Bright and eye catching, this Japanese Halal food chain caught my eye many times when i drove past Tampines Century Square and so, one day after work, me and my gf went straight down for dinner hoping to leave satisfied and happy. (Ain't that always the case when eating out?)
Interiors are nicely decorated and pleasing to the eye. The green. brown and red combination gives the illusion of elegance amidst normal settings. The plastic chairs did not add to the effect however and the dispersion of seats are minimal which means if the crowds set in, get ready for lots of knocking around and spilled items. The 'cushioned' seats are fared better but are limited.
Blue Lagoon ($3.90) - Sourish, gassy and overly sweet at the bottom. It doesn't quite fit the bill as a 'refreshment' and at its price, its way too over priced. I suppose its a trend that drinking almost anything outside of home is a way to get closer to poverty, iced water anyone? Oh! A point to note, they do not serve ice water as well. You need to pay $1 for Evian mineral water.
Tom Yam Chicken La Mian ($8.90) - On the menu, this showed 3 chilli's which is supposed to mean it is very spicy since the maximum number of chilli's awarded thus far is 3. My gf was greatly disappointed though since it was not spicy in the least (at least for her) and the stock wasn't much to shout about. The katsu was also not throughly crispy due to it being soaked in the soup and the Ramen was actually soggy which certainly doesn't bode well.
Beef Paper Steamboat Set ($13.90) - Mayo Prawns ($6.50) - The mayo prawns was an additional order and we given a grand total of 4 prawns for the price. That works out to be more then $1.50 per prawn which is very steep since the quality of it was only just passable. The prawns were small and nicely fried in a thin batter which didn't quite add much taste to the dish. The mayo was also of the normal variety but i would have appreciated the Wasabi Mayo prawns which would have been much better. Either way, still over priced for its quantity.
Chicken Karaage - The chicken karaage was actually quite generous and was served piping hot. The meat tasted tender and reminiscent of the seaweed wrapped chicken available at NTUC (thats not really a compliment is it?) and had a general sweetness to the meat that made it quite enjoyable but otherwise, utterly normal.
Beef Pot - The beef set actually came with rice as well and because the first order botched up since they sent me a salmon steamboat instead of my ordered beef steamboat, they made up for it by giving me a huge portion of beef which literally filled the paper steamboat to the brim. Given the choice of Tom Yam soup base or Miso, i picked Miso since Tom Yam to me meant sweating. The beef steamboat is very enjoyable as the portion i had was very generous. There was more then enough to go with the rice and much more left for simple enjoyment. The meat was quite fresh and added much taste to the normally bland miso. Another note on the miso was that it got better the longer the meat was boiled in it. The rice however, lacked any spring or taste but was serviceable to a certain degree.
The bill for 2 came up to $36.05 with a nice 10% discount for UOB card holders. Quite expensive given the quality of the food and environment.
I was generally surprised with the fact that this was a halal outlet but quite glad that it was since it means the market has changed to cater more for the masses. The service was pretty good with the manager offering additional meat for my pot and automatically deducting 10% off my bill without me asking for it but i did dislike the fact that the first order or serving was wrong. Interior wise, they should space out and provide better chairs since it feels too cramped at the moment and food wise, i felt everything was mediocre except for the beef steamboat but thats also because of the generous serving so that might change. Either way, i find this too expensive and will probably not return.
On my mother's 48th birthday, we brought her to her favorite vegetarian restaurant for a meal since she was vegetarian (that has changed though), and has been a pure vegan for 3 years. I do not claim to be well versed in this particular type of cuisine but i'll be doing my best to throw my prejudices away and give a relatively fair review.
As the location is somewhat of a humble coffeeshop in the vicinity of everyday housing blocks, i figured a snap shot of the location was unnecessary. However, being in such a location meant everyday low prices which does motivate somewhat. My mother does recommend the place and i have tried their spinach fried rice as well, which was really good.
Vegetarian Seafood Pot ($6-8) - This dish was an enigma of sorts because i couldn't quite understand what kind of seafood pot it was imitating. It contained assortments of bean curd ( the normal variety), button mushrooms, black fungi, snow peas and mini corns. The stock was quite salty and the bean curd which made up much of the dish really wasn't anything special. Serviceable but not something i'll order again.
Broccoli and Vegetarian Scallops and Fish Maw ($4-8) - Another lackluster dish, the broccoli was served in huge stalks and were difficult to chew on. The 'fish maw' was interesting because i couldn't make out what it was made of while the 'scallops' were made of 'dao gua' or 'dou gan' which did not taste the least bit the way it was supposed to. As a dish on its own, its rather bland and the broccoli could have been steamed longer before serving.
Sweet and Sour 'Pork' ($4-8) - The first item which actually tasted good. The sweet and sour 'pork' actually tasted authentic which is decidedly easy since the sauce is mostly vegetarian based in the first place. Being made of green peppers, tomatoes, pineapples, onions and tomato ketchup in general. The difference is the 'pork' which was deep fried as normal but is made of 'dou gan' instead. And even more surprising is that it actually works. This was quite easily enjoyable.
Vegetarian Shark's Fin Soup ($8-10) - It is a widely known fact that shark's fin itself has no taste, the real providers of taste in that department happens to be the stock or broth that houses it. So in this case, this doesn't taste much different from the actual thing. However, the broth used isn't up to par, probably due to the lack of chicken or seafood used in its stock. This resulted in a somewhat mild and bland tasting stew that has a long way to go before being a good sell.
Peking Duck ($8-10) - We called this out of curiosity and when it was served, it only resulted in even more questions as we struggle to understand why it was given its namesake in the first place. It tastes and looks nothing like Peking duck but that isn't to say it didn't taste good though. Similar to the sweet and sour 'pork' before it, this is made of beans and flour as usual and its seasoned with something akin to char siew sauce which makes it kind of sweet. The outer layer was thin and crispy with the inner layer actually having a texture very similar to chicken. Pretty nicely done.
Hot Plate Bean Curd ($4-8) - More bean curd again! This time, its done hot pate style with loads of spices and chilli thrown into the mix. The results are fiery hot and a little sweet at the same time in terms of the sauce used but the bean curd is sadly the same generic ones they used for almost every other dish. Average but could have been better.
Stir Fried Sweet Potato Leaf ($4-6) - This is interesting. How did they get the item to have the taste of dried shrimp when its a vegetarian restaurant? I guess i probably won't get to know. Either way, the dish tasted authentic yet again rivaling similar offerings fried with dried shrimp made outside but of course, thats about all that is good about it. So if you didn't like it when its made of shrimp, you wouldn't like it when its made here.
Fish Head Pot ($5-10) - This is also pretty nicely done, making it actually feel like i'm having fish soup with all the assorted sweet taste and even a fishy smell to go with it. Intriguing but apart from the vegetable, which turn out to be sweet potato leaf and cabbage again, the other ingredients and the fake fish failed to stir my taste buds.
"Shrimp" fritters ($4-6) - Yet another item that actually tasted pretty good. (I believe deep fried stuff tastes good easily because its not good for you.) The 'shrimp', which should be a mixture of radish and flour, was crunchy and appetising when paired with the salad cream and oddly enough, there's minimal oil to be found.
The bill was actually around $40 for this meal for 6 people. (I lost the bill, sorry) There's a multitude of items to try and many things you never thought could taste as alike as it does here. And if my mother's happy, thats fine with me.
I was quite surprised that quite a few items there were actually quite easy to stomach. This is because i largely assume vegetarian food to be the haven of artificial flavors and colors which does next to no good for my health. Still, i cannot deny that the food there wasn't too bad but i maintain my stand that as much as possible. Novelty aside, i would still prefer the natural stuff to something fabricated by man. If you are a vegan, you can give it a try because it does have some authentic stuff but if you are like me, a carnivore, stay away.
Monthly dinner was decided to be Sage's this time around and the group has swelled considerably since its inception. This time standing at 10 strong with bloggers and yebbers making the majority of the audience, we braved the horrible Friday night traffic to the second level of Double O for (hopefully) a good meal.
Sage is run by a husband and wife team who also helped prepare the menu you see here. As this menu was custom made for our group of 10, there are a few items you will not find in the ala carte menu at all times. So do be informed of this little detail.
Despite how bright some of these shots look, we struggled really hard to find a good light source for our photos. Its was very very dim inside and photo taking became a nightmare but we all managed to pull it off after many failed shots and lots of trial and error.
Complimentary Bread - The complimentary bread was served warm and soft but cooled quickly in the rather strong air con which rendered it pretty tasteless and simply bad. Servings were generous though and refills were readily given.
Amuse Bouche - Another complimentary item courtesy of the restaurants loving couple. This was basically minced pork with something akin to tomato puree atop which tasted pretty good but i dislike the taste it leaves in your mouth which is actually quite raw.
Huia Pinot Noir 2005 ($69) - Pinot noir belongs to a family of grapes which are generally of less body and contains more character. Huia from New Zealand was introduced by the serving staff for our meal which is strangely inadequate. Though i liked the bite the drink provided and the aftertaste which was sharp and slightly sourish, it did not fit the mood of the evening as the majority of our dishes were white meat or seafood. Even then, as a drink alone, this could be enjoyed easily and demands little appreciation for entry.
Seared King Scallops on a Salad of Homemade Squid Ink Capellini, Marinated Ocean Trout and Avruga Caviar, Braised Scallop Lips and Leek & Potato Vichyssoise - Heavenly. That about summarizes this dish. The scallops were pan seared to perfection with a slightly crisp exterior while retaining its fresh soft sweetness inside. The leek & potato Vichyssoise (the bed of sauce below) deserves specific mention since many of us soaked it up with the leftover complimentary bread just to get more of it. It was that good. A definite must try but its not available on normal menus though.
Pan Seared Duck Foie Gras with Pistachio Crust and Fig Compote, Granny Smith Apple Puree - Without a doubt, the best Foie Gras i have ever had. The pistachio nuts were included in the batter that pan seared the foie gras, resulting in a crispy crust with an aroma of ground nuts and a soft, melt-in-your-mouth layer inside. The sweet and sour apple puree only served to enhance the already wonderful taste it provides.
Effeuille of Cod and Grey Prawns in a Seafood Bouillabaisse with Ratte Potatoes and Garden Vegetables accompanied with Rouille on Toast - The star of the evening in an evening filled with stars. The prawns were fresh and totally sweet and crunchy with the additional basil adding dimension to the already splendid concoction. The cod was fine and so soft it literally melts away in your mouth. The seafood bouillabaisse tasted sharp amidst the fine ingredients and this added to an already perfect combination. An interesting item was the rouille on toast which was extremely hard and crispy but as with all items it already encompasses, only served to increase the amount of pleasure the dish generated.
Lavender Crème Brûlée with Blood Orange Sorbet on Redcurrant Jelly - I felt the only disappointment was its dessert. Thats not to say it was bad though. The creme brulee was fragrant, light and sweet enough to recommend but the coagulated sugar layer turned out thicker then it should. The white stick you see is meringue, which is a combination of sugar and egg white, which was great the first few bites and slowly degenerated to a fight for toothpicks as it began to stick to the teeth. The sorbet was nothing special as was the redcurrant jelly but they got the job done either way.
The bill for 10 people came up to a whooping $1022.80 dollars which shocked my teeth out the moment i saw it but i can't deny the wonderful experience their food and service managed to provide.
Despite my disdain for high priced and small servings, this restaurant proved my previous judgments unfounded and showed me a side of fine dining i have never experienced thus far into my little hobby. The food was packed with taste and didn't feel cheap or badly done in the least. Even the small servings did not manage to whip me out of my drunken stupor of praises for their food. This is one place to take note and come to if you have the dough to support your stomach. And with food this good, everybody should make an effort to be able to afford it.
Ice cream. A necessary sin, especially in Singapore where it is perpetually warm. And a wonderful indulgence after a good meal. That said, Ice Cream Chefs is an oasis in the desert, with a twist and i urge you to read on to see what this place offers.
Keep your eyes peeled as you drive to catch this purple signboard. Its easy to miss and the location is totally ulu and unexpected. There is free parking but you gotta press the bell to get in.
The location is difficult to find but price wise, 1 scoop goes for $3, 2 scoops for $4 and 3 scoops for $5 . I can't remember the exact prices but thats about a general price guide you can follow. Very competitive pricing i might say, and the idea is still novel enough to warrant some attention.
The ice cream used is of a pretty good quality. It is extremely easy to separate each taste from the next and durian taste is very very strong if you add it. It is also nicely smooth and taste as good as those served at other establishments like Anderson's or New Zealand ice cream. In other words, do try it!! Add in the fact that you can choose a large variety of toppings (oreos, fudge, marshmallows, M & Ms etc) and this is just a winner.
Good ice cream at a reasonable price with wonderful toppings and the option to try the entire process first hand. Apart from the secluded location, there is alot going for this place. Its definitely worth a visit just to mix the ice cream for yourself. Bring a date or friend along for added ambience *winks*.
Astons Prime is the upmarket version of the now-famous Astons Specialties. You can view my previous visit to Astons Specialties here. So how does this new venture fare in comparison to its lower priced cousin? Lets read on to find out.
The atmosphere it provides is definitely alot better then the coffee shop location of Specialties. The prices are also significantly higher in comparison as well. The good thing is that we did not need to line up for our meal as the place was quite deserted during lunch time. Astons Specialties, the Joo Chiat branch, was lined full of people when we passed by though, so the contrast is quite disconcerting.
Complimentary Bread - The complimentary bread is served warm with garlic butter spread. The spread is fragrant but strangely lacked taste. Overall not too bad. Service to this point was good with a jovial young lady taking our orders.
Steakhouse Fries ($3.50 - The steakhouse fries were nicely done and not too oily. It was served piping hot and with minimal salt. Our choice of sauce was tartar and tomato ketchup which complimented the fries perfectly. At $3.50, the serving was also quite generous in comparison to other restaurants and bars for the same item.
Australian Grain Fed Sirloin ($24.90) - The main course of the day is an Australian grain fed sirloin steak which was recommended by the waitress. Weighing in at 250oz, the serving was pretty big and was an eye opener when it was served. My portion was slightly thicker then Fatpig's which his was longer and leaner. The meat was grilled well, such that you can easily discern the cross cut grilling by sight. The meat itself was pretty good but not exceptional. I asked for mine to be medium rare but it turned out undercooked due to the thick mid section and was very pink near the middle. The problem with sirloin is the thick layer of fat usually attached to the top portion of the meat and thankfully, mine was minimal. The meat did cool a little too quickly for my liking and the undercooked portion made me minus huge points from it.
King Salmon Steak ($22.90) - I got to try one small piece after loads of complaints from my friend. The salmon steak was strangely also cooked medium rare which is a first for me. And it didn't taste good because of that as the texture was overly soft and was just wrong for the dish.
The meal for 3 came up to $76.20 which is pretty expensive. No GST nor service charge is a plus.
For an upmarket version, you can be sure it looks a lot nicer and better then its lower priced cousin. But food and value wise, Specialties still wins hands down simply because the quality of the offerings, though similar, is greatly diminished by the upscaling of prices. This explains the long queues for Specialties and lack of customers for Prime. That said, Prime is still a decent place for a meal with good service and decent beef. I may visit again to judge it further.
I would say that in terms of Planet Fitness at Suntec City being a gym, it would have gotten five stars from me. After all, what is there not to love about Planet Fitness?
There is the great view where you will get a clear view of the Singapore Flyer and the waters while one is working out. For ladies, you get to sweat it out privately at the womens' area where only ladies are allowed there so that we can not appear unglamorous in front of the opposite sex. And at no point of time have I encountered any spoilt machines.
The changing rooms and dressing rooms are superb with a steam room and a sauna for us to get as much out of our slimming regime. Every bathing room is filled with complimentary shampoo and soap. Furthermore, there are hair-dryers and cotton buds to serve us at the dressing table.
The personal trainers are charming and willing to please. In fact, my personal trainer was so nice that he didn't even bat an eyelid when I said that I prefer my slimming regime to be one of where "I can eat a lot and lose weight at the same time." He was also easy to talk to and entertained weird questions from my friends and I about his sexual orientation. (Haha. We were under the impression that all gym instructors were *ahem* gay. Sorry.) Despite all our nonsense, every time he saw us at the gym, he will make an extra effort to make sure we were doing the exercises right.
Also, there were also classes where we could learn things like yoga, dancing and even aqua aerobics at our very own private swimming pool.
So what was the problem?
There were two business service problems incidents which I encountered.
Firstly, as we were students, we were offered a student package which the prices were much much lower than that of a normal package. We only had to pay $60 odd per month. We ought to be happy, isn't it? However, it was long before I found out that another of my friend had gotten a better package deal, one that cost less than $60 and had access to all Planet Fitness gyms from another agent just a week ago. And thus, we were indignant at the unfair treatment. We also learnt that different agents will come out with different offers of packages, so do check the different rates of the agents before signing up the packages.
Another incident would be that the amount payable every month was supposed to be automatically deducted via GIRO and that would save us all the trouble. Unfortunately, for my friends and I, they were late in processing our GIRO forms and payment to the gym was delayed for about three months. In the end, we ended up having to go down to the gym and paid the three months debt at one-shot. And for three months, this problem was never brought up and we had all automatically assumed that money was deducted from our accounts. To make matters worse, there wasn't any explanation offered for the error.
These two incidents dramatically cut short my fitness program at Planet Fitness in 2007.
I love my heartland mall. I love going down there in my most dowdy gear – slippers, an old t-shirt over a pair of shorts with my thick geeky glasses. There is something appealing about a heartland mall where people are not checking each other out, comparing fashion senses and bitching about their choice of clothes. It is where I can really relax and do some shopping in the most unglamorous way possible.
Having said all that though, there is probably nothing that special about Whitesands that would make someone travel down from west just to shop there. (And I like it like that, thank you very much, or I wouldn’t be able to remain sloppy for long.) One can probably find that appeal in their very own heartland malls.
However, I believe that in heartland mall terms, Whitesands has to be one of the better ones, especially after undergoing much renovation recently. I will have to say that there is something for every member of the family at Whitesands now, even for the smallest member of the family, the pet, there is also a Pets Lovers Centre (#B1-13).
For the kids there would be tuition centres such as Kent Ridge Tutors (#05-07A) on the highest level with a Popular (#05-02) to ensure that their learning minds will never be bored with countless of assessments to do. (Heh.)
Teenagers would be able to enjoy themselves at Zone X (#04-16) playing their hearts at the arcade once school is over. Or the hardworking ones can proceed to the Pasir Ris Community Library (#04-01) on the same level. However, they should take special care not to over exert their eyes or they will find themselves ending up in Nanyang Optical (#01-07).
Mothers shopping for groceries would do it at NTUC Fairprice (#B1-10) and if they know how to enjoy lives well, they would pop over to New York Skins Solution (#04-07) to maintain their looks. It would be also be easy for them to compare prices of beauty and grooming essentials, given the close proximity of Watson's (#B1-01), Guardian (#B1-04) Venus Beauty (#B1-11) and Unity NTUC Healthcare (#B1-01)(Totally auntie and totally me.)
Fathers would... (Well, men were never shoppers to begin with and they have not much place in a mall.) probably find themselves checking out the latest sports equipment at Sportslink (#03-18) or at SelfFix DIY (#03-17) sourcing for new projects to start on at home.
Foodies will definitely enjoy the huge spread of food in this shopping mall. From Ben & Jerry's (#01-39) ice-cream to Duan Pandan Rice Dumplings (#01-45), there is no discounting the selection of food there. You can go Thai at Lerk Thai (#03-11), Japanese at Hei Sushi (#02-19), Hong Kong at Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe (#01-14) or even international at Kopitiam (#03-01).(Haha.)
Alas, unfortunately, there isn't much shopping that can be done here. To give some credit, there are indeed shops that cater to fashion and accessories such as Tom & Stefanie (#02-02) and Paris Bijoux (#01-K3) but the fashion catered here is not of much variety.
Nonetheless, the things and services available at Whitesands are really countless. You can see a doctor or a dentist; make a new set of keys; drink some herbal tea; change some money; buy some party needs and gifts and even carry a bicycle home from the mall.
Thus, it definitely win most heartland malls hands down! And I will pledge my allegiance to it! (Due to convenience and until the new mall at Downtown East comes along. =P)
Its been a while since I last stepped into Tao's, with my last visit being about one and a half years ago. Since I was in the vicinity, I couldn't resist dropping by to renew my acquaintance with this small humble eatery.
Occupying a space big enough for about 50 pax at the basement of Paradiz Centre, Tao's retains its clean lines and bright lighting to give the wholesome family dining feel. Tao's dining concept is rather different as the menu is fixed and you get to choose a dish for each course. There are 7 courses in total for dinner (I believe its 6 for lunch) but choices are rather limited.
Mushroom & Cheese Gratin and Toasted Bread - I personally like the gratin quite a bit, tasty yet not nausea inducing. It did come across as a little more watery this time round but portion size seemed to have grown slightly. When eaten with the lightly toasted bread, the combination really got me craving for more.
Curry Yogurt Prawn Salad - The prawn salad was a joke really. 3 thin slivers of prawns covering asparagus, cherry tomatoes and golden mushrooms. I could have easily stuffed all 3 into my mouth at one go. It didn't help that the accompanying curry sauce was rather strong and sweet.
Farm Boy Splendor - Having ordered the farm boy splendor on previous occasions, it certainly didn't impress me very much, coming across as very average. On a positive note, the pieces of chicken in it were sizable and the vegetables were relatively fresh.
Cream of Mushroom Soup - A most decent rendition of the humble cream of mushroom, with bits of mushroom in it and obviously not tasting like a straight out of the can variation. It would have been better if it was slightly more coagulated (less watery) though.
Wild Mushrooms - This has to be the only time that I found the wild mushrooms more enjoyable because they didn't taste too wild for me nor were there the irritating little hard bits present, unlike previous occasions. Not that I really fancy it that much still.
Slow Cooked Pork Back Ribs - The pork ribs is Tao's signature dish which has apparently won an award in some competition. The meat was fall of the bone tender but did come across as a tad too sweet, which made me rather sick after a while.
Tao's Oven Roasted Steak - The steak came almost well done although I had asked for medium rare. The presence of excessive tenderizer was also evident as the meat did seem a little too tender by normal standards. Probably the only positive thing about this dish was the gravy, which was a little peppery and relatively tasty.
Creme Brulee - Good Creme Brulees are made from real vanilla beans, not vanilla extract. Tao's rendition was made from the latter. Not that it tasted bad though, just that the layer of sugar atop was too thin and not even hard. Talk about poor execution.
Home Made Chocolate Mousse - Homemade stuff usually entail a certain standard, but the chocolate mousse was just plain weird by any standards. It tasted like a 2 layer cake with the mousse on top and kueh at the bottom. Definitely not for me.
Ice Grass Jelly Mint Tea - An excellent way to end off dinner, with a choice of teas. I personally like the grass jelly mint tea because its sweet and cool with a dash of freshness from the mint.
Prices at Tao's have not gone up since more than a year back, which is really commendable given the rising costs. $61 for 2 set dinners is rather reasonable for the quality and quantity of food if you ask me. Service is excellent and friendly as well. I can't find a reason not to return.
A simply great place to go for a short trip overseas. The best time to go will be mid April where weather is good and crowd is little. Redang is one of the few untainted (comparatively) beach area in the region.
We stayed in Laguna Redang Beach Resort. It's the resort that took over the wooden chalet in the movie 夏日摸摸茶 by Sammi Cheng and Someone (I forgot)
3 days and 2 nights are sufficient for a normal snorkeling/sun-tanning trip. You can opt to extend (if available) if you are learning diving there. Snorkeling equipments are going for RM25 for the 3 days we went there with complimentary trips to beyond Redang beach for snorkel.
One of the places we went to was the Marine Center for the marine life and corals. One of the rules however, is to refrain from bringing any coral/animals/etc back from the Marine Center. This is one of the rules to prevent corrosion of the marine life there.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner were international buffet. The amount of food was so great, there was no need to fight ;D Besides snorkeling and diving, one can also go for walks on the beach, beach volley-ing, swim in the pool, canoe and pubbing. Other facilities include KTV/Disco and Internet room (was RM10 per hr)
The only negative part of the trip was in the transportation. For us was a 5 hrs trip to KL then 45 mins of plane to Trengganu then 1 hr trip by bus from Trengganu to Jetty and another 1 hr or so to reach Redang. There are other alternatives like a 7hr trip by bus from Singapore to the jetty.
Very cosy and interestingly designed place for a gathering and fun night with friends. Games menu is very well organized and informative as it includes information like a short description and the number of people to play the game. Food is average in taste. Interactive and polite staffs who know their stuffs well enough to ask queries and teach first timers how to go about playing the games.
Cons:
Rather cramped for bigger groups. Limited drink menu and limited space to put food and play game at the same time.
1=SGD 0.0587
Bright and eye catching, this Japanese Halal food chain caught my eye many times when i drove past Tampines Century Square and so, one day after work, me and my gf went straight down for dinner hoping to leave satisfied and happy. (Ain't that always the case when eating out?)
Interiors are nicely decorated and pleasing to the eye. The green. brown and red combination gives the illusion of elegance amidst normal settings. The plastic chairs did not add to the effect however and the dispersion of seats are minimal which means if the crowds set in, get ready for lots of knocking around and spilled items. The 'cushioned' seats are fared better but are limited.
Blue Lagoon ($3.90) - Sourish, gassy and overly sweet at the bottom. It doesn't quite fit the bill as a 'refreshment' and at its price, its way too over priced. I suppose its a trend that drinking almost anything outside of home is a way to get closer to poverty, iced water anyone? Oh! A point to note, they do not serve ice water as well. You need to pay $1 for Evian mineral water.
Tom Yam Chicken La Mian ($8.90) - On the menu, this showed 3 chilli's which is supposed to mean it is very spicy since the maximum number of chilli's awarded thus far is 3. My gf was greatly disappointed though since it was not spicy in the least (at least for her) and the stock wasn't much to shout about. The katsu was also not throughly crispy due to it being soaked in the soup and the Ramen was actually soggy which certainly doesn't bode well.
Beef Paper Steamboat Set ($13.90) - Mayo Prawns ($6.50) - The mayo prawns was an additional order and we given a grand total of 4 prawns for the price. That works out to be more then $1.50 per prawn which is very steep since the quality of it was only just passable. The prawns were small and nicely fried in a thin batter which didn't quite add much taste to the dish. The mayo was also of the normal variety but i would have appreciated the Wasabi Mayo prawns which would have been much better. Either way, still over priced for its quantity.
Chicken Karaage - The chicken karaage was actually quite generous and was served piping hot. The meat tasted tender and reminiscent of the seaweed wrapped chicken available at NTUC (thats not really a compliment is it?) and had a general sweetness to the meat that made it quite enjoyable but otherwise, utterly normal.
Beef Pot - The beef set actually came with rice as well and because the first order botched up since they sent me a salmon steamboat instead of my ordered beef steamboat, they made up for it by giving me a huge portion of beef which literally filled the paper steamboat to the brim. Given the choice of Tom Yam soup base or Miso, i picked Miso since Tom Yam to me meant sweating. The beef steamboat is very enjoyable as the portion i had was very generous. There was more then enough to go with the rice and much more left for simple enjoyment. The meat was quite fresh and added much taste to the normally bland miso. Another note on the miso was that it got better the longer the meat was boiled in it. The rice however, lacked any spring or taste but was serviceable to a certain degree.
The bill for 2 came up to $36.05 with a nice 10% discount for UOB card holders. Quite expensive given the quality of the food and environment.
I was generally surprised with the fact that this was a halal outlet but quite glad that it was since it means the market has changed to cater more for the masses. The service was pretty good with the manager offering additional meat for my pot and automatically deducting 10% off my bill without me asking for it but i did dislike the fact that the first order or serving was wrong. Interior wise, they should space out and provide better chairs since it feels too cramped at the moment and food wise, i felt everything was mediocre except for the beef steamboat but thats also because of the generous serving so that might change. Either way, i find this too expensive and will probably not return.
Rating given:
On my mother's 48th birthday, we brought her to her favorite vegetarian restaurant for a meal since she was vegetarian (that has changed though), and has been a pure vegan for 3 years. I do not claim to be well versed in this particular type of cuisine but i'll be doing my best to throw my prejudices away and give a relatively fair review.
As the location is somewhat of a humble coffeeshop in the vicinity of everyday housing blocks, i figured a snap shot of the location was unnecessary. However, being in such a location meant everyday low prices which does motivate somewhat. My mother does recommend the place and i have tried their spinach fried rice as well, which was really good.
Vegetarian Seafood Pot ($6-8) - This dish was an enigma of sorts because i couldn't quite understand what kind of seafood pot it was imitating. It contained assortments of bean curd ( the normal variety), button mushrooms, black fungi, snow peas and mini corns. The stock was quite salty and the bean curd which made up much of the dish really wasn't anything special. Serviceable but not something i'll order again.
Broccoli and Vegetarian Scallops and Fish Maw ($4-8) - Another lackluster dish, the broccoli was served in huge stalks and were difficult to chew on. The 'fish maw' was interesting because i couldn't make out what it was made of while the 'scallops' were made of 'dao gua' or 'dou gan' which did not taste the least bit the way it was supposed to. As a dish on its own, its rather bland and the broccoli could have been steamed longer before serving.
Sweet and Sour 'Pork' ($4-8) - The first item which actually tasted good. The sweet and sour 'pork' actually tasted authentic which is decidedly easy since the sauce is mostly vegetarian based in the first place. Being made of green peppers, tomatoes, pineapples, onions and tomato ketchup in general. The difference is the 'pork' which was deep fried as normal but is made of 'dou gan' instead. And even more surprising is that it actually works. This was quite easily enjoyable.
Vegetarian Shark's Fin Soup ($8-10) - It is a widely known fact that shark's fin itself has no taste, the real providers of taste in that department happens to be the stock or broth that houses it. So in this case, this doesn't taste much different from the actual thing. However, the broth used isn't up to par, probably due to the lack of chicken or seafood used in its stock. This resulted in a somewhat mild and bland tasting stew that has a long way to go before being a good sell.
Peking Duck ($8-10) - We called this out of curiosity and when it was served, it only resulted in even more questions as we struggle to understand why it was given its namesake in the first place. It tastes and looks nothing like Peking duck but that isn't to say it didn't taste good though. Similar to the sweet and sour 'pork' before it, this is made of beans and flour as usual and its seasoned with something akin to char siew sauce which makes it kind of sweet. The outer layer was thin and crispy with the inner layer actually having a texture very similar to chicken. Pretty nicely done.
Hot Plate Bean Curd ($4-8) - More bean curd again! This time, its done hot pate style with loads of spices and chilli thrown into the mix. The results are fiery hot and a little sweet at the same time in terms of the sauce used but the bean curd is sadly the same generic ones they used for almost every other dish. Average but could have been better.
Stir Fried Sweet Potato Leaf ($4-6) - This is interesting. How did they get the item to have the taste of dried shrimp when its a vegetarian restaurant? I guess i probably won't get to know. Either way, the dish tasted authentic yet again rivaling similar offerings fried with dried shrimp made outside but of course, thats about all that is good about it. So if you didn't like it when its made of shrimp, you wouldn't like it when its made here.
Fish Head Pot ($5-10) - This is also pretty nicely done, making it actually feel like i'm having fish soup with all the assorted sweet taste and even a fishy smell to go with it. Intriguing but apart from the vegetable, which turn out to be sweet potato leaf and cabbage again, the other ingredients and the fake fish failed to stir my taste buds.
"Shrimp" fritters ($4-6) - Yet another item that actually tasted pretty good. (I believe deep fried stuff tastes good easily because its not good for you.) The 'shrimp', which should be a mixture of radish and flour, was crunchy and appetising when paired with the salad cream and oddly enough, there's minimal oil to be found.
The bill was actually around $40 for this meal for 6 people. (I lost the bill, sorry) There's a multitude of items to try and many things you never thought could taste as alike as it does here. And if my mother's happy, thats fine with me.
I was quite surprised that quite a few items there were actually quite easy to stomach. This is because i largely assume vegetarian food to be the haven of artificial flavors and colors which does next to no good for my health. Still, i cannot deny that the food there wasn't too bad but i maintain my stand that as much as possible. Novelty aside, i would still prefer the natural stuff to something fabricated by man. If you are a vegan, you can give it a try because it does have some authentic stuff but if you are like me, a carnivore, stay away.
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Monthly dinner was decided to be Sage's this time around and the group has swelled considerably since its inception. This time standing at 10 strong with bloggers and yebbers making the majority of the audience, we braved the horrible Friday night traffic to the second level of Double O for (hopefully) a good meal.
Sage is run by a husband and wife team who also helped prepare the menu you see here. As this menu was custom made for our group of 10, there are a few items you will not find in the ala carte menu at all times. So do be informed of this little detail.
Despite how bright some of these shots look, we struggled really hard to find a good light source for our photos. Its was very very dim inside and photo taking became a nightmare but we all managed to pull it off after many failed shots and lots of trial and error.
Complimentary Bread - The complimentary bread was served warm and soft but cooled quickly in the rather strong air con which rendered it pretty tasteless and simply bad. Servings were generous though and refills were readily given.
Amuse Bouche - Another complimentary item courtesy of the restaurants loving couple. This was basically minced pork with something akin to tomato puree atop which tasted pretty good but i dislike the taste it leaves in your mouth which is actually quite raw.
Huia Pinot Noir 2005 ($69) - Pinot noir belongs to a family of grapes which are generally of less body and contains more character. Huia from New Zealand was introduced by the serving staff for our meal which is strangely inadequate. Though i liked the bite the drink provided and the aftertaste which was sharp and slightly sourish, it did not fit the mood of the evening as the majority of our dishes were white meat or seafood. Even then, as a drink alone, this could be enjoyed easily and demands little appreciation for entry.
Seared King Scallops on a Salad of Homemade Squid Ink Capellini, Marinated Ocean Trout and Avruga Caviar, Braised Scallop Lips and Leek & Potato Vichyssoise - Heavenly. That about summarizes this dish. The scallops were pan seared to perfection with a slightly crisp exterior while retaining its fresh soft sweetness inside. The leek & potato Vichyssoise (the bed of sauce below) deserves specific mention since many of us soaked it up with the leftover complimentary bread just to get more of it. It was that good. A definite must try but its not available on normal menus though.
Pan Seared Duck Foie Gras with Pistachio Crust and Fig Compote, Granny Smith Apple Puree - Without a doubt, the best Foie Gras i have ever had. The pistachio nuts were included in the batter that pan seared the foie gras, resulting in a crispy crust with an aroma of ground nuts and a soft, melt-in-your-mouth layer inside. The sweet and sour apple puree only served to enhance the already wonderful taste it provides.
Effeuille of Cod and Grey Prawns in a Seafood Bouillabaisse with Ratte Potatoes and Garden Vegetables accompanied with Rouille on Toast - The star of the evening in an evening filled with stars. The prawns were fresh and totally sweet and crunchy with the additional basil adding dimension to the already splendid concoction. The cod was fine and so soft it literally melts away in your mouth. The seafood bouillabaisse tasted sharp amidst the fine ingredients and this added to an already perfect combination. An interesting item was the rouille on toast which was extremely hard and crispy but as with all items it already encompasses, only served to increase the amount of pleasure the dish generated.
Lavender Crème Brûlée with Blood Orange Sorbet on Redcurrant Jelly - I felt the only disappointment was its dessert. Thats not to say it was bad though. The creme brulee was fragrant, light and sweet enough to recommend but the coagulated sugar layer turned out thicker then it should. The white stick you see is meringue, which is a combination of sugar and egg white, which was great the first few bites and slowly degenerated to a fight for toothpicks as it began to stick to the teeth. The sorbet was nothing special as was the redcurrant jelly but they got the job done either way.
The bill for 10 people came up to a whooping $1022.80 dollars which shocked my teeth out the moment i saw it but i can't deny the wonderful experience their food and service managed to provide.
Despite my disdain for high priced and small servings, this restaurant proved my previous judgments unfounded and showed me a side of fine dining i have never experienced thus far into my little hobby. The food was packed with taste and didn't feel cheap or badly done in the least. Even the small servings did not manage to whip me out of my drunken stupor of praises for their food. This is one place to take note and come to if you have the dough to support your stomach. And with food this good, everybody should make an effort to be able to afford it.
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Ice cream. A necessary sin, especially in Singapore where it is perpetually warm. And a wonderful indulgence after a good meal. That said, Ice Cream Chefs is an oasis in the desert, with a twist and i urge you to read on to see what this place offers.
Keep your eyes peeled as you drive to catch this purple signboard. Its easy to miss and the location is totally ulu and unexpected. There is free parking but you gotta press the bell to get in.
The location is difficult to find but price wise, 1 scoop goes for $3, 2 scoops for $4 and 3 scoops for $5 . I can't remember the exact prices but thats about a general price guide you can follow. Very competitive pricing i might say, and the idea is still novel enough to warrant some attention.
The ice cream used is of a pretty good quality. It is extremely easy to separate each taste from the next and durian taste is very very strong if you add it. It is also nicely smooth and taste as good as those served at other establishments like Anderson's or New Zealand ice cream. In other words, do try it!! Add in the fact that you can choose a large variety of toppings (oreos, fudge, marshmallows, M & Ms etc) and this is just a winner.
Good ice cream at a reasonable price with wonderful toppings and the option to try the entire process first hand. Apart from the secluded location, there is alot going for this place. Its definitely worth a visit just to mix the ice cream for yourself. Bring a date or friend along for added ambience *winks*.
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Astons Prime is the upmarket version of the now-famous Astons Specialties. You can view my previous visit to Astons Specialties here. So how does this new venture fare in comparison to its lower priced cousin? Lets read on to find out.
The atmosphere it provides is definitely alot better then the coffee shop location of Specialties. The prices are also significantly higher in comparison as well. The good thing is that we did not need to line up for our meal as the place was quite deserted during lunch time. Astons Specialties, the Joo Chiat branch, was lined full of people when we passed by though, so the contrast is quite disconcerting.
Complimentary Bread - The complimentary bread is served warm with garlic butter spread. The spread is fragrant but strangely lacked taste. Overall not too bad. Service to this point was good with a jovial young lady taking our orders.
Steakhouse Fries ($3.50 - The steakhouse fries were nicely done and not too oily. It was served piping hot and with minimal salt. Our choice of sauce was tartar and tomato ketchup which complimented the fries perfectly. At $3.50, the serving was also quite generous in comparison to other restaurants and bars for the same item.
Australian Grain Fed Sirloin ($24.90) - The main course of the day is an Australian grain fed sirloin steak which was recommended by the waitress. Weighing in at 250oz, the serving was pretty big and was an eye opener when it was served. My portion was slightly thicker then Fatpig's which his was longer and leaner. The meat was grilled well, such that you can easily discern the cross cut grilling by sight. The meat itself was pretty good but not exceptional. I asked for mine to be medium rare but it turned out undercooked due to the thick mid section and was very pink near the middle. The problem with sirloin is the thick layer of fat usually attached to the top portion of the meat and thankfully, mine was minimal. The meat did cool a little too quickly for my liking and the undercooked portion made me minus huge points from it.
King Salmon Steak ($22.90) - I got to try one small piece after loads of complaints from my friend. The salmon steak was strangely also cooked medium rare which is a first for me. And it didn't taste good because of that as the texture was overly soft and was just wrong for the dish.
The meal for 3 came up to $76.20 which is pretty expensive. No GST nor service charge is a plus.
For an upmarket version, you can be sure it looks a lot nicer and better then its lower priced cousin. But food and value wise, Specialties still wins hands down simply because the quality of the offerings, though similar, is greatly diminished by the upscaling of prices. This explains the long queues for Specialties and lack of customers for Prime. That said, Prime is still a decent place for a meal with good service and decent beef. I may visit again to judge it further.
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I would say that in terms of Planet Fitness at Suntec City being a gym, it would have gotten five stars from me. After all, what is there not to love about Planet Fitness?
There is the great view where you will get a clear view of the Singapore Flyer and the waters while one is working out. For ladies, you get to sweat it out privately at the womens' area where only ladies are allowed there so that we can not appear unglamorous in front of the opposite sex. And at no point of time have I encountered any spoilt machines.
The changing rooms and dressing rooms are superb with a steam room and a sauna for us to get as much out of our slimming regime. Every bathing room is filled with complimentary shampoo and soap. Furthermore, there are hair-dryers and cotton buds to serve us at the dressing table.
The personal trainers are charming and willing to please. In fact, my personal trainer was so nice that he didn't even bat an eyelid when I said that I prefer my slimming regime to be one of where "I can eat a lot and lose weight at the same time." He was also easy to talk to and entertained weird questions from my friends and I about his sexual orientation. (Haha. We were under the impression that all gym instructors were *ahem* gay. Sorry.) Despite all our nonsense, every time he saw us at the gym, he will make an extra effort to make sure we were doing the exercises right.
Also, there were also classes where we could learn things like yoga, dancing and even aqua aerobics at our very own private swimming pool.
So what was the problem?
There were two business service problems incidents which I encountered.
Firstly, as we were students, we were offered a student package which the prices were much much lower than that of a normal package. We only had to pay $60 odd per month. We ought to be happy, isn't it? However, it was long before I found out that another of my friend had gotten a better package deal, one that cost less than $60 and had access to all Planet Fitness gyms from another agent just a week ago. And thus, we were indignant at the unfair treatment. We also learnt that different agents will come out with different offers of packages, so do check the different rates of the agents before signing up the packages.
Another incident would be that the amount payable every month was supposed to be automatically deducted via GIRO and that would save us all the trouble. Unfortunately, for my friends and I, they were late in processing our GIRO forms and payment to the gym was delayed for about three months. In the end, we ended up having to go down to the gym and paid the three months debt at one-shot. And for three months, this problem was never brought up and we had all automatically assumed that money was deducted from our accounts. To make matters worse, there wasn't any explanation offered for the error.
These two incidents dramatically cut short my fitness program at Planet Fitness in 2007.
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I love my heartland mall. I love going down there in my most dowdy gear – slippers, an old t-shirt over a pair of shorts with my thick geeky glasses. There is something appealing about a heartland mall where people are not checking each other out, comparing fashion senses and bitching about their choice of clothes. It is where I can really relax and do some shopping in the most unglamorous way possible.
Having said all that though, there is probably nothing that special about Whitesands that would make someone travel down from west just to shop there. (And I like it like that, thank you very much, or I wouldn’t be able to remain sloppy for long.) One can probably find that appeal in their very own heartland malls.
However, I believe that in heartland mall terms, Whitesands has to be one of the better ones, especially after undergoing much renovation recently. I will have to say that there is something for every member of the family at Whitesands now, even for the smallest member of the family, the pet, there is also a Pets Lovers Centre (#B1-13).
For the kids there would be tuition centres such as Kent Ridge Tutors (#05-07A) on the highest level with a Popular (#05-02) to ensure that their learning minds will never be bored with countless of assessments to do. (Heh.)
Teenagers would be able to enjoy themselves at Zone X (#04-16) playing their hearts at the arcade once school is over. Or the hardworking ones can proceed to the Pasir Ris Community Library (#04-01) on the same level. However, they should take special care not to over exert their eyes or they will find themselves ending up in Nanyang Optical (#01-07).
Mothers shopping for groceries would do it at NTUC Fairprice (#B1-10) and if they know how to enjoy lives well, they would pop over to New York Skins Solution (#04-07) to maintain their looks. It would be also be easy for them to compare prices of beauty and grooming essentials, given the close proximity of Watson's (#B1-01), Guardian (#B1-04) Venus Beauty (#B1-11) and Unity NTUC Healthcare (#B1-01) (Totally auntie and totally me.)
Fathers would... (Well, men were never shoppers to begin with and they have not much place in a mall.) probably find themselves checking out the latest sports equipment at Sportslink (#03-18) or at SelfFix DIY (#03-17) sourcing for new projects to start on at home.
Foodies will definitely enjoy the huge spread of food in this shopping mall. From Ben & Jerry's (#01-39) ice-cream to Duan Pandan Rice Dumplings (#01-45), there is no discounting the selection of food there. You can go Thai at Lerk Thai (#03-11), Japanese at Hei Sushi (#02-19), Hong Kong at Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe (#01-14) or even international at Kopitiam (#03-01).(Haha.)
Alas, unfortunately, there isn't much shopping that can be done here. To give some credit, there are indeed shops that cater to fashion and accessories such as Tom & Stefanie (#02-02) and Paris Bijoux (#01-K3) but the fashion catered here is not of much variety.
Nonetheless, the things and services available at Whitesands are really countless. You can see a doctor or a dentist; make a new set of keys; drink some herbal tea; change some money; buy some party needs and gifts and even carry a bicycle home from the mall.
Thus, it definitely win most heartland malls hands down! And I will pledge my allegiance to it! (Due to convenience and until the new mall at Downtown East comes along. =P)
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Its been a while since I last stepped into Tao's, with my last visit being about one and a half years ago. Since I was in the vicinity, I couldn't resist dropping by to renew my acquaintance with this small humble eatery.
Occupying a space big enough for about 50 pax at the basement of Paradiz Centre, Tao's retains its clean lines and bright lighting to give the wholesome family dining feel. Tao's dining concept is rather different as the menu is fixed and you get to choose a dish for each course. There are 7 courses in total for dinner (I believe its 6 for lunch) but choices are rather limited.
Mushroom & Cheese Gratin and Toasted Bread - I personally like the gratin quite a bit, tasty yet not nausea inducing. It did come across as a little more watery this time round but portion size seemed to have grown slightly. When eaten with the lightly toasted bread, the combination really got me craving for more.
Curry Yogurt Prawn Salad - The prawn salad was a joke really. 3 thin slivers of prawns covering asparagus, cherry tomatoes and golden mushrooms. I could have easily stuffed all 3 into my mouth at one go. It didn't help that the accompanying curry sauce was rather strong and sweet.
Farm Boy Splendor - Having ordered the farm boy splendor on previous occasions, it certainly didn't impress me very much, coming across as very average. On a positive note, the pieces of chicken in it were sizable and the vegetables were relatively fresh.
Cream of Mushroom Soup - A most decent rendition of the humble cream of mushroom, with bits of mushroom in it and obviously not tasting like a straight out of the can variation. It would have been better if it was slightly more coagulated (less watery) though.
Wild Mushrooms - This has to be the only time that I found the wild mushrooms more enjoyable because they didn't taste too wild for me nor were there the irritating little hard bits present, unlike previous occasions. Not that I really fancy it that much still.
Slow Cooked Pork Back Ribs - The pork ribs is Tao's signature dish which has apparently won an award in some competition. The meat was fall of the bone tender but did come across as a tad too sweet, which made me rather sick after a while.
Tao's Oven Roasted Steak - The steak came almost well done although I had asked for medium rare. The presence of excessive tenderizer was also evident as the meat did seem a little too tender by normal standards. Probably the only positive thing about this dish was the gravy, which was a little peppery and relatively tasty.
Creme Brulee - Good Creme Brulees are made from real vanilla beans, not vanilla extract. Tao's rendition was made from the latter. Not that it tasted bad though, just that the layer of sugar atop was too thin and not even hard. Talk about poor execution.
Home Made Chocolate Mousse - Homemade stuff usually entail a certain standard, but the chocolate mousse was just plain weird by any standards. It tasted like a 2 layer cake with the mousse on top and kueh at the bottom. Definitely not for me.
Ice Grass Jelly Mint Tea - An excellent way to end off dinner, with a choice of teas. I personally like the grass jelly mint tea because its sweet and cool with a dash of freshness from the mint.
Prices at Tao's have not gone up since more than a year back, which is really commendable given the rising costs. $61 for 2 set dinners is rather reasonable for the quality and quantity of food if you ask me. Service is excellent and friendly as well. I can't find a reason not to return.
See all my pictures here
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A simply great place to go for a short trip overseas. The best time to go will be mid April where weather is good and crowd is little. Redang is one of the few untainted (comparatively) beach area in the region.
We stayed in Laguna Redang Beach Resort. It's the resort that took over the wooden chalet in the movie 夏日摸摸茶 by Sammi Cheng and Someone (I forgot)
3 days and 2 nights are sufficient for a normal snorkeling/sun-tanning trip. You can opt to extend (if available) if you are learning diving there. Snorkeling equipments are going for RM25 for the 3 days we went there with complimentary trips to beyond Redang beach for snorkel.
One of the places we went to was the Marine Center for the marine life and corals. One of the rules however, is to refrain from bringing any coral/animals/etc back from the Marine Center. This is one of the rules to prevent corrosion of the marine life there.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner were international buffet. The amount of food was so great, there was no need to fight ;D
Besides snorkeling and diving, one can also go for walks on the beach, beach volley-ing, swim in the pool, canoe and pubbing. Other facilities include KTV/Disco and Internet room (was RM10 per hr)
The only negative part of the trip was in the transportation. For us was a 5 hrs trip to KL then 45 mins of plane to Trengganu then 1 hr trip by bus from Trengganu to Jetty and another 1 hr or so to reach Redang. There are other alternatives like a 7hr trip by bus from Singapore to the jetty.
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Pros:
Very cosy and interestingly designed place for a gathering and fun night with friends. Games menu is very well organized and informative as it includes information like a short description and the number of people to play the game. Food is average in taste. Interactive and polite staffs who know their stuffs well enough to ask queries and teach first timers how to go about playing the games.
Cons:
Rather cramped for bigger groups. Limited drink menu and limited space to put food and play game at the same time.
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