Fancy some place in town with all the dishes on the menu priced at $15 or less? Apparently Oriole, a newly opened cafe/restaurant in town, offers such a value proposition. The name Oriole is interesting because it is also the name of a bird.
Located at Pan Pacific Serviced Suites in Somerset Road, Oriole is owned by the same owner of Aerin's, Bedrock Grill & Bar (next door to Oriole) and Whitebait & Kale and boasts Singapore's number 1 and number 3 baristas, which makes their coffee a must try! The interior of the place is rather cafeish with dim lighting and floor to ceilings windows. Currently the area surrounding Oriole is undergoing construction so there isn't much of a view to speak of.
Coffee Crust Cod Fish ($25.50++)- This was a daily special so the $15/dish cap didn't apply, which was rather regrettable really. The fish was smooth but a wee bit fishy and lacked sweetness. There was the problem of the missing coffee taste as well.
Prawn Spaghetti ($15++) - The pasta was tossed in olive oil and came across as a little too soft. I counted 5 crystal prawns to that were crunchy albeit a little small. But at least the whole dish was still palatable, though probably not something that I would order again.
Honey Crumble Affogato ($7++) - This dessert came with a shot of espresso and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, which unfortunately had ice chips in it. I didn't quite take to the honeycomb crunch as bits of it got stuck onto my teeth. Overall this dessert was nothing too fancy or fantastic in my humble opinion.
Chocolate Fudge Cake ($5.50++) - Apparently one of Oriole's popular desserts, the chocolate fudge cake was quite decent in my humble opinion. Warm with pockets of molten chocolate within, it came across as rich and decadent - a sure fire recipe for nausea in the likely event of over consumption. Pity about the lack of ice cream though.
The total bill came up to $62.40 for 2 mains and 2 desserts, which would put Oriole in the Swensens, NYDC etc price range. Food quality is average but the lack of crowds in the middle of Orchard road is definitely a plus. Service was decent to boot.
This place is more like being called the Pets Safari however the anchor outlet of Pet Lovers Centre. Here, you can find everything you need for every kind of your pet. Be it the cute little puppy, meowie cat, small hamsters or even pet goldfish... They have everything to suit everybody's needs.
The cages come in many trendy designs and colours as well as sizes for adult german sheperds down to the smallest hamster carrier, not forgetting the handy sling tank.. Now you can bring your fishes for pet walks :).....
All sorts of food, treats and vitamin supplements are available for your pet... Fully Edible Toy Houses made from organic and dye free materials for the comfort of your small hamsters.... I mean they really do have a wide range of everything. Take rabbit food for example, they have various kinds of pallets and hays for their staple food and treats including the carrot lookalike vitamin supplied toy carrot that could last you for at least a week. On top of that your pet rabbit's teeth will be nice and trimmed after playing with that toy...
If your dog's is having a bad hair and is feeling depressed because of that, you could bring him to the grooming centre in this outlet and your babe will appear looking cool with a nice hairstyle and confident to attract new friends.
If you don't have a pet.. You could buy one here... They have small animals such as hamsters of various species, rabbits so fat you can cuddle them, guinea pigs so fluffy you can't wait to bring one home. If you prefer something bigger.. Check out the puppies on sale.. They are so adorable, I just can't stand the doggie eyes they give me.. You can ask the friendly staff to let you carry them for a while.. Bond for awhile before you decide if you want to buy them.. However.. Its important never to buy on IMPULSE... Taking care of a pet is a pretty time consuming activity... Unlike buying a car or the Wii when you can ignore them when you have no time or don't feel like it.. Getting a pet is commiting yourself to taking care of them :)
You could join Pet Lovers Centre's membership to get a 10 to 15% discount on everything except live animals... Sometimes they do have some other member perks which can be useful... I love this shop as the staff are so friendly and helpful to attend to my every need. Most importantly, the 'bad hair day' guinea pigs are only going for $80 for one and i'm definitely looking for a girlfriend for my darling 'CASH!'
However I am sad about one thing.. There's no place at vivo for the pets to wander about.... I've been to many countries and even in countries like taiwan, they allow their pets in the mall.. as long as you could handcarry them or put them in a pram.. they are fine... Even in malls like our PARAGON / KLCC kind.. people bring their full grown overweight golden retriever for lunch at the food court with them... Its something I hope we could get there soon....
Meanwhile, enjoy your walk in pets safari which by the way is next to the DaiSo... It could be really educational for your children too...
Dinner was a pleasant affair at Si Chuan Dou Hua. There are actually 3 outlets and we chose the one perched way at the top of UOB Plaza(60th floor) right in the heart of the Central Business District. You don't really need a rocket scientist to figure out why though. The view from the 60th floor is breathtaking. Need I say more?
Any hopes of an awesome aerial view slowly dissipates when you step into the restaurant. The windows are not floor to ceiling windows and offer a very limited view of the surroundings. However, any disappointment is soon placated by the sombre wood themed interior with its indulgent setting and classy finish. But do not write off those windows just yet. Peer through them and you get a magnificent view of the area, complete with shimmering lights of the city below. Its just a little more troublesome thats all.
Now Si Chuan Dou Hua is famous for its artful method of tea pouring. There will be a guy and a lady who will be dressed in traditional martial arts attire and armed with a kettle/teapot that has a very long snout. Water from this kettle/teapot will be skillfully poured into your tea cup containing the ingredients for the Eight Treasures Tea. Just a little background on this Eight Treasures Tea because I'm a huge fan of it. It consists of Red Dates, Wolf Berries, Dried Logans, Chrysanthemum, Rock Sugar, Dried Lily Buds, Jasmine Tea Leaves and Mai Dong, which is believed to reduce cholesterol, stimulate blood circulation and increase immunity. On a sidenote, we had the executive set dinner menu at $78.80 for 2 pax.
Two Delicacies Combination - The two delicacies in this dish refers to a serving of Dried Tau Kwa with Cashew Nuts and a serving of sliced pork with what tasted and looked like Belachan. This dish really whetted our appetites although it was way too spicy for us and we had to resort to downing glasses and glasses of iced water just polish it off. The meat was thinly sliced and had a slightly rubbery texture, which made chewing a pleasure. I did find the Dried Tau Kwa a little too hard though.
Eight Treasure Shark's Fin and Seafood Soup - This didn't really fit the bill of traditional shark's fin soup. It was almost greenish for starters due to the excessive amount of an unknown type of vegetable sprinkled on top (I couldn't really taste what kind of vegetable it was though) and the soup tasted more like tofu soup with seafood. But don't get me wrong, it was actually very tasty while not coming across as too heavy at the same time, probably due to the less starchy texture. There was a sprinkling of shark's fin but they weren't of superior quality. Then again, no complaints for the price.
Silver Cod Fish in Sweet Wine Sauce - I personally fancied this dish pretty much. The fish was fresh, sweet and nicely fried with an almost crispy exterior. Drizzle the sweet wine sauce on it and you get a burst of sweetness from the sauce melding with the natural sweetness of the fish. A simple but delightful dish to say the least.
Fried Rice with Crab Meat - How many times have you ordered crab meat fried rice only to find miniscule portions of crab meat hidden within? Si Chuan Dou Hua's version has large chunks of crab meat embedded within throughly fried grains of rice which have a distinctive Wok Hei aura. Eating too much of it also doesn't render one nauseous, which is a refreshing change from the usual MSG laden ones.
Stir Fried French Bean with Minced Meat - This is a rather uncommon dish in Singapore and many places that I've patronised don't serve it(maybe I'm just unlucky). Naturally I was excited to see that this dish came along with the set menu. Alas, excitement turned to disappointment when I had my first taste of it. The french bean was way too soft and soggy, probably a result of frying for too long. The minced meat topping was rather salty and tasted like dried shrimps actually, but it was the only thing that gave flavour to this dish.
With a name like Si Chuan Dou Hua, it isn't hard to guess what they are famous for - their Dou Hua. I'm not kidding, the Dou Hua is really a cut above the rest. Extremely smooth and quivery, the Dou Hua literally slitters down your throat with every spoonful. The syrup isn't too sweet, but sweet enough to carry the Dou Hua.
The bill came up to $103.50($83.50 after the usage of my $20 voucher), which does push the meaning of reasonable a little, but for the experience, it is still justifiable. Service is reasonably good as well, so it all adds up to a rather pleasant dining experience.
Had been hearing excellent things about Goodwood Park Hotel's English high tea buffet so made it a point to try it out one weekend afternoon. Apparently the buffet is highly sought after so reservations in advance are recommended.
Ambience
Not much to speak of as L'Espresso is actually a lobby lounge that's located just next to the deli where crowds form to buy its signature durian desserts. But on the upside, it offers a view of the charming pool through full length glass windows and there's the pianist too, if you are lucky. Did I mention that Goodwood Park itself exudes a certain colonial charm that is priceless?
Variety
The variety was quite an eyeful. Scones, sandwiches, tarts and other sweets formed the bulk of the food. I didn't do an exact count but you are probably looking at about 20 odd different items. Would have liked some savoury stuff but overall thought the spread was good for an English high tea. You get 2 pots of tea with your buffet as well.
Quality
I must say that I'm quite impressed with the overall quality of the buffet. Everything was daintily and intricately presented, very much like what you would find in more upscale high tea sessions which serve their items on a 3 tier stand. Make a beeline for the scones, which I personally like quite a fair bit, especially with a huge dollop of jam. You might want to skip the foie gras pate sandwiches though as I honestly thought that pate was just gross. But that's just me.
Service
Professional but a little stiff. They did seem a little short handed as well but to give the place credit, our plates were cleared promptly.
Value for money
At 33 (about $39 after tax) per pax, I am most inclined to recommend this place to anyone in search of a nice place to chill out with friends for a couple of hours on a weekend or public holiday with great finger food and desserts to boot. This is honestly one of the very few buffets that I can actually revisit. In short, I loved it.
Its been a while since I frequented pasta mania as I didn't believe in the quality although I know its good for a quick and cheap pasta kick. This time, friends wanted a cheap carbo load for Sundown Marathon so I went along :I
One of the grips I have with cheap pasta chains is that they don't know how to cook the pasta properly i.e al dente. And one of the tricks I learned is when unsure, order penne, because it is more difficult to overcook penne.
Prawn alio olio ($9.60) - with penne. Surprisingly generous portion and the penne cooked just nice. The prawns were diced rather than whole, I guess to make it look more than it was. Decent taste :D
My dinner mates had other things which I did not try but they looked decent.
Also took their "Set C" which gives you a drink and garlic bread at an additional $3.60. The bread was very hard and the drink, well is just a drink. Just that Coke Light costs $0.30 more.
I'm glad that the quality has improved so much :D My only grip is that the tables are packed so tightly you hardly have any space against whoever is sitting behind you; the back of the seats sort of kiss each other.
The place looked decent enough for me to want to step into, although tucked away in a corner of Liang Court level 2. I would not have noticed it if not for the banner hanging from the roof of the mall.
The place looks like a family-style italian diner dotted with with simple no-frills tables and chairs with old-school tablecloths. Service was very cheerful and smiley...way to go~
But honestly, it was the prices that attracted me when I flipped through the menu. With pastas all below $8 and escargots for $5.58, I wanted to see if the quality can pass the mark too.
Spaghetti Peperoncino ($5.68) - Surprisingly good. Al dente and tossed with just the right amount of chili and olive oil. Too many chili seeds though, I took a while to pick them out haha.
Grilled chicken with cheese and tomato sauce ($7.18) - Served on hot plate; the presentation reminds me of Jack's Place, but the quality was much better thankfully. The piece of chicken was too small, but I guess justifiable for the price tag.
Grilled spicy sausages ($5.68) - 5 small sausages served with a side of potato wedges. Being served on hot plate made the slightly spicy sausages less oily than usual and the wedges very crispy. I like~
Drink bar ($2.58 / $3.88) - this is something I didn't try but it looks like a good deal for someone very thirsty. The free-flow bar consists of coffee / tea, soft drinks, and others like Olong tea and barley. You pay only $2.58 if you order as a set with your food; otherwise you pay $3.88 if you're parched but not hungry.
Bill was $21 for 2 persons, which i found it to be not a bad deal, given that its a restaurant setting just less the frills. Good alternative for pasta mania and one the less pricey Italian choice in the vicinity.
Keong Saik Road. A road synonymous with red lanterns and ladies of the night in the past. Now all that are left are old Chinese shophouses which have been restored to their former character with a number being made into boutique hotels - an up and coming trend in the hotel industry. One such boutique hotel is Hotel 1929, which sits smack in the middle of Keong Saik Road. Our restaurant of review today happens to be housed under it, right next to the main entrance. It was fortunate that I had made a reservation, as it got quite packed soon after. Reservations also got us a nice corner table for 5. Ambience wise, it was really cozy with soft lighting and limited seating. The placement of mirrors at strategic locations also made the place look bigger. However, it was a little cramp in reality and noisy as well due to the incessant chatter.
We were really spoilt for choice with regard to the menu. Everything just seemed great and we actually relied on the friendly waitress's recommendations for our order. We had appetizers of Pan Seared Scallops with Parma Ham, Orange and Tarragon Vinaigrette, Tuna Tempura with Goma Wakame, Mustard Dressing and Pan Seared Foie Gras with Caramelized Apple and Clove Port and Raspberry Glaze. Mains included Pan Seared Chilean Seabass with Mushroom and Smoked Bacon Ragout, Truffle-Yuzu Butter Sauce, 2 sets of Char Grilled Angus Beef Ribeye with Fava Beans, Braised Stockyard Beef Cheek with Merlot, Seasonal Vegetables and Slow Roasted Rack of Lamb with Tamarind Reduction. Apple Tart Tartin with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Flavoured Panna Cotta with Chilled Mango Soup, Warm Banana Tart with Homemade Lavender Ice Cream and Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream rounded up our dinner.
A small serving of complimentary bread(refillable) started us off on the right track. The bread was warm and fluffy with a tinge of cheesy aftertaste and went very well with the accompanying butter. Appetizers followed suit soon after.
The Pan Seared Scallops with Parma Ham, Orange and Tarragon Vinaigrette came with huge scallops wrapped with Parma ham. And I mean really HUGE. For one, I've never seen such a huge scallop in my life. Serious. A pity about the taste though. It lacked the sweetness in good scallops and was way too soft in the middle portion. Scallops are supposed to be crunchy, not soft! The accompanying veggies were plain normal, which makes you wonder about the fancy name. On to the next appetizer, the Tuna Tempura with Goma Wakame, Mustard Dressing. I had a good experience with something similar at Sage so I kind of upped my expectations a little. I personally found the tempura batter a little too overwhelming. It masked the taste of the middle raw Tuna a little too much. I could only detect a slight tinge of the Tuna after chewing for some time. Although I appreciate the apparent lack of fishiness, but it kinda defeats the purpose of eating Tuna if there is hardly any Tuna taste. The Pan Seared Foie Gras with Caramelized Apple and Clove Port and Raspberry Glaze probably takes the cake in the appetizer segment. Soft and quivery, it literally melts in your mouth with no distinct and overpowering aftertaste. The caramelized apples added quite a twist to the dish by infusing a certain sweetness into the Foie Gras.
Mains were a mixture of average and above average, with none even closing in on spectacular. The Pan Seared Chilean Seabass with Mushroom and Smoked Bacon Ragout was one of the above average dish. Sweet flesh with a slightly crispy exterior and buttery texture made for a pleasant dish. However, too much butter makes you queasy after a while and that was what my friend experienced.
Getting a steak done right requires a lot of skill. The Char Grilled Angus Beef Ribeye with Fava Beans fell flat in this aspect. Prepared with just salt and pepper, it was supposed to showcase the quality of the cut and the skill of the chef. Neither happened. The taste of the meat was rather flat with no full bodied texture, which is very important for good steaks for that extra oomph. Ok its not as bad I as make it out to be. Its still decent and can probably give a few steakhouses a run for their money. The dubious honour of "worst dish of the day" went to the Braised Stockyard Beef Cheek with Merlot, Seasonal Vegetables. Someone please tell me why this dish is worth the $40 I paid for it because I honestly can't think of any. The beef cheek was so soft that it because gross after a while. Taste wise was merely average with no evident presence of Merlot.
Oh and before I forget, the Slow Roasted Rack of Lamb with Tamarind Reduction was one of the highlights of the mains. It didn't reek strongly of lamb, so that was a relieve for me for I simply abhor the lamb aftertaste. The side of mashed sweet potato was an interesting variation of the more common mashed potato. Smooth, sweet and starchy. Nice! On a sidenote, I am not a lamb person, so I may not be the best person to give you an opinion on this dish.
We had ordered our desserts together with the appetizers and mains as many of them required quite a bit of lead time (About 20-30mins). With such a long advance period, we were expecting some really stupendous and out of this world desserts. That was when reality hit us real bad. In all honesty, none of the desserts were exceptional. The Apple Tart Tartin with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream was probably the best dessert. Creatively shaped into a pie like structure, the apples were not too sweet, but the base was a let down with its soft pastry. The Flavoured Panna Cotta with Chilled Mango Soup was supposed to be a dish where east meets west. Sadly, the west never quite made it. The mango soup, which was essentially mango with sago and pomelo pudding, overpowered the taste of the Panna Cotta. Total whitewash.
I have always wondered how lavender ice cream would taste like and I found out yesterday. It was plain weird and really tasted like lavender scented shampoo or soap, not that I've tried either. Its just that the smell and the taste are the same! So imagine the countless images of shampoo and soap running through my mind while I was eating the Warm Banana Tart with Homemade Lavender Ice Cream. Maybe lavender ice cream just isn't my cup of tea. The banana tart was alright though. It tasted like pastry with banana.
Doesn't Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream sound really good? Imagine breaking into the crust of the chocolate cake and warm chocolate oozing out. Sure the chocolate did ooze out, but the taste was just not up to expectations. The cake tasted too floury, if there's such a word. Too much flour if there isn't. The oozing chocolate was pathetic as compared to the one I had at Morton's of Chicago. The only credit I can think of is the vanilla bean ice cream, which was smooth with a fine texture.
Dinner for 5 cost about $320/-. Terribly expensive if you ask me. Maybe I just have higher expectations about the quality of food than what was given. But wouldn't most people be the same considering the premium price tag? Price aside, I personally found the food at Ember very decent, but not decent enough to warrant another visit with the relatively high prices. Credit goes to the service crew though, who really go the extra mile to make you feel welcomed.
Attended the annual food bloggers lunch at Gunthers, the eponymous modern fine dining French restaurant helmed by Chef Gunther Hubrechsen, who trained under Chef Alain Passard at the 3 Michelin star L’Arpège in Paris and had a 5 year stint with Les Amis. Opened in August 2007, Gunthers has consistently garnered rave reviews from various media for its refreshing twist to classical French food.
The whole place isn't big actually, even more so the private dining room, which was slated to accomodate 24 of us. And because it was a long table, there wasn't much room to manoeuvre around which made it quite cramp (for me at least). Decor came across as simple and minimalist with dark wall tones and carefully placed spotlights - not so much the romantic ambience, but more for business.
Amuse Bouche - I didn't quite take to the amuse bouche, which was a slice of tomato drizzled with a vanilla bean foam served with fava beans and a slice of ciabatta. The foam and vanilla beans seemed more for decoration then anything else and the tomato taste overwhelmed.
Cold Angel Hair Pasta, Oscietra Caviar - One of Gunther's signature dishes, this was quite tasty but I would have preferred my pasta to be more al dente. The chopped chives and truffle oil gave it a smooth savoury taste coupled with a fragrant truffle aroma while the chilliness of the pasta contributed a nice refreshing sensation. Apparently this dish goes for $60 in the ala carte menu, but portions are definitely much much bigger.
Poached White Asparagus, Bouchot Mussels - White asparagus is essentially asparagus that comes from the process of etiolation, which is the deprivation of light. No chlorophyll can be produced without sunlight hence there is no green colouring in the plant. As such, it is slightly milder in flavour and a little more tender then normal green asparagus. I thought that Gunther's rendition of this vegetable was a little lacking. The single stalk of asparagus was poached until it became overly soft and mashy. The accompanying sauce was excellent though, with a hint of cinammon that went very well with the tiny morsels of seafood.
Grilled Cote de Boeuf, Japanese sweet-corn, sauce Bordelaise - The beef was done to a perfect medium rare with a nice slightly charred exterior that hinted strongly of salt. There was one small fault though. The red wine/vinegar reduction seemed a little too rushed, resulting in a lightly sour note as you chew on the meat. I liked the grilled sweet corn that came alongside. It provided a sweet refreshing punctuation in between intakes of beef.
Roasted Black Pig from Spain (Pata Negra) - The pork was a substitute for the Grilled Cote de Boeuf in case anyone didn't take beef. But that's not to say that this dish was lacklustre in comparison. On the contrary, this was one quality piece of meat from the Black Iberian Pig, which is known for its ability to accumulate fat under its skin and between the muscular fibres. Read. Exorbitant prices. Execution wise, I thought that the pork was evenly roasted to produce a tender yet succulent piece of meat that literally left me wanting for more. The only complaint I had was that the meat was overly salty.
Fine Apple Tart a la Dragées, Havana Rum Raisin Ice Cream - Apparently Gunther's signature dessert, the apple tart's crust reminded me of the crust found in the Chinese red bean paste pancake, save for the toppings of nuts on top. The stuffing of apple chunks weren't too soft but lacked the sourish aftertaste in my humble opinion. The rum and raisin ice cream was interesting but somehow I don't remember rum and raisin tasting anything like this, or am I just a die hard alcoholic?
As this was a special arrangement by Gunther's for this particular event, we were fortunate to have been able to try out so many dishes for $45 nett/pax. I would like to end off with a thank you to the organisers for the invite. Cheers.
I had high expectations for this place, but left disappointed. After all, its located at Capella, our island's new 6-star hotel which charges exorbitant prices for its rooms, and I expected the food quality here to be on par. It turned out to be an assumption which I shouldn't have taken.
We had almost everything on the dim sum menu except a few common items like century egg porridge and lotus wrapped glutinous rice:
Amuse Bouche - dragonfruit, pork belly and mango. Chinese restaurants don't usually serve this so was quite pleasantly surprised when it came. The pork belly stood out as quite freshing, without the oiliness that's usually associated with it.
Steamed Milk Custard Bun with Salted Egg Yolk - Came in a orange-hue and nips that, according to lunch mates, looked home-made. Good for them. Taste-wise, not impressive though.
Deep Fried Spring Roll with Prawn, Garlic and Mozzarella Cheese - Long sticks served in a tall glass, which is a unusual presentation for a Chinese restaurant. Not too bad, although I couldn't really taste the cheese.
Pan Fried Bean Curd Skin Rolls with Chicken and French Foie Gras - I don't eat foie gras but I ate it before I remembered. Didn't taste any , so maybe it was good for me that way.
Wok Fried Carrot Cake with Crisp Garlic in Pi Fong Tang Style - My 'must order' dish when having dim sum. Too much fried garlic paired with the otherwise rather bland carrot cake. A limp way to mask the lackluster effort I thought.
Steamed Barbecued US Berkshire Pork Buns - I didn't have this but according to lunch mates, it was not too bad.
Crispy Prawn Dumplings with Wasabi Mayo - Normal stuff.
Steamed Crystal Shrimp Dumplings with Bamboo Shoot and Celery - Cute presentation but otherwise average tasting.
Deep Fried Thai Papaya Puff - we all agreed this unusual dish turned out pretty well. I was only glad the papaya filling was not annoyingly sweet.
Pan Fried Australian Minced Wagyu Beef Bun with Truffle and Water Chestnut - Not too bad i thought, for someone who don't take beef like me. But it was probably a waste of good beef at the same time.
Steamed Sui Mai Dumplings, topped with Norwegian Salmon Roe - Too meaty for my liking. Roe was too fishy for me and meat strangely crunchy.
Baked Farm Egg Tart - Was okay for me.
Really average food quality at best. $72 for 3 people wasn't too pricey at least; I had expected a higher bill when mentally adding up the items. Plus the fact that it is so ulu, I doubt I would return. Nice cushy seats and posh ambience was a plus of course but not a strong enough bait.
I believe this blogstore has been around for a long time, judging from the number of collections they have to date! (133 collections to date!)
Tracyeinny has a very professional and clean cut layout. I cannot stress enough the importance of having a neat layout. Many times, blogstores fail in this aspect. Over here, there are even instructions on how to navigate the blogstore better. Thumbs up for that foresight!
The homepage only displays the latest announcements and the latest collection. In this way, online shoppers won't get confused. Also, the page will not take too long to load! Many other blogshops display too many entries in the landing page and it gets VERY frustrating waiting for everything to finish loading.
Tracyeinny's service is also of a good standard. E-mails are replied rather promptly (at least once a day) and once the item has been mailed, they inform customers.
Over here, they have a wide range of clothes. Just by scrolling down the latest collection, I can already spot the many different types of clothes that caters to people who have different tastes in fashion! Its always important to cater to as many people as possible, especially since their target age group consists of rather fickle people when it comes to style and fashion!
All in all, I feel very satisfied with my purchase from Tracyeinny and I recommend everyone to check them out. The prices are reasonable too! Definitely worth the money.
1=SGD 0.0587
Fancy some place in town with all the dishes on the menu priced at $15 or less? Apparently Oriole, a newly opened cafe/restaurant in town, offers such a value proposition. The name Oriole is interesting because it is also the name of a bird.
Located at Pan Pacific Serviced Suites in Somerset Road, Oriole is owned by the same owner of Aerin's, Bedrock Grill & Bar (next door to Oriole) and Whitebait & Kale and boasts Singapore's number 1 and number 3 baristas, which makes their coffee a must try! The interior of the place is rather cafeish with dim lighting and floor to ceilings windows. Currently the area surrounding Oriole is undergoing construction so there isn't much of a view to speak of.
Coffee Crust Cod Fish ($25.50++)- This was a daily special so the $15/dish cap didn't apply, which was rather regrettable really. The fish was smooth but a wee bit fishy and lacked sweetness. There was the problem of the missing coffee taste as well.
Prawn Spaghetti ($15++) - The pasta was tossed in olive oil and came across as a little too soft. I counted 5 crystal prawns to that were crunchy albeit a little small. But at least the whole dish was still palatable, though probably not something that I would order again.
Honey Crumble Affogato ($7++) - This dessert came with a shot of espresso and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, which unfortunately had ice chips in it. I didn't quite take to the honeycomb crunch as bits of it got stuck onto my teeth. Overall this dessert was nothing too fancy or fantastic in my humble opinion.
Chocolate Fudge Cake ($5.50++) - Apparently one of Oriole's popular desserts, the chocolate fudge cake was quite decent in my humble opinion. Warm with pockets of molten chocolate within, it came across as rich and decadent - a sure fire recipe for nausea in the likely event of over consumption. Pity about the lack of ice cream though.
The total bill came up to $62.40 for 2 mains and 2 desserts, which would put Oriole in the Swensens, NYDC etc price range. Food quality is average but the lack of crowds in the middle of Orchard road is definitely a plus. Service was decent to boot.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
This place is more like being called the Pets Safari however the anchor outlet of Pet Lovers Centre. Here, you can find everything you need for every kind of your pet. Be it the cute little puppy, meowie cat, small hamsters or even pet goldfish... They have everything to suit everybody's needs.
The cages come in many trendy designs and colours as well as sizes for adult german sheperds down to the smallest hamster carrier, not forgetting the handy sling tank.. Now you can bring your fishes for pet walks :).....
All sorts of food, treats and vitamin supplements are available for your pet... Fully Edible Toy Houses made from organic and dye free materials for the comfort of your small hamsters.... I mean they really do have a wide range of everything. Take rabbit food for example, they have various kinds of pallets and hays for their staple food and treats including the carrot lookalike vitamin supplied toy carrot that could last you for at least a week. On top of that your pet rabbit's teeth will be nice and trimmed after playing with that toy...
If your dog's is having a bad hair and is feeling depressed because of that, you could bring him to the grooming centre in this outlet and your babe will appear looking cool with a nice hairstyle and confident to attract new friends.
If you don't have a pet.. You could buy one here... They have small animals such as hamsters of various species, rabbits so fat you can cuddle them, guinea pigs so fluffy you can't wait to bring one home. If you prefer something bigger.. Check out the puppies on sale.. They are so adorable, I just can't stand the doggie eyes they give me.. You can ask the friendly staff to let you carry them for a while.. Bond for awhile before you decide if you want to buy them.. However.. Its important never to buy on IMPULSE... Taking care of a pet is a pretty time consuming activity... Unlike buying a car or the Wii when you can ignore them when you have no time or don't feel like it.. Getting a pet is commiting yourself to taking care of them :)
You could join Pet Lovers Centre's membership to get a 10 to 15% discount on everything except live animals... Sometimes they do have some other member perks which can be useful... I love this shop as the staff are so friendly and helpful to attend to my every need. Most importantly, the 'bad hair day' guinea pigs are only going for $80 for one and i'm definitely looking for a girlfriend for my darling 'CASH!'
However I am sad about one thing.. There's no place at vivo for the pets to wander about.... I've been to many countries and even in countries like taiwan, they allow their pets in the mall.. as long as you could handcarry them or put them in a pram.. they are fine... Even in malls like our PARAGON / KLCC kind.. people bring their full grown overweight golden retriever for lunch at the food court with them... Its something I hope we could get there soon....
Meanwhile, enjoy your walk in pets safari which by the way is next to the DaiSo... It could be really educational for your children too...
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Dinner was a pleasant affair at Si Chuan Dou Hua. There are actually 3 outlets and we chose the one perched way at the top of UOB Plaza(60th floor) right in the heart of the Central Business District. You don't really need a rocket scientist to figure out why though. The view from the 60th floor is breathtaking. Need I say more?
Any hopes of an awesome aerial view slowly dissipates when you step into the restaurant. The windows are not floor to ceiling windows and offer a very limited view of the surroundings. However, any disappointment is soon placated by the sombre wood themed interior with its indulgent setting and classy finish. But do not write off those windows just yet. Peer through them and you get a magnificent view of the area, complete with shimmering lights of the city below. Its just a little more troublesome thats all.
Now Si Chuan Dou Hua is famous for its artful method of tea pouring. There will be a guy and a lady who will be dressed in traditional martial arts attire and armed with a kettle/teapot that has a very long snout. Water from this kettle/teapot will be skillfully poured into your tea cup containing the ingredients for the Eight Treasures Tea. Just a little background on this Eight Treasures Tea because I'm a huge fan of it. It consists of Red Dates, Wolf Berries, Dried Logans, Chrysanthemum, Rock Sugar, Dried Lily Buds, Jasmine Tea Leaves and Mai Dong, which is believed to reduce cholesterol, stimulate blood circulation and increase immunity. On a sidenote, we had the executive set dinner menu at $78.80 for 2 pax.
Two Delicacies Combination - The two delicacies in this dish refers to a serving of Dried Tau Kwa with Cashew Nuts and a serving of sliced pork with what tasted and looked like Belachan. This dish really whetted our appetites although it was way too spicy for us and we had to resort to downing glasses and glasses of iced water just polish it off. The meat was thinly sliced and had a slightly rubbery texture, which made chewing a pleasure. I did find the Dried Tau Kwa a little too hard though.
Eight Treasure Shark's Fin and Seafood Soup - This didn't really fit the bill of traditional shark's fin soup. It was almost greenish for starters due to the excessive amount of an unknown type of vegetable sprinkled on top (I couldn't really taste what kind of vegetable it was though) and the soup tasted more like tofu soup with seafood. But don't get me wrong, it was actually very tasty while not coming across as too heavy at the same time, probably due to the less starchy texture. There was a sprinkling of shark's fin but they weren't of superior quality. Then again, no complaints for the price.
Silver Cod Fish in Sweet Wine Sauce - I personally fancied this dish pretty much. The fish was fresh, sweet and nicely fried with an almost crispy exterior. Drizzle the sweet wine sauce on it and you get a burst of sweetness from the sauce melding with the natural sweetness of the fish. A simple but delightful dish to say the least.
Fried Rice with Crab Meat - How many times have you ordered crab meat fried rice only to find miniscule portions of crab meat hidden within? Si Chuan Dou Hua's version has large chunks of crab meat embedded within throughly fried grains of rice which have a distinctive Wok Hei aura. Eating too much of it also doesn't render one nauseous, which is a refreshing change from the usual MSG laden ones.
Stir Fried French Bean with Minced Meat - This is a rather uncommon dish in Singapore and many places that I've patronised don't serve it(maybe I'm just unlucky). Naturally I was excited to see that this dish came along with the set menu. Alas, excitement turned to disappointment when I had my first taste of it. The french bean was way too soft and soggy, probably a result of frying for too long. The minced meat topping was rather salty and tasted like dried shrimps actually, but it was the only thing that gave flavour to this dish.
With a name like Si Chuan Dou Hua, it isn't hard to guess what they are famous for - their Dou Hua. I'm not kidding, the Dou Hua is really a cut above the rest. Extremely smooth and quivery, the Dou Hua literally slitters down your throat with every spoonful. The syrup isn't too sweet, but sweet enough to carry the Dou Hua.
The bill came up to $103.50($83.50 after the usage of my $20 voucher), which does push the meaning of reasonable a little, but for the experience, it is still justifiable. Service is reasonably good as well, so it all adds up to a rather pleasant dining experience.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Had been hearing excellent things about Goodwood Park Hotel's English high tea buffet so made it a point to try it out one weekend afternoon. Apparently the buffet is highly sought after so reservations in advance are recommended.
Ambience
Not much to speak of as L'Espresso is actually a lobby lounge that's located just next to the deli where crowds form to buy its signature durian desserts. But on the upside, it offers a view of the charming pool through full length glass windows and there's the pianist too, if you are lucky. Did I mention that Goodwood Park itself exudes a certain colonial charm that is priceless?
Variety
The variety was quite an eyeful. Scones, sandwiches, tarts and other sweets formed the bulk of the food. I didn't do an exact count but you are probably looking at about 20 odd different items. Would have liked some savoury stuff but overall thought the spread was good for an English high tea. You get 2 pots of tea with your buffet as well.
Quality
I must say that I'm quite impressed with the overall quality of the buffet. Everything was daintily and intricately presented, very much like what you would find in more upscale high tea sessions which serve their items on a 3 tier stand. Make a beeline for the scones, which I personally like quite a fair bit, especially with a huge dollop of jam. You might want to skip the foie gras pate sandwiches though as I honestly thought that pate was just gross. But that's just me.
Service
Professional but a little stiff. They did seem a little short handed as well but to give the place credit, our plates were cleared promptly.
Value for money
At 33 (about $39 after tax) per pax, I am most inclined to recommend this place to anyone in search of a nice place to chill out with friends for a couple of hours on a weekend or public holiday with great finger food and desserts to boot. This is honestly one of the very few buffets that I can actually revisit. In short, I loved it.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Decent pasta~
Its been a while since I frequented pasta mania as I didn't believe in the quality although I know its good for a quick and cheap pasta kick. This time, friends wanted a cheap carbo load for Sundown Marathon so I went along :I
One of the grips I have with cheap pasta chains is that they don't know how to cook the pasta properly i.e al dente. And one of the tricks I learned is when unsure, order penne, because it is more difficult to overcook penne.
Prawn alio olio ($9.60) - with penne. Surprisingly generous portion and the penne cooked just nice. The prawns were diced rather than whole, I guess to make it look more than it was. Decent taste :D
My dinner mates had other things which I did not try but they looked decent.
Also took their "Set C" which gives you a drink and garlic bread at an additional $3.60. The bread was very hard and the drink, well is just a drink. Just that Coke Light costs $0.30 more.
I'm glad that the quality has improved so much :D My only grip is that the tables are packed so tightly you hardly have any space against whoever is sitting behind you; the back of the seats sort of kiss each other.
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Pasta Mania alternative :D
The place looked decent enough for me to want to step into, although tucked away in a corner of Liang Court level 2. I would not have noticed it if not for the banner hanging from the roof of the mall.
The place looks like a family-style italian diner dotted with with simple no-frills tables and chairs with old-school tablecloths. Service was very cheerful and smiley...way to go~
But honestly, it was the prices that attracted me when I flipped through the menu. With pastas all below $8 and escargots for $5.58, I wanted to see if the quality can pass the mark too.
Spaghetti Peperoncino ($5.68) - Surprisingly good. Al dente and tossed with just the right amount of chili and olive oil. Too many chili seeds though, I took a while to pick them out haha.
Grilled chicken with cheese and tomato sauce ($7.18) - Served on hot plate; the presentation reminds me of Jack's Place, but the quality was much better thankfully. The piece of chicken was too small, but I guess justifiable for the price tag.
Grilled spicy sausages ($5.68) - 5 small sausages served with a side of potato wedges. Being served on hot plate made the slightly spicy sausages less oily than usual and the wedges very crispy. I like~
Drink bar ($2.58 / $3.88) - this is something I didn't try but it looks like a good deal for someone very thirsty. The free-flow bar consists of coffee / tea, soft drinks, and others like Olong tea and barley. You pay only $2.58 if you order as a set with your food; otherwise you pay $3.88 if you're parched but not hungry.
Bill was $21 for 2 persons, which i found it to be not a bad deal, given that its a restaurant setting just less the frills. Good alternative for pasta mania and one the less pricey Italian choice in the vicinity.
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Keong Saik Road. A road synonymous with red lanterns and ladies of the night in the past. Now all that are left are old Chinese shophouses which have been restored to their former character with a number being made into boutique hotels - an up and coming trend in the hotel industry. One such boutique hotel is Hotel 1929, which sits smack in the middle of Keong Saik Road. Our restaurant of review today happens to be housed under it, right next to the main entrance. It was fortunate that I had made a reservation, as it got quite packed soon after. Reservations also got us a nice corner table for 5. Ambience wise, it was really cozy with soft lighting and limited seating. The placement of mirrors at strategic locations also made the place look bigger. However, it was a little cramp in reality and noisy as well due to the incessant chatter.
We were really spoilt for choice with regard to the menu. Everything just seemed great and we actually relied on the friendly waitress's recommendations for our order. We had appetizers of Pan Seared Scallops with Parma Ham, Orange and Tarragon Vinaigrette, Tuna Tempura with Goma Wakame, Mustard Dressing and Pan Seared Foie Gras with Caramelized Apple and Clove Port and Raspberry Glaze. Mains included Pan Seared Chilean Seabass with Mushroom and Smoked Bacon Ragout, Truffle-Yuzu Butter Sauce, 2 sets of Char Grilled Angus Beef Ribeye with Fava Beans, Braised Stockyard Beef Cheek with Merlot, Seasonal Vegetables and Slow Roasted Rack of Lamb with Tamarind Reduction. Apple Tart Tartin with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Flavoured Panna Cotta with Chilled Mango Soup, Warm Banana Tart with Homemade Lavender Ice Cream and Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream rounded up our dinner.
A small serving of complimentary bread(refillable) started us off on the right track. The bread was warm and fluffy with a tinge of cheesy aftertaste and went very well with the accompanying butter. Appetizers followed suit soon after.
The Pan Seared Scallops with Parma Ham, Orange and Tarragon Vinaigrette came with huge scallops wrapped with Parma ham. And I mean really HUGE. For one, I've never seen such a huge scallop in my life. Serious. A pity about the taste though. It lacked the sweetness in good scallops and was way too soft in the middle portion. Scallops are supposed to be crunchy, not soft! The accompanying veggies were plain normal, which makes you wonder about the fancy name. On to the next appetizer, the Tuna Tempura with Goma Wakame, Mustard Dressing. I had a good experience with something similar at Sage so I kind of upped my expectations a little. I personally found the tempura batter a little too overwhelming. It masked the taste of the middle raw Tuna a little too much. I could only detect a slight tinge of the Tuna after chewing for some time. Although I appreciate the apparent lack of fishiness, but it kinda defeats the purpose of eating Tuna if there is hardly any Tuna taste. The Pan Seared Foie Gras with Caramelized Apple and Clove Port and Raspberry Glaze probably takes the cake in the appetizer segment. Soft and quivery, it literally melts in your mouth with no distinct and overpowering aftertaste. The caramelized apples added quite a twist to the dish by infusing a certain sweetness into the Foie Gras.
Mains were a mixture of average and above average, with none even closing in on spectacular. The Pan Seared Chilean Seabass with Mushroom and Smoked Bacon Ragout was one of the above average dish. Sweet flesh with a slightly crispy exterior and buttery texture made for a pleasant dish. However, too much butter makes you queasy after a while and that was what my friend experienced.
Getting a steak done right requires a lot of skill. The Char Grilled Angus Beef Ribeye with Fava Beans fell flat in this aspect. Prepared with just salt and pepper, it was supposed to showcase the quality of the cut and the skill of the chef. Neither happened. The taste of the meat was rather flat with no full bodied texture, which is very important for good steaks for that extra oomph. Ok its not as bad I as make it out to be. Its still decent and can probably give a few steakhouses a run for their money. The dubious honour of "worst dish of the day" went to the Braised Stockyard Beef Cheek with Merlot, Seasonal Vegetables. Someone please tell me why this dish is worth the $40 I paid for it because I honestly can't think of any. The beef cheek was so soft that it because gross after a while. Taste wise was merely average with no evident presence of Merlot.
Oh and before I forget, the Slow Roasted Rack of Lamb with Tamarind Reduction was one of the highlights of the mains. It didn't reek strongly of lamb, so that was a relieve for me for I simply abhor the lamb aftertaste. The side of mashed sweet potato was an interesting variation of the more common mashed potato. Smooth, sweet and starchy. Nice! On a sidenote, I am not a lamb person, so I may not be the best person to give you an opinion on this dish.
We had ordered our desserts together with the appetizers and mains as many of them required quite a bit of lead time (About 20-30mins). With such a long advance period, we were expecting some really stupendous and out of this world desserts. That was when reality hit us real bad. In all honesty, none of the desserts were exceptional.
The Apple Tart Tartin with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream was probably the best dessert. Creatively shaped into a pie like structure, the apples were not too sweet, but the base was a let down with its soft pastry. The Flavoured Panna Cotta with Chilled Mango Soup was supposed to be a dish where east meets west. Sadly, the west never quite made it. The mango soup, which was essentially mango with sago and pomelo pudding, overpowered the taste of the Panna Cotta. Total whitewash.
I have always wondered how lavender ice cream would taste like and I found out yesterday. It was plain weird and really tasted like lavender scented shampoo or soap, not that I've tried either. Its just that the smell and the taste are the same! So imagine the countless images of shampoo and soap running through my mind while I was eating the Warm Banana Tart with Homemade Lavender Ice Cream. Maybe lavender ice cream just isn't my cup of tea. The banana tart was alright though. It tasted like pastry with banana.
Doesn't Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream sound really good? Imagine breaking into the crust of the chocolate cake and warm chocolate oozing out. Sure the chocolate did ooze out, but the taste was just not up to expectations. The cake tasted too floury, if there's such a word. Too much flour if there isn't. The oozing chocolate was pathetic as compared to the one I had at Morton's of Chicago. The only credit I can think of is the vanilla bean ice cream, which was smooth with a fine texture.
Dinner for 5 cost about $320/-. Terribly expensive if you ask me. Maybe I just have higher expectations about the quality of food than what was given. But wouldn't most people be the same considering the premium price tag? Price aside, I personally found the food at Ember very decent, but not decent enough to warrant another visit with the relatively high prices. Credit goes to the service crew though, who really go the extra mile to make you feel welcomed.
See my pictures here
Rating given:
Attended the annual food bloggers lunch at Gunthers, the eponymous modern fine dining French restaurant helmed by Chef Gunther Hubrechsen, who trained under Chef Alain Passard at the 3 Michelin star L’Arpège in Paris and had a 5 year stint with Les Amis. Opened in August 2007, Gunthers has consistently garnered rave reviews from various media for its refreshing twist to classical French food.
The whole place isn't big actually, even more so the private dining room, which was slated to accomodate 24 of us. And because it was a long table, there wasn't much room to manoeuvre around which made it quite cramp (for me at least). Decor came across as simple and minimalist with dark wall tones and carefully placed spotlights - not so much the romantic ambience, but more for business.
Amuse Bouche - I didn't quite take to the amuse bouche, which was a slice of tomato drizzled with a vanilla bean foam served with fava beans and a slice of ciabatta. The foam and vanilla beans seemed more for decoration then anything else and the tomato taste overwhelmed.
Cold Angel Hair Pasta, Oscietra Caviar - One of Gunther's signature dishes, this was quite tasty but I would have preferred my pasta to be more al dente. The chopped chives and truffle oil gave it a smooth savoury taste coupled with a fragrant truffle aroma while the chilliness of the pasta contributed a nice refreshing sensation. Apparently this dish goes for $60 in the ala carte menu, but portions are definitely much much bigger.
Poached White Asparagus, Bouchot Mussels - White asparagus is essentially asparagus that comes from the process of etiolation, which is the deprivation of light. No chlorophyll can be produced without sunlight hence there is no green colouring in the plant. As such, it is slightly milder in flavour and a little more tender then normal green asparagus. I thought that Gunther's rendition of this vegetable was a little lacking. The single stalk of asparagus was poached until it became overly soft and mashy. The accompanying sauce was excellent though, with a hint of cinammon that went very well with the tiny morsels of seafood.
Grilled Cote de Boeuf, Japanese sweet-corn, sauce Bordelaise - The beef was done to a perfect medium rare with a nice slightly charred exterior that hinted strongly of salt. There was one small fault though. The red wine/vinegar reduction seemed a little too rushed, resulting in a lightly sour note as you chew on the meat. I liked the grilled sweet corn that came alongside. It provided a sweet refreshing punctuation in between intakes of beef.
Roasted Black Pig from Spain (Pata Negra) -
The pork was a substitute for the Grilled Cote de Boeuf in case anyone didn't take beef. But that's not to say that this dish was lacklustre in comparison. On the contrary, this was one quality piece of meat from the Black Iberian Pig, which is known for its ability to accumulate fat under its skin and between the muscular fibres. Read. Exorbitant prices. Execution wise, I thought that the pork was evenly roasted to produce a tender yet succulent piece of meat that literally left me wanting for more. The only complaint I had was that the meat was overly salty.
Fine Apple Tart a la Dragées, Havana Rum Raisin Ice Cream - Apparently Gunther's signature dessert, the apple tart's crust reminded me of the crust found in the Chinese red bean paste pancake, save for the toppings of nuts on top. The stuffing of apple chunks weren't too soft but lacked the sourish aftertaste in my humble opinion. The rum and raisin ice cream was interesting but somehow I don't remember rum and raisin tasting anything like this, or am I just a die hard alcoholic?
As this was a special arrangement by Gunther's for this particular event, we were fortunate to have been able to try out so many dishes for $45 nett/pax. I would like to end off with a thank you to the organisers for the invite. Cheers.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Disappointing...
I had high expectations for this place, but left disappointed. After all, its located at Capella, our island's new 6-star hotel which charges exorbitant prices for its rooms, and I expected the food quality here to be on par. It turned out to be an assumption which I shouldn't have taken.
We had almost everything on the dim sum menu except a few common items like century egg porridge and lotus wrapped glutinous rice:
Amuse Bouche - dragonfruit, pork belly and mango. Chinese restaurants don't usually serve this so was quite pleasantly surprised when it came. The pork belly stood out as quite freshing, without the oiliness that's usually associated with it.
Steamed Milk Custard Bun with Salted Egg Yolk - Came in a orange-hue and nips that, according to lunch mates, looked home-made. Good for them. Taste-wise, not impressive though.
Deep Fried Spring Roll with Prawn, Garlic and Mozzarella Cheese - Long sticks served in a tall glass, which is a unusual presentation for a Chinese restaurant. Not too bad, although I couldn't really taste the cheese.
Pan Fried Bean Curd Skin Rolls with Chicken and French Foie Gras - I don't eat foie gras but I ate it before I remembered. Didn't taste any , so maybe it was good for me that way.
Wok Fried Carrot Cake with Crisp Garlic in Pi Fong Tang Style - My 'must order' dish when having dim sum. Too much fried garlic paired with the otherwise rather bland carrot cake. A limp way to mask the lackluster effort I thought.
Steamed Barbecued US Berkshire Pork Buns - I didn't have this but according to lunch mates, it was not too bad.
Crispy Prawn Dumplings with Wasabi Mayo - Normal stuff.
Steamed Crystal Shrimp Dumplings with Bamboo Shoot and Celery - Cute presentation but otherwise average tasting.
Deep Fried Thai Papaya Puff - we all agreed this unusual dish turned out pretty well. I was only glad the papaya filling was not annoyingly sweet.
Pan Fried Australian Minced Wagyu Beef Bun with Truffle and Water Chestnut - Not too bad i thought, for someone who don't take beef like me. But it was probably a waste of good beef at the same time.
Steamed Sui Mai Dumplings, topped with Norwegian Salmon Roe - Too meaty for my liking. Roe was too fishy for me and meat strangely crunchy.
Baked Farm Egg Tart - Was okay for me.
Really average food quality at best. $72 for 3 people wasn't too pricey at least; I had expected a higher bill when mentally adding up the items. Plus the fact that it is so ulu, I doubt I would return. Nice cushy seats and posh ambience was a plus of course but not a strong enough bait.
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I believe this blogstore has been around for a long time, judging from the number of collections they have to date! (133 collections to date!)
Tracyeinny has a very professional and clean cut layout. I cannot stress enough the importance of having a neat layout. Many times, blogstores fail in this aspect. Over here, there are even instructions on how to navigate the blogstore better. Thumbs up for that foresight!
The homepage only displays the latest announcements and the latest collection. In this way, online shoppers won't get confused. Also, the page will not take too long to load! Many other blogshops display too many entries in the landing page and it gets VERY frustrating waiting for everything to finish loading.
Tracyeinny's service is also of a good standard. E-mails are replied rather promptly (at least once a day) and once the item has been mailed, they inform customers.
Over here, they have a wide range of clothes. Just by scrolling down the latest collection, I can already spot the many different types of clothes that caters to people who have different tastes in fashion! Its always important to cater to as many people as possible, especially since their target age group consists of rather fickle people when it comes to style and fashion!
All in all, I feel very satisfied with my purchase from Tracyeinny and I recommend everyone to check them out. The prices are reasonable too! Definitely worth the money.
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