I've tried Gloria Jean's in school! I never knew this shop existed anywhere. I guess I haven't been out at the malls for a long long time. But when I tried it, it was in school on a hot day during a sports event. I was looking for a good cold drink to quench my thirst, and Gloria Jean's looked like an alternative to some great cold coffee (like maybe having a drink from coffee bean in school), so I ordered an Iced Latte.
I thought I'd have a good drink, but unfortunately, the latte was diluted and absolutely bitter. I know coffee beans are bitter before you add anything to it, but I felt that this was too bitter as compared to what I've tried before, and it was definitely over-diluted.
I was quite disappointed by the standard of the drink. Probably because of that, I didn't really bother to remember this shop nor look out for it when I'm out. I haven't tried the drinks from their proper shop though, perhaps it is much better, based on Snowbringer's review. But I must say I wasn't too pleased with it.
I went for dinner at KuShinBo the other day and BOY THE FOOD WAS SO GOOD! Especially the FAT JUICY ALASKAN CRABS. Ooohh.. the white meat was so huge and Soosoo Sweet.
The Buffet had a wide variety of every sort Japanese cuisine, such as fresh succulent Sashimi, Freshly grilled seafood, Soupy stuffs, tempura and more. What surprises me is that they will CHEONG you to eat with their special items. They will play this JINGLE and when you hear it... Get Ready, on your Mud... Get Set.... Go and queue for a special item which ranges from Cheesy Slipper Lobsters to grilled scallops. Boy ... am i salivating now. Even if at the point of time you feel that you have already eaten an elephant, you will still charge for that one small item that you hope it fits in your tummy.
If you are the kind that drinks alot, you should be very glad because you have an assortment of beverages to choose ranging from freshly brewed coffee to tangy fruit punches and more. For those with a raging sweet tooth, they have a wide variety of traditional japanese desserts to fancy cakes, delicious handmade chocolates, cookies, cute fruit tarts, creamy ice creams and our all time favourite... freshly cut fruits. Thats not all yet... They also have a CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN pleasently known as a FONDUE.. How CHIC...
If you miss the days when you get to lick on that brightly coloured cotton candy... so fluffy.. so pretty.. Then don't forget to get one when the DING DING DONG starts... I love that soo soo much, it really brings back alot of childhood memories.
For Food that quality and quantity, Seriously i really don't mind the price... $39.80 for dinner on a weekend sounds prefectly all right... if you had gone hungry for the last 3 days and can seriously make it to gobble up an elephant...
You might not think that its worth the price when you see the tightly placed tables and not so soothing ambience, but when you see the SPREAD OF THE BUFFET.... and taste the sweet sweet Fleshy JUICY CRAB... You will think that its all WORTH IT...
They also do promotions for certain catagories of people at certain time and day... such as Ladies Nite... and lunch or dinner on weekdays are much more affordable.
For those desperate like me and loves to eat....
Start thinking how to reduce your height to less then 1.4m.. because for that you only get to pay $16 at all times.
If you can't then be a senior citizen, you get 10% off at all times. Wah..Lah... FEAST ON....
The food is fabulous, i give all thumbs up including 5 toes...
Definitely not for the weak hearted...
They have the J Bar, which is like a Sashimi, sushi, wine bar altogether, where the (real) Japanese chef with a warm attitude prepares and serves your dish.
His English has a heavy Japanese accent, which somehow adds on to the atmosphere of the restaurant.
Usually packed at peak hours and occasions like mother's day, advance reservations should get you a place there.
Waiteresses are in kimonos, speaks simple Japanese, walks around in those Japanese wooden clogs.
Ala carte is rather costly, 3 stalks of grilled asparagus can cost up to $18 plus. BUT the quality IS there.
If ala carte is out of your buget, I strongly recommend the buffet, which is about $48 per adult, which you can order any food on the buffet menu, and not a typical buffet table with food already there. Meaning, it is going to be AS good as the ala carte, just limited selection...
Sashimi lovers like me are in for a treat. One plate of mixed sashimi usually costs about $20 (for that kinda standard) and we could order any amount (of sashimi) we want, and not get any extra charges.
One pleasant moment I recall, is when I was on the bar with my sister, off peak hours, the Japanese chef was trying to chat with us. He told his that his wife just popped by Singapore last night and brought over some Japanese leeks (that are not easily found in Singapore supermarkets, and if there is, it is probably China's or not fresh.) He thin sliced the leeks and accompanied with some garlic gravy...ON THE HOUSE! He simply stated that good things are ought to be shared. :)
I hate leek. Honestly. BUT the weird smell that I hate was masked int he garlic sauce, and the leek actually tastes sweet!
Even the Ocha is 100% authentic ocha and fresh, not those tea bag ones or low quality powder. The Ocha powder is so fresh there is this 'milky' after taste.
Overall, it is a restaurant that will make your occasion happier :)
I agree! Carl's Junior is quite different in terms of style and all. I think it's totally imported from the States or something, with the huge servings and all. Great for huge eaters! But it's definitely not a good choice for dining if you're on a budget. It's slightly more expensive than other fast food restaurants and you're not paying for much service nor ambience.
But there are some places where you have to try before you know whether you like it or not. And if you're looking for a fast food that's slightly different (with free flow of drinks), I would recommend Carl's too! :)
The very first time I had Waraku was one year ago at the Marina Square branch.
Service is excellent, food was good against the price, ambience was great too.
Recently I went to the branch at Central, and the experience was the extreme opposites.
There were many people there at dinner time, design of the restaurant appears to be packed, I felt that 'stress' eating there.
Since there were many hotpot dishes, the air-con was disturbingly low and the oxygen was minimal too. This probably contributed to why the staff have awful expressions.
They were ALL frowning, except the Japanese receptionist guy, who initiated the idea of serving drinks to the waiting customers.
Dishes were served with a bang in on our tables, when we asked for apology, the apology was given with reluctance and frustration.
Their so called 'free-flow' of ocha was slow in topping up, evn upon request from customers.
I had Beef Kaminabe Set in miso, the soup was too thick, beef that is not even on par with Yoshinoya beef bowl. If I can pay $4 for a beef bowl in Yoshinoya and better than Waraku's beef slices, why not go Yoshinoya.
The tempura was too oily, instead of the usual light feel, and had this 'lao hong' uncrisp.
I was really disappointed with Waraku's quality control. I went back to Marina's and it was still as good.
I strongly believe that the excuse of the restaurant being too crowded and lack of staff is never an excuse, the restaurant ought to hire more capable staff than one bouncing promoter who refuses to do waiteress' job. I have seen more multi-tasking waiters and waitresses in our places, keeping the place right though they are 'shorthanded'.
I got a chance to eat the No 1 voted Ramen ~ BLACK PIG SHABU SHABU RAMEN, yesterday @ Tampopo Restaurant.
My sister ordered the ChaSiu Ramen ~ Kyoto Style. While for me, I took the Black Pig Shabu Shabu Ramen, of coz. Same Soup base, juz that mine was more spicy.
The BLACK PORK is OIISHI!!!!! Saw the Fat, but its doesn’t give you the soft soft oily oily taste. Its very thin and tender. Not much ingredient for this though - only pieces of pork and bamboo shoots. However, the ramen is so-so. Like not bery Q-Q type. More like not bery cooked.
We shared the Potato Salad and Agedashi Tofu. Recommended side dish - Potato Salad (coz I din try the rest , no moolah and the serving quite big for two persons leh).
Had another chance, I brought a friend to try the Black Pig Ramen. But I din order the Ramen, I ordered something like the Korean bibimbap. It is OIISHI!!!! I like sauce! Its like the teriyaki sauce, but not so salty. It reminds me of the brown rice that I had at another Jap Restaurant - Teri’s. I like the burnt rice at the bottom (锅巴).
The perfect place to chill out without the crowd up on the "highest" peak in Singapore....actually not so high. But the couch view by the window is good. The floor to ceiling glass window allows you to get a good view of the cable car paths as well as Sentosa and the Singapore Harbour. So just sit back, relax and enjoy the views.
Serve standard drinks and cocktails. One plus point is that this place is frequented by both local and foreign celebrities, so you might just catch a glimpse of them or hear the staffs talking about it...that's if you are in to celebrities. Otherwise the glass atmosphere and cozy surroundings might just be what you can enjoy here.
You might like to make a reservation if you are going in larger groups. Have seen many larger groups of about 5-6 people coming in and going out because of not being able to find a place here.
Parking in Mount Faber can be a problem if you come later in the night. But then you can always use the valet service at $5 if you like. Saves you all the walking and trouble.
Ice cream like you have never had before. This is what we found at Tom's Palette. The perfect place for a stopover after dinner. It used to be Swensens but now, it is Tom's Palette! For some reason, Swensens does not seem to appeal to us, but then again that is another story.
So what is good at Tom's Palette?
The local flavours that you will not find at Swensens and Hagen D. The following is a list of flavours you can find there:-
- Tau Sar Piah!!??
- Chrysanthemum
- Lavender
- Apple Pie
- Oreo Cheese
- Blue Berry Cheese
- Hazelnut
- Logan and Red Dates
- Chocolate
- Coffee
- Real Strawberries
- Horlicks (if you just love it)
- and more to come...perhaps we should just give them some suggestions for new flavours! Why not have kiwi, chicken!!??, guava, and maybe some sorbets!!
If you are confused and not certain which one to try, just request to sample them. Try not to take it too far by sampling all the flavours....but it might just happen! Portions are generous and comes in 3 different servings. If you go by after dinner, perhaps the smallest portion would be the right serving. You get 2 scoops in the serving and that will allow you to savour your favourite flavours! All that at less than $3 per cup...it is reasonably priced.
Staffs are friendly and patient. Perhaps they like to see the look on your face in wondering what in the world does it taste like! But jokes aside they always have a smile even though you cannot decide which flavour you would like.
We specially make the trip there to eat their ice creams and also bring our friends there for a short stopover....to try Singapore ice cream. Highly recommended!!
We ordered the Hong Kong Ice Milk Tea, Xiumai（燒賣）, Cheongfun（腸粉）, Zhupabao(豬扒包）, and Mango Ice.
Verdict: Ambience - Not bad, quite cosy (means a bit tight lah) Food - Lots of variety. Have not tried all. Should be good, except for the Zhupabao, the pork slice is abit thin and tough, bread toast is good; and the Cheongfun is the local sweet sauce style, not the soya sauce style with meat fillings. Price - reasonable. Timsum mostly $2.50
Recommended: MANGO ICE! Big portion. Got Strawberry one too!
Other items on the menu: Luncheon Meat with Egg Noodles - This noodle tasted like home-cooked Instant Noodles. Nothing special. Ice Teh-O is GOOD! Thumb-up! As good as the HK Ice Milk Tea. Ice Honey Green Tea ~ so-so only. Tasted a bit bitter though. Thick French Toast is abit too sweet. They pour honey over it, and added a piece of thinly sliced butter on top to let it melt. It looks like Tau Kua. With the honey, it makes it bery soggy. Curry Chix rice - Bery flavourful curry. I like the hard and crunchy potatoes, while my Dear loves the thick curry sauce, and boneless Chix. Shanghainese Chix Chop rice - A different kind of Chix rice. It used olive fried rice. Guo Tian (Fried Dumplings) - Crispy, Juicy. GOOD!!!! :D Black Pepper Chix Rice - Not bad, but a bit ‘jerlat’. Maybe I wasn’t that hungry when I ate it. The black pepper sauce is not that spicy. Black pepper taste is there though. Prawn Paste Chix - Made from Boneless Chix thighs. A bit of butter taste, and a bit oily. My Dear likes it. Fu Pi Juan (Bean Curd Skin wrap with Prawn meat) - Common. Not say that its really that fantastic. No harm trying though. Bo Chai Yun Tun Mian (Wanton Noodles - Dried) - MUST TRY! Its good! The Wanton is crispy. The sauce is juz nice. The spinach noodles are chewy! The Char Xiu are tender but not that kind that melt in the mouth. :p Ham and Egg Sandwich - If they toast the bread, it will be better. The Ham was fried - OILY sia! Xiu Mai - Good! Not very meaty in the sense that it has prawn, so not all pork.
1=SGD 0.0587
I've tried Gloria Jean's in school! I never knew this shop existed anywhere. I guess I haven't been out at the malls for a long long time. But when I tried it, it was in school on a hot day during a sports event. I was looking for a good cold drink to quench my thirst, and Gloria Jean's looked like an alternative to some great cold coffee (like maybe having a drink from coffee bean in school), so I ordered an Iced Latte.
I thought I'd have a good drink, but unfortunately, the latte was diluted and absolutely bitter. I know coffee beans are bitter before you add anything to it, but I felt that this was too bitter as compared to what I've tried before, and it was definitely over-diluted.
I was quite disappointed by the standard of the drink. Probably because of that, I didn't really bother to remember this shop nor look out for it when I'm out. I haven't tried the drinks from their proper shop though, perhaps it is much better, based on Snowbringer's review. But I must say I wasn't too pleased with it.
Rating given:
Ding Ding Dong... KuShinBo...
Does it ring a bell?
I went for dinner at KuShinBo the other day and BOY THE FOOD WAS SO GOOD! Especially the FAT JUICY ALASKAN CRABS. Ooohh.. the white meat was so huge and Soosoo Sweet.
The Buffet had a wide variety of every sort Japanese cuisine, such as fresh succulent Sashimi, Freshly grilled seafood, Soupy stuffs, tempura and more. What surprises me is that they will CHEONG you to eat with their special items. They will play this JINGLE and when you hear it... Get Ready, on your Mud... Get Set.... Go and queue for a special item which ranges from Cheesy Slipper Lobsters to grilled scallops. Boy ... am i salivating now. Even if at the point of time you feel that you have already eaten an elephant, you will still charge for that one small item that you hope it fits in your tummy.
If you are the kind that drinks alot, you should be very glad because you have an assortment of beverages to choose ranging from freshly brewed coffee to tangy fruit punches and more. For those with a raging sweet tooth, they have a wide variety of traditional japanese desserts to fancy cakes, delicious handmade chocolates, cookies, cute fruit tarts, creamy ice creams and our all time favourite... freshly cut fruits. Thats not all yet... They also have a CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN pleasently known as a FONDUE.. How CHIC...
If you miss the days when you get to lick on that brightly coloured cotton candy... so fluffy.. so pretty.. Then don't forget to get one when the DING DING DONG starts... I love that soo soo much, it really brings back alot of childhood memories.
For Food that quality and quantity, Seriously i really don't mind the price... $39.80 for dinner on a weekend sounds prefectly all right... if you had gone hungry for the last 3 days and can seriously make it to gobble up an elephant...
You might not think that its worth the price when you see the tightly placed tables and not so soothing ambience, but when you see the SPREAD OF THE BUFFET.... and taste the sweet sweet Fleshy JUICY CRAB... You will think that its all WORTH IT...
They also do promotions for certain catagories of people at certain time and day... such as Ladies Nite... and lunch or dinner on weekdays are much more affordable.
For those desperate like me and loves to eat....
Start thinking how to reduce your height to less then 1.4m.. because for that you only get to pay $16 at all times.
If you can't then be a senior citizen, you get 10% off at all times. Wah..Lah... FEAST ON....
The food is fabulous, i give all thumbs up including 5 toes...
Definitely not for the weak hearted...
Rating given:
J Toshi (M Hotel's 6th Floor)
They have the J Bar, which is like a Sashimi, sushi, wine bar altogether, where the (real) Japanese chef with a warm attitude prepares and serves your dish.
His English has a heavy Japanese accent, which somehow adds on to the atmosphere of the restaurant.
Usually packed at peak hours and occasions like mother's day, advance reservations should get you a place there.
Waiteresses are in kimonos, speaks simple Japanese, walks around in those Japanese wooden clogs.
Ala carte is rather costly, 3 stalks of grilled asparagus can cost up to $18 plus. BUT the quality IS there.
If ala carte is out of your buget, I strongly recommend the buffet, which is about $48 per adult, which you can order any food on the buffet menu, and not a typical buffet table with food already there. Meaning, it is going to be AS good as the ala carte, just limited selection...
Sashimi lovers like me are in for a treat. One plate of mixed sashimi usually costs about $20 (for that kinda standard) and we could order any amount (of sashimi) we want, and not get any extra charges.
One pleasant moment I recall, is when I was on the bar with my sister, off peak hours, the Japanese chef was trying to chat with us. He told his that his wife just popped by Singapore last night and brought over some Japanese leeks (that are not easily found in Singapore supermarkets, and if there is, it is probably China's or not fresh.) He thin sliced the leeks and accompanied with some garlic gravy...ON THE HOUSE! He simply stated that good things are ought to be shared. :)
I hate leek. Honestly. BUT the weird smell that I hate was masked int he garlic sauce, and the leek actually tastes sweet!
Even the Ocha is 100% authentic ocha and fresh, not those tea bag ones or low quality powder. The Ocha powder is so fresh there is this 'milky' after taste.
Overall, it is a restaurant that will make your occasion happier :)
Rating given:
Ang Moh Kio Branch:
What I had: Egg Salad separate spicey fries.
It was a really big portion considering it is salad. It really filled my stomach.
Toa Payoh Branch:
What I had: (over a period of time)
Beef Burger set, fish n chips, cesar salad...
So far so good, never disappointed. Service better than most restaurants, all sauces available...
Coffeeshop quite airy, not too hot...but waiting time is usually 30mins...
overall damn good food, damn good price, like thir slogan...
Rating given:
I agree! Carl's Junior is quite different in terms of style and all. I think it's totally imported from the States or something, with the huge servings and all. Great for huge eaters! But it's definitely not a good choice for dining if you're on a budget. It's slightly more expensive than other fast food restaurants and you're not paying for much service nor ambience.
But there are some places where you have to try before you know whether you like it or not. And if you're looking for a fast food that's slightly different (with free flow of drinks), I would recommend Carl's too! :)
Rating given:
The very first time I had Waraku was one year ago at the Marina Square branch.
Service is excellent, food was good against the price, ambience was great too.
Recently I went to the branch at Central, and the experience was the extreme opposites.
There were many people there at dinner time, design of the restaurant appears to be packed, I felt that 'stress' eating there.
Since there were many hotpot dishes, the air-con was disturbingly low and the oxygen was minimal too. This probably contributed to why the staff have awful expressions.
They were ALL frowning, except the Japanese receptionist guy, who initiated the idea of serving drinks to the waiting customers.
Dishes were served with a bang in on our tables, when we asked for apology, the apology was given with reluctance and frustration.
Their so called 'free-flow' of ocha was slow in topping up, evn upon request from customers.
I had Beef Kaminabe Set in miso, the soup was too thick, beef that is not even on par with Yoshinoya beef bowl.
If I can pay $4 for a beef bowl in Yoshinoya and better than Waraku's beef slices, why not go Yoshinoya.
The tempura was too oily, instead of the usual light feel, and had this 'lao hong' uncrisp.
I was really disappointed with Waraku's quality control. I went back to Marina's and it was still as good.
I strongly believe that the excuse of the restaurant being too crowded and lack of staff is never an excuse, the restaurant ought to hire more capable staff than one bouncing promoter who refuses to do waiteress' job. I have seen more multi-tasking waiters and waitresses in our places, keeping the place right though they are 'shorthanded'.
Rating given:
I got a chance to eat the No 1 voted Ramen ~ BLACK PIG SHABU SHABU RAMEN, yesterday @ Tampopo Restaurant.
My sister ordered the ChaSiu Ramen ~ Kyoto Style. While for me, I took the Black Pig Shabu Shabu Ramen, of coz. Same Soup base, juz that mine was more spicy.
The BLACK PORK is OIISHI!!!!! Saw the Fat, but its doesn’t give you the soft soft oily oily taste. Its very thin and tender. Not much ingredient for this though - only pieces of pork and bamboo shoots. However, the ramen is so-so. Like not bery Q-Q type. More like not bery cooked.
We shared the Potato Salad and Agedashi Tofu. Recommended side dish - Potato Salad (coz I din try the rest , no moolah and the serving quite big for two persons leh).
Had another chance, I brought a friend to try the Black Pig Ramen. But I din order the Ramen, I ordered something like the Korean bibimbap. It is OIISHI!!!! I like sauce! Its like the teriyaki sauce, but not so salty. It reminds me of the brown rice that I had at another Jap Restaurant - Teri’s. I like the burnt rice at the bottom (锅巴).
Rating given:
The perfect place to chill out without the crowd up on the "highest" peak in Singapore....actually not so high. But the couch view by the window is good. The floor to ceiling glass window allows you to get a good view of the cable car paths as well as Sentosa and the Singapore Harbour. So just sit back, relax and enjoy the views.
Serve standard drinks and cocktails. One plus point is that this place is frequented by both local and foreign celebrities, so you might just catch a glimpse of them or hear the staffs talking about it...that's if you are in to celebrities. Otherwise the glass atmosphere and cozy surroundings might just be what you can enjoy here.
You might like to make a reservation if you are going in larger groups. Have seen many larger groups of about 5-6 people coming in and going out because of not being able to find a place here.
Parking in Mount Faber can be a problem if you come later in the night. But then you can always use the valet service at $5 if you like. Saves you all the walking and trouble.
Rating given:
Ice cream like you have never had before. This is what we found at Tom's Palette. The perfect place for a stopover after dinner. It used to be Swensens but now, it is Tom's Palette! For some reason, Swensens does not seem to appeal to us, but then again that is another story.
So what is good at Tom's Palette?
The local flavours that you will not find at Swensens and Hagen D. The following is a list of flavours you can find there:-
- Tau Sar Piah!!??
- Chrysanthemum
- Lavender
- Apple Pie
- Oreo Cheese
- Blue Berry Cheese
- Hazelnut
- Logan and Red Dates
- Chocolate
- Coffee
- Real Strawberries
- Horlicks (if you just love it)
- and more to come...perhaps we should just give them some suggestions for new flavours! Why not have kiwi, chicken!!??, guava, and maybe some sorbets!!
If you are confused and not certain which one to try, just request to sample them. Try not to take it too far by sampling all the flavours....but it might just happen! Portions are generous and comes in 3 different servings. If you go by after dinner, perhaps the smallest portion would be the right serving. You get 2 scoops in the serving and that will allow you to savour your favourite flavours! All that at less than $3 per cup...it is reasonably priced.
Staffs are friendly and patient. Perhaps they like to see the look on your face in wondering what in the world does it taste like! But jokes aside they always have a smile even though you cannot decide which flavour you would like.
We specially make the trip there to eat their ice creams and also bring our friends there for a short stopover....to try Singapore ice cream. Highly recommended!!
Rating given:
We ordered the Hong Kong Ice Milk Tea, Xiumai（燒賣）, Cheongfun（腸粉）, Zhupabao(豬扒包）, and Mango Ice.
Verdict:
Ambience - Not bad, quite cosy (means a bit tight lah)
Food - Lots of variety. Have not tried all. Should be good, except for the Zhupabao, the pork slice is abit thin and tough, bread toast is good; and the Cheongfun is the local sweet sauce style, not the soya sauce style with meat fillings.
Price - reasonable. Timsum mostly $2.50
Recommended: MANGO ICE! Big portion. Got Strawberry one too!
Other items on the menu:
Luncheon Meat with Egg Noodles - This noodle tasted like home-cooked Instant Noodles. Nothing special.
Ice Teh-O is GOOD! Thumb-up! As good as the HK Ice Milk Tea.
Ice Honey Green Tea ~ so-so only. Tasted a bit bitter though.
Thick French Toast is abit too sweet. They pour honey over it, and added a piece of thinly sliced butter on top to let it melt. It looks like Tau Kua. With the honey, it makes it bery soggy.
Curry Chix rice - Bery flavourful curry. I like the hard and crunchy potatoes, while my Dear loves the thick curry sauce, and boneless Chix.
Shanghainese Chix Chop rice - A different kind of Chix rice. It used olive fried rice.
Guo Tian (Fried Dumplings) - Crispy, Juicy. GOOD!!!! :D
Black Pepper Chix Rice - Not bad, but a bit ‘jerlat’. Maybe I wasn’t that hungry when I ate it. The black pepper sauce is not that spicy. Black pepper taste is there though.
Prawn Paste Chix - Made from Boneless Chix thighs. A bit of butter taste, and a bit oily. My Dear likes it.
Fu Pi Juan (Bean Curd Skin wrap with Prawn meat) - Common. Not say that its really that fantastic. No harm trying though.
Bo Chai Yun Tun Mian (Wanton Noodles - Dried) - MUST TRY! Its good! The Wanton is crispy. The sauce is juz nice. The spinach noodles are chewy! The Char Xiu are tender but not that kind that melt in the mouth. :p
Ham and Egg Sandwich - If they toast the bread, it will be better. The Ham was fried - OILY sia!
Xiu Mai - Good! Not very meaty in the sense that it has prawn, so not all pork.
Rating given: