Rou Gu Cha, if you are not aware of it, this is also known as Bak Ku Teh. I have a sudden craving of Bak Ku Teh nowadays, and i have totally no idea why. Perhaps its due to the rainy weather that makes me feel like drinking something hot and nice. :)
Ken who lives near marsiling area told me that there is one popular ba ku teh store around his area. It is so popular that bascially, the people who are visiting the coffee shop will definitely have one pot of bak ku teh on their table. Without any delay, i decided to check them out.
Located at the corner coffeeshop, this bak ku teh store is real popular. So much so that, it has sold out its fried you tiao. :( I simply loved the taste of you tiao soaked into to the bak ku teh, it tasted simply marvellous even though its ate it alone.
Nevertheless, i still ordered their bak ku teh. There is basically four things which i loved about their bak ku teh. First, its definitely the way that they serve their bak ku teh in a claypot form as this will ensure that the teh is kept hot till you complete your meal.
Second, i adore how they used only slim meat in their bak ku teh. No trace of fat can be seen in the meat so one can basically have them all without feeling fat guilty.
Third, i simply fall in love of the taste of teh. Heard that they uses fresh ingredients in them, thus able to make such nice and thick flavour teh. I like the amount of pepper they used in their teh, this i feel its just nice (not too spicy nor too bland).
Finally, i loved the way they include vegetables and tau pok into their bak ku teh. The different colours makes the bak ku teh looks not only nicer but also much more appetising.
Overall, a rather different bak ku teh from the normal ones. But, i guess the few extra ingredients is what that will push me to visit them again. :)
Joe and i were walking around novena square after our usual treat of haagen daz. Perhaps we all have rather big stomach :P, the cone of ice cream does not seem to be able to fill it up. Thus, we began to scot around novena square for any nice food to eat.
Just as we began walking, Joe suddenly suggested to have porridge buffet at the nearby Quality hotel. Thinking that porridge should not be too full for me, i obliged.
The quality cafe is located at the ground floor of the hotel. When we reached there, the cafe seems full and there are also quite a few people waiting for their turn. "Oh my god" was my first reaction as i could not figure out how long i have to wait before i can pour some porridge into my stomach.
Nevertheless, we still register our name with the staff. We both set a target to stop waiting if the wait exceed more than 30mins. To both our surprise, in less than 5 minutes, the staff called us to our table. Rather impressing.
Although they have stated this as porridge buffet, they did not only provide us with different flavours of porridge, they have also includes quite a few varities of dishes to eat together with the porridge. If one do not think that porridge will be full, there are also white rice to come with the buffet.
After tasting almost all the varieties of dishes, i feel that their food is really so-so (not really fantastic). Take for example, one of their dish is the seafood toufu. I feel that if they have added in some sweet and sour sauce, it would taste much more better than serving it as plain.
They also served chilli flower crab which i think its really a bonus for a buffet at this price. I was rather disappointed when i realized the flower crab does not have much meat in them. Well, perhaps thats how a flower crab should be.
They also have dessert for one to have towards the end of their meal. Their dessert includes the ever favourite ice cream for the kids, ice kachang plus bread pudding. I quite loved the texture of the bread pudding (similar to a cake texture but with crispy crust) and it simply tasted marvellous.
Ice kachang is actually self serviced, this i feel that is particular good as one could choose to add more of their favourite ingredient. However, i do not really like the way that they used red kidney beans for their ice kachang, as i find them rather plain and does not taste as nice as the small red bean.
Overall, i think this is a not too bad buffet for the price you pay ($11.80 on sat, sun, public holiday ; $9.80 on mon to fri) and the food you get (continuous supply of chilli crab). Their customer service skill are also not bad and you will not have to worry about too many plates on your table as they are consistently watching out for your used plates. :)
However, if i am going to try them out again, i believe i will go for their supper buffet which costs only $7.80 nett. Good deal isn't it?
I had my LASIK operation at the Lasik Surgery Clinic (LSC) Oct 2007. I did some research before deciding whether to do LASIK, what kind of LASIK as well as where to go for it. After reading the studies, consultation with friends, and those in the field, I decided on LSC as they had a good promo then with a new equipment(VISX) (INTRALASE LASIK) they just brought in. The service though alright, was inconsistent IMO. I guess it was becoz they were a busy clinic plus I went during lunch time.
First health screening to check if u are suitable for the op. Once you have been ascertained to be suitable, you would then be asked to see if you are willing to undergo the surgery. At no point in time,did they pester you to make a decision on the spot. For me, it was an easy decision, cheap and good. The clinic has only SENIOR eye surgeons with good accolades and experience.
In addition, they would also provide recommendations on the types of LASIK surgery that you would be suitable for base on the condition of your eyes. And again, I must emphasize that they will not hard sell you into taking up a pricier package, but rather let you decide on your own.
As for the surgery and the follow-ups (3 in total), they were professional as well and made you feel completely at ease. If you have any doubts, you can feel free to check with the doctors or optometrists on the spot. Also, you have the option of choosing your own doctor to perform the surgery for you if you have had recommendations from your friends or relatives.
Lastly, I must say that their prices are very competitive. However I must say that it's hard to compare between clinics as like mobile plans, it depends on what u are after. Different clinics use different equipment hence the price is different.
Cheapest does not necessary mean u get the best and latest technology.
INTRALASE IMO is safer as there is no PHYSICAL contact when your cornea flap is being created. Plus, INTRALASE follows the curvature of the eye ball thus creating a more uniform flap and healing's better and less risk of induced astigmatism. Of coz, best is INTRALASE with Wavefront (read customised LASIK) but i got not enuff money for that. In the end, just 2 days after the op, I felt sooo free. Free from bad eyesight, free from glasses, free to do lotsa of stuff. Now is two months already and i am still discovering new things about this new found freedom each new day!
Do your research first. Read everything with a critical mind, take other people's advice with a pinch of salt. Depending on what u are after, come to a conclusion which method u prefer, the price to pay and the LASIK surgery clinic yourself.
Plaza Singapura has complete their renovation at the basement and now it boasts more eatery stores. Some of the stores are newly opened store which i have not seen at anywhere before.
Wow Tako is not exactly a new store as it exist in Plaza Singapura way before its renovation starts. However, after the renovation it now booasts a much bigger store. Located near the MRT exist, one should not miss this store.
It has been quite a long time since we last ate wow tako (due to the renovation), and since Ken and i suddenly have this craving for it, we head down to Plaza Singapura immediately. hee hee.
The queue to Wow Tako is still as long as before. We waited for a while before we get our hands on these tako. There are generally a few flavours of tako (ham and cheese, octopus, prawn, etc), however the one that i liked best is their double cheese speciality tako.
This double cheese speciality tako is strictly not available in other tako store (non wow tako store that is) so whenever i got cheesy craving, i am sure to pop by here.
Ok, before i forget, the double cheese speciality is actually 3 ham & cheese tako balls with cheesy sauce (similar to nacho cheese sauce) spread over on the top. Beside the cheesy sauce, mayo and teriyaki sauce (i think?) will be added too. I prefer the combination of cheesy sauce plus teriyaki sauce as the mayo tends to overpower the cheesy taste.
Additional topings will include fish flakes. For those who likes to have lots of fish flakes (like me), now you can do so by topping up with additional money.
The shape of the tako balls may not be exactly in round (do not exactly know the reason why, but it may be due to the stacking of tako balls on top of each other), but i love the way they put ingredients into the tako balls. They are not stingly at all. I have once ate a tako ball with 4 -5 pieces of ham in it before.
Overall, their tako balls taste above average but i do think they should improve on their service skills especially on the smiling part while taking order from people. There have also upgrade their price after the renovation, which i find it rather steep for three balls now. Guess, i have to eat less of this in future. :)
I was using the MRT underpass (on my way to wheelock), when i suddenly stopped by a very strong smell. A very nice smell indeed and it seems like its coming from a bakery.
True enough, the smell get extremely strong when i reached the Sun Moulin bakery located at the basement of isetan. It is basically a japanese bakery where all the bread are specially flavoured and nicely designed.
Guess, that is the real reason why many people are actually flocking over to grab their buns. Their most popular item have to be their mini creation. This is so as every customer is sure to have one or two from their mini creation.
The mini creation are sold in one, threes or five. Each tag a different cost. Of course, the most you buy, the more saving you will get. However, i am not sure if they only offer the promotion during that period of time (evening).
Its really not a bad idea to buy their mini creation during evening time as that is the time where they keep coming out with fresh supply of bun, cakes, pastry and mochi. I also went to pick up a few pieces of nice looking buns.
Of all, i prefer the chocolate bun the most. What gives my thumb up is definitely the bun texture. Its super soft and the entire bun feels light (which means you will not feel full with this), its also gives me an impression that i am eating the puffs (as they have similar texture). I fall in love with it just by tasting the first mouth.
The bun looks nice just coated with chocolate and chopped almonds. A very nice surprise that they gave me is that they actually fill the small bun with chocolate too.
Personally i feel that the amount of chocolate in the bun is just right, so one will not feel sick of eating too much chocolate. Their chocolate is also specially created so that it is not too thick and sticky.
Grab some if you are around the area. They have quite a few different type of buns. If you do not like chocolate, they have floss, cheese, coffee, apple, etc. Sure to have one flavour that will fit your taste. :)
Walking along Orchard Road can be a tiring thing especially when you have a hungry stomach. This exactly happened to me and i am in search for something to fill up my stomach. Well, since im in a rather odd hour (mid afternoon), i decided to get something light, fearing that i may not be able to eat my dinner afterwards.
I was walking around food republic (located in Wisma atria), thinking of what to eat, when my eyes suddenly light up upon seeing the cart.
Ok, its a rather ordinary cart, the thing that actually interest me is the food that they are selling and its...... tu tu kueh. Tutu kueh is small and it is light, which totally fits into my searching category.
Being really excited to see tutu kueh selling on a Orchard Road, i walked straight to the cart in small quick steps. Just before i began to order, i saw a small white paper with the following words printed on it:
4 for $2
This i believe is much more expensive than those selling in neighbourhood areas. Well, perhaps their store rental is much higher is these area which result in a much more expensive sale price. Nevertheless, i still ordered their tutu kueh.
The store seller then took two tu tu kueh (steaming in the hot steamer) and two tu tu kueh (from the container which i believe have been made ready for some time) and pack them for me. I almost could not believe my eyes. I have never seen any tutu kueh seller remake the tutu kueh as they always do it right on the spot when i ordered for it.
Oh well, since i have already paid for it, i will have to eat them. The two tu tu kuehs (steaming in the hot steamer) tasted really much better than the other two. First thing is definitely their skin, those that were make earlier has a rather hard texture skin which did not taste as nice. Being not as hot as those right out from the steamer, the hard texture become much more significant.
Secondly, is the filling which i find them somehow much lesser than those steaming in the steamer ones. However, i quite like the taste of the coconut filling. Their coconut fillings is dark brown in colour and i feel that they taste much better than those orange colour. Perhaps it is due to the guala melaka that they added in to their coconut filling.
Overall, i think the tutu kueh taste pretty alright. If possible, do try and request those steaming in the steamer ones. They really do taste much better.
"Looking for a budget eating corner? Lack of cash and still want big American portions of food such as Botak Jones beef burgers? Look no further! BlackBoard is your neighborhood friendly Western food fix!" At least, that is what i believe went through their minds when they started this franchise. Their actual tagline is : "We satisfy your cravings". Let's find out if thats true then.
I was introduced to this place by Adrain san, who happens to live nearby and swears that this is one of the best eating places he has found in Singapore at present. (He's Japanese and a Singapore Judo Representative. Really cool, really big guy.)
Hidden in a derelict corner of a small coffee shop, its still easy to spot this rather slick looking sign in the middle of nowhere. From what i heard, the place usually sells out its food but we were pretty fortunate both times to have been able to secure a good seat and to get all our orders available.
Mushroom Soup ($2.80) - Their rendition of mushroom soup had little bits of mushrooms which is evident by the tiny black bits you see scattered throughout the soup. The cream was milky and rather thin which reminded me of Campbell's soup but a little tastier and more fragrant. My gf enjoyed this quite alot (She's a Katsu and mushroom affectionado.)
Garlic Bread ($2) - Served piping hot, crispy and smelling simply heavenly. Available in 6 thin slices for $2, this rendition was a quite good if not for the it being overly crispy due to over toasting as can be seen from the charred edges in the picture above. I prefer garlic bread a little moist as well but this came a little too dry.
Tuscan Fries ($2.50) - I really don't know what constitutes Tuscan fries but i love french fries. Heck, i'll even settle for Mcdonald's fries if the craving is in, but i do like my fries thick and i do prefer wedges over fries. These fries were served hot and steaming with some chilli powder or i suspect, msg sprinkled over them and honestly, they were not bad at all. Thick, sweet and a little spicy, it becomes an obsession the moment you start eating it. A word of caution though, most of the mains come with the same portion of fries so you are better off simply ordering a main course.
Blackboard Burger 300 gm patty ($6.80) - Shown above is their signature dish, the Blackboard burger. Similar to the Botak Burger, it comes with huge beef patties but this rendition is slightly cheaper. Its not too difficult to see why either, from the first bite, you'll realise that the patty is made by mashing many things inside along with the beef. From the close ups, you can see carrots, radish and assorted other ingredients which give the burger a unique taste. The only problem is that this makes it taste drier than other beef burgers i've had before and diminishes the beef taste which i prefer. The double patty comes at a cheap top up of $3 and basically, this can be 2 meals instead of one. Its very filling to say the least. Taste wise, Botak burger and Changing appetites have the upper hand, but price wise, you'll be hard pressed to find another 300 gm beef patty at this price.
Buffalo Wings ($1.20 each) - Given the choice of spicy, extra spicy or mild, Blackboard's buffalo wings are definitely more fiery then the rest. (To me at least) We took the extra spicy option, which is basically spicy thai sauce. I'm pretty sure they had chili paddy in the concoction because your lips will burn long after the wings have settled in your stomach. Meat wise, this was tender and nicely marinated from the color and the reddish tinge of the meat inside. The skin was crispy as well making it a good appetizer. My gf easily took the spiciness while i struggled by drinking gallons of water, you have been warned.
Cajun Spice Chicken ($6.50) - Order this and you'll get a generous piece of chicken thigh or breast which is thoroughly marinated and lightly pan fried. You'll also get a generous dose of Tuscan fries and some coleslaw to round up the package. I'm assuming that Cajun spices are influenced by Indian spices since i believe there is curry powder in the marinating. The chicken is quite literally soaked in the spices and exudes a fragrant and appetizing aroma. Meat was tender and easily cut apart as well and i love the fact that there are no bones for me to pick off. The cheese layer however did not add much to the flavor of the chicken and i didn't like the sauce that came with the dish. Still pretty decent though.
Fish and Chips Large($9) - I ordered this for my gf because i wanted to see what large looks like. Well, it indeed is large with 4 thick slices of fish deep fried to a golden brown and served sporting a standing ovation. Taste wise, the batter used in frying is very thick, such that we had to dig the meat out instead of eating the entire thing after one piece. The meat isn't much to shout about either but you can't complain about the portion size. $9 for batter though is not my idea of good fish and chips.
Honestly, food wise, the place is not exactly splendid but does have a certain charm and also comes at a really budget price. Compare it to a whole host of mediocre kopitiam offerings and this is a sure winner, but compare it to other similar outlets like Botak Jones or Uno Beef house and it doesn't score as high. Try it with an open mind and a minimal budget to judge for yourselves.
I'll go there for meal whenever I got a huge appetite & cravings because the servings are big & there's a good variety of side dishes to choose from.
Although I'm not much into pork, I quite like their ribs, especially the BBQ sauce which really compliments the ribs. The roast chicken is good too! With a coating of glaze and herbs on the chicken skin and the chicken skin is roasted to almost fatless, it makes me feel less sinful to eat it. Haha...
As for the sides, my favourite is corn muffins followed by the corn nibbles. Other than the corn, they also have different potato side dishes like galic potato, mashed potato and potato salad. Of course there's the greens as well.
I've also noticed that most of the waiters and waitresses there are the elderly. Seems like it's quite a pro-elderly place, that's good!
On the overall, felt happily satisfied. Both with the food and the friendly waiters.
I decided to try this branch that's newly opened. The place was not cluttered while the aircon was too cold for my liking. Perhaps it was a rainy day.
I tried the soup of the day (tomato) and a half sandwich that contained mushrooms (my favourite). The wait wasn't that long as the place was not full. I liked the sandwich because it was just enough for me. However, my soup and tea got cold too easily due to the low temperature.
It would have been more enjoyable if the temperature wasn't too cold. Cost wise is about $15 per person.
Whenever i am in marina square during dinner time, i am bound to see a long queue outside this shop.
I am always very puzzled about the long queue. Perhaps it is due to their super nice food that everyone is yearning to have them all at once or perhaps their place is too small to accomodate so many people at one go. Whatever is the perhaps, i decided to try them out no matter what.
To avoid having to queue for long, i decided to call in and reserve a table first. Then, did i know they do not accept reservations. Now, then i understand why their queue is always so long. haha.
Since they do not accpet any reservation, my family members and i can only take a queue number and wait patiently for our turn. One good thing is that they actually provide chairs for us to seat, so do not need to wait till our legs give way. hee.
After a pretty long wait, we managed to get a table finally. When i stepped into the restuarant, i suddenly felt that i am being transferred into the olden days. You will not find plastic tables and chairs waiting for you, instead what welcomes you is the wooden table and chairs. (which totally fits with their shop name)
We ordered quite a big varieties of food which include their famous herbal duck, pork ribs, bead curb, fish maw soup, broccoli, etc. Of all the food that we have ordered, i personnaly like the beancurd the best.
Whenever we ordered beancurd dishes, it will usually comes in the shape of round or rectangle. However, this dian xiao er beancurd comes in a diamond shape. Their beancurd is not those soft texture kind but instead i find them chewy. Kind of funny to have chewy beancurd, but i guess this may be due to the additional ingredients that they have added into the beancurd.
Their herbal duck also tasted nice. I always thought that roasted duck will be very dry and crispy. However, their herbal duck has helped me changed the opnion of them with their juicy meat slices.
Overall, i can say that their food is really not too bad. This can be seen from my family members feedback as well as their fast speed of eating up all the dishes. Price wise i find it rather reasonable given the food and the location. A choice worth to try them out.
1=SGD 0.0587
Rou Gu Cha, if you are not aware of it, this is also known as Bak Ku Teh. I have a sudden craving of Bak Ku Teh nowadays, and i have totally no idea why. Perhaps its due to the rainy weather that makes me feel like drinking something hot and nice. :)
Ken who lives near marsiling area told me that there is one popular ba ku teh store around his area. It is so popular that bascially, the people who are visiting the coffee shop will definitely have one pot of bak ku teh on their table. Without any delay, i decided to check them out.
Located at the corner coffeeshop, this bak ku teh store is real popular. So much so that, it has sold out its fried you tiao. :( I simply loved the taste of you tiao soaked into to the bak ku teh, it tasted simply marvellous even though its ate it alone.
Nevertheless, i still ordered their bak ku teh. There is basically four things which i loved about their bak ku teh. First, its definitely the way that they serve their bak ku teh in a claypot form as this will ensure that the teh is kept hot till you complete your meal.
Second, i adore how they used only slim meat in their bak ku teh. No trace of fat can be seen in the meat so one can basically have them all without feeling fat guilty.
Third, i simply fall in love of the taste of teh. Heard that they uses fresh ingredients in them, thus able to make such nice and thick flavour teh. I like the amount of pepper they used in their teh, this i feel its just nice (not too spicy nor too bland).
Finally, i loved the way they include vegetables and tau pok into their bak ku teh. The different colours makes the bak ku teh looks not only nicer but also much more appetising.
Overall, a rather different bak ku teh from the normal ones. But, i guess the few extra ingredients is what that will push me to visit them again. :)
Rating given:
Joe and i were walking around novena square after our usual treat of haagen daz. Perhaps we all have rather big stomach :P, the cone of ice cream does not seem to be able to fill it up. Thus, we began to scot around novena square for any nice food to eat.
Just as we began walking, Joe suddenly suggested to have porridge buffet at the nearby Quality hotel. Thinking that porridge should not be too full for me, i obliged.
The quality cafe is located at the ground floor of the hotel. When we reached there, the cafe seems full and there are also quite a few people waiting for their turn. "Oh my god" was my first reaction as i could not figure out how long i have to wait before i can pour some porridge into my stomach.
Nevertheless, we still register our name with the staff. We both set a target to stop waiting if the wait exceed more than 30mins. To both our surprise, in less than 5 minutes, the staff called us to our table. Rather impressing.
Although they have stated this as porridge buffet, they did not only provide us with different flavours of porridge, they have also includes quite a few varities of dishes to eat together with the porridge. If one do not think that porridge will be full, there are also white rice to come with the buffet.
After tasting almost all the varieties of dishes, i feel that their food is really so-so (not really fantastic). Take for example, one of their dish is the seafood toufu. I feel that if they have added in some sweet and sour sauce, it would taste much more better than serving it as plain.
They also served chilli flower crab which i think its really a bonus for a buffet at this price. I was rather disappointed when i realized the flower crab does not have much meat in them. Well, perhaps thats how a flower crab should be.
They also have dessert for one to have towards the end of their meal. Their dessert includes the ever favourite ice cream for the kids, ice kachang plus bread pudding. I quite loved the texture of the bread pudding (similar to a cake texture but with crispy crust) and it simply tasted marvellous.
Ice kachang is actually self serviced, this i feel that is particular good as one could choose to add more of their favourite ingredient. However, i do not really like the way that they used red kidney beans for their ice kachang, as i find them rather plain and does not taste as nice as the small red bean.
Overall, i think this is a not too bad buffet for the price you pay ($11.80 on sat, sun, public holiday ; $9.80 on mon to fri) and the food you get (continuous supply of chilli crab). Their customer service skill are also not bad and you will not have to worry about too many plates on your table as they are consistently watching out for your used plates. :)
However, if i am going to try them out again, i believe i will go for their supper buffet which costs only $7.80 nett. Good deal isn't it?
Rating given:
I had my LASIK operation at the Lasik Surgery Clinic (LSC) Oct 2007.
I did some research before deciding whether to do LASIK, what kind of LASIK as well as where to go for it.
After reading the studies, consultation with friends, and those in the field, I decided on LSC as they had a good promo then with a new equipment(VISX) (INTRALASE LASIK) they just brought in.
The service though alright, was inconsistent IMO. I guess it was becoz they were a busy clinic plus I went during lunch time.
First health screening to check if u are suitable for the op. Once you have been ascertained to be suitable, you would then be asked to see if you are willing to undergo the surgery. At no point in time,did they pester you to make a decision on the spot. For me, it was an easy decision, cheap and good. The clinic has only SENIOR eye surgeons with good accolades and experience.
In addition, they would also provide recommendations on the types of LASIK surgery that you would be suitable for base on the condition of your eyes. And again, I must emphasize that they will not hard sell you into taking up a pricier package, but rather let you decide on your own.
As for the surgery and the follow-ups (3 in total), they were professional as well and made you feel completely at ease. If you have any doubts, you can feel free to check with the doctors or optometrists on the spot. Also, you have the option of choosing your own doctor to perform the surgery for you if you have had recommendations from your friends or relatives.
Lastly, I must say that their prices are very competitive. However I must say that it's hard to compare between clinics as like mobile plans, it depends on what u are after. Different clinics use different equipment hence the price is different.
Cheapest does not necessary mean u get the best and latest technology.
INTRALASE IMO is safer as there is no PHYSICAL contact when your cornea flap is being created. Plus, INTRALASE follows the curvature of the eye ball thus creating a more uniform flap and healing's better and less risk of induced astigmatism. Of coz, best is INTRALASE with Wavefront (read customised LASIK) but i got not enuff money for that. In the end, just 2 days after the op, I felt sooo free. Free from bad eyesight, free from glasses, free to do lotsa of stuff. Now is two months already and i am still discovering new things about this new found freedom each new day!
Do your research first. Read everything with a critical mind, take other people's advice with a pinch of salt.
Depending on what u are after, come to a conclusion which method u prefer, the price to pay and the LASIK surgery clinic yourself.
Rating given:
Plaza Singapura has complete their renovation at the basement and now it boasts more eatery stores. Some of the stores are newly opened store which i have not seen at anywhere before.
Wow Tako is not exactly a new store as it exist in Plaza Singapura way before its renovation starts. However, after the renovation it now booasts a much bigger store. Located near the MRT exist, one should not miss this store.
It has been quite a long time since we last ate wow tako (due to the renovation), and since Ken and i suddenly have this craving for it, we head down to Plaza Singapura immediately. hee hee.
The queue to Wow Tako is still as long as before. We waited for a while before we get our hands on these tako. There are generally a few flavours of tako (ham and cheese, octopus, prawn, etc), however the one that i liked best is their double cheese speciality tako.
This double cheese speciality tako is strictly not available in other tako store (non wow tako store that is) so whenever i got cheesy craving, i am sure to pop by here.
Ok, before i forget, the double cheese speciality is actually 3 ham & cheese tako balls with cheesy sauce (similar to nacho cheese sauce) spread over on the top. Beside the cheesy sauce, mayo and teriyaki sauce (i think?) will be added too. I prefer the combination of cheesy sauce plus teriyaki sauce as the mayo tends to overpower the cheesy taste.
Additional topings will include fish flakes. For those who likes to have lots of fish flakes (like me), now you can do so by topping up with additional money.
The shape of the tako balls may not be exactly in round (do not exactly know the reason why, but it may be due to the stacking of tako balls on top of each other), but i love the way they put ingredients into the tako balls. They are not stingly at all. I have once ate a tako ball with 4 -5 pieces of ham in it before.
Overall, their tako balls taste above average but i do think they should improve on their service skills especially on the smiling part while taking order from people. There have also upgrade their price after the renovation, which i find it rather steep for three balls now. Guess, i have to eat less of this in future. :)
Rating given:
Sun Moulin's Mini bun is real nice.
I was using the MRT underpass (on my way to wheelock), when i suddenly stopped by a very strong smell. A very nice smell indeed and it seems like its coming from a bakery.
True enough, the smell get extremely strong when i reached the Sun Moulin bakery located at the basement of isetan. It is basically a japanese bakery where all the bread are specially flavoured and nicely designed.
Guess, that is the real reason why many people are actually flocking over to grab their buns. Their most popular item have to be their mini creation. This is so as every customer is sure to have one or two from their mini creation.
The mini creation are sold in one, threes or five. Each tag a different cost. Of course, the most you buy, the more saving you will get. However, i am not sure if they only offer the promotion during that period of time (evening).
Its really not a bad idea to buy their mini creation during evening time as that is the time where they keep coming out with fresh supply of bun, cakes, pastry and mochi. I also went to pick up a few pieces of nice looking buns.
Of all, i prefer the chocolate bun the most. What gives my thumb up is definitely the bun texture. Its super soft and the entire bun feels light (which means you will not feel full with this), its also gives me an impression that i am eating the puffs (as they have similar texture). I fall in love with it just by tasting the first mouth.
The bun looks nice just coated with chocolate and chopped almonds. A very nice surprise that they gave me is that they actually fill the small bun with chocolate too.
Personally i feel that the amount of chocolate in the bun is just right, so one will not feel sick of eating too much chocolate. Their chocolate is also specially created so that it is not too thick and sticky.
Grab some if you are around the area. They have quite a few different type of buns. If you do not like chocolate, they have floss, cheese, coffee, apple, etc. Sure to have one flavour that will fit your taste. :)
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Walking along Orchard Road can be a tiring thing especially when you have a hungry stomach. This exactly happened to me and i am in search for something to fill up my stomach. Well, since im in a rather odd hour (mid afternoon), i decided to get something light, fearing that i may not be able to eat my dinner afterwards.
I was walking around food republic (located in Wisma atria), thinking of what to eat, when my eyes suddenly light up upon seeing the cart.
Ok, its a rather ordinary cart, the thing that actually interest me is the food that they are selling and its...... tu tu kueh. Tutu kueh is small and it is light, which totally fits into my searching category.
Being really excited to see tutu kueh selling on a Orchard Road, i walked straight to the cart in small quick steps. Just before i began to order, i saw a small white paper with the following words printed on it:
4 for $2
This i believe is much more expensive than those selling in neighbourhood areas. Well, perhaps their store rental is much higher is these area which result in a much more expensive sale price. Nevertheless, i still ordered their tutu kueh.
The store seller then took two tu tu kueh (steaming in the hot steamer) and two tu tu kueh (from the container which i believe have been made ready for some time) and pack them for me. I almost could not believe my eyes. I have never seen any tutu kueh seller remake the tutu kueh as they always do it right on the spot when i ordered for it.
Oh well, since i have already paid for it, i will have to eat them. The two tu tu kuehs (steaming in the hot steamer) tasted really much better than the other two. First thing is definitely their skin, those that were make earlier has a rather hard texture skin which did not taste as nice. Being not as hot as those right out from the steamer, the hard texture become much more significant.
Secondly, is the filling which i find them somehow much lesser than those steaming in the steamer ones. However, i quite like the taste of the coconut filling. Their coconut fillings is dark brown in colour and i feel that they taste much better than those orange colour. Perhaps it is due to the guala melaka that they added in to their coconut filling.
Overall, i think the tutu kueh taste pretty alright. If possible, do try and request those steaming in the steamer ones. They really do taste much better.
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"Looking for a budget eating corner? Lack of cash and still want big American portions of food such as Botak Jones beef burgers? Look no further! BlackBoard is your neighborhood friendly Western food fix!" At least, that is what i believe went through their minds when they started this franchise. Their actual tagline is : "We satisfy your cravings". Let's find out if thats true then.
I was introduced to this place by Adrain san, who happens to live nearby and swears that this is one of the best eating places he has found in Singapore at present. (He's Japanese and a Singapore Judo Representative. Really cool, really big guy.)
Hidden in a derelict corner of a small coffee shop, its still easy to spot this rather slick looking sign in the middle of nowhere. From what i heard, the place usually sells out its food but we were pretty fortunate both times to have been able to secure a good seat and to get all our orders available.
Mushroom Soup ($2.80) - Their rendition of mushroom soup had little bits of mushrooms which is evident by the tiny black bits you see scattered throughout the soup. The cream was milky and rather thin which reminded me of Campbell's soup but a little tastier and more fragrant. My gf enjoyed this quite alot (She's a Katsu and mushroom affectionado.)
Garlic Bread ($2) - Served piping hot, crispy and smelling simply heavenly. Available in 6 thin slices for $2, this rendition was a quite good if not for the it being overly crispy due to over toasting as can be seen from the charred edges in the picture above. I prefer garlic bread a little moist as well but this came a little too dry.
Tuscan Fries ($2.50) - I really don't know what constitutes Tuscan fries but i love french fries. Heck, i'll even settle for Mcdonald's fries if the craving is in, but i do like my fries thick and i do prefer wedges over fries. These fries were served hot and steaming with some chilli powder or i suspect, msg sprinkled over them and honestly, they were not bad at all. Thick, sweet and a little spicy, it becomes an obsession the moment you start eating it. A word of caution though, most of the mains come with the same portion of fries so you are better off simply ordering a main course.
Blackboard Burger 300 gm patty ($6.80) - Shown above is their signature dish, the Blackboard burger. Similar to the Botak Burger, it comes with huge beef patties but this rendition is slightly cheaper. Its not too difficult to see why either, from the first bite, you'll realise that the patty is made by mashing many things inside along with the beef. From the close ups, you can see carrots, radish and assorted other ingredients which give the burger a unique taste. The only problem is that this makes it taste drier than other beef burgers i've had before and diminishes the beef taste which i prefer. The double patty comes at a cheap top up of $3 and basically, this can be 2 meals instead of one. Its very filling to say the least. Taste wise, Botak burger and Changing appetites have the upper hand, but price wise, you'll be hard pressed to find another 300 gm beef patty at this price.
Buffalo Wings ($1.20 each) - Given the choice of spicy, extra spicy or mild, Blackboard's buffalo wings are definitely more fiery then the rest. (To me at least) We took the extra spicy option, which is basically spicy thai sauce. I'm pretty sure they had chili paddy in the concoction because your lips will burn long after the wings have settled in your stomach. Meat wise, this was tender and nicely marinated from the color and the reddish tinge of the meat inside. The skin was crispy as well making it a good appetizer. My gf easily took the spiciness while i struggled by drinking gallons of water, you have been warned.
Cajun Spice Chicken ($6.50) - Order this and you'll get a generous piece of chicken thigh or breast which is thoroughly marinated and lightly pan fried. You'll also get a generous dose of Tuscan fries and some coleslaw to round up the package. I'm assuming that Cajun spices are influenced by Indian spices since i believe there is curry powder in the marinating. The chicken is quite literally soaked in the spices and exudes a fragrant and appetizing aroma. Meat was tender and easily cut apart as well and i love the fact that there are no bones for me to pick off. The cheese layer however did not add much to the flavor of the chicken and i didn't like the sauce that came with the dish. Still pretty decent though.
Fish and Chips Large($9) - I ordered this for my gf because i wanted to see what large looks like. Well, it indeed is large with 4 thick slices of fish deep fried to a golden brown and served sporting a standing ovation. Taste wise, the batter used in frying is very thick, such that we had to dig the meat out instead of eating the entire thing after one piece. The meat isn't much to shout about either but you can't complain about the portion size. $9 for batter though is not my idea of good fish and chips.
Honestly, food wise, the place is not exactly splendid but does have a certain charm and also comes at a really budget price. Compare it to a whole host of mediocre kopitiam offerings and this is a sure winner, but compare it to other similar outlets like Botak Jones or Uno Beef house and it doesn't score as high. Try it with an open mind and a minimal budget to judge for yourselves.
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I'll go there for meal whenever I got a huge appetite & cravings because the servings are big & there's a good variety of side dishes to choose from.
Although I'm not much into pork, I quite like their ribs, especially the BBQ sauce which really compliments the ribs. The roast chicken is good too! With a coating of glaze and herbs on the chicken skin and the chicken skin is roasted to almost fatless, it makes me feel less sinful to eat it. Haha...
As for the sides, my favourite is corn muffins followed by the corn nibbles. Other than the corn, they also have different potato side dishes like galic potato, mashed potato and potato salad. Of course there's the greens as well.
I've also noticed that most of the waiters and waitresses there are the elderly. Seems like it's quite a pro-elderly place, that's good!
On the overall, felt happily satisfied. Both with the food and the friendly waiters.
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I decided to try this branch that's newly opened. The place was not cluttered while the aircon was too cold for my liking. Perhaps it was a rainy day.
I tried the soup of the day (tomato) and a half sandwich that contained mushrooms (my favourite). The wait wasn't that long as the place was not full. I liked the sandwich because it was just enough for me. However, my soup and tea got cold too easily due to the low temperature.
It would have been more enjoyable if the temperature wasn't too cold. Cost wise is about $15 per person.
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Whenever i am in marina square during dinner time, i am bound to see a long queue outside this shop.
I am always very puzzled about the long queue. Perhaps it is due to their super nice food that everyone is yearning to have them all at once or perhaps their place is too small to accomodate so many people at one go. Whatever is the perhaps, i decided to try them out no matter what.
To avoid having to queue for long, i decided to call in and reserve a table first. Then, did i know they do not accept reservations. Now, then i understand why their queue is always so long. haha.
Since they do not accpet any reservation, my family members and i can only take a queue number and wait patiently for our turn. One good thing is that they actually provide chairs for us to seat, so do not need to wait till our legs give way. hee.
After a pretty long wait, we managed to get a table finally. When i stepped into the restuarant, i suddenly felt that i am being transferred into the olden days. You will not find plastic tables and chairs waiting for you, instead what welcomes you is the wooden table and chairs. (which totally fits with their shop name)
We ordered quite a big varieties of food which include their famous herbal duck, pork ribs, bead curb, fish maw soup, broccoli, etc. Of all the food that we have ordered, i personnaly like the beancurd the best.
Whenever we ordered beancurd dishes, it will usually comes in the shape of round or rectangle. However, this dian xiao er beancurd comes in a diamond shape. Their beancurd is not those soft texture kind but instead i find them chewy. Kind of funny to have chewy beancurd, but i guess this may be due to the additional ingredients that they have added into the beancurd.
Their herbal duck also tasted nice. I always thought that roasted duck will be very dry and crispy. However, their herbal duck has helped me changed the opnion of them with their juicy meat slices.
Overall, i can say that their food is really not too bad. This can be seen from my family members feedback as well as their fast speed of eating up all the dishes. Price wise i find it rather reasonable given the food and the location. A choice worth to try them out.
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