I went to this place even before I joined the ping.sg event here. Unlike when I was in ping.sg event, I was dining in the lower floor. Couldn't remember anymore what I ordered, but I remember the tea was so nice! Well, it's a tea restaurant anyway.. My boyfriend (that time was a new boyfriend =P) ordered the rosebud tea. My other friends ordered many exotic tea. Haha. One of them ordered the wild berries tea. After that she added honey into that and she was really really amazed by the honey. After that, every sip she took, she would add the honey! It's that good.. Haha..
Can't remember what I had for ping.sg event either. I think it was cajun dory. Even though I don't remember the name I do remember that it was very very nice! And what I like the most... Is the dessert! The dessert that came to my place was apple crumble with some vanilla ice cream. Oh goodness it was so good! I think i was the one who ate the most =P sorry my friends at the table... =P
i want to visit this restaurant again! Will drag my boyfriend... =P
my review of kolo mee at killiney road:
http://www.yebber.com/review/jia-xiang-kuching-restaurant/
I don't really like this branch of kolo mee. You see, I'm a big fan of kolo mee for its tasty noodles! But this branch simply doesn't cut it. Location is not nice and noisy since it's on the roadside. Furthermore it's kinda dusty from the road, too. They serve the same menu and I ordered the same thing as usual (recommended kolo mee - with char siew, wanton, and prawn), but it didn't taste as nice! Gotta put a lot of chilli before I finally got to the familiar tasty taste. It's kinda more oily than the one in Killiney too.
If you really crave for kolo mee, I suggest you take the trip to Somerset and go to the Killiney branch instead. It will be more worth it.
i think this branch of kolo mee is the best! ^^ (it's actually the main branch) and i think it's cheaper than its branches.. I always order the recommended kolo mee.. The one with char siew, wanton, and prawn. Super nice! Shiok chilli too! Usually it's not too crowded.
The ordering system is kinda troublesome though. You have to walk to the counter to place the order. Haha. Sorry, I'm a spoiled girl. I like my order to be taken by a waiter who comes to my table! =P Oh the good thing is usually the person at the counter speaks English! Yeay! This is beri beri important to me you know, as a person who looks Chinese with nearly zero Chinese knowledge.
I don't like their beverages =( they sell those pre-packed beverages.. They have luohan longan, lime juice, and aloe vera if i'm not wrong.. But those are not delicious! Maybe it was because of citric acid.. It feels funny on your tongue.
However all in all, I really like this place! I used to come here with my group of friends, chatting crap endlessly. How I miss those times! Will urge them to come again!
Peach Garden @ 33 was the venue for our dim sum lunch today. The brainchild of two ladies, Angela Ho and Veronica Tan, this latest outlet resides within the 33rd storey of the Executives’ Club of OCBC Centre at Chulia Street (the flagship being at Novena Gardens and their second outlet at Thomson Plaza), and exudes modern sophistication while preserving an oriental charm vis-à-vis Chinese wooden furnishing, paintings and valued objet d'art.
Diners should also reserve beforehand to grab one of the limited tables beside the windowpane that offers a sight of the central business district and panoramic view of the Singapore River.
Food came fast and furious and before we knew it, our table was filled with the many baskets and plates. The Fried Carrot Cake with XO Sauce ($8.00) was well done – unlike those crispy ones you get from hawker centre, the outside was just slightly crisp and the inside, malleable. The flavour of the XO sauce was also captured nicely in the cake, however it should do better if it came less oily.
Since it should only be eaten when it’s piping hot, I took a bite into the Steamed Yolk Cream Bun ($1.20 each) – be warn though as before I knew it, hot steamy cream from the bun came squirting all over my fingers – another well executed dish! Their bun was definitely much better than the ones I tried at Victor’s Kitchen, however what I found missing was the lacked of bite of the salted egg yolk, which I can find at the latter.
The Steamed Rice Roll with Char Siew ($4.00) was up next but however it was disappointing – the texture of the skin was not as smooth and silky as I thought it should be.
To grade whether a dim sum restaurant is good or not, personally I feel that there are two tests it must pass – the Har Kaw, or Steamed Fresh Prawn Dumpling ($1.60 each) and the Siew Mai, or Steamed Pork Dumpling ($1.60 each).
While the prawn dumping was above average, the grading for the pork dumplings was disputed – most of us felt that it tasted more of prawn than pork, and it was hard to compare to the many we have sampled before.
The Baked Mini Egg Tart came with the flaky crust – the type I preferred compared to those that are hard and sturdy. However, for $1.30 each, I do not think they are value for money.
However, if you think that was bad, for $3.80 per (small) bowl, what you get is a very salty bowl of Boiled Porridge with Century Egg and Pork (as stated in the menu). Strangely enough, many of us thought that the meat tasted like chicken – not sure whether that’s a good or bad thing though.
Another disappointing item was the Steamed Xiao Long Bao with Dried Scallop ($1.30 each). A couple of us thought the skin were not as thin and smooth as those found in Ding Tai Fung and the soup was not as succulent as well.
The meal was rounded off with the highlight for the day – Baked Spare Rib with BBQ Sauce. For $7.00 each, expectations were high and everyone was looking forward to it. Presentation-wise, it was dished out fine-dining style like a piece of steak. Taste wise – the essence of the BBQ sauce is captured nicely in the meat – and for those who were luckier, where the meat came in fact with the layer of fatty meat, the marbling meat was a joy to behold (despite a step closer to having a heart attack)! However, for such a price, it would probably be a one-off dish I would try.
Overall, I felt that the expectations weren’t matched and Peach Garden is merely just a slightly above-average place for dim sum. Coupled by the fact that they missed out our order of Xiao Long Bao and the Spare Rib and also didn’t served us our additional order of Prawn Dumplings, I would probably not venture this place again unless by the coaxing of my makan buddies.
You can view all the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Its been a while since I last ate at Ellenborough Cafe, probably about 3 years or so. Just for the record, Ellenborough used to be the buffet venue of my choice when they still were charging something to the tune of $26/pax for dinner. Had the opportunity to revisit when one of my friends initiated a get together dinner there (It helped that she could get a 50% discount as well).
Well, since I dislike buffets and I am rather inapt at doing a writeup on it, I shall leave it to my amateur photographs to tell the story. Please pardon my photos, both quality and quantity wise, as it was a bad field trip for me.
Honestly, I think the standard of the food has gone south while the prices have steadily gone north. The shark's fin soup used to be decent but now its just a bowl of salty watered down starch serving with a couple of strands of shark's fin. The famous Durian Pengat, which used to have me going back for more (think 5-6 helpings), is now ridiculously sweet and diluted. Variety of food has stayed constant and I'm pretty sure that they have been serving up the same few dishes throughout the years. The additional outdoor counters are only there due to the restaurant having some anniversary promotion and even then, the food is really not up to the mark.
$223 for 5 pax (before discount) is pure madness for some common and average tasting fare. However factor in the 50% discount ($22/pax) and it will probably be worth it. No prizes for guessing if I'll be back.
Dian Xiao Er literally means "Stall Waiter". The humble restaurant has been around since 2003 and has made a name for itself for have a periodic Chinese theme in its staff and the restaurant environment reminiscent of Chinese sword fighting flicks which the owner, Mr Samuel Yik takes his inspiration from. Having never eaten here before, my first impression was that its just like Soup Restaurant but i was quite wrong. Read on.
The interior is reminiscent of ancient martial arts flicks with its bamboo roofs, wooden tables and chairs and ordinated display of select furniture and vases. The branch i went to was also quite dark which meant that my photos suffered from the lack of light. However, i can't say i dislike the feeling. Service was surprisingly good for a place which i've figured to be more run of the mill then most. The waiter would introduce and recommend items based on the number of people around and also provide a description of why it is his recommendation. This alone is better then some of the other restaurants i've been to.
Angelica Herbal Roasted Duck ($11.80) - It is said that no visit to Dian Xiao Er would be complete without trying their famous herbal duck. I would raise both hands to agree with that statement simply because, it tastes really good. Honestly, the stock or broth it comes with is absolutely fragrant and filled with the herbs that the menu promised. Thats not all, the taste seeps into the duck meat and the following is just good. If i had to be picky, i'd say one serving of this is never enough as the portion is rather small and the meat is though not scarce, a little lanky.
Dian Xiao Er Special Beancurd ($7.50) - Beancurds are yet again on my menu. This is one of their special beancurds bearing their namesake. How did it taste? Well, if i didn't order this item myself, i would have thought they were fishcake. Thats not to say it tasted bad though. Its easy enough to taste prawns, fish paste and even some celery mixed into the beancurd. Its also slightly crispy and a tad salty but surprisingly, the best thing about this is, the broccoli, which complimented the saltiness with a dash of green sweetness. An average dish.
Seafood Fried Rice With XO Sauce ($10.80) - After many failed attempts to get good seafood fried rice at crystal jade, Dian Xiao Er finally managed to satisfy my craving for a good plate of fried rice. Extremely fragrant and a filled with a generous amount of prawns, eggs, squid and even tiny bits of scallops, this rice wins Crystal Jade and Ding Tai Fung hands down for me. The rice is also interesting. Instead of the usual fluffy and moisture filled rice, this one was thin, small and a little dry but strangely, it works.
Total bill for this little endeavor came to $38.50 for 2 people. Its a satisfying and filling dinner to be sure.
Who would have thought that the place i've ignored for so long to turn out this good? Now i understand the reason behind the huge queues and number taking to have food here. Definitely a place to return to for new items. Try it yourself and judge!
Had dinner at Equinox Restaurant - the much acclaimed restaurant perched right at the top of Swissotel The Stamford, on the 69th storey no less, which at 226m, gives it one of the highest vantage points in Singapore. Famed more for its bird's eye view than its Asian and Western cuisines, Equinox has consistently made it to various Singapore restaurant publications as one of the top restaurants in Singapore nevertheless.
From the moment you step out of the express elevator, the panoramic backdrop of Singapore's urban landscape greets you through floor to ceiling windows. The amphitheatre styled restaurant is tastefully designed with subtle oriental influences through the use of wood and overhanging red Chinese lanterns. The world slows to a crawl in this elegant restaurant, giving one a sense of space and serenity, perfect for a laid back dinner.
The complimentary bread looked really appetising with lots of variety but the truth of the matter was, it was lousy. Most of the bread was dry and hard and probably the only decent one was the bun with sugar and cheese but even then, it was too sweet. It definitely didn't help that the accompanying butter was rock hard as well.
Cappucino of Wild Mushrooms - The soup sure didn't look enticing, especially with the seemingly charred black slice of toast atop. But to give it credit, it tasted decent but did come across as a tad too oily for my liking. There was definitely nothing wild about the taste and I can probably get better mushroom soup elsewhere at a fraction of the price. (I'm not sure how much it costs because it comes with my degustation menu, but being Equinox, you can be sure it isn't going to be cheap).
Roasted Japanese Scallops - Plain bland would be most apt in describing the scallops. Huge as they were, they were neither sweet nor juicy. Interestingly, straddled in between pieces of scallops were scallop lookalike soft and wobbly pieces of Boudin Blanc, white sausages made from pork without the blood, which had a faint liver taste. So in actual fact, there were only 3 pieces of scallops, all for a whopping $28.
Tian of Mud Crab and Avocado - Just a little background on the word Tian. Its actually a square or rectangular French casserole dish originally used for baking. Fanciful names and aesthetics aside, the mud crab and avocado was decent, with the rawness of the crab not overpowering. The bits of avocado in between provided a refreshing change from the monotony of the crab.
Roast Foie Gras Escalope - I shuddered as I took my first bite of the foie gras. First there came shock and then disappointment started to set in. It was neither soft nor wobbly! I am really appalled at such standards. However, I must say that the honey cake that came alongside was spongy and actually made the foie gras bearable.
White Miso Glazed Cod - I've always liked cod fish and Equinox's rendition of the cod was quite good, with the flesh being soft and smooth yet firm enough to retain its form. However I did find the drizzled white miso sauce a little too sweet which made me nauseous after a while. Thank god for the greens that came with it!
Tenderloin of Beef 'Rossini' - Done up medium rare as per my request, the beef was absolutely disappointing. Dry and tough doesn't even begin to describe it. Portions were small and it lacked the sweetness and beefy taste that all decent beef should have. What more can I say?
Hazelnut Chocolate Bar - I liked this quite a bit. The chocolate bar was quite smooth yet not too rich with a nice crunchy biscuit base. Accompanying the chocolate bar was a nice scoop of mint ice cream which I don't usually like, but this one was light and sat very well with me.
Sweet Temptation - Milk Chocolate Orange Gateau, Fig and Sangria Gelee & Yoghurt Sorbet, Contemporary Apple Tart & Nougat Chips, Araguani Chocolate Cream & Vanilla Chantilly & Coffee Granite - Overall the dessert platter was decent. For starters, the milk chocolate orange gateau was rather interesting with the chocolate gateau hinting strongly of orange. Quite a nice combination in my humble opinion.
I didn't quite take to the fig and sangria gelee though, as I'm not exactly a fan of fig or sangria. And the texture of the gelee (jello) reminded me of hardened "kuay" then anything else. The yoghurt sorbert was alright though but nothing fantastic.
The contemporary apple tart's biscuit was a tad too hard and dry but the apple cubes were nice without being too sweet or sour. Having said that, it wasn't exactly wow for me.
The highlight of the dessert platter has to be the Araguani chocolate cream. Topped with vanilla chantilly (cream) and coffee granite, this combination proved to be rather interesting when everything was mixed together. Bitter and sweet altogether. The addition of chocolate balls to this dessert gave it a nice crunchy texture as well.
Expectations, expectations, expectations. That's what it all boils down to. Seriously, the food isn't bad, just that I had high expectations of it with all the hype and of course the steep pricing, standing at just over $310 ($177 after 50% discount) for 2 pax. Service is good but honestly, the food's not worth returning for. For the view and ambience, maybe.
I was at Joe's Kitchen with ieat and his makan kakis. It's his 3rd Makan Session. 45 foodies signed up. I met keropokman and lady ironchef. :)
ieat wanted us to try an authentic North Thailand cuisine. The Crispy Rice cakes were good but too dry. I prefer mine drenched in sauce. *slurp*
I like the Thot Man Goong (Prawn Cakes) which have a springy texture. The Roasted Pork Collar was surprisingly good. It has a smokey taste. I love to eat tunghoon, and the tunghoon in the Claypot Crab Baked Vermicilli was so favourful. It absorbed the seasoning and there was a secret weapon at the bottom of the pot. Pork lard!! Not for the health conscious though. hehe....
The Tom Yam soup was too sour for me. The battered fish to go with the soup was delicious though. Then there were the Green Curry Beef, Roast Duck Curry, Thai Fish and the desserts Mango Rice and Steam Tapioca with Coconut Milk.
The steamed rice served here is good quality Thai rice. You could eat it on its own. When eaten with the curries, it was awesome.
For S$35 per person, it was value for money. I came away with a bulging tummy..... How many days will it take to lose these calories? Gotta hit the gym .........
Melvados is the first and only specialty brownie café in Singapore. The brownie menu offers several unique brownie creations such as ‘Nuts about Bananas’ and ‘Sizzling Brownie Sensation’.
Apart from brownies, the food menu features appetizers like fresh salads and finger food. Their main course selections ranges from sandwiches at $6, baked rice, lasagnes, to spaghetti, bread bowls, pizza, chicken and fish.
The drinks menu offers Gourmet coffee, organic juices, and specialty drinks such as flavoured coffee, ice blends and fizzies. Retail items includes condiments such as basil pesto, sundried tomato pesto as well as gourmet cookies such as hazelnut cookie, blackforest cookie and many more. Samplings available for all cookies and brownies.
After lunch at Relish for their gourmet burgers, we decided to skip the wild rocket signature cheesecakes for the ‘gourmet desserts’ at Melvados which was just across a street away from Relish.
Stepping into Melvados, it was definitely smaller than what i had expected, the interior can accommodate at most 20 seaters, with the al fresco adding another 8 or thereabouts.
The walls are done in bright colors, with a cozy corner for the sofa seats. But the granite floor looks out-of-place for a cafe interior. Furthermore, there is a large fridge displayed openly and looks messy.
Rich Chocolate Madness ($4.80) & triple choc ice cream ($1) Rich Chocolate brownie with chunky walnuts, served warm with a layer of chocolate sauce. Pure indulgence for chocolate lovers. The whole taste about this brownie is chocolate-ty! Even though i love sweet things and chocolates, it’s still way too sweet for me.
But not mention i had the triple choc ice cream to go along with it. The vanilla ice cream was sold out, and the other brownie had cookie & cream so i thought i had something different.
Surprisingly the triple choc ice cream does not taste sweet when we eat it together with the brownie, i guess the sweetness of the brownie overwhelmed the triple choc and in contrast the ice-cream did not taste very sweet.
Black & White Kisses ($4.80) cookie & cream gelato ($1) Dark chocolate brownie topped with black and white Hershey’s kisses, accompanied with Cookie & Cream gelato. If you ordered the brownie, an additional scoop of ice cream is a dollar, while ordering the ice cream on its own is $3.20 for single scoop and $4.50 for double scoop.
Touted as Melvados signature brownie, the black & white kisses did not disappoint. We preferred it to the Rich Chocolate Madness. The dark chocolate was not very sweet, but coupled with the black & white Hershey’s kisses, the taste blended in perfectly.
A scoop of the cold cookie & cream gelato, on top of the warm chocolate brownie, the result was an instant melt in the mouth effect.
Total Bill for 2 brownies come up to $13.6, not very expensive for 2 desserts. There are plenty of other desserts selection which looks interesting to me. Most of the food items at Melvados are reasonably priced, with the most expensive at $12 for the pizza. Desserts like brownies and cakes are mostly going at $5 each.
While I have not tried the food, but Melvados is billed as a brownie specialty cafe after all. I doubt the food quality will be that fantastic, but given the price i guess there’s no harm trying it. Located at King’s Arcade (besides Coronation plaza), it is not very convenient by people not living in the west, but there are a lot of buses which goes through the area. And its about 20min bus ride from Orchard.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written above are my genuine feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Please do not feel emotional or distress should you have any violent objections. Kindly click the little X at the upper, extreme right of your screen if negative adjectives would be derived. Otherwise, feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
Working around east of Singapore not too sure where to have your meal? I went to have lunch with my lunch partner, total 6 of us. This place was intro by Janice. It at a corner where it near the Shop & Save suprtmarket. The design of the place were not bad, it kind of chinese style and simple too.
We order 1 Set menu for 4pax share among 6 of us. 1 Deep fried Soon Hock, 6 steamed Juicy Meat Bun. 1 Pot of Chinese Tea.
While waiting for our food, they serve us Pickles, it abit sour and sweet wih some sesame seed, not bad.
Set Menu for 4 Pax 78.80
Soup of the day was Shark Fin Melon Soup - The shark fin melon was soft, the soupwas refreshing and sweet.
Deep Fried Prawn with Salad Sauce - The Prawn were unshell and deep fried. It big and juicy with the salad sauce.
Steamed Sea Perch in Hong Kong Style - It Cod fish not too sure why they call it Sea Perch maybe it another name of it. The fish was abit overcooked as it lost it sweet taste. But, it was a not bad dish.
Roasted Crispy Chicken with Homemade sauce - The chicken was nice together with the homemade sauce as it has lots of sesame seed, some honey I guess. After a few bite it kind of abit too sweet.
Deep Fried BeanCurd with Cereal - The Beacurd were hot and soft together with cereal it nice.
Bai-Ling Mushroom with Seasonal Vegetable - The mushroom were soft and nice, as for seasonal vegetable is some cabbage without the sauce is abit plain.
Steamed Rice - The rice is abit dry without the sauce.
Dessert of the Day - Shark Fin Melon with Longan, the dessert is cold, too sweet and the melon is abit too hard. It not really that nice for us.
Side Order Steamed Juicy Meat Bun - 6 for $6.00
The juice of the meat bun is sweet and tasy. The meat doesn't have too strong smell, it a nice dish.
Deep Fried Soon Hock - Promo Price $9.80, Usual Price $16.80
The fish were cripy and nice it goes with mango sauce with some spring onion and mango slice.
I didn't get to try the Ramen. Will try next time for the ramen.
Total Bill: $122.40
(Includes; Tea, Towel, Pickles, GST & Service Charges)
1=SGD 0.0587
I went to this place even before I joined the ping.sg event here. Unlike when I was in ping.sg event, I was dining in the lower floor. Couldn't remember anymore what I ordered, but I remember the tea was so nice! Well, it's a tea restaurant anyway.. My boyfriend (that time was a new boyfriend =P) ordered the rosebud tea. My other friends ordered many exotic tea. Haha. One of them ordered the wild berries tea. After that she added honey into that and she was really really amazed by the honey. After that, every sip she took, she would add the honey! It's that good.. Haha..
Can't remember what I had for ping.sg event either. I think it was cajun dory. Even though I don't remember the name I do remember that it was very very nice! And what I like the most... Is the dessert! The dessert that came to my place was apple crumble with some vanilla ice cream. Oh goodness it was so good! I think i was the one who ate the most =P sorry my friends at the table... =P
i want to visit this restaurant again! Will drag my boyfriend... =P
Rating given:
my review of kolo mee at killiney road:
http://www.yebber.com/review/jia-xiang-kuching-restaurant/
I don't really like this branch of kolo mee. You see, I'm a big fan of kolo mee for its tasty noodles! But this branch simply doesn't cut it. Location is not nice and noisy since it's on the roadside. Furthermore it's kinda dusty from the road, too. They serve the same menu and I ordered the same thing as usual (recommended kolo mee - with char siew, wanton, and prawn), but it didn't taste as nice! Gotta put a lot of chilli before I finally got to the familiar tasty taste. It's kinda more oily than the one in Killiney too.
If you really crave for kolo mee, I suggest you take the trip to Somerset and go to the Killiney branch instead. It will be more worth it.
Rating given:
i think this branch of kolo mee is the best! ^^ (it's actually the main branch) and i think it's cheaper than its branches.. I always order the recommended kolo mee.. The one with char siew, wanton, and prawn. Super nice! Shiok chilli too! Usually it's not too crowded.
The ordering system is kinda troublesome though. You have to walk to the counter to place the order. Haha. Sorry, I'm a spoiled girl. I like my order to be taken by a waiter who comes to my table! =P Oh the good thing is usually the person at the counter speaks English! Yeay! This is beri beri important to me you know, as a person who looks Chinese with nearly zero Chinese knowledge.
I don't like their beverages =( they sell those pre-packed beverages.. They have luohan longan, lime juice, and aloe vera if i'm not wrong.. But those are not delicious! Maybe it was because of citric acid.. It feels funny on your tongue.
However all in all, I really like this place! I used to come here with my group of friends, chatting crap endlessly. How I miss those times! Will urge them to come again!
Rating given:
Peach Garden @ 33 was the venue for our dim sum lunch today. The brainchild of two ladies, Angela Ho and Veronica Tan, this latest outlet resides within the 33rd storey of the Executives’ Club of OCBC Centre at Chulia Street (the flagship being at Novena Gardens and their second outlet at Thomson Plaza), and exudes modern sophistication while preserving an oriental charm vis-à-vis Chinese wooden furnishing, paintings and valued objet d'art.
Diners should also reserve beforehand to grab one of the limited tables beside the windowpane that offers a sight of the central business district and panoramic view of the Singapore River.
Food came fast and furious and before we knew it, our table was filled with the many baskets and plates. The Fried Carrot Cake with XO Sauce ($8.00) was well done – unlike those crispy ones you get from hawker centre, the outside was just slightly crisp and the inside, malleable. The flavour of the XO sauce was also captured nicely in the cake, however it should do better if it came less oily.
Since it should only be eaten when it’s piping hot, I took a bite into the Steamed Yolk Cream Bun ($1.20 each) – be warn though as before I knew it, hot steamy cream from the bun came squirting all over my fingers – another well executed dish! Their bun was definitely much better than the ones I tried at Victor’s Kitchen, however what I found missing was the lacked of bite of the salted egg yolk, which I can find at the latter.
The Steamed Rice Roll with Char Siew ($4.00) was up next but however it was disappointing – the texture of the skin was not as smooth and silky as I thought it should be.
To grade whether a dim sum restaurant is good or not, personally I feel that there are two tests it must pass – the Har Kaw, or Steamed Fresh Prawn Dumpling ($1.60 each) and the Siew Mai, or Steamed Pork Dumpling ($1.60 each).
While the prawn dumping was above average, the grading for the pork dumplings was disputed – most of us felt that it tasted more of prawn than pork, and it was hard to compare to the many we have sampled before.
The Baked Mini Egg Tart came with the flaky crust – the type I preferred compared to those that are hard and sturdy. However, for $1.30 each, I do not think they are value for money.
However, if you think that was bad, for $3.80 per (small) bowl, what you get is a very salty bowl of Boiled Porridge with Century Egg and Pork (as stated in the menu). Strangely enough, many of us thought that the meat tasted like chicken – not sure whether that’s a good or bad thing though.
Another disappointing item was the Steamed Xiao Long Bao with Dried Scallop ($1.30 each). A couple of us thought the skin were not as thin and smooth as those found in Ding Tai Fung and the soup was not as succulent as well.
The meal was rounded off with the highlight for the day – Baked Spare Rib with BBQ Sauce. For $7.00 each, expectations were high and everyone was looking forward to it. Presentation-wise, it was dished out fine-dining style like a piece of steak. Taste wise – the essence of the BBQ sauce is captured nicely in the meat – and for those who were luckier, where the meat came in fact with the layer of fatty meat, the marbling meat was a joy to behold (despite a step closer to having a heart attack)! However, for such a price, it would probably be a one-off dish I would try.
Overall, I felt that the expectations weren’t matched and Peach Garden is merely just a slightly above-average place for dim sum. Coupled by the fact that they missed out our order of Xiao Long Bao and the Spare Rib and also didn’t served us our additional order of Prawn Dumplings, I would probably not venture this place again unless by the coaxing of my makan buddies.
You can view all the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Its been a while since I last ate at Ellenborough Cafe, probably about 3 years or so. Just for the record, Ellenborough used to be the buffet venue of my choice when they still were charging something to the tune of $26/pax for dinner. Had the opportunity to revisit when one of my friends initiated a get together dinner there (It helped that she could get a 50% discount as well).
Well, since I dislike buffets and I am rather inapt at doing a writeup on it, I shall leave it to my amateur photographs to tell the story. Please pardon my photos, both quality and quantity wise, as it was a bad field trip for me.
Honestly, I think the standard of the food has gone south while the prices have steadily gone north. The shark's fin soup used to be decent but now its just a bowl of salty watered down starch serving with a couple of strands of shark's fin. The famous Durian Pengat, which used to have me going back for more (think 5-6 helpings), is now ridiculously sweet and diluted. Variety of food has stayed constant and I'm pretty sure that they have been serving up the same few dishes throughout the years. The additional outdoor counters are only there due to the restaurant having some anniversary promotion and even then, the food is really not up to the mark.
$223 for 5 pax (before discount) is pure madness for some common and average tasting fare. However factor in the 50% discount ($22/pax) and it will probably be worth it. No prizes for guessing if I'll be back.
Rating given:
Dian Xiao Er literally means "Stall Waiter". The humble restaurant has been around since 2003 and has made a name for itself for have a periodic Chinese theme in its staff and the restaurant environment reminiscent of Chinese sword fighting flicks which the owner, Mr Samuel Yik takes his inspiration from. Having never eaten here before, my first impression was that its just like Soup Restaurant but i was quite wrong. Read on.
The interior is reminiscent of ancient martial arts flicks with its bamboo roofs, wooden tables and chairs and ordinated display of select furniture and vases. The branch i went to was also quite dark which meant that my photos suffered from the lack of light. However, i can't say i dislike the feeling. Service was surprisingly good for a place which i've figured to be more run of the mill then most. The waiter would introduce and recommend items based on the number of people around and also provide a description of why it is his recommendation. This alone is better then some of the other restaurants i've been to.
Angelica Herbal Roasted Duck ($11.80) - It is said that no visit to Dian Xiao Er would be complete without trying their famous herbal duck. I would raise both hands to agree with that statement simply because, it tastes really good. Honestly, the stock or broth it comes with is absolutely fragrant and filled with the herbs that the menu promised. Thats not all, the taste seeps into the duck meat and the following is just good. If i had to be picky, i'd say one serving of this is never enough as the portion is rather small and the meat is though not scarce, a little lanky.
Dian Xiao Er Special Beancurd ($7.50) - Beancurds are yet again on my menu. This is one of their special beancurds bearing their namesake. How did it taste? Well, if i didn't order this item myself, i would have thought they were fishcake. Thats not to say it tasted bad though. Its easy enough to taste prawns, fish paste and even some celery mixed into the beancurd. Its also slightly crispy and a tad salty but surprisingly, the best thing about this is, the broccoli, which complimented the saltiness with a dash of green sweetness. An average dish.
Seafood Fried Rice With XO Sauce ($10.80) - After many failed attempts to get good seafood fried rice at crystal jade, Dian Xiao Er finally managed to satisfy my craving for a good plate of fried rice. Extremely fragrant and a filled with a generous amount of prawns, eggs, squid and even tiny bits of scallops, this rice wins Crystal Jade and Ding Tai Fung hands down for me. The rice is also interesting. Instead of the usual fluffy and moisture filled rice, this one was thin, small and a little dry but strangely, it works.
Total bill for this little endeavor came to $38.50 for 2 people. Its a satisfying and filling dinner to be sure.
Who would have thought that the place i've ignored for so long to turn out this good? Now i understand the reason behind the huge queues and number taking to have food here. Definitely a place to return to for new items. Try it yourself and judge!
Rating given:
Had dinner at Equinox Restaurant - the much acclaimed restaurant perched right at the top of Swissotel The Stamford, on the 69th storey no less, which at 226m, gives it one of the highest vantage points in Singapore. Famed more for its bird's eye view than its Asian and Western cuisines, Equinox has consistently made it to various Singapore restaurant publications as one of the top restaurants in Singapore nevertheless.
From the moment you step out of the express elevator, the panoramic backdrop of Singapore's urban landscape greets you through floor to ceiling windows. The amphitheatre styled restaurant is tastefully designed with subtle oriental influences through the use of wood and overhanging red Chinese lanterns. The world slows to a crawl in this elegant restaurant, giving one a sense of space and serenity, perfect for a laid back dinner.
The complimentary bread looked really appetising with lots of variety but the truth of the matter was, it was lousy. Most of the bread was dry and hard and probably the only decent one was the bun with sugar and cheese but even then, it was too sweet. It definitely didn't help that the accompanying butter was rock hard as well.
Cappucino of Wild Mushrooms - The soup sure didn't look enticing, especially with the seemingly charred black slice of toast atop. But to give it credit, it tasted decent but did come across as a tad too oily for my liking. There was definitely nothing wild about the taste and I can probably get better mushroom soup elsewhere at a fraction of the price. (I'm not sure how much it costs because it comes with my degustation menu, but being Equinox, you can be sure it isn't going to be cheap).
Roasted Japanese Scallops - Plain bland would be most apt in describing the scallops. Huge as they were, they were neither sweet nor juicy. Interestingly, straddled in between pieces of scallops were scallop lookalike soft and wobbly pieces of Boudin Blanc, white sausages made from pork without the blood, which had a faint liver taste. So in actual fact, there were only 3 pieces of scallops, all for a whopping $28.
Tian of Mud Crab and Avocado - Just a little background on the word Tian. Its actually a square or rectangular French casserole dish originally used for baking. Fanciful names and aesthetics aside, the mud crab and avocado was decent, with the rawness of the crab not overpowering. The bits of avocado in between provided a refreshing change from the monotony of the crab.
Roast Foie Gras Escalope - I shuddered as I took my first bite of the foie gras. First there came shock and then disappointment started to set in. It was neither soft nor wobbly! I am really appalled at such standards. However, I must say that the honey cake that came alongside was spongy and actually made the foie gras bearable.
White Miso Glazed Cod - I've always liked cod fish and Equinox's rendition of the cod was quite good, with the flesh being soft and smooth yet firm enough to retain its form. However I did find the drizzled white miso sauce a little too sweet which made me nauseous after a while. Thank god for the greens that came with it!
Tenderloin of Beef 'Rossini' - Done up medium rare as per my request, the beef was absolutely disappointing. Dry and tough doesn't even begin to describe it. Portions were small and it lacked the sweetness and beefy taste that all decent beef should have. What more can I say?
Hazelnut Chocolate Bar - I liked this quite a bit. The chocolate bar was quite smooth yet not too rich with a nice crunchy biscuit base. Accompanying the chocolate bar was a nice scoop of mint ice cream which I don't usually like, but this one was light and sat very well with me.
Sweet Temptation - Milk Chocolate Orange Gateau, Fig and Sangria Gelee & Yoghurt Sorbet, Contemporary Apple Tart & Nougat Chips, Araguani Chocolate Cream & Vanilla Chantilly & Coffee Granite - Overall the dessert platter was decent. For starters, the milk chocolate orange gateau was rather interesting with the chocolate gateau hinting strongly of orange. Quite a nice combination in my humble opinion.
I didn't quite take to the fig and sangria gelee though, as I'm not exactly a fan of fig or sangria. And the texture of the gelee (jello) reminded me of hardened "kuay" then anything else. The yoghurt sorbert was alright though but nothing fantastic.
The contemporary apple tart's biscuit was a tad too hard and dry but the apple cubes were nice without being too sweet or sour. Having said that, it wasn't exactly wow for me.
The highlight of the dessert platter has to be the Araguani chocolate cream. Topped with vanilla chantilly (cream) and coffee granite, this combination proved to be rather interesting when everything was mixed together. Bitter and sweet altogether. The addition of chocolate balls to this dessert gave it a nice crunchy texture as well.
Expectations, expectations, expectations. That's what it all boils down to. Seriously, the food isn't bad, just that I had high expectations of it with all the hype and of course the steep pricing, standing at just over $310 ($177 after 50% discount) for 2 pax. Service is good but honestly, the food's not worth returning for. For the view and ambience, maybe.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
I was at Joe's Kitchen with ieat and his makan kakis. It's his 3rd Makan Session. 45 foodies signed up. I met keropokman and lady ironchef. :)
ieat wanted us to try an authentic North Thailand cuisine.
The Crispy Rice cakes were good but too dry. I prefer mine drenched in sauce. *slurp*
I like the Thot Man Goong (Prawn Cakes) which have a springy texture. The Roasted Pork Collar was surprisingly good. It has a smokey taste. I love to eat tunghoon, and the tunghoon in the Claypot Crab Baked Vermicilli was so favourful. It absorbed the seasoning and there was a secret weapon at the bottom of the pot. Pork lard!! Not for the health conscious though. hehe....
The Tom Yam soup was too sour for me. The battered fish to go with the soup was delicious though. Then there were the Green Curry Beef, Roast Duck Curry, Thai Fish and the desserts Mango Rice and Steam Tapioca with Coconut Milk.
The steamed rice served here is good quality Thai rice. You could eat it on its own. When eaten with the curries, it was awesome.
For S$35 per person, it was value for money. I came away with a bulging tummy..... How many days will it take to lose these calories? Gotta hit the gym .........
Rating given:
Melvados is the first and only specialty brownie café in Singapore. The brownie menu offers several unique brownie creations such as ‘Nuts about Bananas’ and ‘Sizzling Brownie Sensation’.
Apart from brownies, the food menu features appetizers like fresh salads and finger food. Their main course selections ranges from sandwiches at $6, baked rice, lasagnes, to spaghetti, bread bowls, pizza, chicken and fish.
The drinks menu offers Gourmet coffee, organic juices, and specialty drinks such as flavoured coffee, ice blends and fizzies. Retail items includes condiments such as basil pesto, sundried tomato pesto as well as gourmet cookies such as hazelnut cookie, blackforest cookie and many more. Samplings available for all cookies and brownies.
After lunch at Relish for their gourmet burgers, we decided to skip the wild rocket signature cheesecakes for the ‘gourmet desserts’ at Melvados which was just across a street away from Relish.
Stepping into Melvados, it was definitely smaller than what i had expected, the interior can accommodate at most 20 seaters, with the al fresco adding another 8 or thereabouts.
The walls are done in bright colors, with a cozy corner for the sofa seats. But the granite floor looks out-of-place for a cafe interior. Furthermore, there is a large fridge displayed openly and looks messy.
Rich Chocolate Madness ($4.80) & triple choc ice cream ($1)
Rich Chocolate brownie with chunky walnuts, served warm with a layer of chocolate sauce. Pure indulgence for chocolate lovers. The whole taste about this brownie is chocolate-ty! Even though i love sweet things and chocolates, it’s still way too sweet for me.
But not mention i had the triple choc ice cream to go along with it. The vanilla ice cream was sold out, and the other brownie had cookie & cream so i thought i had something different.
Surprisingly the triple choc ice cream does not taste sweet when we eat it together with the brownie, i guess the sweetness of the brownie overwhelmed the triple choc and in contrast the ice-cream did not taste very sweet.
Black & White Kisses ($4.80) cookie & cream gelato ($1)
Dark chocolate brownie topped with black and white Hershey’s kisses, accompanied with Cookie & Cream gelato. If you ordered the brownie, an additional scoop of ice cream is a dollar, while ordering the ice cream on its own is $3.20 for single scoop and $4.50 for double scoop.
Touted as Melvados signature brownie, the black & white kisses did not disappoint. We preferred it to the Rich Chocolate Madness. The dark chocolate was not very sweet, but coupled with the black & white Hershey’s kisses, the taste blended in perfectly.
A scoop of the cold cookie & cream gelato, on top of the warm chocolate brownie, the result was an instant melt in the mouth effect.
Total Bill for 2 brownies come up to $13.6, not very expensive for 2 desserts. There are plenty of other desserts selection which looks interesting to me. Most of the food items at Melvados are reasonably priced, with the most expensive at $12 for the pizza. Desserts like brownies and cakes are mostly going at $5 each.
While I have not tried the food, but Melvados is billed as a brownie specialty cafe after all. I doubt the food quality will be that fantastic, but given the price i guess there’s no harm trying it. Located at King’s Arcade (besides Coronation plaza), it is not very convenient by people not living in the west, but there are a lot of buses which goes through the area. And its about 20min bus ride from Orchard.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written above are my genuine feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or biasness. Please do not feel emotional or distress should you have any violent objections. Kindly click the little X at the upper, extreme right of your screen if negative adjectives would be derived. Otherwise, feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
” Brownie Specialty Cafe “
Rating given:
Working around east of Singapore not too sure where to have your meal? I went to have lunch with my lunch partner, total 6 of us. This place was intro by Janice. It at a corner where it near the Shop & Save suprtmarket. The design of the place were not bad, it kind of chinese style and simple too.
We order 1 Set menu for 4pax share among 6 of us. 1 Deep fried Soon Hock, 6 steamed Juicy Meat Bun. 1 Pot of Chinese Tea.
While waiting for our food, they serve us Pickles, it abit sour and sweet wih some sesame seed, not bad.
Set Menu for 4 Pax 78.80
Soup of the day was Shark Fin Melon Soup - The shark fin melon was soft, the soupwas refreshing and sweet.
Deep Fried Prawn with Salad Sauce - The Prawn were unshell and deep fried. It big and juicy with the salad sauce.
Steamed Sea Perch in Hong Kong Style - It Cod fish not too sure why they call it Sea Perch maybe it another name of it. The fish was abit overcooked as it lost it sweet taste. But, it was a not bad dish.
Roasted Crispy Chicken with Homemade sauce - The chicken was nice together with the homemade sauce as it has lots of sesame seed, some honey I guess. After a few bite it kind of abit too sweet.
Deep Fried BeanCurd with Cereal - The Beacurd were hot and soft together with cereal it nice.
Bai-Ling Mushroom with Seasonal Vegetable - The mushroom were soft and nice, as for seasonal vegetable is some cabbage without the sauce is abit plain.
Steamed Rice - The rice is abit dry without the sauce.
Dessert of the Day - Shark Fin Melon with Longan, the dessert is cold, too sweet and the melon is abit too hard. It not really that nice for us.
Side Order
Steamed Juicy Meat Bun - 6 for $6.00
The juice of the meat bun is sweet and tasy. The meat doesn't have too strong smell, it a nice dish.
Deep Fried Soon Hock - Promo Price $9.80, Usual Price $16.80
The fish were cripy and nice it goes with mango sauce with some spring onion and mango slice.
I didn't get to try the Ramen. Will try next time for the ramen.
Total Bill: $122.40
(Includes; Tea, Towel, Pickles, GST & Service Charges)
Rating given: