Whee Fashion Fusion @ Suntec! It was held on the 24th and 25th (which is TODAY) in Room 325. I was there as a Vendor (a mini one) and a shopper!
As a Vendor... I knew that there were some grievances that there was little space, however I liked it that way! It's a bazaar! And I think it should certainly look like one. Everyone managed to place their items somehow in the end so there wasn't much problems. There was sufficient space for people to move about, so that was fine too.
The place is air-conditioned so that's a big plus compared to other places where you'll die in the sweltering heat (like today).
The location is very good and I'm sure everyone knows where Suntec is. So regulars could drop by easily without getting lost. It's also more convenient for people as they could go for a movie or dinner after hopping by for a short shopping spree. So I think that's a motivating factor for people who know about this event beforehand. Also, at times when business was slower, the staff dashed down to give out flyers so that people who were already in the mall would drop by. That helped a lot. Can you imagine if you were in some warehouse flea market? Where are you going to do last minute publicity stunts? So this was a great location.
The team also made efforts to put up posters and banners all over to inform people of the event on the 3rd floor.
I liked how the staff got along with people and are receptive to feedback.
But I think there should have been two mobile dressing rooms in the shopping area itself. Although it was already cramped, but I think it was a little nerve-wrecking for vendors to let customers take the clothing out of the toilet to try without paying first. (Luckily I didn't sell clothing)
As a Shopper I would love to see MORE vendors! But one good thing was that the items sold were not very similiar. Most of the items were for women, if not all... So that's a plus for me. But I think it would be great if there were things that appealed to men too, so that the male companions wouldn't be tapping their feet or looking at their watches.
I think the limiting factor could be.. the theme... Fashion Fusion. If it were ... "THE BAZAAR" there could be car-related items or toys to entertain the men. But that's my two cents.
I liked how many modes of payment were accepted. That really helped some of the customers, so that no one had to walk to find an ATM.
As a Yebber.. the overall experience...
IT WAS FUN! I LOVED IT. I was excited the night before and the whole experience really didn't disappoint. Although I didn't make a lot of money but I managed to let people know about my blogshop and I got to know many friendly nice people! In fact, I got so ecstatic, I started posing for pictures all over (which is a first, mind you.) I wouldn't miss the next one for anything.
Tutu Kueh! Yummy! Guess I was lucky, as I was the last customer who ordered the Durian filling ones. So they stuffed all the remaining bits of fresh durian into my kueh!
As it was late, there were many diners at Food Republic. And many ordering their Tutu. Although I was very full, I couldn't resists trying the durian tutu. They're slightly more expensive, 3 for $2. But for me, I find that its surely worth it.
Can't compare the usual fillings with those in my photos as I was lucky to be the last customers. You can see that the filling was so much that it cracked the surface of the tutu!
I will surely go back for more durian tutus. Yummilicious!
Thanks to Great Sage for posting his reviews. It reminded me about my encounter with them! :)
"Looking for a budget eating corner? Lack of cash and still want big American portions of food such as Botak Jones beef burgers? Look no further! BlackBoard is your neighborhood friendly Western food fix!" At least, that is what i believe went through their minds when they started this franchise. Their actual tagline is : "We satisfy your cravings". Let's find out if thats true then.
I was introduced to this place by Adrain san, who happens to live nearby and swears that this is one of the best eating places he has found in Singapore at present. (He's Japanese and a Singapore Judo Representative. Really cool, really big guy.)
Hidden in a derelict corner of a small coffee shop, its still easy to spot this rather slick looking sign in the middle of nowhere. From what i heard, the place usually sells out its food but we were pretty fortunate both times to have been able to secure a good seat and to get all our orders available.
Mushroom Soup ($2.80) - Their rendition of mushroom soup had little bits of mushrooms which is evident by the tiny black bits you see scattered throughout the soup. The cream was milky and rather thin which reminded me of Campbell's soup but a little tastier and more fragrant. My gf enjoyed this quite alot (She's a Katsu and mushroom affectionado.)
Garlic Bread ($2) - Served piping hot, crispy and smelling simply heavenly. Available in 6 thin slices for $2, this rendition was a quite good if not for the it being overly crispy due to over toasting as can be seen from the charred edges in the picture above. I prefer garlic bread a little moist as well but this came a little too dry.
Tuscan Fries ($2.50) - I really don't know what constitutes Tuscan fries but i love french fries. Heck, i'll even settle for Mcdonald's fries if the craving is in, but i do like my fries thick and i do prefer wedges over fries. These fries were served hot and steaming with some chilli powder or i suspect, msg sprinkled over them and honestly, they were not bad at all. Thick, sweet and a little spicy, it becomes an obsession the moment you start eating it. A word of caution though, most of the mains come with the same portion of fries so you are better off simply ordering a main course.
Blackboard Burger 300 gm patty ($6.80) - Shown above is their signature dish, the Blackboard burger. Similar to the Botak Burger, it comes with huge beef patties but this rendition is slightly cheaper. Its not too difficult to see why either, from the first bite, you'll realise that the patty is made by mashing many things inside along with the beef. From the close ups, you can see carrots, radish and assorted other ingredients which give the burger a unique taste. The only problem is that this makes it taste drier than other beef burgers i've had before and diminishes the beef taste which i prefer. The double patty comes at a cheap top up of $3 and basically, this can be 2 meals instead of one. Its very filling to say the least. Taste wise, Botak burger and Changing appetites have the upper hand, but price wise, you'll be hard pressed to find another 300 gm beef patty at this price.
Buffalo Wings ($1.20 each) - Given the choice of spicy, extra spicy or mild, Blackboard's buffalo wings are definitely more fiery then the rest. (To me at least) We took the extra spicy option, which is basically spicy thai sauce. I'm pretty sure they had chili paddy in the concoction because your lips will burn long after the wings have settled in your stomach. Meat wise, this was tender and nicely marinated from the color and the reddish tinge of the meat inside. The skin was crispy as well making it a good appetizer. My gf easily took the spiciness while i struggled by drinking gallons of water, you have been warned.
Cajun Spice Chicken ($6.50) - Order this and you'll get a generous piece of chicken thigh or breast which is thoroughly marinated and lightly pan fried. You'll also get a generous dose of Tuscan fries and some coleslaw to round up the package. I'm assuming that Cajun spices are influenced by Indian spices since i believe there is curry powder in the marinating. The chicken is quite literally soaked in the spices and exudes a fragrant and appetizing aroma. Meat was tender and easily cut apart as well and i love the fact that there are no bones for me to pick off. The cheese layer however did not add much to the flavor of the chicken and i didn't like the sauce that came with the dish. Still pretty decent though.
Fish and Chips Large($9) - I ordered this for my gf because i wanted to see what large looks like. Well, it indeed is large with 4 thick slices of fish deep fried to a golden brown and served sporting a standing ovation. Taste wise, the batter used in frying is very thick, such that we had to dig the meat out instead of eating the entire thing after one piece. The meat isn't much to shout about either but you can't complain about the portion size. $9 for batter though is not my idea of good fish and chips.
Honestly, food wise, the place is not exactly splendid but does have a certain charm and also comes at a really budget price. Compare it to a whole host of mediocre kopitiam offerings and this is a sure winner, but compare it to other similar outlets like Botak Jones or Uno Beef house and it doesn't score as high. Try it with an open mind and a minimal budget to judge for yourselves.
I'll go there for meal whenever I got a huge appetite & cravings because the servings are big & there's a good variety of side dishes to choose from.
Although I'm not much into pork, I quite like their ribs, especially the BBQ sauce which really compliments the ribs. The roast chicken is good too! With a coating of glaze and herbs on the chicken skin and the chicken skin is roasted to almost fatless, it makes me feel less sinful to eat it. Haha...
As for the sides, my favourite is corn muffins followed by the corn nibbles. Other than the corn, they also have different potato side dishes like galic potato, mashed potato and potato salad. Of course there's the greens as well.
I've also noticed that most of the waiters and waitresses there are the elderly. Seems like it's quite a pro-elderly place, that's good!
On the overall, felt happily satisfied. Both with the food and the friendly waiters.
Hong Kong Café along East Coast Road. is one of the more authentic hong kong style cafes compared to those like Central or XinWang. The ambience makes you feel like you're in HK...We can feel the small flies buzzing around while we wait for the food. haha
We had : -
Golden Fantasy Not fantastic although it is recommended by the media and the chef(it had 2 blue and red stars). The mango puree is very watery .The taste I had was from the mango ice cream instead.The seed toppings were bitter which was suppose to contrast with the natural sweetness of the mango puree,but in the end,no.. All I had to taste was the articifial sweetness from the mango ice cream.Not recommended at all.
Fried Hor Fan with fish & Bean Sprouts One look at the picture.It is actually FRIED BEAN SPROUTS with fish and hor fan… I asked my friend : “ Did I order a vegtable meal instead?" They are overly generous with the bean sprouts. Although I m a bean sprouts fan but its too much… Overall, I like it still because it’s a light meal. You can taste the old style frying, typical of a hawker u will find in the olden days in smith street. Very Cantonese.I would recommend it.But at $7.50, it’s a bit steep.
The service was good.They had the “customer is always right” attitude. The customer sitting beside me spilled his drinks all over himself while drinking it. The supervisor was quick to react. She was so apologetic, while helping him clean up. It was obvious that it was not her fault because she was miles away from him. But her attitude is commendable.I think a typical Singaporean waitress who start to roll eyes…etc… I would go back again in the evenings.
But sometimes the queue really puts me off and the lack of parking.... take the bus if you can :)
**Updated** I went again recently and had two delicious dishes which I HAVE to share with you guys.
I was there just a couple of days ago for a late night supper.
Item 609 Spicy Salt and Pepper Deep Fried Squid $7.20 Yes it is calamari... :) The batter was light and and very tasty. I liked how it wasn't oily and we were using eating every single last bit of it.
Item 684 Golden Fried Crispy Mushroom $6.20 I had this once and had a good impression of it, so I ordered it again. This time was even better than the last! They changed the kind of mushrooms they used and it does suit the batter more now. Ultra delicious and it is a must try!
Craving for more Japanese food after Waraku, i brought my sister and gf out for lunch this lazy weekend. And being a lazy weekend, going too far is out of the question. Instead, we opted to try out a Japanese restaurant in the Heartlands @ Compass Point.
Miso Soup - I would have expected better from Wasabi but it was not meant to be, the miso was bland and hardly appetizing. The seaweed came in big pieces however and the tofu is soft and melts in your mouth. Still, the soup just isn't what it could have been.
Beef Don Cold Cha Soba Agedashi Tofu ($15.80) - Beef is teriyaki seasoned as usual and tastes as it should. Chewy, sweet and tender with simple but fragrant Japanese rice. The cold cha soba here is springy and chewy with a slight bitter green tea taste which totally dissipates when you dip it into the accompanying sauce. It then becomes sweet, slightly heady and extremely tasty. Notice the agedashi tofu wasn't shown? Yeah, thats because it wasn't really that good to begin with.
Katsudon ($9) - The first was a wrong order which served beef instead of pork. The second bowl came after we asked a serving lady who kindly helped us correct the issue. The second bowl was the real deal. Pork cutlet was not too crispy due to the egg on top but retained many of the juices that makes it delectable. Guess who ordered this dish? None other then my gf of course.
Soft Shell Crab ($5.50) - The crab came in 2 pieces and was quite small. It was very crispy and hot but lacked sweetness in its meat.
Ebi Curry Don Fried Chicken Cold Soba ($15.80) - I was quite surprised when my sister's order appeared. For the price, i did not expect 2 big prawns to be on the bowl. The prawns were not very sweet tasting however. And the only difference between cold soba and cha soba is the green tea taste. But that difference means everything because this pales in comparison to cha soba. The fried chicken side dish was surprisingly generous and tasted hot, tender and sweet as well.
The total bill came up to $54.25 for 3 people for lunch. Which isn't too much and was reasonably satisfying.
Not too bad a restaurant though you can't compare it to Waraku, Inagiku or Keyaki on the same standing. Still, for a simple Japanese meal, you can't really go wrong with this place.
Met up with Kelvin and Mr Sotong Bao again for dinner along with my gf. Our initial location was supposed to be at either a porridge buffet in Ang Mo Kio or a HDB Tai Tai recommendation called Bermuda Triangle around the area. However, they were not viable options as they were packed and so we traveled around searching for food till we found this place.
Cosy, quiet and small are the words you would use to describe the restaurant. Also to note was that the place was packed when we arrived. A good sign? Not in terms of service thats for sure, we had to wait about 10-15 minutes before our order was taken and table cleared.
Cheese and Tomato Bruschetta ($6.50) - Toasted bread with tomato and cheese. This has got to be a cruel joke since there's practically nothing worth merit on this item and its a complete waste of money. Next!
Haloumi Cheese ($6.50) - Deep fried cheese with tomato pizzaiola sauce. Personally, i've never had this before and after this, i probably will not order it again. Cheese was tasteless and forgettable.
Fish And Chips ($9.50) - The biggest of the lot in terms of main course servings. The owner was kind enough to point out that this is a dish for kids and seldom ordered for adults. The fillet was crispy and batter thin but the meat wasn't fresh and was generally tasteless. A point to note though is that, for a kids meal, the serving was a whole lot more then any of the other adult items we ordered. Maybe kids have it better?
Beef Stew ($19.50) - It came smelling fragrant but won't win any prizes for presentation. Beef was tender and quite sweet tasting but its more like a non spicy rendition of beef rendang. Not too bad but portion was small and definately not worth the money.
Grilled Chicken in Mushroom Sauce ($15) - My gf had this thinking it would be a healthy and light dish but it came swimming in olive oil. From the outset, it was oily and that signed the death warrant for this dish. The grilled chicken was oily AND tasteless. Bad move.
Tiramisu - Madam Q's signature dessert. Tiramisu seems to be a favorite order such that almost any eatery will have it simply to round out their menu. This rendition was at least decent in that it was sweet and the cake was evident though i do not detect much rum. The best item of the day but thats not saying alot since everything else bordered on failing.
$85.80 for a mediocre meal is just one meal too many for me.
Disappointment. For all the good service and nice ambiance going for it. All this places lacks is good food.
Waraku (Katong) is one place which I keep walking past many times, peer in but never walk in. Finally I managed to drag my colleague there with me one lazy weekday afternoon. There weren't any customers then since it was technically tea time so we had all the attention.
The servers were very polite and were very smiley. The ambience was pretty casual but it was really cramp with all the tables close to each other. A little claustrophobic, so luckily it wasn't crowded. But it's a full house at dinner time so you might want to make reservations if you intend to go then.
We ordered:- Horenso and Bacon Cream MMmmM It smelt so good when it came in its HUGE bowl. I was really apprehensive about the cream because I'm never a fan of cream based sauces... but I tried it anyway. It wasn't as thick as it looked yet it had a lot of flavour. It was served on Noodles and with rice on the side. Lots of ingredients to go ard. I'd say this is good value for $12.90...
Katsu Curry Don I regret ordering this the moment I ordered. Not because it looked horrible but because the other things looked so interesting and I chose such a safe option! So Dumb. A safe option it might be... it wasn't good enough. The curry is one of the salty-est I've tasted. And there was SO MUCH sauce but no rice. And 3 pieces of chicken. How does it add up?! So I ended up eating only half of it... the rest was just too salty to take.
Amazingly I would be going back. We paid about $28-$30 for the two of us...Which is not really value for money but the rest of the things on the menu really enticed me and I think it deserves another try. :)
But service did falter when they had more people... we got our bill really slow.... :P
Royal China at Raffle Arcade. Interestingly, the 1st Royal China Resturant is in London. I found it amazing that they have food that suit Asians. The ambience of the restaurant is great. The decor is beautiful and even the setting of the table matches the rest of the restaurant. Its not noisy compared to a typical Yum cha resturant
We had : -
Cha Siew Buns Good..The fillings are just right and very savoury.There weren't any fatty bits and I liked it very much. Royal China Speciality Cheong Fun It is the combination of Cha Siew, prawns and scallop. Texture of the cheong fun is good. Not the typical kind where it just crumbles easily once pick it up. It is very Q~.
Glutinous Rice Very fresh fillings with bits of prawns mushrooms etc.the rice was soft but not that sticky nor dry. Just right.
Scallop dumplings Recommended. The skin is thin but didn't break easily. There scallop inside was fresh.
XiaoLong Bao (shanghai dumplings) I didn't find anything nice about this dish. It was just normal. There wasn't much soup inside and the filling wasn't as savoury as I had hoped.
Steamed Beancurd The filling on top was a bit too overpowering for my liking. Too much for so little beancurd that it destroyed the balance. Not really what I expected.
Deep Fried Beancurd rolls One of the dishes I enjoyed most. It was crisp and not oily like what I taste in other restaurants.
Mango Rolls A combination of Mango and prawns is pretty unique, I must say. It's worth a try as the taste is quite soothing.
Cha Siew Sou (roasted pork puff) I loved it. The crust outside was baked just right.Not overly baked. I like the sweet filling of the cha siew.
Custard bun Not recommended.I had better custard buns.The fillings tasted a bit weird for my liking.
Chicken porridge I LOVED THIS DISH! Although it's a really common dish but it was excellent. The texture is perfect and the slices of chicken are big enough. It wasn't too bland nor too salty. Just right.
Century egg porridge Similiar texture with century egg.
Fried Turnip cake It's just another normal dish. It is not crisp enough.
Ou Ni (Yam paste) I'm a yam paste fan, but this is not up to my standard. No doubt, the yam paste is made from fresh yam. The paste was a bit too dry and lumpy. It was not soft enough.One thing I m quite surprised with was that the paste came with Almond sauce instead. Quite a interesting combination. I love almond paste also.I would order it again only because of the combination.
Herbal jelly with mango (GuiLing Gao w mango ) Very nice presentation. The Guiling Gao was very concentrated. The bitterness of the herbal jelly contrasted with the sweetness of the mango puree.It goes well.
Mango Sago Plum (You Zi Piao Xiang) It tasted pretty much like what is served in other places.
The bill came out to $95,which I find reasonable for 4 people. The service is excellent. The aunties were very nice and kept our Tea had been topped up constantly. The plates were changed constantly.
I would definitely go back. Reservations are needed though.
Having heard quite a few good things about this place from friends and fellow bloggers, i was looking forward to my visit for this 'almost guaranteed' winner of a restaurant that has been touted as being reasonably priced and packing in the taste department. And as i was in the vicinity with Lord Thingy, i coerced him into giving me a treat at the place. =) Thanks again for the treat Thingy!!
Chef's Recommendation Hot Plate Xiao Long Bao ($4.80) - Our first item came out looking like a disappointment and it tasted like one too. Unlike the menu which touted it as a chef's recommendation, the picture showed the egg having other tasty ingredients like chili, vegetables and assorted minced meat but ours came looking nothing like the menu. The egg was tasteless apart from the hint of garlic used to fry it. The xiao long bao also did not fare too well as it came across as soggier then usual and broke too easily. The meat also didn't taste too fresh while the gravy within was too salty. Thingy didn't like it much too.
Beef Brisket La Mian ($7) - Another recommendation, this time by the waitress and sadly, another lacklustre item. The soup was practically tasteless which really brought the walls crashing down. Brisket was soft and tender albeit as tasteless as the broth. The la mian was the only redemption as it was springy to the taste. Overall a disappointment.
Golden Pastry ($5.50) - Another recommendation from the waitress (must take note never to trust waitresses), this is a salty pastry which is basically dough flattened and pan fried till its crispy and 'golden' in color with sesame seeds sprinkled over it. To me, all i tasted was flour, salted flour. Case closed.
Fried Rice ($10.50) - Now this item i've heard much about, the fried rice comes with generous amounts of chicken meat, prawns and ham scattered over rice thats fried with eggs and minimal butter. And yet, even this dish didn't pull through as it was a tad too salty and just didn't pack the flavors i've heard so much about. Thingy commented that the main branch served better fried rice then this place.
This unsatisfying, overcrowded and disappointing meal cost only a paltry $35.31 but thats a dollar too many in this case.
As i'm writing this, i can't help but wonder why they have such good reviews by my friends. Maybe i was there at the wrong time but this is simply not acceptable. Unless i'm getting another treat, i'm never forking a cent if this is the best they offer.
Whee Fashion Fusion @ Suntec! It was held on the 24th and 25th (which is TODAY) in Room 325. I was there as a Vendor (a mini one) and a shopper!
As a Vendor...
I knew that there were some grievances that there was little space, however I liked it that way! It's a bazaar! And I think it should certainly look like one. Everyone managed to place their items somehow in the end so there wasn't much problems. There was sufficient space for people to move about, so that was fine too.
The place is air-conditioned so that's a big plus compared to other places where you'll die in the sweltering heat (like today).
The location is very good and I'm sure everyone knows where Suntec is. So regulars could drop by easily without getting lost. It's also more convenient for people as they could go for a movie or dinner after hopping by for a short shopping spree. So I think that's a motivating factor for people who know about this event beforehand. Also, at times when business was slower, the staff dashed down to give out flyers so that people who were already in the mall would drop by. That helped a lot. Can you imagine if you were in some warehouse flea market? Where are you going to do last minute publicity stunts? So this was a great location.
The team also made efforts to put up posters and banners all over to inform people of the event on the 3rd floor.
I liked how the staff got along with people and are receptive to feedback.
But I think there should have been two mobile dressing rooms in the shopping area itself. Although it was already cramped, but I think it was a little nerve-wrecking for vendors to let customers take the clothing out of the toilet to try without paying first. (Luckily I didn't sell clothing)
As a Shopper
I would love to see MORE vendors! But one good thing was that the items sold were not very similiar. Most of the items were for women, if not all... So that's a plus for me. But I think it would be great if there were things that appealed to men too, so that the male companions wouldn't be tapping their feet or looking at their watches.
I think the limiting factor could be.. the theme... Fashion Fusion. If it were ... "THE BAZAAR" there could be car-related items or toys to entertain the men. But that's my two cents.
I liked how many modes of payment were accepted. That really helped some of the customers, so that no one had to walk to find an ATM.
As a Yebber.. the overall experience...
IT WAS FUN! I LOVED IT. I was excited the night before and the whole experience really didn't disappoint. Although I didn't make a lot of money but I managed to let people know about my blogshop and I got to know many friendly nice people! In fact, I got so ecstatic, I started posing for pictures all over (which is a first, mind you.) I wouldn't miss the next one for anything.
Way to go Yebber!
** I'm happy I'm first!**
Rating given:
Tutu Kueh! Yummy! Guess I was lucky, as I was the last customer who ordered the Durian filling ones. So they stuffed all the remaining bits of fresh durian into my kueh!
As it was late, there were many diners at Food Republic. And many ordering their Tutu. Although I was very full, I couldn't resists trying the durian tutu. They're slightly more expensive, 3 for $2. But for me, I find that its surely worth it.
Can't compare the usual fillings with those in my photos as I was lucky to be the last customers. You can see that the filling was so much that it cracked the surface of the tutu!
I will surely go back for more durian tutus. Yummilicious!
Thanks to Great Sage for posting his reviews. It reminded me about my encounter with them! :)
Rating given:
"Looking for a budget eating corner? Lack of cash and still want big American portions of food such as Botak Jones beef burgers? Look no further! BlackBoard is your neighborhood friendly Western food fix!" At least, that is what i believe went through their minds when they started this franchise. Their actual tagline is : "We satisfy your cravings". Let's find out if thats true then.
I was introduced to this place by Adrain san, who happens to live nearby and swears that this is one of the best eating places he has found in Singapore at present. (He's Japanese and a Singapore Judo Representative. Really cool, really big guy.)
Hidden in a derelict corner of a small coffee shop, its still easy to spot this rather slick looking sign in the middle of nowhere. From what i heard, the place usually sells out its food but we were pretty fortunate both times to have been able to secure a good seat and to get all our orders available.
Mushroom Soup ($2.80) - Their rendition of mushroom soup had little bits of mushrooms which is evident by the tiny black bits you see scattered throughout the soup. The cream was milky and rather thin which reminded me of Campbell's soup but a little tastier and more fragrant. My gf enjoyed this quite alot (She's a Katsu and mushroom affectionado.)
Garlic Bread ($2) - Served piping hot, crispy and smelling simply heavenly. Available in 6 thin slices for $2, this rendition was a quite good if not for the it being overly crispy due to over toasting as can be seen from the charred edges in the picture above. I prefer garlic bread a little moist as well but this came a little too dry.
Tuscan Fries ($2.50) - I really don't know what constitutes Tuscan fries but i love french fries. Heck, i'll even settle for Mcdonald's fries if the craving is in, but i do like my fries thick and i do prefer wedges over fries. These fries were served hot and steaming with some chilli powder or i suspect, msg sprinkled over them and honestly, they were not bad at all. Thick, sweet and a little spicy, it becomes an obsession the moment you start eating it. A word of caution though, most of the mains come with the same portion of fries so you are better off simply ordering a main course.
Blackboard Burger 300 gm patty ($6.80) - Shown above is their signature dish, the Blackboard burger. Similar to the Botak Burger, it comes with huge beef patties but this rendition is slightly cheaper. Its not too difficult to see why either, from the first bite, you'll realise that the patty is made by mashing many things inside along with the beef. From the close ups, you can see carrots, radish and assorted other ingredients which give the burger a unique taste. The only problem is that this makes it taste drier than other beef burgers i've had before and diminishes the beef taste which i prefer. The double patty comes at a cheap top up of $3 and basically, this can be 2 meals instead of one. Its very filling to say the least. Taste wise, Botak burger and Changing appetites have the upper hand, but price wise, you'll be hard pressed to find another 300 gm beef patty at this price.
Buffalo Wings ($1.20 each) - Given the choice of spicy, extra spicy or mild, Blackboard's buffalo wings are definitely more fiery then the rest. (To me at least) We took the extra spicy option, which is basically spicy thai sauce. I'm pretty sure they had chili paddy in the concoction because your lips will burn long after the wings have settled in your stomach. Meat wise, this was tender and nicely marinated from the color and the reddish tinge of the meat inside. The skin was crispy as well making it a good appetizer. My gf easily took the spiciness while i struggled by drinking gallons of water, you have been warned.
Cajun Spice Chicken ($6.50) - Order this and you'll get a generous piece of chicken thigh or breast which is thoroughly marinated and lightly pan fried. You'll also get a generous dose of Tuscan fries and some coleslaw to round up the package. I'm assuming that Cajun spices are influenced by Indian spices since i believe there is curry powder in the marinating. The chicken is quite literally soaked in the spices and exudes a fragrant and appetizing aroma. Meat was tender and easily cut apart as well and i love the fact that there are no bones for me to pick off. The cheese layer however did not add much to the flavor of the chicken and i didn't like the sauce that came with the dish. Still pretty decent though.
Fish and Chips Large($9) - I ordered this for my gf because i wanted to see what large looks like. Well, it indeed is large with 4 thick slices of fish deep fried to a golden brown and served sporting a standing ovation. Taste wise, the batter used in frying is very thick, such that we had to dig the meat out instead of eating the entire thing after one piece. The meat isn't much to shout about either but you can't complain about the portion size. $9 for batter though is not my idea of good fish and chips.
Honestly, food wise, the place is not exactly splendid but does have a certain charm and also comes at a really budget price. Compare it to a whole host of mediocre kopitiam offerings and this is a sure winner, but compare it to other similar outlets like Botak Jones or Uno Beef house and it doesn't score as high. Try it with an open mind and a minimal budget to judge for yourselves.
Rating given:
I'll go there for meal whenever I got a huge appetite & cravings because the servings are big & there's a good variety of side dishes to choose from.
Although I'm not much into pork, I quite like their ribs, especially the BBQ sauce which really compliments the ribs. The roast chicken is good too! With a coating of glaze and herbs on the chicken skin and the chicken skin is roasted to almost fatless, it makes me feel less sinful to eat it. Haha...
As for the sides, my favourite is corn muffins followed by the corn nibbles. Other than the corn, they also have different potato side dishes like galic potato, mashed potato and potato salad. Of course there's the greens as well.
I've also noticed that most of the waiters and waitresses there are the elderly. Seems like it's quite a pro-elderly place, that's good!
On the overall, felt happily satisfied. Both with the food and the friendly waiters.
Rating given:
Hong Kong Café along East Coast Road. is one of the more authentic hong kong style cafes compared to those like Central or XinWang. The ambience makes you feel like you're in HK...We can feel the small flies buzzing around while we wait for the food. haha
We had : -
Golden Fantasy
Not fantastic although it is recommended by the media and the chef(it had 2 blue and red stars). The mango puree is very watery .The taste I had was from the mango ice cream instead.The seed toppings were bitter which was suppose to contrast with the natural sweetness of the mango puree,but in the end,no.. All I had to taste was the articifial sweetness from the mango ice cream.Not recommended at all.
Fried Hor Fan with fish & Bean Sprouts
One look at the picture.It is actually FRIED BEAN SPROUTS with fish and hor fan…
I asked my friend : “ Did I order a vegtable meal instead?" They are overly generous with the bean sprouts. Although I m a bean sprouts fan but its too much…
Overall, I like it still because it’s a light meal. You can taste the old style frying, typical of a hawker u will find in the olden days in smith street. Very Cantonese.I would recommend it.But at $7.50, it’s a bit steep.
The service was good.They had the “customer is always right” attitude. The customer sitting beside me spilled his drinks all over himself while drinking it. The supervisor was quick to react. She was so apologetic, while helping him clean up. It was obvious that it was not her fault because she was miles away from him. But her attitude is commendable.I think a typical Singaporean waitress who start to roll eyes…etc…
I would go back again in the evenings.
But sometimes the queue really puts me off and the lack of parking.... take the bus if you can :)
**Updated**
I went again recently and had two delicious dishes which I HAVE to share with you guys.
I was there just a couple of days ago for a late night supper.
Item 609 Spicy Salt and Pepper Deep Fried Squid $7.20
Yes it is calamari... :) The batter was light and and very tasty. I liked how it wasn't oily and we were using eating every single last bit of it.
Item 684 Golden Fried Crispy Mushroom $6.20
I had this once and had a good impression of it, so I ordered it again. This time was even better than the last! They changed the kind of mushrooms they used and it does suit the batter more now. Ultra delicious and it is a must try!
Rating given:
Craving for more Japanese food after Waraku, i brought my sister and gf out for lunch this lazy weekend. And being a lazy weekend, going too far is out of the question. Instead, we opted to try out a Japanese restaurant in the Heartlands @ Compass Point.
Miso Soup - I would have expected better from Wasabi but it was not meant to be, the miso was bland and hardly appetizing. The seaweed came in big pieces however and the tofu is soft and melts in your mouth. Still, the soup just isn't what it could have been.
Beef Don Cold Cha Soba Agedashi Tofu ($15.80) - Beef is teriyaki seasoned as usual and tastes as it should. Chewy, sweet and tender with simple but fragrant Japanese rice. The cold cha soba here is springy and chewy with a slight bitter green tea taste which totally dissipates when you dip it into the accompanying sauce. It then becomes sweet, slightly heady and extremely tasty. Notice the agedashi tofu wasn't shown? Yeah, thats because it wasn't really that good to begin with.
Katsudon ($9) - The first was a wrong order which served beef instead of pork. The second bowl came after we asked a serving lady who kindly helped us correct the issue. The second bowl was the real deal. Pork cutlet was not too crispy due to the egg on top but retained many of the juices that makes it delectable. Guess who ordered this dish? None other then my gf of course.
Soft Shell Crab ($5.50) - The crab came in 2 pieces and was quite small. It was very crispy and hot but lacked sweetness in its meat.
Ebi Curry Don Fried Chicken Cold Soba ($15.80) - I was quite surprised when my sister's order appeared. For the price, i did not expect 2 big prawns to be on the bowl. The prawns were not very sweet tasting however. And the only difference between cold soba and cha soba is the green tea taste. But that difference means everything because this pales in comparison to cha soba. The fried chicken side dish was surprisingly generous and tasted hot, tender and sweet as well.
The total bill came up to $54.25 for 3 people for lunch. Which isn't too much and was reasonably satisfying.
Not too bad a restaurant though you can't compare it to Waraku, Inagiku or Keyaki on the same standing. Still, for a simple Japanese meal, you can't really go wrong with this place.
Rating given:
Met up with Kelvin and Mr Sotong Bao again for dinner along with my gf. Our initial location was supposed to be at either a porridge buffet in Ang Mo Kio or a HDB Tai Tai recommendation called Bermuda Triangle around the area. However, they were not viable options as they were packed and so we traveled around searching for food till we found this place.
Cosy, quiet and small are the words you would use to describe the restaurant. Also to note was that the place was packed when we arrived. A good sign? Not in terms of service thats for sure, we had to wait about 10-15 minutes before our order was taken and table cleared.
Cheese and Tomato Bruschetta ($6.50) - Toasted bread with tomato and cheese. This has got to be a cruel joke since there's practically nothing worth merit on this item and its a complete waste of money. Next!
Haloumi Cheese ($6.50) - Deep fried cheese with tomato pizzaiola sauce. Personally, i've never had this before and after this, i probably will not order it again. Cheese was tasteless and forgettable.
Fish And Chips ($9.50) - The biggest of the lot in terms of main course servings. The owner was kind enough to point out that this is a dish for kids and seldom ordered for adults. The fillet was crispy and batter thin but the meat wasn't fresh and was generally tasteless. A point to note though is that, for a kids meal, the serving was a whole lot more then any of the other adult items we ordered. Maybe kids have it better?
Beef Stew ($19.50) - It came smelling fragrant but won't win any prizes for presentation. Beef was tender and quite sweet tasting but its more like a non spicy rendition of beef rendang. Not too bad but portion was small and definately not worth the money.
Grilled Chicken in Mushroom Sauce ($15) - My gf had this thinking it would be a healthy and light dish but it came swimming in olive oil. From the outset, it was oily and that signed the death warrant for this dish. The grilled chicken was oily AND tasteless. Bad move.
Tiramisu - Madam Q's signature dessert. Tiramisu seems to be a favorite order such that almost any eatery will have it simply to round out their menu. This rendition was at least decent in that it was sweet and the cake was evident though i do not detect much rum. The best item of the day but thats not saying alot since everything else bordered on failing.
$85.80 for a mediocre meal is just one meal too many for me.
Disappointment. For all the good service and nice ambiance going for it. All this places lacks is good food.
Rating given:
Waraku (Katong) is one place which I keep walking past many times, peer in but never walk in. Finally I managed to drag my colleague there with me one lazy weekday afternoon. There weren't any customers then since it was technically tea time so we had all the attention.
The servers were very polite and were very smiley. The ambience was pretty casual but it was really cramp with all the tables close to each other. A little claustrophobic, so luckily it wasn't crowded. But it's a full house at dinner time so you might want to make reservations if you intend to go then.
We ordered:-
Horenso and Bacon Cream
MMmmM It smelt so good when it came in its HUGE bowl. I was really apprehensive about the cream because I'm never a fan of cream based sauces... but I tried it anyway. It wasn't as thick as it looked yet it had a lot of flavour. It was served on Noodles and with rice on the side. Lots of ingredients to go ard. I'd say this is good value for $12.90...
Katsu Curry Don
I regret ordering this the moment I ordered. Not because it looked horrible but because the other things looked so interesting and I chose such a safe option! So Dumb. A safe option it might be... it wasn't good enough. The curry is one of the salty-est I've tasted. And there was SO MUCH sauce but no rice. And 3 pieces of chicken. How does it add up?! So I ended up eating only half of it... the rest was just too salty to take.
Amazingly I would be going back. We paid about $28-$30 for the two of us...Which is not really value for money but the rest of the things on the menu really enticed me and I think it deserves another try. :)
But service did falter when they had more people... we got our bill really slow.... :P
Rating given:
Royal China at Raffle Arcade. Interestingly, the 1st Royal China Resturant is in London. I found it amazing that they have food that suit Asians.
The ambience of the restaurant is great. The decor is beautiful and even the setting of the table matches the rest of the restaurant. Its not noisy compared to a typical Yum cha resturant
We had : -
Cha Siew Buns
Good..The fillings are just right and very savoury.There weren't any fatty bits and I liked it very much.
Royal China Speciality Cheong Fun
It is the combination of Cha Siew, prawns and scallop. Texture of the cheong fun is good. Not the typical kind where it just crumbles easily once pick it up. It is very Q~.
Glutinous Rice
Very fresh fillings with bits of prawns mushrooms etc.the rice was soft but not that sticky nor dry. Just right.
Scallop dumplings
Recommended. The skin is thin but didn't break easily. There scallop inside was fresh.
XiaoLong Bao (shanghai dumplings)
I didn't find anything nice about this dish. It was just normal. There wasn't much soup inside and the filling wasn't as savoury as I had hoped.
Steamed Beancurd
The filling on top was a bit too overpowering for my liking. Too much for so little beancurd that it destroyed the balance. Not really what I expected.
Deep Fried Beancurd rolls
One of the dishes I enjoyed most. It was crisp and not oily like what I taste in other restaurants.
Mango Rolls
A combination of Mango and prawns is pretty unique, I must say. It's worth a try as the taste is quite soothing.
Cha Siew Sou (roasted pork puff)
I loved it. The crust outside was baked just right.Not overly baked. I like the sweet filling of the cha siew.
Custard bun
Not recommended.I had better custard buns.The fillings tasted a bit weird for my liking.
Chicken porridge
I LOVED THIS DISH! Although it's a really common dish but it was excellent. The texture is perfect and the slices of chicken are big enough. It wasn't too bland nor too salty. Just right.
Century egg porridge
Similiar texture with century egg.
Fried Turnip cake
It's just another normal dish. It is not crisp enough.
Ou Ni (Yam paste)
I'm a yam paste fan, but this is not up to my standard. No doubt, the yam paste is made from fresh yam. The paste was a bit too dry and lumpy. It was not soft enough.One thing I m quite surprised with was that the paste came with Almond sauce instead. Quite a interesting combination. I love almond paste also.I would order it again only because of the combination.
Herbal jelly with mango (GuiLing Gao w mango )
Very nice presentation. The Guiling Gao was very concentrated. The bitterness of the herbal jelly contrasted with the sweetness of the mango puree.It goes well.
Mango Sago Plum (You Zi Piao Xiang)
It tasted pretty much like what is served in other places.
The bill came out to $95,which I find reasonable for 4 people.
The service is excellent. The aunties were very nice and kept our Tea had been topped up constantly. The plates were changed constantly.
I would definitely go back. Reservations are needed though.
Rating given:
Having heard quite a few good things about this place from friends and fellow bloggers, i was looking forward to my visit for this 'almost guaranteed' winner of a restaurant that has been touted as being reasonably priced and packing in the taste department. And as i was in the vicinity with Lord Thingy, i coerced him into giving me a treat at the place. =) Thanks again for the treat Thingy!!
Chef's Recommendation Hot Plate Xiao Long Bao ($4.80) - Our first item came out looking like a disappointment and it tasted like one too. Unlike the menu which touted it as a chef's recommendation, the picture showed the egg having other tasty ingredients like chili, vegetables and assorted minced meat but ours came looking nothing like the menu. The egg was tasteless apart from the hint of garlic used to fry it. The xiao long bao also did not fare too well as it came across as soggier then usual and broke too easily. The meat also didn't taste too fresh while the gravy within was too salty. Thingy didn't like it much too.
Beef Brisket La Mian ($7) - Another recommendation, this time by the waitress and sadly, another lacklustre item. The soup was practically tasteless which really brought the walls crashing down. Brisket was soft and tender albeit as tasteless as the broth. The la mian was the only redemption as it was springy to the taste. Overall a disappointment.
Golden Pastry ($5.50) - Another recommendation from the waitress (must take note never to trust waitresses), this is a salty pastry which is basically dough flattened and pan fried till its crispy and 'golden' in color with sesame seeds sprinkled over it. To me, all i tasted was flour, salted flour. Case closed.
Fried Rice ($10.50) - Now this item i've heard much about, the fried rice comes with generous amounts of chicken meat, prawns and ham scattered over rice thats fried with eggs and minimal butter. And yet, even this dish didn't pull through as it was a tad too salty and just didn't pack the flavors i've heard so much about. Thingy commented that the main branch served better fried rice then this place.
This unsatisfying, overcrowded and disappointing meal cost only a paltry $35.31 but thats a dollar too many in this case.
As i'm writing this, i can't help but wonder why they have such good reviews by my friends. Maybe i was there at the wrong time but this is simply not acceptable. Unless i'm getting another treat, i'm never forking a cent if this is the best they offer.
Rating given: