I've been to Bangkok 3 times. The recent 2 times, I stayed at Asia hotel (mid July 06 & end December 07).
If you are going there to shop, Asia hotel is a good place to stay at. It's connected to a BTS (Bangkok Transit System) Skytrain station and is walking distance from BMK and a few other shopping places.
Food wise, there's a little seafood restaurant located just next to the hotel that serves pretty good food at a pretty affordable prices. Eg. about SGD50 for a group of 5 adults. We ordered rice, 5 dishes (fish/prawn/scallop and vegetable/tomyam/green curry) and 1 bowl of bird's nest each.
I love shopping at Bangkok, but I hate the traffic. Their traffic's quite bad, so normally I just either take the skytrain or walk.
The one thing I don't like about Bangkok, it's the airport. Their staffs are quite "racist" giving different kind of service for different people. We were at this sports bar, ordered 5 set meals. After serving 2 set meals, an "angmo" couple came in. They took their orders and served their food first!
When we asked if our food were ready, they told us the chef is still fixing our food (salmon salad and 2 mango sticky rice). We waited another 30mins for our other 3 sets but it never came. (By the way, there were no other customers.) We have a flight to catch and knew we couldn't wait endlessly, so we wanted to cancel our order and they say we cannot cancel even though they have not even started fixing our food??? I was like thinking WTH, they told us 30mins ago they were fixing the food and then they come and tell us they have not fixed the food and want us to wait some more. By that time we were really late so we said we'll pay of the food but we wouldn't be eating there. My boyfriend stayed to pay up while the rest of us rushed to catch the plane. End up, they felt bad and decide to pack the food for us, and the crew were kind enough to let us bring the food inboard. (Which I thought was funny because they only took a few mins to pack the food yet take so long to serve us?) -.-
The other thing about the airport is that almost all the toilets are "under-construction". Look at the photo I've uploaded. It says "Ready in service in this December". When I was there it was already end of December yet almost all the toilets are still under construction.
When we where at Bangkok, many shopping centres closes around 8plus, so if you want to shop more, you should try walking around and explore. There are many shops nearby the shopping centres (night market). We were not the street smart, took a tuktuk and went all the way to the Bangkok Night Bazaar. Those who doesn't really know how to bargain, try not to go to the Bangkok Night Bazaar. Everything there is expensive and well, I see more "angmos" then their own people. hahas. End up wasting my boyfriend's sis and my time.
So yeah, I feel like I've ranted a lot.
Hope that helps? :p
Thinking of having a function at the Royal Pavillion Ballroom at The Regent Hotel? Perhaps you'd like to reconsider your option.
I was at the hotel on November 2006 for my secondary 4 prom, and again once again on Saturday 19 January 2008.
My prom experience was a rather disappointing one as the food was really not up to standard at all, and the accoustics of the ballroom was poor, which resulted in the music sounding very bad.
On Saturday, i was back there, not for prom, but for a friend's wedding. I decided to rid my mind of all the negative memories i had of the hotel and its ballroom, and instead, give it another chance to prove me wrong. I thought, "After about one year, they might have improved. Afterall, it is a 5-star hotel."
I was sorely disappointed.
The accoustics of the room still hasn't changed, and the music they played sounded as bad as ever.
The standard of their food hasn't improved either. Some dishes (fried bamboo rice) that were meant to be served warm turned out to be cold by the time it got to our tables. Dessert was also disappointing. It was supposed to be a dark chocolate mousse cake, but it was more like milk chocolate jelly! Too much gelatin, perhaps? The presentation of the dishes were also a far cry from what one would normally expect from a 5-star hotel.
The service was good, but apart from that, there really isn't much fantastic about Regent Hotel.
Sick and tired of cakes and ice cream all the time? It's nice to have more traditional desserts. Ah Chew's is one of the places where I love to have desserts. After 7, it constantly full. The place isn't very big, it seats about 25 people at max.
Parking here is really a headache too. Even if you choose to park slightly further at Parco you might have to wait.
That said the ambience in this place is simple and it looks like a traditional Chinese stall 店铺. The people here are relatively friendly but everyone's usually too busy to chat more.
My two favourites here are the Mi Gua Xi Mi Lu (Honeydew Sago) and the Gui Ling Gao (Herbal Jelly). Both are the cooling sort of desserts. I'm never a fan of hot desserts.
My friends are always having the hot pastes. :)
Despite me liking this place so much, I have to give it 4 stars only. It's not really a place to chill with your friends as there will be people breathing down your neck cos they need a seat. :P But come try!!
On 04.01.2008, my colleagues and I decide to have our lunch there to celebrate 2 other colleague's birthday.
Food : 6.5/10
Service : 4/10
Price : 5/10
Crowd : not many people during lunchtime
The food's pretty alright, but the waitress seems to have problem understanding us. My boss says must be her English very powerful so she didn't understand our simple English.
Because we already have 3 types of "chicken" dishes. (Grilled, fried and the chicken wrapped in the I-forget-what-leaf), we wanted prawns or fish in our curry, she gave us chicken instead. So we end up eating a "chicken-meal".
The tom yum soup is very very diluted. I never liked tom yum because of the strong sour taste and chocking feeling the spices gives me. But their soup was like clear tomato soup! My friends who loved tom yum wasn't very happy with it.
There weren't many people even though it's lunchtime and they made us sat near the door/walkway.
Total cost after discount (American Express Card) was about $100.
The only thing that was good enough would be the deserts, but even then, I don't think we'll enjoy that much if we weren't sharing 3 deserts among the 7 of us.
I've enclosed some photos of the food. :)
Enjoy :p
PS : I couldn't give 2.5 stars, so I had to decide on either giving it a 2 which is below average or 3 which is average.
Why I gave it a 3, it's because while I'm typing this review, I suddenly miss the chicken wrapped in leaves. hahas. Yes, I am quite "stingy" when it comes to ratings. :P
ate there once and decided never to go back there again. Though the food displayed on the menu looks quite tempting, but sad to say the taste and quality of the food was disappointing.
The buffalo wings were huge but never really well-cooked. As for the beef patty burger, the minced meat couldn't hold together and when u bite into it, all the meat simply "gave way".
The only good thing there is perhaps the drinks and the sofa who is quite comfy. Overall I would say this place aint really that worth going for the prices and the quality of the food
I believe this place needs no introduction. So lets get straight to the point.
The soup is reminiscent of Campbell's and we got it by adding about $4 for a soup, some bread and a drink.
Seafood Combo ($49.30 after adding 3 meals) - The seafood combo came is portions of 3 generally, garlic butter and cheese baked mussels, cross cut fries, 5 to 6 fried shrimps, calamari rings and one big piece of dory fillet. And believe or not, the serving managed to feed 4 full grown adults pretty well. The mussels were quite a let down actually, nothing too special about them. The fillet was thick and sweet. The fish meat was piping hot and fine as well. I didn't like the shrimp too much as its overly fried, as is the calamari rings. However, all these were made up for with its wasabi mayonnaise sauce which made everything more palatable even though its not.
Tiramisu ($2.30 after discount) - We actually sat and waited till 9.30 pm to get the cake at half price but honestly, it wasn't worth the wait at all. Dry and lacking any rum taste whatsoever, this is hardly noticeable as tiramisu apart from its looks. Not recommended.
Eastside Brownie ($6.50) - Yet again, the dessert of choice. This time however, the brownie tasted a little too bitter and was not heated properly before it was brought out which dampened spirits a little. Still, decent when paired together with its vanilla ice cream.
Total bill for 4 people reached $56.20 after a further 10% student discount from my friend.
Definitely not somewhere for fine dining but it gets the job done. Atmosphere is as relaxed as ever and nobody chases you off at this outlet. Service is tolerable but furniture placement is still a pain as everything is still cramped. Calls for more sauce were met with slow service as well. Improvement in order but the place is still function able as a place for junk food and small gatherings.
A former humble restaurant with its roots in China town, serving home cooked Cantonese fare, has since evolved into a chain restaurant that can be found in major department stores and even the heart of town. Based upon the Samsui Women, women in red berets, who helped better the lives of Singapore by working for the people, the food has an earthly appeal to culture poor Singapore as it serves as an icon of sorts.
After queuing for close to 15 minutes, i finally made it past the fake wooden doors to get a seat within the restaurant. I guess queuing is the norm since dinner time is usually peak season and everybody seems to be clamoring for any restaurant they can get their hands on.
I guess the first thing i noticed about the place is how incredibly expensive the items are. Expensive is relative in this case because i'd came with the impression i can pay very little for the meal, but that seems a faraway dream.
Peanuts ($2) - $2 for a small bowl of peanuts is pretty interesting. Interestingly expensive of course! To its credit, the peanuts are of the soft variety which may or may not appeal to everyone. Regardless of its appetizing fragrance and taste, this is still overcharged.
Samsui Ginger Chicken ($13) - The chicken bearing the namesake of the restaurant. It is said that no visit to Soup Restaurant is complete without ordering the chicken. Honestly, i am inclined to agree. The serving was quite big which makes me believe there should be half a chicken on that plate. The majority is made of boneless servings of the thigh and breast, both of which were nicely tender and slightly salty due to the soy sauce used. The combination of cucumber, chicken, ginger and lettuce wrapped was fresh and very appetizing. The 2 of us managed to finish the entire dish so that says something.
Hometown Tofu ($8) - The tofu was not very smooth and is of the egg variety. There were pockets of air in it when cut that doesn't leave me with a very good impression. The sauce was soy based and a little salty but managed to be balanced out by the bland tasting tofu. My overall experience with it was alright but nothing eye opening.
Tian Chee With Chicken Soup ($6) - Well, this is a soup restaurant so how can a visit be complete without ordering their soup. How did the soup fare? Bland. I couldn't taste much in it at all. At the very least, it didn't feel like a manufactured soup like so many other restaurants. Still, never ordering this again.
Did the above feel justified for the price tag of $40.50 you see here? I'll leave it up to you to decide.
Of all the things i had that day, the chicken alone was worth the visit while every other thing is just chicken fodder (pardon the pun). I wouldn't say i agree with the crowds that throng the place every night since its easy enough to create the chicken on your own outside. Buy some chicken meat, get lettuce and cucumber and some ginger soaked in soy sauce and vinegar and you pretty much get the same thing. Apart from that, i don't think the price is justified for such a humble place. I don't dislike it but i'm not happy enough with it to return either.
A member of the Starling Group of restaurants which include Dragon Gate, Orient Ocean, River City and the 88 Restaurant, this is the choice my dad made after a prior good experience he had with his friends.
Judging by the shots, its obvious to see that the restaurant is geared towards huge banquets and events. It says as much on their website touting their huge capacity and being a 'Perfect choice of perfect venue for any occasion.' The interior also masks the fact that the main entrance of the restaurant is actually at the carpark, convenient but in direct contrast to the posh oldies interior.
The menu we had was the cheapest of 3 sets offered. Standing at $22.80 per head, there were five limited items to order and 45 other items we could try. Everything has to be ticked and ordered and it will be served throughout the buffet.
Deep Fried Breaded Prawn Fritters - The first item i had were these fritters and i must say they tasted good. Lightly breaded, crispy and sweet. It was pretty oily though.
Chilli Crab and Black Pepper Crab - These crabs were just plain bad. The meat was thin and powdery to the point that even the sauces couldn't enhance its taste. Now i know why the crab was free flow, it simply isn't good.
Sweet and sour pork - This was decent. The meat was slightly crunchy without losing its inner tenderness. It was also lightly sweet and sour without being overwhelming.
Pan Fried Salmon in Teriyaki Sauce - The salmon was overly fried such that the meat tasted too dry. The sauce did not help as it was overly sweet and not appetizing in the least.
Deep Fried Chicken in Beancurd Skin - Crispy, hot and oily describes this dish. The freshness of the chicken is debatable of course but for what its worth. Everyone enjoyed it.
Baby Kai lan and Mushrooms - Bland and tasteless, the only redeeming factor to this dish is the crunchy and fresh baby kai lans.
Japanese Egg Beancurds - You can practically buy and cook this at home. The beancurds are typical supermarket quality with nothing truly special. The serving for this was huge but whats the point of big servings when no one wants to eat it?
Shark's Fin (1 serving per customer) - This is a joke through and through. I could hardly make out the shark's fin and the broth is simply too thick for its own good.
Char Siew (Roast BBQ Pork) - As nice as it looks, the roast pork is simply too dry and tough to chew on for its own good. I'm surprised they managed to mess up on something this widely available actually.
Garlic Steamed Fresh Prawns (1 Serving per customer) -A far cry from HTL but thats unfair to compare here i suppose. Their version was decent and the aroma and sauce does have a certain charm, the only gripe here is the size of the prawns, which were too small to leave a good impression.
Zhi Bao Ji(Steamed Paper Wrapped Chicken)- The meat was tender, sweet and juicy. Pretty nicely done and worth a try.
Cereal Prawns - A staple dish in almost any Chinese eatery. The cereal was strangely lacking the sweet and fragrant taste that is the norm for this dish. The prawns were adequately fresh this time around and was crunchy with the cereal. Taste was overall subdued compared to others i've had before.
Scallops and assorted veggies - To put it simply, we finished all the scallops and left all the greens intact. I'm please to say the scallops tasted fresh and thats about all i can say. =P
Deep fried Buns - A popular dish that night, we went for 3 to 4 helpings of these delectable but oily buns. There is absolutely nothing much special about them. Its your run-of-the-mill deep fried buns available for 50 cents outside but it somehow got us to have seconds and thirds of it. Go figure.
Sze Chuan Fish - This was so salty and spicy that none of us had the stomach to finish. We practically left it untouched and thats quite a waste because beneath the salty exterior, the fish inside was actually fresh.
Honeydew Sago - Pretty much stuffed with food by this point, the sago came as a relief. It wasn't sweet, which is a surprise, as the coconut milk practically robbed it of any other taste whatsoever.
The total bill for 8 people came up to $226.45 which, to me, is not worth the money given the quality of the food.
I suppose taste does vary for each individual, because my dad still felt the restaurant was good value for money while i feel its best if i don't step into it again. The food is passable though hardly memorable and the money could have been spent on healthier and better choices. Buffets that serve good Chinese food is just few and far between.
Nestled in the midst of Bishan Park 2, Acacia looks from afar a nice place to dine in. Stepping into the place and sitting down by the full glass windows, it is hard to imagine that you are in AMK. The lush surroundings makes you feel like you are in the middle of some "exotic" location or maybe it is just me.
The first page of the menu was the set lunch at $15. Looking at the menu and servings it looks like a good price. The set dinner is $32 nett. Yes they do not charge GST or service charge. So we opted for the set dinner 2. Here is what the set dinner comes with:-
(1) Mango Salad - This was a good starter. The smell and taste of the balsamic vinegar was not too overpowering. It sort of tickled our taste buds and was an appetizing appetizer. There were also sliced papayas and mangos which made the dish both colorful and complete.
(2) Mushroom soup - This is definitely not cambells mushroom soup. It was thick, creamy with visible chunks of mushroom found in the soup itself. One of the thickest mushroom soup I have eaten and definitely one of the tastiest. The texture of the soup is just right and is also not too thick. As you guessed, the bowl was emptied and "cleaned" in no time.
(3) Main course A - Balsamic Chicken - This is a delight to savour. The sauce has the right tinge of sweetness and saltiness, each not overpowering the other. Together with the grilled chicken, the taste is truly complimentary. One just cannot get enough of the sauce. It has a strawberry like taste and yet it is not strawberry. I have never eaten chicken so effortlessly, without thinking that it is chicken. Again maybe it is just me. haha. The potato wedges were also quickly "gobbled" up.
Main course B - Pan fried Dory with Mango sauce - The Dory was nicely fried and was fresh. Together with the mango sauce, it was a nice blend between the slight saltiness of the fish and the sour sweet taste of the mango sauce. When you get a good blend of sweet, sour, saltiness in food, it always taste good. At least for us.
(4) Blueberry cheese cake - Nicely done up with no overpowering cheesy taste in it. There is also a nice crisps layer of biscuit right at the base of the cake, which adds to a changed texture upon savoring the cake.
(5) Fruit punch - to complete the meal
We felt that it was a reasonable price to pay for a 5 course set meal at $32 nett. The ambience and surroundings also are pleasant. Looking at the size of the place, it seems like a suitable venue for a small private function of 60-100 people with the outdoors available also for use. Perhaps a small wedding reception? With the glass windows with ample natural lighting, it is a plus for the photographer, which also is good for the bride. :)
I've been told quite a few times that there was a nice restaurant in the middle of bishan park but i've never personally been there. Upon arrival, i noticed there were 2 such restaurants side by side and was forced to make a choice, feeling a wee bit exotic, i opted for the Green Room cafe instead of the Acacia which i will revisit at a later time. The Green Room cafe is a concept cafe from Asmara Spas to promote healthy eating habits which inexorably links back to the spa treatments they offer. How good is the food there though?
The location in the middle of the park is reminiscent of Bliss which is located a Punggol Park. Its interior was decent and casual with the exception of 2 rather large trees located right smack in the middle of the restaurant, making it an interesting decoration of sorts.
Vegetarian Mutton Curry with organic brown rice ($12.80) - Vegetarian mutton curry has been done many times and i have never had a good opinion of it since i perceive such foods to be filled with artificial flavorings and being totally unhealthy. This rendition was quite decent however, with the flavorings kept to a minimal and still having slight hints of mutton in it. It was not very spicy despite the use of curry leaves, cinnamon and ginger but complimented the organic brown rice really well. That said, the rice is very different. Thick, moist and chewy, this is akin to japanese rice only bigger. Interestingly good.
Indochinese Spring Rolls ($6.80) - Spring rolls. Why did i order this? Well, i figured they simply can't go wrong with spring rolls in vegetarian cuisine and i was proven right. Served piping hot, with a tangy lime, ginger and red chilli dipping sauce, this was easily enjoyable as finger food. Crunchy vegetables, spicy and sourish sauce, whats there not to like?
Portebello Field Mushroom ($12.80) - Ever since my first introduction to this big fungus, i have grown quite fond of it and its various permutations. This time, it was served with aged balsamic vinegar, homemade potato relish on a warm baked bun. The nachos went well with it as well along with the fresh salad that gave it an sweet, raw and healthy feeling experience. I was only disappointed with the size of the mushroom which really could have been bigger.
The bill for this meal came up to $38.13 which is quite a big sum to pay for the amount of food we had.
After all the good things i have said about the place, why is the score so low? Well, the fact that the food is easily prepared and the contrast between the offerings and the price is the reason, it simply doesn't feel like value for money even though the food is actually quite nicely done. Reduce the price by 30 or 40% and i'll probably return. Moving forward, if anyone wants to try the place, it might be a good idea to go during noon to enjoy the casual surroundings better.
1=SGD 0.0587
I've been to Bangkok 3 times. The recent 2 times, I stayed at Asia hotel (mid July 06 & end December 07).
If you are going there to shop, Asia hotel is a good place to stay at. It's connected to a BTS (Bangkok Transit System) Skytrain station and is walking distance from BMK and a few other shopping places.
Food wise, there's a little seafood restaurant located just next to the hotel that serves pretty good food at a pretty affordable prices. Eg. about SGD50 for a group of 5 adults. We ordered rice, 5 dishes (fish/prawn/scallop and vegetable/tomyam/green curry) and 1 bowl of bird's nest each.
I love shopping at Bangkok, but I hate the traffic. Their traffic's quite bad, so normally I just either take the skytrain or walk.
The one thing I don't like about Bangkok, it's the airport. Their staffs are quite "racist" giving different kind of service for different people. We were at this sports bar, ordered 5 set meals. After serving 2 set meals, an "angmo" couple came in. They took their orders and served their food first!
When we asked if our food were ready, they told us the chef is still fixing our food (salmon salad and 2 mango sticky rice). We waited another 30mins for our other 3 sets but it never came. (By the way, there were no other customers.) We have a flight to catch and knew we couldn't wait endlessly, so we wanted to cancel our order and they say we cannot cancel even though they have not even started fixing our food??? I was like thinking WTH, they told us 30mins ago they were fixing the food and then they come and tell us they have not fixed the food and want us to wait some more. By that time we were really late so we said we'll pay of the food but we wouldn't be eating there. My boyfriend stayed to pay up while the rest of us rushed to catch the plane. End up, they felt bad and decide to pack the food for us, and the crew were kind enough to let us bring the food inboard. (Which I thought was funny because they only took a few mins to pack the food yet take so long to serve us?) -.-
The other thing about the airport is that almost all the toilets are "under-construction". Look at the photo I've uploaded. It says "Ready in service in this December". When I was there it was already end of December yet almost all the toilets are still under construction.
When we where at Bangkok, many shopping centres closes around 8plus, so if you want to shop more, you should try walking around and explore. There are many shops nearby the shopping centres (night market). We were not the street smart, took a tuktuk and went all the way to the Bangkok Night Bazaar. Those who doesn't really know how to bargain, try not to go to the Bangkok Night Bazaar. Everything there is expensive and well, I see more "angmos" then their own people. hahas. End up wasting my boyfriend's sis and my time.
So yeah, I feel like I've ranted a lot.
Hope that helps? :p
Rating given:
Thinking of having a function at the Royal Pavillion Ballroom at The Regent Hotel? Perhaps you'd like to reconsider your option.
I was at the hotel on November 2006 for my secondary 4 prom, and again once again on Saturday 19 January 2008.
My prom experience was a rather disappointing one as the food was really not up to standard at all, and the accoustics of the ballroom was poor, which resulted in the music sounding very bad.
On Saturday, i was back there, not for prom, but for a friend's wedding. I decided to rid my mind of all the negative memories i had of the hotel and its ballroom, and instead, give it another chance to prove me wrong. I thought, "After about one year, they might have improved. Afterall, it is a 5-star hotel."
I was sorely disappointed.
The accoustics of the room still hasn't changed, and the music they played sounded as bad as ever.
The standard of their food hasn't improved either. Some dishes (fried bamboo rice) that were meant to be served warm turned out to be cold by the time it got to our tables. Dessert was also disappointing. It was supposed to be a dark chocolate mousse cake, but it was more like milk chocolate jelly! Too much gelatin, perhaps? The presentation of the dishes were also a far cry from what one would normally expect from a 5-star hotel.
The service was good, but apart from that, there really isn't much fantastic about Regent Hotel.
Rating given:
Sick and tired of cakes and ice cream all the time? It's nice to have more traditional desserts. Ah Chew's is one of the places where I love to have desserts. After 7, it constantly full. The place isn't very big, it seats about 25 people at max.
Parking here is really a headache too. Even if you choose to park slightly further at Parco you might have to wait.
That said the ambience in this place is simple and it looks like a traditional Chinese stall 店铺. The people here are relatively friendly but everyone's usually too busy to chat more.
My two favourites here are the Mi Gua Xi Mi Lu (Honeydew Sago) and the Gui Ling Gao (Herbal Jelly). Both are the cooling sort of desserts. I'm never a fan of hot desserts.
My friends are always having the hot pastes. :)
Despite me liking this place so much, I have to give it 4 stars only. It's not really a place to chill with your friends as there will be people breathing down your neck cos they need a seat. :P But come try!!
Rating given:
On 04.01.2008, my colleagues and I decide to have our lunch there to celebrate 2 other colleague's birthday.
Food : 6.5/10
Service : 4/10
Price : 5/10
Crowd : not many people during lunchtime
The food's pretty alright, but the waitress seems to have problem understanding us. My boss says must be her English very powerful so she didn't understand our simple English.
Because we already have 3 types of "chicken" dishes. (Grilled, fried and the chicken wrapped in the I-forget-what-leaf), we wanted prawns or fish in our curry, she gave us chicken instead. So we end up eating a "chicken-meal".
The tom yum soup is very very diluted. I never liked tom yum because of the strong sour taste and chocking feeling the spices gives me. But their soup was like clear tomato soup! My friends who loved tom yum wasn't very happy with it.
There weren't many people even though it's lunchtime and they made us sat near the door/walkway.
Total cost after discount (American Express Card) was about $100.
The only thing that was good enough would be the deserts, but even then, I don't think we'll enjoy that much if we weren't sharing 3 deserts among the 7 of us.
I've enclosed some photos of the food. :)
Enjoy :p
PS : I couldn't give 2.5 stars, so I had to decide on either giving it a 2 which is below average or 3 which is average.
Why I gave it a 3, it's because while I'm typing this review, I suddenly miss the chicken wrapped in leaves. hahas. Yes, I am quite "stingy" when it comes to ratings. :P
Rating given:
ate there once and decided never to go back there again. Though the food displayed on the menu looks quite tempting, but sad to say the taste and quality of the food was disappointing.
The buffalo wings were huge but never really well-cooked. As for the beef patty burger, the minced meat couldn't hold together and when u bite into it, all the meat simply "gave way".
The only good thing there is perhaps the drinks and the sofa who is quite comfy. Overall I would say this place aint really that worth going for the prices and the quality of the food
Rating given:
I believe this place needs no introduction. So lets get straight to the point.
The soup is reminiscent of Campbell's and we got it by adding about $4 for a soup, some bread and a drink.
Seafood Combo ($49.30 after adding 3 meals) - The seafood combo came is portions of 3 generally, garlic butter and cheese baked mussels, cross cut fries, 5 to 6 fried shrimps, calamari rings and one big piece of dory fillet. And believe or not, the serving managed to feed 4 full grown adults pretty well. The mussels were quite a let down actually, nothing too special about them. The fillet was thick and sweet. The fish meat was piping hot and fine as well. I didn't like the shrimp too much as its overly fried, as is the calamari rings. However, all these were made up for with its wasabi mayonnaise sauce which made everything more palatable even though its not.
Tiramisu ($2.30 after discount) - We actually sat and waited till 9.30 pm to get the cake at half price but honestly, it wasn't worth the wait at all. Dry and lacking any rum taste whatsoever, this is hardly noticeable as tiramisu apart from its looks. Not recommended.
Eastside Brownie ($6.50) - Yet again, the dessert of choice. This time however, the brownie tasted a little too bitter and was not heated properly before it was brought out which dampened spirits a little. Still, decent when paired together with its vanilla ice cream.
Total bill for 4 people reached $56.20 after a further 10% student discount from my friend.
Definitely not somewhere for fine dining but it gets the job done. Atmosphere is as relaxed as ever and nobody chases you off at this outlet. Service is tolerable but furniture placement is still a pain as everything is still cramped. Calls for more sauce were met with slow service as well. Improvement in order but the place is still function able as a place for junk food and small gatherings.
Rating given:
A former humble restaurant with its roots in China town, serving home cooked Cantonese fare, has since evolved into a chain restaurant that can be found in major department stores and even the heart of town. Based upon the Samsui Women, women in red berets, who helped better the lives of Singapore by working for the people, the food has an earthly appeal to culture poor Singapore as it serves as an icon of sorts.
After queuing for close to 15 minutes, i finally made it past the fake wooden doors to get a seat within the restaurant. I guess queuing is the norm since dinner time is usually peak season and everybody seems to be clamoring for any restaurant they can get their hands on.
I guess the first thing i noticed about the place is how incredibly expensive the items are. Expensive is relative in this case because i'd came with the impression i can pay very little for the meal, but that seems a faraway dream.
Peanuts ($2) - $2 for a small bowl of peanuts is pretty interesting. Interestingly expensive of course! To its credit, the peanuts are of the soft variety which may or may not appeal to everyone. Regardless of its appetizing fragrance and taste, this is still overcharged.
Samsui Ginger Chicken ($13) - The chicken bearing the namesake of the restaurant. It is said that no visit to Soup Restaurant is complete without ordering the chicken. Honestly, i am inclined to agree. The serving was quite big which makes me believe there should be half a chicken on that plate. The majority is made of boneless servings of the thigh and breast, both of which were nicely tender and slightly salty due to the soy sauce used. The combination of cucumber, chicken, ginger and lettuce wrapped was fresh and very appetizing. The 2 of us managed to finish the entire dish so that says something.
Hometown Tofu ($8) - The tofu was not very smooth and is of the egg variety. There were pockets of air in it when cut that doesn't leave me with a very good impression. The sauce was soy based and a little salty but managed to be balanced out by the bland tasting tofu. My overall experience with it was alright but nothing eye opening.
Tian Chee With Chicken Soup ($6) - Well, this is a soup restaurant so how can a visit be complete without ordering their soup. How did the soup fare? Bland. I couldn't taste much in it at all. At the very least, it didn't feel like a manufactured soup like so many other restaurants. Still, never ordering this again.
Did the above feel justified for the price tag of $40.50 you see here? I'll leave it up to you to decide.
Of all the things i had that day, the chicken alone was worth the visit while every other thing is just chicken fodder (pardon the pun). I wouldn't say i agree with the crowds that throng the place every night since its easy enough to create the chicken on your own outside. Buy some chicken meat, get lettuce and cucumber and some ginger soaked in soy sauce and vinegar and you pretty much get the same thing. Apart from that, i don't think the price is justified for such a humble place. I don't dislike it but i'm not happy enough with it to return either.
Rating given:
A member of the Starling Group of restaurants which include Dragon Gate, Orient Ocean, River City and the 88 Restaurant, this is the choice my dad made after a prior good experience he had with his friends.
Judging by the shots, its obvious to see that the restaurant is geared towards huge banquets and events. It says as much on their website touting their huge capacity and being a 'Perfect choice of perfect venue for any occasion.' The interior also masks the fact that the main entrance of the restaurant is actually at the carpark, convenient but in direct contrast to the posh oldies interior.
The menu we had was the cheapest of 3 sets offered. Standing at $22.80 per head, there were five limited items to order and 45 other items we could try. Everything has to be ticked and ordered and it will be served throughout the buffet.
Deep Fried Breaded Prawn Fritters - The first item i had were these fritters and i must say they tasted good. Lightly breaded, crispy and sweet. It was pretty oily though.
Chilli Crab and Black Pepper Crab - These crabs were just plain bad. The meat was thin and powdery to the point that even the sauces couldn't enhance its taste. Now i know why the crab was free flow, it simply isn't good.
Sweet and sour pork - This was decent. The meat was slightly crunchy without losing its inner tenderness. It was also lightly sweet and sour without being overwhelming.
Pan Fried Salmon in Teriyaki Sauce - The salmon was overly fried such that the meat tasted too dry. The sauce did not help as it was overly sweet and not appetizing in the least.
Deep Fried Chicken in Beancurd Skin - Crispy, hot and oily describes this dish. The freshness of the chicken is debatable of course but for what its worth. Everyone enjoyed it.
Baby Kai lan and Mushrooms - Bland and tasteless, the only redeeming factor to this dish is the crunchy and fresh baby kai lans.
Japanese Egg Beancurds - You can practically buy and cook this at home. The beancurds are typical supermarket quality with nothing truly special. The serving for this was huge but whats the point of big servings when no one wants to eat it?
Shark's Fin (1 serving per customer) - This is a joke through and through. I could hardly make out the shark's fin and the broth is simply too thick for its own good.
Char Siew (Roast BBQ Pork) - As nice as it looks, the roast pork is simply too dry and tough to chew on for its own good. I'm surprised they managed to mess up on something this widely available actually.
Garlic Steamed Fresh Prawns (1 Serving per customer) -A far cry from HTL but thats unfair to compare here i suppose. Their version was decent and the aroma and sauce does have a certain charm, the only gripe here is the size of the prawns, which were too small to leave a good impression.
Zhi Bao Ji(Steamed Paper Wrapped Chicken)- The meat was tender, sweet and juicy. Pretty nicely done and worth a try.
Cereal Prawns - A staple dish in almost any Chinese eatery. The cereal was strangely lacking the sweet and fragrant taste that is the norm for this dish. The prawns were adequately fresh this time around and was crunchy with the cereal. Taste was overall subdued compared to others i've had before.
Scallops and assorted veggies - To put it simply, we finished all the scallops and left all the greens intact. I'm please to say the scallops tasted fresh and thats about all i can say. =P
Deep fried Buns - A popular dish that night, we went for 3 to 4 helpings of these delectable but oily buns. There is absolutely nothing much special about them. Its your run-of-the-mill deep fried buns available for 50 cents outside but it somehow got us to have seconds and thirds of it. Go figure.
Sze Chuan Fish - This was so salty and spicy that none of us had the stomach to finish. We practically left it untouched and thats quite a waste because beneath the salty exterior, the fish inside was actually fresh.
Honeydew Sago - Pretty much stuffed with food by this point, the sago came as a relief. It wasn't sweet, which is a surprise, as the coconut milk practically robbed it of any other taste whatsoever.
The total bill for 8 people came up to $226.45 which, to me, is not worth the money given the quality of the food.
I suppose taste does vary for each individual, because my dad still felt the restaurant was good value for money while i feel its best if i don't step into it again. The food is passable though hardly memorable and the money could have been spent on healthier and better choices. Buffets that serve good Chinese food is just few and far between.
Rating given:
Nestled in the midst of Bishan Park 2, Acacia looks from afar a nice place to dine in. Stepping into the place and sitting down by the full glass windows, it is hard to imagine that you are in AMK. The lush surroundings makes you feel like you are in the middle of some "exotic" location or maybe it is just me.
The first page of the menu was the set lunch at $15. Looking at the menu and servings it looks like a good price. The set dinner is $32 nett. Yes they do not charge GST or service charge. So we opted for the set dinner 2. Here is what the set dinner comes with:-
(1) Mango Salad - This was a good starter. The smell and taste of the balsamic vinegar was not too overpowering. It sort of tickled our taste buds and was an appetizing appetizer. There were also sliced papayas and mangos which made the dish both colorful and complete.
(2) Mushroom soup - This is definitely not cambells mushroom soup. It was thick, creamy with visible chunks of mushroom found in the soup itself. One of the thickest mushroom soup I have eaten and definitely one of the tastiest. The texture of the soup is just right and is also not too thick. As you guessed, the bowl was emptied and "cleaned" in no time.
(3) Main course A - Balsamic Chicken - This is a delight to savour. The sauce has the right tinge of sweetness and saltiness, each not overpowering the other. Together with the grilled chicken, the taste is truly complimentary. One just cannot get enough of the sauce. It has a strawberry like taste and yet it is not strawberry. I have never eaten chicken so effortlessly, without thinking that it is chicken. Again maybe it is just me. haha. The potato wedges were also quickly "gobbled" up.
Main course B - Pan fried Dory with Mango sauce - The Dory was nicely fried and was fresh. Together with the mango sauce, it was a nice blend between the slight saltiness of the fish and the sour sweet taste of the mango sauce. When you get a good blend of sweet, sour, saltiness in food, it always taste good. At least for us.
(4) Blueberry cheese cake - Nicely done up with no overpowering cheesy taste in it. There is also a nice crisps layer of biscuit right at the base of the cake, which adds to a changed texture upon savoring the cake.
(5) Fruit punch - to complete the meal
We felt that it was a reasonable price to pay for a 5 course set meal at $32 nett. The ambience and surroundings also are pleasant. Looking at the size of the place, it seems like a suitable venue for a small private function of 60-100 people with the outdoors available also for use. Perhaps a small wedding reception? With the glass windows with ample natural lighting, it is a plus for the photographer, which also is good for the bride. :)
Rating given:
I've been told quite a few times that there was a nice restaurant in the middle of bishan park but i've never personally been there. Upon arrival, i noticed there were 2 such restaurants side by side and was forced to make a choice, feeling a wee bit exotic, i opted for the Green Room cafe instead of the Acacia which i will revisit at a later time. The Green Room cafe is a concept cafe from Asmara Spas to promote healthy eating habits which inexorably links back to the spa treatments they offer. How good is the food there though?
The location in the middle of the park is reminiscent of Bliss which is located a Punggol Park. Its interior was decent and casual with the exception of 2 rather large trees located right smack in the middle of the restaurant, making it an interesting decoration of sorts.
Vegetarian Mutton Curry with organic brown rice ($12.80) - Vegetarian mutton curry has been done many times and i have never had a good opinion of it since i perceive such foods to be filled with artificial flavorings and being totally unhealthy. This rendition was quite decent however, with the flavorings kept to a minimal and still having slight hints of mutton in it. It was not very spicy despite the use of curry leaves, cinnamon and ginger but complimented the organic brown rice really well. That said, the rice is very different. Thick, moist and chewy, this is akin to japanese rice only bigger. Interestingly good.
Indochinese Spring Rolls ($6.80) - Spring rolls. Why did i order this? Well, i figured they simply can't go wrong with spring rolls in vegetarian cuisine and i was proven right. Served piping hot, with a tangy lime, ginger and red chilli dipping sauce, this was easily enjoyable as finger food. Crunchy vegetables, spicy and sourish sauce, whats there not to like?
Portebello Field Mushroom ($12.80) - Ever since my first introduction to this big fungus, i have grown quite fond of it and its various permutations. This time, it was served with aged balsamic vinegar, homemade potato relish on a warm baked bun. The nachos went well with it as well along with the fresh salad that gave it an sweet, raw and healthy feeling experience. I was only disappointed with the size of the mushroom which really could have been bigger.
The bill for this meal came up to $38.13 which is quite a big sum to pay for the amount of food we had.
After all the good things i have said about the place, why is the score so low? Well, the fact that the food is easily prepared and the contrast between the offerings and the price is the reason, it simply doesn't feel like value for money even though the food is actually quite nicely done. Reduce the price by 30 or 40% and i'll probably return. Moving forward, if anyone wants to try the place, it might be a good idea to go during noon to enjoy the casual surroundings better.
Rating given: