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.
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.
Well I say, heck with the uncomfortable place and sometimes non-English-speaking (this is important for me, you know!) staffs.
The chicken rice is heavenly.
I love the soy sauce! It's fragrant and a bit tingly. The chicken meat is also soft and nice to eat. Even the rice is fragrant.
And what I love is that in every table they give you sweet soy sauce, minced garlic, and chilli sauce. This means you can mix it to your own preference! For me, I like loads of soy sauce and minced garlic here and there. Damn, I'm almost drooling remembering it.
The place is very easy to find.It's just opposite of Novena Church and just behind the bus stop. It will be very crowded at Sunday, especially after the church's mass is finished, but not worries! For me, I will wait no matter how long to taste their chicken rice =D
They also have other food. I seldom order them. Once I ordered a bowl of dumpling soup and it's also very nice =D I think they also have some seafood and grilled things in big serving, to cater family makan session, maybe?
Chicken rice, that ordinary food, made extraordinary by Wee Nam Kee. Try it! =D
A sushi with a different touch! If you crave for sushi but don't want the ordinary sushi, come to Ichiban sushi and be merry! They have unique variety of sushi for you to choose.
Of course they still have the "ordinary" ones, but why spend on the ordinary when you can have the extraordinary?
They have sushi with cheese layer covering it. And more cheese inside! Then they also have chicken floss sushi! And many others... Like inari stuffed with rice and crabstick.. Inari stuffed with many other things.. Just one word... They're all yummy!
And price is still ok, I guess. The "ordinary" sushi will cost about 1.90 per plate. If you're tempted to try those interesting sushi, you might have to spend about 3.90 per plate. (Watch out for the plates with swirling motives! They're nice, they're delicious, they're expensive! =P)
I and my boyfriend spent $17 each that day. Oh gluttons are we.
Also if you're in no mood of sushi, they also offer a la carte food. What I tried is the $5 combo meal. I had this rice covered with fried dory and egg with some onion.. It's heavenly. Plus it comes with the most delicious miso shiro ever! I swear I haven't tasted miso shiro that delicious in Singapore. And have I told you? Even their wasabi tasted nice. I usually hate wasabi for its strange smell and its strange taste. Surprisingly, the wasabi in Ichiban Sushi is really good. I can't believe I could take so much wasabi!
Definitely recommended and I'm definitely going back! =D
Crystal Jade has been given a second chance by me after its off shoot failed to impress. And it marks my first treat to an old friend. After all, he was the one who treated me to Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao, so i felt it right to return the favor.
Signature Beancurd with Mincemeat and Chili Sauce ($9.80) - I can't help ordering this item. Bean curd is simply one of my favorite items of choice and as with all food outlets, i want to try out their signature bean curds to see if there is indeed something special about them. This rendition is simple, bean curd in batter deep fried till golden brown and served with minced meat and chili dip. I found it too spicy for my liking but the batter was pretty light and extremely crispy. The bean curd itself contains some herbs which added to its fragrance but didn't quite appeal to my friends since it made the bean curd bumpy and less smooth.
Fried Hor Fan With SeaFood ($13.80) - Oily yet fragrant and tasty. The seafood is minimal which is a shame but there really isn't much distinguishing factors between this version and those found in hawkers outside.
E-fu noodles with shrimp roe ($9.80) - My gf ordered this thinking it was filled with shrimp but that was not to be. Instead it was E-fu noodles with shrimp roe. Very important to note the difference since there were only a few pieces of mushrooms in this dish to act as additional ingredients. Not to say that it tasted bad. The noodles were springy and tasted slightly salty from the roe which gave it a good texture. Not that i recommend ordering again however.
Yang Zhou Fried Rice ($9.50) - Eggs, roast pork, shrimp and bean sprouts. Simple ingredients for a wonderfully fragrant plate of fried rice. Now this was my order and the reason behind it is to ascertain my friend's claim that the friend rice in Crystal Jade is much better then its offshoot. I'm inclined to agree that it indeed tasted better and more fragrant but not inclined to say its the best i've ever had. In fact, i found that the rice was not done homogeneously with certain parts being overly dry while others undercooked. The generous serving of shrimp is a plus however.
Deep Fried Dumpling With Salad Sauce ($9.30) - Expensive is the first word. For its price, there were surprisingly little dumplings to go around, i counted 5. So each dumpling is effectively $2 (!!!) which is a little over the top for shrimp dumplings that were deep fried. Sure, it was very nicely done, fresh and the salad sauce complemented it well, but for the same price, i could have gotten much much more elsewhere.
The final bill came up to $64.38 for 3 people which is a little too much for the quality of food we had.
Sad to say, i have to maintain my stand that Crystal Jade is grossly overrated and not exactly a place i would recommend to everyone. The food is average but the price belongs to a whole different category which they unfortunately still do not provide. Much improvement needed in my book.
This is Singapore after all so what would food be without the normal coffee shop zhi ca (literally cook and fry)? Of course, as with everything else in the world, there are good and bad offerings for this as well. Without further ado, allow me to introduce you to one of these little cook spots found in the East. (I went twice and thats why you'll see both visits here)
Its a coffee shop, so forget about ambiance, forget about anything close to atas. This is ground zero, what the masses have and so the very truth of what Singaporeans are used to having on weekend eat outs (with exceptions when bonus and such niceties occur of course)
Fried Fritters with Squid Paste ($8) - One of my favorite dishes to order is sadly, not one of the better dishes to have. Unless meticulous care is taken in preparing the paste and further such action is taken for the fritters, what you get is a tasteless fried dough stick with nothing much to go for it. This rendition is pretty standard but has its merits in being served hot and being cut into nice little bite sized pieces. The squid paste isn't anything to shout about but was saved by the mayonnaise it came with. Pretty standard stuff but nothing good for health here.
Thai Style Chicken Cutlet ($8) - Simple dish but this time, this is executed very well indeed. The radish and sliced cucumbers used are fresh and cold which gave the thai sauce a different feel indeed. The sauce itself is sweet and sour with a dash of spice which gave it good balance. The chicken itself is fried well which means it retained the juices and wasn't overly dry. It was also served hot and contrasted with the cold sauce so well, i simply have to recommend it. Good stuff.
Stir Fried Broccoli ($8) - imple stir fried broccoli with a little soy sauce. Who would have imagined something so simple could taste this good? Fresh, a little salty and very appetizing. The broccoli is soft while retaining its crunchiness and even had a little sweetness in it. Simple, but good all the same.
Yi Pin Guo or Seafood Pot ($18) - The most expensive of the lot that day, this dish contained 4- 5 prawns, a generous helping of fish maw and the aforementioned tasty broccoli. It was a little to salty for my tastes but the combination did taste pleasant when complimented with rice. I wouldn't exactly term it as value for money in this case though.
The total bill came up to $44 for 4 people. $2 went to 4 bowls of rice and thus the average per person is $11 for a filling and generally fulfilling meal.
The following is the second visit.
Crab Bee Hoon ($32) - This time when we returned, we were determined to try the signature dishes that they recommended and this is what you see above. Billed as the main signature dish for the restaurant, i was expecting alot from it and i will say it up front, i was a little disappointed in the dish. The serving was generous with lots of bee hoon or vermicelli piled beneath the 800 gram crab. In its defense, the crab meat is firm and sweet but i still felt it over priced. The vermicelli was soaked in crab juices and sauce which gave it a uniquely raw taste which might not please everyone. Overall, i still like my crabs with lots of chilli, pepper or butter. This doesn't quite fit the bill as a favorite for me.
Signature Beancurd ($8) - The bean curd had a pretty thick skin and didn't break easily but i didn't like it. I prefer bean curd soft and yet firm. This was also of the egg variety which adds to the taste but doesn't quite bring it anywhere. And the last gripe i had was how similar these bean curds are to one another. I mean, i've tried HTL versions and other versions from Chinese restaurants and strangely, they all have the same kind of ingredients, pork, spring onions and the like which really doesn't distinguish themselves. This version really put me off though, because it was way below average.
Sambal Fan Shu Ye (Sweet Potato Leaf) ($8) - Average and a little too spicy for me, i'm unfortunately not able to say the same good things for this as the broccoli i had the previous time.
Steamed Fish HK Style($30) - Why do i call it steamed fish? Because i can't remember what kind of fish this is. Sorry. Anyhow, this fish is steamed Hong Kong style according to the waitress and is one of my favorite ways to prepare said fish. Fragrant, fresh and sweet. I can't think of anything bad to say about it except maybe it was too small and too expensive. Good nonetheless.
Total bill for second visit hit all time high of $88. Which really is a bit too much even for 5 people as the quality has taken a sharp nose dive this time around.
The food offered here is of a certain quality but it really depends on which day you came and what you order. For me, i have to say the signature dishes are not worth the money while the simpler offerings appeal to me more. Maybe i just prefer simple food but thats what i feel. No crabs or bean curd for me from this stall.
Tucked in a remote place in Clementi Arcade, beside the getting-popular Sunset way is The Daily Scoop. Local ice-cream cafe has been on the rise, think Island Creamery, ice cream chef, haato ice cream gallary, scoopz and a few others.
While there is the plain normal ice cream like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, cookie & cream etc, there is the long list of new creations available at local ice cream parlours
Brandied Figs & honey: Absolute decadence sweet ligs steeped in brandy mixed into a fragrant honey ice cream
Unusually Apple: Chunky pieces of soft spiced apple with a hint of cinnamon in vanilla ice cream
Sensual Tiramisu: prepare to be enamored. captivated. enchanted
Jaffa Choc: orange marmalade ice cream jazzed up with a generous spread of dark citrus chocolate fudge
Lime & Black Pepper: packs a real punch! First with tangy lime then with spicy pepper
Orange Marmalade: tangy orange ice cream with swirled in marmalade
Single scoop comes at $2.90, and double scoop at $4.90. So if you do your maths correctly, the double scoop seems a better option. Brandied Figs & honey is a new try for us, not sure if it goes very well with us, but mayb brandy lovers might just get it.
Hazelnut Haven was very good, i simply love Nutella. A must-have everytime i went to ice-cream parlour.
Lime & Black Pepper (left), Orange Marmalade (right)
Lime & Black Pepper may seems a weird combination. On first taste, the lime was rather refreshing, but after a while, the pepper feeling sinks in.
Orange Marmalade was a correct choice, tangy orange ice cream with swirled in marmalade. Try for yourself!
Oh ya, beside Daily Scoop at Clementi Arcade is Bather’s cafe, a place i always wanted to go but no opportunity. Next time then, watch out for it.
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 : )
1=SGD 0.0587
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.
Rating given:
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.
Rating given:
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 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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I simply love Wee Nam Kee.
Well I say, heck with the uncomfortable place and sometimes non-English-speaking (this is important for me, you know!) staffs.
The chicken rice is heavenly.
I love the soy sauce! It's fragrant and a bit tingly. The chicken meat is also soft and nice to eat. Even the rice is fragrant.
And what I love is that in every table they give you sweet soy sauce, minced garlic, and chilli sauce. This means you can mix it to your own preference! For me, I like loads of soy sauce and minced garlic here and there. Damn, I'm almost drooling remembering it.
The place is very easy to find.It's just opposite of Novena Church and just behind the bus stop. It will be very crowded at Sunday, especially after the church's mass is finished, but not worries! For me, I will wait no matter how long to taste their chicken rice =D
They also have other food. I seldom order them. Once I ordered a bowl of dumpling soup and it's also very nice =D I think they also have some seafood and grilled things in big serving, to cater family makan session, maybe?
Chicken rice, that ordinary food, made extraordinary by Wee Nam Kee. Try it! =D
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A sushi with a different touch! If you crave for sushi but don't want the ordinary sushi, come to Ichiban sushi and be merry! They have unique variety of sushi for you to choose.
Of course they still have the "ordinary" ones, but why spend on the ordinary when you can have the extraordinary?
They have sushi with cheese layer covering it. And more cheese inside! Then they also have chicken floss sushi! And many others... Like inari stuffed with rice and crabstick.. Inari stuffed with many other things.. Just one word... They're all yummy!
And price is still ok, I guess. The "ordinary" sushi will cost about 1.90 per plate. If you're tempted to try those interesting sushi, you might have to spend about 3.90 per plate. (Watch out for the plates with swirling motives! They're nice, they're delicious, they're expensive! =P)
I and my boyfriend spent $17 each that day. Oh gluttons are we.
Also if you're in no mood of sushi, they also offer a la carte food. What I tried is the $5 combo meal. I had this rice covered with fried dory and egg with some onion.. It's heavenly. Plus it comes with the most delicious miso shiro ever! I swear I haven't tasted miso shiro that delicious in Singapore. And have I told you? Even their wasabi tasted nice. I usually hate wasabi for its strange smell and its strange taste. Surprisingly, the wasabi in Ichiban Sushi is really good. I can't believe I could take so much wasabi!
Definitely recommended and I'm definitely going back! =D
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Crystal Jade has been given a second chance by me after its off shoot failed to impress. And it marks my first treat to an old friend. After all, he was the one who treated me to Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao, so i felt it right to return the favor.
Signature Beancurd with Mincemeat and Chili Sauce ($9.80) - I can't help ordering this item. Bean curd is simply one of my favorite items of choice and as with all food outlets, i want to try out their signature bean curds to see if there is indeed something special about them. This rendition is simple, bean curd in batter deep fried till golden brown and served with minced meat and chili dip. I found it too spicy for my liking but the batter was pretty light and extremely crispy. The bean curd itself contains some herbs which added to its fragrance but didn't quite appeal to my friends since it made the bean curd bumpy and less smooth.
Fried Hor Fan With SeaFood ($13.80) - Oily yet fragrant and tasty. The seafood is minimal which is a shame but there really isn't much distinguishing factors between this version and those found in hawkers outside.
E-fu noodles with shrimp roe ($9.80) - My gf ordered this thinking it was filled with shrimp but that was not to be. Instead it was E-fu noodles with shrimp roe. Very important to note the difference since there were only a few pieces of mushrooms in this dish to act as additional ingredients. Not to say that it tasted bad. The noodles were springy and tasted slightly salty from the roe which gave it a good texture. Not that i recommend ordering again however.
Yang Zhou Fried Rice ($9.50) - Eggs, roast pork, shrimp and bean sprouts. Simple ingredients for a wonderfully fragrant plate of fried rice. Now this was my order and the reason behind it is to ascertain my friend's claim that the friend rice in Crystal Jade is much better then its offshoot. I'm inclined to agree that it indeed tasted better and more fragrant but not inclined to say its the best i've ever had. In fact, i found that the rice was not done homogeneously with certain parts being overly dry while others undercooked. The generous serving of shrimp is a plus however.
Deep Fried Dumpling With Salad Sauce ($9.30) - Expensive is the first word. For its price, there were surprisingly little dumplings to go around, i counted 5. So each dumpling is effectively $2 (!!!) which is a little over the top for shrimp dumplings that were deep fried. Sure, it was very nicely done, fresh and the salad sauce complemented it well, but for the same price, i could have gotten much much more elsewhere.
The final bill came up to $64.38 for 3 people which is a little too much for the quality of food we had.
Sad to say, i have to maintain my stand that Crystal Jade is grossly overrated and not exactly a place i would recommend to everyone. The food is average but the price belongs to a whole different category which they unfortunately still do not provide. Much improvement needed in my book.
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This is Singapore after all so what would food be without the normal coffee shop zhi ca (literally cook and fry)? Of course, as with everything else in the world, there are good and bad offerings for this as well. Without further ado, allow me to introduce you to one of these little cook spots found in the East. (I went twice and thats why you'll see both visits here)
Its a coffee shop, so forget about ambiance, forget about anything close to atas. This is ground zero, what the masses have and so the very truth of what Singaporeans are used to having on weekend eat outs (with exceptions when bonus and such niceties occur of course)
Fried Fritters with Squid Paste ($8) - One of my favorite dishes to order is sadly, not one of the better dishes to have. Unless meticulous care is taken in preparing the paste and further such action is taken for the fritters, what you get is a tasteless fried dough stick with nothing much to go for it. This rendition is pretty standard but has its merits in being served hot and being cut into nice little bite sized pieces. The squid paste isn't anything to shout about but was saved by the mayonnaise it came with. Pretty standard stuff but nothing good for health here.
Thai Style Chicken Cutlet ($8) - Simple dish but this time, this is executed very well indeed. The radish and sliced cucumbers used are fresh and cold which gave the thai sauce a different feel indeed. The sauce itself is sweet and sour with a dash of spice which gave it good balance. The chicken itself is fried well which means it retained the juices and wasn't overly dry. It was also served hot and contrasted with the cold sauce so well, i simply have to recommend it. Good stuff.
Stir Fried Broccoli ($8) - imple stir fried broccoli with a little soy sauce. Who would have imagined something so simple could taste this good? Fresh, a little salty and very appetizing. The broccoli is soft while retaining its crunchiness and even had a little sweetness in it. Simple, but good all the same.
Yi Pin Guo or Seafood Pot ($18) - The most expensive of the lot that day, this dish contained 4- 5 prawns, a generous helping of fish maw and the aforementioned tasty broccoli. It was a little to salty for my tastes but the combination did taste pleasant when complimented with rice. I wouldn't exactly term it as value for money in this case though.
The total bill came up to $44 for 4 people. $2 went to 4 bowls of rice and thus the average per person is $11 for a filling and generally fulfilling meal.
The following is the second visit.
Crab Bee Hoon ($32) - This time when we returned, we were determined to try the signature dishes that they recommended and this is what you see above. Billed as the main signature dish for the restaurant, i was expecting alot from it and i will say it up front, i was a little disappointed in the dish. The serving was generous with lots of bee hoon or vermicelli piled beneath the 800 gram crab. In its defense, the crab meat is firm and sweet but i still felt it over priced. The vermicelli was soaked in crab juices and sauce which gave it a uniquely raw taste which might not please everyone. Overall, i still like my crabs with lots of chilli, pepper or butter. This doesn't quite fit the bill as a favorite for me.
Signature Beancurd ($8) - The bean curd had a pretty thick skin and didn't break easily but i didn't like it. I prefer bean curd soft and yet firm. This was also of the egg variety which adds to the taste but doesn't quite bring it anywhere. And the last gripe i had was how similar these bean curds are to one another. I mean, i've tried HTL versions and other versions from Chinese restaurants and strangely, they all have the same kind of ingredients, pork, spring onions and the like which really doesn't distinguish themselves. This version really put me off though, because it was way below average.
Sambal Fan Shu Ye (Sweet Potato Leaf) ($8) - Average and a little too spicy for me, i'm unfortunately not able to say the same good things for this as the broccoli i had the previous time.
Steamed Fish HK Style($30) - Why do i call it steamed fish? Because i can't remember what kind of fish this is. Sorry. Anyhow, this fish is steamed Hong Kong style according to the waitress and is one of my favorite ways to prepare said fish. Fragrant, fresh and sweet. I can't think of anything bad to say about it except maybe it was too small and too expensive. Good nonetheless.
Total bill for second visit hit all time high of $88. Which really is a bit too much even for 5 people as the quality has taken a sharp nose dive this time around.
The food offered here is of a certain quality but it really depends on which day you came and what you order. For me, i have to say the signature dishes are not worth the money while the simpler offerings appeal to me more. Maybe i just prefer simple food but thats what i feel. No crabs or bean curd for me from this stall.
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Tucked in a remote place in Clementi Arcade, beside the getting-popular Sunset way is The Daily Scoop. Local ice-cream cafe has been on the rise, think Island Creamery, ice cream chef, haato ice cream gallary, scoopz and a few others.
While there is the plain normal ice cream like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, cookie & cream etc, there is the long list of new creations available at local ice cream parlours
Brandied Figs & honey: Absolute decadence sweet ligs steeped in brandy mixed into a fragrant honey ice cream
Unusually Apple: Chunky pieces of soft spiced apple with a hint of cinnamon in vanilla ice cream
Sensual Tiramisu: prepare to be enamored. captivated. enchanted
Jaffa Choc: orange marmalade ice cream jazzed up with a generous spread of dark citrus chocolate fudge
Lime & Black Pepper: packs a real punch! First with tangy lime then with spicy pepper
Orange Marmalade: tangy orange ice cream with swirled in marmalade
Hazelnut Haven - a must-have for Nutella© fans
Kahlua® Krunch: coffee ice cream with a more than generous dash of Kahlua®
Arghh.. and the list goes on and on. Go to their website for the whole list
Brandied Figs & honey (left), Hazelnut Haven (right)
Single scoop comes at $2.90, and double scoop at $4.90. So if you do your maths correctly, the double scoop seems a better option. Brandied Figs & honey is a new try for us, not sure if it goes very well with us, but mayb brandy lovers might just get it.
Hazelnut Haven was very good, i simply love Nutella. A must-have everytime i went to ice-cream parlour.
Lime & Black Pepper (left), Orange Marmalade (right)
Lime & Black Pepper may seems a weird combination. On first taste, the lime was rather refreshing, but after a while, the pepper feeling sinks in.
Orange Marmalade was a correct choice, tangy orange ice cream with swirled in marmalade. Try for yourself!
Oh ya, beside Daily Scoop at Clementi Arcade is Bather’s cafe, a place i always wanted to go but no opportunity. Next time then, watch out for it.
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 : )
” Ice cream - how do you stop eating them? “
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