Ajisen Ramen is my favourite ramen in Singapore. I have been to the PS one. Oh well, not much differences from other Ajisen Ramen. The ramen tastes just as great.
The staff there are friendly. The usual greetings when I entered the shop and so on. Do visit if you are a ramen crazy fellow like me.
Well I say, heck with the uncomfortable place and sometimes non-English-speaking (this is important for me, you know!) staffs.
The chicken rice is heavenly.
I love the soy sauce! It's fragrant and a bit tingly. The chicken meat is also soft and nice to eat. Even the rice is fragrant.
And what I love is that in every table they give you sweet soy sauce, minced garlic, and chilli sauce. This means you can mix it to your own preference! For me, I like loads of soy sauce and minced garlic here and there. Damn, I'm almost drooling remembering it.
The place is very easy to find.It's just opposite of Novena Church and just behind the bus stop. It will be very crowded at Sunday, especially after the church's mass is finished, but not worries! For me, I will wait no matter how long to taste their chicken rice =D
They also have other food. I seldom order them. Once I ordered a bowl of dumpling soup and it's also very nice =D I think they also have some seafood and grilled things in big serving, to cater family makan session, maybe?
Chicken rice, that ordinary food, made extraordinary by Wee Nam Kee. Try it! =D
A sushi with a different touch! If you crave for sushi but don't want the ordinary sushi, come to Ichiban sushi and be merry! They have unique variety of sushi for you to choose.
Of course they still have the "ordinary" ones, but why spend on the ordinary when you can have the extraordinary?
They have sushi with cheese layer covering it. And more cheese inside! Then they also have chicken floss sushi! And many others... Like inari stuffed with rice and crabstick.. Inari stuffed with many other things.. Just one word... They're all yummy!
And price is still ok, I guess. The "ordinary" sushi will cost about 1.90 per plate. If you're tempted to try those interesting sushi, you might have to spend about 3.90 per plate. (Watch out for the plates with swirling motives! They're nice, they're delicious, they're expensive! =P)
I and my boyfriend spent $17 each that day. Oh gluttons are we.
Also if you're in no mood of sushi, they also offer a la carte food. What I tried is the $5 combo meal. I had this rice covered with fried dory and egg with some onion.. It's heavenly. Plus it comes with the most delicious miso shiro ever! I swear I haven't tasted miso shiro that delicious in Singapore. And have I told you? Even their wasabi tasted nice. I usually hate wasabi for its strange smell and its strange taste. Surprisingly, the wasabi in Ichiban Sushi is really good. I can't believe I could take so much wasabi!
Definitely recommended and I'm definitely going back! =D
Crystal Jade has been given a second chance by me after its off shoot failed to impress. And it marks my first treat to an old friend. After all, he was the one who treated me to Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao, so i felt it right to return the favor.
Signature Beancurd with Mincemeat and Chili Sauce ($9.80) - I can't help ordering this item. Bean curd is simply one of my favorite items of choice and as with all food outlets, i want to try out their signature bean curds to see if there is indeed something special about them. This rendition is simple, bean curd in batter deep fried till golden brown and served with minced meat and chili dip. I found it too spicy for my liking but the batter was pretty light and extremely crispy. The bean curd itself contains some herbs which added to its fragrance but didn't quite appeal to my friends since it made the bean curd bumpy and less smooth.
Fried Hor Fan With SeaFood ($13.80) - Oily yet fragrant and tasty. The seafood is minimal which is a shame but there really isn't much distinguishing factors between this version and those found in hawkers outside.
E-fu noodles with shrimp roe ($9.80) - My gf ordered this thinking it was filled with shrimp but that was not to be. Instead it was E-fu noodles with shrimp roe. Very important to note the difference since there were only a few pieces of mushrooms in this dish to act as additional ingredients. Not to say that it tasted bad. The noodles were springy and tasted slightly salty from the roe which gave it a good texture. Not that i recommend ordering again however.
Yang Zhou Fried Rice ($9.50) - Eggs, roast pork, shrimp and bean sprouts. Simple ingredients for a wonderfully fragrant plate of fried rice. Now this was my order and the reason behind it is to ascertain my friend's claim that the friend rice in Crystal Jade is much better then its offshoot. I'm inclined to agree that it indeed tasted better and more fragrant but not inclined to say its the best i've ever had. In fact, i found that the rice was not done homogeneously with certain parts being overly dry while others undercooked. The generous serving of shrimp is a plus however.
Deep Fried Dumpling With Salad Sauce ($9.30) - Expensive is the first word. For its price, there were surprisingly little dumplings to go around, i counted 5. So each dumpling is effectively $2 (!!!) which is a little over the top for shrimp dumplings that were deep fried. Sure, it was very nicely done, fresh and the salad sauce complemented it well, but for the same price, i could have gotten much much more elsewhere.
The final bill came up to $64.38 for 3 people which is a little too much for the quality of food we had.
Sad to say, i have to maintain my stand that Crystal Jade is grossly overrated and not exactly a place i would recommend to everyone. The food is average but the price belongs to a whole different category which they unfortunately still do not provide. Much improvement needed in my book.
This is Singapore after all so what would food be without the normal coffee shop zhi ca (literally cook and fry)? Of course, as with everything else in the world, there are good and bad offerings for this as well. Without further ado, allow me to introduce you to one of these little cook spots found in the East. (I went twice and thats why you'll see both visits here)
Its a coffee shop, so forget about ambiance, forget about anything close to atas. This is ground zero, what the masses have and so the very truth of what Singaporeans are used to having on weekend eat outs (with exceptions when bonus and such niceties occur of course)
Fried Fritters with Squid Paste ($8) - One of my favorite dishes to order is sadly, not one of the better dishes to have. Unless meticulous care is taken in preparing the paste and further such action is taken for the fritters, what you get is a tasteless fried dough stick with nothing much to go for it. This rendition is pretty standard but has its merits in being served hot and being cut into nice little bite sized pieces. The squid paste isn't anything to shout about but was saved by the mayonnaise it came with. Pretty standard stuff but nothing good for health here.
Thai Style Chicken Cutlet ($8) - Simple dish but this time, this is executed very well indeed. The radish and sliced cucumbers used are fresh and cold which gave the thai sauce a different feel indeed. The sauce itself is sweet and sour with a dash of spice which gave it good balance. The chicken itself is fried well which means it retained the juices and wasn't overly dry. It was also served hot and contrasted with the cold sauce so well, i simply have to recommend it. Good stuff.
Stir Fried Broccoli ($8) - imple stir fried broccoli with a little soy sauce. Who would have imagined something so simple could taste this good? Fresh, a little salty and very appetizing. The broccoli is soft while retaining its crunchiness and even had a little sweetness in it. Simple, but good all the same.
Yi Pin Guo or Seafood Pot ($18) - The most expensive of the lot that day, this dish contained 4- 5 prawns, a generous helping of fish maw and the aforementioned tasty broccoli. It was a little to salty for my tastes but the combination did taste pleasant when complimented with rice. I wouldn't exactly term it as value for money in this case though.
The total bill came up to $44 for 4 people. $2 went to 4 bowls of rice and thus the average per person is $11 for a filling and generally fulfilling meal.
The following is the second visit.
Crab Bee Hoon ($32) - This time when we returned, we were determined to try the signature dishes that they recommended and this is what you see above. Billed as the main signature dish for the restaurant, i was expecting alot from it and i will say it up front, i was a little disappointed in the dish. The serving was generous with lots of bee hoon or vermicelli piled beneath the 800 gram crab. In its defense, the crab meat is firm and sweet but i still felt it over priced. The vermicelli was soaked in crab juices and sauce which gave it a uniquely raw taste which might not please everyone. Overall, i still like my crabs with lots of chilli, pepper or butter. This doesn't quite fit the bill as a favorite for me.
Signature Beancurd ($8) - The bean curd had a pretty thick skin and didn't break easily but i didn't like it. I prefer bean curd soft and yet firm. This was also of the egg variety which adds to the taste but doesn't quite bring it anywhere. And the last gripe i had was how similar these bean curds are to one another. I mean, i've tried HTL versions and other versions from Chinese restaurants and strangely, they all have the same kind of ingredients, pork, spring onions and the like which really doesn't distinguish themselves. This version really put me off though, because it was way below average.
Sambal Fan Shu Ye (Sweet Potato Leaf) ($8) - Average and a little too spicy for me, i'm unfortunately not able to say the same good things for this as the broccoli i had the previous time.
Steamed Fish HK Style($30) - Why do i call it steamed fish? Because i can't remember what kind of fish this is. Sorry. Anyhow, this fish is steamed Hong Kong style according to the waitress and is one of my favorite ways to prepare said fish. Fragrant, fresh and sweet. I can't think of anything bad to say about it except maybe it was too small and too expensive. Good nonetheless.
Total bill for second visit hit all time high of $88. Which really is a bit too much even for 5 people as the quality has taken a sharp nose dive this time around.
The food offered here is of a certain quality but it really depends on which day you came and what you order. For me, i have to say the signature dishes are not worth the money while the simpler offerings appeal to me more. Maybe i just prefer simple food but thats what i feel. No crabs or bean curd for me from this stall.
A long overdue post, this was during the period of time before Christmas and our wonderful boss brought us to Carousel for lunch and gift exchange cum grilling session for some weird questions which will not be repeated here. I've never noticed much on Halal buffets because i've never had to search for one so this time was an eye opening experience for me. First and foremost, thanks boss!
The pictures above should give you a good indication of the place. Bright and colorful amidst a myriad of food selections. The lunch buffet ranged between $30 to $40 per person. Buffet lunch is from 12pm to 2.30pm, after which you will be informed politely that you should leave.
My First 2 Helpings - Cha soba, sashimi, prawns, mussels, scallops and cold cut duck meat are just the few appetiser dishes you can find at the buffet. I found the ingredients reasonably fresh and sweet. In particular, i found the prawns crunchy and sweet especially when you add some of the sauces on selection. Not too bad overall.
Third and Fourth Helpings - Next up, more food! You can see the prawns i mentioned again along with some beancurd, sushi, more duck meat, chicken, a big piece of mutton, a big piece of sea bass, some eggs and some roast beef. Despite the large selection, it tasted average at best. Maybe it was just a case of too much meat. The only thing that felt distinguished was the chicken which was roasted with ground pepper and honey. The meat was a little too tough though.
Dessert and final helpings - Even more food! The selection is quite astonishing. Even to this point, i've not had everything they had to offer. Chicken, crackers and roast beef round out the mains, while the dessert corner housed a few excellent selections. The log cakes in the dessert corner is excellent. Soft, sweet and mildly fluffy, this is one of the better log cakes i've had so far. It certainly helped that there were different selections of log cakes to try and the same excellence go for the other dessert helpings. With the exception of the chocolate fondue which was a little too thick and too bitter for my tastes. Otherwise, great dessert.
Nice environment, huge selection and loads of great dessert. Although the huge selection of food are generally hit and misses, the dessert section is a league on its on. Good enough to recommend purchasing desserts from the restaurant. I'm frankly quite surprised that the food here is above average. Once again, thanks boss!
After hearing so much about this café, finally have a chance to step into this café to have a meal, this is like after 2 tries. I nearly gave up! Anyway which café do not open on a Sunday. Sigh….
Well we make a reservation since it can get quite packed at dinner time. I reached there around 10 mins before our reservation time and found to place to be pretty empty. The I stood like an idiot for a good 10 mins before someone saw me and came stomping to me in a black face (or her face is by default black which means no smile). Trust me, that is the last thing I wanna to see after a day of work, is to see a black face. So what happen to the motto of “where happy people meet”? Hmm.....
The first impression of the place is very dark. Seems like they switch off all the light and trying to use the tea candles lights instead. Romantic? Eerie? To me, both. Haa….. Another reason being the table that I was seated was directly below the air con, freaking cold! I was having goose bump throughout the whole dinner. Pls dun seat at Table 7. Have to say that the place is nicely decorated though.
Took some time to decide what to eat but then they got this set meal thing which is actually quite a good deal. Add $3 for a salad/soup drink ice cream. You can even upgrade starters, drinks and desserts as well. Great!
In the end we decided on the following:
Potato Munch Skins: It is potato skins topped with bacon bits baked with mozarella cheese, served with mayonnaise. Have to say this came as a disappointment as my partner had recommended this, expectation too high I think, but I have tasted better ones at other places. At $7 for 6 pcs, can consider cheap alr. If it has more bacon bits and the potato skin more crispy, it would be much better.
Soup: This soup of the day which I think is cream of mushroom. This is good. It came hot, cream and full of mushroom chunks. Good enough. It will be better if it could come with a bun or some bread. Hee….
Garlic Crusted Dory: It is dory covered with chef's special garlic herb butter & bread crumbs, baked till golden brown. Well the presentation was good and the portion was big. The side dish of mixed vegetables was good. The fish is covered with garlic bread cumbs. Brings a unqie taste to the fish. Refreshing. The fish is fresh as well, even after deep fried, it still remains soft and not dry. Cost @ $8.80.
Roasted Chicken Leg: It is whole roasted chicken leg with mouth-watering mushroom & potato fricassee. This dish came to me as a normal dish. Nothing to be wow of, less of the potato fricassee, which is smooth and creamy. Have to say the portion of the leg is big as well. Cost @ $9.80. I think the dish is not worth this price. I can get better tasting chicken leg at half the price.
Warm Bread & Butter Pudding: I loved bread and butter pudding. This one came to us hot and with vanilla cream, it was great. I loved the taste of it, milky and creamy. The bread is still firm as well, soaking in all the flavour.
All in all, the meal cost $32.60 for 2 person and there is no service charge as well.
Overall the dining experience was not too good due to freezing temperature. Have to eat our food fast if not risk it turning cold. Even though, we ordered drinks, it will be good that they could have served us ice water as well. Their service is disappointing as being a small café, I expect their service to be warm and friendly. All I got was very business like service only. I dun think I will go back on my own. Food is one thing but service is another and they go hand in hand. They are always other places with warmer services and better food.
Heard quite a bit about this cafe and finally got a chance to patronise one afternoon. Located along East Coast Road, The Cheesecake Cafe, as its name suggests, primarily sells cheesecakes in a stunning Victorian interior which boasts a miniature cascading waterfall, roman pillars and plush sofas.
Peanut Butter Cheesecake - I personally like this the best as it was light and fluffy with a rather heavy hint of peanut butter. The cake could have been a little more compact though, coming across as rather soft at times.
Peach Jelly Cheesecake - This one was a little weird as the layer of peach jelly was a little too rubbery for my liking. I probably just can't get used to eating cheesecake with a layer of jelly like substance in between. However I must say that it was a rather interesting slice of cake.
Rum & Raisin Cheesecake - The rum and raisin rendition didn't impress me much as the alcoholic taste was a tad too strong for my liking.
All in all, a very nice place to hang out and have some cheesecakes, especially if you get seats inside. Prices are a tad steep though but service is very decent.
This little hidden stall was introduced by one of my colleague after we were all full from lunch. Then me being a person must try everything, decided to tao pao some of it and go back office and eat. Hee…
So what do they sell, they are selling all fried stuff from all the usual stuff from pisang (bananas), to green beans, sweet potato and to even chicken (recently new addition).
Below are some of my favs:
Their famous sweet and sour goreng pisang. I wonder if it is the bananas or it is their batter that make the end product taste both sweet and sour. Haa… I am sure the sweet part come from banana but the sour part, I am not that sure. However the end product was good especially it came of crispy and hot! Yet the banana inside is soft, juicy and melts in the mouth type. The batter is not too thick as well and fried to crispy golden brown. Of cos size matters and they got 2 sizes to choose from.
Green bean / Red bean. I loved to eat this cos I loved green bean a lot. It is mashed up, smooth and fried to golden brown. Since it is made from fresh beans, it is not too sweet as well. Red bean, I think only this place serves this. I have to say that it is my new fav. The red beans are mashed whole so the skin is actually still intact. Loved the texture when I eat it.
One thing to take note, it is better to eat when bought, if you leave it aside, it is better to put it in the toastor for a while to heat it before it.
I think each of their items cost $0.70, however if you choose 3 red tagged items, they will cost $2. Cheap when their portion are considered quite big. Therefore everytime I walked past them, I will always stop to buy from them.
Was walking along North Canal Road when I spotted this Authentic Hock Lam Street Popular Beef Kway Teow stall. Had, on previous occasions, tried out the other 2 Hock Lam beef kway teow stalls at Far East Square and Purvis Street respectively, so jumped in to try this one.
$5 got me a medium serving of kway teow ($4 for small and $6 for large) with about 5 beef balls. The beef balls tasted like they came right off the shelves of some supermarket. My guess is that they really did. The beef slices were nicely done though I found them to be a little too thick, which rendered them a tad too chewy at some point. Overall quite decent and more value for money than the one I had at Far East Square and comparable to the outlet at Purvis street.
1=SGD 0.0587
Ajisen Ramen is my favourite ramen in Singapore. I have been to the PS one. Oh well, not much differences from other Ajisen Ramen. The ramen tastes just as great.
The staff there are friendly. The usual greetings when I entered the shop and so on. Do visit if you are a ramen crazy fellow like me.
Rating given:
I simply love Wee Nam Kee.
Well I say, heck with the uncomfortable place and sometimes non-English-speaking (this is important for me, you know!) staffs.
The chicken rice is heavenly.
I love the soy sauce! It's fragrant and a bit tingly. The chicken meat is also soft and nice to eat. Even the rice is fragrant.
And what I love is that in every table they give you sweet soy sauce, minced garlic, and chilli sauce. This means you can mix it to your own preference! For me, I like loads of soy sauce and minced garlic here and there. Damn, I'm almost drooling remembering it.
The place is very easy to find.It's just opposite of Novena Church and just behind the bus stop. It will be very crowded at Sunday, especially after the church's mass is finished, but not worries! For me, I will wait no matter how long to taste their chicken rice =D
They also have other food. I seldom order them. Once I ordered a bowl of dumpling soup and it's also very nice =D I think they also have some seafood and grilled things in big serving, to cater family makan session, maybe?
Chicken rice, that ordinary food, made extraordinary by Wee Nam Kee. Try it! =D
Rating given:
A sushi with a different touch! If you crave for sushi but don't want the ordinary sushi, come to Ichiban sushi and be merry! They have unique variety of sushi for you to choose.
Of course they still have the "ordinary" ones, but why spend on the ordinary when you can have the extraordinary?
They have sushi with cheese layer covering it. And more cheese inside! Then they also have chicken floss sushi! And many others... Like inari stuffed with rice and crabstick.. Inari stuffed with many other things.. Just one word... They're all yummy!
And price is still ok, I guess. The "ordinary" sushi will cost about 1.90 per plate. If you're tempted to try those interesting sushi, you might have to spend about 3.90 per plate. (Watch out for the plates with swirling motives! They're nice, they're delicious, they're expensive! =P)
I and my boyfriend spent $17 each that day. Oh gluttons are we.
Also if you're in no mood of sushi, they also offer a la carte food. What I tried is the $5 combo meal. I had this rice covered with fried dory and egg with some onion.. It's heavenly. Plus it comes with the most delicious miso shiro ever! I swear I haven't tasted miso shiro that delicious in Singapore. And have I told you? Even their wasabi tasted nice. I usually hate wasabi for its strange smell and its strange taste. Surprisingly, the wasabi in Ichiban Sushi is really good. I can't believe I could take so much wasabi!
Definitely recommended and I'm definitely going back! =D
Rating given:
Crystal Jade has been given a second chance by me after its off shoot failed to impress. And it marks my first treat to an old friend. After all, he was the one who treated me to Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao, so i felt it right to return the favor.
Signature Beancurd with Mincemeat and Chili Sauce ($9.80) - I can't help ordering this item. Bean curd is simply one of my favorite items of choice and as with all food outlets, i want to try out their signature bean curds to see if there is indeed something special about them. This rendition is simple, bean curd in batter deep fried till golden brown and served with minced meat and chili dip. I found it too spicy for my liking but the batter was pretty light and extremely crispy. The bean curd itself contains some herbs which added to its fragrance but didn't quite appeal to my friends since it made the bean curd bumpy and less smooth.
Fried Hor Fan With SeaFood ($13.80) - Oily yet fragrant and tasty. The seafood is minimal which is a shame but there really isn't much distinguishing factors between this version and those found in hawkers outside.
E-fu noodles with shrimp roe ($9.80) - My gf ordered this thinking it was filled with shrimp but that was not to be. Instead it was E-fu noodles with shrimp roe. Very important to note the difference since there were only a few pieces of mushrooms in this dish to act as additional ingredients. Not to say that it tasted bad. The noodles were springy and tasted slightly salty from the roe which gave it a good texture. Not that i recommend ordering again however.
Yang Zhou Fried Rice ($9.50) - Eggs, roast pork, shrimp and bean sprouts. Simple ingredients for a wonderfully fragrant plate of fried rice. Now this was my order and the reason behind it is to ascertain my friend's claim that the friend rice in Crystal Jade is much better then its offshoot. I'm inclined to agree that it indeed tasted better and more fragrant but not inclined to say its the best i've ever had. In fact, i found that the rice was not done homogeneously with certain parts being overly dry while others undercooked. The generous serving of shrimp is a plus however.
Deep Fried Dumpling With Salad Sauce ($9.30) - Expensive is the first word. For its price, there were surprisingly little dumplings to go around, i counted 5. So each dumpling is effectively $2 (!!!) which is a little over the top for shrimp dumplings that were deep fried. Sure, it was very nicely done, fresh and the salad sauce complemented it well, but for the same price, i could have gotten much much more elsewhere.
The final bill came up to $64.38 for 3 people which is a little too much for the quality of food we had.
Sad to say, i have to maintain my stand that Crystal Jade is grossly overrated and not exactly a place i would recommend to everyone. The food is average but the price belongs to a whole different category which they unfortunately still do not provide. Much improvement needed in my book.
Rating given:
This is Singapore after all so what would food be without the normal coffee shop zhi ca (literally cook and fry)? Of course, as with everything else in the world, there are good and bad offerings for this as well. Without further ado, allow me to introduce you to one of these little cook spots found in the East. (I went twice and thats why you'll see both visits here)
Its a coffee shop, so forget about ambiance, forget about anything close to atas. This is ground zero, what the masses have and so the very truth of what Singaporeans are used to having on weekend eat outs (with exceptions when bonus and such niceties occur of course)
Fried Fritters with Squid Paste ($8) - One of my favorite dishes to order is sadly, not one of the better dishes to have. Unless meticulous care is taken in preparing the paste and further such action is taken for the fritters, what you get is a tasteless fried dough stick with nothing much to go for it. This rendition is pretty standard but has its merits in being served hot and being cut into nice little bite sized pieces. The squid paste isn't anything to shout about but was saved by the mayonnaise it came with. Pretty standard stuff but nothing good for health here.
Thai Style Chicken Cutlet ($8) - Simple dish but this time, this is executed very well indeed. The radish and sliced cucumbers used are fresh and cold which gave the thai sauce a different feel indeed. The sauce itself is sweet and sour with a dash of spice which gave it good balance. The chicken itself is fried well which means it retained the juices and wasn't overly dry. It was also served hot and contrasted with the cold sauce so well, i simply have to recommend it. Good stuff.
Stir Fried Broccoli ($8) - imple stir fried broccoli with a little soy sauce. Who would have imagined something so simple could taste this good? Fresh, a little salty and very appetizing. The broccoli is soft while retaining its crunchiness and even had a little sweetness in it. Simple, but good all the same.
Yi Pin Guo or Seafood Pot ($18) - The most expensive of the lot that day, this dish contained 4- 5 prawns, a generous helping of fish maw and the aforementioned tasty broccoli. It was a little to salty for my tastes but the combination did taste pleasant when complimented with rice. I wouldn't exactly term it as value for money in this case though.
The total bill came up to $44 for 4 people. $2 went to 4 bowls of rice and thus the average per person is $11 for a filling and generally fulfilling meal.
The following is the second visit.
Crab Bee Hoon ($32) - This time when we returned, we were determined to try the signature dishes that they recommended and this is what you see above. Billed as the main signature dish for the restaurant, i was expecting alot from it and i will say it up front, i was a little disappointed in the dish. The serving was generous with lots of bee hoon or vermicelli piled beneath the 800 gram crab. In its defense, the crab meat is firm and sweet but i still felt it over priced. The vermicelli was soaked in crab juices and sauce which gave it a uniquely raw taste which might not please everyone. Overall, i still like my crabs with lots of chilli, pepper or butter. This doesn't quite fit the bill as a favorite for me.
Signature Beancurd ($8) - The bean curd had a pretty thick skin and didn't break easily but i didn't like it. I prefer bean curd soft and yet firm. This was also of the egg variety which adds to the taste but doesn't quite bring it anywhere. And the last gripe i had was how similar these bean curds are to one another. I mean, i've tried HTL versions and other versions from Chinese restaurants and strangely, they all have the same kind of ingredients, pork, spring onions and the like which really doesn't distinguish themselves. This version really put me off though, because it was way below average.
Sambal Fan Shu Ye (Sweet Potato Leaf) ($8) - Average and a little too spicy for me, i'm unfortunately not able to say the same good things for this as the broccoli i had the previous time.
Steamed Fish HK Style($30) - Why do i call it steamed fish? Because i can't remember what kind of fish this is. Sorry. Anyhow, this fish is steamed Hong Kong style according to the waitress and is one of my favorite ways to prepare said fish. Fragrant, fresh and sweet. I can't think of anything bad to say about it except maybe it was too small and too expensive. Good nonetheless.
Total bill for second visit hit all time high of $88. Which really is a bit too much even for 5 people as the quality has taken a sharp nose dive this time around.
The food offered here is of a certain quality but it really depends on which day you came and what you order. For me, i have to say the signature dishes are not worth the money while the simpler offerings appeal to me more. Maybe i just prefer simple food but thats what i feel. No crabs or bean curd for me from this stall.
Rating given:
A long overdue post, this was during the period of time before Christmas and our wonderful boss brought us to Carousel for lunch and gift exchange cum grilling session for some weird questions which will not be repeated here. I've never noticed much on Halal buffets because i've never had to search for one so this time was an eye opening experience for me. First and foremost, thanks boss!
The pictures above should give you a good indication of the place. Bright and colorful amidst a myriad of food selections. The lunch buffet ranged between $30 to $40 per person. Buffet lunch is from 12pm to 2.30pm, after which you will be informed politely that you should leave.
My First 2 Helpings - Cha soba, sashimi, prawns, mussels, scallops and cold cut duck meat are just the few appetiser dishes you can find at the buffet. I found the ingredients reasonably fresh and sweet. In particular, i found the prawns crunchy and sweet especially when you add some of the sauces on selection. Not too bad overall.
Third and Fourth Helpings - Next up, more food! You can see the prawns i mentioned again along with some beancurd, sushi, more duck meat, chicken, a big piece of mutton, a big piece of sea bass, some eggs and some roast beef. Despite the large selection, it tasted average at best. Maybe it was just a case of too much meat. The only thing that felt distinguished was the chicken which was roasted with ground pepper and honey. The meat was a little too tough though.
Dessert and final helpings - Even more food! The selection is quite astonishing. Even to this point, i've not had everything they had to offer. Chicken, crackers and roast beef round out the mains, while the dessert corner housed a few excellent selections. The log cakes in the dessert corner is excellent. Soft, sweet and mildly fluffy, this is one of the better log cakes i've had so far. It certainly helped that there were different selections of log cakes to try and the same excellence go for the other dessert helpings. With the exception of the chocolate fondue which was a little too thick and too bitter for my tastes. Otherwise, great dessert.
Nice environment, huge selection and loads of great dessert. Although the huge selection of food are generally hit and misses, the dessert section is a league on its on. Good enough to recommend purchasing desserts from the restaurant. I'm frankly quite surprised that the food here is above average. Once again, thanks boss!
Rating given:
After hearing so much about this café, finally have a chance to step into this café to have a meal, this is like after 2 tries. I nearly gave up! Anyway which café do not open on a Sunday. Sigh….
Well we make a reservation since it can get quite packed at dinner time. I reached there around 10 mins before our reservation time and found to place to be pretty empty. The I stood like an idiot for a good 10 mins before someone saw me and came stomping to me in a black face (or her face is by default black which means no smile). Trust me, that is the last thing I wanna to see after a day of work, is to see a black face. So what happen to the motto of “where happy people meet”? Hmm.....
The first impression of the place is very dark. Seems like they switch off all the light and trying to use the tea candles lights instead. Romantic? Eerie? To me, both. Haa….. Another reason being the table that I was seated was directly below the air con, freaking cold! I was having goose bump throughout the whole dinner. Pls dun seat at Table 7. Have to say that the place is nicely decorated though.
Took some time to decide what to eat but then they got this set meal thing which is actually quite a good deal. Add $3 for a salad/soup drink ice cream. You can even upgrade starters, drinks and desserts as well. Great!
In the end we decided on the following:
Potato Munch Skins: It is potato skins topped with bacon bits baked with mozarella cheese, served with mayonnaise. Have to say this came as a disappointment as my partner had recommended this, expectation too high I think, but I have tasted better ones at other places. At $7 for 6 pcs, can consider cheap alr. If it has more bacon bits and the potato skin more crispy, it would be much better.
Soup: This soup of the day which I think is cream of mushroom. This is good. It came hot, cream and full of mushroom chunks. Good enough. It will be better if it could come with a bun or some bread. Hee….
Garlic Crusted Dory: It is dory covered with chef's special garlic herb butter & bread crumbs, baked till golden brown. Well the presentation was good and the portion was big. The side dish of mixed vegetables was good. The fish is covered with garlic bread cumbs. Brings a unqie taste to the fish. Refreshing. The fish is fresh as well, even after deep fried, it still remains soft and not dry. Cost @ $8.80.
Roasted Chicken Leg: It is whole roasted chicken leg with mouth-watering mushroom & potato fricassee. This dish came to me as a normal dish. Nothing to be wow of, less of the potato fricassee, which is smooth and creamy. Have to say the portion of the leg is big as well. Cost @ $9.80. I think the dish is not worth this price. I can get better tasting chicken leg at half the price.
Warm Bread & Butter Pudding: I loved bread and butter pudding. This one came to us hot and with vanilla cream, it was great. I loved the taste of it, milky and creamy. The bread is still firm as well, soaking in all the flavour.
All in all, the meal cost $32.60 for 2 person and there is no service charge as well.
Overall the dining experience was not too good due to freezing temperature. Have to eat our food fast if not risk it turning cold. Even though, we ordered drinks, it will be good that they could have served us ice water as well. Their service is disappointing as being a small café, I expect their service to be warm and friendly. All I got was very business like service only. I dun think I will go back on my own. Food is one thing but service is another and they go hand in hand. They are always other places with warmer services and better food.
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Heard quite a bit about this cafe and finally got a chance to patronise one afternoon. Located along East Coast Road, The Cheesecake Cafe, as its name suggests, primarily sells cheesecakes in a stunning Victorian interior which boasts a miniature cascading waterfall, roman pillars and plush sofas.
Peanut Butter Cheesecake - I personally like this the best as it was light and fluffy with a rather heavy hint of peanut butter. The cake could have been a little more compact though, coming across as rather soft at times.
Peach Jelly Cheesecake - This one was a little weird as the layer of peach jelly was a little too rubbery for my liking. I probably just can't get used to eating cheesecake with a layer of jelly like substance in between. However I must say that it was a rather interesting slice of cake.
Rum & Raisin Cheesecake - The rum and raisin rendition didn't impress me much as the alcoholic taste was a tad too strong for my liking.
All in all, a very nice place to hang out and have some cheesecakes, especially if you get seats inside. Prices are a tad steep though but service is very decent.
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This little hidden stall was introduced by one of my colleague after we were all full from lunch. Then me being a person must try everything, decided to tao pao some of it and go back office and eat. Hee…
So what do they sell, they are selling all fried stuff from all the usual stuff from pisang (bananas), to green beans, sweet potato and to even chicken (recently new addition).
Below are some of my favs:
Their famous sweet and sour goreng pisang. I wonder if it is the bananas or it is their batter that make the end product taste both sweet and sour. Haa… I am sure the sweet part come from banana but the sour part, I am not that sure. However the end product was good especially it came of crispy and hot! Yet the banana inside is soft, juicy and melts in the mouth type. The batter is not too thick as well and fried to crispy golden brown. Of cos size matters and they got 2 sizes to choose from.
Green bean / Red bean. I loved to eat this cos I loved green bean a lot. It is mashed up, smooth and fried to golden brown. Since it is made from fresh beans, it is not too sweet as well. Red bean, I think only this place serves this. I have to say that it is my new fav. The red beans are mashed whole so the skin is actually still intact. Loved the texture when I eat it.
One thing to take note, it is better to eat when bought, if you leave it aside, it is better to put it in the toastor for a while to heat it before it.
I think each of their items cost $0.70, however if you choose 3 red tagged items, they will cost $2. Cheap when their portion are considered quite big. Therefore everytime I walked past them, I will always stop to buy from them.
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Was walking along North Canal Road when I spotted this Authentic Hock Lam Street Popular Beef Kway Teow stall. Had, on previous occasions, tried out the other 2 Hock Lam beef kway teow stalls at Far East Square and Purvis Street respectively, so jumped in to try this one.
$5 got me a medium serving of kway teow ($4 for small and $6 for large) with about 5 beef balls. The beef balls tasted like they came right off the shelves of some supermarket. My guess is that they really did. The beef slices were nicely done though I found them to be a little too thick, which rendered them a tad too chewy at some point. Overall quite decent and more value for money than the one I had at Far East Square and comparable to the outlet at Purvis street.
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