My friends and I simply loved to try out food and desserts. For me, desserts stands for most of it. So when I saw this link for ePosh, I just click on it out of curiosity. My first impression, the website is difficult to navigate in with its black background and brightly colored words and the extremely small words.
Nevertheless, what is a website if it serves good desserts. So we went especially from the West to Dhoby Ghaut just to get a taste of the desserts. To our dismay, the shop is just a shop front. There were no seats but just a counter sort of like Famous Amos or bubble tea. There were not much cookies left, just maybe one or two cakes at the counter and of course, brownies.
The serve crew (polite and good service quality) at the counter gave us some brownie base to try. To me, its too sweet though the texture sure is better than a lot of other brownies I've eaten. Chewy and not dry. They currently have 10 flavors out of which, we bought Jelly Peanut butter, White Choc, Triple Choc, Mashmellows, Choc butter. They also have chilli choc which I found rather special but I didn't try as I don't eat chilli.
On first taste, their brownies are definitely unique and tasted above average. But as we try on, we felt thats all there is. There is no "oopmh" of tasting a great dessert and as all the brownie bases are the same, the only difference is its blend with the toppings.
If you really want me to say, I'll recommend white choc and Mashmellow (toasted). But frankly, it would be better if there are seats in the shops for patrons to sit in, not just 2 chairs in front of the shop. Desserts especially brownies, cakes and cookies taste best eaten fresh no matter whether they can be left outside for 3 days without refrigeration.
Price is still ok, going at $3 per piece of brownie. Currently they have a promotion of 5 pieces at $13. Great as a gift as it comes in the beautiful and posh box and paper bag in the pictures.
My first time in Ajisen. Surprised by how fast our food was served as it was full house with a queue outside. We order the fried pork ramen, Volcano Ramen and Teriyaki Chicken Don.
Soup base was tasty and just right without the starchiness or oiliness found in other Ramen. However, the fried pork was too salty hence you got to eat it with the Ramen to blend the taste. Perhaps it was made so that you have to eat it that way. Serving was big and definitely value for the money.
I only tried 1 piece of chicken for the Teriyaki Chicken Don. The chicken was tender and chewy though like the pork, salty. I did not try the Volcano Ramen but I thought it looks very spicy to me.
Menu for dessert was very extensive and we were spoilt for choice regarding which to order. I ordered the Strawberry Parfett. Tried some of the Mango-don't-know-whats-the-name (looks like mango ice). Desserts looks nice but tasted average. Strawberry Parfett was great and recommended though the serving was too big and will be perfect for 2 persons. Mango was sour.. way too sour to eat alone. You will have to eat with the ice shavings to reduce the sour-ness.
But I would say I won't want to patron Ajisen frequently as the food tend to the salty side and there wasn't anything special about the desserts either. Everything was just average. But it will be a good place for small group outing as they don't seem to have space for big groups.
Edited on : 1/05/08 Went back there the 2nd time last week and order some other side dishes like Prawn Mayo, Fried chicken, Pork and Cabbage Omelette, Beef with Asparagus, Chasu and some other dishes. We were quite disappointed as not only the portion was small for most of the side dishes (those in a set) the taste was below average except for the prawn mayo and the Omelette.
Mango for the dessert this time, was too "old" totally spoiling the dessert. Ice cream looks like its been out in the air for too long and melting.
The service crew who served us asked us to speak chinese cause she did not understand English while the other service crew ask us to explain what is 辣椒in English.
Went to this place a couple of times and hadn't got much of an impression there. The first time I went was in the afternoon, where guests were few and we shared the restaurant with only 2 or 3 other guests. To me, the staffs there were quite slow in serving and seems to act overly friendly but the manager seems to be experienced and good.
So far, we loved baked rice, mixed grill, Brandied cherry dessert (my favorite) and baked fish. And disliked the cheese platter which consisted of only some pieces of biscuits, some English Old Cheese which we don't know how to appreciate. But I must mention the celery were fresh though. Seems like main dishes are well done but side dishes needs more improvement.
Nicely decorated with romantic English country style as the main theme. There will be a live singer there to entertain after 7pm and I must say i think he sings very well. A very nice place to have a cosy outing or a light date. But I do dislike seeing the cooks keep coming outside of the kitchen to "look" around.
Recently, i had the honor of being invited to a friend's Wedding that was held at Qian Xi. Having never heard of the place, i was quite surprised at its location. Civil service club in far off Bukit Batok.
On the wedding invitation card, you can see the address written as Hilltop and i was quite surprised when it really meant hilltop since you had to traverse a rather steep slope just to get to the location.
The surroundings were rather picturesque with plenty of greenery and a pool along with lots of Woody buildings. Check out the pictures to see what i mean.
The ballroom itself is the biggest ballroom in the club. The crystal ballroom with a seating capacity of 57 tables. And the amazing thing is, it was filled to the brim that day with her friends, family and church friends. Quite a sight actually.
For the wedding, we had 9 dishes and free flow of wine and beer.
Lobster Cold Dish - The usual chinese cold dish with squid, fried beancurd wrapped fish cake, lobster with fruits and mayo dressing and meat balls. The lobster was pretty stale but was saved by the dressing. Not really appetising actually.
Braised Shark's Fin With Crab meat - Average, the shark's fin was practically non existent and the soup was simply too starchy to be liked. Nothing vinegar and pepper can't fix but if i needed to resort to that, its already too late.
Roasted Crispy Chicken - Another average dish with the chicken being overly dry and lacking taste. In fact, it tasted like beancurd at some points which was astonishing... The crispy skin was quite fragrant though.
Fried Prawn with Cereal - The cereal was very well done i should say. Sweet, fragrant and very tasty, i could eat the cereal and be happy with it. The prawn was quite big but felt grossly overcooked. Dry and without much taste.
Steamed Red Grouper - The grouper was huge, nicely steamed in the cooking sauce i've always liked. It wasn't overly salty but the freshness of the fish is open to question. The meat had a powdery taste near the middle but otherwise was firm and sweet.
Fresh Scallop with Broccoli - The scallops were mini scale and miserly portioned. In fact, i barely had 2 pieces before everything was swept up by the family next to us. For what its worth, the scallops were fresh and springy to the taste.
Yam Ring with Meat - The yam lacked taste and so did the assorted stuffings present in it. Very obviously pork. It was still too bland for my liking despite the multitude of ingredients served.
Fried rice in lotus leaf - As it turned out, the rice was the best. Fragrant and filling. It had alot of ingredients and even had a little wok hei in it. I have no idea how thats possible though.
Yam Paste with Gingko nut - The yam paste was extremely sweet and while the coconut milk was too little. Thus rendering the dish difficult to swallow. After all the above, i wasn't expecting much in the end anyway.
Wine - the wine served was a cornerstone 2006 cabernet sauvignon. I've been seeing this brand alot and finally got to taste it. Its extremely dry and reeked of spices yet not strong enough to be memorable. Aftertaste is spicy.
Overall, the meal went without hitches but was definitely not in the high end in terms of food quality. Honestly, i think paying $563 for this meal might not be worth it at all.
Yes! I've just participated in the fun-filled Yebber's 1st anniversary party at Mint Museum last night. And yes, this is infact my second visit to the Mint Museum. This was my second visit to the place. It's definitely a great place to visit not just for the kids but adults as well.
I managed to arrive earlier at 5 pm to help Claudia & the rest of the Yebber team to get prepared for the evening's event We could just see the ultra-stressed up Claudia running around the museum setting things up and making sure that each & every of us knew our duties for the evening. Bobo, Zihui & I were tasked to be the receptionists for the evening. Hee hee.....
Finally, at around 7pm, guests began to arrive and the 3 of us were busy taking their attendance, giving out programme sheet, bingo tickets, noise-makers, filling out lucky draw "coupons" and of course, directing the guests.
At 8pm, with most of the guests arrived, we were ready to kick off the event for the evening. Polarbear was the emcee for the night and the series of activities was started off with a speech given by one of the founders of Yebber, Darren, followed by the still-very-nervous Claudia. Finally!! We know how the word 'Yebber' came about, why Yebber was born & who are the three funny men who started Yebber. Hee hee.... Following the speeches was a short video clip with interviews of the Yebber Ambassadors (Me!! ME!!! *shy*)
Not just that, there were even Bingo game & lucky draw to get the guests involved for the evening. But me, no luck in either of them. *Sob sob* Nevertheless, being able to participate in the party had already brought alot of joy to me. Not to forget that each of us bagged home a goodie bag with magazines & vouchers! Hee hee....
Yes yes!! How can I forget one of the most important thing. Food!!! Food was served in buffet style, with a good variety. The food was good. We had fresh greens, spaghetti, parmesan crusted chicken, seafood platter and wild mushrooms, tomato checca & salmon bruschetta. After which, we had some mini cakes for dessert. Yummy!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the organising team at Yebber for the event and of course a big congratulation to them for the success of the event.
Banking on his wildly popular Wild Rocket restaurant, lawyer turned chef, Willin Low, has opened up a new burger joint serving up his signature Wild Rocket burger and other rather innovative burgers.
Situated on the second floor (right above Da Paolo) of a charming colonial bungalow along Bukit Timah Road, Relish boasts an uncluttered no frills interior with wooden furniture and wacky murals on the wall. Everything about the place screams casual.
Bacon Cheese Burger - Now who can resist a thick beef patty topped with slices of cheese and bacon sandwiched between a roasted sesame bun? The beef patty was finely chopped and I liked the semi rough texture. A pity it was a wee bit too overcooked but at least it retained its juiciness. The sun dried tomato salsa tasted a little weak this time round. Still a great burger nonetheless, just that it reminded me Wild Rocket's signature burger with an addition of cheese and bacon.
Char Siew Burger - This is the first time I've actually seen such a burger and its actually quite interesting. Lean meat covered with a special home made sauce on a toasted bun. Personally I found the sauce way too sweet for my liking and because it was quite coagulated, consuming too much of it made me nauseous. The meat was very lean and fibrous though, making it a joy to chew on. All in all, it tasted like a fat free version of Kong Ba Pao. Did I mention that the bread was a little too charred?
Wild Rocket Signature Cheesecake - A Wild Rocket signature dessert, the deconstructed cheesecake had a layer of cracker crumbs topped with sweetened strawberries and then topped again with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and cream cheese. The cream cheese was lightly sour and complemented the sweet ice cream and cracker/biscuit base perfectly. Personally I felt that the cracker/biscuit base could have been more buttery for a smoother aftertaste.
A high carbohydrate dinner for 2 cost about $55 which is rather average pricing. The burgers are good without a doubt and filling (they come with lots of fries). Service is good as well so the next time I'm craving for expensive burgers, I'll know where to look.
Photos, what would life and blogging be without them? Snapz offers everything from weddings packages to outing shots to make overs and photo editing and splicing services to clients to ensure they look as good looking and pretty as they can ever be on print. Well, life's not perfect, so why not let your memories in print be isn't it?
How i learned of the place was a rather mundane one. I received a call while at work claiming i've be chosen for a free makeover and photo shot session courtesy of "paying sponsors" and i would be entitled to "choose my 2 favorite shots" upon completing the shot without any commitment nor package. In fact, Frederick and Alex both assured me that there would be no commitment whatsoever and it was simply a privilege i have the "honor" of being chosen. Well, i've been kinda bored so i thought:"There's no way things are gonna be that good. But hey, lets go take a look and see how it goes." I even roped in my gf to join me in the shoot since i'm not much of a looker. And so we went.
Upon traversing the extremely ulu lane to find the shop in the blazing hot sun, i was glad that the place was thankfully air conditioned. I told them my name and filled a form so that i could get my shoot ready. Anyway, i was surprised there were quite a few people in the vicinity including myself. Seems like i wasn't the only person who was "privileged". Still, why not? This was definitely a marketing tactic from the get go so i wasn't too surprised.
Counter staff was pleasant until we were introduced to this lady by the name of Valerie. She wasn't unpleasant as she led us up the steps to the makeover room but the way she spoke definitely did not sit well with me even then. More on the lady later.
The makeover room was rather small with approximately 12 seats for guests to have attended to. We were greeted by a couple of people who were to be our make up artists and was told to select and change into our desired costumes for the shoot. Everything there was fine and the service of the costume designer and the make up artists were quite pleasant. At the end of a 40 minute makeover, my gf looked Japanese and i looked....like dragonball characters. I felt they made up my gf too much because i liked her better without it but well, the lighting and camera and such needed it so what the hey. The artists were a real sport, telling us how nice the hair was and how good my gf looked which was a rather professional move i thought. Always make the customer feel good and comfortable.
Next up, we met the photographer who invited us to the area for the shot which was sadly...just a black backdrop. Nonetheless, we had fun posing for the shots and upon viewing, there were a few pretty good shots in the 50 that were taken. The camera man was pleasant and encouraging which was also a good and necessary move.
Now things turn for the worse. We then returned the borrowed costumes and tried to get rid of the now dry and stiff hair but was told there was no room to wash up. Upon asking to remove the make up on our faces, the lady simply dabbed a little off mine and told me she was done. That was rubbish because the concealer was still all over my face... and leaving that on would be a bad idea. My gf didn't get much attention too in removing make up, asking to remove it only met with comments of, it looks good on you and blah blah blah. Is the company running out of make up remover? I don't know but this is not good service when we've made our requests known.
When we were led downstairs again, we waited for another 30 minutes before we were told we could see the shots. Apparently, they were uploading the shots to the computer....well, last i checked, computers were plug and play in terms of photos but maybe i just haven't had a DSLR before so i may be wrong.
Valerie came out to meet us again and blatantly asked us if we felt if there was anything to complain about. Well, politely we said no because though there were hitches, the experience was still pleasant so far. As we were led into the viewing area, which were basically Apple Macs and shown our photos. Valerie spoke non stop about how we needed their services and touch up because "our eye bags were too obvious" and said to my gf as she removed my blemishes "there, so much better now, don't you wish your boyfriend looked like this?" Talk about saying the wrong things.
Heck, we were just getting started. Well, i knew there was a catch and here it is. Snapz actually has a VIP membership system that basically requires you to sign up for a lifetime membership to be their VIP. It sounds pretty good too and may save you alot of money on photos in the long run if you and your entire family loves taking photographs. Thats not a bad thing i feel but with a sales pitch like that, the membership is definitely in the $4-6k category since they were giving loads of freebies every year. All service and photograph related of course. Free makeovers, free photoshoots, free outdoor service, one on one photography and make up classes and better yet, guaranteed employment by the company. Talk about a full package.
Well, that was an interesting package but Valerie unfortunately, delivered the message over 40 minutes and amidst the whole time, reiterating that we needed the service because they could make us look a whole lot better then we really are. (i'm quite happy with my flawed look though, thank you very much.) Now, here's the kicker of the day: read on for the actual reason i said no.
When asked if i could have a private discussion with my gf, she said: "what is there to discuss when you don't know the price?" (point taken) so i followed up by asking her: "Ok, so how about we cut the chase and you tell me how much a membership costs?" Which was met by: "Are you really interested? Because if you aren't then we shouldn't waste each others time. I can't tell you the price as i'll need someone else to illustrate to you."
So i said: "I see, but i'm in a bit of a rush as i have an appointment. Can we just get the photos and i could consider before letting you know?"
Her response: "I'm afraid not, if you miss this chance then you will not be allowed to enjoy our package again."
My response: " I'm sure i can find a way to come back."
Her respone: "What do you mean by that? What do you think this place is? Anyway, i can assure you that you cannot join us again because we can track and prevent double entry."
My response: " Are you saying that if my friend refers me back and i come with the intention to join a membership after i've had more time to think, your company will not let me join?"
Her response: " Yes."
My response: "So you will refuse me time to think and i must sign today to get the deal. If i refuse to do so, if i do return, your company will turn away my business, is this what you are saying?"
Her response: "Yes"
My response: "In that case, i am not interested in the deal anymore, please allow us to choose the photos and leave."
Her response: "Sure"
After which, we signed a form stating that we received the photos and a feedback form where i thanked the company. But suddenly, we were given a disc with photos we have not chosen.
I queried: "Excuse me, i thought we could choose our own 2 best shots?"
Her response: " I'm afraid not. Over here, we choose the shots for you when you don't sign."
My response: " I see....May i have your name again?"
Her response: " Valerie."
And thats that. I wouldn't say the entire experience was bad but the sales person definitely needed a lot more training. And the policy of having to sign immediately? Bah, i work in sales, i know the tactics. And this is the hardest force selling i've come across thus far. I would have considered but unfortunately, the lady simply was not pleasant and quite obviously, cared less of clients than she did her own wallet.
In sales, what people buy is not the company, not the product when a saleperson is selling. People buy what the sales person represents of the company. If she is anything to go by, i'm never giving them a chance again. That, my friends is what brings companies and overall experiences down.
The Vivocity branch has poor customer service! My hubby made bookings. We were to share tables with lots of other people in a very small space. They thought we're with this uncle who came slightly after us. When he asked for menu, they only gave him and never give us. So we asked for menu, then they took very long to get us menu . Some more give us attitude. -.-''
After ordering our food, lots of other customers arrived.. We know it's quite normal for the place to be fully filled every moment, so that's okay.. We had some tea.. those who came after us were ordering food. We finish almost 2 pots of tea, no food yet. Those who ordered 30mins after us, got their food le! (we only ordered 1 noddle and 1 plate of prawns). Hubby was really angry, he left to help me some stuffs outside. Then the food arrived. lols. I thought they wait for him to go off then serve us. :p
They didn't give us servlets/napkin (- the thing put on lap one leh.. whatever you call that) when they gave everybody else 1. After have our 2rd prawn using the chopsticks and spoon to "peel" the prawn's shell, they give us the lemon thingy to wash finger. -.- I'm like got this one didn't bring out earlier.. make me struggle with the prawn for so long. :p and NO, the prawns didn't fly lah! Just that I dun feel comfortable using chopsticks and spoon to "strip" the prawn..
When we called for the bill, it didn't come. We waited and waited. They clear the whole table le, still no sign of bill. I had to get the attention of another person to get our bill to us. -.- Then the bill finally came, darling pay le, then we wait and wait again for the change. Meanwhile, we just sit there staring at each other and the empty part of the table. lols. so angry yet so funny. Anyway, I went out feeling super happy cause finally can get out of that place! Phew..
After many months of passing-by the shop and promising to try out "next time", hubby and I finally decide to eat at Bosses one late night.
Maybe because it's near closing or because they didn't have enough staffs, we stood outside the shop for quite sometime before someone spotted us.
We ordered tea, congee and some side dishes.
The food arrived first and I was slightly pissed that they forgot about our tea. We had to remind them that they have yet to serve us our tea, but after that "reminder", they kept refilling our teapot. lol.
Hubby love the food and we both think it's somewhat better than Crystal Jade. I felt that it's rather expensive but hubby thinks it's worth the price we pay. :)
I like the tea cups with handles because I'm not very good at holding hot tea cups. Hubby likes the 3-button "remote" that's placed on every table. He thinks it's very useful since we can easily get assistance for bill, water and help. At first I was quite skeptical about this remote, but after "testing" it, sure am I impressed with their speed. :)
Had dinner at Stiff Chilli, a chain of 4 restaurants in Bali and a sole one in Singapore. Owned by Rodney Holt, an Italian - Australian chef, it is so named because Holt liked the offbeat sound of it.
Complimentary Bread - I honestly don't remember much about the bread except that it came served with a mini platter of sauces, namely olive oil, vinegar and chilli sauce. I remember it didn't come warm and that it was rather dry.
Burrata Parma Ham - Stiff Chilli flies in the Burrata, a fresh cheese, from southern Italy every week. I personally didn't quite take to it as it was rather bland and akin to eating cold tofu with a milky texture. The parma ham balanced out the blandness, but unfortunately there wasn't enough to go around.
Pasta all'Inchiostro - The squid ink pasta was actually quite good, lightly sweet and al dente without the light smoky cream sauce being overpowering. It could seriously do with more ingredients, but for the price I can hardly complain.
Cassata - From what I understand, Cassata is a traditional dessert from Sicily which is essentially a layered cake, with sponge, ricotta cheese and candied peel. Stiff Chilli's rendition was all ice cream and tasted like the mudpies from Burger King. And it certainly didn't look home made or freshly made for that matter. Fresh from a box in the freezer more like it. $6 for this dessert is really pushing it in my humble opinion.
A sweaty dinner with 1 appetiser, 1 main and 1 dessert cost about $45, which isn't exactly cheap given the quality of food and the whole dining in a crumbly shophouse experience. Once is enough.
1=SGD 0.0587
My friends and I simply loved to try out food and desserts. For me, desserts stands for most of it. So when I saw this link for ePosh, I just click on it out of curiosity. My first impression, the website is difficult to navigate in with its black background and brightly colored words and the extremely small words.
Nevertheless, what is a website if it serves good desserts. So we went especially from the West to Dhoby Ghaut just to get a taste of the desserts. To our dismay, the shop is just a shop front. There were no seats but just a counter sort of like Famous Amos or bubble tea. There were not much cookies left, just maybe one or two cakes at the counter and of course, brownies.
The serve crew (polite and good service quality) at the counter gave us some brownie base to try. To me, its too sweet though the texture sure is better than a lot of other brownies I've eaten. Chewy and not dry. They currently have 10 flavors out of which, we bought Jelly Peanut butter, White Choc, Triple Choc, Mashmellows, Choc butter. They also have chilli choc which I found rather special but I didn't try as I don't eat chilli.
On first taste, their brownies are definitely unique and tasted above average. But as we try on, we felt thats all there is. There is no "oopmh" of tasting a great dessert and as all the brownie bases are the same, the only difference is its blend with the toppings.
If you really want me to say, I'll recommend white choc and Mashmellow (toasted). But frankly, it would be better if there are seats in the shops for patrons to sit in, not just 2 chairs in front of the shop. Desserts especially brownies, cakes and cookies taste best eaten fresh no matter whether they can be left outside for 3 days without refrigeration.
Price is still ok, going at $3 per piece of brownie. Currently they have a promotion of 5 pieces at $13. Great as a gift as it comes in the beautiful and posh box and paper bag in the pictures.
Rating given:
My first time in Ajisen. Surprised by how fast our food was served as it was full house with a queue outside. We order the fried pork ramen, Volcano Ramen and Teriyaki Chicken Don.
Soup base was tasty and just right without the starchiness or oiliness found in other Ramen. However, the fried pork was too salty hence you got to eat it with the Ramen to blend the taste. Perhaps it was made so that you have to eat it that way. Serving was big and definitely value for the money.
I only tried 1 piece of chicken for the Teriyaki Chicken Don. The chicken was tender and chewy though like the pork, salty. I did not try the Volcano Ramen but I thought it looks very spicy to me.
Menu for dessert was very extensive and we were spoilt for choice regarding which to order. I ordered the Strawberry Parfett. Tried some of the Mango-don't-know-whats-the-name (looks like mango ice). Desserts looks nice but tasted average. Strawberry Parfett was great and recommended though the serving was too big and will be perfect for 2 persons. Mango was sour.. way too sour to eat alone. You will have to eat with the ice shavings to reduce the sour-ness.
But I would say I won't want to patron Ajisen frequently as the food tend to the salty side and there wasn't anything special about the desserts either. Everything was just average. But it will be a good place for small group outing as they don't seem to have space for big groups.
Edited on : 1/05/08
Went back there the 2nd time last week and order some other side dishes like Prawn Mayo, Fried chicken, Pork and Cabbage Omelette, Beef with Asparagus, Chasu and some other dishes. We were quite disappointed as not only the portion was small for most of the side dishes (those in a set) the taste was below average except for the prawn mayo and the Omelette.
Mango for the dessert this time, was too "old" totally spoiling the dessert. Ice cream looks like its been out in the air for too long and melting.
The service crew who served us asked us to speak chinese cause she did not understand English while the other service crew ask us to explain what is 辣椒in English.
Rating given:
Went to this place a couple of times and hadn't got much of an impression there. The first time I went was in the afternoon, where guests were few and we shared the restaurant with only 2 or 3 other guests. To me, the staffs there were quite slow in serving and seems to act overly friendly but the manager seems to be experienced and good.
So far, we loved baked rice, mixed grill, Brandied cherry dessert (my favorite) and baked fish. And disliked the cheese platter which consisted of only some pieces of biscuits, some English Old Cheese which we don't know how to appreciate. But I must mention the celery were fresh though. Seems like main dishes are well done but side dishes needs more improvement.
Nicely decorated with romantic English country style as the main theme. There will be a live singer there to entertain after 7pm and I must say i think he sings very well. A very nice place to have a cosy outing or a light date. But I do dislike seeing the cooks keep coming outside of the kitchen to "look" around.
Rating given:
Recently, i had the honor of being invited to a friend's Wedding that was held at Qian Xi. Having never heard of the place, i was quite surprised at its location. Civil service club in far off Bukit Batok.
On the wedding invitation card, you can see the address written as Hilltop and i was quite surprised when it really meant hilltop since you had to traverse a rather steep slope just to get to the location.
The surroundings were rather picturesque with plenty of greenery and a pool along with lots of Woody buildings. Check out the pictures to see what i mean.
The ballroom itself is the biggest ballroom in the club. The crystal ballroom with a seating capacity of 57 tables. And the amazing thing is, it was filled to the brim that day with her friends, family and church friends. Quite a sight actually.
For the wedding, we had 9 dishes and free flow of wine and beer.
Lobster Cold Dish - The usual chinese cold dish with squid, fried beancurd wrapped fish cake, lobster with fruits and mayo dressing and meat balls. The lobster was pretty stale but was saved by the dressing. Not really appetising actually.
Braised Shark's Fin With Crab meat - Average, the shark's fin was practically non existent and the soup was simply too starchy to be liked. Nothing vinegar and pepper can't fix but if i needed to resort to that, its already too late.
Roasted Crispy Chicken - Another average dish with the chicken being overly dry and lacking taste. In fact, it tasted like beancurd at some points which was astonishing... The crispy skin was quite fragrant though.
Fried Prawn with Cereal - The cereal was very well done i should say. Sweet, fragrant and very tasty, i could eat the cereal and be happy with it. The prawn was quite big but felt grossly overcooked. Dry and without much taste.
Steamed Red Grouper - The grouper was huge, nicely steamed in the cooking sauce i've always liked. It wasn't overly salty but the freshness of the fish is open to question. The meat had a powdery taste near the middle but otherwise was firm and sweet.
Fresh Scallop with Broccoli - The scallops were mini scale and miserly portioned. In fact, i barely had 2 pieces before everything was swept up by the family next to us. For what its worth, the scallops were fresh and springy to the taste.
Yam Ring with Meat - The yam lacked taste and so did the assorted stuffings present in it. Very obviously pork. It was still too bland for my liking despite the multitude of ingredients served.
Fried rice in lotus leaf - As it turned out, the rice was the best. Fragrant and filling. It had alot of ingredients and even had a little wok hei in it. I have no idea how thats possible though.
Yam Paste with Gingko nut - The yam paste was extremely sweet and while the coconut milk was too little. Thus rendering the dish difficult to swallow. After all the above, i wasn't expecting much in the end anyway.
Wine - the wine served was a cornerstone 2006 cabernet sauvignon. I've been seeing this brand alot and finally got to taste it. Its extremely dry and reeked of spices yet not strong enough to be memorable. Aftertaste is spicy.
Overall, the meal went without hitches but was definitely not in the high end in terms of food quality. Honestly, i think paying $563 for this meal might not be worth it at all.
Rating given:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, YEBBER!
Yes! I've just participated in the fun-filled Yebber's 1st anniversary party at Mint Museum last night. And yes, this is infact my second visit to the Mint Museum. This was my second visit to the place. It's definitely a great place to visit not just for the kids but adults as well.
I managed to arrive earlier at 5 pm to help Claudia & the rest of the Yebber team to get prepared for the evening's event We could just see the ultra-stressed up Claudia running around the museum setting things up and making sure that each & every of us knew our duties for the evening. Bobo, Zihui & I were tasked to be the receptionists for the evening. Hee hee.....
Finally, at around 7pm, guests began to arrive and the 3 of us were busy taking their attendance, giving out programme sheet, bingo tickets, noise-makers, filling out lucky draw "coupons" and of course, directing the guests.
At 8pm, with most of the guests arrived, we were ready to kick off the event for the evening. Polarbear was the emcee for the night and the series of activities was started off with a speech given by one of the founders of Yebber, Darren, followed by the still-very-nervous Claudia. Finally!! We know how the word 'Yebber' came about, why Yebber was born & who are the three funny men who started Yebber. Hee hee.... Following the speeches was a short video clip with interviews of the Yebber Ambassadors (Me!! ME!!! *shy*)
Not just that, there were even Bingo game & lucky draw to get the guests involved for the evening. But me, no luck in either of them. *Sob sob* Nevertheless, being able to participate in the party had already brought alot of joy to me. Not to forget that each of us bagged home a goodie bag with magazines & vouchers! Hee hee....
Yes yes!! How can I forget one of the most important thing. Food!!! Food was served in buffet style, with a good variety. The food was good. We had fresh greens, spaghetti, parmesan crusted chicken, seafood platter and wild mushrooms, tomato checca & salmon bruschetta. After which, we had some mini cakes for dessert. Yummy!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the organising team at Yebber for the event and of course a big congratulation to them for the success of the event.
Hope to celebrate future Yebber birthdays!!!
Rating given:
Banking on his wildly popular Wild Rocket restaurant, lawyer turned chef, Willin Low, has opened up a new burger joint serving up his signature Wild Rocket burger and other rather innovative burgers.
Situated on the second floor (right above Da Paolo) of a charming colonial bungalow along Bukit Timah Road, Relish boasts an uncluttered no frills interior with wooden furniture and wacky murals on the wall. Everything about the place screams casual.
Bacon Cheese Burger - Now who can resist a thick beef patty topped with slices of cheese and bacon sandwiched between a roasted sesame bun? The beef patty was finely chopped and I liked the semi rough texture. A pity it was a wee bit too overcooked but at least it retained its juiciness. The sun dried tomato salsa tasted a little weak this time round. Still a great burger nonetheless, just that it reminded me Wild Rocket's signature burger with an addition of cheese and bacon.
Char Siew Burger - This is the first time I've actually seen such a burger and its actually quite interesting. Lean meat covered with a special home made sauce on a toasted bun. Personally I found the sauce way too sweet for my liking and because it was quite coagulated, consuming too much of it made me nauseous. The meat was very lean and fibrous though, making it a joy to chew on. All in all, it tasted like a fat free version of Kong Ba Pao. Did I mention that the bread was a little too charred?
Wild Rocket Signature Cheesecake - A Wild Rocket signature dessert, the deconstructed cheesecake had a layer of cracker crumbs topped with sweetened strawberries and then topped again with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and cream cheese. The cream cheese was lightly sour and complemented the sweet ice cream and cracker/biscuit base perfectly. Personally I felt that the cracker/biscuit base could have been more buttery for a smoother aftertaste.
A high carbohydrate dinner for 2 cost about $55 which is rather average pricing. The burgers are good without a doubt and filling (they come with lots of fries). Service is good as well so the next time I'm craving for expensive burgers, I'll know where to look.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Photos, what would life and blogging be without them? Snapz offers everything from weddings packages to outing shots to make overs and photo editing and splicing services to clients to ensure they look as good looking and pretty as they can ever be on print. Well, life's not perfect, so why not let your memories in print be isn't it?
How i learned of the place was a rather mundane one. I received a call while at work claiming i've be chosen for a free makeover and photo shot session courtesy of "paying sponsors" and i would be entitled to "choose my 2 favorite shots" upon completing the shot without any commitment nor package. In fact, Frederick and Alex both assured me that there would be no commitment whatsoever and it was simply a privilege i have the "honor" of being chosen. Well, i've been kinda bored so i thought:"There's no way things are gonna be that good. But hey, lets go take a look and see how it goes." I even roped in my gf to join me in the shoot since i'm not much of a looker. And so we went.
Upon traversing the extremely ulu lane to find the shop in the blazing hot sun, i was glad that the place was thankfully air conditioned. I told them my name and filled a form so that i could get my shoot ready. Anyway, i was surprised there were quite a few people in the vicinity including myself. Seems like i wasn't the only person who was "privileged". Still, why not? This was definitely a marketing tactic from the get go so i wasn't too surprised.
Counter staff was pleasant until we were introduced to this lady by the name of Valerie. She wasn't unpleasant as she led us up the steps to the makeover room but the way she spoke definitely did not sit well with me even then. More on the lady later.
The makeover room was rather small with approximately 12 seats for guests to have attended to. We were greeted by a couple of people who were to be our make up artists and was told to select and change into our desired costumes for the shoot. Everything there was fine and the service of the costume designer and the make up artists were quite pleasant. At the end of a 40 minute makeover, my gf looked Japanese and i looked....like dragonball characters. I felt they made up my gf too much because i liked her better without it but well, the lighting and camera and such needed it so what the hey. The artists were a real sport, telling us how nice the hair was and how good my gf looked which was a rather professional move i thought. Always make the customer feel good and comfortable.
Next up, we met the photographer who invited us to the area for the shot which was sadly...just a black backdrop. Nonetheless, we had fun posing for the shots and upon viewing, there were a few pretty good shots in the 50 that were taken. The camera man was pleasant and encouraging which was also a good and necessary move.
Now things turn for the worse. We then returned the borrowed costumes and tried to get rid of the now dry and stiff hair but was told there was no room to wash up. Upon asking to remove the make up on our faces, the lady simply dabbed a little off mine and told me she was done. That was rubbish because the concealer was still all over my face... and leaving that on would be a bad idea. My gf didn't get much attention too in removing make up, asking to remove it only met with comments of, it looks good on you and blah blah blah. Is the company running out of make up remover? I don't know but this is not good service when we've made our requests known.
When we were led downstairs again, we waited for another 30 minutes before we were told we could see the shots. Apparently, they were uploading the shots to the computer....well, last i checked, computers were plug and play in terms of photos but maybe i just haven't had a DSLR before so i may be wrong.
Valerie came out to meet us again and blatantly asked us if we felt if there was anything to complain about. Well, politely we said no because though there were hitches, the experience was still pleasant so far. As we were led into the viewing area, which were basically Apple Macs and shown our photos. Valerie spoke non stop about how we needed their services and touch up because "our eye bags were too obvious" and said to my gf as she removed my blemishes "there, so much better now, don't you wish your boyfriend looked like this?" Talk about saying the wrong things.
Heck, we were just getting started. Well, i knew there was a catch and here it is. Snapz actually has a VIP membership system that basically requires you to sign up for a lifetime membership to be their VIP. It sounds pretty good too and may save you alot of money on photos in the long run if you and your entire family loves taking photographs. Thats not a bad thing i feel but with a sales pitch like that, the membership is definitely in the $4-6k category since they were giving loads of freebies every year. All service and photograph related of course. Free makeovers, free photoshoots, free outdoor service, one on one photography and make up classes and better yet, guaranteed employment by the company. Talk about a full package.
Well, that was an interesting package but Valerie unfortunately, delivered the message over 40 minutes and amidst the whole time, reiterating that we needed the service because they could make us look a whole lot better then we really are. (i'm quite happy with my flawed look though, thank you very much.) Now, here's the kicker of the day: read on for the actual reason i said no.
When asked if i could have a private discussion with my gf, she said: "what is there to discuss when you don't know the price?"
(point taken) so i followed up by asking her: "Ok, so how about we cut the chase and you tell me how much a membership costs?" Which was met by: "Are you really interested? Because if you aren't then we shouldn't waste each others time. I can't tell you the price as i'll need someone else to illustrate to you."
So i said: "I see, but i'm in a bit of a rush as i have an appointment. Can we just get the photos and i could consider before letting you know?"
Her response: "I'm afraid not, if you miss this chance then you will not be allowed to enjoy our package again."
My response: " I'm sure i can find a way to come back."
Her respone: "What do you mean by that? What do you think this place is? Anyway, i can assure you that you cannot join us again because we can track and prevent double entry."
My response: " Are you saying that if my friend refers me back and i come with the intention to join a membership after i've had more time to think, your company will not let me join?"
Her response: " Yes."
My response: "So you will refuse me time to think and i must sign today to get the deal. If i refuse to do so, if i do return, your company will turn away my business, is this what you are saying?"
Her response: "Yes"
My response: "In that case, i am not interested in the deal anymore, please allow us to choose the photos and leave."
Her response: "Sure"
After which, we signed a form stating that we received the photos and a feedback form where i thanked the company. But suddenly, we were given a disc with photos we have not chosen.
I queried: "Excuse me, i thought we could choose our own 2 best shots?"
Her response: " I'm afraid not. Over here, we choose the shots for you when you don't sign."
My response: " I see....May i have your name again?"
Her response: " Valerie."
And thats that. I wouldn't say the entire experience was bad but the sales person definitely needed a lot more training. And the policy of having to sign immediately? Bah, i work in sales, i know the tactics. And this is the hardest force selling i've come across thus far. I would have considered but unfortunately, the lady simply was not pleasant and quite obviously, cared less of clients than she did her own wallet.
In sales, what people buy is not the company, not the product when a saleperson is selling. People buy what the sales person represents of the company. If she is anything to go by, i'm never giving them a chance again. That, my friends is what brings companies and overall experiences down.
Stay as far away as possible. You were warned.
Rating given:
This review is written on 24 October 2006.
The Vivocity branch has poor customer service! My hubby made bookings. We were to share tables with lots of other people in a very small space. They thought we're with this uncle who came slightly after us. When he asked for menu, they only gave him and never give us. So we asked for menu, then they took very long to get us menu . Some more give us attitude. -.-''
After ordering our food, lots of other customers arrived.. We know it's quite normal for the place to be fully filled every moment, so that's okay.. We had some tea.. those who came after us were ordering food. We finish almost 2 pots of tea, no food yet. Those who ordered 30mins after us, got their food le! (we only ordered 1 noddle and 1 plate of prawns). Hubby was really angry, he left to help me some stuffs outside. Then the food arrived. lols. I thought they wait for him to go off then serve us. :p
They didn't give us servlets/napkin (- the thing put on lap one leh.. whatever you call that) when they gave everybody else 1. After have our 2rd prawn using the chopsticks and spoon to "peel" the prawn's shell, they give us the lemon thingy to wash finger. -.- I'm like got this one didn't bring out earlier.. make me struggle with the prawn for so long. :p and NO, the prawns didn't fly lah! Just that I dun feel comfortable using chopsticks and spoon to "strip" the prawn..
When we called for the bill, it didn't come. We waited and waited. They clear the whole table le, still no sign of bill. I had to get the attention of another person to get our bill to us. -.- Then the bill finally came, darling pay le, then we wait and wait again for the change. Meanwhile, we just sit there staring at each other and the empty part of the table. lols. so angry yet so funny. Anyway, I went out feeling super happy cause finally can get out of that place! Phew..
Rating given:
After many months of passing-by the shop and promising to try out "next time", hubby and I finally decide to eat at Bosses one late night.
Maybe because it's near closing or because they didn't have enough staffs, we stood outside the shop for quite sometime before someone spotted us.
We ordered tea, congee and some side dishes.
The food arrived first and I was slightly pissed that they forgot about our tea. We had to remind them that they have yet to serve us our tea, but after that "reminder", they kept refilling our teapot. lol.
Hubby love the food and we both think it's somewhat better than Crystal Jade. I felt that it's rather expensive but hubby thinks it's worth the price we pay. :)
I like the tea cups with handles because I'm not very good at holding hot tea cups. Hubby likes the 3-button "remote" that's placed on every table. He thinks it's very useful since we can easily get assistance for bill, water and help. At first I was quite skeptical about this remote, but after "testing" it, sure am I impressed with their speed. :)
Rating given:
Had dinner at Stiff Chilli, a chain of 4 restaurants in Bali and a sole one in Singapore. Owned by Rodney Holt, an Italian - Australian chef, it is so named because Holt liked the offbeat sound of it.
Complimentary Bread - I honestly don't remember much about the bread except that it came served with a mini platter of sauces, namely olive oil, vinegar and chilli sauce. I remember it didn't come warm and that it was rather dry.
Burrata Parma Ham - Stiff Chilli flies in the Burrata, a fresh cheese, from southern Italy every week. I personally didn't quite take to it as it was rather bland and akin to eating cold tofu with a milky texture. The parma ham balanced out the blandness, but unfortunately there wasn't enough to go around.
Pasta all'Inchiostro - The squid ink pasta was actually quite good, lightly sweet and al dente without the light smoky cream sauce being overpowering. It could seriously do with more ingredients, but for the price I can hardly complain.
Cassata - From what I understand, Cassata is a traditional dessert from Sicily which is essentially a layered cake, with sponge, ricotta cheese and candied peel. Stiff Chilli's rendition was all ice cream and tasted like the mudpies from Burger King. And it certainly didn't look home made or freshly made for that matter. Fresh from a box in the freezer more like it. $6 for this dessert is really pushing it in my humble opinion.
A sweaty dinner with 1 appetiser, 1 main and 1 dessert cost about $45, which isn't exactly cheap given the quality of food and the whole dining in a crumbly shophouse experience. Once is enough.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given: