You are at Yebber
At Yebber, you can rate, review & find everything from restaurants & shopping to hotels & spas

ReiKo's Reviews

       01 May 2008 at 12:29 am
    Category: Japanese
    Lucardia Lucardia says:

    Japanese food. I love Japanese food but not just any run of the mill japanese food. I only like good Japanese food. It was this thought that i joined our dear friend, HFB's invitation to try out a place which he has raved about since his visit. 3 times in 2 months? Definitely a must try for foodies when a tongue as tough to please as his, wags praises about a restaurant.

    First up, it took us a long time to locate the restaurant because it was supposed to be found in UE square. The truth of the matter is, it can be found along the sides of UE square. In fact, its directly opposite Mohammad Sultan road and next to another restaurant called Bonta. En jap also boasts 2 different settings for seating. There's the semi alfresco seats on the outside and the oily and stuffy seats on the inside. Good thing for us, HFB managed to secure the alfresco seats which was still a double edged sword at best. Why is that so? Because the weather is so darn warm, its impossible not to sweat regardless of where you sit in this restaurant. However, a good point is that the waiters noticed that and actually turned the fans in our direction. Thats a good start in terms of service.

    2 x Salmon Belly Sashimi ($13 x 2) - Recommended by HFB as the must eat and must have dish of the day, we had 2 servings of this elusive salmon sashimi. Well, i'm no expert but i have to say its rather interesting. Unlike normal salmon sashimi, it has a layer of fats which gives it a certain new degree of texture. The salmon is fresh and sweet but not cold enough even with all that ice beneath it. Its nice but sinful due to the fats.

    maiyu Salad ($15) - Yummy. Appetising and definitely a must try. The Imaiyu salad comes with generous salmon sashimi pieces scattered throughout the immaculately chosen greens. Its also topped with delicious sour dressing which serves its purpose well in whetting our appetites. Definitely worth the time and effort to enjoy.

    Beef Carpaccio ($16) - The star of the day in my book. This beef carpaccio beats every other beef carpaccio i've eaten thus far. Tender and thinly sliced beef smothered in something akin to cheese and a sweet and sour soya sauce dressing that has to be tasted to be believed. You can taste the fragrant cheesy taste in every bite and the beef is literally juicy and melts in your mouth. Must try this!

    Kushi Mori ($17) - HFB introduced that En Jap is actually famous for their skewered meat but unfortunately on this case, i have to say i disagree. I had minimal tastings of the above but from what i did have, basically the bacon and asparagus and the chicken, it tasted fairly normal to me. Nothing particularly interesting about the item at all.

    Unagi Fried Rice ($13) - Now this is a close second when it was served. Unagi fried rice. The fragrance of the rice is unbearable to the point that smelling it invariably makes you want to savor the dish immediately, but it was the generous serving of unagi mingled with the rice that makes it so much more special. When had together, its simply sweet, fragrant and undeniably good, not to mention the portion was generous as well. A must have on any visit!

    Satsuma Age ($7) - We were nearing the end when we ordered this and honestly, it looked so much more promising on the menu. When it was served, we were slightly taken aback that we had ordered fish cake. And worst of all, its 2 miserly pieces at a whooping $7. Now this takes the cake as a royal waste of money. How it tastes like? Just like any 50 cent fish cake you can find outside, and i'm not even trying to be nasty.


    Salmon Belly ($13) Mekajiki ($12) Tako ($11.50) = $36.50 - Another sashimi platter which we ordered. Needless to say, the salmon belly is as fresh as ever and the same goes for the squid and the swordfish pieces. I didn't get to try much of the rest but i'd say that for the price, they really could have given more sashimi. The portions as above were miserly at best and a rip off at worst.

    Wafu Steak ($17) - Recommended by HFB as one of the better items on the menu as well, this was our last order of the day. Juicy thick cubes of beef prepared simply can still turn out to be an art form. Fresh juices accompany each bite of this little gem and is a joy to have. The only gripe here is that its too oily and there's too little beef to go around. Other then that, i'd love to have it again.

    A semi satisfying and interesting meal turned out to be $173.16 for 5 people. Effectively, i'm a happy man because of the company and some of the hits we've found.

    Thank you HFB for introducing the place. Its pretty good. Not excellent, but pretty good still. The good items like the carpaccio, unagi fried rice and the Imaiyu Salad are items not to be missed while the rest are either too miserly portioned to recommend or simply don't measure up. I've heard comments that the standard is inconsistent as well but overall, i'm still happy with my visit here. Definitely return for the value items and the carpaccio.


    Rating given:Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5

    282. InQBox   
       30 Apr 2008 at 3:59 pm
    Lucardia Lucardia says:

    InQbox is an interesting concept whereby the object of your affection is split into many different boxes or storage cabinets for purchase.

    It is basically a clever ploy to allow companies who wish to spend less on acquiring shop space to have a space on the shelf by being affordable yet profitable.

    Shopping in Inqbox is like a treasure hunt because you never know what you will find in the little display counters. Sometimes, you can find rare items like handmade music boxes while sometimes, even apples and pears make it into the boxes(i swear this is true).

    However, even at such low rental prices, the items are priced at a premium due to the location. Music boxes can cost upwards of $500 and bags upwards for $70. It goes to show that rental is a killer though and that profit margins are either sky high or drop dead low.

    Theres an employed shopkeeper who'll introduce items to you and help you out in making purchase decisions but otherwise, its all do it yourself.

    An interesting concept but impratical in practice for the displayers. I haven't bought a thing yet so that says something about the items there. Still interesting though, you never know what you will find there.


    Rating given:Rating: 2 out of 5Rating: 2 out of 5Rating: 2 out of 5Rating: 2 out of 5Rating: 2 out of 5

       30 Apr 2008 at 3:59 pm
    His Food Blog His Food Blog says:

    Nasi Lemak, with roots in Malay culture, when translated literally means 'rice in fat'. The name is derived from the cooking process whereby the grains are soaked in rich coconut cream and then the mixture steamed. While traditionally a breakfast dish, this dish is now found everywhere at every time possible. Mentioned Nasi Lemak and Changi Village Road Food Centre immediately sprang to mind.

    While there are several competitor stalls competing with flashy stall signage, there is only one International Food Stall with its rather plain and simple signage. The queue that morning said it all – this stall is legendary for its long queue, which appears to be perpetually attached to it, come rain or shine. It definitely serves one of the best renditions, with Adam Road’s Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak coming a close second. The Rice is fragrant, moist and subtly sweet – a sign that the coconut milk was thoroughly infused with the rice.

    Because of the stall’s fast turnover, the Chicken Wings are always guaranteed freshly fried – crispy and juicy, and served piping hot. But what definitely caught my tastebud that morning was definitely the Sambal Chilli. A sure winner with its aromatic sweet, yet not so spicy chilli fried with onions that one cannot help but keep helping himself to it.

    This is truly the best rendition I have tried so far! Anyone care to dispute it?

    You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.


    Rating given:Rating: 5 out of 5Rating: 5 out of 5Rating: 5 out of 5Rating: 5 out of 5Rating: 5 out of 5

       30 Apr 2008 at 3:59 pm
    Category: American, Fusion
    TrumPat TrumPat says:

    It was a last minute decision that we decided to try out the food at this restaurant. We were partly attracted by the price of the items on their lunch menu. Haha….with more than 10 main courses, ranging from sandwich to pasta, each priced at $9.90 for you to select from, we found it pretty reasonable. If you want to make it a complete set, you can do so by topping another $5 and you’ll be entitled to a free flow of either soup or salad and tea or coffee. If that’s still not sufficient to satisfy your stomach, another $3 will get you a serving of starter.

    The advantage of eating with in a big group is that you’ll get to try out a greater variety of food without hurting your wallet too much. Haha… That’s precisely what we did! We ordered 2 complete set meals, one came with a mushroom soup while the other with salad, and remember, it’s free flow! We also ordered a few starters to share.

    Mushroom Soup
    The mushroom soup was good, with bites of mushroom that you can chew on. The taste was light, not too salty.

    Salad
    It’s just a normal salad with lettuce, cherry tomato and cucumber. However, the oriental dressing they used was good! Probably because I like more sourish dressing & this came perfectly well for me.

    Wing Zing
    Fried chicken wing which remained succulent and it was not too oily.

    Olio Laksa Spaghetti (usual price: $12.90)
    This was the main course I’ve chosen. It’s a fusion of laksa and pasta. Unique! What you can expect from this dish is a rich laksa gravy and typical condiments in laksa such as tau pok and hard-boiled egg. Added to enhance the uniqueness of this dish was shredded chicken. It’s definitely worthy of a try, although the over-richness of the gravy made me feeling a little sick after finishing ¾ of the plate. So it’ll be best to share this dish with someone.

    Food was okay, but service was pretty slow. There was only 1 waitress and I guess 1 chef in the restaurant during lunch hour so it took them some 45mins before our main course got on the table. Really got to improve on their service.


    Rating given:Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5

       30 Apr 2008 at 1:59 pm
    Category: Desserts
    TrumPat TrumPat says:

    From its name, one should have guessed correctly that this place sells something related to BEANS. Yes! It’s soybean & I totally love it! The small shop located at Raffles Place MRT serves as a convenient stop for me to grab a quick, healthy bite before and sometimes after my gym workout.

    My all-time favourites include:

    Pearly soya milk
    This drink is unique as one can find the black, chewy pearly which are typically found in bubble tea. Here is a good blend of the thick & smooth soymilk and the chewy pearls. The sweetness and chewyness of the pearls are just right and it is the perfect choice for health conscious people out there who loves bubble tea yet worry about their figure. Haha

    Super beancurd
    I always like beancurd to be mixed with soymilk. The smooth & light beancurd together with the thick & rich soymilk. Yummy!!

    Mr Bean pancake
    A good variety of pancake flavours are available for pick. That includes blueberry, cheese, chocolate, kaya, peanut, red bean and tuna. My favourite is their cheese pancake. For the cheese-flavour pancake, cream cheese is used instead of sliced cheese and it melts in the hot pancake. Heavenly!!

    And yes! They even have a few “set meals”, which usually comes with a drink and a food for you to choose from and it’s much cheaper than ordering the individual items. The set meal has definitely served as a satisfying & healthy meal after my workout.


    Rating given:Rating: 5 out of 5Rating: 5 out of 5Rating: 5 out of 5Rating: 5 out of 5Rating: 5 out of 5

    286. Tampopo Restaurant   
       30 Apr 2008 at 12:01 pm
    Category: Japanese
    His Food Blog His Food Blog says:

    Visited this place last Sunday with my parents and they have since been relocated to ground level of Liang Court Shopping Centre. Their old outlet has also been taken over by Ichibantei.

    My parents had the usual Black Pig Shabu Shabu Ramen, which I believed most people know they are famous for.

    But what I was looking forward to was their Black Pig Pork Chop which is heavenly! You have to try it to know it. The texture is so tender and soft that it melts the moment you bite it. The $20 for the pork chop cut into 8 pieces might seems ex but definitely worth it. If you have not try it, I urge you to do so! That alone is worth 4 stars!

    You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.


    Rating given:Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5

       30 Apr 2008 at 12:00 pm
    His Food Blog His Food Blog says:

    After sampling the SHIOK Yakader Chicken Briyani a few months back, people all over has been asking me to try the most famous briyani stall at the other side of Tekka Food Centre instead. The queue at this stall meant nothing as I stood there waiting for 20 minutes. For those who still do not know, this stall is none other than Allauddin’s Briyani (no prize for those who guessed it correctly though).

    For $4.00, what you get is also another plate of orangey red looking plate of Chicken Briyani that gets zero marks for presentation. At least Yakader’s serving came lined with banana leaf, what you get from Allauddin is just a Styrofoam plate with no achar (spicy pickled salad) in sight (not that I eat them anyway but at least visually it looks better).

    In terms of the chicken, I would say they are both pretty similar in terms of taste and texture. So soft and tender was the meat that a simple tear at the lightest pressure of the fork will cause the meat to be easily separated from its bone. However, I will be inclined to find their rice overly moist and mushy from overcooking, as I expect the basmati rice to be slightly more firm and comes with a better bite. Having waited so long, I also decided to add an extra order of what they call “Lamb Cutlet” for additional $1.00 (although I do not see where the cutlet comes from). A nice savoury outer crust that was fried nicely to taste, it was disappointing though to find it soft on the inside with what seems like flour and onions and little of the lamb.

    Overall, I felt that Yakader was the better of the two in terms of chicken briyani, however I would not hesitate to try their mutton next, which was ordered by the customers before me, as it looks pliable and succulent just by the sight of it. As Tekka Food Centre will be re-located to the Temporary Market along Race Course Road from May 1 onwards, Allauddin’s Briyani will be relocated to stall unit #01-189 and #01-190.

    You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.


    Rating given:Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5

    288. Lee Ji (Tampines)   
       30 Apr 2008 at 11:59 am
    Category: Seafood
    Lucardia Lucardia says:

    Went to Tampines round market last night for dinner because the traffic to the cinema was horrible. Thus, what to do? Try out a 30 star winner stall to save money and have a nice dinner of course! Was it really good though?

    Recently featured on the television show for stalls that needed "rescueing" due to extremely bad business, the stall has since been revamped and the chef retrained to serve much better food....or rather, thats the idea anyway.

    A note is that basically, the stallholders do not like anyone to take photos so please try to refrain from that. The lady boss is scary when mad.

    We basically ordered only 2 items last night.

    A plate of stingray ($10) and a plate of vegetables (nai bai $4) and 2 bowls of rice (30 cents). Haven't had a cheap meal in like forever so this is a refreshing start.

    They made their name by getting 30 out of 30 votes for their food on zhi ca.

    The stingray is actually quite big and theres a lot of chili and meat available to pick through. I'm not too sure about the freshness of the fish since the chili manages to mask the taste overall. No denying that the meat is plenty though. However i did find the chili to need more work as its too dry and not very tasty. Thank goodness for the accompanying sour sauce or something. Which gave it much needed dimension. Overall, not too bad.

    I liked the greens for sure. Its pretty much my favorite way of cooking and the greens were fresh. A winner in my books.

    Total meal only cost me $14.60 which is like OMG! Dirt cheap.

    Wouldn't mind returning for the good value.


    Rating given:Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5

       28 Apr 2008 at 11:23 pm
    Lucardia Lucardia says:

    Brewerkz is the place to go for drinks in the afternoon. Why the afternoon? Because the last i know. A jug of beer in the afternoon cost less then a glass of beer at night.

    Its with this information that i visited Brewerkz 3 times and each time. Its was a different experience.

    First time i was there was with the guys. Being little boys, we wanted a liltte of everything and ordered the sampler platter which costs somewhere between $21-28 dollars. you get to try every single beer they have on offer and needless to say, some were winners and some tasted horrible. Honorable mentions include their golden ale and fruitbrews which changes everyday.

    We also ordered the chilli cheese fries which were really really big.And honestly, it tasted good. Very much better then i thought. Thick creamy melting cheese accompanied with red hot chilli sauce and thick french fries. It was good enough to recommend.

    Second time and third time around, we were there just to drink and have a meal. My gf had the beer braised salmon which was terribly bitter and just plain bad with a fishy aftertaste and i had a beer braised beef which was also....quite badly done. But the golden ale and fruit beer saved the day and heck, they were cheaper then the darn main course.

    I don't see that offer on the website anymore though. So i'm not sure if they still have the happy hour charges for noon. Give them a call though. I remembered that a JUG of beer, cost my $9.90 when i went. Now thats value for money.


    Rating given:Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5

       28 Apr 2008 at 11:03 pm
    Category: Coffee Shops
    Lucardia Lucardia says:

    This food stall is legendary.

    Ever since it started selling Nasi Lemak, you hear it everywhere with people saying how tasty the chicken wings are. How wonderful the ikan billis is and even how special and fragrant the rice is. Is it even justified to do so i wonder.

    Living pretty close to the store, i've patronized is a few times with my parents in tow to get a few packets of the coveted Nasi Lemak. The problem is the horrendous queue that never seems to diminish regardless of the time. So its wait wait wait and finally eat. Something i detest doing by the way.

    When we finally did get to eat the Nasi lemak. My only question is: How did they ever get a reputation that good? the rice is fragrant but not too special. The chicken wing is normal enough to find somewhere else and basically, the only thing to justify the long wait is the sheer number of packets bought by people in front and the slow movement of the staff...

    The prices aren't cheap either. Calling @ $6 for a simple packet of coconut rice. I'm amazed people still throng the place.

    As for me, i'd rather settle for the Kovan market across the street if i need food. You readers can try and make your own conclusion.


    Rating given:Rating: 2 out of 5Rating: 2 out of 5Rating: 2 out of 5Rating: 2 out of 5Rating: 2 out of 5

December's Exchange Rate

1=SGD 0.0587

How Do I Earn Yebber$?
102 Yebbers Online!
Double Yebber Dollar Category for December:

Food & Beverage

Click here for future month