White SignBoard with a RED FLOWER.. Thats Missha.... I like Missha! They have cheap and nice funky nail colours in flowered bottles that retails for only $2.90. I can say i'm flower CRAZE. I have almost every colour they retail. I love to mix them and paint mine toes multi coloured...
They also carry a good range of other skin care and beauty products. Mostly korean and there are pretty value for money. They have products that are targetted for certain skin types such as combination, dry or oily. I like korean products because they are usually nicely packed and suitable for asian skin.
Their cosmetics are interesting also. They have the usual blusher which i love because the colour suits my skin tone so well and its smell NICE, Eye shadow with a good variety of colours and mix and match customisation to your individual taste. The other thing i like is the pencil liquid eyeshadow. They call them eyetips. Its so cute and easy to use.
I love the concept and the products they carry. Most importantly, the retail assistants are always cool CHICKs with almost perfect makeovers....
Plucking, Threading, Shaving, Colouring, Tattoo, etc... These are just some of the various things you can do to your brow... or some call it EYE BROWN.....
But its important that your brows are fixed neatly as it frames your beautiful eyes and enhances your entire look.
I have my brow reshaped as and when. As you know when we pluck and maintain our brow, accidents do happen. Either you pluck to much or it went out of shape or it looked like some kind of SAVANNA when there patches of sparse grass growing all over. I had mine brow reshaped yesterday at COSLAB.
It was quick... I entered the salon without making an appointment and this lady served me. After making clear of what i wanted she brought me into this small room look alike cubicle and i was made to lie down on this comfy bed. She then proceeded to do my brows. It was quick and the bed was comfy. I like the fact that she don't talk much so that i could relax and enjoy the ambience.
After plucking, she took a shaver and shaved some parts of the baby hair off... Personally i dislike that as I stated I wanted to pluck. Shaving makes the baby hairs grows out quicker then usual and its so tiny, you couldn't pluck them no more. But when I left, they did not persuade me to buy any packages with them or complained about how bad my trouble areas are and make me sign one of their slimming packages.. Oops...
When I went to the loo after I left, I realised my brows were a little crooked... its like one side is higher then the other. I was so pissed.... But then again I wonder if the brows are crooked or my face is crooked.... Hmph...
Geylang is full of durian shops and sometimes it can be very intimidating to walk up to one and eat there, especially with the slew of bad reviews and experiences that we have heard about, like getting charged $100 over for a few durians.
So at first we were all skeptical about this shop since we tried a few and most of them just wanted to push the expensive ones to us. But this turned out to be the best experience in eating durians at Geylang.
We started out asking for the 3 for $20 (D24) durians and in the end ordered 6 durians. The "meat" looks just right and we just could not wait to get a taste of it. Perhaps you can judge for yourselves from the pictures above. Note : We did not have to select it ourselves. He selected it for us and we were thoroughly satisfied with his selection. He even asked us if we wanted the sweet or bitter type? We opted for a mix of both.
The stall owner is especially friendly. He provided us with free mineral water and waited patiently while we were waiting for our kaki to arrive. We started out with 3 durians for 8 persons and he did not show any sign of irritation (as to why we ordered so little). Guess he knew that we could not stop at 3. In the end we ordered 6 and tar pao another 6. So he must have been happy.
This is one durian stall with a service oriented boss. When he noticed one of our kaki not digging into his durian (not a durian lover), he went to grab a basket of rambutans and chikus and gave it to us FREE!
Again we were skeptical. Is it for real? But in the end he did not charge us for it. It really is free. Perhaps there were a few "ang mo" in our kaki but I do not think it is because of that. He was friendly from the start.
Before we left, he gave us his name card. His name is Sam. So the next time we have a craving for durians, we will surely remember Sam. Recommended AAA triple rating.
Raffles Creamery is yet another ice cream outlet that offers the create your own ice cream plus toppings option. The other two places that I know of are Ice Cream Chefs and Cold Rock Ice Creamery at East Coast Road and Holland Village respectively.
Located at the courtyard of Raffles Hotel just behind Seah Street Deli, Raffles Creamery is the latest "culinary" offering from the grand old dame. A brightly lighted counter adorned with glass jars filled with various condiments greet you in the middle of the courtyard in accompaniment to 2 smiling waitresses who seem to get really flustered with the sudden influx of customers.
I had the Rocky Road ice cream with toppings of Banana Jelly and Oreos. To my surprise, they didn't offer to mix it up for me nor did they ask me if I wanted it mixed up. It was simply take a scoop of ice cream, put some banana jelly and oreos by the side and there you go. Honestly, I was shocked. So much for offering a mix in option. That aside, the ice cream was really creamy and smooth but thats not exactly a compliment as the taste of milk was quite overbearing. And the so called "imported from Germany" banana jelly tasted like chewy candy with a banana taste. Now how special is that?
I paid almost $6 for a scoop of ice cream with 2 seperate condiments. It isn't expensive but without the novelty factor, I could have gotten better ice cream from Ben & Jerry's for the same price. Last I checked, no revisits are in my schedule.
Cherry Garden at The Oriental Singapore, voted one of the best restaurants in 2006 & 2007 by Singapore Tatler and one of Singapore's top restaurant in 2006 by Wine and Dine magazine, played host to my gf and I as we popped by for lunch before embarking on our new year shopping spree.
Stepping into the restaurant takes you into a different world - a world where our ancestors lounged and dined in courtyards found only in TV programs and complete with a replica of an age old bird cage. I guess WOW would be most apt in describing my first reaction to the almost picturesque scene which unfolded before me. Even my gf, who's not one to be impressed easily, was taken aback by the charcoaled teak panels, slate floors and ambient lighting. Without a doubt, this is one of the, if not THE best decor I've seen in a Chinese restaurant in Singapore. Don't believe me? Look at the pictures. ;)
Appetiser of Deep Fried Silver Fish - This didn't appear anywhere in our set lunch menu, so it must be complimentary. Nicely deep fried with the coating of flour crispy and not too oily. But could have been better if a little more salt and pepper were added, without which, it would be rather tasteless.
Double Boiled Soup of the Day - Lao Huang Gua Tang translated into Old Yellow Melon Soup - I found this soup quite refreshing as it was light on the palate yet appetising enough to kick start our lunch. However, it was a tad too sweet for me.
Three Varieties of Dim Sum - A very nicely presented dish with 3 types of non conventional Dim Sum. The first was vegetables wrapped in a crystal dumpling skin ala Har Gao style which I didn't find the least bit impressive. Average at best as the dumpling skin wasn't elastic enough. The second was a Shui Jiao with chicken meat and vegetables, which was slightly better than the first one because the chicken provided some fibre to chew on. The third was the best with fresh and crunchy prawns enveloped within a crispy deep fried exterior. Without this, I would have dismissed this dish entirely.
When a dish comes branded as a Chef's recommendation in a fine dining restaurant, it is usually good. However, the Combination of Fresh Scallops in Three Flavours was a case of hits and misses. The Pan Fried Scallop with Salt and Pepper tasted nothing out of the ordinary and nothing that I couldn't get elsewhere. The Deep Fried Scallop Roll with Phyllo Dough was a tad better, with the Phyllo Dough (whatever that is) brittle and crunchy. But it pretty much masked the slightly raw taste of the scallop. I personally found the Chilled Water Melon with Scallop in Garlic - Chilli Citrus Jus the most delectable. Though simply done, the sweetness from the chilled water melon blended well with the slightly salty and raw taste of the scallop and the garlic - chilli citrus jus added a tinge of spice and zest. Each individual flavour was so distinct yet melded together perfectly.
Braised Homemade Tofu topped with Minced Pork and Preserved Vegetables - Perhaps salty best describes this dish, probably due to the preserved vegetables in the gravy. The tofu was soft and silky and very much to my liking while the meat was finely minced but didn't taste out of the ordinary.
Wok Fried Beef Tenderloin with Trio Pepper in Chef's Concoction & Fragrant Fried Rice with Crabmeat, Asparagus and Fish Roe - In case you are wondering, these are 2 seperate dishes altogether but served together on the same plate at the same time in view of the customers hectic lunch schedule. Lets start off with the rice, which had fish roe evenly distributed within. Says alot about the effort put it. Unfortunately, apart from giving the rice a tinge of hardness and adding colour, the fish roe did nothing much. The shreds of crabmeat were almost non existent and the cubes of asparagus didn't taste like much. On the other hand, the Wok Fried Beef Tenderloin with Trio Pepper in Chef's Concoction was quite a star with the beef cubes cooked to perfection. Juicy and tender although it was well done. I didn't think too much about the sauce though. It tasted pretty much like normal pepper sauce to me, albeit a little stronger and thicker.
Chilled Lemongrass Jelly with Aloe Vera Flavoured in Lime Citrus Jus - Now this was the epic finale to the very eye pleasing lunch. Streams of carbon dioxide were shooting through a gap in the cylindrical honey pot look alike serving glass - a result of putting dry ice in water at the bottom of the glass. Visuals aside, I didn't enjoy this dish one bit. The jelly was way too sour and made me cringe everytime I took a bite. Just for the record, I drank 5 cups of tea just for this dish alone to wash down the taste. But if you like sour stuff, then maybe it might taste good to you.
The bill for lunch came up to $111.90 for 2 pax. Certainly on the high side, especially considering that its lunch. Food is slightly above average but not outstanding, with the focus more on aesthetics rather than taste. Each dish is visually appealing and much attention is paid to the tiniest details. It could work on the quality of food though. Service is prompt and unhurried, which is excellent for a leisurely lunch. My conclusion? Go back only if ambience means a lot and quality of food takes a back seat. Oh and of course, if you are feeling rich (dinner is priced per pax by the way).
Imagine dining more than 100m above Orchard Road and going round and round. We thought that we would suffer from indigestion after this merry go round but that did not happen. The revolving concept was pleasant and not dizzifying.
Service is excellent here with the staffs very accomodating to our requests. We came up at about 6:30 when the sun was still shining and stayed till after 9pm, when the city lights provided a nice backdrop to our dining experience.
Reservations were made 1 week in advance and meals were also ordered then. So when we were shown to our tables, there was nothing else for us to do but to enjoy the ambience and scenery.
We order 2 main courses and dessert and the ambience coupled with the warm atmosphere just makes the meal taste better. I must say that the staffs here went to great lengths to make sure that we had an excellent experience. The details that they paid attention to was something that we did not expect. Surely a place to plan your next special event. This meal costs us $120 but it was well worth it. And did I forget to say that there were also singers going round to the tables to sing a song for you. Be kind and choose a song that does not require much vocal exercise.
Service is excellent here. The staffs are attentive and take their time to explain the various selections they have here. Most guests were seen to spend a little longer time with the drinks menu. Why? Because there is available over 280 wines and more than 200 cocktails and mocktails to choose from and you cannot order everything in one night! So take your time, they won't mind it. We tried the te vodka-based Zack's Killer ($14) and the Daiquiri Ice ($14).
The food selection is also interesting. Mostly finger food and heavy finger food. We tried the Rochester's Famous Sinful Pork Crackles ($15) which truly lives up to the 'sinful' part of its name. Imagine eating layers and layers of roasted pork coupled with their special sweet sauce. It is not something that you would proudly tell your doctor if you do have to go for a regular cholesterol test!!!
If you want a proper dinner, you have to make your bookings in advance and let them know so they can prepare a special set dinner for you! And it really is special!
The funny thing about this place is that although we were dining outdoors, there seems to be no sign of mosquitos. Apparently they have installed some state of the art equipment that repels the mosquitos. Either this or the mosquitos have tasted too much tequilas and are sound asleep...:)
Definitely a place to relax after a hectic day at work. The nice tropical surroundings make this place a must visit for the "adventure" seeker. If you drive, you might want to go early as there is limited car park space here.
Had our monthly dinner at Hua Ting. LSD couldn't make it last minute due to work commitments so there was only 5 of us, which was excellent company nevertheless. Helmed by Master Chef Chan Kwok, Hua Ting is reputed to dish out exquisite and fine Cantonese cuisine and its numerous accolades and awards bear a testament to that.
Situated on the second floor of Orchard Hotel and overlooking Orchard Road, Hua Ting boasts floor to ceiling windows which offer a view of the hustle and bustle along one of Singapore's premiere shopping belt. Opulently decked out in finished wood and Chinese antiques, it oozes charm and serenity, making it the perfect place to sit back, relax and enjoy the food.
I had a go at the Lichee Tea, which was something new to me. It smelt like rose tea and tasted rather bland actually. Not the strong full bodied tea that I like. Also, as there was no filter in the teacup, I had a hard time trying to take a sip of my tea without getting some tea leaves thrown in as well. The lotus root appetiser was quite good, crunchy and a little sourish/salty. The others didn't quite take to it though.
Hua Ting Deluxe Platter - The prawn wrapped in beancurd skin was quite nicely done, with the skin being crisp and the prawns fresh. However, it was a little too salty. The soy chicken was decent, tender with a slight hint of sesame. The fried eel ( I think its eel. Either that or its silverfish) was crispy and went pretty well with the chopped garlic and chilli. The char siew was decent as well, but not outstanding. Last but not least, the jellyfish tended quite a bit to the soft side, not exactly crunchy or chewy. Quite a bummer really.
It is said that no trip to Hua Ting is complete without ordering their renowned roast duck. I am inclined to agree. The duck didn't look like much when it arrived. In fact, I personally felt that it looked rather limp and unappetising. Oh boy, was that about to change. Chewing on a piece of the duck livened my tastebuds, especially after the rather uninspiring deluxe platter. The skin was crispy and the gravy a tad sweet. The meat soaked up quite a bit of the gravy but still came across as a wee bit too dry. Probably a little too overcooked. The duck did seem a little too fatty under the skin as well. Nevertheless, still good enough for me to recommend it.
Crispy Homemade Beancurd with Seasonal Greens Topped with Assorted Eggs - Aesthetics wise, no questions about it, this dish is a clear winner. But taste wise, its probably scraping the bottom of the barrel. Okay I exaggerate. Its not half as bad. The twirly thing you see is actually made from egg and to be honest, its tasteless. The chef, for whatever reason, decided on using egg tofu and overall speaking, it was plain average. It kinda reminded me of the $1 tube of egg tofu you buy at the supermarket.
Deep Fried Scallop Bacon Roll topped with Conpoy - Another dish that would have had me drooling if executed well. Unfortunately, it got me cringing instead. It was painfully salty and the bacon was really quite fatty. I couldn't quite taste the scallops as it was overwhelmed by the salt. Ironically, the broccoli was the star of the dish. Moist yet crunchy, we cleared it all but left quite a few of the scallops.
Fish Paste Noodle Soup with Seafood - I am beginning to think that all noodles should be made from fish paste. It offers more bite and has a more wholesome texture than normal egg noodles. The other plus point is that it fills you up real fast. That was the case with our fish paste noodle soup. By the time this dish was served, we were already close to the brim and stuffing ourselves with such filling noodles sure didn't help. In the end, after all our efforts in trying to finish it, we regrettably still had half a bowl left. Did I mention that the prawns were very fresh and huge as well? Not to mention crunchy and tasty.
I cannot fathom that the 5 of us could chalk up a bill of close to $370, but we did. Pure madness is pretty much what I think about it. For that price and quality of food, I'll be hard pressed to find a reason to return.
Heard about this Scandinavian restaurant at Millenia Walk so popped by with my gf on a weekday evening to try it out although we had totally no idea what in the world constituted Scandinavian food.
Tucked in a small corner of the shopping mall, it is prominent yet inconspicuous. Sounds like a contradiction doesn't it? Well, it has floor to ceiling windows and is located along the mall's perimeters but with its main entrance blocked from view (largely by a pillar and some potted plants). It doesn't help that there's a small Coffee Bean just next to it, which might lead you to erroneously believe that the entire area belonged to Coffee Bean. That aside, the interior was minimalistic yet oozed sublime charm with its repertoire of wine glass lookalike hanging lights.
Complimentary bread is always welcomed and this one had no fancy presentation whatsoever. No napkin to keep them warm and no butter served on a platter - just bread on a platter with butter you buy from the supermarket. However, the bread was piping hot and the butter melted easily onto the bread. Simplicity at its best! Now who needs napkins?
Fried Mushrooms and Zucchinis with Spicy Dip - This finger food came recommended by the waiter and I must complement his recommendation. The mushrooms and zucchinis were done tempura style. What makes this dish stand out is the surprisingly light batter covering the zucchinis and mushrooms, yet tasty from the salt granules and the dash of seasoning. The zucchinis would have tasted better if they had been sliced into smaller slices though.
If the pictures don't tell you how good this dish is, I don't know how else I'm going to convey the message (Okay I might be biased because I fancy all things fried and crispy). The skin is seriously very crispy, so much so that you feel like you are biting through Keropok. Dip it in the accompanying gravy and you get a taste thats slightly burnt, salty and with a tinge of mushroom. I wouldn't call it out of this world, but it certainly is good. Another interesting thing about this dish is the side of cabbage(it certainly doesn't look like it) which is braised in red wine. The result is a very distorted cabbage with a sweet and strong red wine taste, too strong in fact, but certainly worth a try.
Curry Chicken - My gf had this and I tried some of it. This is one rather different curry chicken. No coconut or milk is used in the cooking of this dish, which inevitably leads to the question, "Wouldn't it taste weird without coconut or milk?" And my answer is no. In fact, it tastes exactly like the ones you eat outside minus the strong fragrance and starchy curry. Think of it as a watered down version without the fragrance. Certainly a healthier version as well. But hardcore curry folks might not fancy this. On a sidenote, the chicken was very tender and well cooked.
Warm Melting Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream - Notice how many times I have ordered this dessert? Practically countless. I'm just a sucker for chocolate cakes with warm chocolate in the middle. And I am pleased to announce that this gives Morton's Hot Chocolate Cake a run for its money. Priced at only a third of Morton's rendition, it is almost as good. The outer crust is slightly hard while the inside is soft, moist and spongy. The only drawback is the molten chocolate which I personally found a wee bit too watery (they don't use Godiva Chocolate in case you are wondering). The accompanying vanilla ice cream was not up to my expectations as I could detect ice chips within the ice cream and it tasted just above average.
With a very reasonable price tag of $66 for 2 pax for such great food, great ambience and great service, I wonder where all the crowds have gone. The place was practically empty on a Monday night, save for 4 tables including mine. Don't miss this gem in the heart of town! As for me, I'm already planning the next trip down with my friends.
Caught up with some good friends over dinner at the newly opened Global Kitchen at Pan Pacific Hotel. Located on the third floor, it boasts global cuisine to go along with its stellar decor.
Global Kitchen's decor is spartan yet exudes futuristic undertones. Lighting with a hue of blue is predominant and adheres to the overall theme. If you are lucky, you might just get a semi private booth like seat which seats 2 pax for a romantic dinner.
It is my belief that all self respecting fine dining restaurants will offer complimentary bread and Global Kitchen is no exception. However, the bread falls flat in both taste and smell. Sure, there were pockets of cheese in it, but when spread over with the smooth butter, it was hardly evident. So much for the free bread.
I'm not a particular fan of Foie Gras, unless you are talking about the one which I had at IL-Lido, so this appetiser didn't really appeal to me. I just thought it would be nice to try it out after it garnered rave reviews in the Straits Times a few weeks back. On hindsight, I should have known better. The Foie Gras Creme Brulee with Sauteed Vanilla was too overpowering, rendering me almost unconscious from the overwhelming liver taste. It was a nice concept though, with the top layer sweet and burnt like your conventional Creme Brulee. The Kumquat Duck Foie Gras sounded interesting, but tasted like normal soft and quivery Foie Gras, with no Kumquat taste whatsoever. Having said that, its one of the better Foie Gras that I have eaten, not that I've eaten alot though.
Confit of Ocean Trout with Spicy Eggplant Compote and Calamansi Lime and Butter Sauce - Nicely done with raw Ocean Trout which was very fresh and smooth. I didn't get to try the eggplants, but I understand that they were quite good. Do look out for the tiny portions though.
River Prawns and Coconut Cappuccino with Prawns, Pineapple and Mango Salad - This was a rather interesting soup which tasted very strongly of prawn (no coffee taste) and had a layer of foam atop which tasted of coconut. In all honesty, with the foam out of the way, the remaining soup tasted almost like prawn noodle soup, with the colour of cappuccino though. Only one prawn was given, contrary to the name of the dish, which mentioned prawns.
Ginger and Sake Roasted Tenderloin of Beef on a bed of Wok Seared Baby Greens - As exciting as the name sounds, this was probably the biggest flop of the day. The tenderloin was undercooked for my request of medium rare. The meat was extremely chewy and rubbery(signs of undercooking) and the only sauce I could make out was a strong pepper sauce. Now where's by ginger and sake? On the whole, the taste was still not too bad, but something needs to be done about the doneness.
Strawberry Sunburst Aniseed Panna Cotta - The first of our desserts. You can't really go wrong with Panna Cotta as most people like sweet endings. The Panna Cotta came with sweet strawberries and a piece of sugar coated Danish cookie which added sweet on sweet. Texture wise, it was smooth and soft, as what I would have expected from a good Panna Cotta.
Bittersweet Chocolate Flourless Cake with Fig and Earl Gray Compote - I only had a go at the chocolate cake and didn't try the other stuff. Try as I might, but I couldn't locate the Earl Gray Compote. The chocolate cake was to have been a nice change from the usual flour ones but I honestly couldn't quite taste the difference except that it didn't have a spongy layer and overall it felt more like eating smooth layers of chocolate rather than cake. Nice, but not something I'll eat often cause it gets really sick after a while.
Red Wine Poached Pear with Rhubarb Crumble and Vanilla Ice Cream - Very nicely done with the taste of red wine entrenched in the pear. The red wine didn't come across as too strong and went well with the vanilla ice cream. Interesting dish and probably one of the better dishes that night. However, as with ALL the other dishes, portions are 2 sizes smaller than normal - very small.
A had to eat MacDonalds after that dinner set us back by about $234. Thats pretty expensive stuff if you ask me. Sad to say, Global Kitchen emphasies more on form rather than factor, which in this case, is the quality of food. The ambience is there, service is there, but the only thing lacking is the finesse of the food. Will I return? With that kind of prices and portion size, you've got to be kidding.
1=SGD 0.0587
White SignBoard with a RED FLOWER.. Thats Missha.... I like Missha! They have cheap and nice funky nail colours in flowered bottles that retails for only $2.90. I can say i'm flower CRAZE. I have almost every colour they retail. I love to mix them and paint mine toes multi coloured...
They also carry a good range of other skin care and beauty products. Mostly korean and there are pretty value for money. They have products that are targetted for certain skin types such as combination, dry or oily. I like korean products because they are usually nicely packed and suitable for asian skin.
Their cosmetics are interesting also. They have the usual blusher which i love because the colour suits my skin tone so well and its smell NICE, Eye shadow with a good variety of colours and mix and match customisation to your individual taste. The other thing i like is the pencil liquid eyeshadow. They call them eyetips. Its so cute and easy to use.
I love the concept and the products they carry. Most importantly, the retail assistants are always cool CHICKs with almost perfect makeovers....
Rating given:
Plucking, Threading, Shaving, Colouring, Tattoo, etc... These are just some of the various things you can do to your brow... or some call it EYE BROWN.....
But its important that your brows are fixed neatly as it frames your beautiful eyes and enhances your entire look.
I have my brow reshaped as and when. As you know when we pluck and maintain our brow, accidents do happen. Either you pluck to much or it went out of shape or it looked like some kind of SAVANNA when there patches of sparse grass growing all over. I had mine brow reshaped yesterday at COSLAB.
It was quick... I entered the salon without making an appointment and this lady served me. After making clear of what i wanted she brought me into this small room look alike cubicle and i was made to lie down on this comfy bed. She then proceeded to do my brows. It was quick and the bed was comfy. I like the fact that she don't talk much so that i could relax and enjoy the ambience.
After plucking, she took a shaver and shaved some parts of the baby hair off... Personally i dislike that as I stated I wanted to pluck. Shaving makes the baby hairs grows out quicker then usual and its so tiny, you couldn't pluck them no more. But when I left, they did not persuade me to buy any packages with them or complained about how bad my trouble areas are and make me sign one of their slimming packages.. Oops...
When I went to the loo after I left, I realised my brows were a little crooked... its like one side is higher then the other. I was so pissed.... But then again I wonder if the brows are crooked or my face is crooked.... Hmph...
I will upload pictures of my brow Next time.....
Rating given:
Geylang is full of durian shops and sometimes it can be very intimidating to walk up to one and eat there, especially with the slew of bad reviews and experiences that we have heard about, like getting charged $100 over for a few durians.
So at first we were all skeptical about this shop since we tried a few and most of them just wanted to push the expensive ones to us. But this turned out to be the best experience in eating durians at Geylang.
We started out asking for the 3 for $20 (D24) durians and in the end ordered 6 durians. The "meat" looks just right and we just could not wait to get a taste of it. Perhaps you can judge for yourselves from the pictures above. Note : We did not have to select it ourselves. He selected it for us and we were thoroughly satisfied with his selection. He even asked us if we wanted the sweet or bitter type? We opted for a mix of both.
The stall owner is especially friendly. He provided us with free mineral water and waited patiently while we were waiting for our kaki to arrive. We started out with 3 durians for 8 persons and he did not show any sign of irritation (as to why we ordered so little). Guess he knew that we could not stop at 3. In the end we ordered 6 and tar pao another 6. So he must have been happy.
This is one durian stall with a service oriented boss. When he noticed one of our kaki not digging into his durian (not a durian lover), he went to grab a basket of rambutans and chikus and gave it to us FREE!
Again we were skeptical. Is it for real? But in the end he did not charge us for it. It really is free. Perhaps there were a few "ang mo" in our kaki but I do not think it is because of that. He was friendly from the start.
Before we left, he gave us his name card. His name is Sam. So the next time we have a craving for durians, we will surely remember Sam. Recommended AAA triple rating.
Rating given:
Raffles Creamery is yet another ice cream outlet that offers the create your own ice cream plus toppings option. The other two places that I know of are Ice Cream Chefs and Cold Rock Ice Creamery at East Coast Road and Holland Village respectively.
Located at the courtyard of Raffles Hotel just behind Seah Street Deli, Raffles Creamery is the latest "culinary" offering from the grand old dame. A brightly lighted counter adorned with glass jars filled with various condiments greet you in the middle of the courtyard in accompaniment to 2 smiling waitresses who seem to get really flustered with the sudden influx of customers.
I had the Rocky Road ice cream with toppings of Banana Jelly and Oreos. To my surprise, they didn't offer to mix it up for me nor did they ask me if I wanted it mixed up. It was simply take a scoop of ice cream, put some banana jelly and oreos by the side and there you go. Honestly, I was shocked. So much for offering a mix in option. That aside, the ice cream was really creamy and smooth but thats not exactly a compliment as the taste of milk was quite overbearing. And the so called "imported from Germany" banana jelly tasted like chewy candy with a banana taste. Now how special is that?
I paid almost $6 for a scoop of ice cream with 2 seperate condiments. It isn't expensive but without the novelty factor, I could have gotten better ice cream from Ben & Jerry's for the same price. Last I checked, no revisits are in my schedule.
See my pictures here
Rating given:
Cherry Garden at The Oriental Singapore, voted one of the best restaurants in 2006 & 2007 by Singapore Tatler and one of Singapore's top restaurant in 2006 by Wine and Dine magazine, played host to my gf and I as we popped by for lunch before embarking on our new year shopping spree.
Stepping into the restaurant takes you into a different world - a world where our ancestors lounged and dined in courtyards found only in TV programs and complete with a replica of an age old bird cage. I guess WOW would be most apt in describing my first reaction to the almost picturesque scene which unfolded before me. Even my gf, who's not one to be impressed easily, was taken aback by the charcoaled teak panels, slate floors and ambient lighting. Without a doubt, this is one of the, if not THE best decor I've seen in a Chinese restaurant in Singapore. Don't believe me? Look at the pictures. ;)
Appetiser of Deep Fried Silver Fish - This didn't appear anywhere in our set lunch menu, so it must be complimentary. Nicely deep fried with the coating of flour crispy and not too oily. But could have been better if a little more salt and pepper were added, without which, it would be rather tasteless.
Double Boiled Soup of the Day - Lao Huang Gua Tang translated into Old Yellow Melon Soup - I found this soup quite refreshing as it was light on the palate yet appetising enough to kick start our lunch. However, it was a tad too sweet for me.
Three Varieties of Dim Sum - A very nicely presented dish with 3 types of non conventional Dim Sum. The first was vegetables wrapped in a crystal dumpling skin ala Har Gao style which I didn't find the least bit impressive. Average at best as the dumpling skin wasn't elastic enough. The second was a Shui Jiao with chicken meat and vegetables, which was slightly better than the first one because the chicken provided some fibre to chew on. The third was the best with fresh and crunchy prawns enveloped within a crispy deep fried exterior. Without this, I would have dismissed this dish entirely.
When a dish comes branded as a Chef's recommendation in a fine dining restaurant, it is usually good. However, the Combination of Fresh Scallops in Three Flavours was a case of hits and misses. The Pan Fried Scallop with Salt and Pepper tasted nothing out of the ordinary and nothing that I couldn't get elsewhere. The Deep Fried Scallop Roll with Phyllo Dough was a tad better, with the Phyllo Dough (whatever that is) brittle and crunchy. But it pretty much masked the slightly raw taste of the scallop. I personally found the Chilled Water Melon with Scallop in Garlic - Chilli Citrus Jus the most delectable. Though simply done, the sweetness from the chilled water melon blended well with the slightly salty and raw taste of the scallop and the garlic - chilli citrus jus added a tinge of spice and zest. Each individual flavour was so distinct yet melded together perfectly.
Braised Homemade Tofu topped with Minced Pork and Preserved Vegetables - Perhaps salty best describes this dish, probably due to the preserved vegetables in the gravy. The tofu was soft and silky and very much to my liking while the meat was finely minced but didn't taste out of the ordinary.
Wok Fried Beef Tenderloin with Trio Pepper in Chef's Concoction & Fragrant Fried Rice with Crabmeat, Asparagus and Fish Roe - In case you are wondering, these are 2 seperate dishes altogether but served together on the same plate at the same time in view of the customers hectic lunch schedule. Lets start off with the rice, which had fish roe evenly distributed within. Says alot about the effort put it. Unfortunately, apart from giving the rice a tinge of hardness and adding colour, the fish roe did nothing much. The shreds of crabmeat were almost non existent and the cubes of asparagus didn't taste like much. On the other hand, the Wok Fried Beef Tenderloin with Trio Pepper in Chef's Concoction was quite a star with the beef cubes cooked to perfection. Juicy and tender although it was well done. I didn't think too much about the sauce though. It tasted pretty much like normal pepper sauce to me, albeit a little stronger and thicker.
Chilled Lemongrass Jelly with Aloe Vera Flavoured in Lime Citrus Jus - Now this was the epic finale to the very eye pleasing lunch. Streams of carbon dioxide were shooting through a gap in the cylindrical honey pot look alike serving glass - a result of putting dry ice in water at the bottom of the glass. Visuals aside, I didn't enjoy this dish one bit. The jelly was way too sour and made me cringe everytime I took a bite. Just for the record, I drank 5 cups of tea just for this dish alone to wash down the taste. But if you like sour stuff, then maybe it might taste good to you.
The bill for lunch came up to $111.90 for 2 pax. Certainly on the high side, especially considering that its lunch. Food is slightly above average but not outstanding, with the focus more on aesthetics rather than taste. Each dish is visually appealing and much attention is paid to the tiniest details. It could work on the quality of food though. Service is prompt and unhurried, which is excellent for a leisurely lunch. My conclusion? Go back only if ambience means a lot and quality of food takes a back seat. Oh and of course, if you are feeling rich (dinner is priced per pax by the way).
See my pictures here
Rating given:
Imagine dining more than 100m above Orchard Road and going round and round. We thought that we would suffer from indigestion after this merry go round but that did not happen. The revolving concept was pleasant and not dizzifying.
Service is excellent here with the staffs very accomodating to our requests. We came up at about 6:30 when the sun was still shining and stayed till after 9pm, when the city lights provided a nice backdrop to our dining experience.
Reservations were made 1 week in advance and meals were also ordered then. So when we were shown to our tables, there was nothing else for us to do but to enjoy the ambience and scenery.
We order 2 main courses and dessert and the ambience coupled with the warm atmosphere just makes the meal taste better. I must say that the staffs here went to great lengths to make sure that we had an excellent experience. The details that they paid attention to was something that we did not expect. Surely a place to plan your next special event. This meal costs us $120 but it was well worth it. And did I forget to say that there were also singers going round to the tables to sing a song for you. Be kind and choose a song that does not require much vocal exercise.
Rating given:
Service is excellent here. The staffs are attentive and take their time to explain the various selections they have here. Most guests were seen to spend a little longer time with the drinks menu. Why? Because there is available over 280 wines and more than 200 cocktails and mocktails to choose from and you cannot order everything in one night! So take your time, they won't mind it. We tried the te vodka-based Zack's Killer ($14) and the Daiquiri Ice ($14).
The food selection is also interesting. Mostly finger food and heavy finger food. We tried the Rochester's Famous Sinful Pork Crackles ($15) which truly lives up to the 'sinful' part of its name. Imagine eating layers and layers of roasted pork coupled with their special sweet sauce. It is not something that you would proudly tell your doctor if you do have to go for a regular cholesterol test!!!
If you want a proper dinner, you have to make your bookings in advance and let them know so they can prepare a special set dinner for you! And it really is special!
The funny thing about this place is that although we were dining outdoors, there seems to be no sign of mosquitos. Apparently they have installed some state of the art equipment that repels the mosquitos. Either this or the mosquitos have tasted too much tequilas and are sound asleep...:)
Definitely a place to relax after a hectic day at work. The nice tropical surroundings make this place a must visit for the "adventure" seeker. If you drive, you might want to go early as there is limited car park space here.
Rating given:
Had our monthly dinner at Hua Ting. LSD couldn't make it last minute due to work commitments so there was only 5 of us, which was excellent company nevertheless. Helmed by Master Chef Chan Kwok, Hua Ting is reputed to dish out exquisite and fine Cantonese cuisine and its numerous accolades and awards bear a testament to that.
Situated on the second floor of Orchard Hotel and overlooking Orchard Road, Hua Ting boasts floor to ceiling windows which offer a view of the hustle and bustle along one of Singapore's premiere shopping belt. Opulently decked out in finished wood and Chinese antiques, it oozes charm and serenity, making it the perfect place to sit back, relax and enjoy the food.
I had a go at the Lichee Tea, which was something new to me. It smelt like rose tea and tasted rather bland actually. Not the strong full bodied tea that I like. Also, as there was no filter in the teacup, I had a hard time trying to take a sip of my tea without getting some tea leaves thrown in as well. The lotus root appetiser was quite good, crunchy and a little sourish/salty. The others didn't quite take to it though.
Hua Ting Deluxe Platter - The prawn wrapped in beancurd skin was quite nicely done, with the skin being crisp and the prawns fresh. However, it was a little too salty. The soy chicken was decent, tender with a slight hint of sesame. The fried eel ( I think its eel. Either that or its silverfish) was crispy and went pretty well with the chopped garlic and chilli. The char siew was decent as well, but not outstanding. Last but not least, the jellyfish tended quite a bit to the soft side, not exactly crunchy or chewy. Quite a bummer really.
It is said that no trip to Hua Ting is complete without ordering their renowned roast duck. I am inclined to agree. The duck didn't look like much when it arrived. In fact, I personally felt that it looked rather limp and unappetising. Oh boy, was that about to change. Chewing on a piece of the duck livened my tastebuds, especially after the rather uninspiring deluxe platter. The skin was crispy and the gravy a tad sweet. The meat soaked up quite a bit of the gravy but still came across as a wee bit too dry. Probably a little too overcooked. The duck did seem a little too fatty under the skin as well. Nevertheless, still good enough for me to recommend it.
Crispy Homemade Beancurd with Seasonal Greens Topped with Assorted Eggs - Aesthetics wise, no questions about it, this dish is a clear winner. But taste wise, its probably scraping the bottom of the barrel. Okay I exaggerate. Its not half as bad. The twirly thing you see is actually made from egg and to be honest, its tasteless. The chef, for whatever reason, decided on using egg tofu and overall speaking, it was plain average. It kinda reminded me of the $1 tube of egg tofu you buy at the supermarket.
Sautéed Dried Cod Fish with Egg White - This dish was really a disaster in the making. Technically, a combination of cod fish and egg white would be enough to make me drool. Unfortunately, the only thing that I got out of this dish was nausea. The dish was cooked in a creamy sauce which covered the taste of the egg as well as the cod fish. A sheer waste of a good fish if you ask me. The creamy taste (I'm sure they added milk) was so pronounced that all of us felt nauseous after a few mouthfuls. Just for the record, we didn't finish this dish.
Deep Fried Scallop Bacon Roll topped with Conpoy - Another dish that would have had me drooling if executed well. Unfortunately, it got me cringing instead. It was painfully salty and the bacon was really quite fatty. I couldn't quite taste the scallops as it was overwhelmed by the salt. Ironically, the broccoli was the star of the dish. Moist yet crunchy, we cleared it all but left quite a few of the scallops.
Fish Paste Noodle Soup with Seafood - I am beginning to think that all noodles should be made from fish paste. It offers more bite and has a more wholesome texture than normal egg noodles. The other plus point is that it fills you up real fast. That was the case with our fish paste noodle soup. By the time this dish was served, we were already close to the brim and stuffing ourselves with such filling noodles sure didn't help. In the end, after all our efforts in trying to finish it, we regrettably still had half a bowl left. Did I mention that the prawns were very fresh and huge as well? Not to mention crunchy and tasty.
I cannot fathom that the 5 of us could chalk up a bill of close to $370, but we did. Pure madness is pretty much what I think about it. For that price and quality of food, I'll be hard pressed to find a reason to return.
See my pictures here
Rating given:
Heard about this Scandinavian restaurant at Millenia Walk so popped by with my gf on a weekday evening to try it out although we had totally no idea what in the world constituted Scandinavian food.
Tucked in a small corner of the shopping mall, it is prominent yet inconspicuous. Sounds like a contradiction doesn't it? Well, it has floor to ceiling windows and is located along the mall's perimeters but with its main entrance blocked from view (largely by a pillar and some potted plants). It doesn't help that there's a small Coffee Bean just next to it, which might lead you to erroneously believe that the entire area belonged to Coffee Bean. That aside, the interior was minimalistic yet oozed sublime charm with its repertoire of wine glass lookalike hanging lights.
Complimentary bread is always welcomed and this one had no fancy presentation whatsoever. No napkin to keep them warm and no butter served on a platter - just bread on a platter with butter you buy from the supermarket. However, the bread was piping hot and the butter melted easily onto the bread. Simplicity at its best! Now who needs napkins?
Since we were trying Scandinavian food, we had to try their soup as well. Unfortunately, it wasn't as exotic as we had made it out to be and it tasted suspiciously like the Capon Consommé I had at IL-Lido. It was good nevertheless with the soup being tasty yet light. The dumplings were actually made from Semolina Flour and had this sweet and pleasing taste.
Fried Mushrooms and Zucchinis with Spicy Dip - This finger food came recommended by the waiter and I must complement his recommendation. The mushrooms and zucchinis were done tempura style. What makes this dish stand out is the surprisingly light batter covering the zucchinis and mushrooms, yet tasty from the salt granules and the dash of seasoning. The zucchinis would have tasted better if they had been sliced into smaller slices though.
If the pictures don't tell you how good this dish is, I don't know how else I'm going to convey the message (Okay I might be biased because I fancy all things fried and crispy). The skin is seriously very crispy, so much so that you feel like you are biting through Keropok. Dip it in the accompanying gravy and you get a taste thats slightly burnt, salty and with a tinge of mushroom. I wouldn't call it out of this world, but it certainly is good. Another interesting thing about this dish is the side of cabbage(it certainly doesn't look like it) which is braised in red wine. The result is a very distorted cabbage with a sweet and strong red wine taste, too strong in fact, but certainly worth a try.
Curry Chicken - My gf had this and I tried some of it. This is one rather different curry chicken. No coconut or milk is used in the cooking of this dish, which inevitably leads to the question, "Wouldn't it taste weird without coconut or milk?" And my answer is no. In fact, it tastes exactly like the ones you eat outside minus the strong fragrance and starchy curry. Think of it as a watered down version without the fragrance. Certainly a healthier version as well. But hardcore curry folks might not fancy this. On a sidenote, the chicken was very tender and well cooked.
Warm Melting Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream - Notice how many times I have ordered this dessert? Practically countless. I'm just a sucker for chocolate cakes with warm chocolate in the middle. And I am pleased to announce that this gives Morton's Hot Chocolate Cake a run for its money. Priced at only a third of Morton's rendition, it is almost as good. The outer crust is slightly hard while the inside is soft, moist and spongy. The only drawback is the molten chocolate which I personally found a wee bit too watery (they don't use Godiva Chocolate in case you are wondering). The accompanying vanilla ice cream was not up to my expectations as I could detect ice chips within the ice cream and it tasted just above average.
With a very reasonable price tag of $66 for 2 pax for such great food, great ambience and great service, I wonder where all the crowds have gone. The place was practically empty on a Monday night, save for 4 tables including mine. Don't miss this gem in the heart of town! As for me, I'm already planning the next trip down with my friends.
See my pictures here
Rating given:
Caught up with some good friends over dinner at the newly opened Global Kitchen at Pan Pacific Hotel. Located on the third floor, it boasts global cuisine to go along with its stellar decor.
Global Kitchen's decor is spartan yet exudes futuristic undertones. Lighting with a hue of blue is predominant and adheres to the overall theme. If you are lucky, you might just get a semi private booth like seat which seats 2 pax for a romantic dinner.
It is my belief that all self respecting fine dining restaurants will offer complimentary bread and Global Kitchen is no exception. However, the bread falls flat in both taste and smell. Sure, there were pockets of cheese in it, but when spread over with the smooth butter, it was hardly evident. So much for the free bread.
I'm not a particular fan of Foie Gras, unless you are talking about the one which I had at IL-Lido, so this appetiser didn't really appeal to me. I just thought it would be nice to try it out after it garnered rave reviews in the Straits Times a few weeks back. On hindsight, I should have known better. The Foie Gras Creme Brulee with Sauteed Vanilla was too overpowering, rendering me almost unconscious from the overwhelming liver taste. It was a nice concept though, with the top layer sweet and burnt like your conventional Creme Brulee. The Kumquat Duck Foie Gras sounded interesting, but tasted like normal soft and quivery Foie Gras, with no Kumquat taste whatsoever. Having said that, its one of the better Foie Gras that I have eaten, not that I've eaten alot though.
Confit of Ocean Trout with Spicy Eggplant Compote and Calamansi Lime and Butter Sauce - Nicely done with raw Ocean Trout which was very fresh and smooth. I didn't get to try the eggplants, but I understand that they were quite good. Do look out for the tiny portions though.
River Prawns and Coconut Cappuccino with Prawns, Pineapple and Mango Salad - This was a rather interesting soup which tasted very strongly of prawn (no coffee taste) and had a layer of foam atop which tasted of coconut. In all honesty, with the foam out of the way, the remaining soup tasted almost like prawn noodle soup, with the colour of cappuccino though. Only one prawn was given, contrary to the name of the dish, which mentioned prawns.
Ginger and Sake Roasted Tenderloin of Beef on a bed of Wok Seared Baby Greens - As exciting as the name sounds, this was probably the biggest flop of the day. The tenderloin was undercooked for my request of medium rare. The meat was extremely chewy and rubbery(signs of undercooking) and the only sauce I could make out was a strong pepper sauce. Now where's by ginger and sake? On the whole, the taste was still not too bad, but something needs to be done about the doneness.
Strawberry Sunburst Aniseed Panna Cotta - The first of our desserts. You can't really go wrong with Panna Cotta as most people like sweet endings. The Panna Cotta came with sweet strawberries and a piece of sugar coated Danish cookie which added sweet on sweet. Texture wise, it was smooth and soft, as what I would have expected from a good Panna Cotta.
Bittersweet Chocolate Flourless Cake with Fig and Earl Gray Compote - I only had a go at the chocolate cake and didn't try the other stuff. Try as I might, but I couldn't locate the Earl Gray Compote. The chocolate cake was to have been a nice change from the usual flour ones but I honestly couldn't quite taste the difference except that it didn't have a spongy layer and overall it felt more like eating smooth layers of chocolate rather than cake. Nice, but not something I'll eat often cause it gets really sick after a while.
Red Wine Poached Pear with Rhubarb Crumble and Vanilla Ice Cream - Very nicely done with the taste of red wine entrenched in the pear. The red wine didn't come across as too strong and went well with the vanilla ice cream. Interesting dish and probably one of the better dishes that night. However, as with ALL the other dishes, portions are 2 sizes smaller than normal - very small.
A had to eat MacDonalds after that dinner set us back by about $234. Thats pretty expensive stuff if you ask me. Sad to say, Global Kitchen emphasies more on form rather than factor, which in this case, is the quality of food. The ambience is there, service is there, but the only thing lacking is the finesse of the food. Will I return? With that kind of prices and portion size, you've got to be kidding.
See my pictures here
Rating given: