Jurong Hilltop Restaurant was an ad hoc dinner we had due simply because the other venue we had planned has been closed down (oh the horror!!) and so, since i traveled half of Singapore already to be there, I wasn't going to leave till I at least had a semi-decent meal. And since blogger friend FatPig was there to bring us up the hill, we persevered, climbed and conquered huge-O Jurong Hill for our little rendezvous.
I'll be honest, i would almost never have found the place had it not been for my friend. There was a long winding dark road up to the restaurant which simply isn't the kind of road i would willingly drive up for fun. And when we found it, i was surprised to see many people already there, which was quite a surprise as this location was, to me at least, an extremely ulu place. So maybe it serves good food @ a reasonable price?
Appetisers - The appetizers were pretty normal but served its intended purpose of whetting my appetite.
Stir Fried Venison with ginger and pepper ($16) - The venison was tender and sweet but i suppose its possible to have almost the same quality at normal zhi ca outside minus the show and having a lot more msg and oil. So, in light of health concerns, i'd prefer this one.
Pork ($14) - I found the pork a tad dry at first but later discovered some parts to be more evenly cooked than others. Still, a pretty nicely done dish (that means alot mind you, i'm not a pork lover)
Tofu ($8 for 2 servings) - A must-have staple dish for me. The tofu they have is of the egg bean curd variety which is decent, smooth and soft in texture but i can't help feeling its possible to get this from any grocery store outside. It certainly doesn't look or taste like it was made in-house nor does it feel imported but i may be wrong. Still, tofu is something i must have whenever its offered and this is passable.
Fresh Mushroom ($10 for 2 servings) - As the name implies, fresh mushroom is indeed fresh. Nicely done, succulent and tasty. Pity about the portion though, which was rather small after being split into 3 portions.
Bean sprouts Aka Dao gay - The filler section for the menu. You can't expect to be full after eating only the meats do you? And also, which teppenyaki would be complete without a good healthy serving of bean sprouts? This one was good as it didn't have the 'greenish' vegetable taste that happens when bean sprouts are not cooked properly. It was neither too salty nor too oily either which is very good.
Sirloin Steak Completed ($22) - From what i understand about the fire procedure, its very dangerous for the chef as his hands may have residue of oil and catch fire during the process resulting in severe burns. However, its supposed to be a necessary process to cook the beef to a suitable level of 'doneness'? Correct me if i'm wrong please.
For the sirloin, the initial reaction is that its still a little tough maybe because it was slightly overcooked. It thus lacked the juiciness of whole steaks which i liked but in its cube form, this is still quite good. FatPig did comment that the meat wasn't really fresh though.
The meal came up to be about $85 for 3 people.
The place was pretty nice despite being found in an out-of-the-way location and i'm pretty sure its been there for quite some time given the number of people who willingly trekked there to eat. The food is pretty good and portion size was reasonable since it could be split by 3 people filling us up reasonably well. Its worth a visit for the experience and some nice Japanese Teppenyaki. The peace and quiet is also very much appreciated after the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
There seems to be a growing trend of opening what used to be deemed more exclusive food (Italian, French etc) in food/hawker centres with competitive prices to boot. Ragazzi the Italian Kitchen is one such outlet to jump on the bandwagon to offer quality Italian food at coffeeshop prices.
Located at a rather obscure coffeeshop under a block of flats in the Ghim Moh estate, Ragazzi is owned and run by Gabriel Cher, ex chef-de partie of The Oriental's Dolce Vita (Interestingly, Dolce Vita serves Mediterranean food now, not Italian). Business was rather slow on a wet Saturday evening and one can only wonder if its the lack of publicity, wet weather or quality of food thats keeping the crowds at bay.
Zuppa alla Funghi - For $2.50 a pop, I certainly wasn't expecting much. But I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the soup was made from grounded mushrooms and onions, which was evident from the taste and texture. Only thing that could been improved was its thickness. It did come across as a little too watery but hey, its definitely value for money.
The bruschetta ($3) could have been good but was let down by a few factors. The good things first. Well toasted with the sides a little charred but soft and warm within. Now for the bad part. There was an way too much olive oil on the middle portion of the bread, which made it a little too soggy. Tomatoes on the top didn't look very fresh but did provide the necessary texture and zest.
Melanzane al Forno - I've never been a fan of eggplants and this wasn't about to change anything. The eggplant was a little too soft for my liking but I did like the layer of grilled cheese on top.
Carbonara ($7) - Being a cream based pasta lover, I naturally ordered the Carbonara to be on the safe side. The pasta was a tad too overcooked and the gravy did come across as a little too thick, rendering me nauseous after a while. However I would still say its very decent with the respectable bacon toppings and definitely better than anything pasta mania or the likes can whip up.
Del Bosco ($6) - As with the Carbonara, the Del Bosco's pasta was a tad too overcooked as well but what won me over were the sausages, which tasted thoroughly smoked but was a tad too salty. The tomato sauce wasn't outstanding, being average at best.
Tiramisu ($4.50) - I would be lying if I said that the Tiramisu was decent. To be honest, it was terrible. For one, the sponge fingers weren't soaked in Kahlua. It tasted more like fruit essence or something. Also, the mascarpone cheese was a little too dense and the whole thing was rather watery(water logged would have been appropriate too) at the bottom. It definitely didn't help that too much Cocoa powder was added as well.
All in all, a very filling dinner for 2 pax cost $27.50, which is very pricey by hawker standards but cheap by restaurant standards. Overall food quality is still decent so you might want to give this place a shot if you are craving for Italian food but not willing to fork out the dough for it.
Yet again, i brought my gf for dinner on this day. This time at a location much closer to home. This restaurant has been featured on television before for its unique location and quality of its food. The program raved about its food but i've never been a believer of commercial reviews so its more or less my own thoughts right here.
For starters, i liked the environment and the view. The location is quiet and though there were quite a few people there, it didn't come across as packed as there were plenty of leg space for everyone which is what i like.
(Bliss Special) Crab meat soup - My gf ordered a bliss special meal which consisted of a soup, main course and a dessert. All for $13.90 which was quite a shock for me as the price was rather low for what i envisioned to be a medium priced location. I was however, soon to realise why it could come at such a price.
The crab meat soup they served was not unlike the broth used in shark's fin soup. It had little pieces of carrot, radish, some crab meat and quite a bit of pepper. Nothing amazing but what do you expect for the price eh?
Stella Artois ($7.50) - Our drink for the day. A word of caution, the place DOES NOT SERVE cold water. So you MUST buy a drink. On further notice, i realise the place serves a pretty decent selection of wine, mostly old world wines at a pretty hefty price. If my memory serves me well, it does not serve wine by the glass. @ $7.50 a bottle, it does strike me as rather expensive for a simple beer but i may just be a miser. =P
Baked Seafood Rice ($14.90) - My main course of the day. It was a rather large serving so that earns it plus points. Beneath the thick layer of cheese contains 2 medium sized prawns, 2 huge mussels and assorted pieces of fish interlaced with the rice. Not to mention the 2 squid rings you see on top.
To be honest, i was rather excited when i got my dish. It smelled great and i love tomato based stuff, be it pasta or rice. And looking at the huge serving with the ingredients they offered just made my mouth water. However, it looks better then it tastes honestly, so that really disappointed me. Don't get me wrong, the rice was great and so was the cheese layer but the crucial part of its seafood just didn't quite cute it for me. The prawns were moderately fresh but the mussel and squid ring couldn't be called good which is such a waste considering the nicely done rice. Overall, this is passable but the seafood alone was not worth the money.
(Bliss Special) Smoked Salmon Pasta - Once again, the presentation of the dish is excellent. The serving of salmon it came with was quite generous i must say. However, the salmon didn't taste fresh yet again, just like the seafood in my baked rice. I would have really liked if they could give reasonably fresh seafood for their dishes, because the pasta tasted pretty well done as did the rice. Maybe the chef's specialty is actually in these instead of seafood? Because it sure tasted that way. The pasta was springy and had enough seasoning to make it taste slightly salty yet not overbearing. Needless to say, the pasta was finished but the salmon remained.
Tiramisu ($5.90) - This disappointed me to no end. I wanted a good dessert to end the rather mundane dinner offering but it just didn't do the dessert justice. The top layer was way too soft and watery as was the bottom layer. The rum soaked and completely destroyed the cake layer beneath and worse, the rum didn't taste like rum at all! This has got to be the worst tiramisu i've had thus far. Do NOT try it.
Not shown is my gf's dessert which is also equally bad. Mango ice cream from a really bad manufacturer i suspect. Not worth mentioning as well.
Total bill for 2 came up to $42.20
I like the place and the lack of service charge and GST. I also like the rice and spaghetti but the seafood really didn't do anything for me in the meal except make me sigh in disappointment. The dessert served was outrageously bad as well and the lack of iced water is simply a sin. Service was nice but difficult to get and given the bad seafood, the price to pay for this 'Blissful' meal simply wasn't worth it.
After reading the above reviews, I decided to give this place a try. Couldn't find the place at first, but thanks to Lucardia, I managed to find it.
The concept of the ice-cream sticks ordering system is interesting, but if fact I feel that its quite inconvenient for the customers. Let's just say, we still pay 10% service charge but we do half the work for them, i.e. ordering. The sushi belt is right in the center of the place and you have to carry them back to your seats. The tray they provide is small. The most you can put is 4 plates at a go. Well, still consider alright since there aren't that many options to choose form.
99cents for a plate of sushi is cheap. But that's all they are. Cheap. The other dishes available looks normal. Ordered Fried Ebi and Fried Tofu. Tasted nice. But not fantastic.
One thing I don't like is the after-smell that's stuck with you event up till now. The spell that I call the "foodcourt smell". (That's one reason why I avoid eating at foodcourts.) So ya, I'll be avoiding this place too.
Love cheesecake? Love the Cheesecake Cafe! After your main course at some food outlet around Siglap, do pop by this Cafe to try their cheesecakes!
I love the interior of the place. Although the place is dimly lit on purpose, I quite like the place as it has quite a romantic ambience. If you look around, you'll notice many little details in the room which reflects the effort put in by the store owner in decorating the place. I like the little angel statues hung around the place! Plus, the combination of the lights and the yellow wall gives the place a pretty cosy feel too.
Unfortunately, the place isn't very big, so if you're not early you may not be able to get a place inside. Nonetheless, this won't stop you from trying their cheesecakes!
Being a rather specialized place, this shop has a variety of cheesecakes you'd be spoilt for choice! The flavours of their cheesecakes are well-balanced such that the flavour does not come out too strong, still leaving the natural taste of the cheesecake itself. I like the texture of the cake too, along with its crust.
Lovely place that I'd visit over and over again! Unfortunately, Siglap is not a very convenient area for me, especially if you don't drive. Also, they only open in the evening, do take note if you intend to go down! (:
Nihon Mura or Japanese Village literally is located to the side of Tampines Swimming Complex. (Of all the places)
Decorations are pretty good with bamboos and teak taking the bulk of the ambiance but seat lay outs do tend to be on the crowded side during dinner.
The twist in Nihon Mura is their 99 cents sushi (2 per plate) and their stick ordering system.
The ordering system is quite unique in that all you have to do is collect sticks from the various counters containing your order and bring it back to your table. This includes everything from drinks to dessert to rice. The only exception are the sushi which you collect from the now familiar conveyor.
Sushi wise, the shop is nothing to shout about. I found the rice used of average quality and lacking in taste, some were also not packed properly so thats a few points off. Its still decent for its price mind you.
Having been there twice as of now. I'd say the service was very good. I ordered a beef bowl rice (sorry i forgot the name) which cost me about $10 but i couldn't taste the beef. I confirmed with my gf that its tastes more like Pork Liver then beef before i called the supervisor over to reason with him. When i told him to try, he promptly offered to change the dish for another beef rice bowl even though we have consumed close to half of the current bowl. The second bowl brought to us was newly made and cost lesser, this time, with the beef taste i so desire. Add the fact that the rice is served in a rock bowl which was heated, giving the rice a wok hei taste and you have a good experience.
The other item we had was the fried tofu which is a staple dish for me at any japanese outlet. Their rendition was good but somehow pales in comparison with Sakae's crispier skinned ones. Overall though, still a good Tofu.
Pan Fried Salmon (about $7) - only this dish was plainly a waste of money. Small, overly tough and lacking taste whasoever, something nobody should order regardless of the circumstance.
My experience at Nihon Mura is a mixed affair. Food wise, the place really isn;t much to shout about but services wise, i'm very impressed with the staff. Also, the beef rice is indeed very nice and fragrant. Which i heartily recommend.
Do try out the place for the kick of it. After all, 2 filling meals there cost me a total of $60.
Located in Changi Airport Terminal 1, Popeyes is a simple fast food restuarant in the vein of Macdonalds and KFC. Given its location, one would deduce it to have a relatively short queue and waiting time. However, that would be grossly wrong since queues are generally LONG and waiting time will usually be about 20-25 minutes. Well, i hated queuing and i was there with my gf to just take a stroll, dinner here was more or less ad hoc.
I've always loved the cartoon Popeye the sailor man. I guess its all about muscles and who would have thought spinach gave you superhuman powers? Its just a really funny cartoon at the time and age. So the draw for this place was simply nostalgia for me as they had a corner doing constant reruns of the show. No spinach on the menu though.
Ok, this was the queue that greeted me which i joined to begin my 25 minute journey to the counter of friendly, tired staff and slow moving staff.
Fries - Nothing spectacular but it does have an additional herbish taste (maybe spinach?) that makes it taste slightly better than others. It did come across as a little too dry though.
Mashed Potato - The mashed potato came in a small serving thats only slightly bigger then KFC. The sauce however tasted better in my opinion as its less watery and less salty compared to KFC. The potato also had small chunks in it which i suspect is yam but i'm not too sure on that.
3 Piece Chicken Meal ($8.65) - Its called Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits so obviously, this should be its main draw. Its biscuit is nicely fragrant and warm which does differentiate it from usual fast food chains which give horrible tasting buns. The chicken was fried to a crisp and yet managed to maintain its juiciness unlike KFC which usually comes off as a tad dry or sometimes undercooked. The seasoning is not unlike its mashed potato sauce which made it fragrant with each bite. I like the fact that the chicken meat was firm and tender at the same time which was surprisingly uniform throughout the 3 different chicken parts. (Please note that requests for specific chicken parts result in a 50 cents charge each)
Seafood in a basket ($7.95) - For this meal which i ordered for my fish loving girl, we're actually quite torn about our opinions for it. I liked the fish and the shrimp because this was usually served piping hot unlike its "left to cool in warm container chicken". I felt the fish was tender and reasonably good tasting but she felt it was less tender nor fresh than other offerings. Also, she commented that the fish was fried after being taken out of the fridge which gave it a 'frozen' taste. The shrimp was relatively small and so is the serving. It was crunchy and like everything here, is full of batter and flour which may or may not appeal to everyone. For the shrimp, our debate is mostly on whether the crunchiness of it is chemically enhanced or naturally preserved. But you can't fault that it tastes better the way it is now.
Suggestions - Oooo...this piece of paper is so important. I'd only hope they take a look at the suggestions written into serious consideration. Firstly, they need to have another outlet. Secondly, they need more counters and faster serving staff. Thirdly, chicken parts should be given by request and not chargeable.
The queue when we left - Yes, this is the queue throughout our entire meal. It never quite diminished and i doubt it will reduce by much anytime soon. Management needs to look into this soon, for the customers sake and for their staffs sake.
In all honesty, this place isn't half bad. The chicken is actually better then KFC in many ways and tastes a notch above the other fast food chains. However, queuing and its location didn't really make me enjoy the experience much. The price was on par with about every other fast food restaurant (the meal cost $16.60) so the only weak links are its queues and its obscure location. Do try for yourself and find out if you like it.
After our rather filling dinner @ Pow Sing Restuarant in the previous post, we proceeded to have dessert @ Icecube which was conveniently nearby. This is what we had.
Mudpie - I really can't remember what flavor this mudpie was. Thus i forgot the name as well. Terribly sorry. However, i remember it had caramel and a flavor reminiscent of peanuts. Smooth and quite fulfilling though a little too sweet.
Waffle with cookies and cream ice cream - I'd say the waffle is excellent. Definately try it. Its served warm and with the ice cream melting atop it. Tastes simply heavenly. Not to mention the ice cream is pretty good as well. You must try this.
Total for this came up to $20 as well. As a good place for dessert, its definitely worth a try and visit for the waffle alone.
After our last visit to Peaberry & Pretzel some time back, my gf and I decided to head back to Sunset Way to try out Megumi Japanese Restaurant on the recommendations of some folks.
Located just a few doors down from Peaberry & Pretzel, Megumi's air conditioned interior is smallish, with the bulk of the seating capacity in the al fresco area outside. Notice that this means lunch here in the afternoon might mean a sweaty affair unless you get to sit inside.
Billed as the Megumi special roll, there was nothing really special about it in my humble opinion. It came across as your ordinary California Roll with crab sticks and Tamago in it. Not that the extra ingredients gave it much taste either. Lets just say it tasted like a slightly sweeter version of the California Roll. So much for the secrecy. One other bone I had was that the rice was a little too dry and could have been firmer.
Char Siew Ramen - Labeled a house specialty, the ramen was a let down honestly. The noodles were your normal egg noodles though of a more springy version whereas the Char Siew was a little too dry and tough. It certainly didn't help that the soup was a tad too salty as well.
Saikoro Steak Set - Another one of the house specialties except that this one actually tasted quite decent. The beef was a little overcooked but still retained enough of its juices, taste and texture to warrant a decent rating. However, I must mention that portions are small and not homogeneously cooked, as evident by the residual butter I detected on some pieces of beef.
Black Sesame Ice Cream - I'm not exactly a fan of black sesame ice cream so I am not in a position to comment if its good or not. But my gf seemed to like it quite a bit so I'm guessing it must be of a certain standard.
Fried Vanilla Ice Cream - This was probably what I liked the best of all the dishes that evening. Interestingly, the batter was a thicker version of the crispy yet light tempura batter and actually went quite good with the vanilla ice cream. Now something needs to be done about the quality of the ice cream though, which was really mediocre.
While $61 for 2 pax isn't unreasonably expensive for the food, it isn't exactly cheap either, considering that the food was merely average. One funny thing I discovered. The restaurant was actually playing Korean songs. How cool is that?
There's been quite some talk about the Central (or at least from the people around me) and I was really anticipating my trip down! I must say it's really convenient to go to, because of the MRT station, and it's a wonderful addition to this Clarke Quay area. It's now not just a night-time place, you can go there to shop too!
It was quite nice to be walking in a new mall, seeing new things. I like seeing so many new clothes boutiques as well as restaurants! If you have to go there everyday, you probably won't run out of things to eat so soon (but maybe you'll run out of money first haha).
However, I personally wasn't very impressed by the structure of the building per se. Being my first time there, I thought that touring around the building could be quite confusing. The side of the building that has all the food outlets and restaurants seem to be another "tower", separated from the clothes and shopping section. Even then, within the "shopping" section, there seemed to be an annex. The place seems to be structured in a figure "8" design, where walking behind one row of shops will unfold yet another "world of shopping".
Although I did like walking around this new mall, I must say that most things on the 2nd to about 4th (i think?) level were selling the same type of stuff in terms of designs of clothes etc. No doubt it's the fashion now, but I really find it pretty boring to be seeing the same thing everywhere. Also, they seem to have created a replica of "Level One" at Far East in this mall. On top of that, there's not much things that appeals to the guys (other than the top most level (5th?) - the hardware shops). Not very well balanced, I feel. Don't think I'd be keen on shopping there too often.. =x
1=SGD 0.0587
Jurong Hilltop Restaurant was an ad hoc dinner we had due simply because the other venue we had planned has been closed down (oh the horror!!) and so, since i traveled half of Singapore already to be there, I wasn't going to leave till I at least had a semi-decent meal. And since blogger friend FatPig was there to bring us up the hill, we persevered, climbed and conquered huge-O Jurong Hill for our little rendezvous.
I'll be honest, i would almost never have found the place had it not been for my friend. There was a long winding dark road up to the restaurant which simply isn't the kind of road i would willingly drive up for fun. And when we found it, i was surprised to see many people already there, which was quite a surprise as this location was, to me at least, an extremely ulu place. So maybe it serves good food @ a reasonable price?
Appetisers - The appetizers were pretty normal but served its intended purpose of whetting my appetite.
Stir Fried Venison with ginger and pepper ($16) - The venison was tender and sweet but i suppose its possible to have almost the same quality at normal zhi ca outside minus the show and having a lot more msg and oil. So, in light of health concerns, i'd prefer this one.
Pork ($14) - I found the pork a tad dry at first but later discovered some parts to be more evenly cooked than others. Still, a pretty nicely done dish (that means alot mind you, i'm not a pork lover)
Tofu ($8 for 2 servings) - A must-have staple dish for me. The tofu they have is of the egg bean curd variety which is decent, smooth and soft in texture but i can't help feeling its possible to get this from any grocery store outside. It certainly doesn't look or taste like it was made in-house nor does it feel imported but i may be wrong. Still, tofu is something i must have whenever its offered and this is passable.
Fresh Mushroom ($10 for 2 servings) - As the name implies, fresh mushroom is indeed fresh. Nicely done, succulent and tasty. Pity about the portion though, which was rather small after being split into 3 portions.
Bean sprouts Aka Dao gay - The filler section for the menu. You can't expect to be full after eating only the meats do you? And also, which teppenyaki would be complete without a good healthy serving of bean sprouts? This one was good as it didn't have the 'greenish' vegetable taste that happens when bean sprouts are not cooked properly. It was neither too salty nor too oily either which is very good.
Sirloin Steak Completed ($22) - From what i understand about the fire procedure, its very dangerous for the chef as his hands may have residue of oil and catch fire during the process resulting in severe burns. However, its supposed to be a necessary process to cook the beef to a suitable level of 'doneness'? Correct me if i'm wrong please.
For the sirloin, the initial reaction is that its still a little tough maybe because it was slightly overcooked. It thus lacked the juiciness of whole steaks which i liked but in its cube form, this is still quite good. FatPig did comment that the meat wasn't really fresh though.
The meal came up to be about $85 for 3 people.
The place was pretty nice despite being found in an out-of-the-way location and i'm pretty sure its been there for quite some time given the number of people who willingly trekked there to eat. The food is pretty good and portion size was reasonable since it could be split by 3 people filling us up reasonably well. Its worth a visit for the experience and some nice Japanese Teppenyaki. The peace and quiet is also very much appreciated after the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Rating given:
There seems to be a growing trend of opening what used to be deemed more exclusive food (Italian, French etc) in food/hawker centres with competitive prices to boot. Ragazzi the Italian Kitchen is one such outlet to jump on the bandwagon to offer quality Italian food at coffeeshop prices.
Located at a rather obscure coffeeshop under a block of flats in the Ghim Moh estate, Ragazzi is owned and run by Gabriel Cher, ex chef-de partie of The Oriental's Dolce Vita (Interestingly, Dolce Vita serves Mediterranean food now, not Italian). Business was rather slow on a wet Saturday evening and one can only wonder if its the lack of publicity, wet weather or quality of food thats keeping the crowds at bay.
Zuppa alla Funghi - For $2.50 a pop, I certainly wasn't expecting much. But I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the soup was made from grounded mushrooms and onions, which was evident from the taste and texture. Only thing that could been improved was its thickness. It did come across as a little too watery but hey, its definitely value for money.
The bruschetta ($3) could have been good but was let down by a few factors. The good things first. Well toasted with the sides a little charred but soft and warm within. Now for the bad part. There was an way too much olive oil on the middle portion of the bread, which made it a little too soggy. Tomatoes on the top didn't look very fresh but did provide the necessary texture and zest.
Melanzane al Forno - I've never been a fan of eggplants and this wasn't about to change anything. The eggplant was a little too soft for my liking but I did like the layer of grilled cheese on top.
Carbonara ($7) - Being a cream based pasta lover, I naturally ordered the Carbonara to be on the safe side. The pasta was a tad too overcooked and the gravy did come across as a little too thick, rendering me nauseous after a while. However I would still say its very decent with the respectable bacon toppings and definitely better than anything pasta mania or the likes can whip up.
Del Bosco ($6) - As with the Carbonara, the Del Bosco's pasta was a tad too overcooked as well but what won me over were the sausages, which tasted thoroughly smoked but was a tad too salty. The tomato sauce wasn't outstanding, being average at best.
Tiramisu ($4.50) - I would be lying if I said that the Tiramisu was decent. To be honest, it was terrible. For one, the sponge fingers weren't soaked in Kahlua. It tasted more like fruit essence or something. Also, the mascarpone cheese was a little too dense and the whole thing was rather watery(water logged would have been appropriate too) at the bottom. It definitely didn't help that too much Cocoa powder was added as well.
All in all, a very filling dinner for 2 pax cost $27.50, which is very pricey by hawker standards but cheap by restaurant standards. Overall food quality is still decent so you might want to give this place a shot if you are craving for Italian food but not willing to fork out the dough for it.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Yet again, i brought my gf for dinner on this day. This time at a location much closer to home. This restaurant has been featured on television before for its unique location and quality of its food. The program raved about its food but i've never been a believer of commercial reviews so its more or less my own thoughts right here.
For starters, i liked the environment and the view. The location is quiet and though there were quite a few people there, it didn't come across as packed as there were plenty of leg space for everyone which is what i like.
(Bliss Special) Crab meat soup - My gf ordered a bliss special meal which consisted of a soup, main course and a dessert. All for $13.90 which was quite a shock for me as the price was rather low for what i envisioned to be a medium priced location. I was however, soon to realise why it could come at such a price.
The crab meat soup they served was not unlike the broth used in shark's fin soup. It had little pieces of carrot, radish, some crab meat and quite a bit of pepper. Nothing amazing but what do you expect for the price eh?
Stella Artois ($7.50) - Our drink for the day. A word of caution, the place DOES NOT SERVE cold water. So you MUST buy a drink. On further notice, i realise the place serves a pretty decent selection of wine, mostly old world wines at a pretty hefty price. If my memory serves me well, it does not serve wine by the glass. @ $7.50 a bottle, it does strike me as rather expensive for a simple beer but i may just be a miser. =P
Baked Seafood Rice ($14.90) - My main course of the day. It was a rather large serving so that earns it plus points. Beneath the thick layer of cheese contains 2 medium sized prawns, 2 huge mussels and assorted pieces of fish interlaced with the rice. Not to mention the 2 squid rings you see on top.
To be honest, i was rather excited when i got my dish. It smelled great and i love tomato based stuff, be it pasta or rice. And looking at the huge serving with the ingredients they offered just made my mouth water. However, it looks better then it tastes honestly, so that really disappointed me. Don't get me wrong, the rice was great and so was the cheese layer but the crucial part of its seafood just didn't quite cute it for me. The prawns were moderately fresh but the mussel and squid ring couldn't be called good which is such a waste considering the nicely done rice. Overall, this is passable but the seafood alone was not worth the money.
(Bliss Special) Smoked Salmon Pasta - Once again, the presentation of the dish is excellent. The serving of salmon it came with was quite generous i must say. However, the salmon didn't taste fresh yet again, just like the seafood in my baked rice. I would have really liked if they could give reasonably fresh seafood for their dishes, because the pasta tasted pretty well done as did the rice. Maybe the chef's specialty is actually in these instead of seafood? Because it sure tasted that way. The pasta was springy and had enough seasoning to make it taste slightly salty yet not overbearing. Needless to say, the pasta was finished but the salmon remained.
Tiramisu ($5.90) - This disappointed me to no end. I wanted a good dessert to end the rather mundane dinner offering but it just didn't do the dessert justice. The top layer was way too soft and watery as was the bottom layer. The rum soaked and completely destroyed the cake layer beneath and worse, the rum didn't taste like rum at all! This has got to be the worst tiramisu i've had thus far. Do NOT try it.
Not shown is my gf's dessert which is also equally bad. Mango ice cream from a really bad manufacturer i suspect. Not worth mentioning as well.
Total bill for 2 came up to $42.20
I like the place and the lack of service charge and GST. I also like the rice and spaghetti but the seafood really didn't do anything for me in the meal except make me sigh in disappointment. The dessert served was outrageously bad as well and the lack of iced water is simply a sin. Service was nice but difficult to get and given the bad seafood, the price to pay for this 'Blissful' meal simply wasn't worth it.
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After reading the above reviews, I decided to give this place a try. Couldn't find the place at first, but thanks to Lucardia, I managed to find it.
The concept of the ice-cream sticks ordering system is interesting, but if fact I feel that its quite inconvenient for the customers. Let's just say, we still pay 10% service charge but we do half the work for them, i.e. ordering. The sushi belt is right in the center of the place and you have to carry them back to your seats. The tray they provide is small. The most you can put is 4 plates at a go. Well, still consider alright since there aren't that many options to choose form.
99cents for a plate of sushi is cheap. But that's all they are. Cheap. The other dishes available looks normal. Ordered Fried Ebi and Fried Tofu. Tasted nice. But not fantastic.
One thing I don't like is the after-smell that's stuck with you event up till now. The spell that I call the "foodcourt smell". (That's one reason why I avoid eating at foodcourts.) So ya, I'll be avoiding this place too.
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Love cheesecake? Love the Cheesecake Cafe! After your main course at some food outlet around Siglap, do pop by this Cafe to try their cheesecakes!
I love the interior of the place. Although the place is dimly lit on purpose, I quite like the place as it has quite a romantic ambience. If you look around, you'll notice many little details in the room which reflects the effort put in by the store owner in decorating the place. I like the little angel statues hung around the place! Plus, the combination of the lights and the yellow wall gives the place a pretty cosy feel too.
Unfortunately, the place isn't very big, so if you're not early you may not be able to get a place inside. Nonetheless, this won't stop you from trying their cheesecakes!
Being a rather specialized place, this shop has a variety of cheesecakes you'd be spoilt for choice! The flavours of their cheesecakes are well-balanced such that the flavour does not come out too strong, still leaving the natural taste of the cheesecake itself. I like the texture of the cake too, along with its crust.
Lovely place that I'd visit over and over again! Unfortunately, Siglap is not a very convenient area for me, especially if you don't drive. Also, they only open in the evening, do take note if you intend to go down! (:
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Nihon Mura or Japanese Village literally is located to the side of Tampines Swimming Complex. (Of all the places)
Decorations are pretty good with bamboos and teak taking the bulk of the ambiance but seat lay outs do tend to be on the crowded side during dinner.
The twist in Nihon Mura is their 99 cents sushi (2 per plate) and their stick ordering system.
The ordering system is quite unique in that all you have to do is collect sticks from the various counters containing your order and bring it back to your table. This includes everything from drinks to dessert to rice. The only exception are the sushi which you collect from the now familiar conveyor.
Sushi wise, the shop is nothing to shout about. I found the rice used of average quality and lacking in taste, some were also not packed properly so thats a few points off. Its still decent for its price mind you.
Having been there twice as of now. I'd say the service was very good. I ordered a beef bowl rice (sorry i forgot the name) which cost me about $10 but i couldn't taste the beef. I confirmed with my gf that its tastes more like Pork Liver then beef before i called the supervisor over to reason with him. When i told him to try, he promptly offered to change the dish for another beef rice bowl even though we have consumed close to half of the current bowl. The second bowl brought to us was newly made and cost lesser, this time, with the beef taste i so desire. Add the fact that the rice is served in a rock bowl which was heated, giving the rice a wok hei taste and you have a good experience.
The other item we had was the fried tofu which is a staple dish for me at any japanese outlet. Their rendition was good but somehow pales in comparison with Sakae's crispier skinned ones. Overall though, still a good Tofu.
Pan Fried Salmon (about $7) - only this dish was plainly a waste of money. Small, overly tough and lacking taste whasoever, something nobody should order regardless of the circumstance.
My experience at Nihon Mura is a mixed affair. Food wise, the place really isn;t much to shout about but services wise, i'm very impressed with the staff. Also, the beef rice is indeed very nice and fragrant. Which i heartily recommend.
Do try out the place for the kick of it. After all, 2 filling meals there cost me a total of $60.
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Located in Changi Airport Terminal 1, Popeyes is a simple fast food restuarant in the vein of Macdonalds and KFC. Given its location, one would deduce it to have a relatively short queue and waiting time. However, that would be grossly wrong since queues are generally LONG and waiting time will usually be about 20-25 minutes. Well, i hated queuing and i was there with my gf to just take a stroll, dinner here was more or less ad hoc.
I've always loved the cartoon Popeye the sailor man. I guess its all about muscles and who would have thought spinach gave you superhuman powers? Its just a really funny cartoon at the time and age. So the draw for this place was simply nostalgia for me as they had a corner doing constant reruns of the show. No spinach on the menu though.
Ok, this was the queue that greeted me which i joined to begin my 25 minute journey to the counter of friendly, tired staff and slow moving staff.
Fries - Nothing spectacular but it does have an additional herbish taste (maybe spinach?) that makes it taste slightly better than others. It did come across as a little too dry though.
Mashed Potato - The mashed potato came in a small serving thats only slightly bigger then KFC. The sauce however tasted better in my opinion as its less watery and less salty compared to KFC. The potato also had small chunks in it which i suspect is yam but i'm not too sure on that.
3 Piece Chicken Meal ($8.65) - Its called Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits so obviously, this should be its main draw. Its biscuit is nicely fragrant and warm which does differentiate it from usual fast food chains which give horrible tasting buns. The chicken was fried to a crisp and yet managed to maintain its juiciness unlike KFC which usually comes off as a tad dry or sometimes undercooked. The seasoning is not unlike its mashed potato sauce which made it fragrant with each bite. I like the fact that the chicken meat was firm and tender at the same time which was surprisingly uniform throughout the 3 different chicken parts. (Please note that requests for specific chicken parts result in a 50 cents charge each)
Seafood in a basket ($7.95) - For this meal which i ordered for my fish loving girl, we're actually quite torn about our opinions for it. I liked the fish and the shrimp because this was usually served piping hot unlike its "left to cool in warm container chicken". I felt the fish was tender and reasonably good tasting but she felt it was less tender nor fresh than other offerings. Also, she commented that the fish was fried after being taken out of the fridge which gave it a 'frozen' taste. The shrimp was relatively small and so is the serving. It was crunchy and like everything here, is full of batter and flour which may or may not appeal to everyone. For the shrimp, our debate is mostly on whether the crunchiness of it is chemically enhanced or naturally preserved. But you can't fault that it tastes better the way it is now.
Suggestions - Oooo...this piece of paper is so important. I'd only hope they take a look at the suggestions written into serious consideration. Firstly, they need to have another outlet. Secondly, they need more counters and faster serving staff. Thirdly, chicken parts should be given by request and not chargeable.
The queue when we left - Yes, this is the queue throughout our entire meal. It never quite diminished and i doubt it will reduce by much anytime soon. Management needs to look into this soon, for the customers sake and for their staffs sake.
In all honesty, this place isn't half bad. The chicken is actually better then KFC in many ways and tastes a notch above the other fast food chains. However, queuing and its location didn't really make me enjoy the experience much. The price was on par with about every other fast food restaurant (the meal cost $16.60) so the only weak links are its queues and its obscure location. Do try for yourself and find out if you like it.
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After our rather filling dinner @ Pow Sing Restuarant in the previous post, we proceeded to have dessert @ Icecube which was conveniently nearby. This is what we had.
Mudpie - I really can't remember what flavor this mudpie was. Thus i forgot the name as well. Terribly sorry. However, i remember it had caramel and a flavor reminiscent of peanuts. Smooth and quite fulfilling though a little too sweet.
Waffle with cookies and cream ice cream - I'd say the waffle is excellent. Definately try it. Its served warm and with the ice cream melting atop it. Tastes simply heavenly. Not to mention the ice cream is pretty good as well. You must try this.
Total for this came up to $20 as well. As a good place for dessert, its definitely worth a try and visit for the waffle alone.
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After our last visit to Peaberry & Pretzel some time back, my gf and I decided to head back to Sunset Way to try out Megumi Japanese Restaurant on the recommendations of some folks.
Located just a few doors down from Peaberry & Pretzel, Megumi's air conditioned interior is smallish, with the bulk of the seating capacity in the al fresco area outside. Notice that this means lunch here in the afternoon might mean a sweaty affair unless you get to sit inside.
Billed as the Megumi special roll, there was nothing really special about it in my humble opinion. It came across as your ordinary California Roll with crab sticks and Tamago in it. Not that the extra ingredients gave it much taste either. Lets just say it tasted like a slightly sweeter version of the California Roll. So much for the secrecy. One other bone I had was that the rice was a little too dry and could have been firmer.
Char Siew Ramen - Labeled a house specialty, the ramen was a let down honestly. The noodles were your normal egg noodles though of a more springy version whereas the Char Siew was a little too dry and tough. It certainly didn't help that the soup was a tad too salty as well.
Saikoro Steak Set - Another one of the house specialties except that this one actually tasted quite decent. The beef was a little overcooked but still retained enough of its juices, taste and texture to warrant a decent rating. However, I must mention that portions are small and not homogeneously cooked, as evident by the residual butter I detected on some pieces of beef.
Black Sesame Ice Cream - I'm not exactly a fan of black sesame ice cream so I am not in a position to comment if its good or not. But my gf seemed to like it quite a bit so I'm guessing it must be of a certain standard.
Fried Vanilla Ice Cream - This was probably what I liked the best of all the dishes that evening. Interestingly, the batter was a thicker version of the crispy yet light tempura batter and actually went quite good with the vanilla ice cream. Now something needs to be done about the quality of the ice cream though, which was really mediocre.
While $61 for 2 pax isn't unreasonably expensive for the food, it isn't exactly cheap either, considering that the food was merely average. One funny thing I discovered. The restaurant was actually playing Korean songs. How cool is that?
See all my pictures here
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There's been quite some talk about the Central (or at least from the people around me) and I was really anticipating my trip down! I must say it's really convenient to go to, because of the MRT station, and it's a wonderful addition to this Clarke Quay area. It's now not just a night-time place, you can go there to shop too!
It was quite nice to be walking in a new mall, seeing new things. I like seeing so many new clothes boutiques as well as restaurants! If you have to go there everyday, you probably won't run out of things to eat so soon (but maybe you'll run out of money first haha).
However, I personally wasn't very impressed by the structure of the building per se. Being my first time there, I thought that touring around the building could be quite confusing. The side of the building that has all the food outlets and restaurants seem to be another "tower", separated from the clothes and shopping section. Even then, within the "shopping" section, there seemed to be an annex. The place seems to be structured in a figure "8" design, where walking behind one row of shops will unfold yet another "world of shopping".
Although I did like walking around this new mall, I must say that most things on the 2nd to about 4th (i think?) level were selling the same type of stuff in terms of designs of clothes etc. No doubt it's the fashion now, but I really find it pretty boring to be seeing the same thing everywhere. Also, they seem to have created a replica of "Level One" at Far East in this mall. On top of that, there's not much things that appeals to the guys (other than the top most level (5th?) - the hardware shops). Not very well balanced, I feel. Don't think I'd be keen on shopping there too often.. =x
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