Astons is by now, almost a household name for cheap Western set meals. This "Prime" outlet is its high end foray into more premium offerings. Think of it attempting to bring Lawrie's or Morton's to the masses.
The restaurant with dark wood panels and tall black booth seats is indeed wonderfully cosy with dim incandescent lighting.
There were quite a few negative reviews in its early days, which hinted at teething problems. But now they seem to have gotten their act together. Service that evening was genuine and pleasant. They served us iced and warm water, regularly topped up, and even extra napkins when they saw us needing it. I liked the warm rustic dinner roll with garlic herb butter (unsalted, I think). A good start.
The wild mushroom soup (S$5) was filled with chunky mushroom pieces and clumps of cream but tasted a tad sourish, which didn't do it for us. I detected the scent of evaporated milk too, another thing we didn't fancy. However the clam chowder (not pictured as it looks too similar) was much much better, for the same price. At S$5, we didn't complain. Even a fancy can of Campbell's costs more these days.
Delightful salad of raw spinach and crisp, grilled bacon. A very generous portion for S$12.90. I was delighted by the tangy dressing and mustard seeds which added unusual texture to the salad. I could just have this and be happy!
This is one of the main reasons we came here. Mother-in-law had been craving crab cakes, so we decided to come here and try Astons' version. Apparently they sell out really fast, so we pre-ordered two when we called for reservations. There's only one patty per serving, and it looks like a "bergedil" (the Malay fried potato-and-mince patty). However, tastewise, it was a bit musty and bland. Even the grassy taste of the alfalfa sprouts overpowered the crab cake. Absolutely not worth the S$16.90 it commanded.
The steak was really the star of the show. They ran out of ribeye so we got the striploin. This premium slab of USDA Choice, New York 12oz striploin (S$38.90) here was HUUUGE. And more importantly, delicious. This is their "medium" - just slightly pink in the middle but not bloody - although this itself was too "raw" for my mother-in-law and maid.
Aside from the steak, we also had USDA baby back ribs (S$26.90). Another enormous portion served on warmed plate. It was meaty but a wee bit dry. We almost had trouble finishing this.
With the mains, you get to choose sides for S$3 each. Oh the steakhouse fries (S$3 as side dish to main) are good, so very good. Lightly dusted with paprika and salt, they stayed hot and crispy for quite a long while.
While we've never had a good experience at Astons Specialties, I'd come back to Astons Prime for the steak, spinach salad and fries. Pleasant ambiance and good service round up a nice experience. On the whole, we did feel it was pretty good value-for-money. On top of that, there's no service charge or GST. This goes on my list of good places to indulge Neanderthal cravings.
Due to my dad's birthday, I decided to buy emicakes as it was intro by my colleague and I want to try different cake from different cake shop. So my BF accompany me went to downtown east purchase the cake.
As I know Emicakes is famous in their D24 Durian cake, Durian stuff but sorry to say that I don't like durian and I didn't choose the durian cake for my dad. I brought 1 Chocolate cake & 1 Chocolate Puffs.
Pure Addiction Chocolate Cake - $33.90, 0.6kg
The cake filled with thick chocolate mousse, it sweet and not bad. Inside the cake has chocolate-coated almonds and chocolate ganache. But the chocolate mousse was not really that soft, but overall it not bad.
Chocolate Puffs - $3.80, 6 Pieces
The puff were soft, the chocolate was thick and sweet and nice.
Their service was alright.
Total Bill: $33.93 (Before discount $37.70)
As there is 10% discount for UOB card.
Do check out the website or branches for their cakes and mini items.
Banking on the concept of nostalgia and old world charm, Jacob's Cafe is all about rediscovery, fresh food and simple, laid back relaxation. Established since September 2000, Jacob's has been serving and belting out tasty country meals for families and couples alike.
Jacob's features an al fresco dining area which makes up the bulk of the seating arrangements and the inner sanctum which has only limited seats of up to 10 people. The seats in the restaurant definitely brings with it a rustic charm and a comfortable atmosphere but the trade off is that after the meal, you'll come out smelling like one yourself. The al fresco seats have no such problem but lighting and visibility will be a little lower.
Pumpkin Soup(Part of the game hen meal), Bread Roll(Part of the game hen meal) - Our first visit there was more of a trial, we wanted to see exactly how good the place was since FZ mentioned the bread roll here has to be the best in Singapore. Thus, we ordered one of the specials on the board. This being the oven baked game hen set meal which came with soup, bread roll, coffee and the game hen of course. For starters, the pumpkin soup was very creamy, a little sweet and definitely opens the pallet. Not the best i had but its decent enough. The bread roll needs a little more description. It will not be immediately apparent why this bread roll is good, but a few bites into it will convince you otherwise. Reason being, its the only bread roll i've had that is completely balanced in having a reasonably hard crust while still maintaining warm and soft inside. You can't even compare it to any other bread roll thus far for that matter. There are no problems with biting into it and separating it as compared to some french loaves you find outside, where eating it is a challenge in itself. Make no mistake, this bread roll is better. Try it to find out.
Oven Baked Game Hen ($25.90) - The game hen came as quite a large portion. Definitely bigger then the spring chickens you can find at the food court. It came with 2 sides, assorted greens and fries. The fries were normal enough while the boiled greens were sauteed with a little butter to enhance the taste while remaining moderately crunchy and soft. The game hen was plump, juicy, tender and very fragrant. The sauce made it slightly salty but it suits the dish well. There's meat enough to go around for 2 people so basically, if you order this, it can be shared for 2 small eaters. I like the way the juices are locked in so that the hen remained tender without being dry. Worth a try.
Jacob's Pizza ($16.90) - Ah yes...Jacob's pizza. I always love ordering food that bears the restaurants namesake because its very important what they put their name on to represent themselves. This pizza, does not disappoint. It came chock full of toppings and cheese with a thin and crispy crust to boot. And the important thing is, you get to see them prepare it fresh before they pop it into the oven and serve to the customers. No issues on freshness here. This is definitely worth a try if you are here. Do note the waiting time for it extends by up to 20 minutes so its wise to order something else while waiting.
Apple Crumble and Vanilla Ice Cream ($7.50) - Having fallen in love with the apple crumble at coffee club, i make it a point to order it when i try out a new place. This is no exception here. However, lo and behold, it turns out to be the first disappointment of the day. Every item up till now has been above average but this sank the experience down quite a bit. To describe how it tastes is easy, its bascially Mcdonald's apple pie with a nicer crust and ice cream thrown into the fray. Definitely leave this out of the meal.
Coffee (Part of the game hen meal) - Our meal came with coffee as well and while its not exactly a gourmet cuppa, i do appreciate them including it and it does complete a meal pretty well.
The total bill for this visit came up to $50.30 with no gst nor service charge. Oh! The service here is really good as well. And the price is definitely justified as the quality of food is of a certain standard.
Barely a week later, me and my gf returned once again to re experience Jacob's and find out if it is still as good as before.
Mushroom Soup (Part of the Ribeye Set) - This time around, i ordered the ribeye set which also came with soup, bread roll and coffee. We had mushroom soup this time and its more watery with chunks of mushroom in it. Its quite bland but still pretty decent. The bread roll is as good as ever though.
Ham and Sausage Combo ($19.90) - My gf ordered the Ham and sausage combo which is actually called the meatloaf on the menu. It arrived as a huge plate with sides of mashed potato and sauerkraut with some mustard for dipping. The mashed potato was pretty good with some peppery taste and a some chunks of potato in it as well. The meatloaf or ham looks like a huge piece of luncheon meat actually and tastes a little like luncheon meat as well but is firmer and juicier. The sausages were definitely fragrant and very tasty.
Ribeye Steak ($28.90) - Another huge serving, the steak came with 3 sides, a tomato with pepper and celery, boiled greens and mashed potatoes. The steak i ordered was done medium rare as i ordered and is very very juicy. Its also a tad salty and had some parts not evenly done as there were portions that were a little too rare. Still, its a decent main dish. However, i probably won't recommend ordering it since Jacob's has other items that are much better.
Pecan Pie ($4.60) - During the first visit, the worst item was the dessert which thankfully isn't the case this time. By recommendation, we ordered the pecan pie which is supposedly a rather rare item in Singapore. This dessert is moderately sweet, crunchy and different in a good way. Its served hot, as in very hot and is something easily recommended. Try it.
Total bill for this visit is $53.40.
And for my third and last visit (so far anyway), we had yet again, a different choice and different items.
Fresh Farm Salad (Part of the Jacob's Chicken Pie Set) - Part of the Jacob's Chicken pie set, this is basically farm fresh salad drenched in balsamic vinegar for good effect. Sour, sweet and fresh, the salad definitely opens your appetite for the meal that follows.
Frankfurters Set ($8.90) - I ordered this thinking that i would be getting the thick and big versions of these little sausages but i was wrong. What was served was extremely small and measly. Taste wise, it doesn't taste any different from the run-of-the-mill sausages you could get outside. This is the second disappointment i've had at Jacob's.
Hungarian Beef Goulash With Bread Roll ($13.50) - I've been wanted to have a go at the Hungarian Goulash ever since i saw it in the menu. Now, i've finally had the chance to try it. For the price, the serving is huge. You get a huge plate of beef, carrots, potatoes and tomatoes in a delectable stew and the choice to have it with either rice or bread roll. I obviously chose the bread roll since its still without a doubt, one of the best bread rolls i've had. The goulash tastes like a cross between beef stew and sardines actually. It doesn't sound very good but in actual fact, it works. Its difficult to describe it further but you'll get a strong beef taste along with a sweet and sour broth which goes really well with the roll. Worth a try.
Jacob's Pie ($16.90) - My gf's Jacob's pie was actually a really small serving given the price but of course, you need to factor in the salad that came before as well. The pastry it came in had a nice buttery taste which i immediately took to and its very crusty and crispy as well. The pie ingredients itself were potatos, green beans, carrots and lots and lots of chicken pieces. The thing i like about the dish was the crust and the fact that the pie is a little bland. Do note that its also superbly hot when served so its important to be careful while eating. Not too bad but not exactly mind blowing either.
Tiramisu with Vanilla Ice Cream ($8.50) - The tiramisu this time was rather good as well. There is a clear distinction on where the cake starts and where the cream ends. The only gripe is that its note evenly done with some portions thicker then the rest. The rum is easily discernible but not overwhelming. I'd say the pecan pie was better though.
The bill this time clocked off at $47.80 for 2 people for a filling and satisfying meal.
Out of 3 meals, i can't say there were no misses. But for what its worth, the experience was still above average and if you asked me, i'd gladly go for another meal. The fact that there's no service charge or gst only serves to sweeten the draw for going back.
Joe’s kitchen may look ordinary on the outside, or even you might totally missed it when you passed by the place at its location at Bukit Merah, just directly opposite Alexander Hospital. I did. Having passed by the area a few times, i didn’t know there was this hidden gem offering authentic thai food experience in our midst of our heartland.
I was given this opportunity for the wonderful Makan experience organized by Leslie of ieatishootipost fame. A total of 47 food punters joined us on this occasion. Some of which were ieat’s old makan kakis, while many like me were first-timers joining ieat on his makan session.
The interior of the place was simple, the place wasn’t very big but it managed to squeeze all 47 of us inside the place. I wondered how all of us managed to eat inside that night. Miracle!
The event was supposed to start at 7pm, i got there around 645pm and there were people there already. Damien was the co-organizer for the outing. Jiawei and Shanice were the earliest there if i’m not wrong, i seated in the same table with them. Also on the same table as me were liverpool, eastcoastlife & hubby, yanti & friend. All of us had a wonderful time chatting taking photos, and savouring the food.
The crowd starts to come in and by around 740pm or thereabouts almost everyone arrived. The menu was to be 14 dishes including some starters, mains, and desserts. All the dishes came in sampling tasting size so that we can have a bit of everything. The female boss, Jamie (chef Joe’s wife) is friendly and attended to us warmly.
Crispy rice cake The Kao Dang Na Dang help to kick-start our makan session. Not commonly found in Singapore. the cripsy rice cake, was supposed to go together with the peanut sauce. I didn’t quite enjoy this appetizer as i found it to be way too dry for my liking.
Prawn Cakes The Thot Man Goong or Prawn Cakes was nice to eat, it was crispy and the prawn taste is just right.
Mango Salad The mango salad is one the appetizer dish that you will not be surprised to find in a Thai restaurant. No doubt about it, th salad is packed with everything. The first taste of it, refreshing. The initial impression was its not as spicy as i thought. But the magical part of it was the longer it gets, the spicier it became. A few more bites and the mango salad got to its “full level”
As most of us waited quite long for everyone to turn up before the dishes to serve, by the time the mango salad came out everybody were famished. We literally “attacked” the salad, and it was until ieat told us to hold our horses, that the salad was supposed to eat together with the sticky rice and chicken which were not out yet then we realized that.
Gai Yang (Grilled Chicken) The grilled chicken was quite good to be honest, everyone got a bite of it. Placing the mango salad and the chicken onto the sticky rice, the taste is very different from eating the three dishes separately.
Grilled Pork Collar This was no doubt for me, the star of the show! The Khaw Mu Yang, or grilled pork collar was somewhat similar to our Chinese char siew, albeit Thai style. Many of the kakis found it to be good too! Its also commonly eaten together with the sticky rice and mango salad. But its so good that we eat it on its own.
Tom Yum soup with fried fish In my personal opinion, how good a Thai restaurant is can be based on the test of their Tom Yum soup. Unquestionably. Tom Yum soup is the first thing that most people will think of when they think of Thai food. Well i say the Tom Yum soup by Chef Joe should passed with flying colours. The soup is really spicy, at least from my perspective. Dipping the crispy fried fish into the soup was quite a experience for me.
Green curry beef The beef was tender, and immersed with the essence of the green curry.
Deep fried Grouper with Thai chili The Thai chili was excellent here, real hot and a little sweet spicy. But i couldn’t help drinking more water so as to have a few more mouthful of the chili with the deep fried grouper.
Red Curry Roasted Duck Having seen the green curry earlier, my first thought was red curry after green? This was followed by roasted duck curry? I have never heard of roasted duck curry, let alone tasting it. But this dish was really not bad, i’m not sure how the roasted duck came about, whether Chef Joe roasted the duck, or he brought it from elsewhere and cook it with the red curry, but nevertheless its good.
And to our astonishment, there were grapes, yes grapes inside the curry! Talk about surprise, first roasted duck in curry, then grapes?
Basil leave minced pork I was never a fan of minced pork in the first place, n’uff said!
Claypot Crab Vermicelli with fatty pork Although the claypot crab was suppose to be the highlight here, but we got into eating the vermicelli instead. After cooking, the essence of the crab and fatty pork all went into the vermicelli, that alone should suffice for eating the vermicelli.
Poom Fy Dang - Kang Kong Thai style Like all the other dishes in Joe’s Kitchen, the first taste was not very spicy, but the second bite was real hot. The Kang Kong got hotter with each bite, i suggested just swallow the veggies!
Mango Stick rice To round off our authentic Thai food experience, we had Mango sticky rice, the mango was real sweet!
Tapioca with Coconut milk I didn’t like tapioca, so this dish was not to my taste bud
Total Bill was $1646 for 47 people, $35 per head for the Authentic Thai food experience at Chef Joe’s place. I love going to Makan outings with big groups because we can get to know more people. Think Yebber Party @ MINT where there were about 50 people, the Social Media Breakfast with around 40 odds people, and now this ieat makan outing with 47 people.
Credits to Leslie (ieat) and Damien whom organized this makan session for everyone to get together and enjoyed food. I looked forward to the many more outings organized by them, to meet more people and eat more food!
The beauty of food, it can bring everyone from all ages, different backgrounds together, for one common purpose that is to savour all the good food. How often do you see strangers getting together and seating down for a meal? I’m going to organised LIC food event soon, do watch out for the post!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written above are my genuine feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Please do not feel emotional or distress should you have any violent objections. Kindly click the little X at the upper, extreme right of your screen if negative adjectives would be derived. Otherwise, feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
” Authentic Thai Food experience, in the midst of our heartland “
Had dinner at Da Paolo La Terrazza - one of 7 Italian restaurants/bars/gourmet shops that the Da Paolo group has opened up since their early days as Trattoria Da Paolo in Tanjong Pagar.
Located just a stone's throwaway from the ever crowded Holland Village in the quiet, tree lined stretch of Jalan Merah Sage, La Terrazza offers a respite from the hustle and bustle of life as the rat race takes a back seat in this charming little neighbourhood restaurant. The decor is simple yet comfortable, with its rattan chairs and a small alfresco dining area to cater to those who wish to enjoy the humidity of Singapore. Then again, there's only the air curtain to seperate the air conditioned area and the alfresco area so sitting inside doesn't guarantee a cool dinner, which was the case that very night I was there.
The complimentary bread was a good start to the meal. Fragrant, soft and moist on the inside yet crisp on the outside. It would have been better if served warm though.
La Terrazza's offering of the minestrone soup hit some rather flat notes to render it painfully average. I could have gotten the same standard of soup at most decent western restaurants for a lower price. Probably the only interesting thing was that the soup came with a slice of cheese in it, something I've not seen anywhere else. Not that it really made much of a difference to the taste of the soup though.
Cappesante Alle Erbe e Brandy - Sauteed Scallops with Brandy and Herbs - I like scallops hence I tend to have higher expectations of them. And these failed miserably. The scallops were bland and soft, not firm as I would have expected and there was no taste of brandy whatsoever. The only discernible taste came from the ground pepper scattered atop.
Tagliatelle Al Granchio - The Tagliatelle Al Granchio aka crab meat pasta provided a much needed boost to the disappointing dinner thus far. Al dente without being too heavy on the cream or taste. Nice and filling just the way I liked it. Could do with a little more crab meat though.
Crespelle Alla Crema - Caramelised Thin Pancakes with Vanilla Pastry Cream and Vanilla Ice Cream - This is probably one of the very very few times where I order pancakes for dessert. But I'm glad I did. The caramelised pancakes were rather interesting because as the name implies, the pancakes were coated with a hardened layer of caramel, making it sweet. Personally, I would have prefered chocolate cream instead of vanilla cream inside though.
Tiramisu - Undoubtedly the star of the evening, and one of the main reasons why I wanted to eat at La Terrazza - the tiramisu. The not overly wet sponge to mascarpone cheese ratio was quite even and overall the tiramisu came across as light and fluffy with a stronger than usual hint of alcohol. A slice costs $10 and if you want the entire cake, its $60.
$94 for a soup, an appetiser, a main and 2 desserts certainly isn't prohibitively expensive considering the relatively above average quality of food in general. But it isn't cheap either. On the flip side, service is good and efficient but rather mechanical, lacking the personal touch and warmth.
I believe everybody is familiar with the song on television that goes: "Dom Dom Kushinbo" etc etc. And this is my second visit to the place in 4 years if i'm not wrong so there's quite a few new things we can talk about. Here we go>>>
$27.80 per head (Lunch buffet) - Japanese buffets are without a doubt one of my favorite buffets to have. The one offered by Kuishinbo certainly has alot up for offer. As per my previous visit, some things have changed. The interior being one of the changes and the amount of food offerings as well. Not exactly for the better in my opinion, the seats and ambiance seem to have taken a step backwards and just feels less friendly then before. Service and clearing of plates this time seemed to have improved though. On to the food, you get a whole lot of choices to begin with. Cold dishes like sashimi, cha soba, sushi and california rolls are yours for the taking. Then there are the deep fried dishes which had ebi tempura, chicken, hotate and other fried items. There are also soups, paper steamboats and assorted other items which could be cooked on the spot for you. Desserts are piled with cakes, ice cream, fondue, puffs and biscuits. Coffee and tea are also available for the taking.
Basically, the food is decent albeit nothing really stays with you after you finish eating. The sashimi are alright though the quality is definitely questionable. I liked the california rolls they had. The tempura had way too much batter and not enough prawn. The steamboat is simply too sweet for comfort. The miso soup here is the worst i've ever had. The cooked salmon is normal, the dory is nicely sweet and tender while the beef was overcooked and rubbery. Basically, their sushis were moderately decent. The dessert was alright if you simply go for the fondue and the cakes, the puffs, cookies and brownies really need improvement. And that about sums everything up.
Total bill came up to $65.44 for a stuffed stomach and a less then satisfied pallet.
The buffet we had was lunch which meant we didn't get to have any crab. I was told that the crab served during the evenings were much better and worth a try. But as it stands, i'm probably not going to return for another try at least for the next year or so.
ladyironchef finally got his namecard!! Namecards are important, first they tell others your name, and then they also make them remember your contact number. Its a hassle to liase or socialise with people if you don't have one.
Encountering the problem at Yebber first anniversary party at MINT, and at the Social Media Breakfast where LIC got to meet many people but didn't have any namecard to exchange with.
LIC got a friend to design his namecard, the layout is simple and nice (i hope), styled in black background at the front and white background at the back.
And the rest is easy, bringing down the template in thumbdrive saved as the format required. There was two lady when LIC went to Tommy Print. One was cold and had few words, while the other was friendly and helpful.
They guided me to choosing the different things required for my namecard, and it was not much of a problem. I choose the cheapest, but very nice Gloss/Matte Lamination.
As this is my first time printing my own namecards, i chose 200 pieces at $24, instead of the otherwise more worth-it 300 pieces at $30. Its suppose to take them 4-5 working days to print, but i got the call from them on the 3rd day. So i guess they are quite efficient.
The results of the namecard are nice, better than what i expected really. And at $24 for two box, its really very cheap and affordable for anyone and everyone to own their own namecards.
Meet me at the next Yebber outing, i'll pass you one of mine : )
You was not expecting ladyironchef to get his DSLR from challenger after reading all the rantings and praises he had for the different camera shops.
After the complaints against Alan photo, and the praise on John 3:16, you must be wondering why didn't LIC got his DSLR from John 3:16?
Well, first thing first, LIC love canon products, the old camera is a canon ixus 60. But for DSLR, for the budget LIC has now, Canon doesn't seem so viable. Nikon D40 for &750, D60 for $950, Canon 400D for $1080, Canon 450D for $1490.
I'll love to get from John 3:16, but they are not a fan of Nikon, and the model that i wanted to get D40, they are not selling it anymore. End of story.
On the other hand, Challenger is having this promotion for Nikon D40 for $749 which comes with a nikon bag, 2GB SD card. But we hit one snag, the promotion lasted until 30 april only.
As i was there last sunday, but i didn't buy the dslr as i was in rush of time. The sales associate Shawn he remembered me, and despite the promotion is over, he gave me the 2GB SD card. Thats service to me.
After which, i asked him where can i get the screen protector, challenger is selling at $9.90, but then even though its not part of the deal, he say he gave it to me. Its not the freebies, but the service provided by Shawn. Kudos!
And i am proud to annouce Ladyironchef is a owner of the magical DSLR, the Nikon D40!! Thank you for reading through all the previous posts, hope i didn't confuse you where i was buying from : )
John 3: 16 has the BEST services if you are looking for your camera. The staff there are real friendly, and always more than willing to answer your any doubts or enquiries.
Just asked them for a hands-on experience on a dslr or camera, and there was no slight frown, or look that says "are you really going to buy?"
Leslie is the one who attended to me, and he's very knowledgable about the products that he's selling. Real friendly too. I had some hands-on testing with the dslr, and he patiently explained to me the difference between the diff models and lens.
But, good services come with a price after all, the quotes you get from John 3:16 will not come cheaper than the other shops. In fact i think the price tag is slightly higher by $20-$30?
Not much diff, but still enough to buy another additional memory card. If you are the kind looking for service and don't mind paying a bit more, then John 3:16 is definitely the place for you, but if you don't mind poor service, so long can get a cheaper deal, den please look else-where.
Oh ya, i forgot to mention, John 3:16 lot is totally pro-canon. They support canon, so despite me telling myself they are not biased, but i cant help feeling that they will advice and tend to pyscho their customers to buying canon products.
One obvious part which i noticed was, John 3:16 is not a Nikon authorised dealer. And i wondered why.
Was DSLR-hunting, and went into the sony shop to enquire on the sony alpha series model. The salesman uncle was quite polite to explain about the alpha 200. and the different pricing for diff lens.
I think there's a sony promotion going on right now, and if you buy the alpha series, it comes with free original battery. But then wasn't pretty much interested in sony dslr anyway, so the deal doesn't attract me.
Go to the Camemberu.com review for more photos.
Astons is by now, almost a household name for cheap Western set meals. This "Prime" outlet is its high end foray into more premium offerings. Think of it attempting to bring Lawrie's or Morton's to the masses.
The restaurant with dark wood panels and tall black booth seats is indeed wonderfully cosy with dim incandescent lighting.
There were quite a few negative reviews in its early days, which hinted at teething problems. But now they seem to have gotten their act together. Service that evening was genuine and pleasant. They served us iced and warm water, regularly topped up, and even extra napkins when they saw us needing it. I liked the warm rustic dinner roll with garlic herb butter (unsalted, I think). A good start.
The wild mushroom soup (S$5) was filled with chunky mushroom pieces and clumps of cream but tasted a tad sourish, which didn't do it for us. I detected the scent of evaporated milk too, another thing we didn't fancy. However the clam chowder (not pictured as it looks too similar) was much much better, for the same price. At S$5, we didn't complain. Even a fancy can of Campbell's costs more these days.
Delightful salad of raw spinach and crisp, grilled bacon. A very generous portion for S$12.90. I was delighted by the tangy dressing and mustard seeds which added unusual texture to the salad. I could just have this and be happy!
This is one of the main reasons we came here. Mother-in-law had been craving crab cakes, so we decided to come here and try Astons' version. Apparently they sell out really fast, so we pre-ordered two when we called for reservations. There's only one patty per serving, and it looks like a "bergedil" (the Malay fried potato-and-mince patty). However, tastewise, it was a bit musty and bland. Even the grassy taste of the alfalfa sprouts overpowered the crab cake. Absolutely not worth the S$16.90 it commanded.
The steak was really the star of the show. They ran out of ribeye so we got the striploin. This premium slab of USDA Choice, New York 12oz striploin (S$38.90) here was HUUUGE. And more importantly, delicious. This is their "medium" - just slightly pink in the middle but not bloody - although this itself was too "raw" for my mother-in-law and maid.
Aside from the steak, we also had USDA baby back ribs (S$26.90). Another enormous portion served on warmed plate. It was meaty but a wee bit dry. We almost had trouble finishing this.
With the mains, you get to choose sides for S$3 each. Oh the steakhouse fries (S$3 as side dish to main) are good, so very good. Lightly dusted with paprika and salt, they stayed hot and crispy for quite a long while.
While we've never had a good experience at Astons Specialties, I'd come back to Astons Prime for the steak, spinach salad and fries. Pleasant ambiance and good service round up a nice experience. On the whole, we did feel it was pretty good value-for-money. On top of that, there's no service charge or GST. This goes on my list of good places to indulge Neanderthal cravings.
Rating given:
Due to my dad's birthday, I decided to buy emicakes as it was intro by my colleague and I want to try different cake from different cake shop. So my BF accompany me went to downtown east purchase the cake.
As I know Emicakes is famous in their D24 Durian cake, Durian stuff but sorry to say that I don't like durian and I didn't choose the durian cake for my dad. I brought 1 Chocolate cake & 1 Chocolate Puffs.
Pure Addiction Chocolate Cake - $33.90, 0.6kg
The cake filled with thick chocolate mousse, it sweet and not bad. Inside the cake has chocolate-coated almonds and chocolate ganache. But the chocolate mousse was not really that soft, but overall it not bad.
Chocolate Puffs - $3.80, 6 Pieces
The puff were soft, the chocolate was thick and sweet and nice.
Their service was alright.
Total Bill: $33.93 (Before discount $37.70)
As there is 10% discount for UOB card.
Do check out the website or branches for their cakes and mini items.
Rating given:
Banking on the concept of nostalgia and old world charm, Jacob's Cafe is all about rediscovery, fresh food and simple, laid back relaxation. Established since September 2000, Jacob's has been serving and belting out tasty country meals for families and couples alike.
Jacob's features an al fresco dining area which makes up the bulk of the seating arrangements and the inner sanctum which has only limited seats of up to 10 people. The seats in the restaurant definitely brings with it a rustic charm and a comfortable atmosphere but the trade off is that after the meal, you'll come out smelling like one yourself. The al fresco seats have no such problem but lighting and visibility will be a little lower.
Pumpkin Soup(Part of the game hen meal), Bread Roll(Part of the game hen meal) - Our first visit there was more of a trial, we wanted to see exactly how good the place was since FZ mentioned the bread roll here has to be the best in Singapore. Thus, we ordered one of the specials on the board. This being the oven baked game hen set meal which came with soup, bread roll, coffee and the game hen of course. For starters, the pumpkin soup was very creamy, a little sweet and definitely opens the pallet. Not the best i had but its decent enough. The bread roll needs a little more description. It will not be immediately apparent why this bread roll is good, but a few bites into it will convince you otherwise. Reason being, its the only bread roll i've had that is completely balanced in having a reasonably hard crust while still maintaining warm and soft inside. You can't even compare it to any other bread roll thus far for that matter. There are no problems with biting into it and separating it as compared to some french loaves you find outside, where eating it is a challenge in itself. Make no mistake, this bread roll is better. Try it to find out.
Oven Baked Game Hen ($25.90) - The game hen came as quite a large portion. Definitely bigger then the spring chickens you can find at the food court. It came with 2 sides, assorted greens and fries. The fries were normal enough while the boiled greens were sauteed with a little butter to enhance the taste while remaining moderately crunchy and soft. The game hen was plump, juicy, tender and very fragrant. The sauce made it slightly salty but it suits the dish well. There's meat enough to go around for 2 people so basically, if you order this, it can be shared for 2 small eaters. I like the way the juices are locked in so that the hen remained tender without being dry. Worth a try.
Jacob's Pizza ($16.90) - Ah yes...Jacob's pizza. I always love ordering food that bears the restaurants namesake because its very important what they put their name on to represent themselves. This pizza, does not disappoint. It came chock full of toppings and cheese with a thin and crispy crust to boot. And the important thing is, you get to see them prepare it fresh before they pop it into the oven and serve to the customers. No issues on freshness here. This is definitely worth a try if you are here. Do note the waiting time for it extends by up to 20 minutes so its wise to order something else while waiting.
Apple Crumble and Vanilla Ice Cream ($7.50) - Having fallen in love with the apple crumble at coffee club, i make it a point to order it when i try out a new place. This is no exception here. However, lo and behold, it turns out to be the first disappointment of the day. Every item up till now has been above average but this sank the experience down quite a bit. To describe how it tastes is easy, its bascially Mcdonald's apple pie with a nicer crust and ice cream thrown into the fray. Definitely leave this out of the meal.
Coffee (Part of the game hen meal) - Our meal came with coffee as well and while its not exactly a gourmet cuppa, i do appreciate them including it and it does complete a meal pretty well.
The total bill for this visit came up to $50.30 with no gst nor service charge. Oh! The service here is really good as well. And the price is definitely justified as the quality of food is of a certain standard.
Barely a week later, me and my gf returned once again to re experience Jacob's and find out if it is still as good as before.
Mushroom Soup (Part of the Ribeye Set) - This time around, i ordered the ribeye set which also came with soup, bread roll and coffee. We had mushroom soup this time and its more watery with chunks of mushroom in it. Its quite bland but still pretty decent. The bread roll is as good as ever though.
Ham and Sausage Combo ($19.90) - My gf ordered the Ham and sausage combo which is actually called the meatloaf on the menu. It arrived as a huge plate with sides of mashed potato and sauerkraut with some mustard for dipping. The mashed potato was pretty good with some peppery taste and a some chunks of potato in it as well. The meatloaf or ham looks like a huge piece of luncheon meat actually and tastes a little like luncheon meat as well but is firmer and juicier. The sausages were definitely fragrant and very tasty.
Ribeye Steak ($28.90) - Another huge serving, the steak came with 3 sides, a tomato with pepper and celery, boiled greens and mashed potatoes. The steak i ordered was done medium rare as i ordered and is very very juicy. Its also a tad salty and had some parts not evenly done as there were portions that were a little too rare. Still, its a decent main dish. However, i probably won't recommend ordering it since Jacob's has other items that are much better.
Pecan Pie ($4.60) - During the first visit, the worst item was the dessert which thankfully isn't the case this time. By recommendation, we ordered the pecan pie which is supposedly a rather rare item in Singapore. This dessert is moderately sweet, crunchy and different in a good way. Its served hot, as in very hot and is something easily recommended. Try it.
Total bill for this visit is $53.40.
And for my third and last visit (so far anyway), we had yet again, a different choice and different items.
Fresh Farm Salad (Part of the Jacob's Chicken Pie Set) - Part of the Jacob's Chicken pie set, this is basically farm fresh salad drenched in balsamic vinegar for good effect. Sour, sweet and fresh, the salad definitely opens your appetite for the meal that follows.
Frankfurters Set ($8.90) - I ordered this thinking that i would be getting the thick and big versions of these little sausages but i was wrong. What was served was extremely small and measly. Taste wise, it doesn't taste any different from the run-of-the-mill sausages you could get outside. This is the second disappointment i've had at Jacob's.
Hungarian Beef Goulash With Bread Roll ($13.50) - I've been wanted to have a go at the Hungarian Goulash ever since i saw it in the menu. Now, i've finally had the chance to try it. For the price, the serving is huge. You get a huge plate of beef, carrots, potatoes and tomatoes in a delectable stew and the choice to have it with either rice or bread roll. I obviously chose the bread roll since its still without a doubt, one of the best bread rolls i've had. The goulash tastes like a cross between beef stew and sardines actually. It doesn't sound very good but in actual fact, it works. Its difficult to describe it further but you'll get a strong beef taste along with a sweet and sour broth which goes really well with the roll. Worth a try.
Jacob's Pie ($16.90) - My gf's Jacob's pie was actually a really small serving given the price but of course, you need to factor in the salad that came before as well. The pastry it came in had a nice buttery taste which i immediately took to and its very crusty and crispy as well. The pie ingredients itself were potatos, green beans, carrots and lots and lots of chicken pieces. The thing i like about the dish was the crust and the fact that the pie is a little bland. Do note that its also superbly hot when served so its important to be careful while eating. Not too bad but not exactly mind blowing either.
Tiramisu with Vanilla Ice Cream ($8.50) - The tiramisu this time was rather good as well. There is a clear distinction on where the cake starts and where the cream ends. The only gripe is that its note evenly done with some portions thicker then the rest. The rum is easily discernible but not overwhelming. I'd say the pecan pie was better though.
The bill this time clocked off at $47.80 for 2 people for a filling and satisfying meal.
Out of 3 meals, i can't say there were no misses. But for what its worth, the experience was still above average and if you asked me, i'd gladly go for another meal. The fact that there's no service charge or gst only serves to sweeten the draw for going back.
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Joe’s kitchen may look ordinary on the outside, or even you might totally missed it when you passed by the place at its location at Bukit Merah, just directly opposite Alexander Hospital. I did. Having passed by the area a few times, i didn’t know there was this hidden gem offering authentic thai food experience in our midst of our heartland.
I was given this opportunity for the wonderful Makan experience organized by Leslie of ieatishootipost fame. A total of 47 food punters joined us on this occasion. Some of which were ieat’s old makan kakis, while many like me were first-timers joining ieat on his makan session.
The interior of the place was simple, the place wasn’t very big but it managed to squeeze all 47 of us inside the place. I wondered how all of us managed to eat inside that night. Miracle!
The event was supposed to start at 7pm, i got there around 645pm and there were people there already. Damien was the co-organizer for the outing. Jiawei and Shanice were the earliest there if i’m not wrong, i seated in the same table with them. Also on the same table as me were liverpool, eastcoastlife & hubby, yanti & friend. All of us had a wonderful time chatting taking photos, and savouring the food.
The crowd starts to come in and by around 740pm or thereabouts almost everyone arrived. The menu was to be 14 dishes including some starters, mains, and desserts. All the dishes came in sampling tasting size so that we can have a bit of everything. The female boss, Jamie (chef Joe’s wife) is friendly and attended to us warmly.
Crispy rice cake
The Kao Dang Na Dang help to kick-start our makan session. Not commonly found in Singapore. the cripsy rice cake, was supposed to go together with the peanut sauce. I didn’t quite enjoy this appetizer as i found it to be way too dry for my liking.
Prawn Cakes
The Thot Man Goong or Prawn Cakes was nice to eat, it was crispy and the prawn taste is just right.
Mango Salad
The mango salad is one the appetizer dish that you will not be surprised to find in a Thai restaurant. No doubt about it, th salad is packed with everything. The first taste of it, refreshing. The initial impression was its not as spicy as i thought. But the magical part of it was the longer it gets, the spicier it became. A few more bites and the mango salad got to its “full level”
As most of us waited quite long for everyone to turn up before the dishes to serve, by the time the mango salad came out everybody were famished. We literally “attacked” the salad, and it was until ieat told us to hold our horses, that the salad was supposed to eat together with the sticky rice and chicken which were not out yet then we realized that.
Gai Yang (Grilled Chicken)
The grilled chicken was quite good to be honest, everyone got a bite of it. Placing the mango salad and the chicken onto the sticky rice, the taste is very different from eating the three dishes separately.
Grilled Pork Collar
This was no doubt for me, the star of the show! The Khaw Mu Yang, or grilled pork collar was somewhat similar to our Chinese char siew, albeit Thai style. Many of the kakis found it to be good too! Its also commonly eaten together with the sticky rice and mango salad. But its so good that we eat it on its own.
Tom Yum soup with fried fish
In my personal opinion, how good a Thai restaurant is can be based on the test of their Tom Yum soup. Unquestionably. Tom Yum soup is the first thing that most people will think of when they think of Thai food. Well i say the Tom Yum soup by Chef Joe should passed with flying colours. The soup is really spicy, at least from my perspective. Dipping the crispy fried fish into the soup was quite a experience for me.
Green curry beef
The beef was tender, and immersed with the essence of the green curry.
Deep fried Grouper with Thai chili
The Thai chili was excellent here, real hot and a little sweet spicy. But i couldn’t help drinking more water so as to have a few more mouthful of the chili with the deep fried grouper.
Red Curry Roasted Duck
Having seen the green curry earlier, my first thought was red curry after green? This was followed by roasted duck curry? I have never heard of roasted duck curry, let alone tasting it. But this dish was really not bad, i’m not sure how the roasted duck came about, whether Chef Joe roasted the duck, or he brought it from elsewhere and cook it with the red curry, but nevertheless its good.
And to our astonishment, there were grapes, yes grapes inside the curry! Talk about surprise, first roasted duck in curry, then grapes?
Basil leave minced pork
I was never a fan of minced pork in the first place, n’uff said!
Claypot Crab Vermicelli with fatty pork
Although the claypot crab was suppose to be the highlight here, but we got into eating the vermicelli instead. After cooking, the essence of the crab and fatty pork all went into the vermicelli, that alone should suffice for eating the vermicelli.
Poom Fy Dang - Kang Kong Thai style
Like all the other dishes in Joe’s Kitchen, the first taste was not very spicy, but the second bite was real hot. The Kang Kong got hotter with each bite, i suggested just swallow the veggies!
Mango Stick rice
To round off our authentic Thai food experience, we had Mango sticky rice, the mango was real sweet!
Tapioca with Coconut milk
I didn’t like tapioca, so this dish was not to my taste bud
Total Bill was $1646 for 47 people, $35 per head for the Authentic Thai food experience at Chef Joe’s place. I love going to Makan outings with big groups because we can get to know more people. Think Yebber Party @ MINT where there were about 50 people, the Social Media Breakfast with around 40 odds people, and now this ieat makan outing with 47 people.
Credits to Leslie (ieat) and Damien whom organized this makan session for everyone to get together and enjoyed food. I looked forward to the many more outings organized by them, to meet more people and eat more food!
The beauty of food, it can bring everyone from all ages, different backgrounds together, for one common purpose that is to savour all the good food. How often do you see strangers getting together and seating down for a meal? I’m going to organised LIC food event soon, do watch out for the post!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written above are my genuine feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Please do not feel emotional or distress should you have any violent objections. Kindly click the little X at the upper, extreme right of your screen if negative adjectives would be derived. Otherwise, feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
” Authentic Thai Food experience, in the midst of our heartland “
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Had dinner at Da Paolo La Terrazza - one of 7 Italian restaurants/bars/gourmet shops that the Da Paolo group has opened up since their early days as Trattoria Da Paolo in Tanjong Pagar.
Located just a stone's throwaway from the ever crowded Holland Village in the quiet, tree lined stretch of Jalan Merah Sage, La Terrazza offers a respite from the hustle and bustle of life as the rat race takes a back seat in this charming little neighbourhood restaurant. The decor is simple yet comfortable, with its rattan chairs and a small alfresco dining area to cater to those who wish to enjoy the humidity of Singapore. Then again, there's only the air curtain to seperate the air conditioned area and the alfresco area so sitting inside doesn't guarantee a cool dinner, which was the case that very night I was there.
The complimentary bread was a good start to the meal. Fragrant, soft and moist on the inside yet crisp on the outside. It would have been better if served warm though.
La Terrazza's offering of the minestrone soup hit some rather flat notes to render it painfully average. I could have gotten the same standard of soup at most decent western restaurants for a lower price. Probably the only interesting thing was that the soup came with a slice of cheese in it, something I've not seen anywhere else. Not that it really made much of a difference to the taste of the soup though.
Cappesante Alle Erbe e Brandy - Sauteed Scallops with Brandy and Herbs - I like scallops hence I tend to have higher expectations of them. And these failed miserably. The scallops were bland and soft, not firm as I would have expected and there was no taste of brandy whatsoever. The only discernible taste came from the ground pepper scattered atop.
Tagliatelle Al Granchio - The Tagliatelle Al Granchio aka crab meat pasta provided a much needed boost to the disappointing dinner thus far. Al dente without being too heavy on the cream or taste. Nice and filling just the way I liked it. Could do with a little more crab meat though.
Crespelle Alla Crema - Caramelised Thin Pancakes with Vanilla Pastry Cream and Vanilla Ice Cream - This is probably one of the very very few times where I order pancakes for dessert. But I'm glad I did. The caramelised pancakes were rather interesting because as the name implies, the pancakes were coated with a hardened layer of caramel, making it sweet. Personally, I would have prefered chocolate cream instead of vanilla cream inside though.
Tiramisu - Undoubtedly the star of the evening, and one of the main reasons why I wanted to eat at La Terrazza - the tiramisu. The not overly wet sponge to mascarpone cheese ratio was quite even and overall the tiramisu came across as light and fluffy with a stronger than usual hint of alcohol. A slice costs $10 and if you want the entire cake, its $60.
$94 for a soup, an appetiser, a main and 2 desserts certainly isn't prohibitively expensive considering the relatively above average quality of food in general. But it isn't cheap either. On the flip side, service is good and efficient but rather mechanical, lacking the personal touch and warmth.
See all my pictures here.
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I believe everybody is familiar with the song on television that goes: "Dom Dom Kushinbo" etc etc. And this is my second visit to the place in 4 years if i'm not wrong so there's quite a few new things we can talk about. Here we go>>>
$27.80 per head (Lunch buffet) - Japanese buffets are without a doubt one of my favorite buffets to have. The one offered by Kuishinbo certainly has alot up for offer.
As per my previous visit, some things have changed. The interior being one of the changes and the amount of food offerings as well. Not exactly for the better in my opinion, the seats and ambiance seem to have taken a step backwards and just feels less friendly then before. Service and clearing of plates this time seemed to have improved though.
On to the food, you get a whole lot of choices to begin with. Cold dishes like sashimi, cha soba, sushi and california rolls are yours for the taking. Then there are the deep fried dishes which had ebi tempura, chicken, hotate and other fried items. There are also soups, paper steamboats and assorted other items which could be cooked on the spot for you. Desserts are piled with cakes, ice cream, fondue, puffs and biscuits. Coffee and tea are also available for the taking.
Basically, the food is decent albeit nothing really stays with you after you finish eating. The sashimi are alright though the quality is definitely questionable. I liked the california rolls they had. The tempura had way too much batter and not enough prawn. The steamboat is simply too sweet for comfort. The miso soup here is the worst i've ever had. The cooked salmon is normal, the dory is nicely sweet and tender while the beef was overcooked and rubbery. Basically, their sushis were moderately decent. The dessert was alright if you simply go for the fondue and the cakes, the puffs, cookies and brownies really need improvement. And that about sums everything up.
Total bill came up to $65.44 for a stuffed stomach and a less then satisfied pallet.
The buffet we had was lunch which meant we didn't get to have any crab. I was told that the crab served during the evenings were much better and worth a try. But as it stands, i'm probably not going to return for another try at least for the next year or so.
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ladyironchef finally got his namecard!! Namecards are important, first they tell others your name, and then they also make them remember your contact number. Its a hassle to liase or socialise with people if you don't have one.
Encountering the problem at Yebber first anniversary party at MINT, and at the Social Media Breakfast where LIC got to meet many people but didn't have any namecard to exchange with.
LIC got a friend to design his namecard, the layout is simple and nice (i hope), styled in black background at the front and white background at the back.
And the rest is easy, bringing down the template in thumbdrive saved as the format required. There was two lady when LIC went to Tommy Print. One was cold and had few words, while the other was friendly and helpful.
They guided me to choosing the different things required for my namecard, and it was not much of a problem. I choose the cheapest, but very nice Gloss/Matte Lamination.
As this is my first time printing my own namecards, i chose 200 pieces at $24, instead of the otherwise more worth-it 300 pieces at $30. Its suppose to take them 4-5 working days to print, but i got the call from them on the 3rd day. So i guess they are quite efficient.
The results of the namecard are nice, better than what i expected really. And at $24 for two box, its really very cheap and affordable for anyone and everyone to own their own namecards.
Meet me at the next Yebber outing, i'll pass you one of mine : )
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You was not expecting ladyironchef to get his DSLR from challenger after reading all the rantings and praises he had for the different camera shops.
After the complaints against Alan photo, and the praise on John 3:16, you must be wondering why didn't LIC got his DSLR from John 3:16?
Well, first thing first, LIC love canon products, the old camera is a canon ixus 60. But for DSLR, for the budget LIC has now, Canon doesn't seem so viable. Nikon D40 for &750, D60 for $950, Canon 400D for $1080, Canon 450D for $1490.
I'll love to get from John 3:16, but they are not a fan of Nikon, and the model that i wanted to get D40, they are not selling it anymore. End of story.
On the other hand, Challenger is having this promotion for Nikon D40 for $749 which comes with a nikon bag, 2GB SD card. But we hit one snag, the promotion lasted until 30 april only.
As i was there last sunday, but i didn't buy the dslr as i was in rush of time. The sales associate Shawn he remembered me, and despite the promotion is over, he gave me the 2GB SD card. Thats service to me.
After which, i asked him where can i get the screen protector, challenger is selling at $9.90, but then even though its not part of the deal, he say he gave it to me. Its not the freebies, but the service provided by Shawn. Kudos!
And i am proud to annouce Ladyironchef is a owner of the magical DSLR, the Nikon D40!! Thank you for reading through all the previous posts, hope i didn't confuse you where i was buying from : )
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John 3: 16 has the BEST services if you are looking for your camera. The staff there are real friendly, and always more than willing to answer your any doubts or enquiries.
Just asked them for a hands-on experience on a dslr or camera, and there was no slight frown, or look that says "are you really going to buy?"
Leslie is the one who attended to me, and he's very knowledgable about the products that he's selling. Real friendly too. I had some hands-on testing with the dslr, and he patiently explained to me the difference between the diff models and lens.
But, good services come with a price after all, the quotes you get from John 3:16 will not come cheaper than the other shops. In fact i think the price tag is slightly higher by $20-$30?
Not much diff, but still enough to buy another additional memory card. If you are the kind looking for service and don't mind paying a bit more, then John 3:16 is definitely the place for you, but if you don't mind poor service, so long can get a cheaper deal, den please look else-where.
Oh ya, i forgot to mention, John 3:16 lot is totally pro-canon. They support canon, so despite me telling myself they are not biased, but i cant help feeling that they will advice and tend to pyscho their customers to buying canon products.
One obvious part which i noticed was, John 3:16 is not a Nikon authorised dealer. And i wondered why.
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Was DSLR-hunting, and went into the sony shop to enquire on the sony alpha series model. The salesman uncle was quite polite to explain about the alpha 200. and the different pricing for diff lens.
I think there's a sony promotion going on right now, and if you buy the alpha series, it comes with free original battery. But then wasn't pretty much interested in sony dslr anyway, so the deal doesn't attract me.
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