If I do it my way, I will start every meal with desserts. A typical dinner usually goes something like this: complimentary bread and cheesesticks to keep you entertain, but that’s no dessert. Then there’s soup, appetisers, main course, blah blah blah until we reach desserts! So why do we eat desserts at the end when we are clearly anticipating for it from the start!
And when I go to an Italian restaurant, the first thing that comes to my mind will always, be the tiramisu. It is, the heart and soul, the perfect ambassador for Italian cuisine. Fine, I exaggerated. It is at least one of the first thing that you will think of when we are talking about Italian desserts. The Tiramisu Senso ($14) here was way better than the one I had at their bistro before.
And the second thing (for me) when it comes to Italian cuisine will be pasta of course! However, I was tempted to try Senso’s risotto, so we had the Risotto ($28) – carnaroli risotto served with saffron and sea scallops. It was good, but company always make the food taste better, and since my dining companion wasn’t a big fan of risotto, I should have gone for their pastas instead.
My companion also raved about the excellent Agnello (rack of lamb) that she had at Senso before, but we decided to try something new this time round. Food is always an adventure no? The choice of the second main was contested by the Manzo (beef tenderloin), Milanese (rack of veal) and the Ossobuco (braised veal shank). I was initially skeptical of having the braised veal shank since my previous encounter was a complete diaster.
But I was sweet-talked into it, and I’m glad that we ordered this; the Ossobuco ($34) was done just right, the veal shank absorbed the goodness of the sauce, I know tender is a word over-used when it comes to describing food, but yes, it was tender!
The Bruciata ($14) made its appearance in a very creative way and we were completely fascinated by the mini frying pan. Oven-baked egg custard, or more commonly known as Creme Brulee, I finished everything on my own!
* * *
I didn’t manage to take any shot of the place, we dined in the charming al fresco area, but it was the private room that caught my eyes! That place is perfect for a group of twenty, I will definitely love to do a party there some day.
Long story short, if you like my review please do come by ladyironchef . . . for the delicious in you
Had dinner with my family at Jumbo Serangoon Gardens to "commemorate" its 20 odd years of business in the area, just before its swan song at the end of October. Apparently the rent has at the club has shot up by quite a bit so Jumbo has decided to take its business elsewhere.
The interior looks a little dated but boasts a quirky blue ceiling with concealed lights to give an impression of dining under the sky - not that it really worked though but studies have shown that blue is a calming colour, which could have been useful, judging from the crowd that evening.
Kailan with Garlic - You can't really go wrong with fried kailan and garlic so no surprises or disappointments here. Portions are a little small for $12 though.
Chilli Crab - The crab seemed rather small for its purported weight (1kg) and it didn't help that this signature Jumbo dish failed to live up to expectations. The gravy was rather watery and didn't go very well with the oily, insipid mantous that used to be an object of greedy desire (for me at least) some 10 years ago. How quality has deteriorated over the years!
Homemade Beancurd - I liked the generous amount of golden mushroom that buried the homemade beancurd. What I didn't like was the lack of silkiness and savouriness in the beancurd. Sure, it was soft but didn't slither down my throat and came across as bland.
Deep Fried Red Tilapia - Tilapias don't go for much in the markets but we were charged $32 for it - hardly fitting. Inflated prices aside, the fish was nicely deep fried and crisp on the outside, coupled with firm flesh on the inside. I didn't appreciate the tons of bones within though. Overall an averagely decent dish.
Cereal Prawns - The prawns weren't fresh and the flesh tasted a little soft and "powdery". I certainly didn't expect that from an established seafood restaurant like Jumbo. On the upside, the prawns were deshelled, leaving only the head, something which most places don't bother to do. I did like the cereal dressing though - mildy spicy, crunchy and sweet. But then again, it wasn't enough to salvage this dish.
Mee Goreng - One of the staples of Jumbo ever since we started patronising them some 10 odd years ago, the mee goreng was a shadow of its former self. Overly sweet would be most apt in describing it, with the noodles carrying no taste except being sweet. Apparently the sweetness is used to cover the alkaline taste present in the egg noodles, but this is really an overkill.
I don't know about you, but $188 ($138 with a $50 discount) for a sub standard dinner for 6 pax just doesn't cut it for me. Service was decent in a haphazard sort of way. Final words? Good riddance to overpriced and commercialized sub quality food!
Reclusiveness seems to be the name of the game these days as small "boutique" restaurants start up in not too accessible locations, just like Jules, a tiny cafe whipping up Australian cuisine in the north eastern heartlands of Singapore.
Nestled in the midst of a private estate just opposite Nanyang JC, Jules plays neighbour to a seafood restaurant (Punggol Seng Choon I believe) and is visible from afar with its brightly litted crimson red signboard. The place is tiny and sparsely furnished, complete with granite flooring and wooden furniture. Air conditioning is a luxury unless you are seated just below one of the two units present. Fans attempt to cool things down a little but don't make much of a difference especially if you are taking the table just next to the counter.
Wagyu Burger - Although I still maintain my stand that wagyu beef should never been minced into patty, Jules did quite a good job on the beef I must admit. The patty's texture was uneven and I could make out bits and pieces of fat, which contributed to the chewy texture. The inherent beefy taste reminded me more of steak then patty, which was definitely good and I certainly appreciated the dollop of sundried tomato puree atop. The bread was average though and so were the fries.
Fig Pudding - I don't know what prompted me to order the fig pudding. Maybe it was the wait staff's recommendation. But I'm glad I did. I'm not exactly a fan of figs but the pudding was nice and moist without coming across as too sweet. Small pieces of figs were lodged within and the sauce had vanilla beans in it. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it proved to be a nice sweet ending to conclude the meal.
Prices are nett (no GST, no service charge), which is a huge plus. On my part, I forked out $26 for the burger and the pudding, which is very reasonable given the quality. Service was decent as well but the wait can be quite long especially if you have a big group. That aside, they probably need to look into installing more airconditioners to cool the place down.
A dreamy Sunday out with you, eating nothing but eggs and pancakes. And a glass of that bubbly champagne is just the icing on the cake. I love brunch! I really do. There’s just something about brunch that makes me excited, just the mention of it will be enough to get me on a high.
And how about a buffet brunch? Excellent, you get to eat a bit of everything (not that I’m a big fan of buffet), and free flow of champagne? Swoon!
I can never say no to desserts, you are my weakness. And we couldn’t resist taking photographs at the desserts section first since it’s right in front of the restaurant. All the petite desserts were waving to me, with the alluring cakes winking and making signals for me to step forward.
Do you want a piece of chocolate?
How about a chocolate tree? I’ll pluck the chocolates off and give them all to you. I know you want the bitter one, and you can feed me the sweet one. The chocolates, they were so good!
Rows, and rows of them: mustard lax salmon, smoked salmon, Thai smoked salmon, and an assortment of smoked fish platter. I bet you will just stand there all day and finish every slice of them.
Breakfast to me, must consist of eggs benedicts, pancakes, sausages; that sort of stuff. They had poached eggs here, but there wasn’t any hollandaise sauce, and sadly because the breakfast section was prepared beforehand (not on the spot), the eggs, sausages, and hash browns were cold.
But there’s an ala-minute section where the chef prepared eggs-done-in-any-style. Omelettes, sunny sideup, overeasy, you name it, they have it.
And while you are at the same area, the chef will prepared Vol Au Vent on the spot too. There’s Prawn with Brandy Sauce, Duck Confit with Foie Gras, Chicken Ragout with Mushrooms and Ham & Cheese Ragout to choose from. I’ve the duck confit with foie gras, which sort of reminded me of the kueh pie tee; crispy shells with savoury fillings
The array of seafood selection at Global Kitchen consisted of the typical mussels, prawns, scallop, and there’s Alaskan king crabs too! But it was the spoilt-for-choice of oysters that impressed me! The usual buffet line-ups will mostly just have, you know, fresh oysters on a bed of ice. But not here, there’s so many options, this is oysters at their best!
Some people proclaim oyster as the perfect food. There’s no preparation involved, no standing of hours in front of the stove to cook it. It’s absolutely fresh – it’s still alive just moments before you pop it inside your mouth. A slice of lemon wedge is all you need, and we are ready.
Among all, the fried oyster with bacon wrap was my favourite; I know this might not be the best way to taste the oysters as there probably wouldn’t be “freshness” left since it’s fried, but you know the thing with fried food, it’s always tasty. The saltiness of the bacon greatly enhanced the whole thing, not that you need to “add more flavour” to the oyster anyway. The purist probably couldn’t accept it since this was akin to killing the oyster, but I like it!
I also enjoyed the baked oyster with cheese tremendously. What’s there not to like when oyster marry with cheese? Fans of oysters will most likely gulp down a dozen of them at one shot, but not me. I had enough after having about five different ways of oysters, and there’s a few other ways which I didn’t try!
In buffets, I will always go for the ala minute food – stuff that are cook by chefs on the spot. And the fish & chips were pretty impressive. For one, they had mashed green peas, yes green peas! It totally exudes the “British feel” of a hearty fish & chips.
And can you imagine my excitement when I saw the chef preparing risotto and pastas too? There’s not much ingredients to choose from, you know the typical mushroom, tomato, but there’s no need for fanciful stuff when a plate of simple and comfort risotto/pasta is all I need.
There’s actually a lot more food, main courses like duck breast, salmon, seabass, beef, lamb, pork loin; in short, something to cater to everybody. I didn’t try all of them, just a bit here and there.
Free flow of champagne, amazing company with Camemberu, and Aromacookery, we pigged out for three hours ( including one hour for taking photos), this is what I call brunch! My appreciation to Cheryl and Merissa of Pan Pacific Hotel for hostingus for the media tasting session. We did not eat a lot, just a bit of everything, and yet at the end of it I was feeling sick – over stuffed with food. And we didn’t even try all the things available at the buffet! The champagne brunch is on Sundays from 12.00pm to 3.00pm.
Price: $98 per adult (with Champagne, wines, cocktails, beers, juices and soft drinks) $88 per adult (with wines, cocktails, beers, juices and soft drinks) $78 per adult (with juices and soft drinks)
Long story short, if you like my review please do come by ladyironchef . . . for the delicious in you
Dinner was at Cafe De Hong Kong (CDHK for short), a small restaurant selling HK style cze char dishes that have garnered rave reviews from many sources, both mainstream media and blogs alike.
Inconveniently located at the beginning of Balestier Road, just off the junction of Thomson Road and Balestier Road, CDHK looks like just any eatery that dots the entire stretch of Balestier Road. Step in however and a HK cafe style decor greets you with its quirky design and white washed walls. Parking in the area can pose a problem so cabs or public transport might be a better alternative.
Pork Ribs - Looking beautifully charred around the edges, the ribs were fall of the bone tender but came across as bland even with the sauce. Could have done with a little more marination. Mildly disappointing to say the least.
Salad Dressing Prawn Ball - I couldn't see the reason why this dish came highly recommended by our waitress. The prawn balls didn't exactly wow any of us at the table though I must admit that it was still quite decent nonetheless - crunchy with a dollop of mayonnaise. Then again, how bad can anything with mayonnaise be? I did like the broccoli though, which was cooked just right.
Roasted Chicken - Apparently this dish is so popular that you have to make a booking for it when you make your table reservation and that's exactly what we did. The half chicken (for the 5 of us) was more then adequate, which is rather surprisingly considering that in some places, a whole chicken might not even be sufficient. Consistency is suspect here as some parts of the chicken were juicy and tender while other parts tiptoed into the dry region. There was a higher salt content in certain areas as well.
Supreme Tofu - The tofu came with a thin slice of scallop on top and was silky smooth but lacked savouriness. Decent but nothing fantastic. Makes me wonder about the supreme in the name.
Stir Fried You Mak Cai with Dace Fish - Personally I thought that the vegetables were a little limp - the result of overcooking. The slight saltiness from the dace fish was apparent and I appreciated it. Overall nothing too fancy or outstanding, but definitely palatable.
The bill for the 5 of us was just shy of $100, which isn't too expensive by any standards. However, I can't quite attest to the rave reviews that have been popping up ever so often. Still, food and service is decent so probably still worth a try.
Shucks! What are you doing with fork & spoon? Throw them away! The rehttp://www.yebber.com/review/burger-shack/al way to eat a delicious burger, is to use your hands! First, press down and flatter the bun, stuff back all the ingredients that dropped out, and use both hands, yes bare hands with no napkins, or wrapper. Picked up the burger and take a breathe in; just like how people swirl and sniff their wine.
Okay now, the glorious moment; take your first tentative bite – open your mouth as wide as you can, and sink your teeth into the bun, then taste the ingredients, and then the meat, followed by the bun again. Yum! And finish the whole burger in one mouthful!
We queued up and ordered from the counter when everyone arrived; there was seven different burgers to choose from, with the typical add-ons like cheese, bacon, and egg. My friend ordered the BBQ pulled pork burger ($6.20), the pork strips were actually quite tasty, but the bun was too hard. And oh yes, note that all the price stated are just the burger only, you need to add on $3.50 (or $2.50 for students) for a set with fries and drink.
The Thai Chili burger ($6.20) was sweet-meet-spicy; a piece of deep fried chicken patty was drizzled with spicy sweet sauce Fancy a Zinger?
It is the must-have for every burger joint on their menu, how can they not have the King Ramlee burger? Unfortunately, Burger Shack’s Ramli ($6.20) is a very poor rendition of the famous street burger. Even Relish’s version was better. In place of the sweet chili sauce, they used a sambal sauce which wasn’t really spicy, and Ramlee’s all about the generous sweet chili with lots of barbecue sauce. And instead of wrapping the patty within the omelette, they merely placed the sunny side-up above the beef patty.
Another chicken, the J-burger ($6.20) with okonomiyaki sauce.
The Grilled Chicken ($5.70) was pretty decent with a tender flamed-grilled chicken fillet. Pity about the hard buns though.
Omph, I was excited by the prospect of having melted cheese on top of a medium rare beef patty with a pink tinge in the middle. Delicious right?
Except it wasn’t the case.
There’s the Original ($5.70) and the Double ($7.70) to choose from, and I had add-on cheese for $1.50 too. And I feel cheated that the cheese wasn’t melted. The beef patty was also much smaller than expected.
Nowadays I seldom check out new restaurants immediately when they are just opened. It’s like nurturing a plant; you need to water it regularly, give it nutrients and let it have sufficient sunlight to grow. The same goes for a new restaurant, there are bound to be hiccups initially so we need to give them time to improve the service and tweak the menu.
Three things I don’t like about Burger Shack: the noisy sound system as they use mic to call out the orders that are ready. As much as I understand that the self-service system helps them to keep the price competitive, but I couldn’t help feeling irritated, and it had the whole-fast-food-restaurant-vibe. The interior has a poor air ventilation – we smell like burgers after finishing dinner. And the food can really be better; the fries were cold, some of the burger buns were all right, but some were over toasted and too hard.
But I still think Burger Shack will do well. Students adored Island Creamery and you bet they will hopped by Burger Shack which is less than 5 minutes walk across the road.
Long story short, if you like my review please do come by ladyironchef . . . for the delicious in you
My first visit was rather uneventful since there weren't many customers at the time. The waitress serving us was rather accommodating and friendly when we required a table with more chairs. It could be due to the various spare tables, hence our request was fulfilled.
Food took a bit of time and it was just average. As we were in a rush to catch a movie, we didn't stay too long and felt the place was just nice to have a meal. The seats were comfortable while the place had some places where I had to squeeze in between the chairs if the place were filled with customers.
I’m a simple person, with a simple taste bud, however nobody ever believe me. Even though the food at fine dining restaurant is good, but it’s not me, I prefer going to small, unpretentious, and cozy places instead.
Escargot, escargot, you really need to hand it to the French. They cook anything that can crawl, and make everything taste so good! The escargot that I’ve tried before, have a very strong garlic and buttery smell from afar, but La Petite’s rendition did not involve the use of these, instead the sweetness of the snail was deeply captivated within the croissant. The bread was so good; it absorbed the essence of the juice from the escargot (6 pieces for $12) – it was heavenly!
Foie gras, has long been one of the sacred food that I promise myself I’ll try in this life. Up till now, I’ve not exactly eaten it before, not unless you count the one which hardly had any foie gras. Let me describe more about the encounter: she tasted familiar, hold on, it seems to be like pig liver. Oh no, it’s even better than that! With the gamy taste, it’s bound to be an acquired taste, but to everyone out there, go on, try it! And you can proudly declared: I’ve sample foie gras before!
We were contemplating between the foie gras pan fried w/orange confit ($17), or the ravioli of prawns and foie gras in light lemon creme ($14.5). And we went for the latter. The uncanny similarity with the Chinese dumplings, but this one had foie gras and a big prawn instead. Initially, we thought that there would be hardly any foie gras inside, but we were wrong. The foie gras fillings were substantial, enough to experience the goose liver taste!
In my eyes mouth, duck will always be better than chicken. But most places doesn’t serve duck, and even if they do, its usually duck confit or pan seared duck breast. There’s nothing better for a duck drumstick than a duck confit! I enjoyed slowly peeling off her clothes, admiring everything there’s for us to see, before bringing my nose to smell her fragrance. Oh my, she smells so good! I closed my eyes for a second, and imagine the unimaginable. In my excitement, I brought up the fork again, and poke it into her. Slowly, we teased each other playfully, until to the point where we couldn’t take it no longer. Then, I tucked in. It’s good! I enjoyed every bite, and I love it even more because I’m sharing it with you. Confit de canard w/gratin ($15)
Long story short, if you like my review please do come by ladyironchef . . . for the delicious in you
Welcome to Cache Cache!!! WELCOME to Cache Cache!!! WELCOME TO CACHE CACHE!!!
I can't help but have this ringing in my ear all day... Eventhough i have a pet named CASH... But it was not why i had this slogan ringing all day... Its because I visited CACHE CACHE at Ion Orchard.. and what more.. i shopped there for the longest time i ever spent in any shop, per m2.
I should say its not a big shop, however, they are having a great sale of up to 70% off... The clothes were funky, trendy and funny... Really Totally My style!
I love the bright colours and the wonderful designs and the prices were so reasonable.. You can never find another place with price as reasonable as Cache Cache.. They have the bling bling stuffs for gala, the Country Country Stuff for your line dance, the CuteCute Stuffs for your teenage daughter and the everyday Casual wear for everybody.
On top of that, they also have some smart casual clothes and shirts with prices you can NEVER IMAGINE.. The materials were great, helms and stitches not medium raw, medium well but WELL DONE and they do have really special designed clothings that look too happening for the dance floor...
Especially look for the jeans and shorts.. They were greatly priced and have got the latest cuts and designs on sale...
Accessories were great too.. With great colours and designs to go with your selected outfits. Prices were reasonably affordable and you really can't stop at buying one....
Head down today before the sale ends... and be rewarded with a new wardrobe.. What do you do with the old ones? Keep lor.... 5 years down the road, there sure be a retro fever again! Heh Heh! Shopping Is GREAT!
I simply fell in love with this restaurant. Let me tell you why.....
First, the ambience was great, there were plenty of tables for couples or small groups of 4 friends as well as huge group setting up to 10 friends can sit at one table. The sits were great, deco chic japanese and light warm yet you could see your food well.
I particular light to mention the great service. I was personally impressed by the number of waiter and waitresses serving. I felt outnumbered, but i guess it was a good sign. They were nice, attentive and very polite. On top of that they really made me feel served.... Introduction to the menu were clear and helpful and even wet towels were being given personally by a rep waitress.
Now lets go to the food. The sashimi were great, with value for money prices and a good portion. Salmon Sashimi was fresh, succulent and shouts "EAT ME! EAT ME!" The placement of the sashimi on top of the a bed of sticks were a great visual contrast.
The tempura and fried stuffs were great too.. I personally love the portion they serve and you cannot imagine the prices they put on the menu.... Its definitely much more worth it then going for buffets. Noodles were great and soupy... another must try is the WATAMI salad. They come in such huge portion that it takes more then 1 to finish.
Another thing i love about this place is the free flow green tea and most importantly prompt refills of the cup with a GREAT BIG SMILE. I particular love this gesture as it really made me feel special. Boo!! to those who charge a mere $1 for a green tea bag and I have to fill up my own hot water via the tap that always leaks.... Something to learn and improve on..."Other Jap Restaurants!!!"
If you have a IPHONE version of the yebber, i will upload the great photos i have taken. Please Please Please create one!!!
1=SGD 0.0587
If I do it my way, I will start every meal with desserts. A typical dinner usually goes something like this: complimentary bread and cheesesticks to keep you entertain, but that’s no dessert. Then there’s soup, appetisers, main course, blah blah blah until we reach desserts! So why do we eat desserts at the end when we are clearly anticipating for it from the start!
And when I go to an Italian restaurant, the first thing that comes to my mind will always, be the tiramisu. It is, the heart and soul, the perfect ambassador for Italian cuisine. Fine, I exaggerated. It is at least one of the first thing that you will think of when we are talking about Italian desserts. The Tiramisu Senso ($14) here was way better than the one I had at their bistro before.
And the second thing (for me) when it comes to Italian cuisine will be pasta of course! However, I was tempted to try Senso’s risotto, so we had the Risotto ($28) – carnaroli risotto served with saffron and sea scallops. It was good, but company always make the food taste better, and since my dining companion wasn’t a big fan of risotto, I should have gone for their pastas instead.
My companion also raved about the excellent Agnello (rack of lamb) that she had at Senso before, but we decided to try something new this time round. Food is always an adventure no? The choice of the second main was contested by the Manzo (beef tenderloin), Milanese (rack of veal) and the Ossobuco (braised veal shank). I was initially skeptical of having the braised veal shank since my previous encounter was a complete diaster.
But I was sweet-talked into it, and I’m glad that we ordered this; the Ossobuco ($34) was done just right, the veal shank absorbed the goodness of the sauce, I know tender is a word over-used when it comes to describing food, but yes, it was tender!
The Bruciata ($14) made its appearance in a very creative way and we were completely fascinated by the mini frying pan. Oven-baked egg custard, or more commonly known as Creme Brulee, I finished everything on my own!
* * *
I didn’t manage to take any shot of the place, we dined in the charming al fresco area, but it was the private room that caught my eyes! That place is perfect for a group of twenty, I will definitely love to do a party there some day.
Long story short, if you like my review please do come by ladyironchef . . . for the delicious in you
Rating given:
Had dinner with my family at Jumbo Serangoon Gardens to "commemorate" its 20 odd years of business in the area, just before its swan song at the end of October. Apparently the rent has at the club has shot up by quite a bit so Jumbo has decided to take its business elsewhere.
The interior looks a little dated but boasts a quirky blue ceiling with concealed lights to give an impression of dining under the sky - not that it really worked though but studies have shown that blue is a calming colour, which could have been useful, judging from the crowd that evening.
Kailan with Garlic - You can't really go wrong with fried kailan and garlic so no surprises or disappointments here. Portions are a little small for $12 though.
Chilli Crab - The crab seemed rather small for its purported weight (1kg) and it didn't help that this signature Jumbo dish failed to live up to expectations. The gravy was rather watery and didn't go very well with the oily, insipid mantous that used to be an object of greedy desire (for me at least) some 10 years ago. How quality has deteriorated over the years!
Homemade Beancurd - I liked the generous amount of golden mushroom that buried the homemade beancurd. What I didn't like was the lack of silkiness and savouriness in the beancurd. Sure, it was soft but didn't slither down my throat and came across as bland.
Deep Fried Red Tilapia - Tilapias don't go for much in the markets but we were charged $32 for it - hardly fitting. Inflated prices aside, the fish was nicely deep fried and crisp on the outside, coupled with firm flesh on the inside. I didn't appreciate the tons of bones within though. Overall an averagely decent dish.
Cereal Prawns - The prawns weren't fresh and the flesh tasted a little soft and "powdery". I certainly didn't expect that from an established seafood restaurant like Jumbo. On the upside, the prawns were deshelled, leaving only the head, something which most places don't bother to do. I did like the cereal dressing though - mildy spicy, crunchy and sweet. But then again, it wasn't enough to salvage this dish.
Mee Goreng - One of the staples of Jumbo ever since we started patronising them some 10 odd years ago, the mee goreng was a shadow of its former self. Overly sweet would be most apt in describing it, with the noodles carrying no taste except being sweet. Apparently the sweetness is used to cover the alkaline taste present in the egg noodles, but this is really an overkill.
I don't know about you, but $188 ($138 with a $50 discount) for a sub standard dinner for 6 pax just doesn't cut it for me. Service was decent in a haphazard sort of way. Final words? Good riddance to overpriced and commercialized sub quality food!
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Reclusiveness seems to be the name of the game these days as small "boutique" restaurants start up in not too accessible locations, just like Jules, a tiny cafe whipping up Australian cuisine in the north eastern heartlands of Singapore.
Nestled in the midst of a private estate just opposite Nanyang JC, Jules plays neighbour to a seafood restaurant (Punggol Seng Choon I believe) and is visible from afar with its brightly litted crimson red signboard. The place is tiny and sparsely furnished, complete with granite flooring and wooden furniture. Air conditioning is a luxury unless you are seated just below one of the two units present. Fans attempt to cool things down a little but don't make much of a difference especially if you are taking the table just next to the counter.
Wagyu Burger - Although I still maintain my stand that wagyu beef should never been minced into patty, Jules did quite a good job on the beef I must admit. The patty's texture was uneven and I could make out bits and pieces of fat, which contributed to the chewy texture. The inherent beefy taste reminded me more of steak then patty, which was definitely good and I certainly appreciated the dollop of sundried tomato puree atop. The bread was average though and so were the fries.
Fig Pudding - I don't know what prompted me to order the fig pudding. Maybe it was the wait staff's recommendation. But I'm glad I did. I'm not exactly a fan of figs but the pudding was nice and moist without coming across as too sweet. Small pieces of figs were lodged within and the sauce had vanilla beans in it. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it proved to be a nice sweet ending to conclude the meal.
Prices are nett (no GST, no service charge), which is a huge plus. On my part, I forked out $26 for the burger and the pudding, which is very reasonable given the quality. Service was decent as well but the wait can be quite long especially if you have a big group. That aside, they probably need to look into installing more airconditioners to cool the place down.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
A dreamy Sunday out with you, eating nothing but eggs and pancakes. And a glass of that bubbly champagne is just the icing on the cake. I love brunch! I really do. There’s just something about brunch that makes me excited, just the mention of it will be enough to get me on a high.
And how about a buffet brunch? Excellent, you get to eat a bit of everything (not that I’m a big fan of buffet), and free flow of champagne? Swoon!
I can never say no to desserts, you are my weakness. And we couldn’t resist taking photographs at the desserts section first since it’s right in front of the restaurant. All the petite desserts were waving to me, with the alluring cakes winking and making signals for me to step forward.
Do you want a piece of chocolate?
How about a chocolate tree? I’ll pluck the chocolates off and give them all to you. I know you want the bitter one, and you can feed me the sweet one. The chocolates, they were so good!
Rows, and rows of them: mustard lax salmon, smoked salmon, Thai smoked salmon, and an assortment of smoked fish platter. I bet you will just stand there all day and finish every slice of them.
Breakfast to me, must consist of eggs benedicts, pancakes, sausages; that sort of stuff. They had poached eggs here, but there wasn’t any hollandaise sauce, and sadly because the breakfast section was prepared beforehand (not on the spot), the eggs, sausages, and hash browns were cold.
But there’s an ala-minute section where the chef prepared eggs-done-in-any-style. Omelettes, sunny sideup, overeasy, you name it, they have it.
And while you are at the same area, the chef will prepared Vol Au Vent on the spot too. There’s Prawn with Brandy Sauce, Duck Confit with Foie Gras, Chicken Ragout with Mushrooms and Ham & Cheese Ragout to choose from. I’ve the duck confit with foie gras, which sort of reminded me of the kueh pie tee; crispy shells with savoury fillings
The array of seafood selection at Global Kitchen consisted of the typical mussels, prawns, scallop, and there’s Alaskan king crabs too! But it was the spoilt-for-choice of oysters that impressed me! The usual buffet line-ups will mostly just have, you know, fresh oysters on a bed of ice. But not here, there’s so many options, this is oysters at their best!
Some people proclaim oyster as the perfect food. There’s no preparation involved, no standing of hours in front of the stove to cook it. It’s absolutely fresh – it’s still alive just moments before you pop it inside your mouth. A slice of lemon wedge is all you need, and we are ready.
Among all, the fried oyster with bacon wrap was my favourite; I know this might not be the best way to taste the oysters as there probably wouldn’t be “freshness” left since it’s fried, but you know the thing with fried food, it’s always tasty. The saltiness of the bacon greatly enhanced the whole thing, not that you need to “add more flavour” to the oyster anyway. The purist probably couldn’t accept it since this was akin to killing the oyster, but I like it!
I also enjoyed the baked oyster with cheese tremendously. What’s there not to like when oyster marry with cheese? Fans of oysters will most likely gulp down a dozen of them at one shot, but not me. I had enough after having about five different ways of oysters, and there’s a few other ways which I didn’t try!
In buffets, I will always go for the ala minute food – stuff that are cook by chefs on the spot. And the fish & chips were pretty impressive. For one, they had mashed green peas, yes green peas! It totally exudes the “British feel” of a hearty fish & chips.
And can you imagine my excitement when I saw the chef preparing risotto and pastas too? There’s not much ingredients to choose from, you know the typical mushroom, tomato, but there’s no need for fanciful stuff when a plate of simple and comfort risotto/pasta is all I need.
There’s actually a lot more food, main courses like duck breast, salmon, seabass, beef, lamb, pork loin; in short, something to cater to everybody. I didn’t try all of them, just a bit here and there.
Free flow of champagne, amazing company with Camemberu, and Aromacookery, we pigged out for three hours ( including one hour for taking photos), this is what I call brunch! My appreciation to Cheryl and Merissa of Pan Pacific Hotel for hostingus for the media tasting session. We did not eat a lot, just a bit of everything, and yet at the end of it I was feeling sick – over stuffed with food. And we didn’t even try all the things available at the buffet! The champagne brunch is on Sundays from 12.00pm to 3.00pm.
Price:
$98 per adult (with Champagne, wines, cocktails, beers, juices and soft drinks)
$88 per adult (with wines, cocktails, beers, juices and soft drinks)
$78 per adult (with juices and soft drinks)
Long story short, if you like my review please do come by ladyironchef . . . for the delicious in you
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Dinner was at Cafe De Hong Kong (CDHK for short), a small restaurant selling HK style cze char dishes that have garnered rave reviews from many sources, both mainstream media and blogs alike.
Inconveniently located at the beginning of Balestier Road, just off the junction of Thomson Road and Balestier Road, CDHK looks like just any eatery that dots the entire stretch of Balestier Road. Step in however and a HK cafe style decor greets you with its quirky design and white washed walls. Parking in the area can pose a problem so cabs or public transport might be a better alternative.
Pork Ribs - Looking beautifully charred around the edges, the ribs were fall of the bone tender but came across as bland even with the sauce. Could have done with a little more marination. Mildly disappointing to say the least.
Salad Dressing Prawn Ball - I couldn't see the reason why this dish came highly recommended by our waitress. The prawn balls didn't exactly wow any of us at the table though I must admit that it was still quite decent nonetheless - crunchy with a dollop of mayonnaise. Then again, how bad can anything with mayonnaise be? I did like the broccoli though, which was cooked just right.
Roasted Chicken - Apparently this dish is so popular that you have to make a booking for it when you make your table reservation and that's exactly what we did. The half chicken (for the 5 of us) was more then adequate, which is rather surprisingly considering that in some places, a whole chicken might not even be sufficient. Consistency is suspect here as some parts of the chicken were juicy and tender while other parts tiptoed into the dry region. There was a higher salt content in certain areas as well.
Supreme Tofu - The tofu came with a thin slice of scallop on top and was silky smooth but lacked savouriness. Decent but nothing fantastic. Makes me wonder about the supreme in the name.
Stir Fried You Mak Cai with Dace Fish - Personally I thought that the vegetables were a little limp - the result of overcooking. The slight saltiness from the dace fish was apparent and I appreciated it. Overall nothing too fancy or outstanding, but definitely palatable.
The bill for the 5 of us was just shy of $100, which isn't too expensive by any standards. However, I can't quite attest to the rave reviews that have been popping up ever so often. Still, food and service is decent so probably still worth a try.
See all my pictures here.
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Shucks! What are you doing with fork & spoon? Throw them away! The rehttp://www.yebber.com/review/burger-shack/al way to eat a delicious burger, is to use your hands! First, press down and flatter the bun, stuff back all the ingredients that dropped out, and use both hands, yes bare hands with no napkins, or wrapper. Picked up the burger and take a breathe in; just like how people swirl and sniff their wine.
Okay now, the glorious moment; take your first tentative bite – open your mouth as wide as you can, and sink your teeth into the bun, then taste the ingredients, and then the meat, followed by the bun again. Yum! And finish the whole burger in one mouthful!
We queued up and ordered from the counter when everyone arrived; there was seven different burgers to choose from, with the typical add-ons like cheese, bacon, and egg. My friend ordered the BBQ pulled pork burger ($6.20), the pork strips were actually quite tasty, but the bun was too hard. And oh yes, note that all the price stated are just the burger only, you need to add on $3.50 (or $2.50 for students) for a set with fries and drink.
The Thai Chili burger ($6.20) was sweet-meet-spicy; a piece of deep fried chicken patty was drizzled with spicy sweet sauce Fancy a Zinger?
It is the must-have for every burger joint on their menu, how can they not have the King Ramlee burger? Unfortunately, Burger Shack’s Ramli ($6.20) is a very poor rendition of the famous street burger. Even Relish’s version was better. In place of the sweet chili sauce, they used a sambal sauce which wasn’t really spicy, and Ramlee’s all about the generous sweet chili with lots of barbecue sauce. And instead of wrapping the patty within the omelette, they merely placed the sunny side-up above the beef patty.
Another chicken, the J-burger ($6.20) with okonomiyaki sauce.
The Grilled Chicken ($5.70) was pretty decent with a tender flamed-grilled chicken fillet. Pity about the hard buns though.
Omph, I was excited by the prospect of having melted cheese on top of a medium rare beef patty with a pink tinge in the middle. Delicious right?
Except it wasn’t the case.
There’s the Original ($5.70) and the Double ($7.70) to choose from, and I had add-on cheese for $1.50 too. And I feel cheated that the cheese wasn’t melted. The beef patty was also much smaller than expected.
Nowadays I seldom check out new restaurants immediately when they are just opened. It’s like nurturing a plant; you need to water it regularly, give it nutrients and let it have sufficient sunlight to grow. The same goes for a new restaurant, there are bound to be hiccups initially so we need to give them time to improve the service and tweak the menu.
Three things I don’t like about Burger Shack: the noisy sound system as they use mic to call out the orders that are ready. As much as I understand that the self-service system helps them to keep the price competitive, but I couldn’t help feeling irritated, and it had the whole-fast-food-restaurant-vibe. The interior has a poor air ventilation – we smell like burgers after finishing dinner. And the food can really be better; the fries were cold, some of the burger buns were all right, but some were over toasted and too hard.
But I still think Burger Shack will do well. Students adored Island Creamery and you bet they will hopped by Burger Shack which is less than 5 minutes walk across the road.
Long story short, if you like my review please do come by ladyironchef . . . for the delicious in you
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My first visit was rather uneventful since there weren't many customers at the time. The waitress serving us was rather accommodating and friendly when we required a table with more chairs. It could be due to the various spare tables, hence our request was fulfilled.
Food took a bit of time and it was just average. As we were in a rush to catch a movie, we didn't stay too long and felt the place was just nice to have a meal. The seats were comfortable while the place had some places where I had to squeeze in between the chairs if the place were filled with customers.
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I’m a simple person, with a simple taste bud, however nobody ever believe me. Even though the food at fine dining restaurant is good, but it’s not me, I prefer going to small, unpretentious, and cozy places instead.
Escargot, escargot, you really need to hand it to the French. They cook anything that can crawl, and make everything taste so good! The escargot that I’ve tried before, have a very strong garlic and buttery smell from afar, but La Petite’s rendition did not involve the use of these, instead the sweetness of the snail was deeply captivated within the croissant. The bread was so good; it absorbed the essence of the juice from the escargot (6 pieces for $12) – it was heavenly!
Foie gras, has long been one of the sacred food that I promise myself I’ll try in this life. Up till now, I’ve not exactly eaten it before, not unless you count the one which hardly had any foie gras. Let me describe more about the encounter: she tasted familiar, hold on, it seems to be like pig liver. Oh no, it’s even better than that! With the gamy taste, it’s bound to be an acquired taste, but to everyone out there, go on, try it! And you can proudly declared: I’ve sample foie gras before!
We were contemplating between the foie gras pan fried w/orange confit ($17), or the ravioli of prawns and foie gras in light lemon creme ($14.5). And we went for the latter. The uncanny similarity with the Chinese dumplings, but this one had foie gras and a big prawn instead. Initially, we thought that there would be hardly any foie gras inside, but we were wrong. The foie gras fillings were substantial, enough to experience the goose liver taste!
In my eyes mouth, duck will always be better than chicken. But most places doesn’t serve duck, and even if they do, its usually duck confit or pan seared duck breast. There’s nothing better for a duck drumstick than a duck confit! I enjoyed slowly peeling off her clothes, admiring everything there’s for us to see, before bringing my nose to smell her fragrance. Oh my, she smells so good! I closed my eyes for a second, and imagine the unimaginable. In my excitement, I brought up the fork again, and poke it into her. Slowly, we teased each other playfully, until to the point where we couldn’t take it no longer. Then, I tucked in. It’s good! I enjoyed every bite, and I love it even more because I’m sharing it with you. Confit de canard w/gratin ($15)
Long story short, if you like my review please do come by ladyironchef . . . for the delicious in you
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Welcome to Cache Cache!!! WELCOME to Cache Cache!!! WELCOME TO CACHE CACHE!!!
I can't help but have this ringing in my ear all day... Eventhough i have a pet named CASH... But it was not why i had this slogan ringing all day... Its because I visited CACHE CACHE at Ion Orchard.. and what more.. i shopped there for the longest time i ever spent in any shop, per m2.
I should say its not a big shop, however, they are having a great sale of up to 70% off... The clothes were funky, trendy and funny... Really Totally My style!
I love the bright colours and the wonderful designs and the prices were so reasonable.. You can never find another place with price as reasonable as Cache Cache.. They have the bling bling stuffs for gala, the Country Country Stuff for your line dance, the CuteCute Stuffs for your teenage daughter and the everyday Casual wear for everybody.
On top of that, they also have some smart casual clothes and shirts with prices you can NEVER IMAGINE.. The materials were great, helms and stitches not medium raw, medium well but WELL DONE and they do have really special designed clothings that look too happening for the dance floor...
Especially look for the jeans and shorts.. They were greatly priced and have got the latest cuts and designs on sale...
Accessories were great too.. With great colours and designs to go with your selected outfits. Prices were reasonably affordable and you really can't stop at buying one....
Head down today before the sale ends... and be rewarded with a new wardrobe.. What do you do with the old ones? Keep lor.... 5 years down the road, there sure be a retro fever again! Heh Heh! Shopping Is GREAT!
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I simply fell in love with this restaurant. Let me tell you why.....
First, the ambience was great, there were plenty of tables for couples or small groups of 4 friends as well as huge group setting up to 10 friends can sit at one table. The sits were great, deco chic japanese and light warm yet you could see your food well.
I particular light to mention the great service. I was personally impressed by the number of waiter and waitresses serving. I felt outnumbered, but i guess it was a good sign. They were nice, attentive and very polite. On top of that they really made me feel served.... Introduction to the menu were clear and helpful and even wet towels were being given personally by a rep waitress.
Now lets go to the food. The sashimi were great, with value for money prices and a good portion. Salmon Sashimi was fresh, succulent and shouts "EAT ME! EAT ME!" The placement of the sashimi on top of the a bed of sticks were a great visual contrast.
The tempura and fried stuffs were great too.. I personally love the portion they serve and you cannot imagine the prices they put on the menu.... Its definitely much more worth it then going for buffets. Noodles were great and soupy... another must try is the WATAMI salad. They come in such huge portion that it takes more then 1 to finish.
Another thing i love about this place is the free flow green tea and most importantly prompt refills of the cup with a GREAT BIG SMILE. I particular love this gesture as it really made me feel special. Boo!! to those who charge a mere $1 for a green tea bag and I have to fill up my own hot water via the tap that always leaks.... Something to learn and improve on..."Other Jap Restaurants!!!"
If you have a IPHONE version of the yebber, i will upload the great photos i have taken. Please Please Please create one!!!
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