Taking a picture at this super crowded shop is virtually impossible. Matter of fact I had to fight my way in from the anxious Office Ladies to the irritable older people and weird looking office men with baskets full of toiletries such as shampoos, shower gels, facial wash and yes, female personal hygiene utility packs (use your imaginations). Its shopping for the whole family, i more or less could understand how weird they feel while the lady exposes all their merchandises and bagging them slowly while reconfirming the prices with the man. I mean if he would have a question if he bought the correct size and brand, he wouldn't ask...
Even the corridors are littered with goods and people and everyone is busily choosing their hair care, skin care, toothpastes, toothbrush and other every use products. I mean its really much cheaper here, for eg.
1) 4 Oral B toothbrushes with indicator and soft needle bristles (not the old design) = $2.40
2) Whisper ultra thin pack of 16s = $3.80
3) Colgate Sensitive medium sized = $1.80
4) Clinique Facial Wash = $28.50 well orginally i saw from department stores goes about $35 and above
5) Facial Wash (Johnsons&Johnsons - Biore) = $1.50 - $4
Sun screen, scrubs, nail polish, selected makeup, SKII, perfumes, everything you need that stays in the toilet on your makeup desk and even in the car, you have it here and I must say the brands are not few. Its about at least a good 30% off the retail prices. After I've been here, I got pissed when I go to supermarkets or other personal care store... Its like i've been robbed broad daylight.
You might wonder if the quality is good, well i've used it, the texture, scent and packaging is almost similar yet the printing are a little different in terms of description and language, I suppose these are parallel imported from neighbouring countries in which our departmental store goods also originates from these countries such as malaysia, thailand, vietnam, etc.... The higher end products such as clinique and SKII as well as perfumes are original packing, not as though i bought any perfumes from them, matter of fact its no asking, just grab and pay in CASH...
Service is like no service except some ladies and men standing on ladders looking out for those who forgot or choose not to pay and some just blocking the already tight walkways at the squeezy corridors inside the shop. I mean nobody needs promo or help, just meant the cashier and stop blocking us. Its like they live in between those shelves.
Items are cheap, please go early and avoid lunch or after work crowd and aunties in sleeveless tops and sweaty armpits.... I mean how do you sanitize your brain when you get rubbed in the nose with sweaty armpits.. Eeeeeekssss
Great place to shop, but expect no service and things are like super super super cheap... a must go yet be prepared to push and shove or get SHOVED!
Attended a Wedding Banquet at the Carlton last friday and I must say we had a good time. The place was cosy, not to mention clean and beautifully decorated, cutleries were nice and shiny while the ambiance was nicely attuned to the uplifting spirits of a wedding, however the banquet service staff requires a bit more improvement.
The reception was just outside the banquet and doors don't open until 7 in which dinner started at 8 due to a massive jam and guest were delayed. The hall was laid full of tables and chairs with little walking spaces perhaps there are just too many guest yet the aisle was nicely lit with candles atop some glamorously white and pink arranged flowers leading up to the stage. Dinner started with the announcement from the emcees and the couple entered with a slow stroll on the aisle while the champagne popping and cake cutting were the regular events and were carried out smoothly. The manager, Don was a conscientious staff who made sure everything was on time and even gave proper briefing to the groom while making sure the hall was in a perfectly celebratory mood. Everything was more or less planned and executed in perfection.
The first dish arrived pretty soon after the walk in and subsequent dishes arrived pretty fast, though not piping hot yet is perfectly cooked and the portion was really generous. Most tables had left overs we observed and these are the few really yummy dishes they left some good memories.
1) Appetizer cold platter - the prawns are yummy, spring roll crispy, jelly fish crunchy and duck meat juicy
2) Steamed grouper - fish was big and loads of flesh, fresh and the sauce (HongKong soya sauce style) was balanced and light
3) Abalone with broccoli - The whole abalone you get was about the size of a quarter of my palm and was chewy with a savoury sauce.
4) Deep fried Chicken with an auspicious name which I couldn't recall: looked very much like a dried up chicken, skin is crispy and meat is tender, pretty yummy I must say
5) Fried Longevity noodles: I was half expecting my favourite EeFu noodles but it was not to be found, this noodles is also pretty yummy with plenty of stripped carrots and veg.
6) Dessert was a honey dew sago that has got nothing to rave about other than its sweet. Was half expecting something exotic but it turned out still a good ending to an almost perfect meal.
The food was pretty yummy, ingredients used fresh and overall ambience was good, though I find 4 banquet halls sharing a 5 cubicle ladies is a little bit of a long throw, perhaps there are other restrooms I didn't notice. Drinks were the regular tea, softdrink, red or white wine and of course beer.
Yar one thing I must mention. We were given a glass full of roses to sprinkle at the bride on her second entrance in which we were given special instructions by the staff 1) When to throw, 2) Not to aim at the couple's face, 3) Not to throw the glass holder.... HAHAHA! Very Entertaining I must say.
Lunch was a long queue, even when we arrived later then the normal lunch hour, we still had to wait a good 15 minutes before we got a seat for 5. Its not a large outlet but its crowded and the see through kitchen is very interesting to me as we are always curious what happens inside the kitchen. Chef kneading dough, making dumplings, steaming stuffs and making noodles all seemed super fun to me.
We were given the order chit to make our orders while we waited outside and our appetizers were already waiting for us on our table before we got settled down. Service was fast, though not so friendly but it was fast and efficient. Food was served shortly after we settled and of course tea for all.
1) Oriental Salad in Special Vinegar Dressing (appetizer):
was a small dish of chilled seaweed and beansprout tossed in aromatic sesame oil which is both fragrant and refreshing.
2) Sliced Duck in Crispy Spring Onion Pastry (appetizer): is a yummy smoked duck with spring onion in a crispy pohpiah skin. The portion is small and extremely yummy. Loved the clash of taste of the crispy outside and the savoury insides.
3) Steamed Pork Dumplings 小笼包: is something one must have when they visit din tai fung. The skin is thin, almost translucent filled with hot savoury soup from the minced meat inside. You have to pick it up lightly with the 18 pleated top and placed is gently on your soup while to add on a little vinegar and ginger and sip onto the hot soup before you gobble up the entire dumpling. The burst of flavorful minced meat in your mouth while enjoying the chewy texture of the dumpling skin. Superbly yummy!
4) Hot & Sour Soup 酸辣汤: was a simple egg, toufoo and veg soup in a sweet and sour flavor. No wow factor in this and I must say its more of a seh chuan styled soup.
5) Fried Rice with Shrimps & Eggs 虾仁蛋饭: We had 2 versions of this, one just with shrimps & eggs while another with an added portion of pork chop which was heavenly. The rice tasted very yummy, well made and chewy with each rice beautifully coated with the yellowish egg and shrimps so juicy and big while the pork chop added the OMPHHH... factor. Juicy and savoury crispy pork chop with a tender inside tasted super delicious!
6) Stir-fried Dou Miao with Garlic 蒜炒豆苗: Veg is fresh and with a good portion for 5.
7) Chocolate and Red Bean Dumplings (Dessert): Is one of a kind of dumplings, i guess a new creation by the restaurant itself, tasted something in between a mochi and a tang yuan. The skin is tasteless while the gooey insides of chocolate and red bean makes the dinner ends with a sweet note. Its yummy yet funny at the same time. Its nice and different :)
A good lunch for 5 cost set us back at about $110, yet we didn't left feeling so full that we wanna puke. The portion I must say is not big but selections was quite good for chinese dishes. Food was above average, portion we hope could increase a little and price is reasonable. The seats were mostly wooden chairs and table while deco is made up of drift wood and mostly of a chinese retro influence. Loved the open concept yet the neighbouring outlet is actually the Food Republic Food Court. I mean if you dislike it here, you could always hope next door to another world :)
The place is beautiful, a almost solo building at the very end of the dining lane in Holland Village. Brown canvases with a Bright Orange signature "TANGO" written on the wall. Its more of a drinking place then a dining place and works well when its not raining. Both indoor and outdoor seatings are available however it is very much NON-Airconditioned.
We spotted many diners seating on the road (which is closed in the evening) drinking icy cold beer and that is what drew us in. The place is crowded as usual with many diners littered everywhere. Most common dish on the table is the bar snacks like wedges and calamaries while the most loved drinks were the draught beers in almost frozen pint cups (Hoegarden & Asahi).
We were shortly shown to our seats after taking a long time to get one of the staff's attention and though seated indoors and near to the outside, i started to perspire even before food was served. The lighting were halogen MR16 spots all over, shining directly at us and the fan seemed to far though we could see it turning yet it was just so heated up. The menu has got quite a few nice selections yet we do not have the mood to order much. We ended up ordering a few dishes and quickly gulped down our icy cool beer to cool off.
Food became secondary and perhaps thats why the place is so HOT!
The food was not too bad, lamb steak was soft and juicy and fragrant. The snacks were crunchy yet nothing to wow about and the portion was just too small for even lady diners. Matter of fact we ordered a main each, beer and sides tapas, my lady friend could comment that she didn't feel too full and the dessert selections was not so good thus we adjourned to another dessert restaurant to complete the night.
The place is seriously just good for beer and snacks and noisy chit chat.. but please seat outdoors on the road, its much much cooler and the service anywhere in this restaurant is just as bad so be prepared to be patient. Price is ex for main courses but regular for drinks and snacks. Sauna for dinner... maybe it have a slimming effect!
This little hideout is really a paradise to chill to dine and to relax. A lifestyle retail shop and a restaurant with a Javanese theme brings out the true spirit of the Balinese culture; Relaxed, Casual and Sensual. Somehow the place intrigues my senses with the close to nature yet clean and mosquito bite free experience.
The white and black colonial building stands strikingly at the edge of the botanical garden and through a hardwood carved door of the equally small porch is a world filled with aromatic incense and traditional Javanese instrumental music. Immediately you feel relaxed and be led by the casualness of the friendly staffs in their beautiful batik Indonesian uniforms. The restaurant is very much an outdoor close to nature setting, luxuriously decorated with wooden dining furnitures, intriguing stone sculptures and lots of cushions. Ceiling fans and the natural wind collides while the smoke from the anti-bug incense shows makes the entire place feels dreamy.
You can choose to seat in the main dining (Joglo) are with choices of proper dining tables, on the floor group dining or these beautiful little huts (Lesehans) sat upon a shallow pond with real living creatures and luxuriously vegetated with aquatic plants. We sat in one of these traditional Javanese Lesehans with daybeds and low dining tables, perched atop the luxurious cushions and beautiful batik table coverings. Menu was served with a good recommendations of yummy javanese cuisines, however we ended with some tapas and brew from their brehaus.
They do have a good array of indian and indonesian cuisines and the few really yummy ones are the Naan sets, Fried Tofu was yummy, and not forgetting the tahu goreng with fantastic peanut sauce. You don't have much to choose from on the desserts yet we found some really interesting meal enders. The lemongrass panna cotta was an interesting mix of taste, something citrusy and grassy clashing with the soft tofu like texture of sweet vanilla custard. We also had the cendol which turned out to be a drink. The ingredients used for the cendol are generous which made it a little too sweet and we expected the green worm like jelly which turned out to be bead like. The food was pretty yummy and priced slightly higher than expected. Portion was generous so its really good to share.
The beer was outstanding. 3 house brews to choose from each with different characters and comes in half or full pint. Happy hours are available with lower priced brews, on top of that they also do serve wine and cocktail. Great place to chill or for a romantic dates. I do spot some bugs flying around yet none landed near me. The place is picturesque and great for gatherings and events. Simply loved the place and hope to hang there more often despite the lack in parking and inconvenient location with minimal public transport.
1=SGD 0.0587
Even the corridors are littered with goods and people and everyone is busily choosing their hair care, skin care, toothpastes, toothbrush and other every use products. I mean its really much cheaper here, for eg.
1) 4 Oral B toothbrushes with indicator and soft needle bristles (not the old design) = $2.40
2) Whisper ultra thin pack of 16s = $3.80
3) Colgate Sensitive medium sized = $1.80
4) Clinique Facial Wash = $28.50 well orginally i saw from department stores goes about $35 and above
5) Facial Wash (Johnsons&Johnsons - Biore) = $1.50 - $4
Sun screen, scrubs, nail polish, selected makeup, SKII, perfumes, everything you need that stays in the toilet on your makeup desk and even in the car, you have it here and I must say the brands are not few. Its about at least a good 30% off the retail prices. After I've been here, I got pissed when I go to supermarkets or other personal care store... Its like i've been robbed broad daylight.
You might wonder if the quality is good, well i've used it, the texture, scent and packaging is almost similar yet the printing are a little different in terms of description and language, I suppose these are parallel imported from neighbouring countries in which our departmental store goods also originates from these countries such as malaysia, thailand, vietnam, etc.... The higher end products such as clinique and SKII as well as perfumes are original packing, not as though i bought any perfumes from them, matter of fact its no asking, just grab and pay in CASH...
Service is like no service except some ladies and men standing on ladders looking out for those who forgot or choose not to pay and some just blocking the already tight walkways at the squeezy corridors inside the shop. I mean nobody needs promo or help, just meant the cashier and stop blocking us. Its like they live in between those shelves.
Items are cheap, please go early and avoid lunch or after work crowd and aunties in sleeveless tops and sweaty armpits.... I mean how do you sanitize your brain when you get rubbed in the nose with sweaty armpits.. Eeeeeekssss
Great place to shop, but expect no service and things are like super super super cheap... a must go yet be prepared to push and shove or get SHOVED!
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The reception was just outside the banquet and doors don't open until 7 in which dinner started at 8 due to a massive jam and guest were delayed. The hall was laid full of tables and chairs with little walking spaces perhaps there are just too many guest yet the aisle was nicely lit with candles atop some glamorously white and pink arranged flowers leading up to the stage. Dinner started with the announcement from the emcees and the couple entered with a slow stroll on the aisle while the champagne popping and cake cutting were the regular events and were carried out smoothly. The manager, Don was a conscientious staff who made sure everything was on time and even gave proper briefing to the groom while making sure the hall was in a perfectly celebratory mood. Everything was more or less planned and executed in perfection.
The first dish arrived pretty soon after the walk in and subsequent dishes arrived pretty fast, though not piping hot yet is perfectly cooked and the portion was really generous. Most tables had left overs we observed and these are the few really yummy dishes they left some good memories.
1) Appetizer cold platter - the prawns are yummy, spring roll crispy, jelly fish crunchy and duck meat juicy
2) Steamed grouper - fish was big and loads of flesh, fresh and the sauce (HongKong soya sauce style) was balanced and light
3) Abalone with broccoli - The whole abalone you get was about the size of a quarter of my palm and was chewy with a savoury sauce.
4) Deep fried Chicken with an auspicious name which I couldn't recall: looked very much like a dried up chicken, skin is crispy and meat is tender, pretty yummy I must say
5) Fried Longevity noodles: I was half expecting my favourite EeFu noodles but it was not to be found, this noodles is also pretty yummy with plenty of stripped carrots and veg.
6) Dessert was a honey dew sago that has got nothing to rave about other than its sweet. Was half expecting something exotic but it turned out still a good ending to an almost perfect meal.
The food was pretty yummy, ingredients used fresh and overall ambience was good, though I find 4 banquet halls sharing a 5 cubicle ladies is a little bit of a long throw, perhaps there are other restrooms I didn't notice. Drinks were the regular tea, softdrink, red or white wine and of course beer.
Yar one thing I must mention. We were given a glass full of roses to sprinkle at the bride on her second entrance in which we were given special instructions by the staff 1) When to throw, 2) Not to aim at the couple's face, 3) Not to throw the glass holder.... HAHAHA! Very Entertaining I must say.
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!
We were given the order chit to make our orders while we waited outside and our appetizers were already waiting for us on our table before we got settled down. Service was fast, though not so friendly but it was fast and efficient. Food was served shortly after we settled and of course tea for all.
1) Oriental Salad in Special Vinegar Dressing (appetizer):
was a small dish of chilled seaweed and beansprout tossed in aromatic sesame oil which is both fragrant and refreshing.
2) Sliced Duck in Crispy Spring Onion Pastry (appetizer): is a yummy smoked duck with spring onion in a crispy pohpiah skin. The portion is small and extremely yummy. Loved the clash of taste of the crispy outside and the savoury insides.
3) Steamed Pork Dumplings 小笼包: is something one must have when they visit din tai fung. The skin is thin, almost translucent filled with hot savoury soup from the minced meat inside. You have to pick it up lightly with the 18 pleated top and placed is gently on your soup while to add on a little vinegar and ginger and sip onto the hot soup before you gobble up the entire dumpling. The burst of flavorful minced meat in your mouth while enjoying the chewy texture of the dumpling skin. Superbly yummy!
4) Hot & Sour Soup 酸辣汤: was a simple egg, toufoo and veg soup in a sweet and sour flavor. No wow factor in this and I must say its more of a seh chuan styled soup.
5) Fried Rice with Shrimps & Eggs 虾仁蛋饭: We had 2 versions of this, one just with shrimps & eggs while another with an added portion of pork chop which was heavenly. The rice tasted very yummy, well made and chewy with each rice beautifully coated with the yellowish egg and shrimps so juicy and big while the pork chop added the OMPHHH... factor. Juicy and savoury crispy pork chop with a tender inside tasted super delicious!
6) Stir-fried Dou Miao with Garlic 蒜炒豆苗: Veg is fresh and with a good portion for 5.
7) Chocolate and Red Bean Dumplings (Dessert): Is one of a kind of dumplings, i guess a new creation by the restaurant itself, tasted something in between a mochi and a tang yuan. The skin is tasteless while the gooey insides of chocolate and red bean makes the dinner ends with a sweet note. Its yummy yet funny at the same time. Its nice and different :)
A good lunch for 5 cost set us back at about $110, yet we didn't left feeling so full that we wanna puke. The portion I must say is not big but selections was quite good for chinese dishes. Food was above average, portion we hope could increase a little and price is reasonable. The seats were mostly wooden chairs and table while deco is made up of drift wood and mostly of a chinese retro influence. Loved the open concept yet the neighbouring outlet is actually the Food Republic Food Court. I mean if you dislike it here, you could always hope next door to another world :)
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!
We spotted many diners seating on the road (which is closed in the evening) drinking icy cold beer and that is what drew us in. The place is crowded as usual with many diners littered everywhere. Most common dish on the table is the bar snacks like wedges and calamaries while the most loved drinks were the draught beers in almost frozen pint cups (Hoegarden & Asahi).
We were shortly shown to our seats after taking a long time to get one of the staff's attention and though seated indoors and near to the outside, i started to perspire even before food was served. The lighting were halogen MR16 spots all over, shining directly at us and the fan seemed to far though we could see it turning yet it was just so heated up. The menu has got quite a few nice selections yet we do not have the mood to order much. We ended up ordering a few dishes and quickly gulped down our icy cool beer to cool off.
Food became secondary and perhaps thats why the place is so HOT!
The food was not too bad, lamb steak was soft and juicy and fragrant. The snacks were crunchy yet nothing to wow about and the portion was just too small for even lady diners. Matter of fact we ordered a main each, beer and sides tapas, my lady friend could comment that she didn't feel too full and the dessert selections was not so good thus we adjourned to another dessert restaurant to complete the night.
The place is seriously just good for beer and snacks and noisy chit chat.. but please seat outdoors on the road, its much much cooler and the service anywhere in this restaurant is just as bad so be prepared to be patient. Price is ex for main courses but regular for drinks and snacks. Sauna for dinner... maybe it have a slimming effect!
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!
The white and black colonial building stands strikingly at the edge of the botanical garden and through a hardwood carved door of the equally small porch is a world filled with aromatic incense and traditional Javanese instrumental music. Immediately you feel relaxed and be led by the casualness of the friendly staffs in their beautiful batik Indonesian uniforms. The restaurant is very much an outdoor close to nature setting, luxuriously decorated with wooden dining furnitures, intriguing stone sculptures and lots of cushions. Ceiling fans and the natural wind collides while the smoke from the anti-bug incense shows makes the entire place feels dreamy.
You can choose to seat in the main dining (Joglo) are with choices of proper dining tables, on the floor group dining or these beautiful little huts (Lesehans) sat upon a shallow pond with real living creatures and luxuriously vegetated with aquatic plants. We sat in one of these traditional Javanese Lesehans with daybeds and low dining tables, perched atop the luxurious cushions and beautiful batik table coverings. Menu was served with a good recommendations of yummy javanese cuisines, however we ended with some tapas and brew from their brehaus.
They do have a good array of indian and indonesian cuisines and the few really yummy ones are the Naan sets, Fried Tofu was yummy, and not forgetting the tahu goreng with fantastic peanut sauce. You don't have much to choose from on the desserts yet we found some really interesting meal enders. The lemongrass panna cotta was an interesting mix of taste, something citrusy and grassy clashing with the soft tofu like texture of sweet vanilla custard. We also had the cendol which turned out to be a drink. The ingredients used for the cendol are generous which made it a little too sweet and we expected the green worm like jelly which turned out to be bead like. The food was pretty yummy and priced slightly higher than expected. Portion was generous so its really good to share.
The beer was outstanding. 3 house brews to choose from each with different characters and comes in half or full pint. Happy hours are available with lower priced brews, on top of that they also do serve wine and cocktail. Great place to chill or for a romantic dates. I do spot some bugs flying around yet none landed near me. The place is picturesque and great for gatherings and events. Simply loved the place and hope to hang there more often despite the lack in parking and inconvenient location with minimal public transport.
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