The first thing that caught my eye was the conspicuous protrait of a field with the Ben & Jerry's signature cows and perfectly-shaped clouds.
The walls were brightly coloured with yellow, purples, and reds, and damn was the place nicely decorated. Figurines, bells, toys, and accessories of cows flooded the place, with a small area at the corner to sell their other mechanise.. but seriously, who the hell in their right state of mind goes to Ben & Jerry's to purchase tie-dye t-shirts, which I swore could be the offical outfit for the annual gay pride march, or some other mambo jumble on display?
There was even a mini hall of frame which showcased showy testimonies and photographs by past satisfied customers. Yes, the place definately accomplished their goal if they had aimed to look like a pre-school playground, but in a positive way.
For obvious reasons we ordered ice-cream, 3 scoops for $8.50 on a waffle plus a topping of your choice. The scoops and the topping were rather measly, so I'll say it's a little on the expensive side. Ice-cream was good (like what you would get from a tub) and the free water was definately a good call. People could die out of chocolate overdose there I tell you.
However, on the down side, though the server did suggest their best selling flavor the "Mudslice", she almost looked like she was rolling her eyes while talking to us. Furthermore, there was no harm letting us try a few flavors before deciding right ? That would be awesome customer service. What's worst, another counter staff just suddenly said "BITCH" really loudy while we were eating. She wasn't directing it at us or anything, but really, this sort of thing should be kept out of customers' ears.
When you hang out with a group of friends and wanted seafood for dinner, Fish & Co, Manhattan Fish Market, Greenwood Fish Market and even newly-opened Seafood Harvest by Jack’s Place will spring into mind. There is another option actually, introducing Hooked! A quaint little fish restaurant specialising in fusion cuisine, Hooked! creations try to push the boundaries of marine gastronomic expectations to a different level.
While MFM and Fish & Co both specialises in American-style seafood, with its fish & chips, Seafood platter among its signature dishes, Hooked! took the ”healthy” approach by offering more steamed variety of fishes in addition to the fried ones. Actually if you think that MFM and Fish & Co have different variety of seafood, then you are wrong.
Hooked! is the place to be if you want many variety of seafood, from the normal fish & chips, to snappers, groupers, salmons and even to Seabass, and Cod fish. With so many fishes to choose from, the next problem is how do you want the fish to be done? Deep-fried, Barbecued, Pan-grilled, Roasted, Steamed, Pan-seared, Baked, Grilled, you name it they have it. You’ll know when you see the comprehensive and colourful menu, lots of choices to go around, it all depends on how far you want to try.
Fish & Chips ($13.50)
Hmm.. The fish & Chips was good i guess, but then again coming to a special seafood restaurant like Hooked!, i think it will be a better choice to try other special fish and methods of cooking. Nevertheless its a decent option if you are not feeling too adventureous.
Grilled Jumbo Snapper with spicy tomato sauce ($15.50)
Choice of with or without market-fresh squids. Served with sauteed potato and asparagus. The spicy tomato sauce did not cover the freshness of the snapper, instead, it helps to bring up the flavour of the fish, giving it a sweet and hot taste. Take the Grilled Jumbo Snapper with spicy tomato sauce if you are feeling faint after reading the long list of menu and not knowing what to order.
Steamed Cod Thai Cantonese Style ($22.80)
Snowy-white fresh cod steamed in fish broth. Drizzled with heated seasame oil & soy sauce upon serving. Also served with a side dish of panfried linguine or rice. This is one of the more expensive fish around, but it is understood as Cod fish are naturally at the higher end as compared to the other fishes available. But then the steamed Cod Thai Cantonese style falls flat when served, partly is because the fish was rather bland in taste, perhaps due to the fact it is steamed, and after having the colourful taste of spicy tomato sauce, and Balsamic Ragenov sauce, this one is not as tasteful. Nonetheless, it is a good option if you want to have steamed fish for a change.
Pan-grill jumbo Seabass in Balsamic Ragenov sauce ($14.80)
Capping off the delightful meal was the Pan-grill jumbo Seabass in Balsamic Ragenov sauce. The flavours contained within were maturely paired and showed a different side to the chef’s ability. What exactly is Balsamic Ragenov sauce, that remains a mystery even after finishing the whole dish. But without a doubt, the sauce was good and offers a unique taste. Furthermore, the linguine was very smooth to the mouth, and the side order of the linguine cost just 2 bucks.
Tofu Otah ($7.90)
The tofu otah was quite good, cheese was topped onto the tofu and otah, but then the price was rather expensive. Best served eaten hot.
Hooked! boasts a pantry of the freshest fish, paired with adventurous preparations. It provides a different dimension from the usual deep-fried and grilled seafood, offering many different methods of serving the fish and seafood fresh. Western cuisine is fused with Asian flair, with the originality of these flavours will definitely hooked up any diners, fish lovers or not. For people who do not fancy fish, there is a column called the anti-fish, which offers three options of meat, but then again why are you ordering meat in a seafood fish restaurant?
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written above are my geniune feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or bias. 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 : )
Hidden in the sleepy enclave of rustic Changi Village is a small and unpretentious diner by the name of Jacob's Cafe, which is seemingly popular judging from the healthy crowd size on a Friday evening.
Jacob's offers both indoor and al fresco dining although the bulk of the seats are in the al fresco area, with only about 4 tables indoor. The interior revolves mainly around wood, which gives the place a nice homely touch. They could do something about the indoor ventilation though, as the food fumes from the kitchen were rather evident.
Bread Roll - Although the bread roll wasn't complimentary, it deserves a writeup simply because it was excellent. This is probably one of the best I've eaten in a long long time (the best is still in France though). Crackling crisp on the outside yet warm and fluffy on the inside. Definitely good enough to be eaten on its own! Pity about the packaged butter and hefty $1 price tag per roll though.
Cream of Chicken and Corn & Minestrone - Both soups were a tad too starchy. The cream of chicken and corn had bits of chicken and corn in it but did come across as a wee bit too salty for my liking. The minestrone was well, average.
Stuffed US Roast Chicken - A special at Jacob's, I was enticed by the promise of roast chicken stuffed with rice, chestnuts and cashews - a blend of east and west. First looks, the chicken was slightly larger than average and spotted a healthy sheen on the skin. Sadly, it didn't quite taste up to my expectations as the filling was a tad soggy and didn't taste anything out of the ordinary. The meat was tender and juicy though. Overall a decent dish without all the bells and whistles. Please note that the chicken is meant for 2 average eaters, so if you have 2 big eaters, it would be best to order something else.
Apple Crumble & Pecan Pie - Imagine my surprise when I spotted pecan pie on the menu. Its probably about as rare as flash floods in Singapore. Surprise turned to disappointment as the crust was too hard and tasteless. The pecan nuts were a whisker too dry as well. A totally huge contrast from the ones I had in North America. The apple crumble didn't quite meet the mark as well. Dry and tasteless would be most apt in describing it.
A very filling dinner cost about $48, which isn't too expensive if you ask me. Food is generally decent and very homely. Service is excellent and I've honestly never felt more at home anywhere else. At this point of writing, I've already been there thrice so I guess that says something?
Eighteen Chefs takes after Brit Celebrity Jamie Oliver's Restaurant Fifteen in the sense that the concept is very much alike. Both offer jobs for juvenile delinquents and both are supposed serve up great tasting Western/Italian cuisine. This is more than a coincidence however, since executive chef Benny Se Teo did go through a month-long internship with the said British lad for pointers. Did it pay off though?
This huge, colorful and eye-catching mural is painted by ex offenders and serves as the basis to the spirit of the cafe. Good food from people you wouldn't have thought much about. Its a heart warming testament to the fact that all people can be good as long as you give them a chance. I'm not complaining, in fact i like what they are doing by giving people a second chance.
Over here, you choose your meal and pay your bills first. The meal comes later. Cold water is free but you'll have to get it yourself. The overall atmosphere of the place is relaxed and very easy to get into. The bill was $35.10.
Daily Specials Soup and Garlic Bread - The humble cream of mushroom soup and garlic bread comes with the daily specials meal. Cream of mushroom is pretty standard fare, which is to say there isn't anything about it that distinguishes itself as being extraordinary or overly exciting about it. The garlic bread, on the other hand, was done nicely with it being crispy, lightly buttered and soft at the same time. The serving size was also respectable but still had us craving for more bread after we were done with it.
Half Baby Lobster with Seafood Linguine ($18.90) - This was my first visit and i was attracted to his daily special. As you can see, it comes with a fresh half baby lobster, a handful of prawns, mushrooms, garlic and quite a bit of olive oil sprinkled over a bed of linguine. What you don't see is that this is a spicy dish, possibly due to a generous dose of tobasco sauce. Its difficult to go wrong when ingredients used are fresh and this is what is provided here. Crunchy prawns, juicy mushrooms, sweet lobster meat. Its difficult not to like this dish. The serving wasn't the least bit scrimped on as well, being enough for a big sized guy like myself. Even the olive oil used was minimal enough to keep the linguine suitably moist without seeming to overflow like other restaurants i've tried. (Recommended)
Cheese baked mussels and black pepper fries, onion and calamari rings ($13.90)- Black pepper fries, onion and calamari rings? Thats a first for me. Either way, interesting as it is, i found it a tad soggy and would have liked it better if it was crispier. Still, no denying that the black pepper did introduce an interesting dimension to the tired formula. It was strangely sweet too. There was a grand total of 6 cheese baked mussels of the male and female variety. It was different, the cheese made the dish fragrant and the mussels were sweet and fresh but the serving is a little too small for my tastes. This could have been a side dish, not a main meal. Could be improved upon by adding a little more items into the mix.
Yam Ice Cream - Looks can be deceiving. Despite the small size and lack of garnishing whatsoever, this ice cream is creamy, bursting with yam taste and very refreshing after a meal. A good end to a generally good meal.
On my second visit, we ordered the crab and his normal baked rice offering. Benny also offered the soup of the day this time and we got an additional bowl for free. Personalized service is always good. The meal this time cost us $33.50.
Cheese and Chili Baked Crab Claw ($15.90 only on Wednesdays) - The soup is as per normal, simple but gets the taste buds moving. Benny offered his Wednesday special this time around because reservations are needed to enjoy this dish. Seeing that he's such a sport and good host, we took his offer to try out the chili crab. The meal comes with 5 fried buns and 1 crab claw, albeit a huge one. Maybe my love for crabs are waning or i'm just getting lazy, i simply don't like to get my hands dirty breaking crab shells anymore. The buns went very well with the cheese and chili, which was moderately spicy. The crab was sweet and firm but it wasn't enough to get me full and i was expecting the entire crab, not a claw. Interesting dish though i won't order it in future.
Black Pepper Seafood Pasta ($12.90) - My gf had this dish and i found it much better then the crab actually. Generous servings of mussels, prawn and calamari on a bed of black pepper baked rice. As with anything cooked in black pepper, the rice was fragrant and a little spicy with a tinge of sweetness. The ingredients are still fresh and crunchy and overall taste is very good. I did find the rice insufficient this time round though. For the price, i'd like to have a bigger serving of rice and food. Presentation for baked rice is secondary, serving size and taste should come first.
Benny was trained in Zhi Ca before opening this quaint little establishment and it shows in the way he melds classic crab cooking techniques in his renditions of baked rice. The results are refreshing dishes which somehow taste familiar. My take is that the daily specials meal are more bang for the buck as opposed to the normal offerings of baked rice. A quick research shows that he has a few other tricks up his sleeve i've yet to try like the black pepper crab baked rice. If he shells it for me, i'll probably try it, but if not, i'm sticking with the daily specials. The spirit of the restaurant is good, the food is decent, the price can be improved upon though.
This is the 2nd time I went to a Kbox KTV and my impression was not so good. Customer service was bad as almost all of the crews gave us black face and rather rude when talking to us.
Though the free flow of nuts and the ktv system is a lure, I wo't bother going there if the customer service is not good. Crews keep peeping in and came in to tell you your time is up even before you started singing the last song. The person even stood outside and wait for us to sing finish the last song so that he can see that we are leaving. Definitely not a good value for money considering the price is more expensive than other KTVs like Party World.
It's my first visit and I quite enjoyed the place. We selected a few games for 6 and had fun trying to outdo each other. Drinks wise felt a little like I was in K Box or Party World, limited drinks.
As for the food, there wasn't much option since they would give us the package, anything else would be topped up. Since the focus isn't for food, we started with the games. Most of the games were worst for the wear but I won't expect well-maintained games since the games and cards have to pass through quite a number of hands.
It's rather cramped if you have a large group of people going there. For 6 people, it's just nice. I would recommend this place if you like to have games and some finger food.
My mum brought me here to get my new hair do recently. Although I've known the owner more than 12 years ago, I've only let her do my hair when I was back in Secondary school. But my mum has been faithfully following her, from Toa Payoh to Sengkang and now to Kovan. She calls her the 金剪刀. And I totally understand why...
Once she got her scissors out from her bags of many many scissors, her fingers and hands just did magic. No comb no clips no fuss! She just pull, divide and cut. I was speechless. But when she was done cutting, I feel so light on my head and it looks natural and nice.
I spent 5hours there to cut, highlight and perm my hair. And I'd witnessed so many wonders by her that day. As there were only she and her other colleague, she had to turn down alot of customers that day. Everyone went to look just for us. And I can see the trust these customers have of her. They just sat and let her do her magic. I'm impressed.
The shop doesn't look at all glam nor well done, its simple and cosy. Its the hairdressers that made a difference. I'm happy with the result of my new look and the price is reasonable. I'll sure be going back for all future cuts and such.
Nearest mrt station is Kovan. This shop is located nearer to OCBC/Standard Chartered bank, further away from Heartland Mall.
The national stadium was opened in July 1973 and was officially closed in 30 June 2007. Come this March 2008, it will be torn down to make way for a modern sports hub to be ready by 2011. The new sports Hub will have a 55,000 seating capacity, a sporting arena that can seat 3000 people, a 6000 seater aquatic center, commercial space and even a hotel.
It is a pity that such a structure almost 35 years old has to make way for a newer facility driven by the need to modernize whatever is old. Perhaps there should be no room for sentimentality here as land space in Singapore is scarce and every inch is measured not in meters but in dollars.
The national stadium is a historical monument in itself as it symbolizes a growing nations "investment" in sports at a time when such an investment would be deemed unnecessary, risky and of lesser importance. Yet the man behind this push, Mr Othman Wok did not stop at pushing ahead with this idea. One year after independence in 1966, the first pile was driven in Kallang Park to make way for the construction of the National Stadium.
Perhaps the National Stadium should have been preserved as part of the conservation projects by the National Heritage Board or made into an icon of historical significance to a then developing country. Instead come March 2008, it will be bull-dozered to the ground. What is left of it will be memories and pictures. Perhaps this is a practical thing to do in land scarce Singapore.
But imagine visiting Rome and seeing pictures of the Colosseum instead of the real thing. Being able to touch and feel the pillars of the Colosseum "brings" a person "back" into time to feel the history of the country and its people. Imagine stepping to China and seeing pictures of the great wall instead of walking on it, or seeing pictures of the statue of liberty instead of climbing up its stairs. Yes perhaps the national stadium is not of the same level of historical significance as these structures, but it will be after 200 years (and if it is still standing)! If we start tearing everything down after 30 years there will be nothing left that is more than 30 years. :)
Every nation has pieces of history still intact. I wonder what will be left in Singapore that speaks of the people who live in the growing up years of 1960-90s a hundred years from now. Perhaps nothing much but stone slabs of the Old National Stadium showcased in the National Museum or the Sports Museum in the new sports hub.
History is being eaten away in favor of a new complex that will perhaps be more expensive to maintain and that can potentially attract more dollars. In any large scale projects to be done, the cost benefit analysis must prove positive. So i guess in this case the benefits outweigh the cost and the cost is history.
Take this as a tribute to a historical structure that has many "firsts" for the people in Singapore and that will soon only be seen in pictures and videos.
Tucked in a quiet corner of Shaw Leisure Gallery is a little surprise called Tom's Palette which sells home-made ice cream.
When curious me entered their premises for the first time, I was greeted by sincere counter staff who are really proud of their little ice cream parlour and their flavours. That pretty scared me away, plus I had no intention for ice cream that day.
So a few hours ago, I decided to go for it. I stepped in to the ice cream parlour, got greeted by the rather sweet lady boss (I think), tasted the Oreo Cheesecake flavour, which was good, but settled for their Pisang Honey Walnut and Horlicks flavours in a small cup. You get to taste 2 flavours in a small cup at no extra charge and each cup is $2.80, which is considerably cheaper than other ice cream places. I thought it is a good tactic, to create a sense of value that the customer can taste 2 flavours for the price of one. It definitely helps those who can't decide between flavour 1 and flavour 2.
Their ice cream is definitely one of the better ones I've tasted. Rich in flavour and really smooth texture, slightly creamier than the Japanese ice creams. I really enjoyed their Horlicks flavour which I believe had extra amounts of the ingredient to pack the extra punch. The Pisang Honey Walnut though only managed to leave a mild impression with a weak banana flavour. But at least they were generous with the walnuts.
Anyway, overheard a conversation between the staff and a customer, there was apparently a batch of cockles flavoured ice cream... see-hum ice cream? Ice cream mai hum? mai hum, mai hum, hai hum...
If you do remember, I had ravaged MOF for their lousy food and lack of variety in an earlier review. Somehow and for some reason, somebody did give a damn (I am assuming this) about that bad review, or maybe the management was really not proud of what they had to offer at the Marina Square branch. And since they couldn't "re-brand" their stupidest name in the world, they probably thought it would be the best move to concentrate on selling their good stuff. Which is probably the only best thing that came out of MOF, by the way.
Simply said, the Girlfriend and I loved that just-you-and-me moment with the Macha Sundae (seen in picture). For S$6, you get soft-serve ice-cream with a scoop of their very good green tea red bean ice-cream and a whole lot of other toppings like green tea sauce, cereal, jelly, azuki red bean, peaches, waffle, watermelon wedges and cherry. We thought it was a very good deal if compared to places like Ben & Jerry's or Häagen-Dazs.
On another occasion, I tried the item with their green tea ice-cream, rice dumplings and red bean paste (which they claim to use red beans imported from Japan). The rich flavour from the green tea ice-cream was really pleasant and the rice dumplings were chewy with just the right texture. The red bean paste was unfortunately still a little too sweet to my liking. But overall, it was an enjoyable takeaway dessert.
The menu has also been bumped up, which only means more choices and that's a good thing. Do give the items recommended in the menu a try, you may just be pleasantly surprised too.
On a totally unrelated note, I was at Balestier Road briefly during the weekend and came across a rather fascinating traditional bakery. Any other interesting stuff that I should look out for in that area?
1=SGD 0.0587
The first thing that caught my eye was the conspicuous protrait of a field with the Ben & Jerry's signature cows and perfectly-shaped clouds.
The walls were brightly coloured with yellow, purples, and reds, and damn was the place nicely decorated. Figurines, bells, toys, and accessories of cows flooded the place, with a small area at the corner to sell their other mechanise.. but seriously, who the hell in their right state of mind goes to Ben & Jerry's to purchase tie-dye t-shirts, which I swore could be the offical outfit for the annual gay pride march, or some other mambo jumble on display?
There was even a mini hall of frame which showcased showy testimonies and photographs by past satisfied customers. Yes, the place definately accomplished their goal if they had aimed to look like a pre-school playground, but in a positive way.
For obvious reasons we ordered ice-cream, 3 scoops for $8.50 on a waffle plus a topping of your choice. The scoops and the topping were rather measly, so I'll say it's a little on the expensive side. Ice-cream was good (like what you would get from a tub) and the free water was definately a good call. People could die out of chocolate overdose there I tell you.
However, on the down side, though the server did suggest their best selling flavor the "Mudslice", she almost looked like she was rolling her eyes while talking to us. Furthermore, there was no harm letting us try a few flavors before deciding right ? That would be awesome customer service. What's worst, another counter staff just suddenly said "BITCH" really loudy while we were eating. She wasn't directing it at us or anything, but really, this sort of thing should be kept out of customers' ears.
Polish up on the service.
Rating given:
When you hang out with a group of friends and wanted seafood for dinner, Fish & Co, Manhattan Fish Market, Greenwood Fish Market and even newly-opened Seafood Harvest by Jack’s Place will spring into mind. There is another option actually, introducing Hooked! A quaint little fish restaurant specialising in fusion cuisine, Hooked! creations try to push the boundaries of marine gastronomic expectations to a different level.
While MFM and Fish & Co both specialises in American-style seafood, with its fish & chips, Seafood platter among its signature dishes, Hooked! took the ”healthy” approach by offering more steamed variety of fishes in addition to the fried ones. Actually if you think that MFM and Fish & Co have different variety of seafood, then you are wrong.
Hooked! is the place to be if you want many variety of seafood, from the normal fish & chips, to snappers, groupers, salmons and even to Seabass, and Cod fish. With so many fishes to choose from, the next problem is how do you want the fish to be done? Deep-fried, Barbecued, Pan-grilled, Roasted, Steamed, Pan-seared, Baked, Grilled, you name it they have it. You’ll know when you see the comprehensive and colourful menu, lots of choices to go around, it all depends on how far you want to try.
Fish & Chips ($13.50)
Hmm.. The fish & Chips was good i guess, but then again coming to a special seafood restaurant like Hooked!, i think it will be a better choice to try other special fish and methods of cooking. Nevertheless its a decent option if you are not feeling too adventureous.
Grilled Jumbo Snapper with spicy tomato sauce ($15.50)
Choice of with or without market-fresh squids. Served with sauteed potato and asparagus. The spicy tomato sauce did not cover the freshness of the snapper, instead, it helps to bring up the flavour of the fish, giving it a sweet and hot taste. Take the Grilled Jumbo Snapper with spicy tomato sauce if you are feeling faint after reading the long list of menu and not knowing what to order.
Steamed Cod Thai Cantonese Style ($22.80)
Snowy-white fresh cod steamed in fish broth. Drizzled with heated seasame oil & soy sauce upon serving. Also served with a side dish of panfried linguine or rice. This is one of the more expensive fish around, but it is understood as Cod fish are naturally at the higher end as compared to the other fishes available. But then the steamed Cod Thai Cantonese style falls flat when served, partly is because the fish was rather bland in taste, perhaps due to the fact it is steamed, and after having the colourful taste of spicy tomato sauce, and Balsamic Ragenov sauce, this one is not as tasteful. Nonetheless, it is a good option if you want to have steamed fish for a change.
Pan-grill jumbo Seabass in Balsamic Ragenov sauce ($14.80)
Capping off the delightful meal was the Pan-grill jumbo Seabass in Balsamic Ragenov sauce. The flavours contained within were maturely paired and showed a different side to the chef’s ability. What exactly is Balsamic Ragenov sauce, that remains a mystery even after finishing the whole dish. But without a doubt, the sauce was good and offers a unique taste. Furthermore, the linguine was very smooth to the mouth, and the side order of the linguine cost just 2 bucks.
Tofu Otah ($7.90)
The tofu otah was quite good, cheese was topped onto the tofu and otah, but then the price was rather expensive. Best served eaten hot.
Hooked! boasts a pantry of the freshest fish, paired with adventurous preparations. It provides a different dimension from the usual deep-fried and grilled seafood, offering many different methods of serving the fish and seafood fresh. Western cuisine is fused with Asian flair, with the originality of these flavours will definitely hooked up any diners, fish lovers or not. For people who do not fancy fish, there is a column called the anti-fish, which offers three options of meat, but then again why are you ordering meat in a seafood fish restaurant?
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written above are my geniune feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or bias. 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 : )
” Marine gastronomic to a whole new level “
Rating given:
Hidden in the sleepy enclave of rustic Changi Village is a small and unpretentious diner by the name of Jacob's Cafe, which is seemingly popular judging from the healthy crowd size on a Friday evening.
Jacob's offers both indoor and al fresco dining although the bulk of the seats are in the al fresco area, with only about 4 tables indoor. The interior revolves mainly around wood, which gives the place a nice homely touch. They could do something about the indoor ventilation though, as the food fumes from the kitchen were rather evident.
Bread Roll - Although the bread roll wasn't complimentary, it deserves a writeup simply because it was excellent. This is probably one of the best I've eaten in a long long time (the best is still in France though). Crackling crisp on the outside yet warm and fluffy on the inside. Definitely good enough to be eaten on its own! Pity about the packaged butter and hefty $1 price tag per roll though.
Cream of Chicken and Corn & Minestrone - Both soups were a tad too starchy. The cream of chicken and corn had bits of chicken and corn in it but did come across as a wee bit too salty for my liking. The minestrone was well, average.
Stuffed US Roast Chicken - A special at Jacob's, I was enticed by the promise of roast chicken stuffed with rice, chestnuts and cashews - a blend of east and west. First looks, the chicken was slightly larger than average and spotted a healthy sheen on the skin. Sadly, it didn't quite taste up to my expectations as the filling was a tad soggy and didn't taste anything out of the ordinary. The meat was tender and juicy though. Overall a decent dish without all the bells and whistles. Please note that the chicken is meant for 2 average eaters, so if you have 2 big eaters, it would be best to order something else.
Apple Crumble & Pecan Pie - Imagine my surprise when I spotted pecan pie on the menu. Its probably about as rare as flash floods in Singapore. Surprise turned to disappointment as the crust was too hard and tasteless. The pecan nuts were a whisker too dry as well. A totally huge contrast from the ones I had in North America.
The apple crumble didn't quite meet the mark as well. Dry and tasteless would be most apt in describing it.
A very filling dinner cost about $48, which isn't too expensive if you ask me. Food is generally decent and very homely. Service is excellent and I've honestly never felt more at home anywhere else. At this point of writing, I've already been there thrice so I guess that says something?
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Eighteen Chefs takes after Brit Celebrity Jamie Oliver's Restaurant Fifteen in the sense that the concept is very much alike. Both offer jobs for juvenile delinquents and both are supposed serve up great tasting Western/Italian cuisine. This is more than a coincidence however, since executive chef Benny Se Teo did go through a month-long internship with the said British lad for pointers. Did it pay off though?
This huge, colorful and eye-catching mural is painted by ex offenders and serves as the basis to the spirit of the cafe. Good food from people you wouldn't have thought much about. Its a heart warming testament to the fact that all people can be good as long as you give them a chance. I'm not complaining, in fact i like what they are doing by giving people a second chance.
Over here, you choose your meal and pay your bills first. The meal comes later. Cold water is free but you'll have to get it yourself. The overall atmosphere of the place is relaxed and very easy to get into. The bill was $35.10.
Daily Specials Soup and Garlic Bread - The humble cream of mushroom soup and garlic bread comes with the daily specials meal. Cream of mushroom is pretty standard fare, which is to say there isn't anything about it that distinguishes itself as being extraordinary or overly exciting about it. The garlic bread, on the other hand, was done nicely with it being crispy, lightly buttered and soft at the same time. The serving size was also respectable but still had us craving for more bread after we were done with it.
Half Baby Lobster with Seafood Linguine ($18.90) - This was my first visit and i was attracted to his daily special. As you can see, it comes with a fresh half baby lobster, a handful of prawns, mushrooms, garlic and quite a bit of olive oil sprinkled over a bed of linguine. What you don't see is that this is a spicy dish, possibly due to a generous dose of tobasco sauce. Its difficult to go wrong when ingredients used are fresh and this is what is provided here. Crunchy prawns, juicy mushrooms, sweet lobster meat. Its difficult not to like this dish. The serving wasn't the least bit scrimped on as well, being enough for a big sized guy like myself. Even the olive oil used was minimal enough to keep the linguine suitably moist without seeming to overflow like other restaurants i've tried. (Recommended)
Cheese baked mussels and black pepper fries, onion and calamari rings ($13.90)- Black pepper fries, onion and calamari rings? Thats a first for me. Either way, interesting as it is, i found it a tad soggy and would have liked it better if it was crispier. Still, no denying that the black pepper did introduce an interesting dimension to the tired formula. It was strangely sweet too. There was a grand total of 6 cheese baked mussels of the male and female variety. It was different, the cheese made the dish fragrant and the mussels were sweet and fresh but the serving is a little too small for my tastes. This could have been a side dish, not a main meal. Could be improved upon by adding a little more items into the mix.
Yam Ice Cream - Looks can be deceiving. Despite the small size and lack of garnishing whatsoever, this ice cream is creamy, bursting with yam taste and very refreshing after a meal. A good end to a generally good meal.
On my second visit, we ordered the crab and his normal baked rice offering. Benny also offered the soup of the day this time and we got an additional bowl for free. Personalized service is always good. The meal this time cost us $33.50.
Cheese and Chili Baked Crab Claw ($15.90 only on Wednesdays) - The soup is as per normal, simple but gets the taste buds moving. Benny offered his Wednesday special this time around because reservations are needed to enjoy this dish. Seeing that he's such a sport and good host, we took his offer to try out the chili crab. The meal comes with 5 fried buns and 1 crab claw, albeit a huge one. Maybe my love for crabs are waning or i'm just getting lazy, i simply don't like to get my hands dirty breaking crab shells anymore. The buns went very well with the cheese and chili, which was moderately spicy. The crab was sweet and firm but it wasn't enough to get me full and i was expecting the entire crab, not a claw. Interesting dish though i won't order it in future.
Black Pepper Seafood Pasta ($12.90) - My gf had this dish and i found it much better then the crab actually. Generous servings of mussels, prawn and calamari on a bed of black pepper baked rice. As with anything cooked in black pepper, the rice was fragrant and a little spicy with a tinge of sweetness. The ingredients are still fresh and crunchy and overall taste is very good. I did find the rice insufficient this time round though. For the price, i'd like to have a bigger serving of rice and food. Presentation for baked rice is secondary, serving size and taste should come first.
Benny was trained in Zhi Ca before opening this quaint little establishment and it shows in the way he melds classic crab cooking techniques in his renditions of baked rice. The results are refreshing dishes which somehow taste familiar. My take is that the daily specials meal are more bang for the buck as opposed to the normal offerings of baked rice. A quick research shows that he has a few other tricks up his sleeve i've yet to try like the black pepper crab baked rice. If he shells it for me, i'll probably try it, but if not, i'm sticking with the daily specials. The spirit of the restaurant is good, the food is decent, the price can be improved upon though.
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This is the 2nd time I went to a Kbox KTV and my impression was not so good. Customer service was bad as almost all of the crews gave us black face and rather rude when talking to us.
Though the free flow of nuts and the ktv system is a lure, I wo't bother going there if the customer service is not good. Crews keep peeping in and came in to tell you your time is up even before you started singing the last song. The person even stood outside and wait for us to sing finish the last song so that he can see that we are leaving. Definitely not a good value for money considering the price is more expensive than other KTVs like Party World.
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It's my first visit and I quite enjoyed the place. We selected a few games for 6 and had fun trying to outdo each other. Drinks wise felt a little like I was in K Box or Party World, limited drinks.
As for the food, there wasn't much option since they would give us the package, anything else would be topped up. Since the focus isn't for food, we started with the games. Most of the games were worst for the wear but I won't expect well-maintained games since the games and cards have to pass through quite a number of hands.
It's rather cramped if you have a large group of people going there. For 6 people, it's just nice. I would recommend this place if you like to have games and some finger food.
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"The Golden Scissors Hand"
My mum brought me here to get my new hair do recently. Although I've known the owner more than 12 years ago, I've only let her do my hair when I was back in Secondary school. But my mum has been faithfully following her, from Toa Payoh to Sengkang and now to Kovan. She calls her the 金剪刀. And I totally understand why...
Once she got her scissors out from her bags of many many scissors, her fingers and hands just did magic. No comb no clips no fuss! She just pull, divide and cut. I was speechless. But when she was done cutting, I feel so light on my head and it looks natural and nice.
I spent 5hours there to cut, highlight and perm my hair. And I'd witnessed so many wonders by her that day. As there were only she and her other colleague, she had to turn down alot of customers that day. Everyone went to look just for us. And I can see the trust these customers have of her. They just sat and let her do her magic. I'm impressed.
The shop doesn't look at all glam nor well done, its simple and cosy. Its the hairdressers that made a difference. I'm happy with the result of my new look and the price is reasonable. I'll sure be going back for all future cuts and such.
Nearest mrt station is Kovan. This shop is located nearer to OCBC/Standard Chartered bank, further away from Heartland Mall.
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The national stadium was opened in July 1973 and was officially closed in 30 June 2007. Come this March 2008, it will be torn down to make way for a modern sports hub to be ready by 2011. The new sports Hub will have a 55,000 seating capacity, a sporting arena that can seat 3000 people, a 6000 seater aquatic center, commercial space and even a hotel.
It is a pity that such a structure almost 35 years old has to make way for a newer facility driven by the need to modernize whatever is old. Perhaps there should be no room for sentimentality here as land space in Singapore is scarce and every inch is measured not in meters but in dollars.
The national stadium is a historical monument in itself as it symbolizes a growing nations "investment" in sports at a time when such an investment would be deemed unnecessary, risky and of lesser importance. Yet the man behind this push, Mr Othman Wok did not stop at pushing ahead with this idea. One year after independence in 1966, the first pile was driven in Kallang Park to make way for the construction of the National Stadium.
Perhaps the National Stadium should have been preserved as part of the conservation projects by the National Heritage Board or made into an icon of historical significance to a then developing country. Instead come March 2008, it will be bull-dozered to the ground. What is left of it will be memories and pictures. Perhaps this is a practical thing to do in land scarce Singapore.
But imagine visiting Rome and seeing pictures of the Colosseum instead of the real thing. Being able to touch and feel the pillars of the Colosseum "brings" a person "back" into time to feel the history of the country and its people. Imagine stepping to China and seeing pictures of the great wall instead of walking on it, or seeing pictures of the statue of liberty instead of climbing up its stairs. Yes perhaps the national stadium is not of the same level of historical significance as these structures, but it will be after 200 years (and if it is still standing)! If we start tearing everything down after 30 years there will be nothing left that is more than 30 years. :)
Every nation has pieces of history still intact. I wonder what will be left in Singapore that speaks of the people who live in the growing up years of 1960-90s a hundred years from now. Perhaps nothing much but stone slabs of the Old National Stadium showcased in the National Museum or the Sports Museum in the new sports hub.
History is being eaten away in favor of a new complex that will perhaps be more expensive to maintain and that can potentially attract more dollars. In any large scale projects to be done, the cost benefit analysis must prove positive. So i guess in this case the benefits outweigh the cost and the cost is history.
Take this as a tribute to a historical structure that has many "firsts" for the people in Singapore and that will soon only be seen in pictures and videos.
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Good Ice Cream is Fresh Home-made Ice Cream
Tucked in a quiet corner of Shaw Leisure Gallery is a little surprise called Tom's Palette which sells home-made ice cream.
When curious me entered their premises for the first time, I was greeted by sincere counter staff who are really proud of their little ice cream parlour and their flavours. That pretty scared me away, plus I had no intention for ice cream that day.
So a few hours ago, I decided to go for it. I stepped in to the ice cream parlour, got greeted by the rather sweet lady boss (I think), tasted the Oreo Cheesecake flavour, which was good, but settled for their Pisang Honey Walnut and Horlicks flavours in a small cup. You get to taste 2 flavours in a small cup at no extra charge and each cup is $2.80, which is considerably cheaper than other ice cream places. I thought it is a good tactic, to create a sense of value that the customer can taste 2 flavours for the price of one. It definitely helps those who can't decide between flavour 1 and flavour 2.
Their ice cream is definitely one of the better ones I've tasted. Rich in flavour and really smooth texture, slightly creamier than the Japanese ice creams. I really enjoyed their Horlicks flavour which I believe had extra amounts of the ingredient to pack the extra punch. The Pisang Honey Walnut though only managed to leave a mild impression with a weak banana flavour. But at least they were generous with the walnuts.
Anyway, overheard a conversation between the staff and a customer, there was apparently a batch of cockles flavoured ice cream... see-hum ice cream? Ice cream mai hum? mai hum, mai hum, hai hum...
Must Tries: Go taste each of them yourself lah.
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They Finally Got It Right!
If you do remember, I had ravaged MOF for their lousy food and lack of variety in an earlier review. Somehow and for some reason, somebody did give a damn (I am assuming this) about that bad review, or maybe the management was really not proud of what they had to offer at the Marina Square branch. And since they couldn't "re-brand" their stupidest name in the world, they probably thought it would be the best move to concentrate on selling their good stuff. Which is probably the only best thing that came out of MOF, by the way.
Simply said, the Girlfriend and I loved that just-you-and-me moment with the Macha Sundae (seen in picture). For S$6, you get soft-serve ice-cream with a scoop of their very good green tea red bean ice-cream and a whole lot of other toppings like green tea sauce, cereal, jelly, azuki red bean, peaches, waffle, watermelon wedges and cherry. We thought it was a very good deal if compared to places like Ben & Jerry's or Häagen-Dazs.
On another occasion, I tried the item with their green tea ice-cream, rice dumplings and red bean paste (which they claim to use red beans imported from Japan). The rich flavour from the green tea ice-cream was really pleasant and the rice dumplings were chewy with just the right texture. The red bean paste was unfortunately still a little too sweet to my liking. But overall, it was an enjoyable takeaway dessert.
The menu has also been bumped up, which only means more choices and that's a good thing. Do give the items recommended in the menu a try, you may just be pleasantly surprised too.
On a totally unrelated note, I was at Balestier Road briefly during the weekend and came across a rather fascinating traditional bakery. Any other interesting stuff that I should look out for in that area?
Must Tries: Their ice-cream, of course
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