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kormmandos's Reviews

       19 Apr 2008 at 9:17 pm
    Category: Chinese (New)
    Bobo Bobo says:

    An afternoon tea date with the girlfriends brought me to Zhou's Kitchen at Far East Square. I don't quite know what possessed us to be so brave to as to travel all the way to the CBD area with a newborn baby, but we did. Not to mention we weren't sure where it was and was initially mistakened that it was the one situated above the food court.

    After some walking, we caught sight of the lime green bamboos and found ourselves on the doorstep of the restaurant that weekday afternoon. Even at 2pm, the place was still bustling with activity and we were glad we made reservations.

    The decor of the place was quite modern with an oriental touch to it. Quite pleasing to the eye really and the lighting was comfortable without being too dim for photo-taking.

    Once settled, we took a look at the menu and were a little disappointed that the list was quite short. There wasn't much variety though they seemed to have most of the items we want... except one - the conventional chee cheong fun.

    Food ordered:
    BBQ Pork Buns - Char Siew Bao ($3.20 for 3)
    The highlight of our meal. We had two servings of this. I liked the fluffiness of the outside and the filling wasn't too sweet. It was just right and it didn't have much fatty meat. My companions enjoyed this one too. But sadly that was all....

    Steamed Pork Dumplings ($3.50 for 3)
    I'm not really a fan of pork dumplings so I guess I shouldn't comment on this. But I really found the skin a little too thick and dry for me. The filling was average and it wasn't juicy enough inside.

    Steamed Shrimp Dumplings - Har Gao ($4.20 for 3)
    Same problem here. The skin was a tad too thick and dry. I wonder if it was because we were there close to the end of lunch time. But it really shouldn't be that way. The prawn inside was ok. It wasn't very fresh but it wasn't "stale" either.

    Fried Rice Roll in XO Sauce - Fried Chee Cheong Fun ($4.20)
    They didn't have steamed chee cheong fun. Not even a single kind. This is the only one they have and apparently it's their signature dish. Well, we thought it tasted like Char Kway Tiao. It was quite oily and didn't have much liquor taste in case you're wondering. We were quite sad we can't have our regular rice rolls really.

    Banana Roll with Shrimp ($3.80)
    We didn't order this but it appeared and we ate absent-mindedly. The taste of the banana was quite strong and it went pretty well with the shrimp I guess though I found it a little weird at first.

    Fried Carrot Cake ($3.20)
    It was pretty oily and wasn't very smooth. I've had much smoother ones and 3 pieces for this price is a tad expensive.

    Beancurd Roll with Shrimp- Fu Pi Juan ($3.50)
    I found that the skin wasn't crisp enough for my liking.

    Mango Pomelo Cream ($4)
    A small serving at this price, I'd expected much more. But the taste of the mango was lacking and finding pomelo is like a mini treasure hunt in this bowl. It was served cold but but quite chilled enough. I would have preferred it if it were sweeter.

    Hashima Jelly ($6)
    My companions had this and I didn't try it. They said it was average though...

    Inclusive of tea, towels, pickles, service charge and GST, it cost 3 of us $53.80. The service is alright with them topping up the tea often and they took extra care with the baby around (except one absent minded lady) However I don't think this is worth another visit.... unless I'm in the area and there isn't much of anything else.


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

    72. Melvados Cafe   
       19 Apr 2008 at 8:33 pm
    Category: Deli and Cafe, Desserts
    Bobo Bobo says:

    Being a dessert (chocolate) fan, no one could stop me from Melvados once I knew they were famous for their brownies. Totally psyched, I travelled all the way to the other end of Singapore for a lazy Sunday afternoon tea with a friend.

    Situated in King's Arcade, I couldn't help but notice that the exterior is a little run-down looking. But I guess what was more important to me was the inside since it was a really hot day and I needed a good dose of cool air....

    ..which I didn't get... for the first time I actually asked my companion if he felt hot. I'm usually the one who doesn't complain about the temperature of the place but this one is an exception. There's a first to everything right? We were sitting pretty far from the window so we weren't subjected to the heat from outside. So it really must be the lack of air-conditioning.

    That aside, I found the decor alright. Just a little sparse though. They could have more seats to make the place look more full. But as my companion pointed out, two more tables (like I suggested) could make it look crammed. But I guess they could switch to smaller tables. Nonetheless the tables and chairs didn't quite match though the sofas looked nice. I say look cos there were very few and we didn't get a chance to sit on them.

    After much pondering, we ordered:

    Mixed Platter
    Your usual mix of fried calamari, fries, onion rings and seafood cakes. I didn't like any of it. The fries were the thin sort which is pretty much oil and little potato. The onion rings lacked onion flavour. The calamari are the sort straight from the freezer and the seafood cakes were just weird. The batter used wasn't tasty and honestly I was quite sick of it after the first two pieces. And yes they seemed to have used the same batter (or at least similiar) for all 3 items, except the fries.

    Black & White Kisses
    This is the recommended brownie on the menu. It's a brownie topped with dark and white chocolate Hershey's kisses. This brownie was the more moist one of the two we had but it's still not rich enough in my opinion. It was still a little crumbly (like a cake) and I prefer brownies which are more on the sticky side. There is a good bit of flavour though.

    Sizzling Brownies Sensation
    This is the brownie above, served on a hot plate with your choice of ice-cream. We had expected something more and certainly didn't expect to be served the same brownie. Also the hot plate was just heated up in the microwave and cooled down pretty fast after it arrived. I guess that's just as well since the ice cream was melting at super speed, resulting in a brownish puddle around the brownie after a while. Just a novelty but nothing to rave about really.

    Chocolate Madness
    This was your regular brownie, just much drier. My little mistake.

    We paid $25 in total I think and although it wasn't very much but I didn't find it worth my while after all. Service was alright and the staff wasn't exceptionally alert despite the fact that there were so few tables occupied.

    I don't think I would be back.


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

       15 Apr 2008 at 2:23 am
    Category: Fusion, Steakhouses
    claud claud says:

    Mediocre set lunches.

    This place had been hidden from my view since I first stepped foot on Serangoon Circle, until I saw the reviews here. The shop front looks rather run down and the signboard outside was too old for anyone to take notice of its existence. The windows were covered with white lace curtains, and if you don't take notice of the signboard, most probably you'll miss them too.

    When I first stepped into the restaurant, I was amazed at how they managed to continue in such a retro unit. It looks as if you're dining in a run-down 70s restaurant. Even the staff there are retro.

    Not knowing what to order, we ordered the set lunches. There were 2 types of pricing, one at $7 and the other above $12. We each ordered one from each of the menu. He got himself the grilled fish and chips set lunch that comes with dessert and drink. I ordered the pepper steak set that comes with soup of the day, ice cream and drink. (The drink served was in kiddo size. Luck they serve ice water too.)

    When the soup was served, I knew we made a wrong choice for lunch. The soup was too diluted and it tasted more like water than thick soup.

    My steak was served first. The serving was acceptable but the taste just didn't quite meet my expectation. The two other steakhouses around Serangoon Circle. Next came the fish and chips. Oh boy, was my boyfriend disappointed. One word to describe it - tasteless.

    The only thing that somehow surprised us was the dessert that came with the cheaper set lunch. It's their own version of muah chee with coconut. Usually muah chee is eaten with chopped peanuts and sugar. So it's quite interesting to taste it with coconut instead.

    I'm probably not going to return. There's just too many choices available around the area.


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

       15 Apr 2008 at 2:08 am
    Category: Japanese
    claud claud says:

    High quality mouth watering authentic Japanese Cuisine.

    I've to agree with HisFoodBlog that EN Japanese Dining Bar is one of the best I'd been to by far. Serving the freshest sashimi and to-drool-for authentic cuisine.

    This was the first time I tried the Beef Carpaccio. At first sight, I didn't dare touch it. But since its ordered, I just went ahead and dared myself. After the first slice of beef, I wanted more! It was thinly sliced and blended well with the seasoning on the beef. Although a tad too saltish, but still great one to devour on.

    As the dishes ordered were more or less those recommended above by HisFoodBlog, I shall just share one more, which is another surprisingly yummilicious one.

    The Unagi Fried Rice is most probably the only thing I will order if I should be going back there again. (Cos the price tag there is just not friendly enough for my thin wallet.) The fried rice is very fragrant and the rice grain is the real good stuff. Unlike the usual fried rice, I had at other Jap place, this is solid and slightly chewy too. The Unagi although cut to rather tiny pieces, I could still feel it when I chew on the mouthful of rice and unagi.

    Great place to go for good quality Jap food.

    (*Please take note that EN Jap dining bar is located along M.Sultan road, before reaching the left turn at Obar. Thanks to the incomplete directions given, when I was there, I couldn't find it within UE Square building. :S)


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

    75. Pink Beauty   
       13 Apr 2008 at 9:18 pm
    claud claud says:

    Beauty, body and hair care at its cheapest! This is the place to go for cheap cheap toiletries, beauty products, hair and body products and even perfumes.

    Located in the heart of Ang Mo Kio, you might missed this gem as its hidden among the rows of shops along the main shopping lanes. The only thing that might help make it stand out is the pink sign board and lots of bottled shampoos neatly arranged outside of the shop.

    The shop carries most of the brands, such as Loreal, Biore, SK2, and many others. But their prices are the most competitive. Giving the bigger pharmacies and shops a chase for their money.

    For instance, the Loreal Facial gel and toner I bought. Usual price for the gel is $6 and the toner is around 10 . At Pink Beauty, the gel cost $4.50 and the toner cost only $6.20! I also bought 2 tubes of Biore Facial Scrub. U.P. $6 at NTUC and Watsons. But at Pink Beauty, its only $2.10! REAL Cheap right?

    So now you know where to go for your beauty products ya? ;)


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

       13 Apr 2008 at 5:54 pm
    Category: Hotels
    Bobo Bobo says:

    I think everyone knows this lone building standing in the field next to the huge balloon in Bugis area. It has a pretty famous alfresco steamboat joint too.

    I had the chance to go to this budget hotel when my friend from the US stayed there. Despite the exterior looking a little run-down, the inside was fine.

    The walls of the small lobby were adorned with old photographs and old newspaper clippings about the hotel. The room my friend is staying in costs SGD60 a night. It is a little small but still comfortable with its double bed. However for that price he had to use the common bath which he found to be rather clean. (He's an expert when it comes to budget accomodation.)

    In fact, he had so much confidence in the place, he told us that he wanted to switch to the SGD18 per night room where he would have to share with 3 other people. They had two bunk beds there and it's still very clean.

    What he was most impressed with was the good condition of the lockers and the hot and cold showers in all the bathrooms. The service was also friendly and we had a good chat with the staff whilst we were visiting.

    With the good location and reasonable prices, I really find this hostel worthwhile. Moreover, it wasn't sleazy and felt very safe to live there.


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

       09 Apr 2008 at 11:50 pm
    Category: Fusion, Italian
    claud claud says:

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

    78. Taste Paradise   
       09 Apr 2008 at 9:16 pm
    Bobo Bobo says:

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

       08 Apr 2008 at 2:13 am
    Category: Japanese
    claud claud says:

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

    80. Rose Apple Deli   
       03 Apr 2008 at 9:43 pm
    Category: Deli and Cafe, Desserts
    Bobo Bobo says:

    I chanced upon this place a while ago but visited it on a Monday when it was closed *just my dumb luck* Anyway then I caught it on Sunday Plus and decided that I should definitely try it. So I dragged my friend along that lazy rainy Sunday.

    I loved the interior. No doubt it can only seat 15 and it's a little cramped but I love the peranakan style stuff and they actually sell peranakan clothing behind too! There were little knick knacks all over but I didn't take a look at the prices...


    Food ordered:

    Pan Fried Radish Cake & Yam Cake - $4.80 (4 slices)
    Let me explain this one. On its menu, Radish cake and Yam cake are listed separately at $3.80 for 3 slices. But as there are only two of us, the lady offered to let us try both, giving us 2 slices of each at $4.80 which I agreed. I liked the radish cake more than the yam cake but both are smooth enough for me. I enjoyed them but I did find the portion too small for the price.

    Grandma Rayna’s Roast Chicken - $10.80
    YUMMY! I normally will not order roast chicken but this time I didn't have to cut it up myself so I was happily gobbling away at the chicken bits. The meat was well marinated and juicy. The potato that came with it reminded me of my pri sch canteen food though. I loved this dish (the chicken) but it was really expensive as there was little meat.

    Gingko Silky Bean - $3
    One word - Regret. I was turned off after two scoops but I still finished it... cos it isn't cheap. :P

    Waffle with Ice Cream - $6.60
    The waffle looked a little burnt at the sides and there was a slight sourish taste but it didn't bother me much. The ice cream is probably the sort you could get at supermarkets at half price.

    We spent $25.20 for the two of us. but the food was basically a one-person's share. There wasn't much choice in desserts. The place is a nice place for people to chit chat (like we saw three other groups doing) but not quite a dessert place. But I would go back for the radish cake and chicken, just when my pocket feels heavier. :P


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

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