Hanabi has opened a new outlet at Katong Mall. They also boast a new and expanded buffet menu of over 100 items, now also including kushiyaki (grilled items on skewers) and kushiage (deep-fried items on skewers) items. Lunch at $26 and dinner at $30 sounded like good deals. As we were curious about how Hanabi fares now after original owners sold the chain, hubby and I checked out the new outlet.
Unfortunately, it was less than enjoyable. The tables are incredibly tiny, possibly to deter people from over-ordering. Despite an early hour and reservations, they squeezed us (two hulking adults plus an extremely wriggly toddler grabbing everything within arm's reach) at a table that was smaller than a schooldesk! Our request for a larger table could not be accommodated, so most of the evening we were uncomfortably cramped.
Foodwise, there were a lot more MISSES than HITS. Sashimi less than fresh, bland handrolls, awful deep-fried items tasting horribly alike, shocking mystery meat for some items (like what you'd imagine kangaroo or emu ass might taste like), unimpressive tempura, incompetent kushiyaki and poor noodle dishes. Are they trying to do too much?
Yes, there was stuff that I did like but these were few - the jellyfish, unagi fried rice (although clearly reheated via microwave), nice and smooth chawanmushi, and the yakiniku beef (even if overly salty and bits of it were stringy and chewy).
Looks like things have gone downhill. Service was terrible. Green, foreign waitresses and an unpleasant manager. We left before we ate our fill. Quite honestly, for the same amount of money, you can get much, much, much better food across the hallway at Wahiro.
We went to this cheery little steamboat place at Tanjong Katong Road called Paradise on Earth.
I feel like I've hit the lottery. Hubby who normally loathes steamboat actually likes this place and would come back again (in fact, he doesn't want to go anywhere else!). Most of our experiences with steamboat have left us quite disappointed. Here, at Paradise on Earth, the food not only looks and tastes fresh, it's really quite value-for-money. Very pleasing on both eye and wallet.
About 60 items (meat, seafood, vegetables and dishes) plus dessert come free-flow with the buffet price. They also have a premium menu (house specialties) of about 30 items that you can order separately. You won't be complaining about lack of variety here (got a sudden craving for live bull frogs and geoduck? no problem).
They have about five soup choices (you can have two). They are well-known for their satay flavoured soup - we liked this better than their hot & spicy (mala style) soup. Others are fish head, dried scallop and tom yum.
You must try the fried rice here. Looks like plain old Yangzhou fried rice but it's delicious - the first time I had it, I took three bowls! I like the sweet-sour-spicy dipping sauce too. Oh, they also serve you a nice plate of achar - pickled pineapple, carrots and cucumber (that will later appear as a $2 charge on your bill). However, there is no GST and no service charge at this place. Hurrah!
Lunch: S$15.80 for adults; S$7.90 for children (under 12) Dinner: S$17.80 for adults; S$8,90 for children Weekends and public holidays, add S$1 for adults and 50 cents for children
This place does not have that good a reputation for food. As a regular tze char place, it's fairly middling. However, I have had one good dish from here - cereal prawns!
And this is not just cereal prawn but butter cereal prawns! Extra fragrant, yummy and still crisp, despite being a takeaway. I ate even the skins and tails (not the heads though, although I peeled the tasty batter off them). And I love the crispy bits with curry leaves and sliced chili padi.
Do not try their fried rice or horfun though...they are the blandest ever!
The Raffles City basement now has so many eateries but very few that we like. A few days ago, we chanced upon this little ramen shop - Bishamon Sapporo Ramen. Ah, another Sapporo ramen joint. I'd heard good stuff about them. And we weren't disappointed. I liked the spicy miso ramen (S$12) I had. Nicely savoury without being overpowering or overly spicy. The char siew slices are very thick but amazingly, they were so tender, they just melted in your mouth.
Hubby enjoyed the shoyu ramen (S$12.50). I am not fond of shoyu flavouring and found a perceptible porky taste. But it does grow on you. Just a very different flavour from the miso.
This tiny shop doesn't seat very many. Seats spill out into the walkway and most people just eat and go. Bishamon also serves curry rice and some appetiser snacks, if you prefer something other than ramen.
This is a curry udon specialist chain from Japan (Singapore is their first overseas outlet). Didn't really pay much attention to them until I saw the cheese-laden bowl on LiquidShadow's blog. That brought back some memories of Mentsu-dan in Shinjuku, where I first fell in love with udon and where they had this cheese-egg udon that was phenomenal. Ahh, Japan...
Hubby who doesn't like The Central acquiesced to come here for this. We started with the coleslaw with renkon chips (S$6.50, this month's special, available til end March). This was so delicious, and the renkon chips so addictive, we asked for another as soon as we polished it off. We told the waitress they should put this on the regular menu!
Hubby went for the cheese curry udon (S$15.50). The cheese topping did not look as huge as it didn't have any tonkatsu or ebi tempura to rest on. The curry is not bad. I'm not a Japanese curry fan because of its mild and sweetish nature, but I liked this (especially after we put a ton of chili flakes into it). Next time I am coming here to have my own bowl!
I had the grilled eel dish called hitsumabushi (S$18), because I had been craving my good experience at Unasho in Akihabara. I hoped this place would at least meet some standards, unlike local Japanese chains like Ichiban Sushi. Well, Wakashachiya's version was decent enough with good quality ingredients. If you want double the amount of unagi, you can go for the deluxe version (S$27).
Hitsumabushi is fun because you get to play with your food. There are three different ways of eating it. You can divide the bowl into four portions. The first one you can eat as it is - just eel and rice. The second one you can enjoy with condiments of nori, spring onions and wasabi.
The third method is an ochazuke. Pour the hot dashi stock over your eel, rice and condiments to create a "rice tea". The stock here has a strong charcoal or roasted taste, typical of ochazuke. But I still prefer Unasho's more savoury version.
Service here is polite and the lead waitress spoke some Japanese. She was also very conscientious about details and made sure the tables were all laid out neatly, that nothing was out of place. Enthusiastic commitment to the job! Either that or she is the boss of the place!
Well, for a restaurant chain, Wakashachiya is better than expected. I enjoyed myself and will certainly be back again. In fact, looking at these pictures, I'm craving some curry udon already!
Astons is by now, almost a household name for cheap Western set meals. This "Prime" outlet is its high end foray into more premium offerings. Think of it attempting to bring Lawrie's or Morton's to the masses.
The restaurant with dark wood panels and tall black booth seats is indeed wonderfully cosy with dim incandescent lighting.
There were quite a few negative reviews in its early days, which hinted at teething problems. But now they seem to have gotten their act together. Service that evening was genuine and pleasant. They served us iced and warm water, regularly topped up, and even extra napkins when they saw us needing it. I liked the warm rustic dinner roll with garlic herb butter (unsalted, I think). A good start.
The wild mushroom soup (S$5) was filled with chunky mushroom pieces and clumps of cream but tasted a tad sourish, which didn't do it for us. I detected the scent of evaporated milk too, another thing we didn't fancy. However the clam chowder (not pictured as it looks too similar) was much much better, for the same price. At S$5, we didn't complain. Even a fancy can of Campbell's costs more these days.
Delightful salad of raw spinach and crisp, grilled bacon. A very generous portion for S$12.90. I was delighted by the tangy dressing and mustard seeds which added unusual texture to the salad. I could just have this and be happy!
This is one of the main reasons we came here. Mother-in-law had been craving crab cakes, so we decided to come here and try Astons' version. Apparently they sell out really fast, so we pre-ordered two when we called for reservations. There's only one patty per serving, and it looks like a "bergedil" (the Malay fried potato-and-mince patty). However, tastewise, it was a bit musty and bland. Even the grassy taste of the alfalfa sprouts overpowered the crab cake. Absolutely not worth the S$16.90 it commanded.
The steak was really the star of the show. They ran out of ribeye so we got the striploin. This premium slab of USDA Choice, New York 12oz striploin (S$38.90) here was HUUUGE. And more importantly, delicious. This is their "medium" - just slightly pink in the middle but not bloody - although this itself was too "raw" for my mother-in-law and maid.
Aside from the steak, we also had USDA baby back ribs (S$26.90). Another enormous portion served on warmed plate. It was meaty but a wee bit dry. We almost had trouble finishing this.
With the mains, you get to choose sides for S$3 each. Oh the steakhouse fries (S$3 as side dish to main) are good, so very good. Lightly dusted with paprika and salt, they stayed hot and crispy for quite a long while.
While we've never had a good experience at Astons Specialties, I'd come back to Astons Prime for the steak, spinach salad and fries. Pleasant ambiance and good service round up a nice experience. On the whole, we did feel it was pretty good value-for-money. On top of that, there's no service charge or GST. This goes on my list of good places to indulge Neanderthal cravings.
Just bought my Zen mp3 from Creative Store at the Turns2 promotion. I must say for a celebration of turning 2, the promotions weren't that great. However this is a side track as the review should not be about the promotion.
Well, the website, well organized and easy to surf. Payment with the purchase can be done at the website using credit card and everything was smooth and fast. Immediately after the purchase and payment, I received an email confirming the order and that the delivery date is 2 days.
Right next day, I received a call from Creative confirming with me the time for delivery. Since they used Singpost, I requested for after working hours. After a check, seems like its not possible. The customer service then check with me whether Sat is possible. After the confirmation, I received yet another email with the date and time for delivery. Easy to negotiate to and accommodating, I must say the experience is good.
At first I thought the items must be for stock clearance but when I received the items, they were nicely packed and looks thoroughly new. Pleasant surprise that a further check reviewed that the ear piece was produced this yr and the Zen was less than 6 mths ago.
The FAQ portion of the website is also well done. I had trouble starting up the Zen and was able to find the descriptive solution fast and with ease though loading the page was a bit slow.
Just went to this place for viewing of a musical "Broadway Beng". Located at the 3rd storey of the building.
The place is quite small with 2 level of circle seats as well as the stall seats. Seats are comfy with polished wood backing and gives the theater the "feel" that audiences are in for a great show. However leg space is limited so those whom are late will find it difficult to walk through. Those with longer legs will not be too comfortable.
Sound system is great with minimal "emptiness" or "noises". Sounded perfect to me where I was sitting. There are 2 screen panels (great quality image) at the side of the stage and can be used in conjunction with the show on-going. Designed more for theater rather than vocal.
Banking on the concept of nostalgia and old world charm, Jacob's Cafe is all about rediscovery, fresh food and simple, laid back relaxation. Established since September 2000, Jacob's has been serving and belting out tasty country meals for families and couples alike.
Jacob's features an al fresco dining area which makes up the bulk of the seating arrangements and the inner sanctum which has only limited seats of up to 10 people. The seats in the restaurant definitely brings with it a rustic charm and a comfortable atmosphere but the trade off is that after the meal, you'll come out smelling like one yourself. The al fresco seats have no such problem but lighting and visibility will be a little lower.
Pumpkin Soup(Part of the game hen meal), Bread Roll(Part of the game hen meal) - Our first visit there was more of a trial, we wanted to see exactly how good the place was since FZ mentioned the bread roll here has to be the best in Singapore. Thus, we ordered one of the specials on the board. This being the oven baked game hen set meal which came with soup, bread roll, coffee and the game hen of course. For starters, the pumpkin soup was very creamy, a little sweet and definitely opens the pallet. Not the best i had but its decent enough. The bread roll needs a little more description. It will not be immediately apparent why this bread roll is good, but a few bites into it will convince you otherwise. Reason being, its the only bread roll i've had that is completely balanced in having a reasonably hard crust while still maintaining warm and soft inside. You can't even compare it to any other bread roll thus far for that matter. There are no problems with biting into it and separating it as compared to some french loaves you find outside, where eating it is a challenge in itself. Make no mistake, this bread roll is better. Try it to find out.
Oven Baked Game Hen ($25.90) - The game hen came as quite a large portion. Definitely bigger then the spring chickens you can find at the food court. It came with 2 sides, assorted greens and fries. The fries were normal enough while the boiled greens were sauteed with a little butter to enhance the taste while remaining moderately crunchy and soft. The game hen was plump, juicy, tender and very fragrant. The sauce made it slightly salty but it suits the dish well. There's meat enough to go around for 2 people so basically, if you order this, it can be shared for 2 small eaters. I like the way the juices are locked in so that the hen remained tender without being dry. Worth a try.
Jacob's Pizza ($16.90) - Ah yes...Jacob's pizza. I always love ordering food that bears the restaurants namesake because its very important what they put their name on to represent themselves. This pizza, does not disappoint. It came chock full of toppings and cheese with a thin and crispy crust to boot. And the important thing is, you get to see them prepare it fresh before they pop it into the oven and serve to the customers. No issues on freshness here. This is definitely worth a try if you are here. Do note the waiting time for it extends by up to 20 minutes so its wise to order something else while waiting.
Apple Crumble and Vanilla Ice Cream ($7.50) - Having fallen in love with the apple crumble at coffee club, i make it a point to order it when i try out a new place. This is no exception here. However, lo and behold, it turns out to be the first disappointment of the day. Every item up till now has been above average but this sank the experience down quite a bit. To describe how it tastes is easy, its bascially Mcdonald's apple pie with a nicer crust and ice cream thrown into the fray. Definitely leave this out of the meal.
Coffee (Part of the game hen meal) - Our meal came with coffee as well and while its not exactly a gourmet cuppa, i do appreciate them including it and it does complete a meal pretty well.
The total bill for this visit came up to $50.30 with no gst nor service charge. Oh! The service here is really good as well. And the price is definitely justified as the quality of food is of a certain standard.
Barely a week later, me and my gf returned once again to re experience Jacob's and find out if it is still as good as before.
Mushroom Soup (Part of the Ribeye Set) - This time around, i ordered the ribeye set which also came with soup, bread roll and coffee. We had mushroom soup this time and its more watery with chunks of mushroom in it. Its quite bland but still pretty decent. The bread roll is as good as ever though.
Ham and Sausage Combo ($19.90) - My gf ordered the Ham and sausage combo which is actually called the meatloaf on the menu. It arrived as a huge plate with sides of mashed potato and sauerkraut with some mustard for dipping. The mashed potato was pretty good with some peppery taste and a some chunks of potato in it as well. The meatloaf or ham looks like a huge piece of luncheon meat actually and tastes a little like luncheon meat as well but is firmer and juicier. The sausages were definitely fragrant and very tasty.
Ribeye Steak ($28.90) - Another huge serving, the steak came with 3 sides, a tomato with pepper and celery, boiled greens and mashed potatoes. The steak i ordered was done medium rare as i ordered and is very very juicy. Its also a tad salty and had some parts not evenly done as there were portions that were a little too rare. Still, its a decent main dish. However, i probably won't recommend ordering it since Jacob's has other items that are much better.
Pecan Pie ($4.60) - During the first visit, the worst item was the dessert which thankfully isn't the case this time. By recommendation, we ordered the pecan pie which is supposedly a rather rare item in Singapore. This dessert is moderately sweet, crunchy and different in a good way. Its served hot, as in very hot and is something easily recommended. Try it.
Total bill for this visit is $53.40.
And for my third and last visit (so far anyway), we had yet again, a different choice and different items.
Fresh Farm Salad (Part of the Jacob's Chicken Pie Set) - Part of the Jacob's Chicken pie set, this is basically farm fresh salad drenched in balsamic vinegar for good effect. Sour, sweet and fresh, the salad definitely opens your appetite for the meal that follows.
Frankfurters Set ($8.90) - I ordered this thinking that i would be getting the thick and big versions of these little sausages but i was wrong. What was served was extremely small and measly. Taste wise, it doesn't taste any different from the run-of-the-mill sausages you could get outside. This is the second disappointment i've had at Jacob's.
Hungarian Beef Goulash With Bread Roll ($13.50) - I've been wanted to have a go at the Hungarian Goulash ever since i saw it in the menu. Now, i've finally had the chance to try it. For the price, the serving is huge. You get a huge plate of beef, carrots, potatoes and tomatoes in a delectable stew and the choice to have it with either rice or bread roll. I obviously chose the bread roll since its still without a doubt, one of the best bread rolls i've had. The goulash tastes like a cross between beef stew and sardines actually. It doesn't sound very good but in actual fact, it works. Its difficult to describe it further but you'll get a strong beef taste along with a sweet and sour broth which goes really well with the roll. Worth a try.
Jacob's Pie ($16.90) - My gf's Jacob's pie was actually a really small serving given the price but of course, you need to factor in the salad that came before as well. The pastry it came in had a nice buttery taste which i immediately took to and its very crusty and crispy as well. The pie ingredients itself were potatos, green beans, carrots and lots and lots of chicken pieces. The thing i like about the dish was the crust and the fact that the pie is a little bland. Do note that its also superbly hot when served so its important to be careful while eating. Not too bad but not exactly mind blowing either.
Tiramisu with Vanilla Ice Cream ($8.50) - The tiramisu this time was rather good as well. There is a clear distinction on where the cake starts and where the cream ends. The only gripe is that its note evenly done with some portions thicker then the rest. The rum is easily discernible but not overwhelming. I'd say the pecan pie was better though.
The bill this time clocked off at $47.80 for 2 people for a filling and satisfying meal.
Out of 3 meals, i can't say there were no misses. But for what its worth, the experience was still above average and if you asked me, i'd gladly go for another meal. The fact that there's no service charge or gst only serves to sweeten the draw for going back.
Tried this when our company's vendor bought us some for the new year. Heard many great comments about this. Shape of the puff is totally different from those normal ones.
Skin is crispy and flaky and the taste is above average. But in terms of easy eating, its below average. So ladies perhaps should eat this when image is not priority lolx.
Had the curry potato filling. Texture is just right for the crispiness of the puff. The taste of the filing is definitely way above those normal ones selling.
However, the puffs should be eaten fresh. We put one or two of them in the box for like half the day and the skin becomes very oily. However, this is not a very serious problem for curry puffs.
1=SGD 0.0587
Hanabi has opened a new outlet at Katong Mall. They also boast a new and expanded buffet menu of over 100 items, now also including kushiyaki (grilled items on skewers) and kushiage (deep-fried items on skewers) items. Lunch at $26 and dinner at $30 sounded like good deals. As we were curious about how Hanabi fares now after original owners sold the chain, hubby and I checked out the new outlet.
Unfortunately, it was less than enjoyable. The tables are incredibly tiny, possibly to deter people from over-ordering. Despite an early hour and reservations, they squeezed us (two hulking adults plus an extremely wriggly toddler grabbing everything within arm's reach) at a table that was smaller than a schooldesk! Our request for a larger table could not be accommodated, so most of the evening we were uncomfortably cramped.
Foodwise, there were a lot more MISSES than HITS. Sashimi less than fresh, bland handrolls, awful deep-fried items tasting horribly alike, shocking mystery meat for some items (like what you'd imagine kangaroo or emu ass might taste like), unimpressive tempura, incompetent kushiyaki and poor noodle dishes. Are they trying to do too much?
Yes, there was stuff that I did like but these were few - the jellyfish, unagi fried rice (although clearly reheated via microwave), nice and smooth chawanmushi, and the yakiniku beef (even if overly salty and bits of it were stringy and chewy).
Looks like things have gone downhill. Service was terrible. Green, foreign waitresses and an unpleasant manager. We left before we ate our fill. Quite honestly, for the same amount of money, you can get much, much, much better food across the hallway at Wahiro.
Rating given:
We went to this cheery little steamboat place at Tanjong Katong Road called Paradise on Earth.
I feel like I've hit the lottery. Hubby who normally loathes steamboat actually likes this place and would come back again (in fact, he doesn't want to go anywhere else!). Most of our experiences with steamboat have left us quite disappointed. Here, at Paradise on Earth, the food not only looks and tastes fresh, it's really quite value-for-money. Very pleasing on both eye and wallet.
About 60 items (meat, seafood, vegetables and dishes) plus dessert come free-flow with the buffet price. They also have a premium menu (house specialties) of about 30 items that you can order separately. You won't be complaining about lack of variety here (got a sudden craving for live bull frogs and geoduck? no problem).
They have about five soup choices (you can have two). They are well-known for their satay flavoured soup - we liked this better than their hot & spicy (mala style) soup. Others are fish head, dried scallop and tom yum.
You must try the fried rice here. Looks like plain old Yangzhou fried rice but it's delicious - the first time I had it, I took three bowls! I like the sweet-sour-spicy dipping sauce too. Oh, they also serve you a nice plate of achar - pickled pineapple, carrots and cucumber (that will later appear as a $2 charge on your bill). However, there is no GST and no service charge at this place. Hurrah!
Lunch: S$15.80 for adults; S$7.90 for children (under 12)
Dinner: S$17.80 for adults; S$8,90 for children
Weekends and public holidays, add S$1 for adults and 50 cents for children
PARADISE ON EARTH
200 Tanjong Katong Road
Singapore 436998
Tel: 6345 9272.
Daily 11am - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm.
Rating given:
This place does not have that good a reputation for food. As a regular tze char place, it's fairly middling. However, I have had one good dish from here - cereal prawns!
And this is not just cereal prawn but butter cereal prawns! Extra fragrant, yummy and still crisp, despite being a takeaway. I ate even the skins and tails (not the heads though, although I peeled the tasty batter off them). And I love the crispy bits with curry leaves and sliced chili padi.
Do not try their fried rice or horfun though...they are the blandest ever!
Rating given:
Original review at Camemberu.com.
The Raffles City basement now has so many eateries but very few that we like. A few days ago, we chanced upon this little ramen shop - Bishamon Sapporo Ramen. Ah, another Sapporo ramen joint. I'd heard good stuff about them. And we weren't disappointed. I liked the spicy miso ramen (S$12) I had. Nicely savoury without being overpowering or overly spicy. The char siew slices are very thick but amazingly, they were so tender, they just melted in your mouth.
Hubby enjoyed the shoyu ramen (S$12.50). I am not fond of shoyu flavouring and found a perceptible porky taste. But it does grow on you. Just a very different flavour from the miso.
This tiny shop doesn't seat very many. Seats spill out into the walkway and most people just eat and go. Bishamon also serves curry rice and some appetiser snacks, if you prefer something other than ramen.
Rating given:
See original review with all photos at Camemberu.com
I went there a second time too - their ebi tempura curry udon sure has big prawns!
This is a curry udon specialist chain from Japan (Singapore is their first overseas outlet). Didn't really pay much attention to them until I saw the cheese-laden bowl on LiquidShadow's blog. That brought back some memories of Mentsu-dan in Shinjuku, where I first fell in love with udon and where they had this cheese-egg udon that was phenomenal. Ahh, Japan...
Hubby who doesn't like The Central acquiesced to come here for this. We started with the coleslaw with renkon chips (S$6.50, this month's special, available til end March). This was so delicious, and the renkon chips so addictive, we asked for another as soon as we polished it off. We told the waitress they should put this on the regular menu!
Hubby went for the cheese curry udon (S$15.50). The cheese topping did not look as huge as it didn't have any tonkatsu or ebi tempura to rest on. The curry is not bad. I'm not a Japanese curry fan because of its mild and sweetish nature, but I liked this (especially after we put a ton of chili flakes into it). Next time I am coming here to have my own bowl!
I had the grilled eel dish called hitsumabushi (S$18), because I had been craving my good experience at Unasho in Akihabara. I hoped this place would at least meet some standards, unlike local Japanese chains like Ichiban Sushi. Well, Wakashachiya's version was decent enough with good quality ingredients. If you want double the amount of unagi, you can go for the deluxe version (S$27).
Hitsumabushi is fun because you get to play with your food. There are three different ways of eating it. You can divide the bowl into four portions. The first one you can eat as it is - just eel and rice. The second one you can enjoy with condiments of nori, spring onions and wasabi.
The third method is an ochazuke. Pour the hot dashi stock over your eel, rice and condiments to create a "rice tea". The stock here has a strong charcoal or roasted taste, typical of ochazuke. But I still prefer Unasho's more savoury version.
Service here is polite and the lead waitress spoke some Japanese. She was also very conscientious about details and made sure the tables were all laid out neatly, that nothing was out of place. Enthusiastic commitment to the job! Either that or she is the boss of the place!
Well, for a restaurant chain, Wakashachiya is better than expected. I enjoyed myself and will certainly be back again. In fact, looking at these pictures, I'm craving some curry udon already!
Rating given:
Go to the Camemberu.com review for more photos.
Astons is by now, almost a household name for cheap Western set meals. This "Prime" outlet is its high end foray into more premium offerings. Think of it attempting to bring Lawrie's or Morton's to the masses.
The restaurant with dark wood panels and tall black booth seats is indeed wonderfully cosy with dim incandescent lighting.
There were quite a few negative reviews in its early days, which hinted at teething problems. But now they seem to have gotten their act together. Service that evening was genuine and pleasant. They served us iced and warm water, regularly topped up, and even extra napkins when they saw us needing it. I liked the warm rustic dinner roll with garlic herb butter (unsalted, I think). A good start.
The wild mushroom soup (S$5) was filled with chunky mushroom pieces and clumps of cream but tasted a tad sourish, which didn't do it for us. I detected the scent of evaporated milk too, another thing we didn't fancy. However the clam chowder (not pictured as it looks too similar) was much much better, for the same price. At S$5, we didn't complain. Even a fancy can of Campbell's costs more these days.
Delightful salad of raw spinach and crisp, grilled bacon. A very generous portion for S$12.90. I was delighted by the tangy dressing and mustard seeds which added unusual texture to the salad. I could just have this and be happy!
This is one of the main reasons we came here. Mother-in-law had been craving crab cakes, so we decided to come here and try Astons' version. Apparently they sell out really fast, so we pre-ordered two when we called for reservations. There's only one patty per serving, and it looks like a "bergedil" (the Malay fried potato-and-mince patty). However, tastewise, it was a bit musty and bland. Even the grassy taste of the alfalfa sprouts overpowered the crab cake. Absolutely not worth the S$16.90 it commanded.
The steak was really the star of the show. They ran out of ribeye so we got the striploin. This premium slab of USDA Choice, New York 12oz striploin (S$38.90) here was HUUUGE. And more importantly, delicious. This is their "medium" - just slightly pink in the middle but not bloody - although this itself was too "raw" for my mother-in-law and maid.
Aside from the steak, we also had USDA baby back ribs (S$26.90). Another enormous portion served on warmed plate. It was meaty but a wee bit dry. We almost had trouble finishing this.
With the mains, you get to choose sides for S$3 each. Oh the steakhouse fries (S$3 as side dish to main) are good, so very good. Lightly dusted with paprika and salt, they stayed hot and crispy for quite a long while.
While we've never had a good experience at Astons Specialties, I'd come back to Astons Prime for the steak, spinach salad and fries. Pleasant ambiance and good service round up a nice experience. On the whole, we did feel it was pretty good value-for-money. On top of that, there's no service charge or GST. This goes on my list of good places to indulge Neanderthal cravings.
Rating given:
Just bought my Zen mp3 from Creative Store at the Turns2 promotion. I must say for a celebration of turning 2, the promotions weren't that great. However this is a side track as the review should not be about the promotion.
Well, the website, well organized and easy to surf. Payment with the purchase can be done at the website using credit card and everything was smooth and fast. Immediately after the purchase and payment, I received an email confirming the order and that the delivery date is 2 days.
Right next day, I received a call from Creative confirming with me the time for delivery. Since they used Singpost, I requested for after working hours. After a check, seems like its not possible. The customer service then check with me whether Sat is possible. After the confirmation, I received yet another email with the date and time for delivery. Easy to negotiate to and accommodating, I must say the experience is good.
At first I thought the items must be for stock clearance but when I received the items, they were nicely packed and looks thoroughly new. Pleasant surprise that a further check reviewed that the ear piece was produced this yr and the Zen was less than 6 mths ago.
The FAQ portion of the website is also well done. I had trouble starting up the Zen and was able to find the descriptive solution fast and with ease though loading the page was a bit slow.
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Just went to this place for viewing of a musical "Broadway Beng". Located at the 3rd storey of the building.
The place is quite small with 2 level of circle seats as well as the stall seats. Seats are comfy with polished wood backing and gives the theater the "feel" that audiences are in for a great show. However leg space is limited so those whom are late will find it difficult to walk through. Those with longer legs will not be too comfortable.
Sound system is great with minimal "emptiness" or "noises". Sounded perfect to me where I was sitting. There are 2 screen panels (great quality image) at the side of the stage and can be used in conjunction with the show on-going. Designed more for theater rather than vocal.
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Banking on the concept of nostalgia and old world charm, Jacob's Cafe is all about rediscovery, fresh food and simple, laid back relaxation. Established since September 2000, Jacob's has been serving and belting out tasty country meals for families and couples alike.
Jacob's features an al fresco dining area which makes up the bulk of the seating arrangements and the inner sanctum which has only limited seats of up to 10 people. The seats in the restaurant definitely brings with it a rustic charm and a comfortable atmosphere but the trade off is that after the meal, you'll come out smelling like one yourself. The al fresco seats have no such problem but lighting and visibility will be a little lower.
Pumpkin Soup(Part of the game hen meal), Bread Roll(Part of the game hen meal) - Our first visit there was more of a trial, we wanted to see exactly how good the place was since FZ mentioned the bread roll here has to be the best in Singapore. Thus, we ordered one of the specials on the board. This being the oven baked game hen set meal which came with soup, bread roll, coffee and the game hen of course. For starters, the pumpkin soup was very creamy, a little sweet and definitely opens the pallet. Not the best i had but its decent enough. The bread roll needs a little more description. It will not be immediately apparent why this bread roll is good, but a few bites into it will convince you otherwise. Reason being, its the only bread roll i've had that is completely balanced in having a reasonably hard crust while still maintaining warm and soft inside. You can't even compare it to any other bread roll thus far for that matter. There are no problems with biting into it and separating it as compared to some french loaves you find outside, where eating it is a challenge in itself. Make no mistake, this bread roll is better. Try it to find out.
Oven Baked Game Hen ($25.90) - The game hen came as quite a large portion. Definitely bigger then the spring chickens you can find at the food court. It came with 2 sides, assorted greens and fries. The fries were normal enough while the boiled greens were sauteed with a little butter to enhance the taste while remaining moderately crunchy and soft. The game hen was plump, juicy, tender and very fragrant. The sauce made it slightly salty but it suits the dish well. There's meat enough to go around for 2 people so basically, if you order this, it can be shared for 2 small eaters. I like the way the juices are locked in so that the hen remained tender without being dry. Worth a try.
Jacob's Pizza ($16.90) - Ah yes...Jacob's pizza. I always love ordering food that bears the restaurants namesake because its very important what they put their name on to represent themselves. This pizza, does not disappoint. It came chock full of toppings and cheese with a thin and crispy crust to boot. And the important thing is, you get to see them prepare it fresh before they pop it into the oven and serve to the customers. No issues on freshness here. This is definitely worth a try if you are here. Do note the waiting time for it extends by up to 20 minutes so its wise to order something else while waiting.
Apple Crumble and Vanilla Ice Cream ($7.50) - Having fallen in love with the apple crumble at coffee club, i make it a point to order it when i try out a new place. This is no exception here. However, lo and behold, it turns out to be the first disappointment of the day. Every item up till now has been above average but this sank the experience down quite a bit. To describe how it tastes is easy, its bascially Mcdonald's apple pie with a nicer crust and ice cream thrown into the fray. Definitely leave this out of the meal.
Coffee (Part of the game hen meal) - Our meal came with coffee as well and while its not exactly a gourmet cuppa, i do appreciate them including it and it does complete a meal pretty well.
The total bill for this visit came up to $50.30 with no gst nor service charge. Oh! The service here is really good as well. And the price is definitely justified as the quality of food is of a certain standard.
Barely a week later, me and my gf returned once again to re experience Jacob's and find out if it is still as good as before.
Mushroom Soup (Part of the Ribeye Set) - This time around, i ordered the ribeye set which also came with soup, bread roll and coffee. We had mushroom soup this time and its more watery with chunks of mushroom in it. Its quite bland but still pretty decent. The bread roll is as good as ever though.
Ham and Sausage Combo ($19.90) - My gf ordered the Ham and sausage combo which is actually called the meatloaf on the menu. It arrived as a huge plate with sides of mashed potato and sauerkraut with some mustard for dipping. The mashed potato was pretty good with some peppery taste and a some chunks of potato in it as well. The meatloaf or ham looks like a huge piece of luncheon meat actually and tastes a little like luncheon meat as well but is firmer and juicier. The sausages were definitely fragrant and very tasty.
Ribeye Steak ($28.90) - Another huge serving, the steak came with 3 sides, a tomato with pepper and celery, boiled greens and mashed potatoes. The steak i ordered was done medium rare as i ordered and is very very juicy. Its also a tad salty and had some parts not evenly done as there were portions that were a little too rare. Still, its a decent main dish. However, i probably won't recommend ordering it since Jacob's has other items that are much better.
Pecan Pie ($4.60) - During the first visit, the worst item was the dessert which thankfully isn't the case this time. By recommendation, we ordered the pecan pie which is supposedly a rather rare item in Singapore. This dessert is moderately sweet, crunchy and different in a good way. Its served hot, as in very hot and is something easily recommended. Try it.
Total bill for this visit is $53.40.
And for my third and last visit (so far anyway), we had yet again, a different choice and different items.
Fresh Farm Salad (Part of the Jacob's Chicken Pie Set) - Part of the Jacob's Chicken pie set, this is basically farm fresh salad drenched in balsamic vinegar for good effect. Sour, sweet and fresh, the salad definitely opens your appetite for the meal that follows.
Frankfurters Set ($8.90) - I ordered this thinking that i would be getting the thick and big versions of these little sausages but i was wrong. What was served was extremely small and measly. Taste wise, it doesn't taste any different from the run-of-the-mill sausages you could get outside. This is the second disappointment i've had at Jacob's.
Hungarian Beef Goulash With Bread Roll ($13.50) - I've been wanted to have a go at the Hungarian Goulash ever since i saw it in the menu. Now, i've finally had the chance to try it. For the price, the serving is huge. You get a huge plate of beef, carrots, potatoes and tomatoes in a delectable stew and the choice to have it with either rice or bread roll. I obviously chose the bread roll since its still without a doubt, one of the best bread rolls i've had. The goulash tastes like a cross between beef stew and sardines actually. It doesn't sound very good but in actual fact, it works. Its difficult to describe it further but you'll get a strong beef taste along with a sweet and sour broth which goes really well with the roll. Worth a try.
Jacob's Pie ($16.90) - My gf's Jacob's pie was actually a really small serving given the price but of course, you need to factor in the salad that came before as well. The pastry it came in had a nice buttery taste which i immediately took to and its very crusty and crispy as well. The pie ingredients itself were potatos, green beans, carrots and lots and lots of chicken pieces. The thing i like about the dish was the crust and the fact that the pie is a little bland. Do note that its also superbly hot when served so its important to be careful while eating. Not too bad but not exactly mind blowing either.
Tiramisu with Vanilla Ice Cream ($8.50) - The tiramisu this time was rather good as well. There is a clear distinction on where the cake starts and where the cream ends. The only gripe is that its note evenly done with some portions thicker then the rest. The rum is easily discernible but not overwhelming. I'd say the pecan pie was better though.
The bill this time clocked off at $47.80 for 2 people for a filling and satisfying meal.
Out of 3 meals, i can't say there were no misses. But for what its worth, the experience was still above average and if you asked me, i'd gladly go for another meal. The fact that there's no service charge or gst only serves to sweeten the draw for going back.
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Tried this when our company's vendor bought us some for the new year. Heard many great comments about this. Shape of the puff is totally different from those normal ones.
Skin is crispy and flaky and the taste is above average. But in terms of easy eating, its below average. So ladies perhaps should eat this when image is not priority lolx.
Had the curry potato filling. Texture is just right for the crispiness of the puff. The taste of the filing is definitely way above those normal ones selling.
However, the puffs should be eaten fresh. We put one or two of them in the box for like half the day and the skin becomes very oily. However, this is not a very serious problem for curry puffs.
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