Had dinner at Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao at Jurong Point with my gf as we were too lazy to go anywhere far for dinner.
There are actually many Crystal Jade variations around with La Mian Xiao Long Bao being one of them. The Jurong Point outlet was packed to the brim when we dropped by, just like all of the food outlets in the mall (whats new?). We had the set menu for 2, which included a side dish, a rice/noodle, a dim sum item and a cooked dish, all of which must be selected from a preset menu.
Crispy Beancurd Skin Roll - This dish was actually quite decent, with the beancurd skin crispy and not too oily. The filling of flour was a little chewy, tasting and looking very much like small cubes of mushroom. But beware, consuming too much of it will make you sick really fast because of the starch. This dish is best consumed with the accompanying zesty soya sauce.
Fried Rice with Prawn, Chicken & Ham - I would say that the fried rice was surprisingly quite good. Homogeneously fried with a generous serving of prawns, chicken and ham. The only thing that was lacking was the "Wok Hei" taste which was a pity really.
Sauteed Egg White with Fish Meat & Conpoy - As mentioned in a few of my earlier reviews, Prima serves a kick ass rendition of this dish and unfortunately, Crystal Jade's offering is nowhere in sight. Sure, its eggy from all that egg white and a little raw from the fish meat, but it just didn't manage to gel the flavours together like the one from Prima. However, this is still one very palatable dish and I will not hesitate to order it if I do go to Crystal Jade again.
Shanghai Steamed Pork Dumpling - A forte of Crystal Jade, the Shanghai Steamed Pork Dumplings or Xiao Long Baos (XLBs) were just a wee bit short of fantastic, owing to the minimally thicker than usual skin. Everything else was the same though, nice lean meat with lots of juice encapsuled within the skin and gushing out as the skin was breached.
Souffle Egg White Ball -
The only other place that I know that sells such a dessert is Cheng Li Yuan, which also happens to do up a meaner version of it. Crystal Jade's rendition utilises a lot of icing sugar to make it sweet and the pastry is comparatively not as tasty or fluffy. But then again, Crystal Jade is closer to home.
A hearty meal for 2 stood at about $37, which isn't really too expensive. I must say that of all the Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao outlets I've tried in Singapore (I believe I've tried all of them), Jurong Point's outlet is comparatively better than the rest in terms of food quality. You can read my writeup on the Takashimaya outlet here. However, service is another matter altogether. Though not rude or unfriendly , service was slow and spotty and I could spot quite a few aggrieved customers.
Pro: Totally awesome clothes available on sale. Lingerie, dresses and tops that makes you feel sexy. Fast customer service, accommodating as long as you explain yourself and clear guidelines and instructions given in emails and web. Received the item like 2 days after payment which is fast enough. Clear size measurements and items are nearly exact of measurements. That's great since it makes shopping online more fun and clothes fit.
Con: Clothes without promotion is quite expensive. Can go up to $70 for a slip dress which although is very nice but a burn in the pocket. On the whole, its a great buy when they are having sale.
Since it's a franchise, basically all Ben and Jerry's taste is the same. What's kinda bummer about this particular branch is its cramped space. Even some chairs and tables put outside are still not enough. It's too packed and it's hard to move.
Sometimes they have a live band performing. If you're lucky you'll catch groovy ones. Just hope you won't come when there are some weird band playing. I once came when there was this kinda emo/punk/whatever with a girl vocalist wearing convent uniform and I hoped they would sound good since the girl was cute but then.....
Blah.
But Ben n Jerry is always a delight. Maybe it's better to "da-bao" the ice cream rather than eating there.
Their theme is fusion, so get ready for unusual but tasty mix of endless delight!
My menu was spaghetti curry. Yes, it's spaghetti, that pasta, with curry sauce! I'm sure you can't find it elsewhere... And it's suuuuper tasty :D The pasta is not sticky and the curry sauce is very fragrant and flavorful. Truly recommended. =D
The serving is quite generous, too. Perfect for full-course lunch/dinner. However, if you only want to hang out with some BFFs, they also serve refreshing mocktails.
And what I love is the ambience. It's smacked between other restaurants at The Cathay's basement, which kinda makes it hidden. However they have beautiful interior and nice, nice groovy music. Love it. =D
The price is quite steep. You might spend about $15 for the delight. But given the scrumptious food and the pleasant ambience, The Indulge will keep you coming for more!
Being one of those born in the "Strawberry Generation", film cameras aren't totally foreign. But by the time we grow up and start working, digital has taken over. So I never really got to own my very own film camera.
Digital is convenient and all, but somehow black & white photography in digital just seem to lack something. Or it simply feels unauthentic to me when you can easily convert that colour image to b&w in a single click.
So one faithful day, I saw this used camera shop at the ground floor of Peninsula Excelsior Hotel. Much to my surprise, not only do they have the pictured camera that I have been eyeing, they had two units. One of them was in pretty bad shape, while the other looked almost perfect. Amazing for a camera that is made in the 70s.
So without hesitation, I grabbed the good one at just $100, which is the typical price even if you buy one online. The owner of the shop was really experienced, as he patiently showed me every detail of the camera to the film-idiot me.
For his patience, his experience shown in handling the camera, and the good price he gave, I'm giving him a 4-star. Knocking off one star was due to the other unit that was in really bad shape. The lens was ridden with fungus, which I really do not think it should be sold at the same $100 price tag. So be sure to check meticulously if you choose to purchase a used camera here.
Having breakfast at Ng Ah Sio was a case of third time lucky. The first time my gf and I visited, it was a Monday and the shop was closed. The second time, it was closed for Chinese New Year. Third time round, our perseverance finally paid off. For those not in the know, Ng Ah Sio is the infamous Bak Kut Teh stall which turned down Hong Kong's Chief Executive, Donald Tseng, when he wanted to visit for a late night meal.
$5.50 gets you a relatively average sized bowl with 3 pieces of meat which are a little too dry and tough as compared to the one at Founder. The soup was the clear winner though, with its extremely heavy dosage of pepper and garlic. Very flavourful and guaranteed to make your nose run. I guess the word "Shiok" would be most apt in describing the feeling.
Please note that Ng Ah Sio opens early (6am) and closes early too (2pm) and its usually attracts quite a crowd whenever its open.
Had a go at Pow Sing Restaurant near my house last night as both my gf and I were ravenous and too lazy to travel. Chomp chomp was out as it was madly crowded. The place was packed to the brim when we got there at about 2030hrs. We ordered 2 plates of chicken rice and a Nonya Tofu to share. The dishes came pretty fast and service was efficient but not really friendly. The chicken was average and portion size was adequate. I particularly liked the Nonya tofu, which was a little crispy on the outside and soft and smooth on the inside due to it being deep fried.
Bill came to about $18 for 2 pax, which was quite affordable I guess. All in all, a good place to fill your stomach in an air conditioned environment minus the exorbitant prices.
Tour Tennis was founded by Julian Wong, a tennis maverick. Going against all traditions , textbooks, and senior coaches, he has established the Tour Tennis Approach, a means to equip any player with the highest tennis proficiency in the shortest time.
A pioneer in “Tennis in 5 Days” vacation crash-courses, ever featured in Sunday Times, Tour Tennis is best known for it’s 8-session Beginner Fast Track, where hundreds of students have acquired months worth of skill within hours.
No longer will there be a need to sign up for long and continuous tennis classes that take many classes just to accomplish one skill. Tour Tennis is able to cover all that and more, in just a few hours per week.
Classes can be tailored to suit anyone from ages 4 to 84! Results guaranteed.
Prices are reasonable and affordable, so there is no need to worry about burning a hole in your wallet just to pursue the sport even as a hobby.
Classes are mostly conducted at Fort Canning, however, should you wish to have your session at a convenient location for you, it can very well be arranged and at no extra cost!
Their young coaches are vibrant and dynamic, so there is no need to worry that lessons will be dry and boring, because it will be very much on the contrary!
Pros: Wonderfully decorated that gives you the feeling of "want to" chill out there. Minimum smell of cigarette smoke. Cute menu design and large variety of drinks and food for choosing. Though screens are not large but are strategically located for football lovers' viewing. (not to mention the surround sound speakers) Drinks are nicely done at least for those we ordered. We ordered Salty Dog, Topsy Turvy, Mango Tango and Lychee Martini. I especially love the Lychee Martini and will definitely order that when I go there next time. Finger foods, we only ordered fries and they tasted great. Asked for their name card and the name card came with a 15% discount coupon.
Cons: Slightly cramped and high chairs are not comfortable. Communication with crew there is not easy as the level of spoken English there is not high. Slightly on the ex side depending on what you order. (Lamborghini cost $20 )
Went there for a birthday celebration for a friend.
Pros: Nicely decorated for the Zen feeling though I see some parts of the wall is already peeling. Service from staff is quick, serving of food is big and therefore filling if you are looking for a good meal there. Ordered Curry chicken Katsu don which taste well though abit too sweet. Dessert is great and I especially like the chocolate waffle. It should be a nice place for a small family or friends outing.
Cons: Nothing special about the menu especially the main dish. Cold green tea does not taste nice and its not the "occasion" kind of thing as every time I go there, the cold green tea tasted like "cold tuna green tea". Not good for dates.
1=SGD 0.0587
Had dinner at Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao at Jurong Point with my gf as we were too lazy to go anywhere far for dinner.
There are actually many Crystal Jade variations around with La Mian Xiao Long Bao being one of them. The Jurong Point outlet was packed to the brim when we dropped by, just like all of the food outlets in the mall (whats new?). We had the set menu for 2, which included a side dish, a rice/noodle, a dim sum item and a cooked dish, all of which must be selected from a preset menu.
Crispy Beancurd Skin Roll - This dish was actually quite decent, with the beancurd skin crispy and not too oily. The filling of flour was a little chewy, tasting and looking very much like small cubes of mushroom. But beware, consuming too much of it will make you sick really fast because of the starch. This dish is best consumed with the accompanying zesty soya sauce.
Fried Rice with Prawn, Chicken & Ham - I would say that the fried rice was surprisingly quite good. Homogeneously fried with a generous serving of prawns, chicken and ham. The only thing that was lacking was the "Wok Hei" taste which was a pity really.
Sauteed Egg White with Fish Meat & Conpoy - As mentioned in a few of my earlier reviews, Prima serves a kick ass rendition of this dish and unfortunately, Crystal Jade's offering is nowhere in sight. Sure, its eggy from all that egg white and a little raw from the fish meat, but it just didn't manage to gel the flavours together like the one from Prima. However, this is still one very palatable dish and I will not hesitate to order it if I do go to Crystal Jade again.
Shanghai Steamed Pork Dumpling - A forte of Crystal Jade, the Shanghai Steamed Pork Dumplings or Xiao Long Baos (XLBs) were just a wee bit short of fantastic, owing to the minimally thicker than usual skin. Everything else was the same though, nice lean meat with lots of juice encapsuled within the skin and gushing out as the skin was breached.
Souffle Egg White Ball -
The only other place that I know that sells such a dessert is Cheng Li Yuan, which also happens to do up a meaner version of it. Crystal Jade's rendition utilises a lot of icing sugar to make it sweet and the pastry is comparatively not as tasty or fluffy. But then again, Crystal Jade is closer to home.
A hearty meal for 2 stood at about $37, which isn't really too expensive. I must say that of all the Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao outlets I've tried in Singapore (I believe I've tried all of them), Jurong Point's outlet is comparatively better than the rest in terms of food quality. You can read my writeup on the Takashimaya outlet here. However, service is another matter altogether. Though not rude or unfriendly , service was slow and spotty and I could spot quite a few aggrieved customers.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Pro:
Totally awesome clothes available on sale. Lingerie, dresses and tops that makes you feel sexy. Fast customer service, accommodating as long as you explain yourself and clear guidelines and instructions given in emails and web. Received the item like 2 days after payment which is fast enough. Clear size measurements and items are nearly exact of measurements. That's great since it makes shopping online more fun and clothes fit.
Con:
Clothes without promotion is quite expensive. Can go up to $70 for a slip dress which although is very nice but a burn in the pocket. On the whole, its a great buy when they are having sale.
Rating given:
Since it's a franchise, basically all Ben and Jerry's taste is the same. What's kinda bummer about this particular branch is its cramped space. Even some chairs and tables put outside are still not enough. It's too packed and it's hard to move.
Sometimes they have a live band performing. If you're lucky you'll catch groovy ones. Just hope you won't come when there are some weird band playing. I once came when there was this kinda emo/punk/whatever with a girl vocalist wearing convent uniform and I hoped they would sound good since the girl was cute but then.....
Blah.
But Ben n Jerry is always a delight. Maybe it's better to "da-bao" the ice cream rather than eating there.
Rating given:
Their theme is fusion, so get ready for unusual but tasty mix of endless delight!
My menu was spaghetti curry. Yes, it's spaghetti, that pasta, with curry sauce! I'm sure you can't find it elsewhere... And it's suuuuper tasty :D The pasta is not sticky and the curry sauce is very fragrant and flavorful. Truly recommended. =D
The serving is quite generous, too. Perfect for full-course lunch/dinner. However, if you only want to hang out with some BFFs, they also serve refreshing mocktails.
And what I love is the ambience. It's smacked between other restaurants at The Cathay's basement, which kinda makes it hidden. However they have beautiful interior and nice, nice groovy music. Love it. =D
The price is quite steep. You might spend about $15 for the delight. But given the scrumptious food and the pleasant ambience, The Indulge will keep you coming for more!
Rating given:
Being one of those born in the "Strawberry Generation", film cameras aren't totally foreign. But by the time we grow up and start working, digital has taken over. So I never really got to own my very own film camera.
Digital is convenient and all, but somehow black & white photography in digital just seem to lack something. Or it simply feels unauthentic to me when you can easily convert that colour image to b&w in a single click.
So one faithful day, I saw this used camera shop at the ground floor of Peninsula Excelsior Hotel. Much to my surprise, not only do they have the pictured camera that I have been eyeing, they had two units. One of them was in pretty bad shape, while the other looked almost perfect. Amazing for a camera that is made in the 70s.
So without hesitation, I grabbed the good one at just $100, which is the typical price even if you buy one online. The owner of the shop was really experienced, as he patiently showed me every detail of the camera to the film-idiot me.
For his patience, his experience shown in handling the camera, and the good price he gave, I'm giving him a 4-star. Knocking off one star was due to the other unit that was in really bad shape. The lens was ridden with fungus, which I really do not think it should be sold at the same $100 price tag. So be sure to check meticulously if you choose to purchase a used camera here.
Rating given:
Having breakfast at Ng Ah Sio was a case of third time lucky. The first time my gf and I visited, it was a Monday and the shop was closed. The second time, it was closed for Chinese New Year. Third time round, our perseverance finally paid off. For those not in the know, Ng Ah Sio is the infamous Bak Kut Teh stall which turned down Hong Kong's Chief Executive, Donald Tseng, when he wanted to visit for a late night meal.
$5.50 gets you a relatively average sized bowl with 3 pieces of meat which are a little too dry and tough as compared to the one at Founder. The soup was the clear winner though, with its extremely heavy dosage of pepper and garlic. Very flavourful and guaranteed to make your nose run. I guess the word "Shiok" would be most apt in describing the feeling.
Please note that Ng Ah Sio opens early (6am) and closes early too (2pm) and its usually attracts quite a crowd whenever its open.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Had a go at Pow Sing Restaurant near my house last night as both my gf and I were ravenous and too lazy to travel. Chomp chomp was out as it was madly crowded. The place was packed to the brim when we got there at about 2030hrs. We ordered 2 plates of chicken rice and a Nonya Tofu to share. The dishes came pretty fast and service was efficient but not really friendly. The chicken was average and portion size was adequate. I particularly liked the Nonya tofu, which was a little crispy on the outside and soft and smooth on the inside due to it being deep fried.
Bill came to about $18 for 2 pax, which was quite affordable I guess. All in all, a good place to fill your stomach in an air conditioned environment minus the exorbitant prices.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Tour Tennis was founded by Julian Wong, a tennis maverick. Going against all traditions , textbooks, and senior coaches, he has established the Tour Tennis Approach, a means to equip any player with the highest tennis proficiency in the shortest time.
A pioneer in “Tennis in 5 Days” vacation crash-courses, ever featured in Sunday Times, Tour Tennis is best known for it’s 8-session Beginner Fast Track, where hundreds of students have acquired months worth of skill within hours.
No longer will there be a need to sign up for long and continuous tennis classes that take many classes just to accomplish one skill. Tour Tennis is able to cover all that and more, in just a few hours per week.
Classes can be tailored to suit anyone from ages 4 to 84! Results guaranteed.
Prices are reasonable and affordable, so there is no need to worry about burning a hole in your wallet just to pursue the sport even as a hobby.
Classes are mostly conducted at Fort Canning, however, should you wish to have your session at a convenient location for you, it can very well be arranged and at no extra cost!
Their young coaches are vibrant and dynamic, so there is no need to worry that lessons will be dry and boring, because it will be very much on the contrary!
Check them out now at www.tourtennis.net!
Rating given:
Pros:
Wonderfully decorated that gives you the feeling of "want to" chill out there. Minimum smell of cigarette smoke. Cute menu design and large variety of drinks and food for choosing. Though screens are not large but are strategically located for football lovers' viewing. (not to mention the surround sound speakers) Drinks are nicely done at least for those we ordered. We ordered Salty Dog, Topsy Turvy, Mango Tango and Lychee Martini. I especially love the Lychee Martini and will definitely order that when I go there next time. Finger foods, we only ordered fries and they tasted great. Asked for their name card and the name card came with a 15% discount coupon.
Cons:
Slightly cramped and high chairs are not comfortable. Communication with crew there is not easy as the level of spoken English there is not high. Slightly on the ex side depending on what you order. (Lamborghini cost $20 )
Rating given:
Went there for a birthday celebration for a friend.
Pros:
Nicely decorated for the Zen feeling though I see some parts of the wall is already peeling. Service from staff is quick, serving of food is big and therefore filling if you are looking for a good meal there. Ordered Curry chicken Katsu don which taste well though abit too sweet. Dessert is great and I especially like the chocolate waffle. It should be a nice place for a small family or friends outing.
Cons:
Nothing special about the menu especially the main dish. Cold green tea does not taste nice and its not the "occasion" kind of thing as every time I go there, the cold green tea tasted like "cold tuna green tea". Not good for dates.
Rating given: