We decided to drop by Turf City one Sunday evening and have dinner at one of the seafood restaurants. How we ended up at Ah Yat, I have no idea, especially when my last dinner at the Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim outlet turned out to be a disaster. To be fair, that was quite a few years ago so things might have improved?
The interior of the restaurant was a stark contrast to its surroundings. Soothing but a little gaudy versus partially smashed bare concrete, displaced steel wires/nails and loud drilling noises. Yes, the entire Turf City is under renovation and only a handful of units remain open ( I counted 3 - Owen Seafood, Ah Yat & Giant).
Shark's Fin Soup - Decently sized with slivers of shark's fin and crab meat, the broth was a little too starchy and salty for my liking. Thankfully the serving of fried, albeit overly oily bean sprouts helped to alleviate this dish by introducing water content as well as a wonderful crunch to it. It's interesting how sometimes the humblest of produce can help turn a dish around.
Oyster with Garlic - For our set, we had a choice of Bamboo Clam or Oyster and I chose the latter. And honestly, I couldn't quite make out any taste other than garlic because it was just so overwhelming.
Braised Abalone with Sea Cucumber - I am usually not a big fan of abalone and Ah Yat's well known dish just wasn't about to convert me. The abalone was of decent size (6 head) and a little chewy, though I did find it a little on the salty side. The accompanying sea cucumber and mushroom were decent but failed to leave much of an impression.
Peking Duck - The peking duck was an additional order we craved meat. And it didn't turn out to be a very wise decision. Though the skin was crisp, both the meat and crepe were too dry. Felt very much like eating roast duck - nothing special.
Fried Rice - Although the lack of ingredients was apparent (there was only egg yolk and dried scallop slivers), this dish had a nice wok hei to it and each individual grain was evenly coated and didn't come across as too oily. Be warned that the dried scallops should be eaten together with the rice as the salt content is rather high and might prove unbearable if eaten alone.
Overall the meal wasn't fantastic and even the more expensive ingredients didn't quite justify the price, at about $210 for 3 pax. Service was decent but I highly doubt I will ever return.
Read a lot of reviews on this place but did not have a chance to try as we were always there on wrong timing, i.e. weekends dinner crowds or during school holidays.
If not for complimentary tickets to board Singapore Flyer, we doubt we will ever order any food as this place was always packed with both locals as well as tourists.
We were quite amazed as this place was designed to resemble the 60s where rugged wooden tables and chairs were commonly used in old coffee shops. We also saw familiar street names being displayed to indicate what type of popular food being remembered by diners.
We decided to try a few stalls to get a taste of the nostalgic childhood of ours.
Fried Prawn Noodles – We saw a long queue and thought that it must be delicious but while waiting, we noticed that the noodles have already been pre-fried and one guy just took a portion of the noodle from a pot, threw some spoonful of broth, gave it a quick stir and then add in the rest of the ingredients. Instantly, we knew we have chosen the wrong stall.
Fish Ball Noodles – This is a better bet as the handmade fish balls are big and chewy. The noodles were cooked just nice.. Not too soft or lumpy. The chilli gravy was good too.
Ice Ball – The stall holder was a bit stingy on the colourful syrup but being a humid day, we don’t mind as what we wanted was to quench our thirst. We saw that some of the soft drinks like Coke or Kickapoo were sold in smaller bottles with a big tin cup which we found it quite memorable as that was how we used to share our bottled drinks with our siblings.
We also heard old sentimental songs being played and this brought back many old memories that we shared with our grandparents during the kampong days.
Had dinner at Tung Lok Seafood @ Arena Country Club, a rather obscure club (if you even call it a club) just opposite SAFTI MI. Strangely enough, the same stretch of low rise buildings also host a go karting track and a huge burger king outlet.
The place is quite a size and can easily fit up to 200 people. However, the interior is a little dated but still presentable nonetheless. Definitely more suited to family dining than business meals.
Homemade Beancurd with Spinach - Sitting on a bed of spinach and topped with mushrooms, this dish lacked consistency. Some pieces of beancurd had a nice savoury taste but some were just outright bland. Pity really.
Sweet and Sour Pork - While I will admit that the sweet and sour pork had a nice smoky taste to it, the meat to flour proportion was greatly skewed in favour of the flour, which was a real bummer. Not to mention that portions were tiny for $18 .
Stir Fried Kailan - Drenched in light, mildly salty gravy without being overcooked. Very decent.
Roast Chicken - Served with the de facto crackers, the roast chicken boasted razor thin crisp skin coupled with tender flesh and a generous splashing of salt. Only gripe I had was that the meat could have been juicier. Still good though but nothing compared to what I had at Lung King Heen of course.
Deep Fried Prawns with Wasabi Mayo Sauce - Apparently Tung Lok came up with this dish many years ago. I am not sure how accurate this piece of information is but the prawns were really quite good. Huge, crunchy and coated in a thin layer of flour with a mild tolerable level of wasabi. But it's $52 for a large serving for 9 pax.
Horfun with Prawns - Although each of us managed to snag a huge prawn each, the hor fun itself lacked wok hei but I did like the not too starchy gravy with generous amounts of egg. But at $40 for such a small portion, I'm inclined to think that it's quite overpriced.
Total bill for the 9 of us stood at $238 with a 20% discount. Sure, we were all stuffed at the end of it (courtesy of the ever reliable bowls of rice) and food quality was generally above average, but I wouldn't term it value for money. Portions were less than generous and honestly, none of the ingredients in our dishes were anywhere near expensive. But still, if a family dinner is at hand and you would like an "established" brand name with decent food and prices that won't break your bank, Tung Lok Seafood may just appeal to you. See all my pictures here.
Ditch that Diet Plan for a night.... Tonight is the night to eat your heart's out.... Serving yummilicious spanish tapas.. This ahlarCART 不肥 'buffet' is one that truly deserves missing breakfast and lunch so that you could try out all the dishes on the alacarte menu. Only happening on Sundays and Mondays.... you have 2 hours to eat whatever your like on the menu. Boy... The dishes on the menu is truly deserving and fabulously delicious. You have a good mix of seafood, beef, poultry, vege and finger food...
The tenderloin beef in garlic sauce is the best for me out of all the other dishes. Served in a metal pan, flavoured lusciously with sauce and whole garlic. This is one dish that I could have one pan after another. The escargot with garlic butter comes in a pan as well, served in a bed of mash. They even provide this unique clamping tool for you to hold on to the shell while you hook the fresh and tasty flesh out.
Overall the food is pretty yummy, service is great, the staff are helpful, attentive and friendly. On top of that... the location is fabulous. Set in the Singapore Art's Museum, if i'm not mistaken, the location used to be an old classroom. You can choose indoor or alfresco dining on a cool evening. Utterly romantic and arty farty....
How to enjoy great food without some decent wine, Happy hour happens almost all the time... House Wine is going for S$5 per glass. Want something more exotic, you could go for the Sangria which is also S$5 per glass.... And let me tell you a secret... be sure to bring 3 ladies to go for the buffet on mondays.... and you get a free bottle of wine......
Buffet is optional.. you could also order from the menu, where you can find authentic spanish main courses, staples, desserts and plenty of other stuffs. There were not many seats, on the monday that we went, it is pretty quiet.. I should say... its a fabulous place to bring your date out for a quiet but yummylicious romantic dinner...
However, the only part that freaks me out a little is the ladies.. Though really nice, clean and modern looking... The fact that its a distance away from the restaurant, you have to walk through a small corridor pass a locked metal gate, a fountain to find it. In the evening when the sun is down and the lights are dim and the energy saving sensor lightings in the toilet are a little bit slow to react... One might feel a little freakish.... But thats good news if you are bringing a date.... Thats your cue to hold that hand you wanted to hold for the last 3 months.....
Fabulous food, Romantic Setting, Great Service, Convenient Location and Value for money drinks.... KNOCK YOUR Monday Blues AWAY......
I know it is really weird to review this exhibition here as it is only held once every year, however this is to lure those who have the complimentary invite from their customers to go for the exhibition. Held in the expo, though far and with the consistently inconsistent MRT train delays and breakdowns making the location worst to travel there. This is an exhibition not to be missed. Spanning a good floor area of ALL THE EXHIBITION Halls at the Singapore Expo, one can only imagine how big scale the exhibition is.
Why do i rate this as a buffet.. It is indeed a Gastromical Galore. Here is what I call all the buffets in the world combine into one location. The exhibition features industrial and commercial kitchen machinery, appliances, supplies, flavoring, frozen food, fruits, nuts, everything you can find in the F&B industry you can find it here... The GELATOs... so pretty, amazingly yummy and luring... one could not resist the encouragement of a free sample. There I had like the most flavors of GELATOs in one day all my life.... Crossants were also the hot favourite giveaway food.. Buttery, yummy and very crispy... You can find all sorts of food for tasting with the halls converted into many stalls of fully equipped kitchen, bakeries and cafes however... my clothes don't seemed to stink abit....
The wine fare is also held concurrently with the food expo. Here you find a good array of alcoholic beverages, beer, spirits, wine from many prestige brands, accessories as well as free wine drinking.... No wonder it requires an entrance fee of S$80 and for trade only...
If you love coffee and wanna know all about it... Here we have all the cafes in Singapore combined into one location. All sorts of italian made and german made commercial coffee machines are exhibited here.. on top of that... premium coffee for free... drink till you get an overdose of caffine! If you love coffee... this is the place to try it all.... pick the best you like and find the cafe that uses that!
Don't forget the supplies for hotels and commercial entities... They have all sorts of furniture, appliances, gazebo, bed sheets for distribution. All with exquisite designs.. So if you have the complimentary invite please don't miss out all the fun and information and food... If you are a photographic enthusiast you must make it there.... See the delicacies in a new light... ever wonder what happens to that beautiful GELATO mess? See it made right before your very eyes!
If you miss it this year... Make sure you make it NEXT YEAR!!!
Bologna has a very generic restaurant layout with standard fittings and honestly doesn't come across as an Italian restaurant in my humble opinion. The sole redeeming factor is that one side of it faces the pool, which offers a temporary respite from the usual hustle and bustle. That's provided you manage to snag a table by the window.
Variety
I kid you not. The buffet variety during lunch was limited with about 6-8 cooked dishes, 2 varieties of pizza, a couple of cold appetisers/salads and another 5-6 types of dessert (mainly pastries).
Quality
For the most part, food quality was average at best. The chicken came across as dry and so did the seared tuna. Pizzas fared slightly better with a thin base topped with boring ingredients (ie. vegetarian pizza). Desserts were mundane and I gave up after a few nibbles.
Service
Generally attentive and professional but can be a little too attentive at times. Think someone standing beside your table and observing your every move. Uncomfortable.
Value for money
With a 50% discount, the lunch buffet for 2 cost to the tune of $54, which is cheap by hotel standards. But factor in quality and variety of food and it does come across as relatively expensive. I can't speak for the ala carte menu but the lunch buffet in my humble opinion, is a wash out. Definitely not a place I would patronise again, even @ 50% off.
Had dinner at this latest outlet of Botak Jones since we were in the area. The burger patties tasted machine made and were too dry for my liking. Honestly, I think Carls junior does better and bigger burgers for a slightly cheaper price. The black pepper chicken was decent but run off the mill. You could probably get similar quality chicken at western food stalls at random hawker centres. For the price, I wouldn't return. Service was decent but it was quite difficult to catch the attention of wait staff at times.
We chanced upon this place as we took the wrong route to Changi Village. When we entered the main car park, we realized that the eateries are open to both members and the public.
As we trekked cautiously on the walkway, we discovered that this place is actually a sea sports centre where sailing, wind surfing or kayak activities are regularly conducted.
This place also offers a mix of Indonesian, Chinese and Western restaurants. The best part about this location is that diners can choose to sit near the common wooden platform facing the sea. It was an amazing scene as we happen to witness the sunset.
We were undecided but finally chose to try this Chinese alfresco zhi char café. The manager, Doris was friendly and helpful as she explained their specialty dishes. We have selected the following :
1. Steamed Fish in Preserved Radish – The meat was fresh and coupled with the slightly salted radish, it was a good combination.
2. Homemade Prawn Rolls – The roll was cut into smaller pieces before they were being deep fried. Each piece contained chopped prawns with crunchy water chestnut.
3. Stir Fried Four Season Beans with Dried Shrimps – more popularly known as Gan Bian Si Ji Dou. The greens are deep fried briefly, thus retaining the fresh crispy texture. The minced dried shrimps that were scattered on top of the dish also made it more appetizing.
Highly recommend this place to families, especially with children as this is one of the few remaining places in Singapore where we can sit back, relax and enjoy the sea breeze while rejuvenating our spirit. Children can choose to watch numerous planes about to land near Changi Airport or play around the open spaces under the watchful eyes of their parents dining nearby.
Colorful Weird looking bottles of all sizes, shapes and contents adorn the shelves of this small but comprehensive shop. I'm soooo curious that I just have to go in and find out what they sell....
Whiskey. Liqueurs , Vinegar and Oil...... First of its kind in Singapore, Vom Fass brings you an exotic range of Wine,Spirits, Vinegar and Oil with various flavors, taste, colours and you could buy them by litres from that interesting array of Jars on the shelves. I am especially intrigued by the range of liqueurs available. Can you imagine, they even have Absinth which is a hefty 70% in alcohol. A must buy for that party when you want to knock out your friends fast. They also have a fabulously comprehensive range of whiskey which they sell from the CASK.. cool yar! They have IRISH and SCOTCH whiskey, which is famous for their wonderfully tasty smooth brew.... and they have also the Cognac and Brandy for luxurious enjoyment....
As I entered the shop, eyes watchfully investigating the contents of that interesting looking jars and jugs, the friendly shop keeper came to introduce to me their products. I find him especially friendly when he say... WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY? WOW!!! I mean how many bottle shops would allow you to TRY? So i gladly nodded my head.. actually more frantically then gladly... I was given a spoon and he started introducing to me some wine from a huge barrel, some other liqueur and the HONEY WINE... I must say.. the HONEY WINE is indeed something very appealing to ladies especially. Sweet yet with a tinge of spikiness.... very smooth to drink especially shaken with some ice. LADIES.. you will LOVE IT!!!
Next i asked for the ABSINTH... wonder if he would let me try that... and I was shocked.. He did!!! It was like explosion in my mouth.. It is so strong and sends a stream of fire down my throat..... I mean.... I don't want to get knocked out in the afternoon.. thus.. i just stop at this.... But if you want something exciting.. i really recommend you to buy this.. really something exciting for parties.....
They basically have more then 100 over flavors... These spirits could be used as flavoring, cocktails or even drink them on its own.... I also like the range of vineger they have... VINEGAR and OLIVE OIL.. with a loaf of warmed freshly baked baguette.... *slurp* They have balsamic, fruit flavored, berry flavored, wine flavored... Simply AWESOME!!!
The range of Oils are fabulous as well.... instead of just having olive oil all the time... they have a good range of nut oils, seed oils and oils like wild rose, evening primrose, etc.... So if you want to prepare something exotic for your very exclusive dinner, you could drop by Vom Fass to get of these very interesting dressings... These small gestures really could SPICE UP your wonderfully prepared meals...
I simply love this SHOP... and i hope it stays for a LONG LONG TIME!!! Being German... they really make sure the smallest details are being taken care of.. Finest Foods.. indeed!
大華當 is definitely not a PAWN SHOP.... Its a microbrewery restaurant pub with live band.. A super duper nice place for you and your family. Yes children can go toooo......
I love the S$1 beer promotion.... I think its great if you want to build up a good and hard beer belly. Otherwise, go for the tower kind of beer! Icy Cold, fresh and yummy beer in a thin tower.... they can even serve you 2 flavors (half and half) of their specially brewed beer... I feel that the beer here is especially fragrant and smooth to drink.. a little tinge of sweetness and fruitiness is what i love best.
Food is great also.. they serve authentic thai cuisines.... and boy... the tomyam is really tongue burning... after a good bowl of hot tomyam.... you can croak yourself crazy on stage.. especially on monday's when it is open mic night.. sing and get a good 20% off your bill... Really worth it yar.......
If its your birthday.. or your friend's birthday.. the staff will surprise you with LOUD SINGING and waving a banner that says HAPPY BIRTHDAY.. they will crowd around you and you sure won't get attention deficient with this celebration.... No wonder they always say Thais are always the happy sort of people.. they sure know how to make others and themselves happy...
I was there early on a weekday and all the staff did some thai song.. armed with simple percussion and merry making instruments.. they sing and some hum away a happy tune.. that truly makes me happie... (i'm not high on alcohol as yet)....
Some food you must must must try...... the pork knuckles, the grilled squid, the super hot tom yam, the ikan billis with nuts and the coconut dessert thing.... these are all my favourite... One other dish i find it super special.. is this fried morning glory vegetable dish.. its so special so green and rarely you get that here... so its also a must try!!! If you still am not sure what to order.. then please bring me ALONG... i help you order and help you eat.....
1=SGD 0.0587
We decided to drop by Turf City one Sunday evening and have dinner at one of the seafood restaurants. How we ended up at Ah Yat, I have no idea, especially when my last dinner at the Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim outlet turned out to be a disaster. To be fair, that was quite a few years ago so things might have improved?
The interior of the restaurant was a stark contrast to its surroundings. Soothing but a little gaudy versus partially smashed bare concrete, displaced steel wires/nails and loud drilling noises. Yes, the entire Turf City is under renovation and only a handful of units remain open ( I counted 3 - Owen Seafood, Ah Yat & Giant).
Shark's Fin Soup - Decently sized with slivers of shark's fin and crab meat, the broth was a little too starchy and salty for my liking. Thankfully the serving of fried, albeit overly oily bean sprouts helped to alleviate this dish by introducing water content as well as a wonderful crunch to it. It's interesting how sometimes the humblest of produce can help turn a dish around.
Oyster with Garlic - For our set, we had a choice of Bamboo Clam or Oyster and I chose the latter. And honestly, I couldn't quite make out any taste other than garlic because it was just so overwhelming.
Braised Abalone with Sea Cucumber - I am usually not a big fan of abalone and Ah Yat's well known dish just wasn't about to convert me. The abalone was of decent size (6 head) and a little chewy, though I did find it a little on the salty side. The accompanying sea cucumber and mushroom were decent but failed to leave much of an impression.
Peking Duck - The peking duck was an additional order we craved meat. And it didn't turn out to be a very wise decision. Though the skin was crisp, both the meat and crepe were too dry. Felt very much like eating roast duck - nothing special.
Fried Rice - Although the lack of ingredients was apparent (there was only egg yolk and dried scallop slivers), this dish had a nice wok hei to it and each individual grain was evenly coated and didn't come across as too oily. Be warned that the dried scallops should be eaten together with the rice as the salt content is rather high and might prove unbearable if eaten alone.
Overall the meal wasn't fantastic and even the more expensive ingredients didn't quite justify the price, at about $210 for 3 pax. Service was decent but I highly doubt I will ever return.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Read a lot of reviews on this place but did not have a chance to try as we were always there on wrong timing, i.e. weekends dinner crowds or during school holidays.
If not for complimentary tickets to board Singapore Flyer, we doubt we will ever order any food as this place was always packed with both locals as well as tourists.
We were quite amazed as this place was designed to resemble the 60s where rugged wooden tables and chairs were commonly used in old coffee shops. We also saw familiar street names being displayed to indicate what type of popular food being remembered by diners.
We decided to try a few stalls to get a taste of the nostalgic childhood of ours.
Fried Prawn Noodles – We saw a long queue and thought that it must be delicious but while waiting, we noticed that the noodles have already been pre-fried and one guy just took a portion of the noodle from a pot, threw some spoonful of broth, gave it a quick stir and then add in the rest of the ingredients. Instantly, we knew we have chosen the wrong stall.
Fish Ball Noodles – This is a better bet as the handmade fish balls are big and chewy. The noodles were cooked just nice.. Not too soft or lumpy. The chilli gravy was good too.
Ice Ball – The stall holder was a bit stingy on the colourful syrup but being a humid day, we don’t mind as what we wanted was to quench our thirst. We saw that some of the soft drinks like Coke or Kickapoo were sold in smaller bottles with a big tin cup which we found it quite memorable as that was how we used to share our bottled drinks with our siblings.
We also heard old sentimental songs being played and this brought back many old memories that we shared with our grandparents during the kampong days.
Rating given:
Had dinner at Tung Lok Seafood @ Arena Country Club, a rather obscure club (if you even call it a club) just opposite SAFTI MI. Strangely enough, the same stretch of low rise buildings also host a go karting track and a huge burger king outlet.
The place is quite a size and can easily fit up to 200 people. However, the interior is a little dated but still presentable nonetheless. Definitely more suited to family dining than business meals.
Homemade Beancurd with Spinach - Sitting on a bed of spinach and topped with mushrooms, this dish lacked consistency. Some pieces of beancurd had a nice savoury taste but some were just outright bland. Pity really.
Sweet and Sour Pork - While I will admit that the sweet and sour pork had a nice smoky taste to it, the meat to flour proportion was greatly skewed in favour of the flour, which was a real bummer. Not to mention that portions were tiny for $18 .
Stir Fried Kailan - Drenched in light, mildly salty gravy without being overcooked. Very decent.
Roast Chicken - Served with the de facto crackers, the roast chicken boasted razor thin crisp skin coupled with tender flesh and a generous splashing of salt. Only gripe I had was that the meat could have been juicier. Still good though but nothing compared to what I had at Lung King Heen of course.
Deep Fried Prawns with Wasabi Mayo Sauce - Apparently Tung Lok came up with this dish many years ago. I am not sure how accurate this piece of information is but the prawns were really quite good. Huge, crunchy and coated in a thin layer of flour with a mild tolerable level of wasabi. But it's $52 for a large serving for 9 pax.
Horfun with Prawns - Although each of us managed to snag a huge prawn each, the hor fun itself lacked wok hei but I did like the not too starchy gravy with generous amounts of egg. But at $40 for such a small portion, I'm inclined to think that it's quite overpriced.
Total bill for the 9 of us stood at $238 with a 20% discount. Sure, we were all stuffed at the end of it (courtesy of the ever reliable bowls of rice) and food quality was generally above average, but I wouldn't term it value for money. Portions were less than generous and honestly, none of the ingredients in our dishes were anywhere near expensive. But still, if a family dinner is at hand and you would like an "established" brand name with decent food and prices that won't break your bank, Tung Lok Seafood may just appeal to you. See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Ditch that Diet Plan for a night.... Tonight is the night to eat your heart's out.... Serving yummilicious spanish tapas.. This ahlarCART 不肥 'buffet' is one that truly deserves missing breakfast and lunch so that you could try out all the dishes on the alacarte menu. Only happening on Sundays and Mondays.... you have 2 hours to eat whatever your like on the menu. Boy... The dishes on the menu is truly deserving and fabulously delicious. You have a good mix of seafood, beef, poultry, vege and finger food...
The tenderloin beef in garlic sauce is the best for me out of all the other dishes. Served in a metal pan, flavoured lusciously with sauce and whole garlic. This is one dish that I could have one pan after another. The escargot with garlic butter comes in a pan as well, served in a bed of mash. They even provide this unique clamping tool for you to hold on to the shell while you hook the fresh and tasty flesh out.
Overall the food is pretty yummy, service is great, the staff are helpful, attentive and friendly. On top of that... the location is fabulous. Set in the Singapore Art's Museum, if i'm not mistaken, the location used to be an old classroom. You can choose indoor or alfresco dining on a cool evening. Utterly romantic and arty farty....
How to enjoy great food without some decent wine, Happy hour happens almost all the time... House Wine is going for S$5 per glass. Want something more exotic, you could go for the Sangria which is also S$5 per glass.... And let me tell you a secret... be sure to bring 3 ladies to go for the buffet on mondays.... and you get a free bottle of wine......
Buffet is optional.. you could also order from the menu, where you can find authentic spanish main courses, staples, desserts and plenty of other stuffs. There were not many seats, on the monday that we went, it is pretty quiet.. I should say... its a fabulous place to bring your date out for a quiet but yummylicious romantic dinner...
However, the only part that freaks me out a little is the ladies.. Though really nice, clean and modern looking... The fact that its a distance away from the restaurant, you have to walk through a small corridor pass a locked metal gate, a fountain to find it. In the evening when the sun is down and the lights are dim and the energy saving sensor lightings in the toilet are a little bit slow to react... One might feel a little freakish.... But thats good news if you are bringing a date.... Thats your cue to hold that hand you wanted to hold for the last 3 months.....
Fabulous food, Romantic Setting, Great Service, Convenient Location and Value for money drinks.... KNOCK YOUR Monday Blues AWAY......
Rating given:
I know it is really weird to review this exhibition here as it is only held once every year, however this is to lure those who have the complimentary invite from their customers to go for the exhibition. Held in the expo, though far and with the consistently inconsistent MRT train delays and breakdowns making the location worst to travel there. This is an exhibition not to be missed. Spanning a good floor area of ALL THE EXHIBITION Halls at the Singapore Expo, one can only imagine how big scale the exhibition is.
Why do i rate this as a buffet.. It is indeed a Gastromical Galore. Here is what I call all the buffets in the world combine into one location. The exhibition features industrial and commercial kitchen machinery, appliances, supplies, flavoring, frozen food, fruits, nuts, everything you can find in the F&B industry you can find it here... The GELATOs... so pretty, amazingly yummy and luring... one could not resist the encouragement of a free sample. There I had like the most flavors of GELATOs in one day all my life.... Crossants were also the hot favourite giveaway food.. Buttery, yummy and very crispy... You can find all sorts of food for tasting with the halls converted into many stalls of fully equipped kitchen, bakeries and cafes however... my clothes don't seemed to stink abit....
The wine fare is also held concurrently with the food expo. Here you find a good array of alcoholic beverages, beer, spirits, wine from many prestige brands, accessories as well as free wine drinking.... No wonder it requires an entrance fee of S$80 and for trade only...
If you love coffee and wanna know all about it... Here we have all the cafes in Singapore combined into one location. All sorts of italian made and german made commercial coffee machines are exhibited here.. on top of that... premium coffee for free... drink till you get an overdose of caffine! If you love coffee... this is the place to try it all.... pick the best you like and find the cafe that uses that!
Don't forget the supplies for hotels and commercial entities... They have all sorts of furniture, appliances, gazebo, bed sheets for distribution. All with exquisite designs.. So if you have the complimentary invite please don't miss out all the fun and information and food... If you are a photographic enthusiast you must make it there.... See the delicacies in a new light... ever wonder what happens to that beautiful GELATO mess? See it made right before your very eyes!
If you miss it this year... Make sure you make it NEXT YEAR!!!
Rating given:
Ambience
Bologna has a very generic restaurant layout with standard fittings and honestly doesn't come across as an Italian restaurant in my humble opinion. The sole redeeming factor is that one side of it faces the pool, which offers a temporary respite from the usual hustle and bustle. That's provided you manage to snag a table by the window.
Variety
I kid you not. The buffet variety during lunch was limited with about 6-8 cooked dishes, 2 varieties of pizza, a couple of cold appetisers/salads and another 5-6 types of dessert (mainly pastries).
Quality
For the most part, food quality was average at best. The chicken came across as dry and so did the seared tuna. Pizzas fared slightly better with a thin base topped with boring ingredients (ie. vegetarian pizza). Desserts were mundane and I gave up after a few nibbles.
Service
Generally attentive and professional but can be a little too attentive at times. Think someone standing beside your table and observing your every move. Uncomfortable.
Value for money
With a 50% discount, the lunch buffet for 2 cost to the tune of $54, which is cheap by hotel standards. But factor in quality and variety of food and it does come across as relatively expensive. I can't speak for the ala carte menu but the lunch buffet in my humble opinion, is a wash out. Definitely not a place I would patronise again, even @ 50% off.
Rating given:
Had dinner at this latest outlet of Botak Jones since we were in the area. The burger patties tasted machine made and were too dry for my liking. Honestly, I think Carls junior does better and bigger burgers for a slightly cheaper price. The black pepper chicken was decent but run off the mill. You could probably get similar quality chicken at western food stalls at random hawker centres. For the price, I wouldn't return. Service was decent but it was quite difficult to catch the attention of wait staff at times.
Rating given:
We chanced upon this place as we took the wrong route to Changi Village. When we entered the main car park, we realized that the eateries are open to both members and the public.
As we trekked cautiously on the walkway, we discovered that this place is actually a sea sports centre where sailing, wind surfing or kayak activities are regularly conducted.
This place also offers a mix of Indonesian, Chinese and Western restaurants. The best part about this location is that diners can choose to sit near the common wooden platform facing the sea. It was an amazing scene as we happen to witness the sunset.
We were undecided but finally chose to try this Chinese alfresco zhi char café. The manager, Doris was friendly and helpful as she explained their specialty dishes. We have selected the following :
1. Steamed Fish in Preserved Radish – The meat was fresh and coupled with the slightly salted radish, it was a good combination.
2. Homemade Prawn Rolls – The roll was cut into smaller pieces before they were being deep fried. Each piece contained chopped prawns with crunchy water chestnut.
3. Stir Fried Four Season Beans with Dried Shrimps – more popularly known as Gan Bian Si Ji Dou. The greens are deep fried briefly, thus retaining the fresh crispy texture. The minced dried shrimps that were scattered on top of the dish also made it more appetizing.
Highly recommend this place to families, especially with children as this is one of the few remaining places in Singapore where we can sit back, relax and enjoy the sea breeze while rejuvenating our spirit. Children can choose to watch numerous planes about to land near Changi Airport or play around the open spaces under the watchful eyes of their parents dining nearby.
Rating given:
Colorful Weird looking bottles of all sizes, shapes and contents adorn the shelves of this small but comprehensive shop. I'm soooo curious that I just have to go in and find out what they sell....
Whiskey. Liqueurs , Vinegar and Oil...... First of its kind in Singapore, Vom Fass brings you an exotic range of Wine,Spirits, Vinegar and Oil with various flavors, taste, colours and you could buy them by litres from that interesting array of Jars on the shelves. I am especially intrigued by the range of liqueurs available. Can you imagine, they even have Absinth which is a hefty 70% in alcohol. A must buy for that party when you want to knock out your friends fast. They also have a fabulously comprehensive range of whiskey which they sell from the CASK.. cool yar! They have IRISH and SCOTCH whiskey, which is famous for their wonderfully tasty smooth brew.... and they have also the Cognac and Brandy for luxurious enjoyment....
As I entered the shop, eyes watchfully investigating the contents of that interesting looking jars and jugs, the friendly shop keeper came to introduce to me their products. I find him especially friendly when he say... WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY? WOW!!! I mean how many bottle shops would allow you to TRY? So i gladly nodded my head.. actually more frantically then gladly... I was given a spoon and he started introducing to me some wine from a huge barrel, some other liqueur and the HONEY WINE... I must say.. the HONEY WINE is indeed something very appealing to ladies especially. Sweet yet with a tinge of spikiness.... very smooth to drink especially shaken with some ice. LADIES.. you will LOVE IT!!!
Next i asked for the ABSINTH... wonder if he would let me try that... and I was shocked.. He did!!! It was like explosion in my mouth.. It is so strong and sends a stream of fire down my throat..... I mean.... I don't want to get knocked out in the afternoon.. thus.. i just stop at this.... But if you want something exciting.. i really recommend you to buy this.. really something exciting for parties.....
They basically have more then 100 over flavors... These spirits could be used as flavoring, cocktails or even drink them on its own.... I also like the range of vineger they have... VINEGAR and OLIVE OIL.. with a loaf of warmed freshly baked baguette.... *slurp* They have balsamic, fruit flavored, berry flavored, wine flavored... Simply AWESOME!!!
The range of Oils are fabulous as well.... instead of just having olive oil all the time... they have a good range of nut oils, seed oils and oils like wild rose, evening primrose, etc.... So if you want to prepare something exotic for your very exclusive dinner, you could drop by Vom Fass to get of these very interesting dressings... These small gestures really could SPICE UP your wonderfully prepared meals...
I simply love this SHOP... and i hope it stays for a LONG LONG TIME!!! Being German... they really make sure the smallest details are being taken care of.. Finest Foods.. indeed!
Rating given:
大華當 is definitely not a PAWN SHOP.... Its a microbrewery restaurant pub with live band.. A super duper nice place for you and your family. Yes children can go toooo......
I love the S$1 beer promotion.... I think its great if you want to build up a good and hard beer belly. Otherwise, go for the tower kind of beer! Icy Cold, fresh and yummy beer in a thin tower.... they can even serve you 2 flavors (half and half) of their specially brewed beer... I feel that the beer here is especially fragrant and smooth to drink.. a little tinge of sweetness and fruitiness is what i love best.
Food is great also.. they serve authentic thai cuisines.... and boy... the tomyam is really tongue burning... after a good bowl of hot tomyam.... you can croak yourself crazy on stage.. especially on monday's when it is open mic night.. sing and get a good 20% off your bill... Really worth it yar.......
If its your birthday.. or your friend's birthday.. the staff will surprise you with LOUD SINGING and waving a banner that says HAPPY BIRTHDAY.. they will crowd around you and you sure won't get attention deficient with this celebration.... No wonder they always say Thais are always the happy sort of people.. they sure know how to make others and themselves happy...
I was there early on a weekday and all the staff did some thai song.. armed with simple percussion and merry making instruments.. they sing and some hum away a happy tune.. that truly makes me happie... (i'm not high on alcohol as yet)....
Some food you must must must try...... the pork knuckles, the grilled squid, the super hot tom yam, the ikan billis with nuts and the coconut dessert thing.... these are all my favourite... One other dish i find it super special.. is this fried morning glory vegetable dish.. its so special so green and rarely you get that here... so its also a must try!!! If you still am not sure what to order.. then please bring me ALONG... i help you order and help you eat.....
Rating given: