It was the usual weekly dinner with my folks again and the venue of choice was The Chinese Restaurant at Raffles Town Club. Apparently this is a members only restaurant so I didn't harbour any hopes of a fantastic meal even though prices aren't exactly the cheapest around.
In the glossy pages of the club magazine, the restaurant looked like a blast. However reality is harsh and the interior turned out looking more dreary then glam. What was rather amusing was that the restaurant required us (the customers) to switch off our cell phones during our meal. Fortunately, it wasn't strictly enforced though.
Smoked Salmon with Passion Fruit & Vegetable Salad - There were only 2 slices of the smoked salmon, which was quite pathetic if you ask me. And the salmon was way too salty but I guess not having the overwhelmingly raw taste is a plus.
Braised Superior Shark's Fin with Bean Sprout - The broth was a tad too starchy but the fins were relatively generous, though of the mediocre variant. Adding to the woes was the overdose of salt, which made the soup rather heavy.
Braised Seasonal Vegetables with Bean Curd Stick & Conpoy in Chicken Stock - This dish was a major turn off. The spinach wasn't properly washed and I could hear the resounding crunch of sand/sediment with every bite. The bean curd stick tasted like flour but to give it credit, it was well deep fried and topped with shreds of deep fried dried scallops.
Sauteed Scallop & Fresh Prawn in Sichuan Sauce - This was probably the best dish of the evening as the scallops were crunchy and sweet while the prawns fresh but a tad small. The bed of broccoli wasn't over or undercooked but the sichuan sauce came across as mildly spicy and very normal.
Steamed Sea Perch with Chilli - I couldn't quite make out the chilli in this dish. What I could taste was black bean sauce. And lots of it. The meat was firm, a tad too firm actually, from being overcooked.
Braised Vermicelli & Mian Xian with Dried Seafood - This dish was well fried with a discernible wok hei taste and the noodles weren't too soggy. However too much of it rendered me nauseous.
I thought $215 for an unsatisfactory meal for 4 was expensive and if given a choice, I would never return, ever again. There is a strict dress code as well, which adds to the annoyance.
I think the smell of the fuel they used for the individual pot should change as the burning fuel did reduced my appetite greatly.
Soup:
Taste of soup too strong hence masking the taste of the food. Especially the Laksa soup base. Quoting my friend... "Everything tasted like Laksa..."
Food Variety:
Fresh, especially the vegetables but we don't see much meat though. Variety of cooked food and raw food is wide though I don't know why there are so many spicy cooked dishes on the menu. The Douhu Goreng is not bad if they did not overcooked it till its (very) hard. The black pepper (I think) beef is good too. I liked the spring onions and other condiments provided.
Dessert:
Poor and I must agree the chocolate of the fondue saved the dessert section as without it, there will only be mashmellow, fruits and some banana walnut cakes.
Service:
Except for some no-smile-policy people from China, the service is quite fast considering the place was packed when we went there.
Can go again. However, do not wait till too late to order the chocolate fondue as there won't be much things left to go with it. (We had only banana, strawberry and mashmellows)
Like Trumpat, we went there for the first time because a colleague wanted to eat the mango pudding. ;D Went there 2 more times after.
At $26 per person, the place require additional charge for drinks other than cold water (and the water dispenser was like hidden in one corner). 3 kinds of soup base to choose from alternating between Winter Melon, Laksa (very sweet), Herbal Chicken (a bit too bitter) and pork base (this is the best I feel). (Refillable of the same kind, $3 for additional pot of soup)
Variety of raw food for cooking and cooked food to choose from. Raw food kinds are quite fresh though there's variety, its not reall~~~y wide. Haven't really tried the cooked food cept for the Po Piah which tasted quite good but need thinner skin and more garlic.
Service was ok, empty plates cleared quite fast and the "aunties" are very friendly too.
However, the desserts are not as good comparative to the food stuffs. Most probably because I only ate the western desserts which will taste nice if they are cold (but left out in the open, they are not cold). So we had room temperature Choc Eclaire etc. However the mango pudding is a MUST try. The taste of Mango thick but not too sweet. Texture great, elastic, not too watery. (Best!)
HFB had the opportunity to dine and wine at Chen Fu Ji Sing’s Sensation, nested at the 2nd level of Riverside Point. For those who yet know, two sisters founded Chen Fu Ji 50 years ago and were dishing out their signatured $25.00 Fried Rice that came with Crab Meat in the 80s!! So it was with much expectancy when HFB arrived at the restuarant.
The complimentary Cod Fish snack was nothing fanciful – but it did keep HFB’s hands and mouth busy. It was pretty addictive.
The Seafood Doufu in Hot Plate ($18.00) came sizzling hot and rather generous with ingredients. However, with the sauce being rather starchy and salty on its own, a bowl of steam rice to complement it would be an ideal choice. Wow factor was sorely lacking though – HFB had tried many better ones elsewhere.
The Braised Japanese Shiitake with Seasonal Vegetables ($24.00 for medium serving) was much welcomed with its thick and juicy mushrooms. Vegetables were fresh and crunchy.
What’s a trip to Chen Fu Ji without sampling the legendary Imperial Fried Rice ($25.00 for medium serving)? Each grain of rice, believed to be selected for its size, texture and moisture content, was also said to be conditioned prior to frying. Nevertheless, what really distinct itself from the normal fried rice was the fusing of beaten eggs with each grain of rice that gave it a smooth texture, golden hue and aromatic fragrance. With a stack of freshly peeled Crab Meat and unique Egg Floss, the dish came with heighten expectations. It was good all right, with the non-greasy aftertaste and aromatic egg flavour, but it wasn’t great. There was a distinct lacked of ‘Wok Hei’ flavour that HFB would preferred in his fried rice though. Also the serving portion was only sufficient for a small bowl each.
Surprisingly, the best dish that night was the Peking Roast Duck ($35.00 for half portion). The roasted duck skin was deftly curved into thin slices and it was crunchy and full of taste.
The thick juicy duck meat, accompanied with condiments like scallions and cucumber, along with a coat of Hoisin Sauce wrapped with Chinese Pancake was also delightful.
It was a simple day when i required a little R & R to get rid of the daily grind. So it was that i choose a sea front bar cum restaurant called Water Cross at Pasir Ris park.
There were 2 sections to this restaurant. Outdoor and indoor. The indoor section had air conditioning and sofa seats which appealed to me.
Everything went well until i was told i couldn't take photos. Which was fine except it took about 20mins to confirm this fact, i could have happily left had they told me earlier.
What i ordered was:
Hoegarden (bottle) $10 - this is more or less daylight robbery but its to be expected. However, i do think that if they wish to charge ridiculous prices for drinks, at least do it by tap or pour it out of the bottle first to make us feel less stupid. After all, i could have bought 4 bottles of the same drink at $17.50 from NTUC nearby.
The island punch $9 - my gf ordered this mocktail which was rather interested with a minty and sourish taste. Still its $9 and its definitely not worth it.
Golden wings ($10.80) - the grand total of wings came out to be 5 chicken wings...there's really nothing much on it to enhance the taste. I'm guessing salt and lots of oil. To be fair, it doesn't taste too bad but how bad can chicken wings be?
Seafood pasta ($17.80) - another overly priced and poorly executed item. The seafood is moderate but no where near generous. The pasta is soggy and portion size was pathetic. I'm only glad that i didn't order 2 mains to waste my money on.
The total bill came up to $52.36.
The best consolation from this experience is that i didn't have to pay gst. But come on, look at the price and you know where this hidden cost is at.
Sorry if its all just complaining but i honestly think it was a total waste of money. Return to this place? No way. Cheerios.
Village wok, a simple name for a simple image. Traditional food at a semi affordable price and secret recipes which brought about a fortune. I'd like to thank the owner for inviting us for a tasting session and for the wonderful hospitality they've shown the group.
Hidden in a rather inconspicuous corner along Cecil and Amoy street is this extremely Chinese looking restaurant. The interior is adorned with simple antique furniture and the bare minimals, tables, chairs, air conditioning and lots of white cloth. In simple fact, its simplicity extends to its food offerings as well. Thats not a bad thing by the way. In fact, the restaurant is simply a front for a greater business, the actual supply and selling of their famous and secret sauces.
DIY Popiah Set ($20 per set) - An apt start to our session began with one of their more popular items, the do-it-yourself popiah. At $20 a set, this is pretty good value for money since its possible to serve up to 5 people. The real draw lies in the process of making these little delectable dishes. A little bit of carrot here, some shrimp here, a little cucumber and sauces there, its actually loads of fun for such a simple process. I have to complement the chili sauce provided because it was mild yet retained some spiciness for a suitable kick.
Chilled crab with special vinegrette sauce ($30 per crab) - To enjoy this dish, one must first reserve it with the restaurant since there's only a fixed number of these little crustaceans available daily. The real draw of it lies in the succulently sweet meat and sinful eggish paste that comes with each one of these crawlies. Taken as it is, its already a treat but simply swab a little of Village Wok's top grade vinegrette and you'll be sold on paying a whooping $30 per crab. Steeply priced? Definitely. Worth a try? The depends on your wallet.
Fried Brinjal with crispy squid in BXO sauce ($15) - This dish was a surprise to me simply because, i dislike brinjal and this dish made me reconsider my opinions of this tasty plant. The sweet sauce coupled with the fried squid served to give the soggy plant more texture and taste then i'm ever tasted before. I enjoyed this dish and have been trying brinjal made dishes ever since.
The Phoenix soars ($21 ) - A flashy name for a simple dish. The is basically just a plate of roasted and white boneless chicken. The twist lies in the addition of lettuce to wrap the chicken in and of course, Village wok's own chili and garlic sauce which proved once again to complement it very well. I prefered the white chicken which was more tender but otherwise was only impressed with the sauce since i've had the same conceptualised chicken in other establishements.
Black pepper ham leg ($23 ) - Pig's trotters honestly do not appeal to me but this was once again a surprise. The crispy skin coupled with a thin layer of fats and thick lean meat provided a decent balance to the palate. There's a slight "porkish" smell from the fat but is easily negated with Village wok's rather spicy black pepper sauce.
Village Wok Celebration Parade ($22 ) - Simply roast pork and char siew in an extremely nicely set dish. The presentation for this did loads to make us hunger for it. This dish was another of their simple dishes done well. Tender, juicy and sweet char siew with an equally juicy roast pork in mustard sauce, whats not to like?
Steamed Pating fish with preserved vegetables ($44 ) - I love fish and i love batang chopped into little pieces to be used in porridge. This rendition is sadly not one of those i liked. The salty preserved vegetables and steamed fish didn't seem to complement each other since fish are supposed to be sweet and having a salty base simply didn't bring out the flavor i've come to expect and love.
Smiling fortune noodle ($8 ) - This noodles happens to one of the cheapest items you can find here. In fact, its rather value for money, has a strong shrimp taste and is a tad spicy. I liked it though.
Home-made Nonya Kaya with bread - Now this was weird, the kaya was balanced and sweet enough to have all of us popping each piece of bread into our mouths non stop. In fact, after all the food above, we managed to clear 3 plates of this strangely addictive yet simple item. Many of us were tempted to purchase the kaya home as well.
Black glutinous rice with coconut ice cream and lemongrass ice cream($4.50) - Dessert is also a simple affair with the surprise hit being the lemongrass ice cream. I liked the way it cleaned the palate and refreshed our heaty breaths after a heavy meal.I'd recommend it over the coconut ice cream anyday.
True to what our host said, the sauces are the star of the day. Without which, the food offerings would have seemed too simple to be worth the amount they commanded. I can understand why people would pay to have these sauces supplied given their popularity with even my group. However, i do need to point out that this meal would have cost in excess of $200 if we were billed for it. And i do feel its still too steep a price to pay.
Seems like many people have actually blogged about this up and coming patisserie hidden at the corner of the Notorious Keong Saik Road, Craig Road and Neil Road intersection within Chinatown Plaza - a rather dilapidated private apartment of sorts. Helmed by Master Chef Yamashita who hails from Nara, Japan, this tiny patisserie has been garnering rave reviews in the media and blogosphere alike.
Banana Mille-Feuille ($4.50) - I thought that the mille feuille was a great way to start off as it was light and crisp due to the layer of puff pastry thats sandwiched in between layers of chocolate mousse, sponge and bananas. The chocolate mousse itself was very well balanced and didn't threaten to overwhelm.
Strawberry Hill ($5.20) - Topped with sliced strawberries on layers of light and fluffy sponge sandwiching fresh cream on a wholesome oven baked tart base, the strawberry hill was sublimely good. What's interesting about this cake is that the name really suits it! The cake gets substantially more dense towards the bottom, very much like a hill, where the soil is looser at the top and gradually becomes more compact towards the bottom.
Strawberry Soufflé ($5.30) - The pièce de résistance. Dense yet light on the palate with a tinge of lemony zest and topped with strawberries. Its probably one of the best cheesecakes I've eaten in a long long while.
Its an ancient skill of hair removal using nothing but a piece of thread.. If you ask your grandma, she might know.... Some people describes it as the feeling of the blade of a knife scraping through their face. Well.. If you like to fly a kite, you could truly understand the destructive power of a single thread when held tight and colliding with another surface. I should say.. for Beauty, we're willing to sacrifice anything...
My experience however is more exciting and it all happened so quick.... I couldn't even come to terms with it before the whole session was over.. I was more of shock and happy to see the wonderful results of my beautiful eye brows... This is how it happens...
I was feeling rather bushy (brows bushy) and felt i needed some tidying.. and so being in the west.. I've decided to find that famous indian threading shop I've heard so much about. I went online i tried to find its location and through some tedious means, I finally got one information.... Thats.. its along the OCBC stretch of Clementi Central.. and so here I go...
I'm not a clementi fan but however... after much walking.. I managed to find OCBC.. Now OCBC is at a corner.. so naturally, theres 2 stretches.. I finally found the shop.. which is nearer to the hawker side... I saw 2 well kept indian ladies each working on a customers on a chair... so i went in and asked how long do i need to wait....
The lady just said 5 minutes.. and there are 2 more customers patiently sitted there waiting... so i joined the queue.. before i knew it the lady on the chair is done and the customer was asked to get up from the chair with her face still covered with residual hair.. Not a piece of tissue was offered however.. the lady gladly gave up her sit and went on to the side to clear her unkempt self...
In about 3 minutes... it was mine turn.... I just told her i need to do my brows and when i closed my eyes. It started.. quite a pleasant experience.. I could feel the thread cutting my bushy brows and clearing the sparse hair all around it... Before i could winch my eyes.. she says.. OK... I was surprised.. and then i told her i need to do other parts of my face... she just lay me down and continued.... after about 3 minutes I was completely done... and asked to leave the chair with my face full of hair.. I checked in the mirror at the side.. it was PERFECT... I didn't need to tell her how i want my brows to be done and it was perfectly nice.... Shapy, neat and balanced.. I always had this one side high and one side low brows.. but its perfect.... So i dusted my face with my hands and proceed to pay...
The Service was quick, a little stinging but feels rather comfy afterwards and its so ECONOMICAL in pricing...
Eye Brows are $5 for both
Full Face is $10
Eyebrows and Face is $15
Eyebrows and Upper Lip is $8
Its the better of the threading comparatively to the one i had at Toa Payoh from the China woman.
Its quick and gives very good results... A must try for the beautiful brow lovers...
Everything happens so quick, i'm still in shock.. photos will posted after my next visit :)
Better than average hotel but beware of rude staff
I booked a room to rest for a weekend event which had 16 overseas guests flying in and staying there as well, so I thought it'd be convenient.
The location of the hotel was excellent, with a passageway accessible from the 4th floor that leads right to Marina Square the shopping Mall. Marina Square itself have sheltered access to other nearby malls like Suntec City and City Link Mall, so for the shopaholics, you can still get tons of shopping done while staying dry when it pours.
The only gripe is its a fair walk from the nearest MRT station, Cityhall. Takes about 10mins if you walk briskly, and the walk can seem to be abit too long when you need the showers after a long day.
Loved the design of the hotel, high ceilings with a circular design to compliment the shape of the building itself. From every floor of the hotel, you get a full view of the hotel lobby on the 4th floor and hear birds chirping every morning and evening (I heard they bring in the birds especially on these 2 timings each day so guests can feel closer to nature; nice touch!).
The room itself was very clean and spacious enough to warrant the SGD269 per night I paid for. Comfy beds, plasms TV, and bright clean bathroom. My event lasted until 5am and I had to wake up the next day at 7am so I didn't have a chance to try what channels were available for entertainment. The only thing I felt they could have thrown in was the buffet breakfast, which cost an additional SDG40 per person at Aquamarine.
Check-in and check out were efficient, even a last minute request for a 40-seater coach to send my guests to the airport was met promptly.
The only thing I noticed about some of the staff is that they tend to greet tourists with a smile while us the locals, even though we were hotel guests as well, were ignored. I have encountered this many times and it still irritates me that some of them practice such discrimination.
My overseas guests had a ridiculous experience with the hotel staff that ended up with the hotel staff ordering my guests to return to their rooms and demanding them to flash their key cards to prove that they were indeed hotel guests. An experience which led to my overseas guests vowing they would never return and us the local hosts embarrassed that a 5-star luxury hotel could do such a thing.
But then again, I thought I needed to give an objective review of the locations and rooms itself, that explains my entry. I'll leave it to your discretion but if you ask me, better service and cheaper rates for the same convenience and standard of rooms can be found at Pan Pacific Singapore, right across the street.
Breeks located at the corner of level 3 at T2 is a nice place to chill while waiting for friends to arrive or depart. >.<
Being Halal certified also means that everyone is able to enjoy the food and wide variety of desserts here.
If you're looking for powerpoint for your machines, there's only one (I think) near the entrance on the red wall.
Food here is nice and the serving size fits my tummy just fine. The chicken patty is packed with crunchy onions, and some unknown stuff which I simply ignored. I digg anything chicken and with melted cheese!
The Nutella Milkshake though could be better. The shake isn't thick enough imo.
Looking at the crowd here now, at this hour (yes I'm writing this review while I'm still here) on a Friday night, I guess it shouldn't be a problem getting a table for meal.
Perhaps if I'm going to stay here longer, I might give one of their desserts a try. Anyone wants to join me?
1=SGD 0.0587
It was the usual weekly dinner with my folks again and the venue of choice was The Chinese Restaurant at Raffles Town Club. Apparently this is a members only restaurant so I didn't harbour any hopes of a fantastic meal even though prices aren't exactly the cheapest around.
In the glossy pages of the club magazine, the restaurant looked like a blast. However reality is harsh and the interior turned out looking more dreary then glam. What was rather amusing was that the restaurant required us (the customers) to switch off our cell phones during our meal. Fortunately, it wasn't strictly enforced though.
Smoked Salmon with Passion Fruit & Vegetable Salad - There were only 2 slices of the smoked salmon, which was quite pathetic if you ask me. And the salmon was way too salty but I guess not having the overwhelmingly raw taste is a plus.
Braised Superior Shark's Fin with Bean Sprout - The broth was a tad too starchy but the fins were relatively generous, though of the mediocre variant. Adding to the woes was the overdose of salt, which made the soup rather heavy.
Braised Seasonal Vegetables with Bean Curd Stick & Conpoy in Chicken Stock - This dish was a major turn off. The spinach wasn't properly washed and I could hear the resounding crunch of sand/sediment with every bite. The bean curd stick tasted like flour but to give it credit, it was well deep fried and topped with shreds of deep fried dried scallops.
Sauteed Scallop & Fresh Prawn in Sichuan Sauce - This was probably the best dish of the evening as the scallops were crunchy and sweet while the prawns fresh but a tad small. The bed of broccoli wasn't over or undercooked but the sichuan sauce came across as mildly spicy and very normal.
Steamed Sea Perch with Chilli - I couldn't quite make out the chilli in this dish. What I could taste was black bean sauce. And lots of it. The meat was firm, a tad too firm actually, from being overcooked.
Braised Vermicelli & Mian Xian with Dried Seafood -
This dish was well fried with a discernible wok hei taste and the noodles weren't too soggy. However too much of it rendered me nauseous.
I thought $215 for an unsatisfactory meal for 4 was expensive and if given a choice, I would never return, ever again. There is a strict dress code as well, which adds to the annoyance.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Went there recently in Mar 09.
I think the smell of the fuel they used for the individual pot should change as the burning fuel did reduced my appetite greatly.
Soup:
Taste of soup too strong hence masking the taste of the food. Especially the Laksa soup base. Quoting my friend... "Everything tasted like Laksa..."
Food Variety:
Fresh, especially the vegetables but we don't see much meat though. Variety of cooked food and raw food is wide though I don't know why there are so many spicy cooked dishes on the menu. The Douhu Goreng is not bad if they did not overcooked it till its (very) hard. The black pepper (I think) beef is good too. I liked the spring onions and other condiments provided.
Dessert:
Poor and I must agree the chocolate of the fondue saved the dessert section as without it, there will only be mashmellow, fruits and some banana walnut cakes.
Service:
Except for some no-smile-policy people from China, the service is quite fast considering the place was packed when we went there.
Can go again. However, do not wait till too late to order the chocolate fondue as there won't be much things left to go with it. (We had only banana, strawberry and mashmellows)
Rating given:
Like Trumpat, we went there for the first time because a colleague wanted to eat the mango pudding. ;D Went there 2 more times after.
At $26 per person, the place require additional charge for drinks other than cold water (and the water dispenser was like hidden in one corner). 3 kinds of soup base to choose from alternating between Winter Melon, Laksa (very sweet), Herbal Chicken (a bit too bitter) and pork base (this is the best I feel). (Refillable of the same kind, $3 for additional pot of soup)
Variety of raw food for cooking and cooked food to choose from. Raw food kinds are quite fresh though there's variety, its not reall~~~y wide. Haven't really tried the cooked food cept for the Po Piah which tasted quite good but need thinner skin and more garlic.
Service was ok, empty plates cleared quite fast and the "aunties" are very friendly too.
However, the desserts are not as good comparative to the food stuffs. Most probably because I only ate the western desserts which will taste nice if they are cold (but left out in the open, they are not cold). So we had room temperature Choc Eclaire etc. However the mango pudding is a MUST try. The taste of Mango thick but not too sweet. Texture great, elastic, not too watery. (Best!)
Rating given:
HFB had the opportunity to dine and wine at Chen Fu Ji Sing’s Sensation, nested at the 2nd level of Riverside Point. For those who yet know, two sisters founded Chen Fu Ji 50 years ago and were dishing out their signatured $25.00 Fried Rice that came with Crab Meat in the 80s!! So it was with much expectancy when HFB arrived at the restuarant.
The complimentary Cod Fish snack was nothing fanciful – but it did keep HFB’s hands and mouth busy. It was pretty addictive.
The Seafood Doufu in Hot Plate ($18.00) came sizzling hot and rather generous with ingredients. However, with the sauce being rather starchy and salty on its own, a bowl of steam rice to complement it would be an ideal choice. Wow factor was sorely lacking though – HFB had tried many better ones elsewhere.
The Braised Japanese Shiitake with Seasonal Vegetables ($24.00 for medium serving) was much welcomed with its thick and juicy mushrooms. Vegetables were fresh and crunchy.
What’s a trip to Chen Fu Ji without sampling the legendary Imperial Fried Rice ($25.00 for medium serving)? Each grain of rice, believed to be selected for its size, texture and moisture content, was also said to be conditioned prior to frying. Nevertheless, what really distinct itself from the normal fried rice was the fusing of beaten eggs with each grain of rice that gave it a smooth texture, golden hue and aromatic fragrance. With a stack of freshly peeled Crab Meat and unique Egg Floss, the dish came with heighten expectations. It was good all right, with the non-greasy aftertaste and aromatic egg flavour, but it wasn’t great. There was a distinct lacked of ‘Wok Hei’ flavour that HFB would preferred in his fried rice though. Also the serving portion was only sufficient for a small bowl each.
Surprisingly, the best dish that night was the Peking Roast Duck ($35.00 for half portion). The roasted duck skin was deftly curved into thin slices and it was crunchy and full of taste.
The thick juicy duck meat, accompanied with condiments like scallions and cucumber, along with a coat of Hoisin Sauce wrapped with Chinese Pancake was also delightful.
You can view all the photos here.
Rating given:
It was a simple day when i required a little R & R to get rid of the daily grind. So it was that i choose a sea front bar cum restaurant called Water Cross at Pasir Ris park.
There were 2 sections to this restaurant. Outdoor and indoor. The indoor section had air conditioning and sofa seats which appealed to me.
Everything went well until i was told i couldn't take photos. Which was fine except it took about 20mins to confirm this fact, i could have happily left had they told me earlier.
What i ordered was:
Hoegarden (bottle) $10 - this is more or less daylight robbery but its to be expected. However, i do think that if they wish to charge ridiculous prices for drinks, at least do it by tap or pour it out of the bottle first to make us feel less stupid. After all, i could have bought 4 bottles of the same drink at $17.50 from NTUC nearby.
The island punch $9 - my gf ordered this mocktail which was rather interested with a minty and sourish taste. Still its $9 and its definitely not worth it.
Golden wings ($10.80) - the grand total of wings came out to be 5 chicken wings...there's really nothing much on it to enhance the taste. I'm guessing salt and lots of oil. To be fair, it doesn't taste too bad but how bad can chicken wings be?
Seafood pasta ($17.80) - another overly priced and poorly executed item. The seafood is moderate but no where near generous. The pasta is soggy and portion size was pathetic. I'm only glad that i didn't order 2 mains to waste my money on.
The total bill came up to $52.36.
The best consolation from this experience is that i didn't have to pay gst. But come on, look at the price and you know where this hidden cost is at.
Sorry if its all just complaining but i honestly think it was a total waste of money. Return to this place? No way. Cheerios.
Rating given:
Village wok, a simple name for a simple image. Traditional food at a semi affordable price and secret recipes which brought about a fortune. I'd like to thank the owner for inviting us for a tasting session and for the wonderful hospitality they've shown the group.
Hidden in a rather inconspicuous corner along Cecil and Amoy street is this extremely Chinese looking restaurant. The interior is adorned with simple antique furniture and the bare minimals, tables, chairs, air conditioning and lots of white cloth. In simple fact, its simplicity extends to its food offerings as well. Thats not a bad thing by the way.
In fact, the restaurant is simply a front for a greater business, the actual supply and selling of their famous and secret sauces.
DIY Popiah Set ($20 per set) - An apt start to our session began with one of their more popular items, the do-it-yourself popiah. At $20 a set, this is pretty good value for money since its possible to serve up to 5 people. The real draw lies in the process of making these little delectable dishes. A little bit of carrot here, some shrimp here, a little cucumber and sauces there, its actually loads of fun for such a simple process. I have to complement the chili sauce provided because it was mild yet retained some spiciness for a suitable kick.
Chilled crab with special vinegrette sauce ($30 per crab) - To enjoy this dish, one must first reserve it with the restaurant since there's only a fixed number of these little crustaceans available daily. The real draw of it lies in the succulently sweet meat and sinful eggish paste that comes with each one of these crawlies. Taken as it is, its already a treat but simply swab a little of Village Wok's top grade vinegrette and you'll be sold on paying a whooping $30 per crab.
Steeply priced? Definitely. Worth a try? The depends on your wallet.
Fried Brinjal with crispy squid in BXO sauce ($15) - This dish was a surprise to me simply because, i dislike brinjal and this dish made me reconsider my opinions of this tasty plant. The sweet sauce coupled with the fried squid served to give the soggy plant more texture and taste then i'm ever tasted before. I enjoyed this dish and have been trying brinjal made dishes ever since.
The Phoenix soars ($21 ) - A flashy name for a simple dish. The is basically just a plate of roasted and white boneless chicken. The twist lies in the addition of lettuce to wrap the chicken in and of course, Village wok's own chili and garlic sauce which proved once again to complement it very well. I prefered the white chicken which was more tender but otherwise was only impressed with the sauce since i've had the same conceptualised chicken in other establishements.
Black pepper ham leg ($23 ) - Pig's trotters honestly do not appeal to me but this was once again a surprise. The crispy skin coupled with a thin layer of fats and thick lean meat provided a decent balance to the palate. There's a slight "porkish" smell from the fat but is easily negated with Village wok's rather spicy black pepper sauce.
Village Wok Celebration Parade ($22 ) - Simply roast pork and char siew in an extremely nicely set dish. The presentation for this did loads to make us hunger for it. This dish was another of their simple dishes done well. Tender, juicy and sweet char siew with an equally juicy roast pork in mustard sauce, whats not to like?
Steamed Pating fish with preserved vegetables ($44 ) - I love fish and i love batang chopped into little pieces to be used in porridge. This rendition is sadly not one of those i liked. The salty preserved vegetables and steamed fish didn't seem to complement each other since fish are supposed to be sweet and having a salty base simply didn't bring out the flavor i've come to expect and love.
Smiling fortune noodle ($8 ) - This noodles happens to one of the cheapest items you can find here. In fact, its rather value for money, has a strong shrimp taste and is a tad spicy. I liked it though.
Home-made Nonya Kaya with bread - Now this was weird, the kaya was balanced and sweet enough to have all of us popping each piece of bread into our mouths non stop. In fact, after all the food above, we managed to clear 3 plates of this strangely addictive yet simple item. Many of us were tempted to purchase the kaya home as well.
Black glutinous rice with coconut ice cream and lemongrass ice cream($4.50) - Dessert is also a simple affair with the surprise hit being the lemongrass ice cream. I liked the way it cleaned the palate and refreshed our heaty breaths after a heavy meal.I'd recommend it over the coconut ice cream anyday.
True to what our host said, the sauces are the star of the day. Without which, the food offerings would have seemed too simple to be worth the amount they commanded. I can understand why people would pay to have these sauces supplied given their popularity with even my group. However, i do need to point out that this meal would have cost in excess of $200 if we were billed for it. And i do feel its still too steep a price to pay.
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Seems like many people have actually blogged about this up and coming patisserie hidden at the corner of the Notorious Keong Saik Road, Craig Road and Neil Road intersection within Chinatown Plaza - a rather dilapidated private apartment of sorts. Helmed by Master Chef Yamashita who hails from Nara, Japan, this tiny patisserie has been garnering rave reviews in the media and blogosphere alike.
Banana Mille-Feuille ($4.50) - I thought that the mille feuille was a great way to start off as it was light and crisp due to the layer of puff pastry thats sandwiched in between layers of chocolate mousse, sponge and bananas. The chocolate mousse itself was very well balanced and didn't threaten to overwhelm.
Strawberry Hill ($5.20) - Topped with sliced strawberries on layers of light and fluffy sponge sandwiching fresh cream on a wholesome oven baked tart base, the strawberry hill was sublimely good. What's interesting about this cake is that the name really suits it! The cake gets substantially more dense towards the bottom, very much like a hill, where the soil is looser at the top and gradually becomes more compact towards the bottom.
Strawberry Soufflé ($5.30) - The pièce de résistance. Dense yet light on the palate with a tinge of lemony zest and topped with strawberries. Its probably one of the best cheesecakes I've eaten in a long long while.
See all my pictures here.
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Anybody tried face threading?
Its an ancient skill of hair removal using nothing but a piece of thread.. If you ask your grandma, she might know.... Some people describes it as the feeling of the blade of a knife scraping through their face. Well.. If you like to fly a kite, you could truly understand the destructive power of a single thread when held tight and colliding with another surface. I should say.. for Beauty, we're willing to sacrifice anything...
My experience however is more exciting and it all happened so quick.... I couldn't even come to terms with it before the whole session was over.. I was more of shock and happy to see the wonderful results of my beautiful eye brows... This is how it happens...
I was feeling rather bushy (brows bushy) and felt i needed some tidying.. and so being in the west.. I've decided to find that famous indian threading shop I've heard so much about. I went online i tried to find its location and through some tedious means, I finally got one information.... Thats.. its along the OCBC stretch of Clementi Central.. and so here I go...
I'm not a clementi fan but however... after much walking.. I managed to find OCBC.. Now OCBC is at a corner.. so naturally, theres 2 stretches.. I finally found the shop.. which is nearer to the hawker side... I saw 2 well kept indian ladies each working on a customers on a chair... so i went in and asked how long do i need to wait....
The lady just said 5 minutes.. and there are 2 more customers patiently sitted there waiting... so i joined the queue.. before i knew it the lady on the chair is done and the customer was asked to get up from the chair with her face still covered with residual hair.. Not a piece of tissue was offered however.. the lady gladly gave up her sit and went on to the side to clear her unkempt self...
In about 3 minutes... it was mine turn.... I just told her i need to do my brows and when i closed my eyes. It started.. quite a pleasant experience.. I could feel the thread cutting my bushy brows and clearing the sparse hair all around it... Before i could winch my eyes.. she says.. OK... I was surprised.. and then i told her i need to do other parts of my face... she just lay me down and continued.... after about 3 minutes I was completely done... and asked to leave the chair with my face full of hair.. I checked in the mirror at the side.. it was PERFECT... I didn't need to tell her how i want my brows to be done and it was perfectly nice.... Shapy, neat and balanced.. I always had this one side high and one side low brows.. but its perfect.... So i dusted my face with my hands and proceed to pay...
The Service was quick, a little stinging but feels rather comfy afterwards and its so ECONOMICAL in pricing...
Eye Brows are $5 for both
Full Face is $10
Eyebrows and Face is $15
Eyebrows and Upper Lip is $8
Its the better of the threading comparatively to the one i had at Toa Payoh from the China woman.
Its quick and gives very good results... A must try for the beautiful brow lovers...
Everything happens so quick, i'm still in shock.. photos will posted after my next visit :)
Rating given:
Better than average hotel but beware of rude staff
I booked a room to rest for a weekend event which had 16 overseas guests flying in and staying there as well, so I thought it'd be convenient.
The location of the hotel was excellent, with a passageway accessible from the 4th floor that leads right to Marina Square the shopping Mall. Marina Square itself have sheltered access to other nearby malls like Suntec City and City Link Mall, so for the shopaholics, you can still get tons of shopping done while staying dry when it pours.
The only gripe is its a fair walk from the nearest MRT station, Cityhall. Takes about 10mins if you walk briskly, and the walk can seem to be abit too long when you need the showers after a long day.
Loved the design of the hotel, high ceilings with a circular design to compliment the shape of the building itself. From every floor of the hotel, you get a full view of the hotel lobby on the 4th floor and hear birds chirping every morning and evening (I heard they bring in the birds especially on these 2 timings each day so guests can feel closer to nature; nice touch!).
The room itself was very clean and spacious enough to warrant the SGD269 per night I paid for. Comfy beds, plasms TV, and bright clean bathroom. My event lasted until 5am and I had to wake up the next day at 7am so I didn't have a chance to try what channels were available for entertainment. The only thing I felt they could have thrown in was the buffet breakfast, which cost an additional SDG40 per person at Aquamarine.
Check-in and check out were efficient, even a last minute request for a 40-seater coach to send my guests to the airport was met promptly.
The only thing I noticed about some of the staff is that they tend to greet tourists with a smile while us the locals, even though we were hotel guests as well, were ignored. I have encountered this many times and it still irritates me that some of them practice such discrimination.
My overseas guests had a ridiculous experience with the hotel staff that ended up with the hotel staff ordering my guests to return to their rooms and demanding them to flash their key cards to prove that they were indeed hotel guests. An experience which led to my overseas guests vowing they would never return and us the local hosts embarrassed that a 5-star luxury hotel could do such a thing.
But then again, I thought I needed to give an objective review of the locations and rooms itself, that explains my entry. I'll leave it to your discretion but if you ask me, better service and cheaper rates for the same convenience and standard of rooms can be found at Pan Pacific Singapore, right across the street.
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Comfort food in cosy setting.
Breeks located at the corner of level 3 at T2 is a nice place to chill while waiting for friends to arrive or depart. >.<
Being Halal certified also means that everyone is able to enjoy the food and wide variety of desserts here.
If you're looking for powerpoint for your machines, there's only one (I think) near the entrance on the red wall.
Food here is nice and the serving size fits my tummy just fine. The chicken patty is packed with crunchy onions, and some unknown stuff which I simply ignored. I digg anything chicken and with melted cheese!
The Nutella Milkshake though could be better. The shake isn't thick enough imo.
Looking at the crowd here now, at this hour (yes I'm writing this review while I'm still here) on a Friday night, I guess it shouldn't be a problem getting a table for meal.
Perhaps if I'm going to stay here longer, I might give one of their desserts a try. Anyone wants to join me?
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