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Food & Beverage
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1=SGD 0.0587
Had dinner at taste Paradise, an upmarket offering by the Paradise Group of Restaurants, which also owns and operates the popular Seafood Paradise at Defu Lane and the Singapore Flyer. Opened less than 2 years ago, it has made it to the Straits Times top 100 restaurants as well as garnered rave reviews from magazines and forums.
Hidden along a row of shophouses along Mosque Street in the traditional Chinatown area, Taste paradise sets itself apart with its classy glass facade. Through the doors onto the lighted walkway that leads up to the dining area, the interior oozes chic in a very subtle way. The dining area is divided into a few sections by means of partitions in which there are a couple of tables and a captain to oversee each section. Heavily carpeted floors coupled with a low ceiling and a rather limited floor area meant that conversation tones had to be kept to a low for fear of disturbing the other customers (not that we did though).
XO Carrot Cake - One of Taste Paradise's signature dishes, the humble XO carrot cake. It honestly wasn't impressive when served, looking more like your usual stir fried rendition from the hawker centre than a $7 plate of carrot cake. But pop a piece into your mouth and you will understand why it is truly one of the signature dishes. Chunky yet smooth and soft carrot cake with a discernible wok hei taste fried with beansprouts, egg, Chinese sausages and other condiments. Lightly spicy and sweet and not to mention fragrant. Nothing short of excellent.
Combination of Pan Seared Foie Gras, Wasabi Mayonnaise Prawn and Slice of Beijing Duck with Condiments - I was actually wondering how did foie gras get onto the menu and initially skeptical if a Chinese restaurant could pull it off. Just for the record, Taste Paradise is a Chinese fusion restaurant, which explains why foie gras is listed on the menu. As for my initial skepticisms, they were unfounded. The foie gras was very good, crisp on the outside yet soft, quivery and smooth on the inside. No overwhelming taste or sediments.
The wasabi mayonnaise prawn was quite good as well, with the wasabi not overpowering and the prawns fresh and crunchy. I personally liked it together with the watermelon as the sweetness from the watermelon permeated through.
The only bummer was the peking duck which didn't seem memorable. Sure the skin was crispy but the crepe tasted bland and limp.
Double Boiled Superior Shark's Fin with Dried Conpoy in Traditional Beijing Broth accompanied with Bacon Onion Roll - Another recommended dish, the shark's fin soup, was served up in a pre heated Japanese stone pot which can remain hot for 20 minutes, thus ensuring that the soup remains hot till the last drop. The fins were decent and plentiful while the soup was flavourful and thick. A little too starchy and heavy on the vinegar though, which made it a little sharp. The bacon and onion roll was crispy but other than the novelty, didn't seem to complement the dish very well. On a side note, there are 3 variations in prices for the shark's fin. $38, $58 and $68 (which isn't on the menu). You get what you pay for. The quality of the fins improve as the prices tend upwards.
Braised Homemade Beancurd with Shredded Scallop and Japanese Mushroom - Tofu has always been a staple at most of my Chinese dinners and this one was no exception. The tofu was very smooth and silky but the skin was a tad too hard and it lacked the smokey savoury taste that I personally like. Even the sauce was rather bland. And for $6 a person, it was 1 piece of tofu each.
Spinach Fried with Garlic - The low point of our meal, the quintessential vegetable dish. Very average tasting but at least the diced garlic was fried till golden brown, which gave the vegetables a nice slightly crunchy texture.
Szechuan Style Roasted Chicken with Homemade Crispy Crumbs - We ordered this on the recommendation of the captain and also because it sounded interesting. Honestly the only interesting part was the crispy crumbs, which I believe were rice crisps. They were coated with a Szechuan sauce which gave them a myriad of flavours - sweet, sour and spicy, all in one tasting. The roasted chicken didn't taste out of the ordinary but the execution was commendable. Crispy skin with moist and tender meat.
Mashed Taro with Almond Cream Served in Fresh Coconut - My dessert and no, it wasn't complimentary (only chilled desserts were accorded that privilege). Its the first time I've seen mashed taro or Orh Nee served up in a coconut and predictably, the coconut smell was very strong. Not that it mattered anyway as there wasn't a hint of coconut taste in both the almond cream and mashed taro. I usually don't like almond cream but this one wasn't too strong on the almond taste which suited me just fine. The mashed taro was smooth and not too sweet but more interestingly, it contained bits of chestnut, which added a nice crunchy texture and is used predominantly used in Teochew cooking. The only gripe was that the taro was a little too sticky and I had problems licking if off my spoon. Oh and there's the almost exorbitant price as well ($6.50).
An excellent dinner for 5 set us back by about $454, which is really quite steep. However I'll be the first to admit that food quality is top notch and so is the personalised service extended by the captain and his team. I can see why Taste Paradise is rated as one of the top restaurants in Singapore. And I agree.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Situated on the 1st level of Bukit Timah Plaza is this eatery with unique selection of taiwanese delicacies.
What do we like about this place?
1. Friendly staff - Service seems to be their top priority. The boss is very particular about not letting customers wait longer than they are suppose to wait. Hence the food is served pretty fast inspite of the lunch crowd.
2. Chilli - Why chilli? This chilli is super hot but nice. Everytime they serve this chilli, they will explain to the customer that it is very hot. So customers are prepared for it. Even my friend who takes spicy food in abundance agrees that it is hot hot hot.
3. Freshness - We ate here twice and both times we find freshness in the ingredients and food.
4. Price - Price is reasonable between $6 to $9 for a main dish. Portions are also reasonably large enough.
What did we try?
1. Boiled dumpling - Upon ordering, they mention that it takes about 10min to prepare. When it arrived piping hot, we can taste the freshness of the ingredients used, especially the prawns.
2. Fish Ganache with Rice - The fish is freshly fried and you can tell that it was not re-fried as done in some other places.
3. Taiwanese Curry Rice - Something like Japanese Curry, Taiwanese curry is also not that spicy. Tasted fine to us and the pieces of meat were done just right.
4. Yam and pumpkin paste - Or nee with pumpkin, what a different combination but a nice one. The yam paste was silky smooth and not too thick. It was not too sweet which was acceptable to the other half.
Why no smelly toufu?
The boss mentioned that he is not able to get approval for it as the smell might drive the neighbours crazy.
Recommended for a simple, no frills Taiwanese experience.
Rating given:
Great Getaway for the weekend
Looking for a place to relax and do nothing? We found this quiet little spot in Bintan in a place called Yasin Bungalow. It is a row of 7 water bungalows, yes, rooms strategically located above the sea shore, right on the beach. So while you are in your room you can hear waves hitting the shore right below your room....just perfect.
Unlike a kelong, the water is clean and the beach is just awesome and did I say, private. So only hotel guest will have access to the beach. And with 7 water bungalows and 7 other beach front villas, how many guest can you have at one time? not more than 20. So this is really a private place to get away and relax...
Of course there is much to do here. Many who come here are expats who work in Singapore. We met 6 from US, 1 from Japan and many Koreans....no Singaporeans in sight...as all of them are at the other resorts like the mana mana, etc. haha.
Here is what we like about the place:-
1. Rooms. Each has a private balcony. No aircon. So natural seabreeze and the breeze blows 24 hours non-stop.
2. Meditative and relaxing sounds of water lapping gently against the shores. Just pure relaxation music in real live surround sound.
3. Food. Even in this isolated place, the local food served is sufficient to whet the tastebuds.
4. Price. One night is $35 per room. No mistake.
5. Nothingness to do. Haha, for once in your life, you will be able to get a headace thinking of what to do.
6. Friendly Staff - Always smiling and attentive.
So what can you do here?
1. Nothing
2. Read your favourite book or novel
3. Write your life story
4. Eat and Eat
5. Sleep and sleep
6. Swim
7. Walk to the next island (during low tide)
8. Water sports (canoeing, banana boat)
9. Hike
10. Cycle
11. Take lots of photos
12. Study for your exams
How to get here?
Take a ferry from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Tanjung Pinang (2 hours). From TP, transfer by land to the resort (1 hour). In 3 hours, you will be in your secluded spot in the middle of nowhere thinking of what to do.
Will visit the place again before stress levels hit an all time high.
Rating given:
Chinese Cuisine with a Difference is Taste Paradise's tagline. Curious about how different this might be, 5 of us dropped by for a cosy dinner last Friday.
It was pretty easy to locate the place, however, parking wasn't that easy. In front of the restaurant there're some parallel parking spots but as you would guess too few for every one. Trying to look for parking in the area isn't too easy as they are all one-way streets. So do plan where you want to park before you go. Hong Lim or Chinatown Point would be two good places.
The restaurant is tastefully decorated with a long passage right up front. It's mainly in reds and blacks and the lighting is a little dim but still bright enough for me to see what I'm eating. Good enough for me.
We were greeted politely at the door and led to our seats in one of the rooms. After some observation, we noticed that one of the walls was actually made of panels which could be removed to make the room bigger for functions.
I couldn't bear to analyse the menu like my companions did for it didn't have any pictures were just filled with words. There were curly Chinese characters and English descriptions but it was still pretty difficult to read. So the rest of us just let two of them decide.
One little interesting thing was that there were 3 prices for the same bowl of Shark's Fin - $38, $58 and $68. $38 was the regular serving, $58 had more shark's fin in it and $68 was fin of high quality.... the staff patiently explained to us when we asked.
Food ordered:
Carrot Cake
which I forgot to take the description of. But this was delicious. I LOVED IT! The serving was enough for 2 and slightly more. It wasn't too oily. the texture was very smooth and very tasty! YUMS!
Pan-seared Foie gras, wasabi mayonnaise prawn and sliced Beijing duck with condiments - $18 per personOur starter for the day was this great combination! The foie gras was crisp on the outside and pretty smooth on the inside. It was quite sizeable, any bigger and I would be worried about my heart. The wasabi prawn was alright. The wasabi taste wasn't too strong which is good and it was quite a big one. It was served on top of a watermelon which was suppose to compliment the taste of the prawn. But I couldn't be bothered to eat it. I liked the Beijing Duck slice. It was pre-prepared with the skin and sauce and wasn't too sweet. Just right.
Double boiled superior shark's fin with dried conpoy in traditional Beijing broth accompanied with bacon onion roll - $38 per personThe presentation of this dish was impressive! It was served in a grey bowl, the sort people used to mash belachan in, with the bacon wrap on top. It was bubbling when it came and bubbled for a long time whilst we drank it. There was plenty of fin and the broth was not too starchy like at some places. But it did smell of vinegar though I didn't find it too sourish. The bacon onion roll was a nice touch though I did find it a little troublesome to eat.
Braised homemade Beancurd with shredded scallop and Japanese Mushroom - $16
This was the one dish which I found a little disappointing. The skin of the beancurd was a little too tough and hard to tear. The taste was ok and the texture of the inside was smooth. The sauce it came with wasn't too salty as I have tasted in other places and the scallop was a nice accompaniment. Just the skin bothered me.
Szechuan Style roasted Chicken with homemade crispy crumbs - Half $16By the time we got to this dish I was pretty full but I still picked up a few pieces to munch. My companions were commenting about it being spicy but I found it barely so. It was quite tasty and the meat didn't taste as dry as it looked. I liked the texture of the meat but I'm the sort who likes chicken breast meat so if you aren't like me... well.
Stirfried Spinach with garlic - price unknownToo full to have any of this. But it looked just like your regular vege to me.
Mashed Taro with almond cream served in fresh coconut - $6.50I wanted to order this but I was in a mood for something cooler but I was happy to get a taste of it. It was served in a tiny REAL coconut! SO COOL! I was more fascinated with the coconut bowl than anything else. I think the Orh Nee tasted very nice. It wasn't too sweet, not overly flavoured. It had a hint of almond (or maybe I didn't scoop so much almond) which gave it a nice twist.
Chilled Mango Puree with Sago and Pomelo served with coconut ice cream - $4.50This was my dessert of the day!! I was worried about the coconut ice cream as I'm not a fan of coconut actually. But everything's worth trying right? So try I did and I enjoyed this dessert very much. Served cold and sweet (just right).
Chilled Pumpkin Puree served with coconut ice cream (Chef's Special) - $4.50Sadly I didn't get a taste of this.... but no complaints. She seemed to enjoy it...
Chilled Aloe Vera in refreshing calamansi juice - $4.50
Neither did I try this...
We got the 3 chilled desserts free, they were on the house which was a nice surprise.
The service was very good throughout the meal. Our tea was constantly topped up and Desmond, the assistant manager was jovial and sincere when serving us. When the 2 servings of the shark's fin were late, he took the initiative to inform us, which I think is a show of good service.
Each of us paid $93.50 for our share of food. It does seem quite a lot doesn't it? But I guess with foie gras and shark's fin on the list, I find it pretty acceptable. Minus those two, it would be more reasonable.
For more pictures go to my blog .
Rating given:
When I was in primary school, I dun like to see a student taking a white card walking into class room. Cos it means someone in the class will be summoned to the dentist! At that time everyone hope that their names will not be called. One of my classmates even burst into tears when her name is being called. Wahahaha!
So an appointment was made and the days leading to the appointment were very anxious anticipation. Well, the truth is I last visit a dentist was like 2 years ago. I knew my teeth are in very bad state as well.
So on the fateful day (today), we headed toward Apex Dental Surgery after work. The clinic is a small but well equipped one with friendly assistant and dentist as well.
When I went into the room, I saw nothing but the dentist chair only, but the dentist, Dr Tan, is kind enough to see that I am nervous and made some small talk with me before starting the procedure. After verifying some of my allergies, she began to start work on my teeth. The drill like tool was placed in my mouth and the sound of the drill started to flood into my ears. While she was gently cleaning my teeth, I was like looking somewhere else trying to distract myself, at the same time reminding to open my mouth wide so that the drill will not go crazy in my mouth.
Dr Tan is really professional and gentle, telling me that it will have to take some time for her to clear the dirt in between the teeth and some level of pain might be experienced. In between, she will still engaged me in some small talk, while she is cleaning away. At times, she will stop and ask me rinse my mouth to clear away all the dirt.
After about 40 mins of work and I mean hard work, she is finally done. I am done. Not without her, telling me about my wisdom tooth and my few holes that needs fillings as well. Sigh... The cost of cleaning of teeth $70. Finally the "nightmare" is over and I left the clinic with clean teeth again! Think I will be back soon for the fillings and a 6 monthly check up.
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I happened to be at AMK Hub again and this time round, I was determined to queue for the durian pancakes until I get them. Haha... Well, the last time round I was queuing and half way through, the shop assistant announced that they have ran out durian paste and so we'll have to wait for another 45mins or so for the durian paste to be delivered from their outlet at Takashimaya. Wow, I can't help but wonder, "Their durian pancakes are really that fantastic?" Unwilling to wait for another 1 hrs for the pancakes, I left the queue, yet somehow disappointed.
Finally, I decided to queue for the pancakes again that day, prayed really hard hoping that they wouldn't run out of durian paste again. I was lucky this time round!
The queue was super long and endless! I queued for about 30mins for my turn and there was still a long queue behind me then although it was almost 10pm already. Yes, their business was really good. While waiting for my turn, I was watching the way the shop assistant made the pancakes. She was fast at making the pancakes and gave a generous serving of durian paste for each pancake before packing them into nice boxes. The service was excellent too & she even advised customers on the storage of unfinished pancakes.
Finally, the taste of the pancake. Yummy!! I really crave for more of it. The pancake was thin and a little crispy, while the durian paste just oozed out when u bite the pancake. The taste of the durian paste was great too. It's bitter-sweet in taste. Satisfied!
Each pancake costs $1.50, which is definitely value for money.
I think I'll also want to try their durian crept, puff & mochi next time.
Rating given:
I frequent this dental clinic for my regular dental checkup every half a year. In fact, for the past 2 years, I been visiting the clinic every month for my orthodontic treatments.
Dr Sim is my Orthodontist while Dr Tan is my regular dentist. Both dentists are every nice and friendly, to whom you can talk anything under the sun. This definitely makes visits to them very relaxing. With all the casual exchange of conversation and laughter during the treatment, time just passed so fast and you would hardly feel any pain when all the "drillings" were done.
Of course, their service is excellent as they emphasize alot on customer satisfaction. They provide good advices on dental care & cost of special dental treatments. They have made me a satisfied & happy customer.
As for charges wise, for teeth polishing, they charge $50-70. Cost of other treatments are also clearly stated inside the clinic.
Rating given:
Craving for Japanese food? Why not give Shokudo a try? But be prepared to be stuck with too many choices!
After reading the above reviews, I decided to give this place a try. The chance came and I went on this mini adventure of mine at Shokudo...
Thanks for the reviews here, I already know what to expect at the entrance. And I quickly got into my adventurous mode the moment I stepped in. *haha!*
The first impression I got was Wow! So big! It's about the size of the old Marche at Heeren. But cos this place is done up in a Japanese kind of style with minimum decorations around the place, it seems slightly more spacious than the old Marche. As it was a weekday, there wasn't much crowd when I went. With many tables available, I skipped the "Reserve table" part and went on to find food.
After going around the place, I kinda got lost of my orientation. (Perhaps I was too hungry then.) Good thing I didn't place my "Reservation token" at any of the tables, cos I would most probably forget which section it was. The place is divided into various themes so customers can decided where is more suitable for the mood they're in. (This is not quite possible if you go on a crowded period thou.)
As I was alone, and having limited cash with me, I opted for something friendly for my wallet and tummy. I bought a "Hakodate" Seafood Cheese Pizza ($8.80) and a glass of japanese orange peel drink ($price forgotten). The pizza is made fresh upon ordering, so I settled down with my drink to enjoy the peacefulness during that time. There was soft music playing in background and I was totally relaxed and enjoying my time alone after a long day of meetings.
The pizza was different from the one we usually see. This was served in a rectangular wooden pan and the pizza crust was thin and crispy. There were plentiful of toppings and one bite into the pizza will make you want to have more. The pizza might not look big nor sufficient for the hungry people, but if you're having it alone, its fills just right the right amount in one's tummy. Due to its thin crust, you'll not feel "sick" of the pizza.
The pizza with the refreshing orange peel drink - a perfect match!
Will be back for more.
Rating given:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, YEBBER!
Yes! I've just participated in the fun-filled Yebber's 1st anniversary party at Mint Museum last night. And yes, this is infact my second visit to the Mint Museum. This was my second visit to the place. It's definitely a great place to visit not just for the kids but adults as well.
I managed to arrive earlier at 5 pm to help Claudia & the rest of the Yebber team to get prepared for the evening's event We could just see the ultra-stressed up Claudia running around the museum setting things up and making sure that each & every of us knew our duties for the evening. Bobo, Zihui & I were tasked to be the receptionists for the evening. Hee hee.....
Finally, at around 7pm, guests began to arrive and the 3 of us were busy taking their attendance, giving out programme sheet, bingo tickets, noise-makers, filling out lucky draw "coupons" and of course, directing the guests.
At 8pm, with most of the guests arrived, we were ready to kick off the event for the evening. Polarbear was the emcee for the night and the series of activities was started off with a speech given by one of the founders of Yebber, Darren, followed by the still-very-nervous Claudia. Finally!! We know how the word 'Yebber' came about, why Yebber was born & who are the three funny men who started Yebber. Hee hee.... Following the speeches was a short video clip with interviews of the Yebber Ambassadors (Me!! ME!!! *shy*)
Not just that, there were even Bingo game & lucky draw to get the guests involved for the evening. But me, no luck in either of them. *Sob sob* Nevertheless, being able to participate in the party had already brought alot of joy to me. Not to forget that each of us bagged home a goodie bag with magazines & vouchers! Hee hee....
Yes yes!! How can I forget one of the most important thing. Food!!! Food was served in buffet style, with a good variety. The food was good. We had fresh greens, spaghetti, parmesan crusted chicken, seafood platter and wild mushrooms, tomato checca & salmon bruschetta. After which, we had some mini cakes for dessert. Yummy!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the organising team at Yebber for the event and of course a big congratulation to them for the success of the event.
Hope to celebrate future Yebber birthdays!!!
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Banking on his wildly popular Wild Rocket restaurant, lawyer turned chef, Willin Low, has opened up a new burger joint serving up his signature Wild Rocket burger and other rather innovative burgers.
Situated on the second floor (right above Da Paolo) of a charming colonial bungalow along Bukit Timah Road, Relish boasts an uncluttered no frills interior with wooden furniture and wacky murals on the wall. Everything about the place screams casual.
Bacon Cheese Burger - Now who can resist a thick beef patty topped with slices of cheese and bacon sandwiched between a roasted sesame bun? The beef patty was finely chopped and I liked the semi rough texture. A pity it was a wee bit too overcooked but at least it retained its juiciness. The sun dried tomato salsa tasted a little weak this time round. Still a great burger nonetheless, just that it reminded me Wild Rocket's signature burger with an addition of cheese and bacon.
Char Siew Burger - This is the first time I've actually seen such a burger and its actually quite interesting. Lean meat covered with a special home made sauce on a toasted bun. Personally I found the sauce way too sweet for my liking and because it was quite coagulated, consuming too much of it made me nauseous. The meat was very lean and fibrous though, making it a joy to chew on. All in all, it tasted like a fat free version of Kong Ba Pao. Did I mention that the bread was a little too charred?
Wild Rocket Signature Cheesecake - A Wild Rocket signature dessert, the deconstructed cheesecake had a layer of cracker crumbs topped with sweetened strawberries and then topped again with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and cream cheese. The cream cheese was lightly sour and complemented the sweet ice cream and cracker/biscuit base perfectly. Personally I felt that the cracker/biscuit base could have been more buttery for a smoother aftertaste.
A high carbohydrate dinner for 2 cost about $55 which is rather average pricing. The burgers are good without a doubt and filling (they come with lots of fries). Service is good as well so the next time I'm craving for expensive burgers, I'll know where to look.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given: