If you remember, I wrote on the Joo Chiat wanton mee saga in Whampoa market before, with the two stalls claiming that they are the original from Joo Chiat. This time round, I saw this Long Ji stall which is on the outside row of the market. Since i’ve both the Joo Chiat stalls (middle row of market), I decided to give this a try.
The wanton mee was disappointing. The pictures looked nice yes, this was my first time testing out my new macro lens back then, so I had this way back in November! The two key factors in a good wanton, the springy noodle, and the good char siew were sorely missing. To be frank, the wanton mee was so mediocre that I couldn’t really remember how it tasted like.
There’s another wanton mee stall in the market if i’m not mistaken, will try that the next time! I think you’ll be better off trying either one of the Joo Chiat stalls than Long Ji’s. Well, i may be wrong, since it’s my personal preference, if you’ve try this one before let me hear from you!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Rojak is a very special type of food, and certainly warrants a place as one of Singapore local food, alongside chicken rice, white pepper crab, laksa and the rest. Just like how our local culture, where the different religion and races mixed in harmony with each other, the perfect mixture between the different ingredients in a rojak brings about the perfect balance. Uniquely Singapore.
Hoover Rojak’s my personal favourite place for rojak in Singapore. Well if i may say so, i’ll consider it as one of the best i tried so far, not that i tried a lot, but i’ve the other famous Brothers rojak at Clementi and wasn’t too impressed with it. Hoover’s rendition always uses fresh and juicy fruits, with the crispy you tiao. But that’s not the reason why Hoover rojak is so good. The key lies in their sauce, there’s a slightly sourish tang which other rojaks don’t have, and that’s the beauty of a simple lime.
’ll eat Hoover rojak whenever i visited Whampoo market, countless times to the extent that i always forgot that they do not open on Tuesday, and i made three fruitless visits so far. Well to visit Whampoo market without trying Hoover, please don’t tell anybody that you been there.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
I remember the time when I received free trials by True Yoga. The vicinity did entice me and I was attracted to the facilities in True Yoga. It was situated near Lido. I dragged my mother to one of the Yoga classes, it was fun, initially. But, after all the talks with the promoter from True Yoga. Prices were hefty for me, being a 17 year old. I didn't signed up for any of the package. Last year, they called me up asking me to come down as I was told I won more FREE Trials. So, I did went down. But, guess what? I wasn't entertained by any of the staff. Believe it. It was then I decide, never to sign up for anything under TrueYoga. I personally think that they are some kinda fraud and they deserve to be sued! I support the sued file case against TrueSpa. Is a lucky thing AMORE fitness know how to work their way to their customers! ;)
Sakura, sakura.. I got to know about it first at Ginza Plaza. Man, it was quiet and romantic, back then.. My boyfriend and I use to patronized that store and have our meals there. Now, I'm not sure whether Sakura is there in the new West Coast Plaza. The last time I went to Sakura Clementi Woods was to celebrate my boyfriend cousin's birthday. It was nice. We went a few rounds. It was about SGD$25 for adults.. Children are a lot cheaper than that. They go by height too, for kids. Okay, they do have a lot of food selections. From Japanese, Western, Chinese, Malay, Thai,..etc. You will be spoilt for choices. :) I was super full the last time I ate there. It lasted me for two days. Well, for those who have bigger appetite, I bet you can eat Sakura for two days in a row! A very relaxing and quite place, unless if it's peak hours.. Other than that, you should come and have your meals here, only available during Lunch and Dinner time only, with your family.. Lunch:12-2.30pm Dinner:6-9.30pm
I have been for one TRIAL Tanning session. It lasted for 11 minutes. It was kinda scary at first. You know it reminded me of the Final Destination 3 tanning session trailer; if you guys saw the movie. After the session, I feel like I was roasted in the machine. Some ground rules that FabulousTan have, you have to use their tanning lotions priced at SGD$12. You are not allowed to use your own tanning lotion or else you you will be banned from the place. So be careful. When tanning is recommended that you don't wear anything at all. Do look out for cameras lurking in anywhere. Heh! ;) Okay, anyway, I didn't have any changes after the tanning session. I do look a little darker than usual. But, the peeling proccess and the itch start only a few days later. It was a normal process. You know, I risked myself to be tanned in the machine without tanning lotion. My skin was so dry. It was peeling. So, so bad. So don't ever do that okay. Just a tip from me. Ohh! They have other services too, so don't fret to try it out!
I would reccomend Amore Fitness to every single ladies who are determine to lose some weight and stay fit with a little bit of discipline. At Amore, facilities are "a girl's dream" home gym. When you arrive, there is a spot to put all your belongings. (You gotta bring along your own lock and jeys though!) Towels, for bath and face, are supplied and free-flow! You can choose from an array of classes listed in their member's pamphlet. If you do not feel like exercising with other people, you can "solo-exercise"in the gym. The gym have almost everything you need for that slim and fab figure that you've always dream of. Even if you are not sure of how to start exercising, not to worry, you can get a personal trainner. After all the fast-paced activities? You can hit the sauna for FREE! It is available in Amore. Oh yeah, the SPA is awesome as well, you should check it out too.. I applied for a fitness package. Paid an approximate SGD$660 for a year's membeership, consist of 45 lessons. My membership will expire this coming October and I still got a lot more lessons to go! :) So, anyone interested in AMORE, should PM me. I could refer you and you would be able to enjoy the benefits of an AMORE Member, just like I do.
"I am Amore."~
Dozo - the upscale sibling of Tao's Restaurant that dabbles in fine modern Japanese cuisine. Dozo, which means please in Japanese, operates very much like its little sister, offering only 6 or 7 course set menus with no ala carte option.
Located on the 2nd level of Valley Point along River Valley Road, Dozo's interior oozes sublime chic and sophistication with mainly red velvety plush chairs amidst a black backdrop. Floor to ceilings windows offer a somewhat muted view of the surroundings. Apparently the 3 window side seats on the elevated wooden platform is a hot favourite amongst couples so be sure to make your reservations early.
Flour Sticks & Drink Shots - The flour sticks were, well, flour sticks dusted with chilli flakes and the likes. Nothing too fancy here. As for the 2 shots of mango juice with tons of crushed ice, lets just say I had a hard time trying to get a reasonable amount of liquid into my mouth initially.
Appetiser - You don't get to choose the first course and everyone gets the same thing - scallop, foie gras and smoked salmon, which wasn't too bad really. The scallop was nicely seared with a crisp layer atop but lacked the firm texture that I was looking for. Apart from the foie gras being really small, I thought it was decent but could have been more quivery. I thought that the smoked salmon was quite well done though. Not mind blowingly salty with a nice taut texture sans the raw fishy aftertaste.
Infusion of Cepes Mushroom and Truffle & Crab Bisque - The mushroom soup had bits of mushroom in it and 1 lone black truffle served on a little flat tea spoon by the side, which you can choose to plonk it into the soup or nibble on it individually. I chose the former, which didn't seem to make much of a difference to the soup. Overall still quite decent though but a tad too watery for my liking. I thought that the crab bisque was rather watered down as well and tasted rather limp even though there were signs of crab meat in the soup.
Tempura Battered Soft Shell Crab on Galette of Mash - The tempura batter was decently thin but lacked any flavour, which made it really bland. On the upside, the crab wasn't too oily and the sesame vinaigrette alongside helped alot in ensuring its palatability.
Gratinated Escargots Topped with Yuzu Butter - A group of 3 escargots came with cheese and Yuzu butter while a solitary one was presented with garlic. Personally I preferred the ones in the cheese as it came across as creamy with a slight chewy texture. The garlic one needed a stronger dose of garlic in my humble opinion.
Beef Tataki with Shaved Parmesan and Truffle Mayo Mosaic - The beef tataki certainly didn't do itself any favours with its dryness but interestingly, a few slices of the beef were wrapped around a crispy flour cylindrical cone which was something different, especially with the truffle mayo. But I can't say that I enjoyed it very much as the beef was bland and relied on the mayo to give it flavour.
Succulent King Crab Claw Salad Drizzled with Sesame Vinaigrette - Freshly succulent, the crab meat (purportedly from Alaska) was complemented by chopped onions and sweet mango, which made it sweet and "oniony" (for lack of a better word) at the same time. With such a delightful centrepiece, who needs vegetables?
Baked Atlantic Cod Fillet on Puff Pastry - This dish is interesting in the sense that the cod fillet is literally stuck onto the puff pastry, which can be a pain if you don't wish to have the pastry, especially when its rather tough and unyielding to begin with. However, I've got to give the fish credit for being fresh and firm with a nice crispy layer of skin to boot.
Beef Tenderloin on "Pu Ye" & Granite Hot Stone - To be honest, I am unable to make an accurate judgment on the beef as by the time I was done taking my lousy shots, the 200 degrees celsius slab of granite stone had already cooled considerably and the beef just wasn't sizzling anymore. Maybe due to that, the beef slices turned out soft but still juicy and rather tasteless. A shame really, especially with the excellent asthetics.
Freshly Baked Warm Chocolate Cake Served with Ice Cream - Puny would probably be one of the adjectives to describe the chocolate cake. The crust was nice but a tad thick while the molten chocolate was of the runny kind. Decent but not really outstanding.
Dozo's "Mo Cha" Creme Brulee - The sugar layer on the creme brulee was a tad too burnt but I appreciated the rather evident green tea taste of the creme brulee. A welcome change from the usual vanilla ones.
Dinner cost $59.80 /pax ($70.40 after taxes), which did come across as a tad steep even though service and ambience were top notch. Food quality wise, there is still ample room for improvement in my humble opinion and if Dozo can work on this, I'm sure it will be a hit.
Esplanade we were at, yet it certainly didn’t feel anything like Esplanade. The al fresco area was within the ground floor, yet while sitting there and people-grazing, the mood was out away from this world.
Service was almost impeccable. Since most of the tapas were off-the-menu, we wanted to know what we were eating and started asking the staff a lot of questions. Initially when they served us the first few appetisers, they were not sure of the names, and the ingredients in it. But they got used to us asking questions, and when they served the rest of the tapas, they made sure they checked the names and ingredients. Well we did make them stress that day, akin like taking a spelling test. Nonetheless, the staffs were always cheerful and friendly.
In the time of recession where people cut down on their expedition, it takes a brave soul to come out with interesting dining concept. The idea that the chef serves whatever he wants, is actually not new. But there just isn’t much places doing it, most people after all, aren’t adventurous enough and want to have a say in what they are eating. 7atenine. Catchy name, check. Unique concept, check. Ambience, check.
There’s something about Salmon which makes them irresistible to ladies. For some unknown reasons which continue to elude me, most ladies seem to love them. The salmon tartare. For the ladies! Fresh crunchy salmon in lemon cream sauce, with walnuts & some leafy greens providing the crunch. What impressed me was the effort entailed in preparing the cucumber. Instead of short slices, the cucumber was peel off vertically, in a long string. This, surely warrant our praise.
What I liked about the Taco cerbice was the simplicity of the dish. The crunchy sour dough plus the smooth octopus meat. Topped with greens, it further beautify and added balance to the appetiser.
Like couples who are always together, ham always comes with cheese. The dish is a basically an appetiser of ham & cheese. Cubes of green apple, cheese, and ham. While there’s nothing intriguing about the combination, it’s a simple dish to kick-start the meal.
I always remember the significant and special food that I’ve before. Like the best mushroom soup, the best dim sum, all those are deeply engraved in my memory. And the Beef roll on hot stone, would definitely be the latest addition to my memorable list. Putting the thinly-sliced beef rolls on the heated up stone, a brilliant idea! The usage of salt to bring out the natural taste of the beef, with the hot stone keeping the beef warm at optimum temperature. Divine.
Tangy, was the best way to describe the lobster gaspach. Shredded lobster fried was good on its own. But having left it too long in the slightly sourish sauce, it was soggy when we tried it. And did I mention I loved the way 7atenine decorated the bowls with a brush of the sauce. A stroke of genius.
With the pairing of cheese and anchovies, the Mozzarella cheese with anchovies certainly let our imagination ran wild. Just exactly what does the humble small salt-water fish and cheese have in common. Well nothing, but that’s what makes the pairing unique. The presence of bell pepper and tomato brighten up the aesthetic aspect. Much as I’m for creative cooking, this dish didn’t exactly impress.
The best. Mushroom Risotto. 7atenine rendition was done close to the porridge form, quite unlike the harder glutinous-rice like version I had before. Boiling several types of mushrooms to get the stock, the end result was a strong mushroom infused flavour in the risotto. The presence of strong cheese taste was a plus. I do not think words alone can describe the goodness of the risotto. Comfort food.
Again, we see the use of raw salt to bring out the natural flavour of food. Poached lightly, the Salmon with potato wrapped bacon was another worth mentioning dish. Even when eaten on its own, the salmon was fresh, but when you dip it with the sauce, it brought it to a brand new level. The bacon bits, by the side, was salty and flavourful. My date enjoyed her roast mini potatoes, although I didn’t quite fancy that.
When ocean meets farm, the Seabass in celery cream. Sprinkled with bits of salt, the seabass reminded me of my mom’s home-cook fish. The fish was better eaten alone, rather than together with the brown sauce. The mesh celery represented the farm.
At first look, we were guessing the ingredient used to “dye” the calamari black. Guess guess, squid ink! An interesting twist to the otherwise boring calamari. The tomato salsa was refreshing, but other than that, there wasn’t much wow factor. The crusted calamari.
A cheesy pasta. The spaghetti with ham symbolised every aspect of the cheese pasta. A simple dish done right. We were wondering what ham was used though.
If 7atenine is all about interesting new dining concept, then the sizzling wings would definitely be the best representative. Using the pegs (for hanging clothes) to hold the chicken wings so that diners were not dirty their hands. Bravo! While the effectiveness of the peg remained to be questioned, we should applause the innovation. On the other hand, the chicken wings were nothing to shout about. I was pretty astonished when they served the wings, since nothing in my dictionary told me that wings were classified under tapas.
The beef flank was the last main course that we had before serving desserts. The meat was tough and inelastic actually. I didn’t touch much of it. Well, a disappointing anti-climax for the main course.
Caffe latte trifle was the first of the three desserts we started with. Everything coffee. From the ice cream, meringue, to the thin layer of sponge, all of them are coffee flavoured. There’s rice krispies on top too.
With a base of berries, there’s the strawberry ice cream and vanilla bean on top. The execution of the simple strawberry gazpacho was enough, for us to end the meal on a sweet note.
We were surprised by the inclusion of vanilla bean ice cream since the sight of the normal walls ice cream was so common everywhere else. I liked the fact that they spreaded some Oreo crust by the side. I can taste vanilla bean, and with some help from the crust, it turned into Oreo ice cream. And oh yes, warm chocolate brownies must always be eaten together with chilled, cold ice cream.
Total bill was $86.58 for 2, lunch unlimited buffet. In my humble opinion, my date and I agreed that 7atenine is the best new restaurant in 2009, that is until i try a better one. Although not all the tapas impressed me, but the food taste is more on the extreme ends, it’s a case of whether you love it or hate it. Personally, I felt food lovers will generally accept this concept better than the rest, especially so if you are the type that are adventurous and love to try new creations.
It is definitely fun to be keep in the suspense, and wondering what is coming next. Of course, with expectations there will be disappointment. I’m sorry if you do not agree with me. But I love this type of dining concept, the playful presentation of food, the friendly services, bold creations, the ambience and the amazing value. Of course, the company of my date plays a vital part as well. This year, the best meal I had so far, 7atenine!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Swirl, a boutique that brings you back to those days of Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Grease! Vintage clothings, timeless classic and dresses! With such welcoming staff, you feel like you can never get out of the boutique! The boutique is worn by all those homely furnishing. Perfect to don all the ranges of clothings SWIRL provides. The most awesome thing about SWIRL is the "SWIRL Swap Swop" Event. The best time to clear your closet and share your passion for fashion with the ones in need of help. You will get to choose clothings from others who participate and the rest will head on to charity. How delightful! :) Check out their Events on their website or sign up for email updates!
I bought 4 items from American Eagle Outfitters, AEO. My date of purchase was on the 28.01.09 and I received the items on the 11.02.09, 2 weeks. When you shop online you might worry about the sizes but AEO sizes are like the ones you've tried on here in Singapore. Shops like RiverIsland, Mango,Zara, you can relate the sizes here at AEO. I have no problems with the shirts, except the irritating thing that it is made in China! The shirts are made of a thinner fabric and comfortably hugs your body. Which is quite flattering, I must say. The sandals and wedges are awesome. I would shop at AEO again, definitely. I must add on to this one bit, they have payment by Paypal, VISA, Mastercard, Debit Card as well! Also I recommend you sign up an account with them so that you will be able to track down your items just in case, your items took longer than expected... :)
1=SGD 0.0587
If you remember, I wrote on the Joo Chiat wanton mee saga in Whampoa market before, with the two stalls claiming that they are the original from Joo Chiat. This time round, I saw this Long Ji stall which is on the outside row of the market. Since i’ve both the Joo Chiat stalls (middle row of market), I decided to give this a try.
The wanton mee was disappointing. The pictures looked nice yes, this was my first time testing out my new macro lens back then, so I had this way back in November! The two key factors in a good wanton, the springy noodle, and the good char siew were sorely missing. To be frank, the wanton mee was so mediocre that I couldn’t really remember how it tasted like.
There’s another wanton mee stall in the market if i’m not mistaken, will try that the next time! I think you’ll be better off trying either one of the Joo Chiat stalls than Long Ji’s. Well, i may be wrong, since it’s my personal preference, if you’ve try this one before let me hear from you!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Rating given:
Rojak is a very special type of food, and certainly warrants a place as one of Singapore local food, alongside chicken rice, white pepper crab, laksa and the rest. Just like how our local culture, where the different religion and races mixed in harmony with each other, the perfect mixture between the different ingredients in a rojak brings about the perfect balance. Uniquely Singapore.
Hoover Rojak’s my personal favourite place for rojak in Singapore. Well if i may say so, i’ll consider it as one of the best i tried so far, not that i tried a lot, but i’ve the other famous Brothers rojak at Clementi and wasn’t too impressed with it. Hoover’s rendition always uses fresh and juicy fruits, with the crispy you tiao. But that’s not the reason why Hoover rojak is so good. The key lies in their sauce, there’s a slightly sourish tang which other rojaks don’t have, and that’s the beauty of a simple lime.
’ll eat Hoover rojak whenever i visited Whampoo market, countless times to the extent that i always forgot that they do not open on Tuesday, and i made three fruitless visits so far. Well to visit Whampoo market without trying Hoover, please don’t tell anybody that you been there.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Rating given:
I remember the time when I received free trials by True Yoga. The vicinity did entice me and I was attracted to the facilities in True Yoga. It was situated near Lido. I dragged my mother to one of the Yoga classes, it was fun, initially. But, after all the talks with the promoter from True Yoga. Prices were hefty for me, being a 17 year old. I didn't signed up for any of the package. Last year, they called me up asking me to come down as I was told I won more FREE Trials. So, I did went down. But, guess what? I wasn't entertained by any of the staff. Believe it. It was then I decide, never to sign up for anything under TrueYoga. I personally think that they are some kinda fraud and they deserve to be sued! I support the sued file case against TrueSpa. Is a lucky thing AMORE fitness know how to work their way to their customers! ;)
Rating given:
Sakura, sakura.. I got to know about it first at Ginza Plaza. Man, it was quiet and romantic, back then.. My boyfriend and I use to patronized that store and have our meals there. Now, I'm not sure whether Sakura is there in the new West Coast Plaza. The last time I went to Sakura Clementi Woods was to celebrate my boyfriend cousin's birthday. It was nice. We went a few rounds. It was about SGD$25 for adults.. Children are a lot cheaper than that. They go by height too, for kids. Okay, they do have a lot of food selections. From Japanese, Western, Chinese, Malay, Thai,..etc. You will be spoilt for choices. :) I was super full the last time I ate there. It lasted me for two days. Well, for those who have bigger appetite, I bet you can eat Sakura for two days in a row! A very relaxing and quite place, unless if it's peak hours.. Other than that, you should come and have your meals here, only available during Lunch and Dinner time only, with your family..
Lunch:12-2.30pm
Dinner:6-9.30pm
Rating given:
I have been for one TRIAL Tanning session. It lasted for 11 minutes. It was kinda scary at first. You know it reminded me of the Final Destination 3 tanning session trailer; if you guys saw the movie. After the session, I feel like I was roasted in the machine. Some ground rules that FabulousTan have, you have to use their tanning lotions priced at SGD$12. You are not allowed to use your own tanning lotion or else you you will be banned from the place. So be careful. When tanning is recommended that you don't wear anything at all. Do look out for cameras lurking in anywhere. Heh! ;) Okay, anyway, I didn't have any changes after the tanning session. I do look a little darker than usual. But, the peeling proccess and the itch start only a few days later. It was a normal process. You know, I risked myself to be tanned in the machine without tanning lotion. My skin was so dry. It was peeling. So, so bad. So don't ever do that okay. Just a tip from me. Ohh! They have other services too, so don't fret to try it out!
Rating given:
I would reccomend Amore Fitness to every single ladies who are determine to lose some weight and stay fit with a little bit of discipline. At Amore, facilities are "a girl's dream" home gym. When you arrive, there is a spot to put all your belongings. (You gotta bring along your own lock and jeys though!) Towels, for bath and face, are supplied and free-flow! You can choose from an array of classes listed in their member's pamphlet. If you do not feel like exercising with other people, you can "solo-exercise"in the gym. The gym have almost everything you need for that slim and fab figure that you've always dream of. Even if you are not sure of how to start exercising, not to worry, you can get a personal trainner. After all the fast-paced activities? You can hit the sauna for FREE! It is available in Amore. Oh yeah, the SPA is awesome as well, you should check it out too.. I applied for a fitness package. Paid an approximate SGD$660 for a year's membeership, consist of 45 lessons. My membership will expire this coming October and I still got a lot more lessons to go! :) So, anyone interested in AMORE, should PM me. I could refer you and you would be able to enjoy the benefits of an AMORE Member, just like I do.
"I am Amore."~
Rating given:
Dozo - the upscale sibling of Tao's Restaurant that dabbles in fine modern Japanese cuisine. Dozo, which means please in Japanese, operates very much like its little sister, offering only 6 or 7 course set menus with no ala carte option.
Located on the 2nd level of Valley Point along River Valley Road, Dozo's interior oozes sublime chic and sophistication with mainly red velvety plush chairs amidst a black backdrop. Floor to ceilings windows offer a somewhat muted view of the surroundings. Apparently the 3 window side seats on the elevated wooden platform is a hot favourite amongst couples so be sure to make your reservations early.
Flour Sticks & Drink Shots - The flour sticks were, well, flour sticks dusted with chilli flakes and the likes. Nothing too fancy here. As for the 2 shots of mango juice with tons of crushed ice, lets just say I had a hard time trying to get a reasonable amount of liquid into my mouth initially.
Appetiser - You don't get to choose the first course and everyone gets the same thing - scallop, foie gras and smoked salmon, which wasn't too bad really. The scallop was nicely seared with a crisp layer atop but lacked the firm texture that I was looking for. Apart from the foie gras being really small, I thought it was decent but could have been more quivery. I thought that the smoked salmon was quite well done though. Not mind blowingly salty with a nice taut texture sans the raw fishy aftertaste.
Infusion of Cepes Mushroom and Truffle & Crab Bisque - The mushroom soup had bits of mushroom in it and 1 lone black truffle served on a little flat tea spoon by the side, which you can choose to plonk it into the soup or nibble on it individually. I chose the former, which didn't seem to make much of a difference to the soup. Overall still quite decent though but a tad too watery for my liking.
I thought that the crab bisque was rather watered down as well and tasted rather limp even though there were signs of crab meat in the soup.
Tempura Battered Soft Shell Crab on Galette of Mash - The tempura batter was decently thin but lacked any flavour, which made it really bland. On the upside, the crab wasn't too oily and the sesame vinaigrette alongside helped alot in ensuring its palatability.
Gratinated Escargots Topped with Yuzu Butter - A group of 3 escargots came with cheese and Yuzu butter while a solitary one was presented with garlic. Personally I preferred the ones in the cheese as it came across as creamy with a slight chewy texture. The garlic one needed a stronger dose of garlic in my humble opinion.
Beef Tataki with Shaved Parmesan and Truffle Mayo Mosaic - The beef tataki certainly didn't do itself any favours with its dryness but interestingly, a few slices of the beef were wrapped around a crispy flour cylindrical cone which was something different, especially with the truffle mayo. But I can't say that I enjoyed it very much as the beef was bland and relied on the mayo to give it flavour.
Succulent King Crab Claw Salad Drizzled with Sesame Vinaigrette - Freshly succulent, the crab meat (purportedly from Alaska) was complemented by chopped onions and sweet mango, which made it sweet and "oniony" (for lack of a better word) at the same time. With such a delightful centrepiece, who needs vegetables?
Baked Atlantic Cod Fillet on Puff Pastry - This dish is interesting in the sense that the cod fillet is literally stuck onto the puff pastry, which can be a pain if you don't wish to have the pastry, especially when its rather tough and unyielding to begin with. However, I've got to give the fish credit for being fresh and firm with a nice crispy layer of skin to boot.
Beef Tenderloin on "Pu Ye" & Granite Hot Stone - To be honest, I am unable to make an accurate judgment on the beef as by the time I was done taking my lousy shots, the 200 degrees celsius slab of granite stone had already cooled considerably and the beef just wasn't sizzling anymore. Maybe due to that, the beef slices turned out soft but still juicy and rather tasteless. A shame really, especially with the excellent asthetics.
Freshly Baked Warm Chocolate Cake Served with Ice Cream - Puny would probably be one of the adjectives to describe the chocolate cake. The crust was nice but a tad thick while the molten chocolate was of the runny kind. Decent but not really outstanding.
Dozo's "Mo Cha" Creme Brulee - The sugar layer on the creme brulee was a tad too burnt but I appreciated the rather evident green tea taste of the creme brulee. A welcome change from the usual vanilla ones.
Dinner cost $59.80 /pax ($70.40 after taxes), which did come across as a tad steep even though service and ambience were top notch. Food quality wise, there is still ample room for improvement in my humble opinion and if Dozo can work on this, I'm sure it will be a hit.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Ate. Nine. Ten.
Esplanade we were at, yet it certainly didn’t feel anything like Esplanade. The al fresco area was within the ground floor, yet while sitting there and people-grazing, the mood was out away from this world.
Service was almost impeccable. Since most of the tapas were off-the-menu, we wanted to know what we were eating and started asking the staff a lot of questions. Initially when they served us the first few appetisers, they were not sure of the names, and the ingredients in it. But they got used to us asking questions, and when they served the rest of the tapas, they made sure they checked the names and ingredients. Well we did make them stress that day, akin like taking a spelling test. Nonetheless, the staffs were always cheerful and friendly.
In the time of recession where people cut down on their expedition, it takes a brave soul to come out with interesting dining concept. The idea that the chef serves whatever he wants, is actually not new. But there just isn’t much places doing it, most people after all, aren’t adventurous enough and want to have a say in what they are eating. 7atenine. Catchy name, check. Unique concept, check. Ambience, check.
There’s something about Salmon which makes them irresistible to ladies. For some unknown reasons which continue to elude me, most ladies seem to love them. The salmon tartare. For the ladies! Fresh crunchy salmon in lemon cream sauce, with walnuts & some leafy greens providing the crunch. What impressed me was the effort entailed in preparing the cucumber. Instead of short slices, the cucumber was peel off vertically, in a long string. This, surely warrant our praise.
What I liked about the Taco cerbice was the simplicity of the dish. The crunchy sour dough plus the smooth octopus meat. Topped with greens, it further beautify and added balance to the appetiser.
Like couples who are always together, ham always comes with cheese. The dish is a basically an appetiser of ham & cheese. Cubes of green apple, cheese, and ham. While there’s nothing intriguing about the combination, it’s a simple dish to kick-start the meal.
I always remember the significant and special food that I’ve before. Like the best mushroom soup, the best dim sum, all those are deeply engraved in my memory. And the Beef roll on hot stone, would definitely be the latest addition to my memorable list. Putting the thinly-sliced beef rolls on the heated up stone, a brilliant idea! The usage of salt to bring out the natural taste of the beef, with the hot stone keeping the beef warm at optimum temperature. Divine.
Tangy, was the best way to describe the lobster gaspach. Shredded lobster fried was good on its own. But having left it too long in the slightly sourish sauce, it was soggy when we tried it. And did I mention I loved the way 7atenine decorated the bowls with a brush of the sauce. A stroke of genius.
With the pairing of cheese and anchovies, the Mozzarella cheese with anchovies certainly let our imagination ran wild. Just exactly what does the humble small salt-water fish and cheese have in common. Well nothing, but that’s what makes the pairing unique. The presence of bell pepper and tomato brighten up the aesthetic aspect. Much as I’m for creative cooking, this dish didn’t exactly impress.
The best. Mushroom Risotto. 7atenine rendition was done close to the porridge form, quite unlike the harder glutinous-rice like version I had before. Boiling several types of mushrooms to get the stock, the end result was a strong mushroom infused flavour in the risotto. The presence of strong cheese taste was a plus. I do not think words alone can describe the goodness of the risotto. Comfort food.
Again, we see the use of raw salt to bring out the natural flavour of food. Poached lightly, the Salmon with potato wrapped bacon was another worth mentioning dish. Even when eaten on its own, the salmon was fresh, but when you dip it with the sauce, it brought it to a brand new level. The bacon bits, by the side, was salty and flavourful. My date enjoyed her roast mini potatoes, although I didn’t quite fancy that.
When ocean meets farm, the Seabass in celery cream. Sprinkled with bits of salt, the seabass reminded me of my mom’s home-cook fish. The fish was better eaten alone, rather than together with the brown sauce. The mesh celery represented the farm.
At first look, we were guessing the ingredient used to “dye” the calamari black. Guess guess, squid ink! An interesting twist to the otherwise boring calamari. The tomato salsa was refreshing, but other than that, there wasn’t much wow factor. The crusted calamari.
A cheesy pasta. The spaghetti with ham symbolised every aspect of the cheese pasta. A simple dish done right. We were wondering what ham was used though.
If 7atenine is all about interesting new dining concept, then the sizzling wings would definitely be the best representative. Using the pegs (for hanging clothes) to hold the chicken wings so that diners were not dirty their hands. Bravo! While the effectiveness of the peg remained to be questioned, we should applause the innovation. On the other hand, the chicken wings were nothing to shout about. I was pretty astonished when they served the wings, since nothing in my dictionary told me that wings were classified under tapas.
The beef flank was the last main course that we had before serving desserts. The meat was tough and inelastic actually. I didn’t touch much of it. Well, a disappointing anti-climax for the main course.
Caffe latte trifle was the first of the three desserts we started with. Everything coffee. From the ice cream, meringue, to the thin layer of sponge, all of them are coffee flavoured. There’s rice krispies on top too.
With a base of berries, there’s the strawberry ice cream and vanilla bean on top. The execution of the simple strawberry gazpacho was enough, for us to end the meal on a sweet note.
We were surprised by the inclusion of vanilla bean ice cream since the sight of the normal walls ice cream was so common everywhere else. I liked the fact that they spreaded some Oreo crust by the side. I can taste vanilla bean, and with some help from the crust, it turned into Oreo ice cream. And oh yes, warm chocolate brownies must always be eaten together with chilled, cold ice cream.
Total bill was $86.58 for 2, lunch unlimited buffet. In my humble opinion, my date and I agreed that 7atenine is the best new restaurant in 2009, that is until i try a better one. Although not all the tapas impressed me, but the food taste is more on the extreme ends, it’s a case of whether you love it or hate it. Personally, I felt food lovers will generally accept this concept better than the rest, especially so if you are the type that are adventurous and love to try new creations.
It is definitely fun to be keep in the suspense, and wondering what is coming next. Of course, with expectations there will be disappointment. I’m sorry if you do not agree with me. But I love this type of dining concept, the playful presentation of food, the friendly services, bold creations, the ambience and the amazing value. Of course, the company of my date plays a vital part as well. This year, the best meal I had so far, 7atenine!
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
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Swirl, a boutique that brings you back to those days of Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Grease! Vintage clothings, timeless classic and dresses! With such welcoming staff, you feel like you can never get out of the boutique! The boutique is worn by all those homely furnishing. Perfect to don all the ranges of clothings SWIRL provides. The most awesome thing about SWIRL is the "SWIRL Swap Swop" Event. The best time to clear your closet and share your passion for fashion with the ones in need of help. You will get to choose clothings from others who participate and the rest will head on to charity. How delightful! :) Check out their Events on their website or sign up for email updates!
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I bought 4 items from American Eagle Outfitters, AEO. My date of purchase was on the 28.01.09 and I received the items on the 11.02.09, 2 weeks. When you shop online you might worry about the sizes but AEO sizes are like the ones you've tried on here in Singapore. Shops like RiverIsland, Mango,Zara, you can relate the sizes here at AEO. I have no problems with the shirts, except the irritating thing that it is made in China! The shirts are made of a thinner fabric and comfortably hugs your body. Which is quite flattering, I must say. The sandals and wedges are awesome. I would shop at AEO again, definitely. I must add on to this one bit, they have payment by Paypal, VISA, Mastercard, Debit Card as well! Also I recommend you sign up an account with them so that you will be able to track down your items just in case, your items took longer than expected... :)
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