I dined here some time ago yet I just couldn't get over it. It is indeed a memorable experience, not in a good way, yet this was what happened.
Me and my girlfriend (singular), while single and available are suckers for korean BBQ and while we met for aimless talks, we decided to dine somewhere near her office and ended up with MANNA. The entrance looked promising while they had quite a large space for expensive shop fronts. The restaurant can house about 100 patrons comfortably in tables and we were shown the menu while we could choose whichever seat we wanted and we chose a table for 6. The regular korean BBQ menu with some special dishes, yet we are all creatures of habits and did not linger beyond the BBQ meat page.
The staff was of no help, matter of fact of bad help. We previously wanted to order some pork belly and sliced beef and was introduced the 3 meat platter which is a chicken, beef and pork. While we contemplate, we were asked if we wanted any side dishes and we ended with pancake which is supposedly one of the best made dishes here. To prevent our clothes from stinking while we are onto our post dinner drinks, we decided the meat to be cooked in the kitchen. What arrived later shocked us to the brim.
The side dishes arrived first with 6 varieties to choose from. We were disappointed and the veg for the meat also arrived which is a frisky thin basket of a few pieces of veg. Apparently, they do charge extra if you want more veg and this frisky less than 8 leaves of lettuce with cloves of garlic is all we got.
Pancake was a seafood flavor, regular slices I guessed 8-10 inch which is good to share with 4 other friends and the meats finally arrived and we were shocked till our spine tingles. 3 medium sized hot plates full of beef, pork and chicken, bulgogi styled and looked as if they were fried using the same sauce. We were overwhelmed... thats alot of food (aka meat) for 2 girls...
Dinner ended with us eating:
2.5 slices of pancakes
a little pork, chicken and beef yet we wasted more than 80% of the food and while the lady came over to clear our tables she asked us if we wanted to pack them home yet we would not know what we could do with it packed. She cleared the table with a disappointing face and we felt guilty. The thing is, the person who took our orders should advise us and not keep asking us to order more and introduce more stuffs, knowing we can't eat that much. The portion we ordered can feed 6 persons comfortably yet we didn't make a sound. The Singaporean courteous way of handling being sponged! We just make payment with no complaints but vowed NEVER TO RETURN as it will revive bad memories. This dinner for 2 came up to be about $220 with a plastic bottle of korean wine...
Food is Okay, not fantastic, quite pricey i must say and service is so so.... The restaurant was pretty empty for a weekday evening in the CBD area with just another couple at the next table having some rice sets, while we blur dudes got sponged!
2 stars because its a bad experience for me yet staff was friendly and service level was OKAY! so yes it doesn't deserve 1 star but not 3 either!
You simply can't blame me for being such a sucker for beautiful lingerie, i admit.. that I always gets magnetized into the La Senza outlet when I pass by one. Its Beautiful, Its Glamorous, Its Exciting, Its Wonderful to be a woman and of course pretty little secrets we kept hidden underneath our clothes.
As usual, I can't help myself but went in for a stroll. The shiny black cabinets, full of beautiful blinking "eye shades" arranged neatly in their sizes and cups, oh well... no harm just taking a look and feel the soft satin material while wondering how it would look on me! At this moment, my eyes darted around to look for the drawer that holds my size... as I open it.... It feels like revelation unveils itself.... IT HAS MY SIZE! A tickle in my ears as though somebody whispered....." You think you look good in this one?" I pondered and picked up my new found treasure, while I am about to close the drawer.. another whisp of air" "How about that one in a HOT PINK! and that dark blue looked SASSY!" Oh what the 'XYZ' since i'm already heading for the dressing room, might as well get a few more!
This moment, the friendly staff approaches with a large shopping bag and an invitation to freely pick whatever I liked and so, heeding that friendly gesture I went on with other lacey designs, something for that low plunge top, low back dresses and basics that perks me up on casual t-shirt days. I picked and I stepped into that posh carpeted beautiful changing room with mirrors so flattering and a heart shaped stool for me to try out every position. I feasted with my eyes as if every design looked delicious, imagined the occasions I will appear in them and took a small peek of the price! Hm..... affordable in a fast food lunch and dinner for the rest of the week way! Yes... I'm buying them! and immediately I feel my spirits lifted up and almost exited the changing room skipping. Ditched the ones I tried but am not prepared to buy and head on to the cashier.
While the cashier asked me.. "How about some matching panties!" and I considered.... WHY NOT? The whole set makes it COMPLETE! so motioning at her colleagues that seemed to have a big smile plastered on her face, she brought me to a large black counter and picked up all the matching undies in various matching styles such as boy shorts, g-strings and whatever fancy names! I've decided my best liked style and was showed back to the cashier! While she scanned my last piece, she reassured me of the sizes that I purchased and asked if I was a member or if I wanted to join, gave a brief introduction of the membership and I whipped out my trusty VISA. Carefully she wrapped these delicate pieces in a HOT PINK tracing paper and placed them into a classy LA SENZA paper bag with an extra pink paper on the top for discretion.
I left the shop feeling confident, in complete ecstacy and extremely glad with my purchase while I wondered.. where should I keep these new found love if my lingerie drawer is already full of La Senza? Perhaps a new wardrobe for the new year? and the guilt started to do its job!!!
If you love the aromatic thick black local coffee, Toast Box is just the right place to sit down for a short break. Yes, this outlet is so different from the other outlets, the interior deco is fabulously posh and I simply love the steamy fumes that emerges from the counter now and then.
Music from the nearby record shop fills the air with a sense of jazziness while we sink ourselves into the heavily cushioned smooth leathery looking seats. The ambiance is casual while men in their cleanl tailored suits looked seriously at their text messages and laughters from the nearby table of tourist. Its a mixed of work and play culture yet joy seemed to rule it all here.
The coffee at toast box is always thick and aromatic while they also do serve various choices of other drinks in which my favourite would be iced lemon grass with jelly. The pearls that they usually add to the drinks are not as chewy and yummy thus would be a bad experience for pearl lovers.
Local staples are available such as soup noodles, mee siam and laksa, while most people usually go for tapas or some sweet snacks during this coffee break. The cakes were extremely old school. I simply love the butter creamed cakes with peanut or vanilla, otherwise chocolate flavoured. It reminded me of the cakes we used to love to receive when somebody is about to get married. Cakes were spongy in the middle with smooth and slightly sweetened butter cream laced with gel coloured flavors is the perfect cake, though its of a good size, I always ended with 2 slices.
This location is extremely charming yet, the price remains the same as all the other outlets. Would love to bring my friends to hang around here!
If you would really enjoy a mouthful of italian food without owning an italian chef boyfriend, then PastaMania is the most convenient choice. You don't have to speak the romantic language of italiano to enjoy the hot kisses of spicy Sicilian seafood AglioOlio or the stinky cheesy breath of the mix of cheeses on that freshly baked Mediterranean pizza that left a sleazy clue on the crease on your lips.
The closest italian staples at the most affordable prices I can find, the varieties on the menu just made me hope I really do have an inflatable tummy. Appetizers was a good choice of more than 10 items yet I still ended up with a minestrone soup and a chicken caesar salad with bits of bacon. Soup was thin and watery while the salad was really crunchy and tasty with bouncy boiled eggs, just the way Caesar himself might like it.
Well, there were many pasta and pizza choices to choose from, yet with a big group, we could always do what the skinny girls does, to order and to share less we weren't too skinny and would usually over-order, which we eventually did. OVER-ORDERED. so here goes the list:
Chicken Ham & Sausage Baked Rice - was a pipping hot cheesy dish with loads of yummy soft rice underneath all that mess. Cream based, extremely tasty and cheesy, while the ham and sausages just pairs on well with the bits of mushrooms. Portion was a little small as the dish was rather shallow.
Vongole in a white wine sauce - pasta was well made to the right hardness and sauce was light but tasty. The clams chewy and rather brought with it the tasty sense of the ocean. Great portion and lots of clam, just without the wow factor.
Sicilian Spaghetti from the set menu of the day is a seafood angel hair pasta which is spiced nicely with a balanced amount of light chili and spices tossed lightly with olive oil and some chuncks of tomatoes and capsicum for that exotic look. Its yummy, light and healthy. Wonderful choice out of all we have chosen.
Meat Lover meaty pizza is one that was pretty disappointing. The crust was great, crispy and tasty, cheeses regular but the meat topping were hams and sausages and seriously lacking some real MEAT. So we suggest... to bring on some REAL MEAT!
Beverages were not much of a choice from canned drinks but they do have some interesting cocktails to choose from, love the strawberry soda thingee.. It was refreshing.
Meanwhile, the ambiance was nice and the sitting adequate even for big groups of 10 or 16s. Seats were casual and place is rather clean, its not too noisy, perhaps because we were the noise makers and the service is rather quick. Water and cutlery are self serve and order and make payment at the counter. Food portion was okay and I think its a great place for a get together rowdy kinda gatherings. Love the choices love the food and the italian look of the entire restaurant.
"Freshly baked...Reduced Sugar...Reduced Butter" caught our eyes when we ordered our mixed rice dishes. No, we were not talking about the rice dishes but the stall next to it selling muffins.
The display showcased a variety of freshly baked muffins. We could not take our eyes off those muffins as all of them look so tempting. From the look of it, we could see that the owner has taken pains to create innovative range such as chocolate & hazelnut, mochaccino ( mocha with cuppacinno? ), apple lemon with cinnamon, peach slices, cream cheese, etc
We ordered a few pieces to try after our light dinner. The muffins were really good. Unlike some muffins which turned out to be dry, flaky and full of flour, the ones over here are moist and full of real stuff. At least when we bite on the ingredients, we could taste the fragrant of real hazelnut, apple or banana bits.
The partner managing the stall was also friendly and took effort to explain the detailed ingredients in each muffin. We were impressed and happy that besides the personalised service, we do not feel guilty as all muffins were made with lesser sugar and butter.
Step back in time for a cuppa coffee one lazy afternoon at the colonial styled building where Starbucks resides amidst the greenery and the squeaky insects calling. This is the most charming Starbucks outlet i've ever came across in Singapore. The location is kinda on a low hill and is almost too perfect except being obscured by the other higher buildings built in front of it.
Flushed in white with the prominent dark Starbuck's Green showing up in logos and gazebos, this is not a small outlet with plenty of seats indoor and outdoors for people who love to enjoy a cup of aromatic coffee and a book. Outdoor decked seats kept cool with some fan and the green surroundings while the indoor air-conditioned cushioned seats is just like a huge living room. Head up to the second floor and find yourself in a huge lounging living room as though an excerpt from your english novel (the gentlemen's card room). Lots of seats with various comfort level and well arranged space for easy moving around. There is also a non-aircon balcony area which overlooks the green surrounding down the hill which is the favorite spot for many. There are ample powerpoints if you need to charge your phones or power for laptops and seats are pretty mobile except for the lounging sofas, great for big groups. Noise is not very well contained with the high ceilings, so its important not to speak too loudly.
We find more food choices here as with the other outlets with lots of hot dishes to choose from such as lasagna, hot sandwiches and of course the regular cakes, biscuits, muffins and other coffee pairing desserts. The coffee menu is the standard menu like every outlet while I always love a good cuppa cappuccino with a coffee chiffon cake and a fantasy book for my weekend afternoons. Most cakes served in coffee delis are usually cheese or chocolate fudge cakes which is heavy and usually served cold rather I was surprised that their coffee chiffon cake is a good balance of a lightweight chiffon mildly coffee scented with a buttery cream top and walnuts that brings a soothing nutty taste without the crunch. The entire cake is soft but not limp, mildly flavored but not blend, eventful but not rich, the taste and texture blended very well and is tantalizing but not overpowering. Really good cake I must say.
This is going to be my secret haunt, though already home for many, I'm joining in the gang. Really exceptionally charming location. By the way, service was fast and friendly with large smiles and accented english everywhere however, it takes a little more effort to clear the tables and to keep the cafe clean :)
It was the F1 weekend again and we didn't fancy going into town for our dim sum fix. And so we decided on Ba Xian, the flagship Chinese restaurant at Tower Club. It helped that they were offering a 50% discount on dim sum for weekends only.
The lifts take you up to the entrance of Tower Club on the 62nd floor. From there, you take an internal lift from the club's lobby to the 63rd floor where Ba Xian is located. The furnishing is plush with full length windows that look out into the South China Sea. There are capsule like seats for 2 that offer a somewhat quirky dining experience.
Crispy Cuttlefish - Nicely seasoned but the flour coating was a tad too thick for my liking and so was the oil content. Makes you sick after a while.
Pork Belly Char Siew - The BBQ pork belly had a proportionate fat to meat ratio which made for great texture. However, the meat was rather bland and lacked any sweetness that I would usually associate with char siew.
Roasted Pork Belly - Although I love my sio bak, this was honestly a little hard to stomach and both of us were struggling to finish all 12 cubes of it. Sure, the skin was crispy but it was a tad too thick and dry for my liking. Also, as with the char siew, the meat was almost tasteless. A little more salt perhaps?
Pork & Century Egg Congee - Apart from the sticky texture of porridge that I personally like, this dish was average tasting with quantity of ingredients bordering on miserly.
Prawn with Crab Meat - Generous serving of prawns and crab meat stuffed within the crispy deep fried shell but strangely enough, there was a rather strong ginger aftertaste which I didn't like. Thank god for mayonnaise.
Sweet Corn Cake - This was the first time seeing sweet corn cake on a dim sum menu so thought it would be interesting to give it a go. Alas, it tasted like normal carrot cake with sweet corn and tiny bits of Chinese sausage embedded within. Texture wasn't exactly smooth but overall still palatable.
Chee Cheong Fun -The chee cheong fun came in 3 varieties of filling - char siew, scallop and prawn. For starters, the cheong fun was a little too thick but I was impressed by the generous amounts of scallop and char siew within. This was one of the rare occasions where I could actually make out the texture and taste of the scallop wrapped within. That said, the prawn filling was rather underwhelming though.
Siew Mai - Served with a slice of topshell, the siew mai was decent without coming across as too oily.
Har Gao - Instead of the de facto prawn taste that I was expecting, the har gao tasted overwhelming of vegetables instead. And the thicker than expected skin didn't help matters.
Mini Egg Tartlets - After the repertoire of dismal dim sum items, we almost gave up but decided to give the egg tarts a shot. It was decent without the custard being cloyingly sweet whilst the pastry had a nice flaky texture but lacked the oven baked taste that I personally like.
Even with 7 items at 50% off, the two of us still managed to chalk up a bill of $94, which is terribly expensive for the quality of food. Service and ambience is great but that hardly justifies the ridiculous price tag. So much for the positive online reviews.
Ever wondered why Cordon Bleu is a chicken dish? I was puzzled when the friendly server kept asking me if I wanted that.. I always associated Cordon Bleu with a spirited drink and perhaps an alcohol laced dish, but this is neither.
We wanted to eat at a queueless place and this is all we got on a weekday evening. Though the space is large and seats plentiful, staff is low as such service is rather draggy, though we could understand and with good control of our hunger pangs and some patience, we managed to get a seat after waiting for about 10 mins. The place was large and there are plenty seats but the staff is but 2 lady and a guy yet, the lady who served us with super huge eyes is efficient, friendly and speaks very fast.
We ordered their speciality, fish and chips and cordon bleu chicken as promoted to us by the big eyed girl! It was a set meal and we both had fizzy peach to go with our meals. The soup of the day, a savoury and creamy mushroom soup with bits of mushrooms is yummy and smooth.
Shortly the cordon bleu chicken arrived. The chicken is a cheese and ham sandwiched breast meat of 2 pieces of chicken on a bed of mashed potatoes with sauteed mushroom and picked radish by the side complete with a bed of tossed greens drizzled with balsamic vinegar. The meat is a little too tough for my taste as I expected the filling to be more tender and juicy but it ain't. The mash is yummy and mushroom appetizing.
Fish and chip is served over tossed greens drizzled with the ever yummy balsamic vinegar. Though I hope they used less batter and more fish, the fish is tender and fresh with no fishy breaths.
The meal ended with a good note of the staff quickly clearing our table and topping up our ice water. It was a good experience and price is pretty worth for the portion. The seats are comfy and spacious able to house big groups however situated kindoff in the middle of nowhere, there is not much privacy, rather great for casual chit chats. Dessert choices were very few and the menu is rather confusing to read as its kinda in the form of a newsletter. So always ask the opinion of the staff on what is nice and they usually serve up a good meal for you.
The photos are all very dark... I Know... That is because it is really a very dark place, I mean its huge, on a rooftop and people are lazing on the super comfy sofas whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears. It would be too rude for me to turn on my super bright flash and post a picture of many shocked stares and pissed looking faces here.
Its a cosy place, great for huge groups as the seats are easily low (great for the short guy, i mean whats with the high chairs?) and casual rooftop lazing couches, just like an alfresco living room at your roof top serving the chic drinks and you get to peep at hot looking strangers with the skirts riding way.... too high!
I mean you even have a personal lift that brings you up to the 3rd level which is also the highest on Odeon Towers (how inappropriately tower like). Piped music was a soothing modern jazz mix of instrumental beats and running bass, while the lightings somewhat reminded me of streetlights and a hue of orange and low riding yellows with trees and vegetations all around keeping the atmosphere moist and cool with a sense of obscurity.
We prayed that it didn't rain and it didn't, while we forgot to pray for seats, as such we ended up in a very cool indoor seating area which is a short corridor with huge glass windows overlooking the low buildings all the way till Marina Bay Sands, though the next door building blocked much of the view, yet I guess its a great location to view some fireworks during the celebratory seasons. Wowed by the privy cubicle like seating (that is a max for 5 persons) and the creatively posh seat arrangements utilizing every small space available. Comfy, posh yet private, its really a good design.
Drinks are a tad pricey, yet they serve up a good variety of classical whiskeys, gin, cognac and mostly bottled beers except for Asahi on the tap. $11 for a house pour, $15 for a shot of black label on ice, $16 for a bottle of erdinger, the drinks menu is substantial. Snacks and food are served and quite yummy with loads of choices and the occasional worry of Bird Shit, so eat it up fast.
Its a nice place, view is great, setting wonderful and location so convenient. Great place to chill alone or with friends. By the way, the waiters are just too too too cute of course not to mention friendly :)
Stylish outfits at a fraction of the price is what NewLook is offering. Always love their very stretchy and reasonably priced jeans as well as basic tanks and funky t-shirts. Love their wide ranged sizes as well as fanciful and bold coloured merchandises. Though this outlet is not their bigger outlet, it managed to still carry some accessories such as belts, necklaces, bracelets, clutches and other nick knacks to complete your look
Also do check out the footwear section that has endless display of heels, flats and other kind of shoes or sandles, matter of fact they have a wide array of sizes to fit all shape and sized women :) Stores on the linkway usually do not have much space for changing rooms yet the changing rooms here are spacious and plentiful. If you like something, simply head on to the changing room and i'm sure you could get a space and could spend some quality time identifying the item you need.
Service is usually smiley and friendly, not to forget the efficient cash counter that not only impressed me with their fast hands, but also their friendly disposition and no fail in asking me if i'm a member, introduce me the membership and the perks in a non-pushy way. Matter of fact I get that almost everytime when i purchase something at NEWLOOK. I personally find the sales of a better deal then paying the regular price with the discount card, however you might not get the sizing that you want. So far not yet any issues with the merchandisez I brought back so really good products, QC, return policy and service. (Fingers Crossed) very satisfied.
1=SGD 0.0587
I dined here some time ago yet I just couldn't get over it. It is indeed a memorable experience, not in a good way, yet this was what happened.
Me and my girlfriend (singular), while single and available are suckers for korean BBQ and while we met for aimless talks, we decided to dine somewhere near her office and ended up with MANNA. The entrance looked promising while they had quite a large space for expensive shop fronts. The restaurant can house about 100 patrons comfortably in tables and we were shown the menu while we could choose whichever seat we wanted and we chose a table for 6. The regular korean BBQ menu with some special dishes, yet we are all creatures of habits and did not linger beyond the BBQ meat page.
The staff was of no help, matter of fact of bad help. We previously wanted to order some pork belly and sliced beef and was introduced the 3 meat platter which is a chicken, beef and pork. While we contemplate, we were asked if we wanted any side dishes and we ended with pancake which is supposedly one of the best made dishes here. To prevent our clothes from stinking while we are onto our post dinner drinks, we decided the meat to be cooked in the kitchen. What arrived later shocked us to the brim.
The side dishes arrived first with 6 varieties to choose from. We were disappointed and the veg for the meat also arrived which is a frisky thin basket of a few pieces of veg. Apparently, they do charge extra if you want more veg and this frisky less than 8 leaves of lettuce with cloves of garlic is all we got.
Pancake was a seafood flavor, regular slices I guessed 8-10 inch which is good to share with 4 other friends and the meats finally arrived and we were shocked till our spine tingles. 3 medium sized hot plates full of beef, pork and chicken, bulgogi styled and looked as if they were fried using the same sauce. We were overwhelmed... thats alot of food (aka meat) for 2 girls...
Dinner ended with us eating:
2.5 slices of pancakes
a little pork, chicken and beef yet we wasted more than 80% of the food and while the lady came over to clear our tables she asked us if we wanted to pack them home yet we would not know what we could do with it packed. She cleared the table with a disappointing face and we felt guilty. The thing is, the person who took our orders should advise us and not keep asking us to order more and introduce more stuffs, knowing we can't eat that much. The portion we ordered can feed 6 persons comfortably yet we didn't make a sound. The Singaporean courteous way of handling being sponged! We just make payment with no complaints but vowed NEVER TO RETURN as it will revive bad memories. This dinner for 2 came up to be about $220 with a plastic bottle of korean wine...
Food is Okay, not fantastic, quite pricey i must say and service is so so.... The restaurant was pretty empty for a weekday evening in the CBD area with just another couple at the next table having some rice sets, while we blur dudes got sponged!
2 stars because its a bad experience for me yet staff was friendly and service level was OKAY! so yes it doesn't deserve 1 star but not 3 either!
Rating given:
You simply can't blame me for being such a sucker for beautiful lingerie, i admit.. that I always gets magnetized into the La Senza outlet when I pass by one. Its Beautiful, Its Glamorous, Its Exciting, Its Wonderful to be a woman and of course pretty little secrets we kept hidden underneath our clothes.
As usual, I can't help myself but went in for a stroll. The shiny black cabinets, full of beautiful blinking "eye shades" arranged neatly in their sizes and cups, oh well... no harm just taking a look and feel the soft satin material while wondering how it would look on me! At this moment, my eyes darted around to look for the drawer that holds my size... as I open it.... It feels like revelation unveils itself.... IT HAS MY SIZE! A tickle in my ears as though somebody whispered....." You think you look good in this one?" I pondered and picked up my new found treasure, while I am about to close the drawer.. another whisp of air" "How about that one in a HOT PINK! and that dark blue looked SASSY!" Oh what the 'XYZ' since i'm already heading for the dressing room, might as well get a few more!
This moment, the friendly staff approaches with a large shopping bag and an invitation to freely pick whatever I liked and so, heeding that friendly gesture I went on with other lacey designs, something for that low plunge top, low back dresses and basics that perks me up on casual t-shirt days. I picked and I stepped into that posh carpeted beautiful changing room with mirrors so flattering and a heart shaped stool for me to try out every position. I feasted with my eyes as if every design looked delicious, imagined the occasions I will appear in them and took a small peek of the price! Hm..... affordable in a fast food lunch and dinner for the rest of the week way! Yes... I'm buying them! and immediately I feel my spirits lifted up and almost exited the changing room skipping. Ditched the ones I tried but am not prepared to buy and head on to the cashier.
While the cashier asked me.. "How about some matching panties!" and I considered.... WHY NOT? The whole set makes it COMPLETE! so motioning at her colleagues that seemed to have a big smile plastered on her face, she brought me to a large black counter and picked up all the matching undies in various matching styles such as boy shorts, g-strings and whatever fancy names! I've decided my best liked style and was showed back to the cashier! While she scanned my last piece, she reassured me of the sizes that I purchased and asked if I was a member or if I wanted to join, gave a brief introduction of the membership and I whipped out my trusty VISA. Carefully she wrapped these delicate pieces in a HOT PINK tracing paper and placed them into a classy LA SENZA paper bag with an extra pink paper on the top for discretion.
I left the shop feeling confident, in complete ecstacy and extremely glad with my purchase while I wondered.. where should I keep these new found love if my lingerie drawer is already full of La Senza? Perhaps a new wardrobe for the new year? and the guilt started to do its job!!!
Rating given:
If you love the aromatic thick black local coffee, Toast Box is just the right place to sit down for a short break. Yes, this outlet is so different from the other outlets, the interior deco is fabulously posh and I simply love the steamy fumes that emerges from the counter now and then.
Music from the nearby record shop fills the air with a sense of jazziness while we sink ourselves into the heavily cushioned smooth leathery looking seats. The ambiance is casual while men in their cleanl tailored suits looked seriously at their text messages and laughters from the nearby table of tourist. Its a mixed of work and play culture yet joy seemed to rule it all here.
The coffee at toast box is always thick and aromatic while they also do serve various choices of other drinks in which my favourite would be iced lemon grass with jelly. The pearls that they usually add to the drinks are not as chewy and yummy thus would be a bad experience for pearl lovers.
Local staples are available such as soup noodles, mee siam and laksa, while most people usually go for tapas or some sweet snacks during this coffee break. The cakes were extremely old school. I simply love the butter creamed cakes with peanut or vanilla, otherwise chocolate flavoured. It reminded me of the cakes we used to love to receive when somebody is about to get married. Cakes were spongy in the middle with smooth and slightly sweetened butter cream laced with gel coloured flavors is the perfect cake, though its of a good size, I always ended with 2 slices.
This location is extremely charming yet, the price remains the same as all the other outlets. Would love to bring my friends to hang around here!
Rating given:
If you would really enjoy a mouthful of italian food without owning an italian chef boyfriend, then PastaMania is the most convenient choice. You don't have to speak the romantic language of italiano to enjoy the hot kisses of spicy Sicilian seafood AglioOlio or the stinky cheesy breath of the mix of cheeses on that freshly baked Mediterranean pizza that left a sleazy clue on the crease on your lips.
The closest italian staples at the most affordable prices I can find, the varieties on the menu just made me hope I really do have an inflatable tummy. Appetizers was a good choice of more than 10 items yet I still ended up with a minestrone soup and a chicken caesar salad with bits of bacon. Soup was thin and watery while the salad was really crunchy and tasty with bouncy boiled eggs, just the way Caesar himself might like it.
Well, there were many pasta and pizza choices to choose from, yet with a big group, we could always do what the skinny girls does, to order and to share less we weren't too skinny and would usually over-order, which we eventually did. OVER-ORDERED. so here goes the list:
Chicken Ham & Sausage Baked Rice - was a pipping hot cheesy dish with loads of yummy soft rice underneath all that mess. Cream based, extremely tasty and cheesy, while the ham and sausages just pairs on well with the bits of mushrooms. Portion was a little small as the dish was rather shallow.
Vongole in a white wine sauce - pasta was well made to the right hardness and sauce was light but tasty. The clams chewy and rather brought with it the tasty sense of the ocean. Great portion and lots of clam, just without the wow factor.
Sicilian Spaghetti from the set menu of the day is a seafood angel hair pasta which is spiced nicely with a balanced amount of light chili and spices tossed lightly with olive oil and some chuncks of tomatoes and capsicum for that exotic look. Its yummy, light and healthy. Wonderful choice out of all we have chosen.
Meat Lover meaty pizza is one that was pretty disappointing. The crust was great, crispy and tasty, cheeses regular but the meat topping were hams and sausages and seriously lacking some real MEAT. So we suggest... to bring on some REAL MEAT!
Beverages were not much of a choice from canned drinks but they do have some interesting cocktails to choose from, love the strawberry soda thingee.. It was refreshing.
Meanwhile, the ambiance was nice and the sitting adequate even for big groups of 10 or 16s. Seats were casual and place is rather clean, its not too noisy, perhaps because we were the noise makers and the service is rather quick. Water and cutlery are self serve and order and make payment at the counter. Food portion was okay and I think its a great place for a get together rowdy kinda gatherings. Love the choices love the food and the italian look of the entire restaurant.
Rating given:
"Freshly baked...Reduced Sugar...Reduced Butter" caught our eyes when we ordered our mixed rice dishes. No, we were not talking about the rice dishes but the stall next to it selling muffins.
The display showcased a variety of freshly baked muffins. We could not take our eyes off those muffins as all of them look so tempting. From the look of it, we could see that the owner has taken pains to create innovative range such as chocolate & hazelnut, mochaccino ( mocha with cuppacinno? ), apple lemon with cinnamon, peach slices, cream cheese, etc
We ordered a few pieces to try after our light dinner. The muffins were really good. Unlike some muffins which turned out to be dry, flaky and full of flour, the ones over here are moist and full of real stuff. At least when we bite on the ingredients, we could taste the fragrant of real hazelnut, apple or banana bits.
The partner managing the stall was also friendly and took effort to explain the detailed ingredients in each muffin. We were impressed and happy that besides the personalised service, we do not feel guilty as all muffins were made with lesser sugar and butter.
Rating given:
Step back in time for a cuppa coffee one lazy afternoon at the colonial styled building where Starbucks resides amidst the greenery and the squeaky insects calling. This is the most charming Starbucks outlet i've ever came across in Singapore. The location is kinda on a low hill and is almost too perfect except being obscured by the other higher buildings built in front of it.
Flushed in white with the prominent dark Starbuck's Green showing up in logos and gazebos, this is not a small outlet with plenty of seats indoor and outdoors for people who love to enjoy a cup of aromatic coffee and a book. Outdoor decked seats kept cool with some fan and the green surroundings while the indoor air-conditioned cushioned seats is just like a huge living room. Head up to the second floor and find yourself in a huge lounging living room as though an excerpt from your english novel (the gentlemen's card room). Lots of seats with various comfort level and well arranged space for easy moving around. There is also a non-aircon balcony area which overlooks the green surrounding down the hill which is the favorite spot for many. There are ample powerpoints if you need to charge your phones or power for laptops and seats are pretty mobile except for the lounging sofas, great for big groups. Noise is not very well contained with the high ceilings, so its important not to speak too loudly.
We find more food choices here as with the other outlets with lots of hot dishes to choose from such as lasagna, hot sandwiches and of course the regular cakes, biscuits, muffins and other coffee pairing desserts. The coffee menu is the standard menu like every outlet while I always love a good cuppa cappuccino with a coffee chiffon cake and a fantasy book for my weekend afternoons. Most cakes served in coffee delis are usually cheese or chocolate fudge cakes which is heavy and usually served cold rather I was surprised that their coffee chiffon cake is a good balance of a lightweight chiffon mildly coffee scented with a buttery cream top and walnuts that brings a soothing nutty taste without the crunch. The entire cake is soft but not limp, mildly flavored but not blend, eventful but not rich, the taste and texture blended very well and is tantalizing but not overpowering. Really good cake I must say.
This is going to be my secret haunt, though already home for many, I'm joining in the gang. Really exceptionally charming location. By the way, service was fast and friendly with large smiles and accented english everywhere however, it takes a little more effort to clear the tables and to keep the cafe clean :)
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It was the F1 weekend again and we didn't fancy going into town for our dim sum fix. And so we decided on Ba Xian, the flagship Chinese restaurant at Tower Club. It helped that they were offering a 50% discount on dim sum for weekends only.
The lifts take you up to the entrance of Tower Club on the 62nd floor. From there, you take an internal lift from the club's lobby to the 63rd floor where Ba Xian is located. The furnishing is plush with full length windows that look out into the South China Sea. There are capsule like seats for 2 that offer a somewhat quirky dining experience.
Crispy Cuttlefish - Nicely seasoned but the flour coating was a tad too thick for my liking and so was the oil content. Makes you sick after a while.
Pork Belly Char Siew - The BBQ pork belly had a proportionate fat to meat ratio which made for great texture. However, the meat was rather bland and lacked any sweetness that I would usually associate with char siew.
Roasted Pork Belly - Although I love my sio bak, this was honestly a little hard to stomach and both of us were struggling to finish all 12 cubes of it. Sure, the skin was crispy but it was a tad too thick and dry for my liking. Also, as with the char siew, the meat was almost tasteless. A little more salt perhaps?
Pork & Century Egg Congee - Apart from the sticky texture of porridge that I personally like, this dish was average tasting with quantity of ingredients bordering on miserly.
Prawn with Crab Meat - Generous serving of prawns and crab meat stuffed within the crispy deep fried shell but strangely enough, there was a rather strong ginger aftertaste which I didn't like. Thank god for mayonnaise.
Sweet Corn Cake - This was the first time seeing sweet corn cake on a dim sum menu so thought it would be interesting to give it a go. Alas, it tasted like normal carrot cake with sweet corn and tiny bits of Chinese sausage embedded within. Texture wasn't exactly smooth but overall still palatable.
Chee Cheong Fun -The chee cheong fun came in 3 varieties of filling - char siew, scallop and prawn. For starters, the cheong fun was a little too thick but I was impressed by the generous amounts of scallop and char siew within. This was one of the rare occasions where I could actually make out the texture and taste of the scallop wrapped within. That said, the prawn filling was rather underwhelming though.
Siew Mai - Served with a slice of topshell, the siew mai was decent without coming across as too oily.
Har Gao - Instead of the de facto prawn taste that I was expecting, the har gao tasted overwhelming of vegetables instead. And the thicker than expected skin didn't help matters.
Mini Egg Tartlets - After the repertoire of dismal dim sum items, we almost gave up but decided to give the egg tarts a shot. It was decent without the custard being cloyingly sweet whilst the pastry had a nice flaky texture but lacked the oven baked taste that I personally like.
Even with 7 items at 50% off, the two of us still managed to chalk up a bill of $94, which is terribly expensive for the quality of food. Service and ambience is great but that hardly justifies the ridiculous price tag. So much for the positive online reviews.
See all my pictures here.
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Ever wondered why Cordon Bleu is a chicken dish? I was puzzled when the friendly server kept asking me if I wanted that.. I always associated Cordon Bleu with a spirited drink and perhaps an alcohol laced dish, but this is neither.
We wanted to eat at a queueless place and this is all we got on a weekday evening. Though the space is large and seats plentiful, staff is low as such service is rather draggy, though we could understand and with good control of our hunger pangs and some patience, we managed to get a seat after waiting for about 10 mins. The place was large and there are plenty seats but the staff is but 2 lady and a guy yet, the lady who served us with super huge eyes is efficient, friendly and speaks very fast.
We ordered their speciality, fish and chips and cordon bleu chicken as promoted to us by the big eyed girl! It was a set meal and we both had fizzy peach to go with our meals. The soup of the day, a savoury and creamy mushroom soup with bits of mushrooms is yummy and smooth.
Shortly the cordon bleu chicken arrived. The chicken is a cheese and ham sandwiched breast meat of 2 pieces of chicken on a bed of mashed potatoes with sauteed mushroom and picked radish by the side complete with a bed of tossed greens drizzled with balsamic vinegar. The meat is a little too tough for my taste as I expected the filling to be more tender and juicy but it ain't. The mash is yummy and mushroom appetizing.
Fish and chip is served over tossed greens drizzled with the ever yummy balsamic vinegar. Though I hope they used less batter and more fish, the fish is tender and fresh with no fishy breaths.
The meal ended with a good note of the staff quickly clearing our table and topping up our ice water. It was a good experience and price is pretty worth for the portion. The seats are comfy and spacious able to house big groups however situated kindoff in the middle of nowhere, there is not much privacy, rather great for casual chit chats. Dessert choices were very few and the menu is rather confusing to read as its kinda in the form of a newsletter. So always ask the opinion of the staff on what is nice and they usually serve up a good meal for you.
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The photos are all very dark... I Know... That is because it is really a very dark place, I mean its huge, on a rooftop and people are lazing on the super comfy sofas whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears. It would be too rude for me to turn on my super bright flash and post a picture of many shocked stares and pissed looking faces here.
Its a cosy place, great for huge groups as the seats are easily low (great for the short guy, i mean whats with the high chairs?) and casual rooftop lazing couches, just like an alfresco living room at your roof top serving the chic drinks and you get to peep at hot looking strangers with the skirts riding way.... too high!
I mean you even have a personal lift that brings you up to the 3rd level which is also the highest on Odeon Towers (how inappropriately tower like). Piped music was a soothing modern jazz mix of instrumental beats and running bass, while the lightings somewhat reminded me of streetlights and a hue of orange and low riding yellows with trees and vegetations all around keeping the atmosphere moist and cool with a sense of obscurity.
We prayed that it didn't rain and it didn't, while we forgot to pray for seats, as such we ended up in a very cool indoor seating area which is a short corridor with huge glass windows overlooking the low buildings all the way till Marina Bay Sands, though the next door building blocked much of the view, yet I guess its a great location to view some fireworks during the celebratory seasons. Wowed by the privy cubicle like seating (that is a max for 5 persons) and the creatively posh seat arrangements utilizing every small space available. Comfy, posh yet private, its really a good design.
Drinks are a tad pricey, yet they serve up a good variety of classical whiskeys, gin, cognac and mostly bottled beers except for Asahi on the tap. $11 for a house pour, $15 for a shot of black label on ice, $16 for a bottle of erdinger, the drinks menu is substantial. Snacks and food are served and quite yummy with loads of choices and the occasional worry of Bird Shit, so eat it up fast.
Its a nice place, view is great, setting wonderful and location so convenient. Great place to chill alone or with friends. By the way, the waiters are just too too too cute of course not to mention friendly :)
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Stylish outfits at a fraction of the price is what NewLook is offering. Always love their very stretchy and reasonably priced jeans as well as basic tanks and funky t-shirts. Love their wide ranged sizes as well as fanciful and bold coloured merchandises. Though this outlet is not their bigger outlet, it managed to still carry some accessories such as belts, necklaces, bracelets, clutches and other nick knacks to complete your look
Also do check out the footwear section that has endless display of heels, flats and other kind of shoes or sandles, matter of fact they have a wide array of sizes to fit all shape and sized women :) Stores on the linkway usually do not have much space for changing rooms yet the changing rooms here are spacious and plentiful. If you like something, simply head on to the changing room and i'm sure you could get a space and could spend some quality time identifying the item you need.
Service is usually smiley and friendly, not to forget the efficient cash counter that not only impressed me with their fast hands, but also their friendly disposition and no fail in asking me if i'm a member, introduce me the membership and the perks in a non-pushy way. Matter of fact I get that almost everytime when i purchase something at NEWLOOK. I personally find the sales of a better deal then paying the regular price with the discount card, however you might not get the sizing that you want. So far not yet any issues with the merchandisez I brought back so really good products, QC, return policy and service. (Fingers Crossed) very satisfied.
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