed a savoury punch from the myriad of different flavours all fused together. Sublimely sweet, salty and spicy. A pity the wings were so small and oily. Its $5 for 4 wings by the way.
Hitsu-mabushi - This dish was seriously a case of aesthetics over taste. Served up in a huge pot lookalike container, the lid went off to reveal neatly sliced pieces of unagi, cooked to a beautiful crisp as evident by the charred bits on the shimmery surface. However taste wise, I personally felt that it could have been better. For one, the unagi was too soft and disintegrated easily, lacking the firm and crisp texture that I personally like. The daishi soup (fish stock made from bonito flakes) and the plump chewy rice was good though.
Curry Udon with sides of Tonkatsu, Chicken, Tomatoes and Ebi Tempura
- The dish that Wakashachiya apparently is known for - Japanese curry udon. Wakashachiya's curry tended towards the bland side and didn't seem coagulated enough for my liking. The udon was good though, thick and chewy without making me feel like I'm chomping down on flour. Some work needs to be done on the sides though, with the Tonkatsu coming across as hard and dry while the batter encrusting the chicken was overly salty and oily. Same goes for the ebi tempura, with the batter leaning towards the thick side. The tomatoes were, well, just diced fresh tomatoes.
See all my pictures here.
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