Spotted a very rare sight of a moomoo spotted black and white food van that is really selling food out from it. Curiosity made me decide whatever that is available on the menu, though there is not many varieties to choose from just the standard 4 to 5 today's choices, just for that thrill of buying from a food van, I will pay any amount and have no qualms about tasting anything.
The way the menu is being placed is super fun... Its like a black board by the side of the truck where 2 window like spots open up to a small kitchen in the truck and there you order, you are served and you make payment. Inside the van is a kitchen spacious enough for 2 person and pretty airy I must say.
The menu today is Chilli Crab Alio Olio, beef burger, hot dog bun and chocolate brownie, while I am not quite in the mood for something savory I decided on the chocolate brownie. Its served in this really cute lunch paper box with the travelling cow logo on it and you could take as many forks and serviettes you want from them. There is no sitting area so just hang around standing around the truck. The brownie is warm and there a white creamy sauce on it, the sauce tasted pretty bland yet creamy and enhances the taste of the brownie. Brownie is chocolaty yet not too sweet and chunks of bitter sweet chocolate as well as some nuts made is extremely yummy.
I think they are slightly higher priced then normal cafes and portion is not really quite enough for one but the quality of food is pretty outstanding and the concept is priceless!
Love the concept of the travelling cow and upon understanding, they do travel to different spots to sell their cuisines and even ulu places that is hard to get away to buy lunch, they can be there to provide to you occasional treats. If I am organizing a party, I'm for sure to engage them.... their presence will Jazz up any party and make it the hippest one ever could have thrown.
Had been meaning to try out Hippopotamus for the longest time, after reading about and seeing an outlet in Paris a couple of years back. And so we dropped by for an early dinner on a Saturday evening. Apparently the eatery's selling point is its wide range of beef cuts at affordable prices. Honestly, I am not too hung up on the variety of cuts because I am not picky but I do like the sound of affordable.
Because the restaurant is located along a rather quiet stretch on the ground floor of Marina Square Shopping Mall, it offers an "al fresco" dining area alongside the pedestrian walkway as well as seating in the inner chambers which offer more privacy. Exposed brick walls with red, square lights complete the cafe like setup.
Complimentary Chips - This was served alongside a basket of dry, hard and mildly sourish bread (skip it!). No surprise the chips were the first to go - crisp and a great way to start off.
US Pork Chops - A very flavourful and well grilled piece of pork that threatened to put alot of "western" restaurants to shame.A pity the meat was a little too dry and tough for my liking. Also, some of the accompanying fries came a little too charred as well.
Tenderloin "Chateaubriand" - The crème de la crème of the cuts and the tenderest of them all, the Chateaubriand tenderloin (Chateaubriand is actually a recipe involving a particular thick cut of beef) was a little overcooked to medium well, contrary to my request for medium rare. Nonetheless, it was still tender with nuances of bovine flavour seeping through with every bite. I would have liked the flavours to be more pronounced though. Served alongside 2 sides of your choice.
Chocolate Hazelnut Cake - Coming across as a little dense and dry and tasting overwhelmingly of chocolate with a nuance of hazelnut, the cake had tiny crumbs of hazelnut etched atop and sat in a shallow pool of vanilla cream. Brownies, anyone?
With a 50% discount courtesy of my palate card, dinner was relatively inexpensive at about $34 for 2 pax. I know it's not a fair comparison but at this price point (50% off) and quality, it beats the likes of Astons or any other budget steak house hands down in my humble opinion. However, take the discount away and the value ratio decreases quite a bit. Service was decent but could be a little more attentive (my glass of water was never refilled). All in all, a place I would only return with the 50% off.
Attended the MEGA FLEA 8 organized by T.Cartel over the last weekend @ Suntec City hall 404. I must say this event is one of the best flea events I have ever encountered.
The direction boards leading to the location was well placed as there are many other functions happening at the same location, there was not much pondering and I immediately could find the entrance of the location.
At the entrance there is a photo booth where shoppers can take funky pictures with props and backdrops. Watching participants getting excited and all hyped up made me happy and added a good fun factor to the event.
I was surprised by the scale of the event and how neatly arranged the stalls are. Though crowded, there are ample space for 2 to 3 shoppers to stop and browse while others can walk by. Though you still get some bag slapping action and butt bumming around, its still considered spacious for a flea market when every inch of space is must be accounted for.
While I browse the stores, I realize some of the businesses are those that we hardly see on a normal flea, stuffs such as sale of red wine, fleece blankets, house cleaning services, innovative house hold products, imported foldable bicycles... There were also a good mix of young designers and patisseries, those that launch their special shirt designs, ladies fashionable bags, home made cookies which are rather yummy and even community project handmade retailed items... I was impressed by the good mix of participants and some of these stalls does have the WOW factor.
The crowd is pretty good, yet there is ample space for browsing and hanging around. The ambient temperature and noise level is kept at a pretty healthy level and shopping at this flea market is extremely comfortable and enjoyable. Love to be able to go for more of such well-planned and comprehensive flea markets.
Used to really enjoy going to this outlet mainly because of their free flow freshly baked crusty bread... They used to have this bread counter where they will bring out loafs of freshly baked bread from their oven and you could self serve with loads of butter, olive oil, vinaigrette and other consignments available at the counter.
Yar.. maybe you think that i'm a cheapo that will order a bowl of soup and eat loads of bread and well.... i cannot say this thought never crossed my mind, however when you are there you cannot but be tempted to order the other stuffs on the menu. The BBQ ribs are extremely nice, soft and chewy, full flavored and portion is big. Seafood platter also serves up the ocean, breaded and fried, crispy and portion is definitely good to share. However because the bread is so good, I always indulge myself with too much bread and walk out feeling like a balloon.... Now we are already floating up mid air and I have yet to touch on the dessert and drinks.
Coffee comes in all sorts of styles here and you could get them to be served with ice-cream and so are their sodas and fruit juices.... Its really too many to list. The dessert choices are a headache because everything is just so yummy....
All in all, the menu takes like 15 minutes to digest and another 5 to decide because there are just so many stuffs to choose from.. and always go with a group of friends because you tend to indulge in ordering too much. Just sad that the free flow bread is no more, they do still give you a basket of bread but all the fun of going there to cut it yourself, though the bread all comes back ugly and oddly squeezed, its the fun of doing it yourself that makes the difference..
CAFE CARTEL..... I HOPE YOU HEAR ME.....
" PLEASE BRING BACK THE FREE FLOW BREAD COUNTER!!!"
" I'M LOVING AND MISSING THAT ALOT!!!"
I always walk pass, but rarely walk in, reason being that there's too many choices of food, restaurants and cafe available. But when I always walk pass the outlet, the savoury glistening pies always seemed to be smiling at me...
Though the menu serves up a good variety of heavy meals, light snacks, eastern and western delights, my choices are pretty regular...
For a light meal, I always opt for a beef burger because they make up a very originally tasting burger... which is a slice of patty on toasted buttered bread and onion tomato sauce.. thats it... simple and nostalgia and yummy... like the way i ate it when i was really tiny.
For a slightly heavier meal, I always go for their carbonara pie. Its sought of a chicken pie but BIGGER... The flaky skin is baked till crispy and the filling is a good mix of chicken chunks, potato, carrots and everything else in a light creamy sauce. The entire combination is really yummy and I should say its good to share.
For a good regular meal, I always go for the Hainanese Pork Chop Set meal that comes complete with a soup (usually just so so), a slice of garlic bread, dessert (which could be jello or cake or fruit), sunkist orange juice (my fav.), rice and the hainanese pork chop itself. The hainanese pork chop is really yummy and the chilli is potent... Its a mix of freshly fried pork cutlet in a tomato based sauce with chunks of carrots, potato, i think pear, pineapple, onions and everything else. Its tangy and savory, taste is slightly acidic and goes well with the rice. Its appetizing and the portion is great for one.
For desserts, I always go for the cakes, because I think they are cheap and good and of a good size. They have an array of different flavors, even like pandan fudge, blackforest, etc. The apple crumble or choice of fruit pies are amazing, simple, extremely value for money and of a very very good portion.
In summary, the food is really yummy, affordable and value for money, service is so so but the place is pretty clean. Sits are not really comfy but rather casual and old school, yet its almost always 70% full. The variety on the menu is great, you get to choose even local delights like hor fun. Its very much a self served place so don't expect much service.
Always love to browse M.A.C cosmetic products, I personally find their colour and product range comprehensive and made with really good quality ingredients. I popped by this new outlet at Robinsons, JEM on a weekday evening after work when the crowd has not yet sit in and got a really good experience.
Love the way they display their products, I can only say professional, clean and neat. There are definitely more than hundreds of different kinds of cosmetic products, with different color hues, textures, functions and even make up instruments. Its as though I can turn professional when I get hold of a set of these professional brushes and pots and jars of powders, gel, liquid and anything in between. On top of that, all their products are available for trial. I asked Janette, the friendly staff who served me, if they disinfect these trial cosmetics and she said... "Of Course we do, sometimes many times a day if the store is busy" in a sweet friendly smile :)"
With that I feel much more secured... unlike many places that sells cosmetics, their trial areas are usually messy, littered and you can see broken pieces of pressed powders everywhere, coupled with the damaged casing and the cosmetics itself, reminded me of a used toilet cubicle BOMBED...... and not FLUSHED.... with toilet rolls everywhere.
Here... its so different, she let me try the colors on my hand and even recommended me what is trending while helping me make comparison and advised me my colour tones and beauty must dos... Love the helpful and somewhat entertaining tone coupled with a tinge of humor here and there... 'this trip is indeed very fruitful'. Besides her professional dressing, all the staffs here are kinda dressed in complete black, her makeup looked so natural and eye make up fantastically eye popping 'in a good way of course' . While I asked questions on how I could do similar color blending, Janette offered me some really good information and also if I would like to know more, they can arrange a workshop for me to attend.
While we were discussing on the products, her colleague Junry popped by and I was most mesmerized by her dolly eyes.... Friendly and extremely alluring, she briefly described to me which products she used, how she used them and the other add on products. While I tried to remember the information, she happily offered to add me in her Instagram where she shares her bold look. I am hysterically happy... Finally there is hope for the MAKEUP DISASTER ME!
So I would recommend you gals or guys who would like to buy cosmetics or make up stuffs to go to M.A.C or if you want my kinda experience, you may go to the outlet at JEM Robinsons.. if you are wondering what I bought, of course most of the recommended especially some eye colour for that trending bold look..
A little something extra for you patient readers... I know my post is kinda long.. some prices that are not tagged..
1) Eyebrow shaping - $15
2) Makeover - $50
3) Free Makeover with purchase of $120 worth of products - $120
4) One to One workshop with purchase of $150 worth of products - $150...
I could just roughly remember these as there were so many to remember.. enjoy your colourful journey and thankyou staff of M.A.C... I had a wonderful experience and I don't get that alot these days...
Was rather intrigued by the name, "The Sleeping Rhino", so decided to drop by one evening with the missus for dinner. It definitely helped that there was a 50% discount courtesy of my palate card.
Located on the ground floor of Klapsons The Boutique Hotel at Tanjong Pagar, The Sleeping Rhino offers a view of the surrounding pedestrian walkway and vehicular roads through towering floor to ceiling windows. For a little more privacy, opt for the booth seats furthest away from the windows.
Complimentary Bread - The complimentary bread roll came a little crusty and warm. Together with a small container of store bought butter, it made for a nice and simple way to start off.
Pomodoro Penne with Cajun Smoked Chicken - Al dente penne tossed in a mildly tart pomodoro sauce and topped with chunks of savoury cajun chicken - simple yet satisfying. The only gripe I had was the lack of smokiness in the chicken.
Wagyu Beef Burger - The beef patty was done up to medium well but seemed a little drier than expected. Flavours were decent and I liked the addition of the runny yolk sunny side up atop, which gave the burger an overall smooth and rich finish. Unfortunately the bun was crisp but dry and tasteless.
Tiramisu - Circular in shape, the tiramisu's portion was rather small with the sponge fingers a little too soaked in kahlua. The mascarpone cheese seemed a little diluted which definitely didn't help matters. All in all a very average rendition of this Italian classic dessert.
Dinner for 2 pax came to almost $38 with a 50% discount ($75.33 without). Overall food quality hovered around the average mark and prices were honestly on the high side for the corresponding quality. Service was good though but that could be due to the fact that we were the only table that evening (although another couple did come in when we were just about to leave).
I enjoy hanging out at this nostalgia 60s looking coffee and toast place, not only because the food is yummy, the furniture and interior deco of the place gives me alot of comfort. The worn out timber stools and wooden tables, old oil lamps hanging by the side and the 70s music playing in the background is what I call a nostalgia hangout for the young ones.
Well when I'm here I never fail to order the lemon grass tea with jelly. I love the refreshing and herbal taste coupled by smooth gooey jello. The mee siam is also fantastically nice. Its sourish and not too spicy... good for my non-tolerant tummy. Also must try the curry chicken and rice, its yummy and of a good portion just enough for one to eat...
Of course the traditional toast, half boiled eggs and coffee are magnificent. Service is fast and good and tables get packed up real fast. On top of whatever chinese cafe stuffs you can get from the bistro counter, you can also buy cakes, buns and bread from the bakery right next to it.
This outlet is usually very crowded on weekends and even weekday evenings and the seats are tight because its not a very large place but you get to see the patisserie chefs baking in a glass kitchen right next to the seating area. Its a nice place to hang and have a cuppa something... If you want proper meal, there are a good choice in the menu...
This was a dinner choice for a casual night with some friends and I'm glad I made the decision to book prior - was surprised there was a wait for table on a weekday evening!
The usual Ambush styple for deco but slightly different from its Plaza Sing outlet - casual vibes and wooden furnitutre.
German style potato pancake (rosti) ($7.50) - I liked this as its plain and simple but some commented that it was too thin.
Mini sausage platter ($8.80) - grilled mini chicken garlic and chicken cheese sausage with mustard and brown sauce dip - Good for sharing (and with some beer!) - the sausages were nicely warm from the grilling and goes very well with the mild mustard.
Baby scallop and flying fish roe - squid ink sauce ($14.80) - My main course which I struggled to finish. Plenty of fresh scallops with a heap of linguini which was just nicely al dente for me. Squid ink itself doesnt have any taste but I choose to believe it was healthy - which I read somewhere...but not a good dish for a date!
Crispy chicken and seaweed - alio olio ambush style ($13) - Very good - so much so I wish I had ordered this. The ambush style alio olio was very tasty with mild spicy seasoning, the chicken was not oily and the seaweed sprinkled over the top added a nice taste to the whole dish. Big porton too.
Paella seafood ($14.80) - Slightly disappointing after the excellent pasta dishes. While the seafood was fresh and quite a generous portion, the rice was too soggy for my liking and the tomato sauce tasted just medicore.
Cauliflower soup & ice tea ($5.50) - You can add this to any main course, but I'll advise against it if you get Cauliflower soup like us. No hint of the veg at all - basically we can only tell it's a cream soup, that's all.
Service was quite prompt despite us sitting in a corner. Wil definitley return for their mussels next time!
I've always wanted to try The Kitchen Table but never had a chance to until I found out that they have a 1-4-1 buffet dinner promotion for SPG members. So my and 3 other frens trotted all the way in - the promotion is only valid for more than 1pair if you have more than 1 SPG membership.
The place was smaller than I thought - seafood, sushi, cold cuts / salads / appetizers, indian, western / pasta, and chinese noodle / soup. And it being a weekday it was not as empty as I thought it would be.
Seafood - a smallish almost hidden counter but fresh seafood. Usual suspects like oysters, prawns, mussels, clams, lobsters were all good.
Cold cuts / appetizers - The salads didnt leave a very big impression on me as they were quite medicore eg tuna, mushrooms salads. But they had about 3 variety of cold cuts including parma ham which were quite nice.
Indian - made to order naans, chicke tikka, curries and lentils etc which were all good.
Pasta - I headed straight for the made to order pastas instead of the handful of western buffet choices - you can basially take your pick of ingredients eg veg, sausages, and type of pasta, then choose the type of sauce you want. Very nice!
Chinese - Soups and noodles available but I only had the soup - Pork rib and winter melon soup which was superb.
Desserts - Very prettily arranged like a showcase of 3 'cabinets' and had rather good variety but quality wise was just okay. Strangely enough, the tiramisu had almost no sponge fingers nor any cocoa powder on top.
Coffee - the buffet comes with coffee / latte / cap / tea - the cap was quite nice and did not taste like it came out of a Nestle machine.
Honestly, I would not have recommended this place without the SPG promotion as I think $65 per pax is too ex for the variety and quality. But paying $33 with the promo is definitely worth it!
And note that their shuttle only allows in-house guests staying with them - dining guests like us will have to find our own way in. You can tak the shuttle out but the last shuttle leaves the hote for Vivo at 9:55pm which seems a bit early.
1=SGD 0.0587
Spotted a very rare sight of a moomoo spotted black and white food van that is really selling food out from it. Curiosity made me decide whatever that is available on the menu, though there is not many varieties to choose from just the standard 4 to 5 today's choices, just for that thrill of buying from a food van, I will pay any amount and have no qualms about tasting anything.
The way the menu is being placed is super fun... Its like a black board by the side of the truck where 2 window like spots open up to a small kitchen in the truck and there you order, you are served and you make payment. Inside the van is a kitchen spacious enough for 2 person and pretty airy I must say.
The menu today is Chilli Crab Alio Olio, beef burger, hot dog bun and chocolate brownie, while I am not quite in the mood for something savory I decided on the chocolate brownie. Its served in this really cute lunch paper box with the travelling cow logo on it and you could take as many forks and serviettes you want from them. There is no sitting area so just hang around standing around the truck. The brownie is warm and there a white creamy sauce on it, the sauce tasted pretty bland yet creamy and enhances the taste of the brownie. Brownie is chocolaty yet not too sweet and chunks of bitter sweet chocolate as well as some nuts made is extremely yummy.
I think they are slightly higher priced then normal cafes and portion is not really quite enough for one but the quality of food is pretty outstanding and the concept is priceless!
Love the concept of the travelling cow and upon understanding, they do travel to different spots to sell their cuisines and even ulu places that is hard to get away to buy lunch, they can be there to provide to you occasional treats. If I am organizing a party, I'm for sure to engage them.... their presence will Jazz up any party and make it the hippest one ever could have thrown.
Rating given:
Had been meaning to try out Hippopotamus for the longest time, after reading about and seeing an outlet in Paris a couple of years back. And so we dropped by for an early dinner on a Saturday evening. Apparently the eatery's selling point is its wide range of beef cuts at affordable prices. Honestly, I am not too hung up on the variety of cuts because I am not picky but I do like the sound of affordable.
Because the restaurant is located along a rather quiet stretch on the ground floor of Marina Square Shopping Mall, it offers an "al fresco" dining area alongside the pedestrian walkway as well as seating in the inner chambers which offer more privacy. Exposed brick walls with red, square lights complete the cafe like setup.
Complimentary Chips - This was served alongside a basket of dry, hard and mildly sourish bread (skip it!). No surprise the chips were the first to go - crisp and a great way to start off.
US Pork Chops - A very flavourful and well grilled piece of pork that threatened to put alot of "western" restaurants to shame.A pity the meat was a little too dry and tough for my liking. Also, some of the accompanying fries came a little too charred as well.
Tenderloin "Chateaubriand" - The crème de la crème of the cuts and the tenderest of them all, the Chateaubriand tenderloin (Chateaubriand is actually a recipe involving a particular thick cut of beef) was a little overcooked to medium well, contrary to my request for medium rare. Nonetheless, it was still tender with nuances of bovine flavour seeping through with every bite. I would have liked the flavours to be more pronounced though. Served alongside 2 sides of your choice.
Chocolate Hazelnut Cake - Coming across as a little dense and dry and tasting overwhelmingly of chocolate with a nuance of hazelnut, the cake had tiny crumbs of hazelnut etched atop and sat in a shallow pool of vanilla cream. Brownies, anyone?
With a 50% discount courtesy of my palate card, dinner was relatively inexpensive at about $34 for 2 pax. I know it's not a fair comparison but at this price point (50% off) and quality, it beats the likes of Astons or any other budget steak house hands down in my humble opinion. However, take the discount away and the value ratio decreases quite a bit. Service was decent but could be a little more attentive (my glass of water was never refilled). All in all, a place I would only return with the 50% off.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Attended the MEGA FLEA 8 organized by T.Cartel over the last weekend @ Suntec City hall 404. I must say this event is one of the best flea events I have ever encountered.
The direction boards leading to the location was well placed as there are many other functions happening at the same location, there was not much pondering and I immediately could find the entrance of the location.
At the entrance there is a photo booth where shoppers can take funky pictures with props and backdrops. Watching participants getting excited and all hyped up made me happy and added a good fun factor to the event.
I was surprised by the scale of the event and how neatly arranged the stalls are. Though crowded, there are ample space for 2 to 3 shoppers to stop and browse while others can walk by. Though you still get some bag slapping action and butt bumming around, its still considered spacious for a flea market when every inch of space is must be accounted for.
While I browse the stores, I realize some of the businesses are those that we hardly see on a normal flea, stuffs such as sale of red wine, fleece blankets, house cleaning services, innovative house hold products, imported foldable bicycles... There were also a good mix of young designers and patisseries, those that launch their special shirt designs, ladies fashionable bags, home made cookies which are rather yummy and even community project handmade retailed items... I was impressed by the good mix of participants and some of these stalls does have the WOW factor.
The crowd is pretty good, yet there is ample space for browsing and hanging around. The ambient temperature and noise level is kept at a pretty healthy level and shopping at this flea market is extremely comfortable and enjoyable. Love to be able to go for more of such well-planned and comprehensive flea markets.
Rating given:
Used to really enjoy going to this outlet mainly because of their free flow freshly baked crusty bread... They used to have this bread counter where they will bring out loafs of freshly baked bread from their oven and you could self serve with loads of butter, olive oil, vinaigrette and other consignments available at the counter.
Yar.. maybe you think that i'm a cheapo that will order a bowl of soup and eat loads of bread and well.... i cannot say this thought never crossed my mind, however when you are there you cannot but be tempted to order the other stuffs on the menu. The BBQ ribs are extremely nice, soft and chewy, full flavored and portion is big. Seafood platter also serves up the ocean, breaded and fried, crispy and portion is definitely good to share. However because the bread is so good, I always indulge myself with too much bread and walk out feeling like a balloon.... Now we are already floating up mid air and I have yet to touch on the dessert and drinks.
Coffee comes in all sorts of styles here and you could get them to be served with ice-cream and so are their sodas and fruit juices.... Its really too many to list. The dessert choices are a headache because everything is just so yummy....
All in all, the menu takes like 15 minutes to digest and another 5 to decide because there are just so many stuffs to choose from.. and always go with a group of friends because you tend to indulge in ordering too much. Just sad that the free flow bread is no more, they do still give you a basket of bread but all the fun of going there to cut it yourself, though the bread all comes back ugly and oddly squeezed, its the fun of doing it yourself that makes the difference..
CAFE CARTEL..... I HOPE YOU HEAR ME.....
" PLEASE BRING BACK THE FREE FLOW BREAD COUNTER!!!"
" I'M LOVING AND MISSING THAT ALOT!!!"
Rating given:
I always walk pass, but rarely walk in, reason being that there's too many choices of food, restaurants and cafe available. But when I always walk pass the outlet, the savoury glistening pies always seemed to be smiling at me...
Though the menu serves up a good variety of heavy meals, light snacks, eastern and western delights, my choices are pretty regular...
For a light meal, I always opt for a beef burger because they make up a very originally tasting burger... which is a slice of patty on toasted buttered bread and onion tomato sauce.. thats it... simple and nostalgia and yummy... like the way i ate it when i was really tiny.
For a slightly heavier meal, I always go for their carbonara pie. Its sought of a chicken pie but BIGGER... The flaky skin is baked till crispy and the filling is a good mix of chicken chunks, potato, carrots and everything else in a light creamy sauce. The entire combination is really yummy and I should say its good to share.
For a good regular meal, I always go for the Hainanese Pork Chop Set meal that comes complete with a soup (usually just so so), a slice of garlic bread, dessert (which could be jello or cake or fruit), sunkist orange juice (my fav.), rice and the hainanese pork chop itself. The hainanese pork chop is really yummy and the chilli is potent... Its a mix of freshly fried pork cutlet in a tomato based sauce with chunks of carrots, potato, i think pear, pineapple, onions and everything else. Its tangy and savory, taste is slightly acidic and goes well with the rice. Its appetizing and the portion is great for one.
For desserts, I always go for the cakes, because I think they are cheap and good and of a good size. They have an array of different flavors, even like pandan fudge, blackforest, etc. The apple crumble or choice of fruit pies are amazing, simple, extremely value for money and of a very very good portion.
In summary, the food is really yummy, affordable and value for money, service is so so but the place is pretty clean. Sits are not really comfy but rather casual and old school, yet its almost always 70% full. The variety on the menu is great, you get to choose even local delights like hor fun. Its very much a self served place so don't expect much service.
Rating given:
Always love to browse M.A.C cosmetic products, I personally find their colour and product range comprehensive and made with really good quality ingredients. I popped by this new outlet at Robinsons, JEM on a weekday evening after work when the crowd has not yet sit in and got a really good experience.
Love the way they display their products, I can only say professional, clean and neat. There are definitely more than hundreds of different kinds of cosmetic products, with different color hues, textures, functions and even make up instruments. Its as though I can turn professional when I get hold of a set of these professional brushes and pots and jars of powders, gel, liquid and anything in between. On top of that, all their products are available for trial. I asked Janette, the friendly staff who served me, if they disinfect these trial cosmetics and she said... "Of Course we do, sometimes many times a day if the store is busy" in a sweet friendly smile :)"
With that I feel much more secured... unlike many places that sells cosmetics, their trial areas are usually messy, littered and you can see broken pieces of pressed powders everywhere, coupled with the damaged casing and the cosmetics itself, reminded me of a used toilet cubicle BOMBED...... and not FLUSHED.... with toilet rolls everywhere.
Here... its so different, she let me try the colors on my hand and even recommended me what is trending while helping me make comparison and advised me my colour tones and beauty must dos... Love the helpful and somewhat entertaining tone coupled with a tinge of humor here and there... 'this trip is indeed very fruitful'. Besides her professional dressing, all the staffs here are kinda dressed in complete black, her makeup looked so natural and eye make up fantastically eye popping 'in a good way of course' . While I asked questions on how I could do similar color blending, Janette offered me some really good information and also if I would like to know more, they can arrange a workshop for me to attend.
While we were discussing on the products, her colleague Junry popped by and I was most mesmerized by her dolly eyes.... Friendly and extremely alluring, she briefly described to me which products she used, how she used them and the other add on products. While I tried to remember the information, she happily offered to add me in her Instagram where she shares her bold look. I am hysterically happy... Finally there is hope for the MAKEUP DISASTER ME!
So I would recommend you gals or guys who would like to buy cosmetics or make up stuffs to go to M.A.C or if you want my kinda experience, you may go to the outlet at JEM Robinsons.. if you are wondering what I bought, of course most of the recommended especially some eye colour for that trending bold look..
A little something extra for you patient readers... I know my post is kinda long.. some prices that are not tagged..
1) Eyebrow shaping - $15
2) Makeover - $50
3) Free Makeover with purchase of $120 worth of products - $120
4) One to One workshop with purchase of $150 worth of products - $150...
I could just roughly remember these as there were so many to remember.. enjoy your colourful journey and thankyou staff of M.A.C... I had a wonderful experience and I don't get that alot these days...
Rating given:
Was rather intrigued by the name, "The Sleeping Rhino", so decided to drop by one evening with the missus for dinner. It definitely helped that there was a 50% discount courtesy of my palate card.
Located on the ground floor of Klapsons The Boutique Hotel at Tanjong Pagar, The Sleeping Rhino offers a view of the surrounding pedestrian walkway and vehicular roads through towering floor to ceiling windows. For a little more privacy, opt for the booth seats furthest away from the windows.
Complimentary Bread - The complimentary bread roll came a little crusty and warm. Together with a small container of store bought butter, it made for a nice and simple way to start off.
Pomodoro Penne with Cajun Smoked Chicken - Al dente penne tossed in a mildly tart pomodoro sauce and topped with chunks of savoury cajun chicken - simple yet satisfying. The only gripe I had was the lack of smokiness in the chicken.
Wagyu Beef Burger - The beef patty was done up to medium well but seemed a little drier than expected. Flavours were decent and I liked the addition of the runny yolk sunny side up atop, which gave the burger an overall smooth and rich finish. Unfortunately the bun was crisp but dry and tasteless.
Tiramisu - Circular in shape, the tiramisu's portion was rather small with the sponge fingers a little too soaked in kahlua. The mascarpone cheese seemed a little diluted which definitely didn't help matters. All in all a very average rendition of this Italian classic dessert.
Dinner for 2 pax came to almost $38 with a 50% discount ($75.33 without). Overall food quality hovered around the average mark and prices were honestly on the high side for the corresponding quality. Service was good though but that could be due to the fact that we were the only table that evening (although another couple did come in when we were just about to leave).
See all my pictures here.
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I enjoy hanging out at this nostalgia 60s looking coffee and toast place, not only because the food is yummy, the furniture and interior deco of the place gives me alot of comfort. The worn out timber stools and wooden tables, old oil lamps hanging by the side and the 70s music playing in the background is what I call a nostalgia hangout for the young ones.
Well when I'm here I never fail to order the lemon grass tea with jelly. I love the refreshing and herbal taste coupled by smooth gooey jello. The mee siam is also fantastically nice. Its sourish and not too spicy... good for my non-tolerant tummy. Also must try the curry chicken and rice, its yummy and of a good portion just enough for one to eat...
Of course the traditional toast, half boiled eggs and coffee are magnificent. Service is fast and good and tables get packed up real fast. On top of whatever chinese cafe stuffs you can get from the bistro counter, you can also buy cakes, buns and bread from the bakery right next to it.
This outlet is usually very crowded on weekends and even weekday evenings and the seats are tight because its not a very large place but you get to see the patisserie chefs baking in a glass kitchen right next to the seating area. Its a nice place to hang and have a cuppa something... If you want proper meal, there are a good choice in the menu...
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This was a dinner choice for a casual night with some friends and I'm glad I made the decision to book prior - was surprised there was a wait for table on a weekday evening!
The usual Ambush styple for deco but slightly different from its Plaza Sing outlet - casual vibes and wooden furnitutre.
German style potato pancake (rosti) ($7.50) - I liked this as its plain and simple but some commented that it was too thin.
Mini sausage platter ($8.80) - grilled mini chicken garlic and chicken cheese sausage with mustard and brown sauce dip - Good for sharing (and with some beer!) - the sausages were nicely warm from the grilling and goes very well with the mild mustard.
Baby scallop and flying fish roe - squid ink sauce ($14.80) - My main course which I struggled to finish. Plenty of fresh scallops with a heap of linguini which was just nicely al dente for me. Squid ink itself doesnt have any taste but I choose to believe it was healthy - which I read somewhere...but not a good dish for a date!
Crispy chicken and seaweed - alio olio ambush style ($13) - Very good - so much so I wish I had ordered this. The ambush style alio olio was very tasty with mild spicy seasoning, the chicken was not oily and the seaweed sprinkled over the top added a nice taste to the whole dish. Big porton too.
Paella seafood ($14.80) - Slightly disappointing after the excellent pasta dishes. While the seafood was fresh and quite a generous portion, the rice was too soggy for my liking and the tomato sauce tasted just medicore.
Cauliflower soup & ice tea ($5.50) - You can add this to any main course, but I'll advise against it if you get Cauliflower soup like us. No hint of the veg at all - basically we can only tell it's a cream soup, that's all.
Service was quite prompt despite us sitting in a corner. Wil definitley return for their mussels next time!
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I've always wanted to try The Kitchen Table but never had a chance to until I found out that they have a 1-4-1 buffet dinner promotion for SPG members. So my and 3 other frens trotted all the way in - the promotion is only valid for more than 1pair if you have more than 1 SPG membership.
The place was smaller than I thought - seafood, sushi, cold cuts / salads / appetizers, indian, western / pasta, and chinese noodle / soup. And it being a weekday it was not as empty as I thought it would be.
Seafood - a smallish almost hidden counter but fresh seafood. Usual suspects like oysters, prawns, mussels, clams, lobsters were all good.
Cold cuts / appetizers - The salads didnt leave a very big impression on me as they were quite medicore eg tuna, mushrooms salads. But they had about 3 variety of cold cuts including parma ham which were quite nice.
Indian - made to order naans, chicke tikka, curries and lentils etc which were all good.
Pasta - I headed straight for the made to order pastas instead of the handful of western buffet choices - you can basially take your pick of ingredients eg veg, sausages, and type of pasta, then choose the type of sauce you want. Very nice!
Chinese - Soups and noodles available but I only had the soup - Pork rib and winter melon soup which was superb.
Desserts - Very prettily arranged like a showcase of 3 'cabinets' and had rather good variety but quality wise was just okay. Strangely enough, the tiramisu had almost no sponge fingers nor any cocoa powder on top.
Coffee - the buffet comes with coffee / latte / cap / tea - the cap was quite nice and did not taste like it came out of a Nestle machine.
Honestly, I would not have recommended this place without the SPG promotion as I think $65 per pax is too ex for the variety and quality. But paying $33 with the promo is definitely worth it!
And note that their shuttle only allows in-house guests staying with them - dining guests like us will have to find our own way in. You can tak the shuttle out but the last shuttle leaves the hote for Vivo at 9:55pm which seems a bit early.
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