Dropped by with a group of friends after dinner one night. Not a really good experience actually.
The decor was not too bad on the second floor, with a little jacuzzi pool (which I doubt anyone would use, except for the one I saw that night). The seats in the open area weren't totally comfortable, but I guess it was still fine.
I didn't like the service. They were pressing for orders to be placed, and seemed more than willing to have us leave after our first round of drinks.
The drinks aren't exactly cheap considering the quality. It tasted diluted, both lacking taste and alcohol, considering the same price I paid at another bar in CHIJMES for the same cocktail.
The music was so-so, and I guess it would still be a decent place to sit down and chill for a drink while you are around the area.
I remember frequently patronising the now defunct Dolphins Restaurant around the Macpherson area when I was still a secondary school student for its value for money set lunches and dinners. Fast forward a decade and the only hint of Dolphins existence is its flagship outlet along Genting Lane.
Oddly located on the 7th floor of an aging industrial building, it is so obscure that you would have to actually know that such a place existed. The interior is homely and reminiscent of steak houses of yesteryear (think Jack's place in the early 90s), made complete with nice booth seats in one corner.
Cream of Mushroom - The soup came with my set lunch and was rather starchy. Beats a watered down version I guess. And I'm pretty sure it came straight out of a can.
Tenderloin with Slipper Lobster - Done up medium rare, the tenderloin was decent but not outstanding. The meat tasted a little flat and could have done with some seasoning. On the up side, the slipper lobster was relatively big and sweet. But as with all lobsters, meat is always limited.
Pasta with Beef - Surprisingly, the pasta was al dente and the addition of capsicum gave this dish a very interesting twist - one that did not sit too well with me however. The beef cubes were plentiful though but lacking in taste and texture.
I guess $47 for 2 for lunch isn't exactly cheap or value for money, but I would say its still decent and definitely a nice quiet place to have a meal. That, plus the nostalgic factor and decent service, is enough for a revisit.
Food portion was large, menu described the dishes, and other instructions (e.g rare, medium rare) well. Ordered Chef's salad, Mixed grill and garlic steak. Chef's salad was the best dish that day with extremely fresh vegetables and sliced chicken. Garlic steak was also not bad though the fried garlic was too overwhelming and covered the taste of beef. Service was fast and swift without any encounter of rude service crew. Overall a nice place for a date or dinner night out.
Con:
Peach cooler wasn't exactly a nice drink. We were sort of forced into ordering it by the (auntie) manager. Its quite expensive at about $4 per glass.
Today marks the second time that I am doing a review on Astons Specialities, albeit a rather short one. The first review can be found here. This time however, the location is different. That's right, Astons has a new outlet in the Serangoon Gardens estate. Unlike the original outlet, the new outlet isn't a stand alone unit by itself. Instead, it is housed inside a coffeeshop just next to HSBC and Borsch Steak House. Not really visible from the main road if you ask me, unless you happen to be walking towards the Starbucks/Cafe Cartel area.
On to the food. I had an order of Sirloin Steak medium rare with sides of fries and baked beans. My dad had the Sirloin as well, medium well though and my mum had the Char Grilled Chicken. Both my dad's and my steak turned out overcooked. Mine came almost medium well whereas my dad's one came well done. However, the meat was still a little juicy and sweet in my case, which was a relief in some ways. My mum's chicken was just average.
In my conversation with the cook/owner later on, he explained that the stall was only 3 days old and they weren't familiar with the equipment yet, hence the overcooking. He even offered to change our steaks for us and gave us a small discount on the food, which I felt was a nice gesture on his part.
Total damage was $25. Not cheap, but not expensive either. I'm sure once they get the hang of the equipment, the food will get better and the crowds will come. I'll definitely be back.
Im not a rice person..yes im partly malay but iv never been a big fan of ze grains..mayb cos it makes me full n i cnt try the other yummies at the table but eighteen chefs has totally changed my mind.
Each time i walk past the place i will debate with myself wether i should go anot..liked the decor but was hesitant cos well im not a rice person..but finally went there a few days back..amazinly on a thurs nite it wasnt crowded with students..it was pretty quiet and i had fun checkin out the nice decor
me n my bf decided to get a few things to share...I naturally wanted salad so we got the prawn salad..
the prawns were sooo nice!!!fresh n peeled and went well with the dressing..tink it was vinegar..forgot..but i loved the salad..one of my favs...
next came the snack platter..now im a huge calamari lover and iv been pretty dissapointed with the calamari i had at pizza hut..so it was nice that the calamari here isnt hard..the batter is juz nice..and it just melts in ur mouth..nuggets are well nuggets..same as the fries..but i have to mention the fish nuggets..they were my fav..and the onion rings too...
ok..now to the baked rice..i loved the fact that u can choose what base ud like n the topping..cos im not a fan of tomato..i chose the spicy garlic base n chicken sausage topping..it was delicious. i felt that maybe they should have added more sausages but all in all it was good. Rice was nice and not undercooked or overcooked and there was an abundance of cheese making it taste scrumptious.
but mayb its best to stay away from the pasta..tried the creamy chicken and well..found it quite bland..stick to baked rice...overall i liked the food..very filling and good..food came fast and utensils too..the staff had a smile on their face all the time. Furthermore they do not charge service charge yet they hav very helpful and attentive staff.
My first cafe cartel recently experience was at Plaza Sg on my birthday..
I went there a few years back and remembered the free flow of bread and their unique ordering style.
I love the free flow of bread, mainly because I love bread. And the butter/margarine provided is nice too. Ordered the supreme platter,oriental chicken salad, seafood pasta and a burger for my bf. dissapointed with the supreme platter as even though the menu stated that it came with the cheese waffle fries, it came with normal fries. but the nuggets were goof though. boyfriend had that crispy chicken burger which he seemed to like.
My favourite 2 dishes were the oriental chicken salad and the seafood baked pasta..
the salad was fresh..love my lettuce and the chicken wasnt hard..small pieces that prepare me for my next meal..and while im not one who likes salad dressing, i find this dresing light and quite refresing. not creamy like thousand island.
as for my baked pasta..the servings are generous..the prawns were fresh..squid didnt taste like rubber bands and sauce was tasty..i get to choose my sauce..either tomato or cream..definitely the latter..plus anything with cheese baked on top of it gets thumbs up from me..esp if its well baked..aka not too burnt..juz nice and brown..the cheese isnt hardened n u get that effect that the cheese stretches with each fork/spoonful of pasta u take..
love the service too..theyre so patient with my many requests for my food..like
-salad without dressing..
-no carrots..
more sauce..
and they alwez get the bread for me..even tho i dont mind gettin it myself..
worth it..esp since no 10%..juz the 7% charge..
love Cafe Cartel's system of orderin the food usin those notepad thingys..
cos if the order is presented wrongly..well its the writers fault for writing wrongly..
The food has always been good..
I loved their supreme platter cos it has my favourite waffle fries, calamari n nuggets..
Seafood baked pasta cos of the delicious creamy sauce and cheese..
and most recently, I tried the grilled dory with sambal sauce..
while the dory did not smell or taste fishy at all.it went well with the sambal sauce..but i felt the sambal sauce was not very hot..i guess not everyone can stand overly hot food but i still liked it
and it didnt leave a weird aftertaste that i get after eatin dory @ sum restaurants..
My friend had the pan fried linguine..looked good n she seemed to enjoy it..
We indulged and got ourselves dessert...my tiramisu was presented beautifully..and i loved how it tasted..it was creamy not too overwhelming..nice n light..
liked the choc biscuit at the bottom
my friend had the all american classic..
and well..caramel n butterscotch=heaven..so no need to comment there..i love butterscotch so i added it to my tiramisu..yummy..
service was fantastic..for new staff who were attentive even after so many orders(my boyfren n his frenz were with us at first)..
to constantly refilling our drinks and enquiring if we wanted new drinks when we finished ours..
they were constantly smiling and even durin closing time(11 surprisingly late)..they werent chasin us out or anithin..
i really do love cafe cartel for providing good service great food..n not chargin us another 10% for it
It was way past 11 and i was craving calamari n of all things NYDC doesnt have calamari..so off to balcony bar...
I love love love the decor..with the old school seats and swings at the sides. even the tables are so pretty.
ordered a main to share, fish with butter cream sauce and chippolatas and calamari. it was part of a set meal so came with a drink and a cake..oreo chezcake...
fish was delish. light and slitely salty tho but not too msg-ey. enjoyed it esp cos of the sauce.
chippolatas was the best i ever had. juicy and very eady to bite. was quite angry my bf finished it.
calamari was good too..not like tyres and could be easily bitten into. not salty either.
service was ok..took quite a while to get my chilli sauce but at least i got it..and the ambiance was so relaxed. even tho we were near to two traffic lights didnt realli notice the crowd walkin past due to the huge curtains..
oh n the chezcake was alright..im not a cheezcake person but it was good..not too cheezey..
i love how munchy donuts are nice n crisp on the outside yet so deliciously soft on the inside. and it stays that way even after a few hours unlike other donuts that tend to harden. not only that but the fillings and toppings are generous and not too sweet. such as my favourite chocz o cream..i love the chocolate topping and the filling which is butter cream custard makes it a perfect balance n not too chocolaty..and the latte donut is a perfect weapon against sleepiness and hunger combined..but my two favourites are definitely the oreo donut and coco pops donut..compared with other oreo donuts, munchy's oreo is one u savour bite after bite..and makes u want more when u finish it. as for coco pops..well what can i say..its coco pops..although u might want to eat it right after u get it..if not the pops loses its pop-ness..and it has some intresting flavours too..i was a bit hesitant to try the putting green yet the red bean custard cream is not too sweet n the green tea topping isnt too overwhelming..thou im not a huge fan of the peppermint cheese donut..a bit tooo cheesey but the cheez donut is a must try for cheeze lovers..i was pleasantly surprised when i tried it..the parsely gives it more oomph..
n they have a new flavour, rocky road or sumthin. has both nuts and coco pops..im hooked to that now..
and as simple as it looks the munch me and power pop is delicous too. my mom loves them.
and i love how quick their service is..so mayb i came at a not so busy time but the servers were nice and very patient with me(cos i usualli dont know how many of wic to get)..no 2 hour waiting sessions for me so yay..
n now that theres one at bedok i no longer have to travel to tj katong to get my donut fix.
1=SGD 0.0587
Dropped by with a group of friends after dinner one night. Not a really good experience actually.
The decor was not too bad on the second floor, with a little jacuzzi pool (which I doubt anyone would use, except for the one I saw that night). The seats in the open area weren't totally comfortable, but I guess it was still fine.
I didn't like the service. They were pressing for orders to be placed, and seemed more than willing to have us leave after our first round of drinks.
The drinks aren't exactly cheap considering the quality. It tasted diluted, both lacking taste and alcohol, considering the same price I paid at another bar in CHIJMES for the same cocktail.
The music was so-so, and I guess it would still be a decent place to sit down and chill for a drink while you are around the area.
Rating given:
I remember frequently patronising the now defunct Dolphins Restaurant around the Macpherson area when I was still a secondary school student for its value for money set lunches and dinners. Fast forward a decade and the only hint of Dolphins existence is its flagship outlet along Genting Lane.
Oddly located on the 7th floor of an aging industrial building, it is so obscure that you would have to actually know that such a place existed. The interior is homely and reminiscent of steak houses of yesteryear (think Jack's place in the early 90s), made complete with nice booth seats in one corner.
Cream of Mushroom - The soup came with my set lunch and was rather starchy. Beats a watered down version I guess. And I'm pretty sure it came straight out of a can.
Tenderloin with Slipper Lobster - Done up medium rare, the tenderloin was decent but not outstanding. The meat tasted a little flat and could have done with some seasoning. On the up side, the slipper lobster was relatively big and sweet. But as with all lobsters, meat is always limited.
Pasta with Beef - Surprisingly, the pasta was al dente and the addition of capsicum gave this dish a very interesting twist - one that did not sit too well with me however. The beef cubes were plentiful though but lacking in taste and texture.
I guess $47 for 2 for lunch isn't exactly cheap or value for money, but I would say its still decent and definitely a nice quiet place to have a meal. That, plus the nostalgic factor and decent service, is enough for a revisit.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Pro:
Food portion was large, menu described the dishes, and other instructions (e.g rare, medium rare) well. Ordered Chef's salad, Mixed grill and garlic steak. Chef's salad was the best dish that day with extremely fresh vegetables and sliced chicken. Garlic steak was also not bad though the fried garlic was too overwhelming and covered the taste of beef. Service was fast and swift without any encounter of rude service crew. Overall a nice place for a date or dinner night out.
Con:
Peach cooler wasn't exactly a nice drink. We were sort of forced into ordering it by the (auntie) manager. Its quite expensive at about $4 per glass.
Rating given:
Today marks the second time that I am doing a review on Astons Specialities, albeit a rather short one. The first review can be found here. This time however, the location is different. That's right, Astons has a new outlet in the Serangoon Gardens estate. Unlike the original outlet, the new outlet isn't a stand alone unit by itself. Instead, it is housed inside a coffeeshop just next to HSBC and Borsch Steak House. Not really visible from the main road if you ask me, unless you happen to be walking towards the Starbucks/Cafe Cartel area.
On to the food. I had an order of Sirloin Steak medium rare with sides of fries and baked beans. My dad had the Sirloin as well, medium well though and my mum had the Char Grilled Chicken. Both my dad's and my steak turned out overcooked. Mine came almost medium well whereas my dad's one came well done. However, the meat was still a little juicy and sweet in my case, which was a relief in some ways. My mum's chicken was just average.
In my conversation with the cook/owner later on, he explained that the stall was only 3 days old and they weren't familiar with the equipment yet, hence the overcooking. He even offered to change our steaks for us and gave us a small discount on the food, which I felt was a nice gesture on his part.
Total damage was $25. Not cheap, but not expensive either. I'm sure once they get the hang of the equipment, the food will get better and the crowds will come. I'll definitely be back.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Im not a rice person..yes im partly malay but iv never been a big fan of ze grains..mayb cos it makes me full n i cnt try the other yummies at the table but eighteen chefs has totally changed my mind.
Each time i walk past the place i will debate with myself wether i should go anot..liked the decor but was hesitant cos well im not a rice person..but finally went there a few days back..amazinly on a thurs nite it wasnt crowded with students..it was pretty quiet and i had fun checkin out the nice decor
me n my bf decided to get a few things to share...I naturally wanted salad so we got the prawn salad..
the prawns were sooo nice!!!fresh n peeled and went well with the dressing..tink it was vinegar..forgot..but i loved the salad..one of my favs...
next came the snack platter..now im a huge calamari lover and iv been pretty dissapointed with the calamari i had at pizza hut..so it was nice that the calamari here isnt hard..the batter is juz nice..and it just melts in ur mouth..nuggets are well nuggets..same as the fries..but i have to mention the fish nuggets..they were my fav..and the onion rings too...
ok..now to the baked rice..i loved the fact that u can choose what base ud like n the topping..cos im not a fan of tomato..i chose the spicy garlic base n chicken sausage topping..it was delicious. i felt that maybe they should have added more sausages but all in all it was good. Rice was nice and not undercooked or overcooked and there was an abundance of cheese making it taste scrumptious.
but mayb its best to stay away from the pasta..tried the creamy chicken and well..found it quite bland..stick to baked rice...overall i liked the food..very filling and good..food came fast and utensils too..the staff had a smile on their face all the time. Furthermore they do not charge service charge yet they hav very helpful and attentive staff.
Rating given:
My first cafe cartel recently experience was at Plaza Sg on my birthday..
I went there a few years back and remembered the free flow of bread and their unique ordering style.
I love the free flow of bread, mainly because I love bread. And the butter/margarine provided is nice too. Ordered the supreme platter,oriental chicken salad, seafood pasta and a burger for my bf. dissapointed with the supreme platter as even though the menu stated that it came with the cheese waffle fries, it came with normal fries. but the nuggets were goof though. boyfriend had that crispy chicken burger which he seemed to like.
My favourite 2 dishes were the oriental chicken salad and the seafood baked pasta..
the salad was fresh..love my lettuce and the chicken wasnt hard..small pieces that prepare me for my next meal..and while im not one who likes salad dressing, i find this dresing light and quite refresing. not creamy like thousand island.
as for my baked pasta..the servings are generous..the prawns were fresh..squid didnt taste like rubber bands and sauce was tasty..i get to choose my sauce..either tomato or cream..definitely the latter..plus anything with cheese baked on top of it gets thumbs up from me..esp if its well baked..aka not too burnt..juz nice and brown..the cheese isnt hardened n u get that effect that the cheese stretches with each fork/spoonful of pasta u take..
love the service too..theyre so patient with my many requests for my food..like
-salad without dressing..
-no carrots..
more sauce..
and they alwez get the bread for me..even tho i dont mind gettin it myself..
worth it..esp since no 10%..juz the 7% charge..
Rating given:
love Cafe Cartel's system of orderin the food usin those notepad thingys..
cos if the order is presented wrongly..well its the writers fault for writing wrongly..
The food has always been good..
I loved their supreme platter cos it has my favourite waffle fries, calamari n nuggets..
Seafood baked pasta cos of the delicious creamy sauce and cheese..
and most recently, I tried the grilled dory with sambal sauce..
while the dory did not smell or taste fishy at all.it went well with the sambal sauce..but i felt the sambal sauce was not very hot..i guess not everyone can stand overly hot food but i still liked it
and it didnt leave a weird aftertaste that i get after eatin dory @ sum restaurants..
My friend had the pan fried linguine..looked good n she seemed to enjoy it..
We indulged and got ourselves dessert...my tiramisu was presented beautifully..and i loved how it tasted..it was creamy not too overwhelming..nice n light..
liked the choc biscuit at the bottom
my friend had the all american classic..
and well..caramel n butterscotch=heaven..so no need to comment there..i love butterscotch so i added it to my tiramisu..yummy..
service was fantastic..for new staff who were attentive even after so many orders(my boyfren n his frenz were with us at first)..
to constantly refilling our drinks and enquiring if we wanted new drinks when we finished ours..
they were constantly smiling and even durin closing time(11 surprisingly late)..they werent chasin us out or anithin..
i really do love cafe cartel for providing good service great food..n not chargin us another 10% for it
Rating given:
Bought Macaroons and cakes from GOurmet Carousel located juz outside Carousel.
Cakes are devine. Tried Royal Noisiette and Black Pearl. Delicious choco mousse with praline in it(RN) and Black Pearl is also delicious..sinful.
Macaroons are good too. Best ones are the White Truffle, Vanilla, Caramel Sesame
Retails @ 1 for 1.80 and 5 for 8.50.
Cakes are 6.50 per piece
http://www.royalplaza.com.sg/catalog/index.php
Rating given:
It was way past 11 and i was craving calamari n of all things NYDC doesnt have calamari..so off to balcony bar...
I love love love the decor..with the old school seats and swings at the sides. even the tables are so pretty.
ordered a main to share, fish with butter cream sauce and chippolatas and calamari. it was part of a set meal so came with a drink and a cake..oreo chezcake...
fish was delish. light and slitely salty tho but not too msg-ey. enjoyed it esp cos of the sauce.
chippolatas was the best i ever had. juicy and very eady to bite. was quite angry my bf finished it.
calamari was good too..not like tyres and could be easily bitten into. not salty either.
service was ok..took quite a while to get my chilli sauce but at least i got it..and the ambiance was so relaxed. even tho we were near to two traffic lights didnt realli notice the crowd walkin past due to the huge curtains..
oh n the chezcake was alright..im not a cheezcake person but it was good..not too cheezey..
Rating given:
i love how munchy donuts are nice n crisp on the outside yet so deliciously soft on the inside. and it stays that way even after a few hours unlike other donuts that tend to harden. not only that but the fillings and toppings are generous and not too sweet. such as my favourite chocz o cream..i love the chocolate topping and the filling which is butter cream custard makes it a perfect balance n not too chocolaty..and the latte donut is a perfect weapon against sleepiness and hunger combined..but my two favourites are definitely the oreo donut and coco pops donut..compared with other oreo donuts, munchy's oreo is one u savour bite after bite..and makes u want more when u finish it. as for coco pops..well what can i say..its coco pops..although u might want to eat it right after u get it..if not the pops loses its pop-ness..and it has some intresting flavours too..i was a bit hesitant to try the putting green yet the red bean custard cream is not too sweet n the green tea topping isnt too overwhelming..thou im not a huge fan of the peppermint cheese donut..a bit tooo cheesey but the cheez donut is a must try for cheeze lovers..i was pleasantly surprised when i tried it..the parsely gives it more oomph..
n they have a new flavour, rocky road or sumthin. has both nuts and coco pops..im hooked to that now..
and as simple as it looks the munch me and power pop is delicous too. my mom loves them.
and i love how quick their service is..so mayb i came at a not so busy time but the servers were nice and very patient with me(cos i usualli dont know how many of wic to get)..no 2 hour waiting sessions for me so yay..
n now that theres one at bedok i no longer have to travel to tj katong to get my donut fix.
Rating given: