The good thing about working in a foreign company is you get to meet lots of people from different walks of life from different nationalities, discovering different cultures and traditions. In my company, I have worked with Americans, Dutch, Swiss, Japanese, Korean, Malaysians, Indians, Filipinos and Chinese to name a few. And it was one day that my Korean colleague introduced me to Korean food at this place. She said she find the standard of food served here similar, if not better, than most of the other Korean restaurant she has been to so far - for a fraction of the price.
Taking her word for it, we ventured to Le Meridien for one of our lunches. Lunch was Spicy Beef Soup with rice plus a choice of condiment between Kimchi, Cucumber, or Anchovies.
Serving was generous with the bowl filled to the brim with Beef, Tofu and stalks of Spring Onions (It helps that I love eating spring onions!). The soup with a dash of Sesame Seeds was served piping hot and although MSG laced, the hint of spiciness make the soup truly enjoyable to taste.
The beef slices could have been bigger but for a meal costing less than $10, I have no complains against the serving and standard of the food.
You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
On Friday, it was an honour to be invited to Yebber’s 1st anniversary event. The event was held in Mint (Moment of Imagination and Nostalgia with Toys) – Museum of Toys, across from Raffles Hotel. Showcasing an extensive collection of vintage toys from all over the world, it is regarded as one of the finest in the world and the largest in Southeast Asia. At the basement was Mint Café – Asia’s very first toy-themed café.
I arrived early and did a quick tour of the place before the event started at the 3rd Level and was greeted with toys and characters that I was familiar with – from Popeye to Ultraman, to retro Matchbox car collectibles, Kampung toys and even the Beatles.
All the guests were later treated to a sumptuous buffet dinner consisting of Parmesan Crusted Chicken, Seafood Platter (Calamari, Dory Fillet, & Scallops), Bruschetta (Wild Mushrooms, Tomato Checca & Salmon Cream), and Linguini with Crab Sauce.
Personally, I thought the Wild Mushroom Bruschetta was the best – the toast was crispy and the mushrooms were flavoursome. I bet the salmon cream ones were just as great but unfortunately, I didn’t managed to lay my hands on them before they were cleared out. Oh, the desserts were pretty lovely as well, especially the Strawberry Panna Cotta - the sourish berries was a delightful complement to the sweet pudding.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Hmm something different from donut. It is rather hard on the outer dough and chewy inside. Taste so so.
I also tried the soft bun at Dough Culture, a few kiosks away from Chewy Junior. it is soft but not very soft and I like the custard inside with the oreo topping. Is good.
After hearing so much about Donut Factory donuts, I was at Suntec last Friday afternoon, so decided to buy some donuts since I spotted the kiosk.
After queuing for 10-15min I managed to get some. I had 2 of them and is rather disappointed to my expectation, the donuts are too sweet and too soft. I like to have food warm so I follow instruction and heat it up in the microwave I found it was too soft and oily end up I didnt eat it.
This show long queue does not means products are really good.
Don't think is worth to waste time to queue for the donuts....
I think Pasta De Waraku is great, but the price is just not worth it. And there are other things...
My boyfriend and I decided to try Pasta De Waraku in Square 2 after attending a mass in Novena Church nearby. It seems perfect; my boyfriend is a fan of Japanese food and I'm a sucker for pasta.
So we decided to go in and got a table for two. Again it's a thing I hate : the table is too small! And worse still, it was crowded by its enormous menu (as in really enormous, you know!), bottles of pepper and chilli flakes and what-nots, and tissue. Sigh..
Oh and we were greeted by music that seemed to come from "Greatest Hits of the Year 2000" CD. (eeks) Yes, for me music in a restaurant is important to build ambience!
Speaking of ambience, it was so noisy. Maybe because it was quite a closed type. And the staff keep shouting and shouting. "Irasshaimase!" (or something like that) "Arigato Gozaimas!" plus the chattering of the people.. Ugh. My eardrum hurts.
As for the food.. Their emphasis is on healthy food. But I believe healthy food should not be tasteless. It was quite tasteless and uninteresting. I gotta add cheese and oil and any other things. And it's priced so highly!
I'm really not sure that I'm going back again. Not for a very long time I guess.
Nihon Mura might not serve the best sushi in town but it's surely the best value!
Priced only 99 cents per plate, it will surely satisfy your sushi craving. Because it's so cheap, you can stuff your stomach up to 10 plates a time! (yes I've done it before.. Hungry mah... =P)
They also serve many other kinds of Japanese food such as udon, tempura, soup, and Japanese satay. However these are quite expensive and for the time being I'm still sticking to the 99 cents per plate sushi. They also serve nice desserts and juices and drinks!
The ordering system is kinda unique. You don't call waiters/waitresses nor come to the counter to order. You'll be given a small... erm what cha call it.. cylinder? Hahaha. You know like the ones you use to put your pens. And then you'll walk to inside and pick the sticks (like ice cream sticks actually) corresponding to the food/drink you want. Then you'll bring the cylinder with the sticks to the counter. You can then continue to choose your sushi on the conveyor belt.
Seems quite cheem at the first place, but fret not! The waiters/waitresses are friendly and will ask you when you just arrived whether it's your first time. If it is, they will explain to you.
This place is, and will still be, the place that I frequent with my friends. Watch out though, it's bound to be a tad crowded on meal hours.
The girlfriend and I managed to give Absolute Haven a try. I was expecting something refreshing, cheerful and something close to "fireworks-on-the-palate" after so many positive reviews.
The menu of the day was a revamped one, so in a way we were all guinea pigs sent into an experiment. Which is actually more fun actually, as there would not be any references. Best of all, we get to dine at a fraction of the usual price. Anyway, on with the food review.
Soup - Cream of Rocket We started off with cream of rocket which was quite nicely done. The soup was not overly smooth so that bits of its potato base (my assumption) could be felt. It is a nice thoughtful touch to have added that dimension in the texture. For me, perhaps lacking was a tinge of the rocket's bitterness to authenticate the dish itself. Maybe a bit of minced or chopped rocket might have added a little character to the soup?
Starter - I tried Panchetta Ham & Smoked Salmon Roll I like the combination of the smoky panchetta ham and salmon with the greens wrapped in them. The textures of the meat and leafy greens stood out for themselves with every bite and distinctive flavours complimented each other really well. The smoky meats provided the punch while the greens cleared the palate for the next piece. My only grouse is the saltiness from the ham, but I am sure it can be easily neutralised with more of the salad greens.
Starter - The Girlfriend tried Duck Breast Salad with Berry Sauce I liked the sweet and tangy taste, but foresee it may be too overpowering as one progresses to consume more of this salad. This is perhaps catered to those with a sweet tooth.
Main Course - I tried the Pan-seared Seabass with Poached Egg, Miso Braised Daikon and Olive Pilaf Rice, served with Lemon Cream Sauce High scores on the presentation, but average in taste. The fish wasn't exactly fresh and was over-cooked with edges totally burnt and bitter. Rest of the fish was tough and dry by my standards. Taste-wise, the fish was very plain with the minuscule amount of lemon cream sauce. Overall, it felt like the dish was conjured by a randomised process where you pick cards for every accompanying item and a poor excuse for a fusion dish. Every item did nothing to each other or for each other in terms of taste.
Main Course - The Girlfriend tried the Oven-Roasted Yorkshire Pork Rack with Herb Potato, Vegetables Ratatouille, Fresh Mesclum Salad, served with Coffee Chocolate Sauce The pork rack was nicely done with a tinge of pink in the centre and tender to the bite. The marinate was done just right to allow the freshness of the pork to be tasted. However, the coffee chocolate sauce with meat combination reminded me too much about the coffee ribs available from the tze char stalls. The girlfriend mentioned that the pork could have been better used, i.e. prepared in better ways. The ratatouille seemed out of place because of its "heavy" flavour was more of a clash with the pork and it just felt additionally pretentious thanks to the movie. The use of fresh cut fruits like lychees, longans, dragonfruits, pears would have provided a refreshing edge and balance to the dish.
Dessert - I tried Victorian Creme Brulee I liken this to the Hong Kong steamed egg pudding, but mushier. Well done for that important crusty top layer of caramelised sugar. Unfortunately it tasted pretty plain for a place where I expected more of. No exciting layers of surprised or infused floral scents. Or perhaps that was what the "Victorian" stood for - old, traditional and outdated.
Dessert - The Girlfriend tried Passionfruit Panna Cotta Here at Absolute Haven, Panna Cotta has a texture of curdled cheese and plenty of zesty punch from passionfruit, orange peel and berries. I can't be sure if I like this dessert as it didn't taste bad, but neither did it taste fantastic.
Overall, the food just didn't wow me as I had expected more thoughtful, cleverer, refreshing combinations in ingredients.
Service The staff was friendly but rather slow with service and response and lacking in initiative. However the worst part has to be their failure to prioritise. The girlfriend and I had to run off for another appointment, so we asked for the food to be served slightly faster. Our expectation was only to be served with the first batch of the dish we ordered, but they weren't even able to do that. Worst, for a group of over 20 people, they failed badly at coordinating for the food to be served together, making patrons without their food stare blankly at those who do. Some had even finished their food before their partner's had arrived. That is totally unacceptable.
I was very excited (a bit of sexcitement... hehe....) when I saw the men in Medieval gear in a photo!
I went down to Tampines SAFRA for its Martial Art Day '08 just to see these guys in action.
I was disappointed because their demonstration had ended earlier. But kind Christopher Blakey (President of PHEMAS) gave me a good run through on its courses and the Society.
PHEMAS means Pan-Historical European Martial Arts Society.
You learn self-defence and how to handle long sword and other weapons. When Christopher handled me his steel sword, it is so heavy! I doubt I can keep it up for 5 minutes! I would probably be stabbed to death before I could say 'Oh my Gosh!'
For a Beginner, you need to get thin soled shoes, black pants, white T-shirts and 1600N Fencing Masks. You will be required to purchase a wooden waster first due to its reduced cost and speed of delivery. You can use the basic Mk1 wooden stick until your waster arrives. A Longsword is required for training in Fiore at PHEMAS.
There are classes at Eurasian Community House every Wednesday and Sunday. A new class is starting at Tampines SAFRA.
Go surf its site for more details. I have a date with the men tonight. *whistles*
Ok it must be weird for a regular dim sum eater to review dim sum.
Went to Crystal Jade Dining Place (翡翠饭店) at IMM today. It looks a bit higher class than the normal Crystal Jade Kitchen, with huge fish tanks at the entrance and nice decor. Service was a bit weird, took them 15 minutes before the food was delivered. Ok we ordered puer tea (普洱), but instead they gave us a pot of shoumei (寿眉). Chinese tea drinkers should know their difference.
Decided to try something new, so we had a coconut black chicken soup (椰青竹丝鸡炖三宝, $9.80). The taste of black chicken and the sweet coconut juice together with Chinese herbs is fantastic combination. Quite nourishing for the lungs too.
The 虾饺 ($4.20) and 烧卖 ($4) are quite up to standard. You could taste the sweetness in the prawn, proving that they aren't the deep-frozen dead-for-a-week type.
Ah ha, the 小笼包 ($5) is a bit disappointing. There was no soup inside the xiaolongbao itself, really dry! But the sweet minced meat covered some of the lost ground.
The 咸水角 ($3) wasn't simple. After leaving aside for close to half an hour, its skin was still crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.
Then last but not least, 珍珠瑶柱糯米鸡 ($4.20). The glutinous rice wasn't too dry, and the mixture of dried scallop and mushroom was just nice.
By the way, I just have to comment on their peanuts. It's not ordinary peanuts, I suspect they soak them in cinnamon.
Oh we waited quite a while for the bill too, after seeing the cashier idling and we asking the captain. *shrug*
Before J.Co arrives in this little small dot, I'd read bloggers from across the causeway sharing how good it is and how much they love it. So when I head they've set up their very first outlet at Raffles city, I was delighted! Off I went to try the infamous J.Co donuts.
When I was there, the queue wasn't as long as I'd expected. Instead the competition nearby, Donut Factory, was having a longer queue than J.Co.
I joined in the queue and started observing the staff behind the counter. They've in place an ordering system where each staff is incharge of some flavors within the hand-reach. And each customer is given a number for their order. The first staff will ask the quantity you want to buy and get the boxes ready. She's in charge of the first few flavors and will issue you a number when she passes you to the next staff who'll serve you for the rest of the flavors available. When you're done with your selection, you'll then proceed to the cashier where they'll tally your order and collect payment.
This seem like a systematic and effective way for them. But its not so friendly to some of the customers. Especially if they're there for the first time and not sure of what flavors they want. I would recommend to decide on the flavors and quantity for each before you reach the first staff. This will surely speed up the ordering process.
Hmm... looks like I've spent more time typing and explaining the process rather than talking about the donuts! Well, because, after tasting almost all the brands of donuts available in Singapore and also those from Krispy Kreme, I find the J.Co is just another brand of donuts. Nothing much to wow about. Other than some of the interesting looking ones with special names for some, there's just nothing much I would comment on. But because this is the only outlet here in Singapore, for now, I'm sure many will still queue to buy some just to get a taste of this sweet indulgence that is still getting the attention for the mass in Singapore.
As for me, I'll be staying away from these fattening snacks for now. :)
1=SGD 0.0587
The good thing about working in a foreign company is you get to meet lots of people from different walks of life from different nationalities, discovering different cultures and traditions. In my company, I have worked with Americans, Dutch, Swiss, Japanese, Korean, Malaysians, Indians, Filipinos and Chinese to name a few. And it was one day that my Korean colleague introduced me to Korean food at this place. She said she find the standard of food served here similar, if not better, than most of the other Korean restaurant she has been to so far - for a fraction of the price.
Taking her word for it, we ventured to Le Meridien for one of our lunches. Lunch was Spicy Beef Soup with rice plus a choice of condiment between Kimchi, Cucumber, or Anchovies.
Serving was generous with the bowl filled to the brim with Beef, Tofu and stalks of Spring Onions (It helps that I love eating spring onions!). The soup with a dash of Sesame Seeds was served piping hot and although MSG laced, the hint of spiciness make the soup truly enjoyable to taste.
The beef slices could have been bigger but for a meal costing less than $10, I have no complains against the serving and standard of the food.
You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
On Friday, it was an honour to be invited to Yebber’s 1st anniversary event. The event was held in Mint (Moment of Imagination and Nostalgia with Toys) – Museum of Toys, across from Raffles Hotel. Showcasing an extensive collection of vintage toys from all over the world, it is regarded as one of the finest in the world and the largest in Southeast Asia. At the basement was Mint Café – Asia’s very first toy-themed café.
I arrived early and did a quick tour of the place before the event started at the 3rd Level and was greeted with toys and characters that I was familiar with – from Popeye to Ultraman, to retro Matchbox car collectibles, Kampung toys and even the Beatles.
All the guests were later treated to a sumptuous buffet dinner consisting of Parmesan Crusted Chicken, Seafood Platter (Calamari, Dory Fillet, & Scallops), Bruschetta (Wild Mushrooms, Tomato Checca & Salmon Cream), and Linguini with Crab Sauce.
Personally, I thought the Wild Mushroom Bruschetta was the best – the toast was crispy and the mushrooms were flavoursome. I bet the salmon cream ones were just as great but unfortunately, I didn’t managed to lay my hands on them before they were cleared out. Oh, the desserts were pretty lovely as well, especially the Strawberry Panna Cotta - the sourish berries was a delightful complement to the sweet pudding.
You can view the photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Hmm something different from donut. It is rather hard on the outer dough and chewy inside. Taste so so.
I also tried the soft bun at Dough Culture, a few kiosks away from Chewy Junior. it is soft but not very soft and I like the custard inside with the oreo topping. Is good.
Can try both.
Rating given:
After hearing so much about Donut Factory donuts, I was at Suntec last Friday afternoon, so decided to buy some donuts since I spotted the kiosk.
After queuing for 10-15min I managed to get some. I had 2 of them and is rather disappointed to my expectation, the donuts are too sweet and too soft. I like to have food warm so I follow instruction and heat it up in the microwave I found it was too soft and oily end up I didnt eat it.
This show long queue does not means products are really good.
Don't think is worth to waste time to queue for the donuts....
Rating given:
I think Pasta De Waraku is great, but the price is just not worth it. And there are other things...
My boyfriend and I decided to try Pasta De Waraku in Square 2 after attending a mass in Novena Church nearby. It seems perfect; my boyfriend is a fan of Japanese food and I'm a sucker for pasta.
So we decided to go in and got a table for two. Again it's a thing I hate : the table is too small! And worse still, it was crowded by its enormous menu (as in really enormous, you know!), bottles of pepper and chilli flakes and what-nots, and tissue. Sigh..
Oh and we were greeted by music that seemed to come from "Greatest Hits of the Year 2000" CD. (eeks) Yes, for me music in a restaurant is important to build ambience!
Speaking of ambience, it was so noisy. Maybe because it was quite a closed type. And the staff keep shouting and shouting. "Irasshaimase!" (or something like that) "Arigato Gozaimas!" plus the chattering of the people.. Ugh. My eardrum hurts.
As for the food.. Their emphasis is on healthy food. But I believe healthy food should not be tasteless. It was quite tasteless and uninteresting. I gotta add cheese and oil and any other things. And it's priced so highly!
I'm really not sure that I'm going back again. Not for a very long time I guess.
Rating given:
Nihon Mura might not serve the best sushi in town but it's surely the best value!
Priced only 99 cents per plate, it will surely satisfy your sushi craving. Because it's so cheap, you can stuff your stomach up to 10 plates a time! (yes I've done it before.. Hungry mah... =P)
They also serve many other kinds of Japanese food such as udon, tempura, soup, and Japanese satay. However these are quite expensive and for the time being I'm still sticking to the 99 cents per plate sushi. They also serve nice desserts and juices and drinks!
The ordering system is kinda unique. You don't call waiters/waitresses nor come to the counter to order. You'll be given a small... erm what cha call it.. cylinder? Hahaha. You know like the ones you use to put your pens. And then you'll walk to inside and pick the sticks (like ice cream sticks actually) corresponding to the food/drink you want. Then you'll bring the cylinder with the sticks to the counter. You can then continue to choose your sushi on the conveyor belt.
Seems quite cheem at the first place, but fret not! The waiters/waitresses are friendly and will ask you when you just arrived whether it's your first time. If it is, they will explain to you.
This place is, and will still be, the place that I frequent with my friends. Watch out though, it's bound to be a tad crowded on meal hours.
Rating given:
Review with more photos available here.
The girlfriend and I managed to give Absolute Haven a try. I was expecting something refreshing, cheerful and something close to "fireworks-on-the-palate" after so many positive reviews.
The menu of the day was a revamped one, so in a way we were all guinea pigs sent into an experiment. Which is actually more fun actually, as there would not be any references. Best of all, we get to dine at a fraction of the usual price.
Anyway, on with the food review.
Soup - Cream of Rocket
We started off with cream of rocket which was quite nicely done. The soup was not overly smooth so that bits of its potato base (my assumption) could be felt. It is a nice thoughtful touch to have added that dimension in the texture. For me, perhaps lacking was a tinge of the rocket's bitterness to authenticate the dish itself. Maybe a bit of minced or chopped rocket might have added a little character to the soup?
Starter - I tried Panchetta Ham & Smoked Salmon Roll
I like the combination of the smoky panchetta ham and salmon with the greens wrapped in them. The textures of the meat and leafy greens stood out for themselves with every bite and distinctive flavours complimented each other really well. The smoky meats provided the punch while the greens cleared the palate for the next piece. My only grouse is the saltiness from the ham, but I am sure it can be easily neutralised with more of the salad greens.
Starter - The Girlfriend tried Duck Breast Salad with Berry Sauce
I liked the sweet and tangy taste, but foresee it may be too overpowering as one progresses to consume more of this salad. This is perhaps catered to those with a sweet tooth.
Main Course - I tried the Pan-seared Seabass with Poached Egg, Miso Braised Daikon and Olive Pilaf Rice, served with Lemon Cream Sauce
High scores on the presentation, but average in taste. The fish wasn't exactly fresh and was over-cooked with edges totally burnt and bitter. Rest of the fish was tough and dry by my standards. Taste-wise, the fish was very plain with the minuscule amount of lemon cream sauce. Overall, it felt like the dish was conjured by a randomised process where you pick cards for every accompanying item and a poor excuse for a fusion dish. Every item did nothing to each other or for each other in terms of taste.
Main Course - The Girlfriend tried the Oven-Roasted Yorkshire Pork Rack with Herb Potato, Vegetables Ratatouille, Fresh Mesclum Salad, served with Coffee Chocolate Sauce
The pork rack was nicely done with a tinge of pink in the centre and tender to the bite. The marinate was done just right to allow the freshness of the pork to be tasted. However, the coffee chocolate sauce with meat combination reminded me too much about the coffee ribs available from the tze char stalls. The girlfriend mentioned that the pork could have been better used, i.e. prepared in better ways.
The ratatouille seemed out of place because of its "heavy" flavour was more of a clash with the pork and it just felt additionally pretentious thanks to the movie. The use of fresh cut fruits like lychees, longans, dragonfruits, pears would have provided a refreshing edge and balance to the dish.
Dessert - I tried Victorian Creme Brulee
I liken this to the Hong Kong steamed egg pudding, but mushier. Well done for that important crusty top layer of caramelised sugar. Unfortunately it tasted pretty plain for a place where I expected more of. No exciting layers of surprised or infused floral scents. Or perhaps that was what the "Victorian" stood for - old, traditional and outdated.
Dessert - The Girlfriend tried Passionfruit Panna Cotta
Here at Absolute Haven, Panna Cotta has a texture of curdled cheese and plenty of zesty punch from passionfruit, orange peel and berries. I can't be sure if I like this dessert as it didn't taste bad, but neither did it taste fantastic.
Overall, the food just didn't wow me as I had expected more thoughtful, cleverer, refreshing combinations in ingredients.
Service
The staff was friendly but rather slow with service and response and lacking in initiative. However the worst part has to be their failure to prioritise. The girlfriend and I had to run off for another appointment, so we asked for the food to be served slightly faster. Our expectation was only to be served with the first batch of the dish we ordered, but they weren't even able to do that. Worst, for a group of over 20 people, they failed badly at coordinating for the food to be served together, making patrons without their food stare blankly at those who do. Some had even finished their food before their partner's had arrived. That is totally unacceptable.
Rating given:
I was very excited (a bit of sexcitement... hehe....) when I saw the men in Medieval gear in a photo!
I went down to Tampines SAFRA for its Martial Art Day '08 just to see these guys in action.
I was disappointed because their demonstration had ended earlier. But kind Christopher Blakey (President of PHEMAS) gave me a good run through on its courses and the Society.
PHEMAS means Pan-Historical European Martial Arts Society.
You learn self-defence and how to handle long sword and other weapons. When Christopher handled me his steel sword, it is so heavy! I doubt I can keep it up for 5 minutes! I would probably be stabbed to death before I could say 'Oh my Gosh!'
For a Beginner, you need to get thin soled shoes, black pants, white T-shirts and 1600N Fencing Masks. You will be required to purchase a wooden waster first due to its reduced cost and speed of delivery. You can use the basic Mk1 wooden stick until your waster arrives. A Longsword is required for training in Fiore at PHEMAS.
There are classes at Eurasian Community House every Wednesday and Sunday. A new class is starting at Tampines SAFRA.
Go surf its site for more details. I have a date with the men tonight. *whistles*
Rating given:
Ok it must be weird for a regular dim sum eater to review dim sum.
Went to Crystal Jade Dining Place (翡翠饭店) at IMM today. It looks a bit higher class than the normal Crystal Jade Kitchen, with huge fish tanks at the entrance and nice decor. Service was a bit weird, took them 15 minutes before the food was delivered. Ok we ordered puer tea (普洱), but instead they gave us a pot of shoumei (寿眉). Chinese tea drinkers should know their difference.
Decided to try something new, so we had a coconut black chicken soup (椰青竹丝鸡炖三宝, $9.80). The taste of black chicken and the sweet coconut juice together with Chinese herbs is fantastic combination. Quite nourishing for the lungs too.
The 虾饺 ($4.20) and 烧卖 ($4) are quite up to standard. You could taste the sweetness in the prawn, proving that they aren't the deep-frozen dead-for-a-week type.
Ah ha, the 小笼包 ($5) is a bit disappointing. There was no soup inside the xiaolongbao itself, really dry! But the sweet minced meat covered some of the lost ground.
The 咸水角 ($3) wasn't simple. After leaving aside for close to half an hour, its skin was still crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.
Then last but not least, 珍珠瑶柱糯米鸡 ($4.20). The glutinous rice wasn't too dry, and the mixture of dried scallop and mushroom was just nice.
By the way, I just have to comment on their peanuts. It's not ordinary peanuts, I suspect they soak them in cinnamon.
Oh we waited quite a while for the bill too, after seeing the cashier idling and we asking the captain. *shrug*
Rating given:
Not as special as I thought
Before J.Co arrives in this little small dot, I'd read bloggers from across the causeway sharing how good it is and how much they love it. So when I head they've set up their very first outlet at Raffles city, I was delighted! Off I went to try the infamous J.Co donuts.
When I was there, the queue wasn't as long as I'd expected. Instead the competition nearby, Donut Factory, was having a longer queue than J.Co.
I joined in the queue and started observing the staff behind the counter. They've in place an ordering system where each staff is incharge of some flavors within the hand-reach. And each customer is given a number for their order. The first staff will ask the quantity you want to buy and get the boxes ready. She's in charge of the first few flavors and will issue you a number when she passes you to the next staff who'll serve you for the rest of the flavors available. When you're done with your selection, you'll then proceed to the cashier where they'll tally your order and collect payment.
This seem like a systematic and effective way for them. But its not so friendly to some of the customers. Especially if they're there for the first time and not sure of what flavors they want. I would recommend to decide on the flavors and quantity for each before you reach the first staff. This will surely speed up the ordering process.
Hmm... looks like I've spent more time typing and explaining the process rather than talking about the donuts! Well, because, after tasting almost all the brands of donuts available in Singapore and also those from Krispy Kreme, I find the J.Co is just another brand of donuts. Nothing much to wow about. Other than some of the interesting looking ones with special names for some, there's just nothing much I would comment on. But because this is the only outlet here in Singapore, for now, I'm sure many will still queue to buy some just to get a taste of this sweet indulgence that is still getting the attention for the mass in Singapore.
As for me, I'll be staying away from these fattening snacks for now. :)
Rating given: