Sunday afternoons are known for being wonderful lazy times where i can just sit back, relax and forget having ever been in the Singapore workforce. So it is with this mindset that i met up 2 of my friends for lunch on this simple Sunday afternoon. After a little persuasion, i was brought to this obscure and small corner in Bugis for our little get together.
Getting past the rather obscure and weird location of being in a rather secluded corner of Bugis Junction, the restaurant held a certain laid-back and relaxed charm thats difficult to describe. With the noon sun shining in, the quiet and dimly lit surroundings still had soft lighting on, floral tablecloths adorned the simple wooden tables and antique items peppered the walls. All this creates a relaxed atmosphere which allows patrons like myself to take my own sweet time making orders and idle chit chat with my lunch partners for the day.
Cream Of Mushroom Soup With Salad (Set Lunch $23.50) - A simple rendition of the notorious mushroom soup that almost every restaurant seems to serve. This version had a strong mushroom taste and was lightly salted giving it an even finish when you taste it. My gf seemed to like it quite a bit but there were no mushrooms bits to be found and honestly, after a few more spoonfuls, it resembles campbell's but with more salt.
Hamburger Steak, Egg Wrapped Tomato Rice and Spaghetti Vongole - Presentation-wise, this was an easy winner. 200gm beef patty served with sunny side up, Japanese tomato rice wrapped in scrambled eggs and vongole. 3 radically different items from different origins on the same plate, creative! First up, i liked the tomato rice, possibly because i've never outgrown my love for ketchup and because the rice was Japanese rice, meaning it just tastes better. Not too sticky but full in texture and taste. Scrambled eggs with tomato ketchup and rice could have been a meal on its own for me. The hamburger steak was a new item or rather a new name for an old item in this case. It looked small when it came but start eating it and you'll find that it seems to grow with every bite. The beef was well marinated but salty, as was the accompanying sauce, add the 2 together and it becomes too salty for my liking. Could do well without the sauce. The vongole i had last, so its actually cold when i had it. Still, i liked it because its not oily but otherwise, its very normal. To summarize, this dish as a whole was nice but take any individual on its own and you may be disappointed.
Tonkatsu Set ($19.50) - My gf seems to be attracted to katsu for some reason as this is the second time she's ordered it in a Japanese restaurant. For me though, this is the first time i've ever seen so many ingredients in a miso soup. I was literally shocked when i saw the hidden vegetables in the thick broth. Also the first time i've seen miso with tofu or seaweed for that matter. I had a taste and it was very thick, full bodied and again, salty. Good nonetheless. The katsu was tasty, lightly breaded, has minimal oil residue and firm, juicy meat greets your taste buds. It also helps that the serving was pretty generous. The sauces you see are all for the katsu but i found it better off without the overly salty sauce provided.
Sirloin Steak ($19.50) - My friend ordered this for her lunch and i have to say the serving was small. The steak was served well done and had charred edges which wasn't really my idea of steak. The doneness also means the meat is tough and hard. Surprisingly, it still tastes reasonably decent this way so i'm wondering how it would be like given a medium rare doneness instead of being well done. Still, the portion size is a big no no for big eaters like myself.
The unique key used during payment which has to be brought to the cashier. Interesting concept. If only we could take the keys as souvenirs. =P
Complimentary Ice Cream - My gf had the black sesame ice cream which had a unique taste to it but not something i'd like to have on my own. And our lunch set came with a vanilla ice cream with smatterings of chocolate fudge which really isn't very special.
A very filling lunch for 4 people came up to $101.22 .
Nice place, decent but salty food and affordable price. I may be back because my sister's friend works there and can get us a decent discount the next time we visit. *winks* But otherwise, i would love to tell them to hold the salt instead of filling their items with it.
Pasta de Waraku is tucked away in the corner of Marina Square.. but it's certainly not quiet. We arrived at 6pm, thinking of grabbing an early dinner without making reservations. There were only two of us so we confidently thought that we would be able to get in with ease since the Restaurant was empty. But we were asked to wait for almost 10 minutes whilst they tried to figure if they were fully booked. So MAKE RESERVATIONS... but finish reading this review first.
The overall decor was casual and modern. It's quite comfortable with suitable lighting but it's definitely more for families and casual friends. Not quite a place you would bring a date you want to impress.
We ordered: Wafu Unatama Pasta (Eel with Egg on Pasta) Dry Curry Pilaf (Jap Style Curry Fried Rice with Pork Bacon) Ichigo Sundae Shirafama Redbean Sundae
In appearance, the pasta was not impressive. You could hardly find any eel anywhere and it was covered with egg. In taste, it was worse. It was very dry and the pieces of eel all flaked into pieces. They were so soft that it became difficult to taste it. I could hardly bring myself to eat the egg, which was tasteless. The only consolation was that it was a sizeable serving, but in this case I'm not sure it is a good point.
The rice was not much better. In appearance it looked even worse... The serving was small and it looked like a mash of yellow bits with little of anything else. It tasted salty, with a tiny taste of the Jap style curry. You could count the bits of meat with your fingers.
I regretted ordering the two desserts. They tasted exactly the same and looked nothing like the pictures in the menu. Not to mention both were already swimming in liquid when they arrived.
We paid $52 for both of us, which I find expensive for such mediocre food. The only thing I was happy with was the service. They were quick to respond and always smiling.
Japanese food, characterized by fresh ingredients, healthy cooking methods and poignant displays have held a special place in my heart ever since they were introduced into my life. And for one of my small food outings, we chose Waraku as a starting destination for future endeavors to come (also because Alvin had a staff discount of 10% at this place and i'm getting to eat for free. =P)
Agedashi Tofu ($6.80) - The tofu came after about 15-20 minutes from the time we ordered so i expected quite alot from it. The skin was crispy and hot while the sauce was cooler as was the tofu interior. Still, it doesn't quite impress me because it came alot later then necessary.
Ste.Nelge Organic Red Wine ($38) - Old habits die hard i suppose. Ordered this on a whim as i needed a quick wine fix and the fact that i've never had organic red wine before and was wondering about the difference. Well, the fact that i don't really like Sakae played a part too. This wine was easy on the taste palates with less body and minimal spices. Its sweet and very pleasant to drink with a wonderful fruity aftertaste. Perfect for red meats which we had.
Gyu Yanagawa Wazen ($16) - All i can say is, this at $16 is a steal. It comes with an reasonable serving of fresh beef slowly simmered till its cooked with a fresh egg on the side if you decide to put it into the pot. The stock used is sweet and resembled teriyaki sauce but is awesome when paired with the beef. You are also given a bowl of hot soba or udon and sesame rice to go with your beef. A small bowl of potato salad rounds off the package. The soba was decent but the beef stock is the star of this dish. Try it.
Tonkatsu Wazen ($15.50) - Pork cutlet fried to a golden brown in thin batter and bread crumbs. I liked the fact that the cutlet was not as oily as the process sounded and there were many juices still locked in the meat. There was also a lack of fatty layer in the meat which makes it easier to stomach. The udon i did not get to try however.
Kaminabe Wazen ($19.80) - Nicely arranged and served with rice, assorted tempura, salmon sashimi and a paper steamboat holding yet sweet tasting and fresh beef. The soup in this case is more towards those of tradional chinese medicinal chicken soup, only much sweeter and very tasty.
Houba Wazen ($19.80) - Similar to the set above except for the barbeque like set up for the beef and what i would describe as marinate thats tastes a little like Rendang. Still, the beef was fresh and sweet although i did not quite like the sauce.
The final bill came up to $122.77 after 10% discount for a satisfying and fun japanese meal.
Nice, cosy atmosphere and relaxed conversation plus decent and reasonably priced food with good service to boot. This is one place i will be back for seconds and maybe even thirds. However, do note that i only found my order Gyu Yanagawa Wazen very worthwhile due to the portion, price and taste. For the other set meals, some were good but would have fared better at a lower price. Either way, still coming back though.
Buffets buffets. Who could resist the temptation of eating as much as you can for a fixed price? I for one, am always intrigued by what is offered at these places. Ellenborough cafe happens to be the one that our dear Moses Lim happened to patronize when we were there. He donned a chef's garb and was patrolling the premises while we dined, for reasons unexplained. The reason i was there was because FatPig invited me and my gf in to share his good fortune of being able to secure a 50% discount with the help of his friend.
As with all buffets, there'll be a few good pickings and a huge load of bad pickings before you realise which items are worth having and which aren't. The crabs were alright but its meat tend to stick to the shell which i detest. Seafood was generally fresh though not exactly tasty. The best items in these had to be the salmon and the otak which were moderately passable.
Sharks Fin Soup - Maybe its just me, but i fished the entire bowl and found at max about 5 strands of what i hope to be shark's fin. The broth was also a bit too salty and thin for my liking.
Durian Pengat - I've heard that you can't have a buffet here without tasting the durian pengat and i must say it has a certain amount of truth in that phrase. Smooth, creamy, sweet and rich are what you would use to describe the pengat served here. I had huge servings of food before having the pengat but still managed to get 2 bowls of it down. Still, there were comments that the standard had dropped for this item. On my note however, it stands as a very good dessert still.
Bill came up to $223.63 before discount. A staggering amount if you ask me. The quality and selection present does not warrant nor justify the price in the least. After discount however, it stands at $22 per head but i'm still not returning for another try though.
Decent selection due to additional items for anniversary event organized by the restaurant but food quality varies. There were some really bad items and some that were pretty good but for the price before discount, there should not be any bad items in the first place. Having heard many things about how good this buffet is from colleagues, it was a quite a disappointment for me unfortunately.
I went over to the restaurant at Holland Village with my colleagues during lunch hour to celebrate one of their birthdays. This outlet consists of 2 floors, with the ground floor having a bar. There's like 13 of us so we took the long table upstairs and it was freaking cold! Yah, it'll be good to bring a jacket along then. Haha
They do have a set lunch menu which provides a good variety of main course ranging from their famous grilled steak to salads. Soup and dessert are also included in the set. Compared to the ala carte menu, it's definitely value for money.
I have ordered grilled sirloin steak wih garlic mushroom sauce. Nice! Like the way they grilled the steak but wished that they would be more generous with the sauce. Another thing I like about their food is their Hog Tail fries. So crispy!
However, the pan-fried dory fish fillet wasn't so satisfying for one of my colleagues. Well, I guess since the place is famous for it's steak, one should really try that.
The meal was completed with a sinful indulge on the dessert - brownie with ice cream. Nice if you are someone with a sweet tooth. But the restaurant was very sweet to prepare a large brownie with ice cream and strawberries and even a lighted candle for our birthday girl.
Stumbled upon Bather's by accident one afternoon while I was exploring the serene neighbourhood of Sunset Way and decided to drop in for lunch.
Little is known about Bather's except that it has been around for quite a fair amount of time. Hidden in one oblivious corner of Sunset Way just along the outskirts of the restaurant cluster, Bather's setting is simple and laid back which easily puts one at ease while enjoying the serenity of the surroundings.
Vegetable Cream Soup & Mushroom Fruit Duxelle - The soup was reasonably decent and didn't taste like those straight out of the can kind. But it was too watery to be of any difference honestly. Not that the mushroom salad was any better, coming across as average.
Ham Carbonara - I didn't find the sauce of the Carbonara too coagulated which was good and the addition of coriander made it easier to stomach so much cream. However, the pasta was way too overcooked which was a pity really. Ham and bacon slices provided the additional bite and taste but did come across as rather forgettable.
Pepper Sauce Grass Fed Striploin Steak - Even though I had requested for my steak to be done medium rare, it came almost well done, which would still have been acceptable if not for the fact that there wasn't much beefy taste left. The meat was a little too fatty along the edges as well but still came across as chewy. Overall still decent though when eaten with the slightly buttery gravy.
Ice Cream with Apple Pie - I didn't have a choice with the dessert as it came with the set. Very average at best.
I wouldn't exactly call $39.50 for 2 pax reasonable especially for the quality of food but it isn't expensive either. The place is nice and service is good which might just tempt me enough to return.
We were looking for a place for coffee and decided to settle at Breeks. We sat at a corner table and was immediately given the menu. Our order came quite promptly. We didn't ask for ice water which we usually do, and I don't know why we didn't.
Anyway, the manager (i guess) saw that we didn't have any water, other than the coffee we ordered, she automatically served us warm water. Felt this was a nice gesture especially at cafe like Breeks. Some places don't even serve ice water. You've to pay 50cents for a mini bottled distilled water.
Great place to chill and rest. If you've no where to go over the weekends, I strongly recommend heading to Harbourfront. Especially with the $2/entry parking from 10am to 1am on Sat/Sun and PH!
Last evening I went over to the restaurant with my colleague & German boss. The place is nicely done & we took an outdoor seat which was great! It gives you a nice view of the sea and part of Sentosa. Heez...
Ok, coming back to the food, I have ordered the butter Dory fillet with mushroom, and the other 2 main dishes ordered by my colleagues were the braised veal and smoked pork loin. I quite like the main course which I've ordered, nice & thick cut of dory fillet, except that the mushroom sauce was abit too salty. As for the braised veal, it tasted not-too-bad to my German boss. The smoked pork loin was more of a disappointment to my colleague as it turned out to be 4 slices of ham on top of a heap of mashed potato.
However, I think their German beers had compensated for the disappointment in the food for the night. I had both the Paulaner Weissbier & Paulaner Weissbier Dunkel, served chilled in tall, elegant glasses. Personally, I have preference for Paulaner Weissbier as it tastes lighter and less bitter.
On the overall, it's a nice place to have a couple of drinks with your friends!
I just got back from a fruitful trip at Hong Kong! I was there a few years back, but I must say Hong Kong has changed a fair bit, and it is better now. I don't know if people still have the idea that HK is a dirty place with litter all over the floor or something, but if you do, I must say you have to change your perception. It wasn't too bad when I was there a few years back and it's even better now!
Like what tinkerbell said, their train system is very similar to what we have in Singapore. After coming back from HK, I realized that it does make a difference when instructions were given in 3 different languages, rather than just English (like in singapore). Also, it was very easy to figure out where you are by looking at the map on the train, which indicates where you are through little blinking lights.
On the whole, it's not just on the train where they give instructions. Even at the escalators in the train station, you will hear reminders to hold on to the handrail for your own safety, all given in Chinese, English and Cantonese. The lift of the hotel I stayed at would also tell you which floor you're at and all. I feel that much thought has been put in to create a user-friendly environment for everyone, even handicaps.
Nonetheless, I felt that the walking distance from the entrance to the MTR was pretty far for most places. I guess you can't help it when the place is big. And train stations were always packed, people had to really squeeze in the trains. It's worse than during the knock-off time in Singapore and it's harder to get seats.
Also, transportation is more expensive in HK. Could also be due to the location the train system covers. If you cross over to another island, it's like having to pay a toll fee, your ride could cost you more than S$2.20. Bus rides could be about S$1 too. But if you're going from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central, you could try taking the ferry instead. It's cheaper and you get to avoid the crowd at the train station.
As for shopping, there are many huuuuuge malls in HK. However, many of these malls are like Paragon - yes, the up-market place. But if you were to go during the November period, where they're clearing the summer clothes to make space for winter stuff, you might get quite a good buy at these shops. Unlike Singapore, you seldom get deals like 30% off at shops like Morgan or even up to 70% at other shops. I must say after the discount, it's a really good buy. Even certain shops like Nike and Esprit are cheaper there, probably also due to the exchange rate, putting us at an advantage.
Nonetheless, we're often looking for cheaper stuff when we're shopping right. And so, I don't suggest that you go to the big malls around. As mentioned above, Li Yuen Streetat Central would be a good place to go. But some other possible places to go would also be Stanley Market, near Repulse Bay. It's a bit more expensive than Li Yuen, but for some places bargaining is still possible. However, these places are mostly good for shopping for women only. Some other places to explore could be the little shop units along the street of Tsim Sha Tsui (for the slightly cheaper things) and Causeway Bay (definitely more expensive).
I used to hear that shop owners in HK don't like people touching their things unless they're going to buy. But I don't think that they are like that now. They're much friendlier, especially the younger people. The service of the sales people there are better than in Singapore too. Especially in shops with their own fitting room, they would offer to take your clothes to the fitting room while you're still scouting for other clothes. Frees your hands for more! And most places I went didn't seem to have a limit to how many clothes you could try. It's a little different though, because the malls are seldom fully packed like it is in Singapore, maybe that could be why it's not a common gesture in Singapore.
New Territories is a good place to go for sight seeing. It's a little more laid back, but I like it there. It's more relaxing. They've got their famous wishing tree there, as tinkerbell has mentioned above, along with many other places to visit.
One more place worth going would be the famous Ocean Park! For dolphin lovers, don't miss their dolphin show. It's my first time watching an animal show overseas and I find the dolphin show much more entertaining than shows you get in Singapore. Of course there are other shows which I didn't catch, as well as aquariums and a pseudo reef with many sea creatures, plus their new addition of the Giant Panda. Do go as early as 1030am to beat the tourist crowd. After about 330pm when there's no more animal shows, the place would be pretty packed. Think it'll be good to start early and leave early.
As for food, I did hear that the goose was good, but I didn't get to try. However, I suggest that you have a go at their seafood as it's mostly fresh and it's relatively cheaper there too! Things are much bigger there too, like their fish and crab. I'd say it's pretty worth the money too, for the quality and quantity you get.
On the whole, HK is rather similar to Singapore in terms of fashion and transportation. However the people there are friendlier. To me, I think it's worth the experience traveling and being exposed to different cultures in different countries (: I definitely did enjoy myself on this trip!
If you love soup, you would love Saybons French Food Factory! I love their cream of wild mushroom. It is simply out of this world. this is not the normal out of the can mushroom soup that you get in restaurants.
Best part, it is serve in a cup! Drink as you go. French food is never that convenient. There are 4 different kind of soup sold there. Cream of wild mushroom, tomato soup, seafood bisque, broccoli and cheddar.
Not a big fan of soup? There are bread and butter and crepes to try. Don't think they are not filling. It is more than enough for me.
1=SGD 0.0587
Sunday afternoons are known for being wonderful lazy times where i can just sit back, relax and forget having ever been in the Singapore workforce. So it is with this mindset that i met up 2 of my friends for lunch on this simple Sunday afternoon. After a little persuasion, i was brought to this obscure and small corner in Bugis for our little get together.
Getting past the rather obscure and weird location of being in a rather secluded corner of Bugis Junction, the restaurant held a certain laid-back and relaxed charm thats difficult to describe. With the noon sun shining in, the quiet and dimly lit surroundings still had soft lighting on, floral tablecloths adorned the simple wooden tables and antique items peppered the walls. All this creates a relaxed atmosphere which allows patrons like myself to take my own sweet time making orders and idle chit chat with my lunch partners for the day.
Cream Of Mushroom Soup With Salad (Set Lunch $23.50) - A simple rendition of the notorious mushroom soup that almost every restaurant seems to serve. This version had a strong mushroom taste and was lightly salted giving it an even finish when you taste it. My gf seemed to like it quite a bit but there were no mushrooms bits to be found and honestly, after a few more spoonfuls, it resembles campbell's but with more salt.
Hamburger Steak, Egg Wrapped Tomato Rice and Spaghetti Vongole - Presentation-wise, this was an easy winner. 200gm beef patty served with sunny side up, Japanese tomato rice wrapped in scrambled eggs and vongole. 3 radically different items from different origins on the same plate, creative! First up, i liked the tomato rice, possibly because i've never outgrown my love for ketchup and because the rice was Japanese rice, meaning it just tastes better. Not too sticky but full in texture and taste. Scrambled eggs with tomato ketchup and rice could have been a meal on its own for me. The hamburger steak was a new item or rather a new name for an old item in this case. It looked small when it came but start eating it and you'll find that it seems to grow with every bite. The beef was well marinated but salty, as was the accompanying sauce, add the 2 together and it becomes too salty for my liking. Could do well without the sauce. The vongole i had last, so its actually cold when i had it. Still, i liked it because its not oily but otherwise, its very normal. To summarize, this dish as a whole was nice but take any individual on its own and you may be disappointed.
Tonkatsu Set ($19.50) - My gf seems to be attracted to katsu for some reason as this is the second time she's ordered it in a Japanese restaurant. For me though, this is the first time i've ever seen so many ingredients in a miso soup. I was literally shocked when i saw the hidden vegetables in the thick broth. Also the first time i've seen miso with tofu or seaweed for that matter. I had a taste and it was very thick, full bodied and again, salty. Good nonetheless. The katsu was tasty, lightly breaded, has minimal oil residue and firm, juicy meat greets your taste buds. It also helps that the serving was pretty generous. The sauces you see are all for the katsu but i found it better off without the overly salty sauce provided.
Sirloin Steak ($19.50) - My friend ordered this for her lunch and i have to say the serving was small. The steak was served well done and had charred edges which wasn't really my idea of steak. The doneness also means the meat is tough and hard. Surprisingly, it still tastes reasonably decent this way so i'm wondering how it would be like given a medium rare doneness instead of being well done. Still, the portion size is a big no no for big eaters like myself.
The unique key used during payment which has to be brought to the cashier. Interesting concept. If only we could take the keys as souvenirs. =P
Complimentary Ice Cream - My gf had the black sesame ice cream which had a unique taste to it but not something i'd like to have on my own. And our lunch set came with a vanilla ice cream with smatterings of chocolate fudge which really isn't very special.
A very filling lunch for 4 people came up to $101.22 .
Nice place, decent but salty food and affordable price. I may be back because my sister's friend works there and can get us a decent discount the next time we visit. *winks* But otherwise, i would love to tell them to hold the salt instead of filling their items with it.
Rating given:
Pasta de Waraku is tucked away in the corner of Marina Square.. but it's certainly not quiet. We arrived at 6pm, thinking of grabbing an early dinner without making reservations. There were only two of us so we confidently thought that we would be able to get in with ease since the Restaurant was empty. But we were asked to wait for almost 10 minutes whilst they tried to figure if they were fully booked. So MAKE RESERVATIONS... but finish reading this review first.
The overall decor was casual and modern. It's quite comfortable with suitable lighting but it's definitely more for families and casual friends. Not quite a place you would bring a date you want to impress.
We ordered:
Wafu Unatama Pasta (Eel with Egg on Pasta)
Dry Curry Pilaf (Jap Style Curry Fried Rice with Pork Bacon)
Ichigo Sundae
Shirafama Redbean Sundae
In appearance, the pasta was not impressive. You could hardly find any eel anywhere and it was covered with egg. In taste, it was worse. It was very dry and the pieces of eel all flaked into pieces. They were so soft that it became difficult to taste it. I could hardly bring myself to eat the egg, which was tasteless. The only consolation was that it was a sizeable serving, but in this case I'm not sure it is a good point.
The rice was not much better. In appearance it looked even worse... The serving was small and it looked like a mash of yellow bits with little of anything else. It tasted salty, with a tiny taste of the Jap style curry. You could count the bits of meat with your fingers.
I regretted ordering the two desserts. They tasted exactly the same and looked nothing like the pictures in the menu. Not to mention both were already swimming in liquid when they arrived.
We paid $52 for both of us, which I find expensive for such mediocre food. The only thing I was happy with was the service. They were quick to respond and always smiling.
I'm never going back again.
Rating given:
Japanese food, characterized by fresh ingredients, healthy cooking methods and poignant displays have held a special place in my heart ever since they were introduced into my life. And for one of my small food outings, we chose Waraku as a starting destination for future endeavors to come (also because Alvin had a staff discount of 10% at this place and i'm getting to eat for free. =P)
Agedashi Tofu ($6.80) - The tofu came after about 15-20 minutes from the time we ordered so i expected quite alot from it. The skin was crispy and hot while the sauce was cooler as was the tofu interior. Still, it doesn't quite impress me because it came alot later then necessary.
Ste.Nelge Organic Red Wine ($38) - Old habits die hard i suppose. Ordered this on a whim as i needed a quick wine fix and the fact that i've never had organic red wine before and was wondering about the difference. Well, the fact that i don't really like Sakae played a part too. This wine was easy on the taste palates with less body and minimal spices. Its sweet and very pleasant to drink with a wonderful fruity aftertaste. Perfect for red meats which we had.
Gyu Yanagawa Wazen ($16) - All i can say is, this at $16 is a steal. It comes with an reasonable serving of fresh beef slowly simmered till its cooked with a fresh egg on the side if you decide to put it into the pot. The stock used is sweet and resembled teriyaki sauce but is awesome when paired with the beef. You are also given a bowl of hot soba or udon and sesame rice to go with your beef. A small bowl of potato salad rounds off the package. The soba was decent but the beef stock is the star of this dish. Try it.
Tonkatsu Wazen ($15.50) - Pork cutlet fried to a golden brown in thin batter and bread crumbs. I liked the fact that the cutlet was not as oily as the process sounded and there were many juices still locked in the meat. There was also a lack of fatty layer in the meat which makes it easier to stomach. The udon i did not get to try however.
Kaminabe Wazen ($19.80) - Nicely arranged and served with rice, assorted tempura, salmon sashimi and a paper steamboat holding yet sweet tasting and fresh beef. The soup in this case is more towards those of tradional chinese medicinal chicken soup, only much sweeter and very tasty.
Houba Wazen ($19.80) - Similar to the set above except for the barbeque like set up for the beef and what i would describe as marinate thats tastes a little like Rendang. Still, the beef was fresh and sweet although i did not quite like the sauce.
The final bill came up to $122.77 after 10% discount for a satisfying and fun japanese meal.
Nice, cosy atmosphere and relaxed conversation plus decent and reasonably priced food with good service to boot. This is one place i will be back for seconds and maybe even thirds. However, do note that i only found my order Gyu Yanagawa Wazen very worthwhile due to the portion, price and taste. For the other set meals, some were good but would have fared better at a lower price. Either way, still coming back though.
Rating given:
Buffets buffets. Who could resist the temptation of eating as much as you can for a fixed price? I for one, am always intrigued by what is offered at these places. Ellenborough cafe happens to be the one that our dear Moses Lim happened to patronize when we were there. He donned a chef's garb and was patrolling the premises while we dined, for reasons unexplained. The reason i was there was because FatPig invited me and my gf in to share his good fortune of being able to secure a 50% discount with the help of his friend.
As with all buffets, there'll be a few good pickings and a huge load of bad pickings before you realise which items are worth having and which aren't. The crabs were alright but its meat tend to stick to the shell which i detest. Seafood was generally fresh though not exactly tasty. The best items in these had to be the salmon and the otak which were moderately passable.
Sharks Fin Soup - Maybe its just me, but i fished the entire bowl and found at max about 5 strands of what i hope to be shark's fin. The broth was also a bit too salty and thin for my liking.
Durian Pengat - I've heard that you can't have a buffet here without tasting the durian pengat and i must say it has a certain amount of truth in that phrase. Smooth, creamy, sweet and rich are what you would use to describe the pengat served here. I had huge servings of food before having the pengat but still managed to get 2 bowls of it down. Still, there were comments that the standard had dropped for this item. On my note however, it stands as a very good dessert still.
Bill came up to $223.63 before discount. A staggering amount if you ask me. The quality and selection present does not warrant nor justify the price in the least. After discount however, it stands at $22 per head but i'm still not returning for another try though.
Decent selection due to additional items for anniversary event organized by the restaurant but food quality varies. There were some really bad items and some that were pretty good but for the price before discount, there should not be any bad items in the first place. Having heard many things about how good this buffet is from colleagues, it was a quite a disappointment for me unfortunately.
Rating given:
I went over to the restaurant at Holland Village with my colleagues during lunch hour to celebrate one of their birthdays. This outlet consists of 2 floors, with the ground floor having a bar. There's like 13 of us so we took the long table upstairs and it was freaking cold! Yah, it'll be good to bring a jacket along then. Haha
They do have a set lunch menu which provides a good variety of main course ranging from their famous grilled steak to salads. Soup and dessert are also included in the set. Compared to the ala carte menu, it's definitely value for money.
I have ordered grilled sirloin steak wih garlic mushroom sauce. Nice! Like the way they grilled the steak but wished that they would be more generous with the sauce. Another thing I like about their food is their Hog Tail fries. So crispy!
However, the pan-fried dory fish fillet wasn't so satisfying for one of my colleagues. Well, I guess since the place is famous for it's steak, one should really try that.
The meal was completed with a sinful indulge on the dessert - brownie with ice cream. Nice if you are someone with a sweet tooth. But the restaurant was very sweet to prepare a large brownie with ice cream and strawberries and even a lighted candle for our birthday girl.
Nice place for steak!
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Stumbled upon Bather's by accident one afternoon while I was exploring the serene neighbourhood of Sunset Way and decided to drop in for lunch.
Little is known about Bather's except that it has been around for quite a fair amount of time. Hidden in one oblivious corner of Sunset Way just along the outskirts of the restaurant cluster, Bather's setting is simple and laid back which easily puts one at ease while enjoying the serenity of the surroundings.
Vegetable Cream Soup & Mushroom Fruit Duxelle - The soup was reasonably decent and didn't taste like those straight out of the can kind. But it was too watery to be of any difference honestly. Not that the mushroom salad was any better, coming across as average.
Ham Carbonara - I didn't find the sauce of the Carbonara too coagulated which was good and the addition of coriander made it easier to stomach so much cream. However, the pasta was way too overcooked which was a pity really. Ham and bacon slices provided the additional bite and taste but did come across as rather forgettable.
Pepper Sauce Grass Fed Striploin Steak - Even though I had requested for my steak to be done medium rare, it came almost well done, which would still have been acceptable if not for the fact that there wasn't much beefy taste left. The meat was a little too fatty along the edges as well but still came across as chewy. Overall still decent though when eaten with the slightly buttery gravy.
Ice Cream with Apple Pie - I didn't have a choice with the dessert as it came with the set. Very average at best.
I wouldn't exactly call $39.50 for 2 pax reasonable especially for the quality of food but it isn't expensive either. The place is nice and service is good which might just tempt me enough to return.
See all my pictures here
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Great service! Makes one feel at home.
We were looking for a place for coffee and decided to settle at Breeks. We sat at a corner table and was immediately given the menu. Our order came quite promptly. We didn't ask for ice water which we usually do, and I don't know why we didn't.
Anyway, the manager (i guess) saw that we didn't have any water, other than the coffee we ordered, she automatically served us warm water. Felt this was a nice gesture especially at cafe like Breeks. Some places don't even serve ice water. You've to pay 50cents for a mini bottled distilled water.
Great place to chill and rest. If you've no where to go over the weekends, I strongly recommend heading to Harbourfront. Especially with the $2/entry parking from 10am to 1am on Sat/Sun and PH!
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Last evening I went over to the restaurant with my colleague & German boss. The place is nicely done & we took an outdoor seat which was great! It gives you a nice view of the sea and part of Sentosa. Heez...
Ok, coming back to the food, I have ordered the butter Dory fillet with mushroom, and the other 2 main dishes ordered by my colleagues were the braised veal and smoked pork loin. I quite like the main course which I've ordered, nice & thick cut of dory fillet, except that the mushroom sauce was abit too salty. As for the braised veal, it tasted not-too-bad to my German boss. The smoked pork loin was more of a disappointment to my colleague as it turned out to be 4 slices of ham on top of a heap of mashed potato.
However, I think their German beers had compensated for the disappointment in the food for the night. I had both the Paulaner Weissbier & Paulaner Weissbier Dunkel, served chilled in tall, elegant glasses. Personally, I have preference for Paulaner Weissbier as it tastes lighter and less bitter.
On the overall, it's a nice place to have a couple of drinks with your friends!
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I just got back from a fruitful trip at Hong Kong! I was there a few years back, but I must say Hong Kong has changed a fair bit, and it is better now. I don't know if people still have the idea that HK is a dirty place with litter all over the floor or something, but if you do, I must say you have to change your perception. It wasn't too bad when I was there a few years back and it's even better now!
Like what tinkerbell said, their train system is very similar to what we have in Singapore. After coming back from HK, I realized that it does make a difference when instructions were given in 3 different languages, rather than just English (like in singapore). Also, it was very easy to figure out where you are by looking at the map on the train, which indicates where you are through little blinking lights.
On the whole, it's not just on the train where they give instructions. Even at the escalators in the train station, you will hear reminders to hold on to the handrail for your own safety, all given in Chinese, English and Cantonese. The lift of the hotel I stayed at would also tell you which floor you're at and all. I feel that much thought has been put in to create a user-friendly environment for everyone, even handicaps.
Nonetheless, I felt that the walking distance from the entrance to the MTR was pretty far for most places. I guess you can't help it when the place is big. And train stations were always packed, people had to really squeeze in the trains. It's worse than during the knock-off time in Singapore and it's harder to get seats.
Also, transportation is more expensive in HK. Could also be due to the location the train system covers. If you cross over to another island, it's like having to pay a toll fee, your ride could cost you more than S$2.20. Bus rides could be about S$1 too. But if you're going from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central, you could try taking the ferry instead. It's cheaper and you get to avoid the crowd at the train station.
As for shopping, there are many huuuuuge malls in HK. However, many of these malls are like Paragon - yes, the up-market place. But if you were to go during the November period, where they're clearing the summer clothes to make space for winter stuff, you might get quite a good buy at these shops. Unlike Singapore, you seldom get deals like 30% off at shops like Morgan or even up to 70% at other shops. I must say after the discount, it's a really good buy. Even certain shops like Nike and Esprit are cheaper there, probably also due to the exchange rate, putting us at an advantage.
Nonetheless, we're often looking for cheaper stuff when we're shopping right. And so, I don't suggest that you go to the big malls around. As mentioned above, Li Yuen Street at Central would be a good place to go. But some other possible places to go would also be Stanley Market, near Repulse Bay. It's a bit more expensive than Li Yuen, but for some places bargaining is still possible. However, these places are mostly good for shopping for women only. Some other places to explore could be the little shop units along the street of Tsim Sha Tsui (for the slightly cheaper things) and Causeway Bay (definitely more expensive).
I used to hear that shop owners in HK don't like people touching their things unless they're going to buy. But I don't think that they are like that now. They're much friendlier, especially the younger people. The service of the sales people there are better than in Singapore too. Especially in shops with their own fitting room, they would offer to take your clothes to the fitting room while you're still scouting for other clothes. Frees your hands for more! And most places I went didn't seem to have a limit to how many clothes you could try. It's a little different though, because the malls are seldom fully packed like it is in Singapore, maybe that could be why it's not a common gesture in Singapore.
New Territories is a good place to go for sight seeing. It's a little more laid back, but I like it there. It's more relaxing. They've got their famous wishing tree there, as tinkerbell has mentioned above, along with many other places to visit.
One more place worth going would be the famous Ocean Park! For dolphin lovers, don't miss their dolphin show. It's my first time watching an animal show overseas and I find the dolphin show much more entertaining than shows you get in Singapore. Of course there are other shows which I didn't catch, as well as aquariums and a pseudo reef with many sea creatures, plus their new addition of the Giant Panda. Do go as early as 1030am to beat the tourist crowd. After about 330pm when there's no more animal shows, the place would be pretty packed. Think it'll be good to start early and leave early.
As for food, I did hear that the goose was good, but I didn't get to try. However, I suggest that you have a go at their seafood as it's mostly fresh and it's relatively cheaper there too! Things are much bigger there too, like their fish and crab. I'd say it's pretty worth the money too, for the quality and quantity you get.
On the whole, HK is rather similar to Singapore in terms of fashion and transportation. However the people there are friendlier. To me, I think it's worth the experience traveling and being exposed to different cultures in different countries (: I definitely did enjoy myself on this trip!
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If you love soup, you would love Saybons French Food Factory! I love their cream of wild mushroom. It is simply out of this world. this is not the normal out of the can mushroom soup that you get in restaurants.
Best part, it is serve in a cup! Drink as you go. French food is never that convenient. There are 4 different kind of soup sold there. Cream of wild mushroom, tomato soup, seafood bisque, broccoli and cheddar.
Not a big fan of soup? There are bread and butter and crepes to try. Don't think they are not filling. It is more than enough for me.
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