This is one of the Hong Kong cafes that pops up out of no where and it is always crowded as well. The queue there used to be longer, however I know their off peak hours and Had a few tea breaks there and found the food there quite good.
1. Mini drumlets: Came in a hot plate, with the meat of the drumlet pushed to the front, so that the bone can be used to hold. It is very tasty yet not really oily. The seasoning of the drumlets is done to prefection, not to sweet and not too salty and all the seasoning went into the meat.
2. HK style cheese bakes rice with chick chop: I personally dun really like cheese, but this dish is a bit surprise for me as it is not that cheesey and the rice is all soft and not hard from the baking. The cheese is soft and hot when served, it does not really harden up when I am eating as well. They got a layer of sauce that is on top of the rice which is quite good.
3. French Toast: I used to think this is sinful as it is deep fried, so full of oil! However this is not oily, and it came in a very thick piece, with a layer of peanut butter inside! Very nice! The thickness of the toast did surprised us at first, as this is the 1st time we saw such thick piece. The combination of the peanut butter in the toast is a very good one! Tasty!
4. Fresh Lemon Honey with Aloe Vera: I loved anything with aloe vera and have to say this is refreshing. The aloe vera are cut in big cubes, very crunchy, it is not bitter at all. For the drink itself it is not too sweet.
The service there is ok but my last visit they served a few dishes to our table which we did not order. Hee.... Should have accpeted it.
If not their service are quite ok, once ur hands are slightly rasied, they will have at least 2 people rushing to your table as well. Once seated they will also served the curtlerys in a small little tray.
The seats arrangement can be quite squeezed at times, close enough to hear what the other table is talking about. However they also got seats are are isolated as well. A bit nosiy when the palced is packed and at times have kids running ard as well. Dangerous though, dunno what the parents are thinking anyway.
I think I will only go to this place if I am ard vivocity and in the mood for some hongkong food, would prefer them to expand their menu to include more dim sum though.
We decided to go there during lunch hour for dim sum buffet yesterday. Haha... I would say that the food is really cheap & good. For just $11.90 on weekdays and $14.90 on weekends & PHs for the dim sum buffet. But it's only available between 11.30am to 2.30pm daily.
They serve a good variety of dim sum such as char siew bao, siew mai, har kao as well as other dishes like carrot cake, chicken feet (not that nice though, abit hard), prawn-paste chicken wings, stir-fried vegetables, etc. In fact, there's like 30 dishes on their menu. On top of these, they also serve desserts like mango puddings and gui ling gao at the end.
Food-wise, it's really thumbs up for the price we are paying. But talking about their service, it's really quite bad. The waitress was very fierce to us and it took them very long to serve us our dishes. Yes, so you got to be prepared to wait if you intend to go there for cheap & nice dim sum then.
Went ot waraku and have dinner a few days ago. Afraid that the queue is very long but it turns out that there is no queue and we were ushered to a table fast. I am surprised as it is dinner time.
I think I am lucky cos less than 5 mins I am seated, the queue is already forming at the table outside. Lucky us. Haa...
It is also a good idea to make reservation however even with that be prepared to wait for a while.
We ordered
1. Mixed Yakitori: It got chicken, chicken meatballs, mushroom, bacon etc. Together with the sauce, it is good. I loved it. Plus it came on a hot plate with a flame below keeping it hot.
2. Tonpei Yaki: This is egg and bacon over a bed of lettuce. It is not oily and light. Makes it good to eat.
3. Age Dashi Tofu: The tofu is done prefectly, cripy outside and soft inside. The sauce is also not too salty. The only thing is do they need to serve 4 pcs of tofu in such a big bowl?
4. Tori Kaminabe: I like to eat these soup base "steamboat. This one does not disappoint me as well. The miso soup base is not salty as expected.
5. Teriyaki Chicken Don: This one is eaten by my fren. Formt he looks of it, must have been good cos he did not leave a single grain of rice in the bowl. Hee...
The service there is quite attentive however it sook sometime for the bill to come, so i walked over to the cashier to settle the bill instead.
The cost of the meal comes up to $58, Consider good and cheap as the portion are quite big as well.
Think if not of the queue, I might go there for my jap food more often!
My sister, her family, my parents, Hub & I together went for a 5-day trip to Bintan Lagoon Resort from 17 to 21 Dec 07. In order to enjoy 'big family' living, we booked a 4-bedroom villa (S$600 per nite). Yup, you heard it right. It's in S$. But .... it looks more like a nicer chalet with full facility kitchen. But the good thing is, you get a buggy to drive 'play' with.
Prior to the trip, our research and talks with some friends reveal that food is expensive in the resort. and it'll cost S$6 per person to take a bus to the 1 and only town called Pasar Ole Ole. As such, we decide to pack some food (noodles, spaghetti, canned food & what not) to cook so that we will not end up burning holes every meal in the cafes and restaurants for the 10 of us. That was the best decision we made for the trip.
After 3 days of eating 'in' (I mean self cook meals), we decided to reward ourselves with a nice dinner at the restaurant. Buffet costs S$50 for adults & $40 for children. Yes, you heard it right. It's in S$ ... faint! And the spread wasn't exceptionally fantastic! So, we decide to settle for a-la-carte menu instead cos it'll cost $500 for buffet for the 10 of us!
A-la-carte wasn't really cheap either but still much cheaper than buffet. Anyway, we had to pay S$18 for Nasi Goreng with 4 satay & an egg. The portion wasn't big and I would say it's not enough if you're hungry. Sigh!
In short, bring lots of $ if you're going to spend your time in the resort only ...
Bad experience aside ... the beach was fantastic. Nice, clean, windy! I even doze off on the beach chair watching my nephew and nieces playing with sand.
Catching the sunrise was definitely a great experience everyday except when the sky was overcast.
Golf and driving range is really cheap. My bro-in-law has 3 x 18-hole while the rest of us tee off at the driving range. Of course, there's a training putting green to practice your puts if you'd like to. And for those who did not bring any clubs, you can rent it too.
Nonetheless, I guess we'll go back to Bintan again but will pick another hotel instead. I don't think we want to end up having to cook every meals during vacation or getting stuck in 1 place for 5-days if you're not trying to foster closer family ties.
Sakae sushi recently branched out to the Teppenyaki business in their first all out table top cooking outlet at Tampines Century Square. Boasting 33 outlets all over Singapore, the green frog logo has more or less solidified its presence and made a handsome profit. So how does the Teppenyaki outlet fare?
Located directly opposite Sakae sushi, the new outlet is surrounded by tanks carrying live lobster, oysters and crayfish. There were about 3 cooking counters which can hold up to 24 customers at any one time. Everything looks clean and well distributed.
Classic Juice ($4) - Ordering drinks usually come across as a big no-no for me when i visit restaurants due to cut-throat prices and generally bad tasting drinks. Not this time though, the juice is delightfully refreshing with the stronger taste of peach complimenting the lighter tasting apple juice. I have been scouring department stores ever since for this beverage, anyone with information on this please let me know.
Vegetable salad with crab meat, seaweed and assorted greens - The complimentary appetizer was light and fresh with crunchy greens like lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and cabbage. Not too bad but nothing special either
Normal Japanese Rice - This is just simple sticky Japanese rice. However, it is possible to ask for garlic fried rice which would prove to be a much better choice as we witnessed it fried with butter, garlic, bean sprouts and eggs. The result was pretty pleasing for the nose but we unfortunately did not have that. Oh! This is at additional charge of course.
Pan Fried Salmon and Garlic Fried Beef Tenderloin, Mayonnaise Oyster and Pan Fried Foie Gras (Goose Liver), Chawan Mushi and Toufu, Pan Fried Chicken Cubes in Teriyaki Sauce and Wild Shittake Mushrooms.
The Completed Chicken Set ($17.90) - My gf had the chicken set and basically, i got to try almost everything. The chicken cubes were sweet and fragrant but a little on the tough side when chewing. The salmon is really hard and hardly held much taste which is a stark contrast from the toufu which was a tad too salty and the oyster, which is the most delightful of the lot, fresh and sweet. The mushrooms compensated the lack of bean sprouts and were soft, fragrant and chewy at the some time.
The Completed Beef Set ($19.90) - The beef set came with a generous helping of beef which i perceive as tenderloin since there is a distinct layer of fat present in it. The goose liver is smooth and evenly pan fried to goodness but compared to Humble house and Zambuca, they have a long way to go. Toufu and mushrooms are the same as the above and the Chawan Mushi was very good. It was smooth, fresh and sweet because we saw the ingredients as it was prepared. Nicely done.
A rather satisfying Teppenyaki meal if i do say so myself only came at the cost of $51.32. Not too expensive but if the location could be improved on a little more, this might be worth another look.
The variety it offers in the set meals are a refreshing take on a tired Teppenyaki menu. Still, you can't fault them for being innovative. I would describe this as a fusion of old school cooking with new world tastes. The question to be had is whether this gives them an edge over the competition who relies on not changing to meet demands. My answer to that is: Wait and see. I can't say i didn't enjoy the meal but somehow it still feels like something is lacking. Probably the posh feeling or maybe i just prefer ala carte ordering. Still, worth a look for budget consumers.
I love The Soup Spoon! The last time I went was a few years ago and I was happy to go again recently to find that it has expanded! There's more seating area now although it's really cramped cos they tried to put as many seats as possible. On weekday evenings, the place was absolutely brimming with people! It was sheer luck that my friend and I managed to get a table!
Food Ordered: Seafood Clam Chowder in Bread Bowls - 2 servings Tuna Mayo Sandwich A bottle of Snapple
I love the clam chowder ($8.20) because it's so thick and flavourful! And it's fun eating up the whole bowl with it. One serving of this is actually enough for two people so my friend and I were absolutely full after...
The Tuna Mayo Sandwich was tasty but not extraordinarily. Serving is just right for one person, provided you don't order anything else much.
The total bill came up to about $25, which I find very reasonable since we ordered enough to feed 3 people. Definitely worth many more visits!
I knew about this well hidden place when my cousin decided to hold his ROM there. I was dropped off from the main gate and it was a long walk from there. I was sweating like a pig when I reached there.
It was a buffet and found the place to be a good place from some romantic moments. They got both outdoor and indoor seats. At every 2nd and last sunday, they will have a jazz band playing as well.
The food to me is quite up to standard.
One of my fav is the crisp black pepper soft shell crab with wasabi sauce. I personally dun like wasabi, but their sauce is really so good that I can simply lick it of the plate. The crab is also not oily yet crispy.
Their mains are quite good and their portions are quite big as well.
Their desserts limited but still got some good choices inside them. The warm bittersweet chocolate torte is one of my favs as well. With melted choco hidden inside the coc cake, together with some strawberries. Simply fantastic!
The service is pretty good and prompt as well, the waitress are also willingly to recommend their specialties for you.
If you wanna to eat in a place where it is in the city yet you dun feel like you are in the city. This is the place for you!
The only thing I dun like is this place is a bit unaccessible for those who dun have transport.
Having heard about this place being good for its desserts, naturally being a dessert-lover, I was drawn to it. My friend and I went on a quiet weekday afternoon so there wasn't anyone, which is great! I was awed by the selection of desserts and simply didn't know which to pick! After a long long time we managed to decide.
As it was tea time, there was a tea time special. A choice of dessert and a drink for $9.50.
Food Ordered: Arabella Sweet Pleasure Strawberry Italian Soda Iced Lime Mint Chicken and Mushroom Sandwich
Arabella is the dome-shaped chocolate cake with Jivara mousse with caramelised bananas, fruity ginger and passion fruit puree. I'm not a fan of caramelised bananas but was attracted to the presentation of the cake... the taste of bananas wasn't as strong as I thought it would be so that was good for me. I loved the outer covering.
Sweet Pleasure was made of layers of hazelnut praline dacquoise, Jivara milk chocolate ganache with fleur de sel, topped with chocolate mousse. I loved this cake. Except for the fact that it was difficult to eat, thanks to the hard top layer, it was delicious. Not overly sweet, the hazelnut taste was strong and made it really different from other cakes.
The Lemon Mint was a strange unappetizing green colour but nonetheless it was good. You can taste both flavours nicely.
The only one that disappointed was the Italian Soda. All Soda no strawberry. Made me extremely bloated after that.
The Chicken and Mushroom Sandwich was adequate in taste. It was quite big and more than enough for a lady like me. The ingredients were sufficient. It wasn't fantastic but at $12.50 I guess it's alright.
The bill came up to $36.40 for five items between two of us. Really a good deal I must say. Please note that this price is only during Tea time Specials.. weekday afternoons only.
On Christmas Day .... a second trip, we tried: Macarons - Chocolate with Raspberry Macarons - Chocolate with Lemon Forest Noir Ambrosia Lychee Tea
To keep it short, the macarons are good but not fantastic. You really have to pick the flavours carefully. The Chocolate and Lemon one was too sticky for me whereas the Raspberry one was good in texture but slightly too sweet in taste.
Forest Noir was very much your average Blackforest cake but the Ambrosia was fantastic. lol my friend kept stealing mine!
And the Lychee tea is definitely a huge improvement from the Italian Soda I picked the last time. Good Drink.
This time we spent about $30 for 4 items. (See the difference minus the tea time special? Pity we're not all tai-tais.)
Anyway I'll definitely be back for more desserts and Lambourghini/Ferrari-watching. :)
Hub & I went on a 6-day trip to Hanoi & Halong Bay on 5 Dec with another couple. Boy! It was such an eye-opening trip or should I say culture shock? Hmmm ... anyway, here's some stuffs to fill everyone in.
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It lives up to its name. We went on a overnight junk cruise with Handspan tour (highly recommended by Lonely Planet and a Romanian friend of mine). The journey starts at Handspan office @ 80 Ma May Street in Hanoi and it takes almost 4hrs to reach Halong.
Being a typically motion sickness 'patient', the 2 ladies in the group decided to pop some pills for that 'just-in-case-I-throw-up' syndrome. Well, we're pleasantly surpised by the calmness of the bay and how beautiful it is. There were some 1000 thousand grottoes in the bay, each with shape of anything your imagination can bring. The kiasu-ism in me pushed my fingers to snap away some 500 pics by the end of the 2 day trip.
If you're into total relaxation (I mean do nothing but eat & sleep), this overnight cruise is for you. The cabin is nice & cozy, done up in traditional Vietnamese deco. Fresh seafood and local dishes awaits us at every meal. Yummy! Highlight of the cruise: - dip into the icy cold waters in Titop Island. - laze on the deck chairs at the upper deck under the dark night sky. Mine! That was really romantic!
Hanoi - capital of Vietnam - but doesn't look any bit like one cos it doesn't have tall buildings like those in HCM city. Anyway, it's definitely a nice place to check out great buys along the streets Old Quarters. Lotsa great foods around the area too! Check out Fanny Ice Cream, Bobby Chinn Restaurant, 69 Restaurant (for its 'Cha Ca Hanoi' noodle) & Tamarind Cafe (for wholesome great vegetarian dishes). Yummy!
When in Vietnam, bring US$. Forget about VND cos almost all restaurants prefer US$ and invoices will be presented in 2 currencies. If you must use VND, be prepared to lose out on the exchange rate.
Lastly, when in Hanoi, check out the local beer which they call it "Bia Hoi" (fresh beer). A big mug costs about S$0.90 but it's not for those who are into fresh brew like those of Brewerkz cos "Bia Hoi" is a weak beer, very light & smooth. Most interestingly, the local 'coffee shops' serves this in tiny plastic stools and tables alongside the street walkways. Cool experience!
And did I first mentioned 'culture shock'? Yes, you bet there's another one which I still couldn't stomach. It's dog meat (locals call it 'thit cho')! Considered to be a national dish and delicacy, it's available throughout Vietnam (except for the 1st 5 days of each lunar calendar month, for some reasons) in both restaurants and market. Dog lovers, don't venture into their local markets as you'll see roasted dogs (without head) piled up on the tables for sale.
Anyway, it's a great trip Hanoi & Halong Bay. You bet I'll be back again!
Tamon is a small Japanese eatery located along East Coast Road near 928 Laksa. It had been sitting quietly in its corner for years and I was really tempted to try. Its opening hours are quite limited. They are open from 12-2pm (weekdays) and 6-10pm (weekdays and weekends). They aren't open on Public Holidays. Finally after one failed attempt (reached there and they weren't open), we managed to enter this place, frequented by Japanese in the area.
Seating for this place is for about 30-40, with about 4 tables of 4 outside. It is pretty cramped with the seats very close to each other. You can't have two larger sized people sitting back to back otherwise they would have a really hard time getting out.
They have a variety of items however they only have 5 dinner sets to choose from. Dinner sets are the best bargain at about $20 . The rest of the items are at normal prices which aren't very cheap.
Food Ordered: Tamon Bento Dinner Set A
The Tamon Bento ($26) consisted of sashimi,tempura, saba shioyaki, chawanmushi served with miso soup and rice. Both sets had a variety of sashimi and tempura which were sizeable and fresh (sashimi). The batter for the tempura was pretty good and it wasn't oily. The saba shioyaki (grilled mackerel) was well done, retaining its taste without being too "fishy". The best item here was the chawanmushi. Its texture was very smooth. One of the best I've tasted really.
Dinner Set A ($26) consisted of sashimi,tempura, chicken teriyaki served with miso soup and rice. The extra item here would be the Chicken teriyaki. It was a pretty sizeable serving so I shared it with my friend. Nicely done with very little fatty bits which is what I like.
In terms of service they were slow to respond at times even when there were only a few people. They were quick to tend to regulars though.
So I took one star off due to the service and limited opening hours. Parking isn't too easy too in the area.
1=SGD 0.0587
This is one of the Hong Kong cafes that pops up out of no where and it is always crowded as well. The queue there used to be longer, however I know their off peak hours and Had a few tea breaks there and found the food there quite good.
1. Mini drumlets: Came in a hot plate, with the meat of the drumlet pushed to the front, so that the bone can be used to hold. It is very tasty yet not really oily. The seasoning of the drumlets is done to prefection, not to sweet and not too salty and all the seasoning went into the meat.
2. HK style cheese bakes rice with chick chop: I personally dun really like cheese, but this dish is a bit surprise for me as it is not that cheesey and the rice is all soft and not hard from the baking. The cheese is soft and hot when served, it does not really harden up when I am eating as well. They got a layer of sauce that is on top of the rice which is quite good.
3. French Toast: I used to think this is sinful as it is deep fried, so full of oil! However this is not oily, and it came in a very thick piece, with a layer of peanut butter inside! Very nice! The thickness of the toast did surprised us at first, as this is the 1st time we saw such thick piece. The combination of the peanut butter in the toast is a very good one! Tasty!
4. Fresh Lemon Honey with Aloe Vera: I loved anything with aloe vera and have to say this is refreshing. The aloe vera are cut in big cubes, very crunchy, it is not bitter at all. For the drink itself it is not too sweet.
The service there is ok but my last visit they served a few dishes to our table which we did not order. Hee.... Should have accpeted it.
If not their service are quite ok, once ur hands are slightly rasied, they will have at least 2 people rushing to your table as well. Once seated they will also served the curtlerys in a small little tray.
The seats arrangement can be quite squeezed at times, close enough to hear what the other table is talking about. However they also got seats are are isolated as well. A bit nosiy when the palced is packed and at times have kids running ard as well. Dangerous though, dunno what the parents are thinking anyway.
I think I will only go to this place if I am ard vivocity and in the mood for some hongkong food, would prefer them to expand their menu to include more dim sum though.
Rating given:
Dim Sum! That's one of my favourite!
We decided to go there during lunch hour for dim sum buffet yesterday. Haha... I would say that the food is really cheap & good. For just $11.90 on weekdays and $14.90 on weekends & PHs for the dim sum buffet. But it's only available between 11.30am to 2.30pm daily.
They serve a good variety of dim sum such as char siew bao, siew mai, har kao as well as other dishes like carrot cake, chicken feet (not that nice though, abit hard), prawn-paste chicken wings, stir-fried vegetables, etc. In fact, there's like 30 dishes on their menu. On top of these, they also serve desserts like mango puddings and gui ling gao at the end.
Food-wise, it's really thumbs up for the price we are paying. But talking about their service, it's really quite bad. The waitress was very fierce to us and it took them very long to serve us our dishes. Yes, so you got to be prepared to wait if you intend to go there for cheap & nice dim sum then.
Rating given:
Went ot waraku and have dinner a few days ago. Afraid that the queue is very long but it turns out that there is no queue and we were ushered to a table fast. I am surprised as it is dinner time.
I think I am lucky cos less than 5 mins I am seated, the queue is already forming at the table outside. Lucky us. Haa...
It is also a good idea to make reservation however even with that be prepared to wait for a while.
We ordered
1. Mixed Yakitori: It got chicken, chicken meatballs, mushroom, bacon etc. Together with the sauce, it is good. I loved it. Plus it came on a hot plate with a flame below keeping it hot.
2. Tonpei Yaki: This is egg and bacon over a bed of lettuce. It is not oily and light. Makes it good to eat.
3. Age Dashi Tofu: The tofu is done prefectly, cripy outside and soft inside. The sauce is also not too salty. The only thing is do they need to serve 4 pcs of tofu in such a big bowl?
4. Tori Kaminabe: I like to eat these soup base "steamboat. This one does not disappoint me as well. The miso soup base is not salty as expected.
5. Teriyaki Chicken Don: This one is eaten by my fren. Formt he looks of it, must have been good cos he did not leave a single grain of rice in the bowl. Hee...
The service there is quite attentive however it sook sometime for the bill to come, so i walked over to the cashier to settle the bill instead.
The cost of the meal comes up to $58, Consider good and cheap as the portion are quite big as well.
Think if not of the queue, I might go there for my jap food more often!
Rating given:
My sister, her family, my parents, Hub & I together went for a 5-day trip to Bintan Lagoon Resort from 17 to 21 Dec 07. In order to enjoy 'big family' living, we booked a 4-bedroom villa (S$600 per nite). Yup, you heard it right. It's in S$. But .... it looks more like a nicer chalet with full facility kitchen. But the good thing is, you get a buggy to drive 'play' with.
Prior to the trip, our research and talks with some friends reveal that food is expensive in the resort. and it'll cost S$6 per person to take a bus to the 1 and only town called Pasar Ole Ole. As such, we decide to pack some food (noodles, spaghetti, canned food & what not) to cook so that we will not end up burning holes every meal in the cafes and restaurants for the 10 of us. That was the best decision we made for the trip.
After 3 days of eating 'in' (I mean self cook meals), we decided to reward ourselves with a nice dinner at the restaurant. Buffet costs S$50 for adults & $40 for children. Yes, you heard it right. It's in S$ ... faint! And the spread wasn't exceptionally fantastic! So, we decide to settle for a-la-carte menu instead cos it'll cost $500 for buffet for the 10 of us!
A-la-carte wasn't really cheap either but still much cheaper than buffet. Anyway, we had to pay S$18 for Nasi Goreng with 4 satay & an egg. The portion wasn't big and I would say it's not enough if you're hungry. Sigh!
In short, bring lots of $ if you're going to spend your time in the resort only ...
Bad experience aside ... the beach was fantastic. Nice, clean, windy! I even doze off on the beach chair watching my nephew and nieces playing with sand.
Catching the sunrise was definitely a great experience everyday except when the sky was overcast.
Golf and driving range is really cheap. My bro-in-law has 3 x 18-hole while the rest of us tee off at the driving range. Of course, there's a training putting green to practice your puts if you'd like to. And for those who did not bring any clubs, you can rent it too.
Nonetheless, I guess we'll go back to Bintan again but will pick another hotel instead. I don't think we want to end up having to cook every meals during vacation or getting stuck in 1 place for 5-days if you're not trying to foster closer family ties.
Rating given:
Sakae sushi recently branched out to the Teppenyaki business in their first all out table top cooking outlet at Tampines Century Square. Boasting 33 outlets all over Singapore, the green frog logo has more or less solidified its presence and made a handsome profit. So how does the Teppenyaki outlet fare?
Located directly opposite Sakae sushi, the new outlet is surrounded by tanks carrying live lobster, oysters and crayfish. There were about 3 cooking counters which can hold up to 24 customers at any one time. Everything looks clean and well distributed.
Classic Juice ($4) - Ordering drinks usually come across as a big no-no for me when i visit restaurants due to cut-throat prices and generally bad tasting drinks. Not this time though, the juice is delightfully refreshing with the stronger taste of peach complimenting the lighter tasting apple juice. I have been scouring department stores ever since for this beverage, anyone with information on this please let me know.
Vegetable salad with crab meat, seaweed and assorted greens - The complimentary appetizer was light and fresh with crunchy greens like lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and cabbage. Not too bad but nothing special either
Normal Japanese Rice - This is just simple sticky Japanese rice. However, it is possible to ask for garlic fried rice which would prove to be a much better choice as we witnessed it fried with butter, garlic, bean sprouts and eggs. The result was pretty pleasing for the nose but we unfortunately did not have that. Oh! This is at additional charge of course.
Pan Fried Salmon and Garlic Fried Beef Tenderloin, Mayonnaise Oyster and Pan Fried Foie Gras (Goose Liver), Chawan Mushi and Toufu, Pan Fried Chicken Cubes in Teriyaki Sauce and Wild Shittake Mushrooms.
The Completed Chicken Set ($17.90) - My gf had the chicken set and basically, i got to try almost everything. The chicken cubes were sweet and fragrant but a little on the tough side when chewing. The salmon is really hard and hardly held much taste which is a stark contrast from the toufu which was a tad too salty and the oyster, which is the most delightful of the lot, fresh and sweet. The mushrooms compensated the lack of bean sprouts and were soft, fragrant and chewy at the some time.
The Completed Beef Set ($19.90) - The beef set came with a generous helping of beef which i perceive as tenderloin since there is a distinct layer of fat present in it. The goose liver is smooth and evenly pan fried to goodness but compared to Humble house and Zambuca, they have a long way to go. Toufu and mushrooms are the same as the above and the Chawan Mushi was very good. It was smooth, fresh and sweet because we saw the ingredients as it was prepared. Nicely done.
A rather satisfying Teppenyaki meal if i do say so myself only came at the cost of $51.32. Not too expensive but if the location could be improved on a little more, this might be worth another look.
The variety it offers in the set meals are a refreshing take on a tired Teppenyaki menu. Still, you can't fault them for being innovative. I would describe this as a fusion of old school cooking with new world tastes. The question to be had is whether this gives them an edge over the competition who relies on not changing to meet demands. My answer to that is: Wait and see. I can't say i didn't enjoy the meal but somehow it still feels like something is lacking. Probably the posh feeling or maybe i just prefer ala carte ordering. Still, worth a look for budget consumers.
Rating given:
I love The Soup Spoon! The last time I went was a few years ago and I was happy to go again recently to find that it has expanded! There's more seating area now although it's really cramped cos they tried to put as many seats as possible. On weekday evenings, the place was absolutely brimming with people! It was sheer luck that my friend and I managed to get a table!
Food Ordered:
Seafood Clam Chowder in Bread Bowls - 2 servings
Tuna Mayo Sandwich
A bottle of Snapple
I love the clam chowder ($8.20) because it's so thick and flavourful! And it's fun eating up the whole bowl with it. One serving of this is actually enough for two people so my friend and I were absolutely full after...
The Tuna Mayo Sandwich was tasty but not extraordinarily. Serving is just right for one person, provided you don't order anything else much.
The total bill came up to about $25, which I find very reasonable since we ordered enough to feed 3 people. Definitely worth many more visits!
Rating given:
I knew about this well hidden place when my cousin decided to hold his ROM there. I was dropped off from the main gate and it was a long walk from there. I was sweating like a pig when I reached there.
It was a buffet and found the place to be a good place from some romantic moments. They got both outdoor and indoor seats. At every 2nd and last sunday, they will have a jazz band playing as well.
The food to me is quite up to standard.
One of my fav is the crisp black pepper soft shell crab with wasabi sauce. I personally dun like wasabi, but their sauce is really so good that I can simply lick it of the plate. The crab is also not oily yet crispy.
Their mains are quite good and their portions are quite big as well.
Their desserts limited but still got some good choices inside them. The warm bittersweet chocolate torte is one of my favs as well. With melted choco hidden inside the coc cake, together with some strawberries. Simply fantastic!
The service is pretty good and prompt as well, the waitress are also willingly to recommend their specialties for you.
If you wanna to eat in a place where it is in the city yet you dun feel like you are in the city. This is the place for you!
The only thing I dun like is this place is a bit unaccessible for those who dun have transport.
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Having heard about this place being good for its desserts, naturally being a dessert-lover, I was drawn to it. My friend and I went on a quiet weekday afternoon so there wasn't anyone, which is great! I was awed by the selection of desserts and simply didn't know which to pick! After a long long time we managed to decide.
As it was tea time, there was a tea time special. A choice of dessert and a drink for $9.50.
Food Ordered:
Arabella
Sweet Pleasure
Strawberry Italian Soda
Iced Lime Mint
Chicken and Mushroom Sandwich
Arabella is the dome-shaped chocolate cake with Jivara mousse with caramelised bananas, fruity ginger and passion fruit puree. I'm not a fan of caramelised bananas but was attracted to the presentation of the cake... the taste of bananas wasn't as strong as I thought it would be so that was good for me. I loved the outer covering.
Sweet Pleasure was made of layers of hazelnut praline dacquoise, Jivara milk chocolate ganache with fleur de sel, topped with chocolate mousse. I loved this cake. Except for the fact that it was difficult to eat, thanks to the hard top layer, it was delicious. Not overly sweet, the hazelnut taste was strong and made it really different from other cakes.
The Lemon Mint was a strange unappetizing green colour but nonetheless it was good. You can taste both flavours nicely.
The only one that disappointed was the Italian Soda. All Soda no strawberry. Made me extremely bloated after that.
The Chicken and Mushroom Sandwich was adequate in taste. It was quite big and more than enough for a lady like me. The ingredients were sufficient. It wasn't fantastic but at $12.50 I guess it's alright.
The bill came up to $36.40 for five items between two of us. Really a good deal I must say. Please note that this price is only during Tea time Specials.. weekday afternoons only.
On Christmas Day .... a second trip, we tried:
Macarons - Chocolate with Raspberry
Macarons - Chocolate with Lemon
Forest Noir
Ambrosia
Lychee Tea
To keep it short, the macarons are good but not fantastic. You really have to pick the flavours carefully. The Chocolate and Lemon one was too sticky for me whereas the Raspberry one was good in texture but slightly too sweet in taste.
Forest Noir was very much your average Blackforest cake but the Ambrosia was fantastic. lol my friend kept stealing mine!
And the Lychee tea is definitely a huge improvement from the Italian Soda I picked the last time. Good Drink.
This time we spent about $30 for 4 items. (See the difference minus the tea time special? Pity we're not all tai-tais.)
Anyway I'll definitely be back for more desserts and Lambourghini/Ferrari-watching. :)
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Hub & I went on a 6-day trip to Hanoi & Halong Bay on 5 Dec with another couple. Boy! It was such an eye-opening trip or should I say culture shock? Hmmm ... anyway, here's some stuffs to fill everyone in.
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It lives up to its name. We went on a overnight junk cruise with Handspan tour (highly recommended by Lonely Planet and a Romanian friend of mine). The journey starts at Handspan office @ 80 Ma May Street in Hanoi and it takes almost 4hrs to reach Halong.
Being a typically motion sickness 'patient', the 2 ladies in the group decided to pop some pills for that 'just-in-case-I-throw-up' syndrome. Well, we're pleasantly surpised by the calmness of the bay and how beautiful it is. There were some 1000 thousand grottoes in the bay, each with shape of anything your imagination can bring. The kiasu-ism in me pushed my fingers to snap away some 500 pics by the end of the 2 day trip.
If you're into total relaxation (I mean do nothing but eat & sleep), this overnight cruise is for you. The cabin is nice & cozy, done up in traditional Vietnamese deco. Fresh seafood and local dishes awaits us at every meal. Yummy! Highlight of the cruise:
- dip into the icy cold waters in Titop Island.
- laze on the deck chairs at the upper deck under the dark night sky. Mine! That was really romantic!
Hanoi - capital of Vietnam - but doesn't look any bit like one cos it doesn't have tall buildings like those in HCM city. Anyway, it's definitely a nice place to check out great buys along the streets Old Quarters. Lotsa great foods around the area too! Check out Fanny Ice Cream, Bobby Chinn Restaurant, 69 Restaurant (for its 'Cha Ca Hanoi' noodle) & Tamarind Cafe (for wholesome great vegetarian dishes). Yummy!
When in Vietnam, bring US$. Forget about VND cos almost all restaurants prefer US$ and invoices will be presented in 2 currencies. If you must use VND, be prepared to lose out on the exchange rate.
Lastly, when in Hanoi, check out the local beer which they call it "Bia Hoi" (fresh beer). A big mug costs about S$0.90 but it's not for those who are into fresh brew like those of Brewerkz cos "Bia Hoi" is a weak beer, very light & smooth. Most interestingly, the local 'coffee shops' serves this in tiny plastic stools and tables alongside the street walkways. Cool experience!
And did I first mentioned 'culture shock'? Yes, you bet there's another one which I still couldn't stomach. It's dog meat (locals call it 'thit cho')! Considered to be a national dish and delicacy, it's available throughout Vietnam (except for the 1st 5 days of each lunar calendar month, for some reasons) in both restaurants and market. Dog lovers, don't venture into their local markets as you'll see roasted dogs (without head) piled up on the tables for sale.
Anyway, it's a great trip Hanoi & Halong Bay. You bet I'll be back again!
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Tamon is a small Japanese eatery located along East Coast Road near 928 Laksa. It had been sitting quietly in its corner for years and I was really tempted to try. Its opening hours are quite limited. They are open from 12-2pm (weekdays) and 6-10pm (weekdays and weekends). They aren't open on Public Holidays. Finally after one failed attempt (reached there and they weren't open), we managed to enter this place, frequented by Japanese in the area.
Seating for this place is for about 30-40, with about 4 tables of 4 outside. It is pretty cramped with the seats very close to each other. You can't have two larger sized people sitting back to back otherwise they would have a really hard time getting out.
They have a variety of items however they only have 5 dinner sets to choose from. Dinner sets are the best bargain at about $20 . The rest of the items are at normal prices which aren't very cheap.
Food Ordered:
Tamon Bento
Dinner Set A
The Tamon Bento ($26) consisted of sashimi,tempura, saba shioyaki, chawanmushi served with miso soup and rice. Both sets had a variety of sashimi and tempura which were sizeable and fresh (sashimi). The batter for the tempura was pretty good and it wasn't oily. The saba shioyaki (grilled mackerel) was well done, retaining its taste without being too "fishy". The best item here was the chawanmushi. Its texture was very smooth. One of the best I've tasted really.
Dinner Set A ($26) consisted of sashimi,tempura, chicken teriyaki served with miso soup and rice. The extra item here would be the Chicken teriyaki. It was a pretty sizeable serving so I shared it with my friend. Nicely done with very little fatty bits which is what I like.
In terms of service they were slow to respond at times even when there were only a few people. They were quick to tend to regulars though.
So I took one star off due to the service and limited opening hours. Parking isn't too easy too in the area.
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