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Beauty & Wellness
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1=SGD 0.0587
Country Mana restaurant used to be one of my favorite restaurants during my younger years as it was more affordable then most and was easily found in the eastern end of Singapore. However, time has passed and now, there are only about 2 to 3 of this restaurant still running and it was this thought that i brought my gf to the branch at Serangoon Gardens.
The restaurant is located on the second floor along a group of shop houses which include Sushi Tei, Guardian Pharmacy and a chinese eating house. The interior is true to form with its country style wooden furnishings and dim lighting complete with a small counter.
Country Mana Soup ($4.99) - The country mana experience is never complete until you've tasted the soup. That used to be the case but not anymore unfortunately. In my memory, the soup was filled to the brim with chicken, vegetables and excellent broth but this version i got was lacking in precisely that. What it did retain was the nicely done pastry covering which was fragrant with a strong butter taste and still went well with the soup overall. Still, its difficult not to feel shortchanged when i've had the more full bodied version in ages past.
Whole Roasted Spring Chicken in Special Herbal Spices ($17.49) -
After a bittersweet soup, we weren't holding much hope for the chicken to follow but we were sorely mistaken. The chicken was served cut in half and came with a baked potato sprinkled with some bacon bits and sour cream, a salad and some mango pieces. It looked pretty appetising to say the truth. The potato could have done with more sour cream and bacon bits and could be hotter when served but nothing devastating. The chicken is the real star.
Cooked "home style" according to the menu, it was roasted to a nice golden brown with a thin crispy skin and well marinated meat. The meat itself was tender and contained minimal visible fat which was a big plus. The marinate probably contained ground pepper which gave it a light spicy taste. Otherwise, the chicken tasted strangely sweet with juices and slightly smokey. The only downside would be that it did come across as a tad too oily but otherwise, it was enjoyable.
Brownies with Vanilla Ice Cream ($5.99) - After a good main course, we were looking forward to a good finishing to wrap up the night. That was sadly not completed as the brownie was too dry and simply did not have the gourmet taste and texture it should. The ice cream was simple vanilla which i liked but still, the dessert was average at best.
The bill came up to $39.39 for 2 people.
To say the food was excellent is a lie but i can't deny that the main course was good. In fact, its the place's only saving grace that night apart from the wonderful service rendered. I wouldn't write the place off yet, partially due to nostalgia and partially due to the main course which gave me some hope that the other mains might be as good. Try it yourself to see if it fits your bill.
Rating given:
Green tea has been an obsession of Singaporeans since the introduction of it being a product for health began some years ago. How good it really is? Nobody really knows, it can be a myth, such as milk being really a by product which was overstocked and hence the "Got Milk?" campaign or maybe it does have wonderful healing properties. The bottom line is, nobody lives long enough to really understand it, do we? Anyhow, sorry for rambling, i met up with LIC one night for his first ever food outing which he organized. And the following is what we had.
First off, thank you LIC for organizing the event. Though there is still room for improvement, the general idea was a success. Good stuff.
O Cha cha is a green tea concept cafe located in the basement of Raffles City shopping center. Given its prime location, the cafe itself is rather small with a definite emphasis on space maximization. Tables and chairs were the generic plastic version with a clean overall look, there were cushion seats as well but as usual, its in short supply.
Complimentary chips - Seaweed crackers, always a welcome sight. I suspect they are Calbee potato chips but i may be wrong.
Matcha Rocks ($4.95) - Chilled green tea with sugar will sum this up. Its light and too sweet for my tastes. Can't imagine paying a premium price for this actually.
Ochacha Rocks ($4.95) - Chilled green tea with sugar and milk. Now why didn't i think of this item myself? Anyway, it has a heavier taste compared to its prior cousin and is also too sweet as well.
Shiitake Mushroom soup - The shittake mushroom soup reminds me of renditions in Eden cafe with the exception that there's cream thrown into the mix. The result is a soup reminiscent of campbells but with more mushroom bits thrown in. To its merit, the soup was filled with mushroom bits however, to its detriment, it was too salty.
Sakura Egg Sandwich ($4.80) - The size of this sandwich is rather consoling given the price. In fact, i'd gladly pay the money for it. The egg was done nicely and had a slight sweetness given off by the egg. Light and easily likable. Who can resist a simple egg sandwich? Not I says me.
Azuki Freezie ($6.90) - When i saw the drink, i was thinking: " oh my, another green tea?" But thankfully, this one was pretty good. Green tea with sugar/milk and crushed ice. Creativity never fails to amaze me. Either way, the drink was freezing cold and hit the spot for my sugar tooth this time around.
Salad With Orange Dressing - Something the boss added as a last minute item to the menu. Going for the same price, i'd normally rake in the praises for something free and healthy but would have to refrain from it this time. The salad itself is no contest, after all, how bad can salad be? The dressing is another story. Sour, saltish and totally unapalatable, it made me miss how normal salads should taste like. This is something no one should order....period.
Wasabi Tuna Sandwich ($5,90) - Furikake Salmon Sandwich ($5.90) - More sandwiches! The bread is the same, lightly toasted and buttered on the inside and soft on the outside. The only difference is in the stuffings which are basically wasabi laced tuna and smoked salmon. For what its worth, i liked them both. The wasabi with tuna is a no brainer winner because i simply love sniffing from the wasabi. The salmon was salty and smoked enough to leave a distinctive aftertaste which was enjoyable.
Macha Financier ($2.90) - The financier is simply a fancy name given to a simple dessert. It tastes like green tea tutu kueh with a crispy crust. There's a thin layer of sugar coated atop each financier to add to the taste but i didn't find anything noteworthy.
Macha Azuki ($4.90) - This dessert is significantly better then the Financier. Of particular mention is the red bean paste layer which made the otherwise green tea overloaded dessert bearable. Somehow, the red bean managed to contrast enough and add texture to the dessert for a more satisfying mouthful.
Macha Cotton ($2.90) - Another green tea cake dessert with an additional layer of whipped cream given. Nothing much else i can say apart from the cake being exceptionally fluffy and soft.
Macha Panna Cotta ($4.90) - By this dessert, i've had enough green tea to swear off it forever but still soldiered on to finish it. Smooth, soft and creamy with a balanced green tea taste, this turned out to be rather pleasant.
Macha Latte ($4.80) - Finally, the last item is a macha latte. Hot green tea with sugar and milk which surprisingly, turned out to be the best item i had that night simply because, its hot and served to wash everything down that came before it.
Too much of a good thing really does ruin the taste. Green tea taken by itself is decent but add all te additional stuff and it loses its purpose. The true green tea experience is one that borders on the art of serving and drinking. This version is more towards the younger fast food and Starbucks generation which probably likes the sugar in it. The sandwiches weren't half bad though.
Rating given:
The very unique thing that stood out most about this blogshop is the owner's ability to cross-market her items.
There seems to always be a "get $2 off this item if you purchase another item!" or some other privileges along those lines.
While i think that it is indeed a good sales tactic and it could be rather enticing, i feel that using the method too often could really be a spoiler. It might caused people to think "oh, i should just wait for the next time she has a cool offer again" This could cause her to lose out what she can earn!
However, i must really applaud her for her generosity. There was an entry whereby she offered to give away a necklace for free! No conditions! Simply because she felt inspired from a show she watched. Now THAT is really worth commending because i have NEVER come across anyone who would do such things!
Her accessories are generally intricately designed and exudes her personal style. You can tell that she tries her best to be different and make every piece of her creations as different from the others as possible, unless of course they belong in the same collection.
The website is also well maintained, photos are well taken and basically, very visually pleasing for any passers-by. You would be enticed to browse through her works. Thats a plus point for any blogshop and she's done well in securing that point!
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I stumbled upon this blogshop today when i was randomly blogshop-surfing.
*XiLe Creations has quite a wide variety of handmade accessories for sale. It is evident that the maker of the accessories has spent substantial amounts of time and effort in every stage of the process, from purchasing of materials to making the actual accessory.
There is a diverse range of materials used (stones and centerpieces and beads) and the maker of the accessories successfully creates a style for herself, as can be seen from her works.
Most of the accessories there are suitable for everyday casual use as the designs are rather simple and clean cut.
Worth visiting if you enjoy simplicty but also a variety of simplicty at the same time.
Rating given:
Heard that Friends was having a special promotion for dinner so popped down the Jelita outlet one weekday evening with my gf.
Located on the 2nd floor of Jelita Shopping Centre in the upclass residential area of Holland, Friends @ Jelita's interior was simply done up with nice leather seats. Very nice and clean feel till I spotted a table with empty plates and cutlery still on it and no one seemed to be taking the initiative to clear it. And no, the wait staff weren't busy. It wasn't until probably about 5 minutes after we had taken our seats were the plates unhurriedly cleared. Sadly, first impression speaks volumes.
Complimentary Bread - Served up in the folds of a napkin which obviously didn't do a good job of keeping it warm, the complimentary bread was average at best. Tasted like normal bread you could buy from any generic bakery in the heartlands.
Pan Seared Tuna with Nicoise Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette - The tuna was nicely seasoned with salt and pepper and pan seared till cooked on the outside but raw on the inside. Very nice and tasty. However I did find it a little too dry. And portions were rather dainty - 3 small slices of tuna.
Chicken Caesar Salad with Garlic Bread and Parmesan Biscuit - A most forgettable dish and one that relied soley on caesar salad dressing to give the whole dish taste. The chicken pieces were bland and rather soft.
Pan Seared Sakura Chicken Breast on Caramelised Pumpkin, Grilled Vegetables and Orange White Wine Reduction - As tantalising as the name may sound, the sakura chicken breast wasn't a big deal really. For one the meat tasted like normal chicken breast which you can get off the shelves at any supermarket. The caramelised pumpkin didn't exactly sit well with me as the sweetness of the pumpkin didn't blend well with the caramel in my humble opinion.
Peppered Sliced Beef Tenderloin with Sautéed Spaghetti & Vodka-Tomato Sauce - The spaghetti was overcooked, coming across as a tad too soft, which also happens to be the bane of the sliced beef. Taste but no texture. Probably the only saving grace was the tomato based sauce which was relatively light with a nice tinge of smoky after taste.
Chef Kenneth’s Gourmet Trio of Chocolate Desserts - This name bearing dessert was a letdown. Very very ordinary if you ask me. Put 3 small pieces of chocolate and mousse together and viola, you get Chef Kenneth's gourmet trio of chocolate desserts. Very chocolaty, which is good if you are a chocolate addict.
Coconut Panna Cotta - Another average dessert, the quivery but a little glutinous coconut panna cotta carried an evident taste of coconut without the raspberry sauce being too overwhelming. It should/could have been good but more work probably needs to be done on the texture first.
$47 for an average dinner for 2 isn't really that expensive honestly, especially when theres service and ambience thrown in as well. But quality of food here really needs to buck up and I believe I'm not the only one who thinks so.
See all my pictures here.
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Caffe Beviamo actually manages to catch LIC attention because of its apparent lack of signboard. The first time i know of this self-effacing and laid-back restaurant is during my visit to Tetsu at Tanglin Mall. The Caffe Beviamo there is located on the ground floor and i walked around the restaurant three times trying to spot its name but to no avail.
After knowing that Caffe Beviamo is also available at Paragon level 5, a visit looks to be on the cards. And after some “investigation”, LIC found the signboard for Caffe Beviamo!
Paragon level 5 is hardly a place i’ll go, not that i don’t visit Paragon, but that who goes to level 5? Its always at the first few levels that are most crowded. Therefore its rather a surprise when i reached level 5 and all the seats at Caffe Beviamo is taken.
The area isn’t very big, with rough estimates of at most 40 seaters. The light serene green of the woody seats coupled with white simple tables actually gives an unpretentious feel.
The most amazing thing about Caffe Beviamo is actually its simplicity. The whole cafe is so straightforward in the sense that it has a easy and pleasant ambience, the food they served are your simple and comfort food like sandwiches, toasts, salads and pasta. So much so that they bear a reminiscent of Epicurious.
Linguine ($11.50)
Linguine with tomato, basil & bocconcini. There are only two type of pasta available on the menu, with the other being Torchietti. The linguine served here is very simple, not very flavorful in the sense that it does not packs too many type of different ingredients in. Just simple tomato and bocconcini with a hint of basil.
Its rather hard to describe the term “Australian cuisine” as there’s rather few of such places in Singapore. But Caffe Beviamo quintessentially categorize its food as Australian. I’m not sure how “Australian” is the pasta, but its comfort food to me, simple and good.
Chicken Sandwiches ($10.50)
Basil pesto, zucchini, poached chicken breast and cheese makes up the chicken sandwich. The chicken sandwich is rather good too, nothing too complicated. I’m rather skeptical about the zucchini initially, but it actually taste quite well together with the chicken breast sandwich in between the bread.
Strawberry Shortcake ($3.5)
The strawberry shortcake rendition at Caffe Beviamo is given a make-over, not quite like your usual ones. With a big red juicy strawberry sandwich in between the pastry, it does provides an inspiration with the “playing” of food by constructing them different from the norm.
The desserts are not on the menu, and its rather pick-your-own from the counter. So grab yours fast because once they are out, other different ones will be offered instead. I saw a carrot cake before we started our meal, but after we finished it’s gone!
Cheese Cake ($4)
The normal cheese cake at Caffe Beviamo is real good! Cheesy yet not to the extent overwhelming. The biscuit crumb layer underneath the cake provides a different dimension to the soft and fluffy cheese cake. The “oomph” feel immediately make its presence known.
So good! And at 4 bucks, it’s really a steal. Appearance-wise it looks very ordinary, but the taste is definitely not!
Total bill is $31.55 for 2 person. The food and ambience at Caffe Beviamo is bona fide simple, but the simplicity is exactly the beauty of the place. Price-wise its certainly affordable in a cafe style, prices for pastas, sandwiches and salads ranges in the tens, and different varieties of toast at $4.5 each.
I’m not saying the food is excellent, it isn’t. However the comfort and simple food is exactly what you need sometimes after feeling jade from eating. The price won’t hurt you in the pocket, and the place’s nice to hang out with a couple of friends.
Desserts are excellent, although this can come to be rather a big tag since i have only tried two of their desserts. But given the prices, i think they are definitely worth a try, and i’ll be going to the other one at Tanglin Mall again. See you there!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Rating given:
At the end of the winding South Buona Vista road off Pasir Panjang is Village Centre, a small building with Cold Storage its anchor tenant, and a mix of other restaurants like the familiar Lemongrass Thai restaurant. Besides that, there’s also a hidden gem in the form of Fish Mart Sakuraya, i’m not so sure whether its so much of a hidden find since there might be tons of people knowing its existence already.
Inside you can find groceries, not your normal ones, but with the made-in-japan tag, and on the wrappings you see a written language in the form of Japanese. Think Meidi-ya at Liang court, Isetan supermarket and you will pretty much get the idea.
Besides food stuff, Fish Mart Sakuraya also have cooking materials and seasonings imported from Japan.
Within Fish Mart Sakuraya, besides selling Japanese food stuff, they also have a dine-in area which offers real cheap Japanese food. I didn’t have any on that day but i will look to go back and try next time.
A wide range of fish available to choose from. The chef will cook them on the spot, maintaining the freshness of the fish.
Fish Mart Sakuraya is a gem for people staying in the west and provides an alternative for those who does not want to go all the way to places like Meidi-ya and Isetan supermarket in Town for their Japanese fixes. Besides the one at Village Centre, there’s also another one at Parkway Parade
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Rating given:
Thye Hong is well-known for their Hokkien fried noodles, and is a mainstay in Bread Talk’s Food Republic, with the honor of having the longest queue in the upscale food court. The joke around is if you want to find Thye Hong, just see which stall has the longest queue and there you go, Thye Hong.
The main thing that amaze me about Thye Hong is actually the cook’s ability to churn out so many plates of hokkien mee at one go. The cook will perform for the long queue visible through the transparent glass, dishing out the hokkien mee with the big wok.
It is not easy to get the right taste for a plate of dish, let alone such a big quantity of hokkien mee, which i mean is quite a feat. As always, if you happen to be there when they served finish one round, be prepared to wait up till 15 minutes. While the cook is preparing the noodles, the lines behind is gradually forming up ready for the next round of “assault”.
Thye Hong Hokkien Mee ($4)
The renown Thye Hong hokkien mee, comes with different prices of $4, 6, 8. I quite like the hokkien mee here, and being not a fan of food court, the only time i’ll patronise Food Republic is for, well Thye Hong hokkien mee. My companion find the hokkien mee to be on the salty side while i thought it is all right.
There’s different opinion about the chili too, for me i find it quite hot, but as my companion is a chill-eater, the ones here aren’t any kick for her. I tried Thye Hong hokkien mee at other outlets, but sad to say the standards differ. The one at Wisma Food Republic is still the best for Thye Hong.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Rating given:
It was a visit high strung with expectations. After hearing so much about the famed Wagyu burger from One Ninety, my gf and I popped down for dinner one weekday evening. Ironically, it wasn't the ala carte Wagyu burger option we settled for, but the dinner buffet, which serves up limitless portions of food from a variety of 40 dishes on the small bites dinner menu. Think tapas sizes. According to the manager, this is probably the only western buffet in town which prepares your orders when you place them.
Located at lobby level of the classy Four Seasons Hotel, One Ninety exudes casual chic with its open display kitchen and wooden floors yet retains its warmth and homeliness through the use of ambient lighting. Such a setting makes One Ninety ideal for that intimate dinner for two and group dinners alike.
Complimentary Bread - Its the first time I've seen bread dished up in a pan, or a square pan for that matter, whose main purpose was to keep the bread warm. The bread was of two different variants - the plain bun and the bun with sweet potato filling. Personally I prefered the sweet potato one as it was, well, sweet.
Chicken Consommé with Shrimp Dumplings & Mushroom Cappuccino with Roasted Porcini - Soups to start off our meal. The clear chicken consommé was light on the palate with a slight tinge of tomato after taste which I personally found refreshing. The shrimp dumpling that found its way into the soup was chock full of huge shrimps that were crunchy to the bite. Very good.
The relatively thick mushroom cappuccino hinted very heavily of mushroom (duh!) but did seem a little too bland for my liking. If you like lighter stuff, then this is probably for you. As for me, a dash of salt will do the trick.
Portobello Tempura Fries with Horseradish Dip - This is a rather interesting dish and is essentially portobello mushrooms coated with tempura batter and deep fried. The batter wasn't too thick which meant less oil absorbed and allowed the taste of the portobello to permeate through. Add a drizzle of sweet sauce (Terriyaki I believe) and you have a nice sweet crispy mushroom dish. Great as a snack!
Coriander Tuna with Sesame and Citrus Pea Salad - Cooked on the outside yet rare on the inside, the tuna slices were void of the overwhelming fishy aftertaste that usually plagues tuna dishes. A dash of sesame seeds give it aroma and a slightly oily texture. A nice dish but didn't exactly wow me because for one, I've had better.
Honey Glazed Duck Breast with Périgord Truffle Sauce - I like all things duck so I'm probably biased when I say this dish was quite good. The right amount of chewiness sans the strong fowl taste had me relishing the duck slices. A pity it was a tad too dry.
Risotto Balls with Kikorangi Cheese Dressing - The first disappointment of the day and it had to be the risotto balls. Risotto with Kikorangi cheese (a New Zealand blue cheese) encrusted with flour and deep fried I believe. Terribly bland with the risotto a tad too mashed up for my liking. Between the 2 of us, we finished half a ball. Guess that says a lot, doesn't it?
Angus Beef Cheek with Beetroot Mash and Shiraz Reduction - Melt in the mouth tender and served on a bed of beetroot mash that tasted like a sweet version of mashed potatoes. Whats not to like about the Angus beef cheek?
Green Lip Mussels Casino - The green lip mussel, which hails from New Zealand, was recommended to us by our wait staff. And although I don't really like mussels, I must say that it was a good recommendation. Coated with what seemed like garlic spread and baked till the spread hardened and turned a beautiful golden brown, the mussels had not so much a hint of the raw seafood taste. Only gripe I had was the excessive salt levels in it.
Black Soy Prawns with Pumpkin Confit - Undoubtedly the pièce de résistance of our mains, I am unsure where or how to begin complimenting this dish. The prawns were huge, succulent, sweet and carried tons of bite. And the accompanying sauce gave it a light artificial sweetness which complimented the inherent sweetness of the prawn. Second servings are highly recommended.
Organic Pork Belly on Tropical Asian Salad - The ubiquitous pork belly and a personal favourite of mine. The skin was crackling crispy without the meat being too salty and the fats gave it a nice chewy texture. However, the health conscious me would prefer a leaner cut. Talk about being 自相矛盾.
Crispy Crab Cakes with Black Pepper Sauce and Asian Greens - I'm rather partial towards crab cakes so it didn't bowl me over or anything. Made with real crab meat, the crab cakes were savoury without being too fishy. I guess thats how good crab cakes are supposed to be like, no?
Thinly Sliced Turkey Breast with Blueberry Vinaigrette - Salty. That was the first word that came to mind as I chewed on a slice of turkey breast (more like ham really). The taste of the blueberry vinaigrette was very faint and when eaten with the turkey, virtually non existent. Rocket leaves with walnuts are nice though.
Seared Foie Gras Celeriac Puree and Truffle Foam - Foie Gras is the epitome of sin in terms of food indulging due to its adverse impacts on the waistline and the heart. The seared foie gras offering had a slightly crispy exterior but was a little too soft for my liking. I would like to think that One Ninety's foie gras was worth it but sadly, though decent, it isn't something that I'll want to order again. The health and taste equation just doesn't tally.
Grilled Grain Fed Sirloin with Creamy Fondue and Guinness Sauce - Grilled to medium well instead of medium rare, the sirloin was still reasonably tender and tasty. But it did seem a tad too dry though. Overall a decent but forgettable dish.
Lobster Thermidor - The lobster was fresh and crunchy with a slight milky taste to it. Lacked the distinctive thermidor taste (derived mainly from mustard) though. I would have liked this member of the crustacean family better if it was bigger but hey, its a buffet, so I can order as many as I want, never mind the hassle.
Crispy Cod Fish with Oriental Mango Slaw and Wasabi Aioli - You can seldom go wrong with cod fish as the fish itself has a very smooth texture. This simple dish accentuates the smooth flesh by encrusting the fish in flour to contrast the soft slick smoothness of the flesh to the crispy exterior. Nicely done except that it was a wee bit too oily for my liking.
Seared Scallops with Avocado and Pimento Coulis - Topped with roe, the scallops were a tad too soft for my liking and could have done with more searing in my humble opinion. Honestly, I couldn't quite decide if the pimento coulis (cherry pepper sauce) added any flavour to the scallops.
Peanut Butter Chicken - A very interesting dish created by marrying peanut butter with chicken. The result? Tender chicken cuts dunked in a creamy concoction with the occasional peanut chunk that hinted very strongly of salty peanut butter. Not exactly my cup of tea really as I can't really accept the salt peanut butter combination.
Hazelnut Royaltine Cake - Excellent would be most apt in describing the hazelnut royaltine cake. Crunchy biscuit base with finely toasted hazelnut paste and rich chocolate just the way I like it, not too sweet. The accompanying scoop of ice cream was excellent as well, smooth and milky. As with the soy prawns, second helpings of this is strongly encouraged.
Raspberry Breton with Passion Fruit Sorbet - Another excellent dessert, the raspberry breton had nice smooth mousse slouching atop raspberries and a soft biscuit base with a milky undertone (ps: Can anyone tell me what breton is? I'm guessing its a brand of biscuits). The passion fruit sorbet was sour sour sour!
Traditional Vanilla Crème Brûlée with Wild Berry Compote - I couldn't quite make out the vanilla beans in the Crème Brûlée but I'll give it the benefit of a doubt due to its rather impressive quality. The layer of sugar wasn't too thick or overburnt and didn't stick to my teeth when chewed on while the pudding was smooth and light. On a side note, the wild berry compote tasted sweet.
Warm Chocolate Cake Served with Passion Fruit and Lemon Sorbet - I know of many people who are suckers for warm chocolate cake and yours truly falls within that category. However One Ninety's rendition failed to ignite any sparks. Vicious and not too sweet chocolate enveloped by a semi hard cake crust, the cake's texture tended a little more towards the pudding side which was a little discomforting to me. And yes, I've had better ones.
Folding Layer Mango Tiramisu - The second disappointment for the night and one of my well liked desserts, the humble tiramisu. For starters, the sponge was a little too hard and there was no trace of alcohol whatsoever (I'm an alcoholic). However, what was interesting was that the faint sweetness from the mangoes permeated through. If only the sponge had been moist.
Bitter Chocolate Mousse with Lemon Curd - An unremarkable but decent enough dessert. Smooth and lightly bitter mousse coupled with sour lemon curd which smacked strongly of what tasted like alcohol.
Strawberry and Tomato Cobbler with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream - Another most interesting dessert. The strawberry and tomato cobbler had a nice oven baked flaky pastry covering which revealed a warm mixture of strawberries and tomatoes when broken into. Overall it tasted like very well made apple pie except that it was tomato and strawberries in lieu of apples. I must point out that although I am not a fan of tomatoes, this dish really impressed me. And the icing on the cake came in the form of the smooth and wonderful vanilla ice cream which was made from vanilla beans.
Walnut Napoleon with Espresso Ice Cream - There are only 2 positive things that I can think of with regard to the walnut napoleon. First, the amount of walnuts present was generous. Second, the espresso ice cream was smooth and didn't come down too heavy on the coffee taste. Other then that, this whole dessert tasted normal.
Soy Bean Panna Cotta with Sesame Tuile - To be honest, the panna cotta would have tasted rather bland if not for the red beans, which fortunately, were a little sweet. But therein lies the problem. The taste of the red beans overwhelmed and suddenly, its like eating red bean with pudding! I liked the sweet sesame tuile that came atop the shooter glass of panna cotta though, but not the mochi wannabe that was stuffed with crushed nuts and came across as way too dry.
One of the best dinners I've had this year cost about $122 for 2 pax. I will make no attempts to hide my disdain for buffets but for this case, I'm more than happy to put my prohibitions and reservations aside. From my understanding, this buffet is still under evaluation and will run till the end of July before the management will decide whether to extend its run or take it off. In my humble opinion, with food, variety and aesthetics this good, the buffet is here to stay. Coupled with excellent and non condescending service (especially to a guy who was wearing shorts and flip flops), One Ninety has truly shown its mettle and ranks top on my return list.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
The Brownie Factory, petite in size but big with brownies. Despite the rather small store at basement two of Takashimaya, do not underrate its brownie, with selections of up to 24 brownies at one go, its hell lots of brownies to choose from.
From what i understand from the person-in-charge, their total brownies assortments stands over 40, and they varies from different festivals. I think its really creative of the Brownie Factory to concoct different types of brownie to suit our fussy taste bud
The prices for the brownies ranges from 2 bucks to 4 bucks, with so many different types of brownies to pick from, its really a headache. Fortunately for my companion and me, we did not have this problem because there's a current promotion which offers us the brownie factory’s best four selling brownie all for the price of 11 bucks.
There’s some other unique brownies like peanut butter, very bitter fudgy chewy gooey brownie, tutti-frutti marshmallow brownie, peppermint brownie and many more.
Fudgy Chewy Gooey Brownie ($3.10)
The Brownie Factory #1 bestseller! Fudgy chewy gooey chocolaty and full of walnuts. The name fudge chewy gooey brownie says it all already. The chewy part is true to its name, its the chewiest among the four brownie.
Initially my companion and i like this very much because its very chewy and we find the overall taste to be just right. But as it gets on, the brownie becomes too sweet and threatens to overwhelm the taste bud.
Triple Chocolate Brownie ($2.40)
Dense moist chocolate brownie topped with little and semi sweet chocolate chips and walnuts. The name alone suggest the sweetness, being triple chocolate. And thats what we thought so at the outset.
But the triple chocolate brownie (#2 bestseller) is completely opposite to the fudge chewy gooey brownie. The first bite is very sweet, but after tasting all the brownie, we find this not really that sweet after all. And there’s a hint of dark chocolate within, the smooth texture together with the choclate chips and walnuts makes us conclude overall the best brownie among the four.
Original Chocolate Brownie ($2.70)
Dense moist chocolate brownie topped with walnut and semi sweet chocolate chips. If you do not have a sweet tooth, then the Original Chocolate brownie (#3 bestseller) is surely the one for you.
The least sweet among the four brownie we had, texture wise and appearance its the most similar to the triple chocolate brownie, less the chocolaty taste.
Fudgy Wudgy Chewy Brownie
I rather like the Fudgy wudgy chewy brownie (#4 bestseller) too. The freeze chocolate layer goes well together with the chewy brownie, albeit being rather hard to bite into. The sweetness level is on the high side too, but its a nice alternative to the rest because this one is a cold brownie.
Total bill is $11 for 4 of the bestselling brownies at The Brownie Factory. Brownies are actually meant to be sweet, i guess the main problem is because 2 of us eat 4 brownie at one go, therefore the sweetness rather overwhelm us a bit. But i think eaten each separately, they should be all right.Price wise is rather reasonable given the cheapest is about 2 bucks, with the most expensive ones going at around 4 bucks.
The Brownie Factory has been around for about 6 years already, yet everytime i passed by the area i totally missed out the store, which is really a pity until now. If you are in the area, do try out their brownie! I like the triple chocolate brownie the most, and will definitely look to try some other unique flavours the next time round.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
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