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Beauty & Wellness
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Had dim sum at Yan Ting, the flagship Chinese restaurant of the latest and swankiest hotel in town, the 6 stars St Regis Singapore. Helmed by Chef Chan Siu Kong, a Hong Konger who spent more than 10 years with the Tung Lok Group, Yan Ting promises a gastronomical treat of authentic Cantonese dishes served in a modern presentation.
The grandeur of the hotel is apparent and it extends to Yan Ting. The decor is predominantly eastern with western influences and decked out in hues of black and gold. A low ceiling coupled with a tasteful chandelier, classy stained glass panels and artworks depicting various greenery adorn the cosy dining area. Heavy wooden chairs with floral designs and waitresses in complementary black and gold uniforms complete the setup. Even the cutlery screams expensive. The chopsticks, chopstick rests and spoons are gold plated and inlaid with jade pieces. Talk about fine dining. One thing that sets Yan Ting apart from other Chinese restaurant is its dim sum pricing. Other restaurants charge dim sum by per steamer/plate whereas Yan Ting does it per piece.
Amuse Bouche - Most Chinese restaurants don't dish out appetisers but hey its free so I'm not complaining. This particular amuse bouche was cucumber stuffed with chicken. Quite a treat actually. The cucumber was crunchy and a tad juicy, complementing the light smoky taste of the chicken.
Ha Kao ($2 each) - Thin yet firm skin coupled with fresh and crunchy prawns. How much better can Ha Kao get? Not much really. Yan Ting's rendition is really one of the best that I've tried so far. But at $2, its ridiculously more expensive than the competition. Think Royal China or Wah Lok.
Chives Dumpling ($2 each) - This is the first time I'm eating this and honestly I'm not impressed. Sure the skin was nicely pan fried but the chives seemed rather bland and the whole dumpling was a little soggy on the whole.
Glutinous Chicken Wrapped in Lotus Leaf ($1.80 each) - Usually I steer away from this dish because its really oily but Yan Ting's rendition didn't leave me feeling like my arteries had been clogged up. However, having said that, it didn't quite meet expectations. For starters, it wasn't fragrant enough or tasty enough. It definitely didn't help that portion size was minute. Personally I felt that the only saving grace was the light hint of lotus leaf taste which the rice carried.
Siew Mai ($2 each) - I would say the siew mai was quite good, with predominantly lean meat sans the overwhelming pork taste and a nice smooth skin to boot. Texture wise was also quite pleasing, smooth with the occasional roughage.
Char Siew Pastry ($1.60 each) - Undoubtedly the star of the meal, as agreed on by everyone around the table. The char siew pastry aka char siew sou, in my humble opinion, is really second to none in Singapore. Fragrant with lightly sweet and lean char siew enveloped in a fluffy light pastry with a buttery overtone. One is really not enough. We were so close to ordering another round of this wonderful dish.
Xiao Long Bao ($4 each) - Honestly, $4 for a single Xiao Long Bao is pure madness. However, I'll be the first to admit that the XLB was nothing short of excellent. Bigger than your usual XLB, Yan Ting's offering had copious amounts of soup contained within the soft yet firm skin. Its really amazing how well the skin holds up even though its evident that the juices within are straining to gush out at the slightest break. The filling of meat is tender and smooth as well, capping what I consider to be one of the best XLBs I've eaten in a very long while.
XO Cheong Fun ($4 each) - Another first for me. I've never seen cheong fun done this way before. Stir fried with XO sauce, and tasting very much like our very own Char Kway Teow. Probably I'm just not used to this form of cheong fun as I found it average and very oily. What a bummer for $4.
Radish Cake ($1.60 each) - Pan fried till lightly charred on the surface, the radish cake didn't offer too many surprises. Soft, smooth and tasty but I've definitely tried better ones.
Egg Tart ($1.60 each) - One of only 2 pastry items on the menu (the other being the char siew pastry), the egg tart was excellent as well, due largely in part to the wonderfully light and buttery pastry. Credit must also go to the egg custard filling which was good in its own right, smooth and not too sweet with a slight "eggish" taste. There's the problem of tiny portions though.
BBQ Pork Bun ($1.60 each) - I didn't find the char siew bao very outstanding although it was definitely in the above average region. Soft fluffy bao skin encompassing delectable, not too sweet char siew pieces. Terribly expensive though.
Custard Steamed Bun ($1.60 each) - I have the tendency to always order custard buns whenever and wherever they are available. Yan Ting's rendition didn't leave me impressed. Sure it was piping hot when served but the custard wasn't fragrant or tasty enough. Overall still decent though.
Beancurd Roulette ($1.80 each) - This was unexpectedly different from what I'm used to. The skin in this case was slightly thicker and deep fried till it became crispy and a little hard, just like deep fried spring roll skin. Thicker skins usually absorb more oil, hence it wasn't exactly a very pleasant experience eating the beancurd roulette. But I must say that the filling was actually quite good.
Bird's Nest Jelly - Finally! A bird's nest dessert that doesn't cost an arm or leg. Well almost. The orb shaped jelly had a few strands of birds nest lodged within and I'm pretty sure those would have gone unnoticed it if it wasn't for the fact that I was scrutinizing the jelly for them. Overall a nice and sweet but expensive ending to lunch.
Yan Ting's dim sum was a case of hits and misses but even then, the misses were still above average and very palatable. But there's a price to pay and that amounted to almost $205 for the 5 of us. As mentioned earlier, Yan Ting charges dim sum by the piece so bear that in mind and order wisely or you might just walk away alot poorer. To end off on a high note, the service was very professional and attentive, capping off, in my own humble opinion, an excellent dim sum session.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Yebber’s gathering at Hotpot was during the last day of Chinese New Year, which was like two months ago? I’m very sorry for this very late post, didn’t have the time to blog, and i’m eating way faster than the rate i’m blogging. Thus the delay, anyway i finally make time for this post because i wanna get it up before i make my next post on Yebber’s 1st Anniversary Party @ Mint Museum. Do watch out for that next post!
I didn’t have much photos to show, mainly because i was hoping to get some photos from the rest using their powerful DSLR, but in the end i decided to take some quick shots, and didn’t really get much nice shots.
Fried Garlic Chicken
I like this one! It taste quite like “rojak”, except it got chicken instead of “you tiao”!
Sweet Sour Fish
The Sweet Sour Fish here is not bad too. Being a huge fan of sweet sour food, think sweet sour pork, fish, chicken, i’m always on a lookout for good sweet sour food.
Chili Squid
The Chili Squid is really spicy! Hot hot hot!
Yu Sheng
At the end, we had Yu Sheng, it was fun having yu sheng with the yebbers!
One person at Hotpot Culture cost $19.80 (i think), with one person having mini-pot which entitles unlimited serving on the steamboat and cook food selection. And oh ya, they also have free-flow ice cream, and guess what? Chocolate Fondue!! Yeah, thats quite generous right? We had fruits to go along with the fondue, sweet! But one thing i didn’t like was one person can only have one free-drink, and after that you need to pay $2 for free-flow of drinks.
I’m not sure whether i’ll be back at Hotpot Culture again, partly because i’m not really a steamboat person, and also i’ll like to try more of other place. So your call, if you think they are worth a try, you can always find them at; Marina Square #02-138D Centre Stage
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written above are my geniune feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or bias. 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 : )
” Hotpot, one pot many cultures “
Rating given:
Pastamania Banzai!!!
Have you tried the new Japanese selection at Pastamania? If you're looking for value for money and yummilicious pasta (and pizzas), head on down to Pastamania!
There's currently 6 Japanese style pasta available. But I heard, soon they'll be releasing new choices and also the pizzas! (Psss... the Unagi pizzas is very good! MUST TRY!)
I managed to try 2 of their current offerings... the Unagi Pasta and the Tako Pasta.
Unagi Pasta ($10.90) - pasta choice Fettucini
This is cooked with Unagi (Eel), onions and lightly spiced up with chilli padi, top with seaweed flakes. If you're a fan of unagi and spicy pasta, this one is a die-die-must-try pasta! The Unagi pasta is flavorful and spiced up to the right level. After one mouthful of it, you'll just want to have more.
Tako Pasta ($10.90) - pasta choice Penne
Octopus and garlic tossed in olive oil, drizzled with tonkatsu sauce and Japanese mayo topped with bonito flakes. This one is for the Tako lovers! (Like me!) First look at the serving, it reminded me of those tako balls you can get almost everywhere, but instead this is served with pasta. They are very generous with the amount of tako used. The fragrance is enough to tempt any hungry soul when you mixed the entire bowl of pasta, tako, sauces and bonito flakes.
Between the two, although I'm a tako lover, I would order the Unagi Pasta again the next time I go. Cause its spicy and more flavorful. Anyone wants to join me for Pastamania when they launch the new menu with the Japanese pizzas? :P
Rating given:
Had dinner at taste Paradise, an upmarket offering by the Paradise Group of Restaurants, which also owns and operates the popular Seafood Paradise at Defu Lane and the Singapore Flyer. Opened less than 2 years ago, it has made it to the Straits Times top 100 restaurants as well as garnered rave reviews from magazines and forums.
Hidden along a row of shophouses along Mosque Street in the traditional Chinatown area, Taste paradise sets itself apart with its classy glass facade. Through the doors onto the lighted walkway that leads up to the dining area, the interior oozes chic in a very subtle way. The dining area is divided into a few sections by means of partitions in which there are a couple of tables and a captain to oversee each section. Heavily carpeted floors coupled with a low ceiling and a rather limited floor area meant that conversation tones had to be kept to a low for fear of disturbing the other customers (not that we did though).
XO Carrot Cake - One of Taste Paradise's signature dishes, the humble XO carrot cake. It honestly wasn't impressive when served, looking more like your usual stir fried rendition from the hawker centre than a $7 plate of carrot cake. But pop a piece into your mouth and you will understand why it is truly one of the signature dishes. Chunky yet smooth and soft carrot cake with a discernible wok hei taste fried with beansprouts, egg, Chinese sausages and other condiments. Lightly spicy and sweet and not to mention fragrant. Nothing short of excellent.
Combination of Pan Seared Foie Gras, Wasabi Mayonnaise Prawn and Slice of Beijing Duck with Condiments - I was actually wondering how did foie gras get onto the menu and initially skeptical if a Chinese restaurant could pull it off. Just for the record, Taste Paradise is a Chinese fusion restaurant, which explains why foie gras is listed on the menu. As for my initial skepticisms, they were unfounded. The foie gras was very good, crisp on the outside yet soft, quivery and smooth on the inside. No overwhelming taste or sediments.
The wasabi mayonnaise prawn was quite good as well, with the wasabi not overpowering and the prawns fresh and crunchy. I personally liked it together with the watermelon as the sweetness from the watermelon permeated through.
The only bummer was the peking duck which didn't seem memorable. Sure the skin was crispy but the crepe tasted bland and limp.
Double Boiled Superior Shark's Fin with Dried Conpoy in Traditional Beijing Broth accompanied with Bacon Onion Roll - Another recommended dish, the shark's fin soup, was served up in a pre heated Japanese stone pot which can remain hot for 20 minutes, thus ensuring that the soup remains hot till the last drop. The fins were decent and plentiful while the soup was flavourful and thick. A little too starchy and heavy on the vinegar though, which made it a little sharp. The bacon and onion roll was crispy but other than the novelty, didn't seem to complement the dish very well. On a side note, there are 3 variations in prices for the shark's fin. $38, $58 and $68 (which isn't on the menu). You get what you pay for. The quality of the fins improve as the prices tend upwards.
Braised Homemade Beancurd with Shredded Scallop and Japanese Mushroom - Tofu has always been a staple at most of my Chinese dinners and this one was no exception. The tofu was very smooth and silky but the skin was a tad too hard and it lacked the smokey savoury taste that I personally like. Even the sauce was rather bland. And for $6 a person, it was 1 piece of tofu each.
Spinach Fried with Garlic - The low point of our meal, the quintessential vegetable dish. Very average tasting but at least the diced garlic was fried till golden brown, which gave the vegetables a nice slightly crunchy texture.
Szechuan Style Roasted Chicken with Homemade Crispy Crumbs - We ordered this on the recommendation of the captain and also because it sounded interesting. Honestly the only interesting part was the crispy crumbs, which I believe were rice crisps. They were coated with a Szechuan sauce which gave them a myriad of flavours - sweet, sour and spicy, all in one tasting. The roasted chicken didn't taste out of the ordinary but the execution was commendable. Crispy skin with moist and tender meat.
Mashed Taro with Almond Cream Served in Fresh Coconut - My dessert and no, it wasn't complimentary (only chilled desserts were accorded that privilege). Its the first time I've seen mashed taro or Orh Nee served up in a coconut and predictably, the coconut smell was very strong. Not that it mattered anyway as there wasn't a hint of coconut taste in both the almond cream and mashed taro. I usually don't like almond cream but this one wasn't too strong on the almond taste which suited me just fine. The mashed taro was smooth and not too sweet but more interestingly, it contained bits of chestnut, which added a nice crunchy texture and is used predominantly used in Teochew cooking. The only gripe was that the taro was a little too sticky and I had problems licking if off my spoon. Oh and there's the almost exorbitant price as well ($6.50).
An excellent dinner for 5 set us back by about $454, which is really quite steep. However I'll be the first to admit that food quality is top notch and so is the personalised service extended by the captain and his team. I can see why Taste Paradise is rated as one of the top restaurants in Singapore. And I agree.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Its been an extremely long time since i've had any wine or beer introduced into my system and honestly, i'm missing the feeling of being slightly woozy and laughing like an idiot. So it was with this intention that i brought my gf to visit Scruffy Murphy's one quiet Friday evening after work. Part of a group of pubs under the Gaelic Inns company which includes mainstays like "The Penny Black" and "Dirty Nellys". This company is definitely no stranger to the pub scene but i was a hungry for dinner as well, so lets see if they have decent grub as well.
KilKenny ($11.80 per pint) - Beer on tap and beer in a bottle. What would you choose? I'm not an expert on beer and basically, i've not had enough beer to be a judge but conversation has lead to the belief that beer on tap has a magically transformed effect of making it smoother and better. $11.80 for one pint of beer is rather expensive by any standards but i have to say, Kilkenny on tap is rather smoother and lighter then the bottled iterations.
Simplicity is the best policy in the case of this pub. Single seatings near the bar and small uncomfortable rattan chairs abound. There's a small private room at the back with air con but the rest of the pub is non air conditioned. Its still a nice, cosy setting with no one bothering you regardless of where you sit. Service is attentive as well.
Scruffy's Irish Roast Beef ($16.80) - Bearing the namesake of the pub, i expected this to be of reasonably good quality. And i was not disappointed. Judging by its namesake, i was expecting small cubic portions akin to pot roast but what came looked very promising indeed. Huge slices of beef cooked medium rare with a pinkish tint on the sides. Drenched in mushroom sauce, the meat was undeniably tender and appetizing. You could taste the marinate in eat slice and it never overwhelms. Of special mention, the yorkshire pudding on the side was excellent as well. Soft and served warm, its fragrance elevated the dish even more. Well done.
French Fries ($4.80) - Alright, this was a stupid order because we didn't know the beef came with fries. For what its worth, the fries were rather dry and bland due to the lack of salt.
Crispy Pork with Mustard and Mayonnaise ($10) - We ordered this after ordering our second pint and thought it would go well with the beer. Anyhow, the description on the menu belies its actual appearance. These few pieces of roasted crispy pork is hardly worth $10. Not that it tastes bad though. It actually tastes pretty good if not for the 2 of us being health conscious lately. Chewy thick meat and fats dominate the crispy pork belly while the mustard definitely complemented it well. Still, it was too far a departure from our expectations to make it worth our while.
Total bill came up to $55.20 for a meal and drink for 2 people. Given the excellent main we had, i'm inclined to say it was worth it.
In all fairness, the place is still worth a visit and the ambiance is pretty relaxing in the later parts of the day. Food served is decent (for the main) while service is relaxed and slow. The music is soft and conversation can be easily carried out if you require it. Otherwise, its nice to chill out and watch some matches, listen to the waves or simply drink a few beers. Now if they could lower their prices per pint, i would frequent it that much more.
Rating given:
Its been quite some time since i've had decent dim sum in Singapore and it was with deepest pleasure when i was invited to join a couple of friends to try out Royal China at Raffles hotel. Having passed by the place a few times, i had never been interested enough to visit until this day. Interestingly, the first restaurant for this little gem actually started in London. And just before all of you read the review and wish to visit it, please note that it is now under renovation.
The decor consists of mainly wood furniture and red livery carpets. This will probably change though since the restaurant is going through a makeover session at the moment. Either way, the restaurant projects a positive and lively energy when you enter.
Chili and Roasted Honey Cashew Nuts - Why am i showing this? Well, i got pretty acquainted with the nuts and basically want to tell everyone that the nuts were great. Well roasted and sweet without losing any of its crunchiness. The fragrance and sweetness of it is simply appetising as well. A sign of good things to come i believe.
Char Siew Sor (5 for $6.50) - Thin and moderately crispy pastry surrounds the thick stuffed filling of char siew that is bursting at the seams. The char siew is moist, sweet and thick with lots of taste. The only gripe here is that some of the meat was slightly burnt in my serving but otherwise, a good dish.
Crispy Pork Belly with Mustard ($12) - A small serving like this is actually worth $12. I was astonished actually but upon tasting it, i guess its somewhat justified. Extremely crispy skin contrasts with the thick juicy meat that is found below. Dip it in mustard sauce and you'll know exactly what sinful good food tastes like. The thing you have to get over is the fact that you are eating fatty meat and the fact that one plate is never enough.
Chee Cheong Fan ($10) - We had 2 different Cheong Fan's here. One with the basic char siew and 2 with the shrimps. The shrimp version actually tasted alot better then the usual char siew version because of the extremely fresh and crunchy shrimps. One good thing is that although there's an entire layer of soy sauce beneath, it never got overwhelmingly salty. Definitely worth a try.
Char Siew Bao (5 for $6) - How can one reinvent the wheel for an item already done to death and found everywhere? Well, they either provide better stuffings or reinvent the dough used to wrap the stuffings in this case. They did neither but it was still a cut above the rest. The char siew was sweet and fulfilling as the pieces were rather thick. The bun itself is very fluffy and light while also being mildly sweet for good effect.
Fu Pi Juan (Deep Fried Beancurd with Shrimp) (5 for $10) - The one thing surprising about this item is that its actually not oily. Don't get me wrong, there's definitely oil used to deep fry it, but it doesn't overwhelm nor coat your mouth with oil. Taste wise though, the shrimps are generously big and crunchy but the beancurd skin was unfortunately lacklustre and failed to instill any feeling of gratification.
Beancurd with Fish Paste (5 for $6.50) - The fish paste is springy and had a mild 'fishy' taste to it while the beancurd felt like run-of-the-mill varieties. A disappointing dish.
Crystal Dumplings (5 for $7) - Ordered this because we were hoping to find out whats the reason behind the whole craze on crystal dumplings. It wasn't answered however and the skin, though translucent, was sticky and stuck to the teeth. The fillings were normal to say the least and the overall comment was that it was salty.
Custard Bun (5 for $6.50) - Now this is a simple bun that is bound to turn heads. Served piping hot, this little bun seems quite insignificant until you take a bite at it. Immediately, you will realize that you have something very special. The bun itself is soft and light as a feather while the filling of custard is literally bursting at the seems. Add the fact that the custard is only mildly sweet with hints of egg still noticeable and basically, you got the winner of the day (for me at least).
Shark's Fin with Dumpling Soup ($44 for 5) - This is the most expensive item we had that day and its easy to see why. At $8.80 a portion, its amazing that you can actually see an entire piece of shark's fin in the broth. Chicken broth by the looks of it, this isn't the usual starchy shark's fin that is the norm elsewhere. This is clear broth with vegetables and a pork dumpling and a portion of fin. The experience however, is a little bland and the dumpling is rather simple. Nonetheless, its a good dish.
Beef Ball (3 for $3.80) - Juicy, thick balls of minced beef, radish and vegetables aren't enough to save this dish from mediocrity. Its basically too salty to be liked and lacked any other discerning factors to lift its score.
Siew Mai (10 for $10) - Small, fresh and relentlessly juicy, this is a siew mai above the rest. You can taste the sweetness of pork, the freshness of mushrooms and the crunchiness of shrimp all in one package. What is there not to like?
Prawn and asparagus (5 for $10) - This is a rather......mixed bag because firstly, it isn't too special. Secondly, the sauce is too salty. Thirdly, i still love the shrimp and finally, its difficult to feel anything for it after eating because at best, its only average. Save your money for another custard bun.
Har Gao (10 for $10) - Crunchy shrimps anyone? Because if thats what you want, thats what you'll get. Ask for anything more however, and you'll be disappointed. The shrimp filling is definitely generous but the skin is a little too sticky and thick for my liking. Improvement needed.
Red Bean Pancake ($8) - I did myself the horror of ordering this. Why is it a horror you may ask? Because A: i've just had all the above B: this pancake is huge C: its a little over fried on some parts and D: its a little too sweet to be totally likeable. Its not bad actually, just not as good as i hoped and its definitely too filling for dessert.
Pomelo Sago ($4) - Yam Paste ($6) - Mango Pudding ($4) - I didn't get to try any of the above so i'll reserve my comments.
The final bill came up to $204.09 for 5 people on a lazy afternoon. It took us 3 hours to finish our dim sum foray which meant we had way too much food and little time to rest before dinner.
Its a wonderful place to have dim sum and honestly, the quality does justify its price. The only gripe i have is that its not without its misses. But i'll still gladly return any day for its custard buns. In fact, once the renovation is done, i'm going back for my little saintly buns for sure. Cheers!
Rating given:
Chinese Cuisine with a Difference is Taste Paradise's tagline. Curious about how different this might be, 5 of us dropped by for a cosy dinner last Friday.
It was pretty easy to locate the place, however, parking wasn't that easy. In front of the restaurant there're some parallel parking spots but as you would guess too few for every one. Trying to look for parking in the area isn't too easy as they are all one-way streets. So do plan where you want to park before you go. Hong Lim or Chinatown Point would be two good places.
The restaurant is tastefully decorated with a long passage right up front. It's mainly in reds and blacks and the lighting is a little dim but still bright enough for me to see what I'm eating. Good enough for me.
We were greeted politely at the door and led to our seats in one of the rooms. After some observation, we noticed that one of the walls was actually made of panels which could be removed to make the room bigger for functions.
I couldn't bear to analyse the menu like my companions did for it didn't have any pictures were just filled with words. There were curly Chinese characters and English descriptions but it was still pretty difficult to read. So the rest of us just let two of them decide.
One little interesting thing was that there were 3 prices for the same bowl of Shark's Fin - $38, $58 and $68. $38 was the regular serving, $58 had more shark's fin in it and $68 was fin of high quality.... the staff patiently explained to us when we asked.
Food ordered:
Carrot Cake
which I forgot to take the description of. But this was delicious. I LOVED IT! The serving was enough for 2 and slightly more. It wasn't too oily. the texture was very smooth and very tasty! YUMS!
Pan-seared Foie gras, wasabi mayonnaise prawn and sliced Beijing duck with condiments - $18 per personOur starter for the day was this great combination! The foie gras was crisp on the outside and pretty smooth on the inside. It was quite sizeable, any bigger and I would be worried about my heart. The wasabi prawn was alright. The wasabi taste wasn't too strong which is good and it was quite a big one. It was served on top of a watermelon which was suppose to compliment the taste of the prawn. But I couldn't be bothered to eat it. I liked the Beijing Duck slice. It was pre-prepared with the skin and sauce and wasn't too sweet. Just right.
Double boiled superior shark's fin with dried conpoy in traditional Beijing broth accompanied with bacon onion roll - $38 per personThe presentation of this dish was impressive! It was served in a grey bowl, the sort people used to mash belachan in, with the bacon wrap on top. It was bubbling when it came and bubbled for a long time whilst we drank it. There was plenty of fin and the broth was not too starchy like at some places. But it did smell of vinegar though I didn't find it too sourish. The bacon onion roll was a nice touch though I did find it a little troublesome to eat.
Braised homemade Beancurd with shredded scallop and Japanese Mushroom - $16
This was the one dish which I found a little disappointing. The skin of the beancurd was a little too tough and hard to tear. The taste was ok and the texture of the inside was smooth. The sauce it came with wasn't too salty as I have tasted in other places and the scallop was a nice accompaniment. Just the skin bothered me.
Szechuan Style roasted Chicken with homemade crispy crumbs - Half $16By the time we got to this dish I was pretty full but I still picked up a few pieces to munch. My companions were commenting about it being spicy but I found it barely so. It was quite tasty and the meat didn't taste as dry as it looked. I liked the texture of the meat but I'm the sort who likes chicken breast meat so if you aren't like me... well.
Stirfried Spinach with garlic - price unknownToo full to have any of this. But it looked just like your regular vege to me.
Mashed Taro with almond cream served in fresh coconut - $6.50I wanted to order this but I was in a mood for something cooler but I was happy to get a taste of it. It was served in a tiny REAL coconut! SO COOL! I was more fascinated with the coconut bowl than anything else. I think the Orh Nee tasted very nice. It wasn't too sweet, not overly flavoured. It had a hint of almond (or maybe I didn't scoop so much almond) which gave it a nice twist.
Chilled Mango Puree with Sago and Pomelo served with coconut ice cream - $4.50This was my dessert of the day!! I was worried about the coconut ice cream as I'm not a fan of coconut actually. But everything's worth trying right? So try I did and I enjoyed this dessert very much. Served cold and sweet (just right).
Chilled Pumpkin Puree served with coconut ice cream (Chef's Special) - $4.50Sadly I didn't get a taste of this.... but no complaints. She seemed to enjoy it...
Chilled Aloe Vera in refreshing calamansi juice - $4.50
Neither did I try this...
We got the 3 chilled desserts free, they were on the house which was a nice surprise.
The service was very good throughout the meal. Our tea was constantly topped up and Desmond, the assistant manager was jovial and sincere when serving us. When the 2 servings of the shark's fin were late, he took the initiative to inform us, which I think is a show of good service.
Each of us paid $93.50 for our share of food. It does seem quite a lot doesn't it? But I guess with foie gras and shark's fin on the list, I find it pretty acceptable. Minus those two, it would be more reasonable.
For more pictures go to my blog .
Rating given:
When I was in primary school, I dun like to see a student taking a white card walking into class room. Cos it means someone in the class will be summoned to the dentist! At that time everyone hope that their names will not be called. One of my classmates even burst into tears when her name is being called. Wahahaha!
So an appointment was made and the days leading to the appointment were very anxious anticipation. Well, the truth is I last visit a dentist was like 2 years ago. I knew my teeth are in very bad state as well.
So on the fateful day (today), we headed toward Apex Dental Surgery after work. The clinic is a small but well equipped one with friendly assistant and dentist as well.
When I went into the room, I saw nothing but the dentist chair only, but the dentist, Dr Tan, is kind enough to see that I am nervous and made some small talk with me before starting the procedure. After verifying some of my allergies, she began to start work on my teeth. The drill like tool was placed in my mouth and the sound of the drill started to flood into my ears. While she was gently cleaning my teeth, I was like looking somewhere else trying to distract myself, at the same time reminding to open my mouth wide so that the drill will not go crazy in my mouth.
Dr Tan is really professional and gentle, telling me that it will have to take some time for her to clear the dirt in between the teeth and some level of pain might be experienced. In between, she will still engaged me in some small talk, while she is cleaning away. At times, she will stop and ask me rinse my mouth to clear away all the dirt.
After about 40 mins of work and I mean hard work, she is finally done. I am done. Not without her, telling me about my wisdom tooth and my few holes that needs fillings as well. Sigh... The cost of cleaning of teeth $70. Finally the "nightmare" is over and I left the clinic with clean teeth again! Think I will be back soon for the fillings and a 6 monthly check up.
Rating given:
Craving for Japanese food? Why not give Shokudo a try? But be prepared to be stuck with too many choices!
After reading the above reviews, I decided to give this place a try. The chance came and I went on this mini adventure of mine at Shokudo...
Thanks for the reviews here, I already know what to expect at the entrance. And I quickly got into my adventurous mode the moment I stepped in. *haha!*
The first impression I got was Wow! So big! It's about the size of the old Marche at Heeren. But cos this place is done up in a Japanese kind of style with minimum decorations around the place, it seems slightly more spacious than the old Marche. As it was a weekday, there wasn't much crowd when I went. With many tables available, I skipped the "Reserve table" part and went on to find food.
After going around the place, I kinda got lost of my orientation. (Perhaps I was too hungry then.) Good thing I didn't place my "Reservation token" at any of the tables, cos I would most probably forget which section it was. The place is divided into various themes so customers can decided where is more suitable for the mood they're in. (This is not quite possible if you go on a crowded period thou.)
As I was alone, and having limited cash with me, I opted for something friendly for my wallet and tummy. I bought a "Hakodate" Seafood Cheese Pizza ($8.80) and a glass of japanese orange peel drink ($price forgotten). The pizza is made fresh upon ordering, so I settled down with my drink to enjoy the peacefulness during that time. There was soft music playing in background and I was totally relaxed and enjoying my time alone after a long day of meetings.
The pizza was different from the one we usually see. This was served in a rectangular wooden pan and the pizza crust was thin and crispy. There were plentiful of toppings and one bite into the pizza will make you want to have more. The pizza might not look big nor sufficient for the hungry people, but if you're having it alone, its fills just right the right amount in one's tummy. Due to its thin crust, you'll not feel "sick" of the pizza.
The pizza with the refreshing orange peel drink - a perfect match!
Will be back for more.
Rating given:
Recently, i had the honor of being invited to a friend's Wedding that was held at Qian Xi. Having never heard of the place, i was quite surprised at its location. Civil service club in far off Bukit Batok.
On the wedding invitation card, you can see the address written as Hilltop and i was quite surprised when it really meant hilltop since you had to traverse a rather steep slope just to get to the location.
The surroundings were rather picturesque with plenty of greenery and a pool along with lots of Woody buildings. Check out the pictures to see what i mean.
The ballroom itself is the biggest ballroom in the club. The crystal ballroom with a seating capacity of 57 tables. And the amazing thing is, it was filled to the brim that day with her friends, family and church friends. Quite a sight actually.
For the wedding, we had 9 dishes and free flow of wine and beer.
Lobster Cold Dish - The usual chinese cold dish with squid, fried beancurd wrapped fish cake, lobster with fruits and mayo dressing and meat balls. The lobster was pretty stale but was saved by the dressing. Not really appetising actually.
Braised Shark's Fin With Crab meat - Average, the shark's fin was practically non existent and the soup was simply too starchy to be liked. Nothing vinegar and pepper can't fix but if i needed to resort to that, its already too late.
Roasted Crispy Chicken - Another average dish with the chicken being overly dry and lacking taste. In fact, it tasted like beancurd at some points which was astonishing... The crispy skin was quite fragrant though.
Fried Prawn with Cereal - The cereal was very well done i should say. Sweet, fragrant and very tasty, i could eat the cereal and be happy with it. The prawn was quite big but felt grossly overcooked. Dry and without much taste.
Steamed Red Grouper - The grouper was huge, nicely steamed in the cooking sauce i've always liked. It wasn't overly salty but the freshness of the fish is open to question. The meat had a powdery taste near the middle but otherwise was firm and sweet.
Fresh Scallop with Broccoli - The scallops were mini scale and miserly portioned. In fact, i barely had 2 pieces before everything was swept up by the family next to us. For what its worth, the scallops were fresh and springy to the taste.
Yam Ring with Meat - The yam lacked taste and so did the assorted stuffings present in it. Very obviously pork. It was still too bland for my liking despite the multitude of ingredients served.
Fried rice in lotus leaf - As it turned out, the rice was the best. Fragrant and filling. It had alot of ingredients and even had a little wok hei in it. I have no idea how thats possible though.
Yam Paste with Gingko nut - The yam paste was extremely sweet and while the coconut milk was too little. Thus rendering the dish difficult to swallow. After all the above, i wasn't expecting much in the end anyway.
Wine - the wine served was a cornerstone 2006 cabernet sauvignon. I've been seeing this brand alot and finally got to taste it. Its extremely dry and reeked of spices yet not strong enough to be memorable. Aftertaste is spicy.
Overall, the meal went without hitches but was definitely not in the high end in terms of food quality. Honestly, i think paying $563 for this meal might not be worth it at all.
Rating given: