Taking a picture at this super crowded shop is virtually impossible. Matter of fact I had to fight my way in from the anxious Office Ladies to the irritable older people and weird looking office men with baskets full of toiletries such as shampoos, shower gels, facial wash and yes, female personal hygiene utility packs (use your imaginations). Its shopping for the whole family, i more or less could understand how weird they feel while the lady exposes all their merchandises and bagging them slowly while reconfirming the prices with the man. I mean if he would have a question if he bought the correct size and brand, he wouldn't ask...
Even the corridors are littered with goods and people and everyone is busily choosing their hair care, skin care, toothpastes, toothbrush and other every use products. I mean its really much cheaper here, for eg.
1) 4 Oral B toothbrushes with indicator and soft needle bristles (not the old design) = $2.40
2) Whisper ultra thin pack of 16s = $3.80
3) Colgate Sensitive medium sized = $1.80
4) Clinique Facial Wash = $28.50 well orginally i saw from department stores goes about $35 and above
5) Facial Wash (Johnsons&Johnsons - Biore) = $1.50 - $4
Sun screen, scrubs, nail polish, selected makeup, SKII, perfumes, everything you need that stays in the toilet on your makeup desk and even in the car, you have it here and I must say the brands are not few. Its about at least a good 30% off the retail prices. After I've been here, I got pissed when I go to supermarkets or other personal care store... Its like i've been robbed broad daylight.
You might wonder if the quality is good, well i've used it, the texture, scent and packaging is almost similar yet the printing are a little different in terms of description and language, I suppose these are parallel imported from neighbouring countries in which our departmental store goods also originates from these countries such as malaysia, thailand, vietnam, etc.... The higher end products such as clinique and SKII as well as perfumes are original packing, not as though i bought any perfumes from them, matter of fact its no asking, just grab and pay in CASH...
Service is like no service except some ladies and men standing on ladders looking out for those who forgot or choose not to pay and some just blocking the already tight walkways at the squeezy corridors inside the shop. I mean nobody needs promo or help, just meant the cashier and stop blocking us. Its like they live in between those shelves.
Items are cheap, please go early and avoid lunch or after work crowd and aunties in sleeveless tops and sweaty armpits.... I mean how do you sanitize your brain when you get rubbed in the nose with sweaty armpits.. Eeeeeekssss
Great place to shop, but expect no service and things are like super super super cheap... a must go yet be prepared to push and shove or get SHOVED!
Attended a Wedding Banquet at the Carlton last friday and I must say we had a good time. The place was cosy, not to mention clean and beautifully decorated, cutleries were nice and shiny while the ambiance was nicely attuned to the uplifting spirits of a wedding, however the banquet service staff requires a bit more improvement.
The reception was just outside the banquet and doors don't open until 7 in which dinner started at 8 due to a massive jam and guest were delayed. The hall was laid full of tables and chairs with little walking spaces perhaps there are just too many guest yet the aisle was nicely lit with candles atop some glamorously white and pink arranged flowers leading up to the stage. Dinner started with the announcement from the emcees and the couple entered with a slow stroll on the aisle while the champagne popping and cake cutting were the regular events and were carried out smoothly. The manager, Don was a conscientious staff who made sure everything was on time and even gave proper briefing to the groom while making sure the hall was in a perfectly celebratory mood. Everything was more or less planned and executed in perfection.
The first dish arrived pretty soon after the walk in and subsequent dishes arrived pretty fast, though not piping hot yet is perfectly cooked and the portion was really generous. Most tables had left overs we observed and these are the few really yummy dishes they left some good memories.
1) Appetizer cold platter - the prawns are yummy, spring roll crispy, jelly fish crunchy and duck meat juicy
2) Steamed grouper - fish was big and loads of flesh, fresh and the sauce (HongKong soya sauce style) was balanced and light
3) Abalone with broccoli - The whole abalone you get was about the size of a quarter of my palm and was chewy with a savoury sauce.
4) Deep fried Chicken with an auspicious name which I couldn't recall: looked very much like a dried up chicken, skin is crispy and meat is tender, pretty yummy I must say
5) Fried Longevity noodles: I was half expecting my favourite EeFu noodles but it was not to be found, this noodles is also pretty yummy with plenty of stripped carrots and veg.
6) Dessert was a honey dew sago that has got nothing to rave about other than its sweet. Was half expecting something exotic but it turned out still a good ending to an almost perfect meal.
The food was pretty yummy, ingredients used fresh and overall ambience was good, though I find 4 banquet halls sharing a 5 cubicle ladies is a little bit of a long throw, perhaps there are other restrooms I didn't notice. Drinks were the regular tea, softdrink, red or white wine and of course beer.
Yar one thing I must mention. We were given a glass full of roses to sprinkle at the bride on her second entrance in which we were given special instructions by the staff 1) When to throw, 2) Not to aim at the couple's face, 3) Not to throw the glass holder.... HAHAHA! Very Entertaining I must say.
Lunch was a long queue, even when we arrived later then the normal lunch hour, we still had to wait a good 15 minutes before we got a seat for 5. Its not a large outlet but its crowded and the see through kitchen is very interesting to me as we are always curious what happens inside the kitchen. Chef kneading dough, making dumplings, steaming stuffs and making noodles all seemed super fun to me.
We were given the order chit to make our orders while we waited outside and our appetizers were already waiting for us on our table before we got settled down. Service was fast, though not so friendly but it was fast and efficient. Food was served shortly after we settled and of course tea for all.
1) Oriental Salad in Special Vinegar Dressing (appetizer):
was a small dish of chilled seaweed and beansprout tossed in aromatic sesame oil which is both fragrant and refreshing.
2) Sliced Duck in Crispy Spring Onion Pastry (appetizer): is a yummy smoked duck with spring onion in a crispy pohpiah skin. The portion is small and extremely yummy. Loved the clash of taste of the crispy outside and the savoury insides.
3) Steamed Pork Dumplings 小笼包: is something one must have when they visit din tai fung. The skin is thin, almost translucent filled with hot savoury soup from the minced meat inside. You have to pick it up lightly with the 18 pleated top and placed is gently on your soup while to add on a little vinegar and ginger and sip onto the hot soup before you gobble up the entire dumpling. The burst of flavorful minced meat in your mouth while enjoying the chewy texture of the dumpling skin. Superbly yummy!
4) Hot & Sour Soup 酸辣汤: was a simple egg, toufoo and veg soup in a sweet and sour flavor. No wow factor in this and I must say its more of a seh chuan styled soup.
5) Fried Rice with Shrimps & Eggs 虾仁蛋饭: We had 2 versions of this, one just with shrimps & eggs while another with an added portion of pork chop which was heavenly. The rice tasted very yummy, well made and chewy with each rice beautifully coated with the yellowish egg and shrimps so juicy and big while the pork chop added the OMPHHH... factor. Juicy and savoury crispy pork chop with a tender inside tasted super delicious!
6) Stir-fried Dou Miao with Garlic 蒜炒豆苗: Veg is fresh and with a good portion for 5.
7) Chocolate and Red Bean Dumplings (Dessert): Is one of a kind of dumplings, i guess a new creation by the restaurant itself, tasted something in between a mochi and a tang yuan. The skin is tasteless while the gooey insides of chocolate and red bean makes the dinner ends with a sweet note. Its yummy yet funny at the same time. Its nice and different :)
A good lunch for 5 cost set us back at about $110, yet we didn't left feeling so full that we wanna puke. The portion I must say is not big but selections was quite good for chinese dishes. Food was above average, portion we hope could increase a little and price is reasonable. The seats were mostly wooden chairs and table while deco is made up of drift wood and mostly of a chinese retro influence. Loved the open concept yet the neighbouring outlet is actually the Food Republic Food Court. I mean if you dislike it here, you could always hope next door to another world :)
The place is beautiful, a almost solo building at the very end of the dining lane in Holland Village. Brown canvases with a Bright Orange signature "TANGO" written on the wall. Its more of a drinking place then a dining place and works well when its not raining. Both indoor and outdoor seatings are available however it is very much NON-Airconditioned.
We spotted many diners seating on the road (which is closed in the evening) drinking icy cold beer and that is what drew us in. The place is crowded as usual with many diners littered everywhere. Most common dish on the table is the bar snacks like wedges and calamaries while the most loved drinks were the draught beers in almost frozen pint cups (Hoegarden & Asahi).
We were shortly shown to our seats after taking a long time to get one of the staff's attention and though seated indoors and near to the outside, i started to perspire even before food was served. The lighting were halogen MR16 spots all over, shining directly at us and the fan seemed to far though we could see it turning yet it was just so heated up. The menu has got quite a few nice selections yet we do not have the mood to order much. We ended up ordering a few dishes and quickly gulped down our icy cool beer to cool off.
Food became secondary and perhaps thats why the place is so HOT!
The food was not too bad, lamb steak was soft and juicy and fragrant. The snacks were crunchy yet nothing to wow about and the portion was just too small for even lady diners. Matter of fact we ordered a main each, beer and sides tapas, my lady friend could comment that she didn't feel too full and the dessert selections was not so good thus we adjourned to another dessert restaurant to complete the night.
The place is seriously just good for beer and snacks and noisy chit chat.. but please seat outdoors on the road, its much much cooler and the service anywhere in this restaurant is just as bad so be prepared to be patient. Price is ex for main courses but regular for drinks and snacks. Sauna for dinner... maybe it have a slimming effect!
This little hideout is really a paradise to chill to dine and to relax. A lifestyle retail shop and a restaurant with a Javanese theme brings out the true spirit of the Balinese culture; Relaxed, Casual and Sensual. Somehow the place intrigues my senses with the close to nature yet clean and mosquito bite free experience.
The white and black colonial building stands strikingly at the edge of the botanical garden and through a hardwood carved door of the equally small porch is a world filled with aromatic incense and traditional Javanese instrumental music. Immediately you feel relaxed and be led by the casualness of the friendly staffs in their beautiful batik Indonesian uniforms. The restaurant is very much an outdoor close to nature setting, luxuriously decorated with wooden dining furnitures, intriguing stone sculptures and lots of cushions. Ceiling fans and the natural wind collides while the smoke from the anti-bug incense shows makes the entire place feels dreamy.
You can choose to seat in the main dining (Joglo) are with choices of proper dining tables, on the floor group dining or these beautiful little huts (Lesehans) sat upon a shallow pond with real living creatures and luxuriously vegetated with aquatic plants. We sat in one of these traditional Javanese Lesehans with daybeds and low dining tables, perched atop the luxurious cushions and beautiful batik table coverings. Menu was served with a good recommendations of yummy javanese cuisines, however we ended with some tapas and brew from their brehaus.
They do have a good array of indian and indonesian cuisines and the few really yummy ones are the Naan sets, Fried Tofu was yummy, and not forgetting the tahu goreng with fantastic peanut sauce. You don't have much to choose from on the desserts yet we found some really interesting meal enders. The lemongrass panna cotta was an interesting mix of taste, something citrusy and grassy clashing with the soft tofu like texture of sweet vanilla custard. We also had the cendol which turned out to be a drink. The ingredients used for the cendol are generous which made it a little too sweet and we expected the green worm like jelly which turned out to be bead like. The food was pretty yummy and priced slightly higher than expected. Portion was generous so its really good to share.
The beer was outstanding. 3 house brews to choose from each with different characters and comes in half or full pint. Happy hours are available with lower priced brews, on top of that they also do serve wine and cocktail. Great place to chill or for a romantic dates. I do spot some bugs flying around yet none landed near me. The place is picturesque and great for gatherings and events. Simply loved the place and hope to hang there more often despite the lack in parking and inconvenient location with minimal public transport.
Sat on a small hilly area of the Rochester Park is a charming little restaurant named Nosh. The rustic nature embraced this beautiful white and black colonial styled property with both indoor (Air-Conditioned) dining areas for non-bug lovers and the airy outdoor dine and drinks platforms atop wooden raised flooring in an oversized shack.
On a cool evening such as this one and with the natural surroundings arousing of our spirits, we might as well donate some blood to the mosquitoes (but i didn't get one bite), as such we decided on the outdoor seats. Its rather quiet for a weekday evening but we spotted lovely large group seats which means this place could be pretty happening over the weekends. Dimly lit with candles and soft lighting, we practically had to turn on our mobile phone flashes to read the menu which seemed to be pretty lacking in choices.
We decided on a few interesting mains and sides and sat back to enjoy the beautiful surrounding while jazz pipes through the ceiling speakers. The bar is the most interesting piece, illuminated and lavishly decorated with all sorts of spirits and liquors with bar side seats for those who wish to hang and chit chat casually. Service was okay though its just another 2 tables occupied, the staff seemed to be rather non-chalent which in some way merges with the total feel of the place and not very likeable in my case.
Drinks were served and our sparkling white chilled to a good fizzle paired with some bread on the house and a red kinda salsa sauce. I could taste the tomato yet the other stuffs is kinda in a mess. The bread is a mix of crispiness on the skin and softness on the inside yet tasted fresh and appetizing.
Here goes the food:
The Purple Potato Gnocchi is a creamy salad dish with a mix of poached veg, mushroom and yam balls that left an extremely memorable truffle filled after-taste. Though the world Gnocchi don't make much sense yet we decided upon it because we wanted to try something bold. Interestingly, the first comment by our dear old friend who was infamous for his sarcasm was " What small plate and lots of food " it was obvious that this is his favourite dish at the end of the night. Yes... he attempted to lick up the plate but was dressed too gentlemanly to do just that!
The seared sea bass was a pretty delight though the plate still looked way too big for that neatly stacked food, yet the fish steak was nicely seared and cooked to the best taste. You could taste the freshness in the fish and the tangy salad pairs with it particularly well. Portion is good for not a big eater one and is a pretty dainty dish.
The veg pasta is a wowler! Beautiful stacked fettuccine, glittering with loads of colours from the Balsamic Portobello, Seared Artichoke, Sun-dried Tomato, Roasted Capsicum and Olive Tapenade. Fettuccine cooked to a good hardness and drizzled with aromatic spiced olive oil is yummy even if eaten by itself. Veg seared then tossed with the pasta retaining both colour and texture. An excellently executed dish.
The night ended with our food quickly cleared away. Like they always say, its either we couldn't get their attention or attention is given when its not needed! We just couldn't get them when we needed them and that was the service level of NOSH, though they were pleasant yet I expected a bit more than what I experienced. Food was good yet a little on the pricey side, dinner for 4 would lay you back about $160 with light drinks. Ambience and setting was fantastically dreamy and the place is great for events. Drinks and bar snacks are also available and I'm looking forward to try the bar snacks. Will return with my gang, this time dress to PARTY!
I dined here some time ago yet I just couldn't get over it. It is indeed a memorable experience, not in a good way, yet this was what happened.
Me and my girlfriend (singular), while single and available are suckers for korean BBQ and while we met for aimless talks, we decided to dine somewhere near her office and ended up with MANNA. The entrance looked promising while they had quite a large space for expensive shop fronts. The restaurant can house about 100 patrons comfortably in tables and we were shown the menu while we could choose whichever seat we wanted and we chose a table for 6. The regular korean BBQ menu with some special dishes, yet we are all creatures of habits and did not linger beyond the BBQ meat page.
The staff was of no help, matter of fact of bad help. We previously wanted to order some pork belly and sliced beef and was introduced the 3 meat platter which is a chicken, beef and pork. While we contemplate, we were asked if we wanted any side dishes and we ended with pancake which is supposedly one of the best made dishes here. To prevent our clothes from stinking while we are onto our post dinner drinks, we decided the meat to be cooked in the kitchen. What arrived later shocked us to the brim.
The side dishes arrived first with 6 varieties to choose from. We were disappointed and the veg for the meat also arrived which is a frisky thin basket of a few pieces of veg. Apparently, they do charge extra if you want more veg and this frisky less than 8 leaves of lettuce with cloves of garlic is all we got.
Pancake was a seafood flavor, regular slices I guessed 8-10 inch which is good to share with 4 other friends and the meats finally arrived and we were shocked till our spine tingles. 3 medium sized hot plates full of beef, pork and chicken, bulgogi styled and looked as if they were fried using the same sauce. We were overwhelmed... thats alot of food (aka meat) for 2 girls...
Dinner ended with us eating:
2.5 slices of pancakes
a little pork, chicken and beef yet we wasted more than 80% of the food and while the lady came over to clear our tables she asked us if we wanted to pack them home yet we would not know what we could do with it packed. She cleared the table with a disappointing face and we felt guilty. The thing is, the person who took our orders should advise us and not keep asking us to order more and introduce more stuffs, knowing we can't eat that much. The portion we ordered can feed 6 persons comfortably yet we didn't make a sound. The Singaporean courteous way of handling being sponged! We just make payment with no complaints but vowed NEVER TO RETURN as it will revive bad memories. This dinner for 2 came up to be about $220 with a plastic bottle of korean wine...
Food is Okay, not fantastic, quite pricey i must say and service is so so.... The restaurant was pretty empty for a weekday evening in the CBD area with just another couple at the next table having some rice sets, while we blur dudes got sponged!
2 stars because its a bad experience for me yet staff was friendly and service level was OKAY! so yes it doesn't deserve 1 star but not 3 either!
You simply can't blame me for being such a sucker for beautiful lingerie, i admit.. that I always gets magnetized into the La Senza outlet when I pass by one. Its Beautiful, Its Glamorous, Its Exciting, Its Wonderful to be a woman and of course pretty little secrets we kept hidden underneath our clothes.
As usual, I can't help myself but went in for a stroll. The shiny black cabinets, full of beautiful blinking "eye shades" arranged neatly in their sizes and cups, oh well... no harm just taking a look and feel the soft satin material while wondering how it would look on me! At this moment, my eyes darted around to look for the drawer that holds my size... as I open it.... It feels like revelation unveils itself.... IT HAS MY SIZE! A tickle in my ears as though somebody whispered....." You think you look good in this one?" I pondered and picked up my new found treasure, while I am about to close the drawer.. another whisp of air" "How about that one in a HOT PINK! and that dark blue looked SASSY!" Oh what the 'XYZ' since i'm already heading for the dressing room, might as well get a few more!
This moment, the friendly staff approaches with a large shopping bag and an invitation to freely pick whatever I liked and so, heeding that friendly gesture I went on with other lacey designs, something for that low plunge top, low back dresses and basics that perks me up on casual t-shirt days. I picked and I stepped into that posh carpeted beautiful changing room with mirrors so flattering and a heart shaped stool for me to try out every position. I feasted with my eyes as if every design looked delicious, imagined the occasions I will appear in them and took a small peek of the price! Hm..... affordable in a fast food lunch and dinner for the rest of the week way! Yes... I'm buying them! and immediately I feel my spirits lifted up and almost exited the changing room skipping. Ditched the ones I tried but am not prepared to buy and head on to the cashier.
While the cashier asked me.. "How about some matching panties!" and I considered.... WHY NOT? The whole set makes it COMPLETE! so motioning at her colleagues that seemed to have a big smile plastered on her face, she brought me to a large black counter and picked up all the matching undies in various matching styles such as boy shorts, g-strings and whatever fancy names! I've decided my best liked style and was showed back to the cashier! While she scanned my last piece, she reassured me of the sizes that I purchased and asked if I was a member or if I wanted to join, gave a brief introduction of the membership and I whipped out my trusty VISA. Carefully she wrapped these delicate pieces in a HOT PINK tracing paper and placed them into a classy LA SENZA paper bag with an extra pink paper on the top for discretion.
I left the shop feeling confident, in complete ecstacy and extremely glad with my purchase while I wondered.. where should I keep these new found love if my lingerie drawer is already full of La Senza? Perhaps a new wardrobe for the new year? and the guilt started to do its job!!!
If you love the aromatic thick black local coffee, Toast Box is just the right place to sit down for a short break. Yes, this outlet is so different from the other outlets, the interior deco is fabulously posh and I simply love the steamy fumes that emerges from the counter now and then.
Music from the nearby record shop fills the air with a sense of jazziness while we sink ourselves into the heavily cushioned smooth leathery looking seats. The ambiance is casual while men in their cleanl tailored suits looked seriously at their text messages and laughters from the nearby table of tourist. Its a mixed of work and play culture yet joy seemed to rule it all here.
The coffee at toast box is always thick and aromatic while they also do serve various choices of other drinks in which my favourite would be iced lemon grass with jelly. The pearls that they usually add to the drinks are not as chewy and yummy thus would be a bad experience for pearl lovers.
Local staples are available such as soup noodles, mee siam and laksa, while most people usually go for tapas or some sweet snacks during this coffee break. The cakes were extremely old school. I simply love the butter creamed cakes with peanut or vanilla, otherwise chocolate flavoured. It reminded me of the cakes we used to love to receive when somebody is about to get married. Cakes were spongy in the middle with smooth and slightly sweetened butter cream laced with gel coloured flavors is the perfect cake, though its of a good size, I always ended with 2 slices.
This location is extremely charming yet, the price remains the same as all the other outlets. Would love to bring my friends to hang around here!
If you would really enjoy a mouthful of italian food without owning an italian chef boyfriend, then PastaMania is the most convenient choice. You don't have to speak the romantic language of italiano to enjoy the hot kisses of spicy Sicilian seafood AglioOlio or the stinky cheesy breath of the mix of cheeses on that freshly baked Mediterranean pizza that left a sleazy clue on the crease on your lips.
The closest italian staples at the most affordable prices I can find, the varieties on the menu just made me hope I really do have an inflatable tummy. Appetizers was a good choice of more than 10 items yet I still ended up with a minestrone soup and a chicken caesar salad with bits of bacon. Soup was thin and watery while the salad was really crunchy and tasty with bouncy boiled eggs, just the way Caesar himself might like it.
Well, there were many pasta and pizza choices to choose from, yet with a big group, we could always do what the skinny girls does, to order and to share less we weren't too skinny and would usually over-order, which we eventually did. OVER-ORDERED. so here goes the list:
Chicken Ham & Sausage Baked Rice - was a pipping hot cheesy dish with loads of yummy soft rice underneath all that mess. Cream based, extremely tasty and cheesy, while the ham and sausages just pairs on well with the bits of mushrooms. Portion was a little small as the dish was rather shallow.
Vongole in a white wine sauce - pasta was well made to the right hardness and sauce was light but tasty. The clams chewy and rather brought with it the tasty sense of the ocean. Great portion and lots of clam, just without the wow factor.
Sicilian Spaghetti from the set menu of the day is a seafood angel hair pasta which is spiced nicely with a balanced amount of light chili and spices tossed lightly with olive oil and some chuncks of tomatoes and capsicum for that exotic look. Its yummy, light and healthy. Wonderful choice out of all we have chosen.
Meat Lover meaty pizza is one that was pretty disappointing. The crust was great, crispy and tasty, cheeses regular but the meat topping were hams and sausages and seriously lacking some real MEAT. So we suggest... to bring on some REAL MEAT!
Beverages were not much of a choice from canned drinks but they do have some interesting cocktails to choose from, love the strawberry soda thingee.. It was refreshing.
Meanwhile, the ambiance was nice and the sitting adequate even for big groups of 10 or 16s. Seats were casual and place is rather clean, its not too noisy, perhaps because we were the noise makers and the service is rather quick. Water and cutlery are self serve and order and make payment at the counter. Food portion was okay and I think its a great place for a get together rowdy kinda gatherings. Love the choices love the food and the italian look of the entire restaurant.
Taking a picture at this super crowded shop is virtually impossible. Matter of fact I had to fight my way in from the anxious Office Ladies to the irritable older people and weird looking office men with baskets full of toiletries such as shampoos, shower gels, facial wash and yes, female personal hygiene utility packs (use your imaginations). Its shopping for the whole family, i more or less could understand how weird they feel while the lady exposes all their merchandises and bagging them slowly while reconfirming the prices with the man. I mean if he would have a question if he bought the correct size and brand, he wouldn't ask...
Even the corridors are littered with goods and people and everyone is busily choosing their hair care, skin care, toothpastes, toothbrush and other every use products. I mean its really much cheaper here, for eg.
1) 4 Oral B toothbrushes with indicator and soft needle bristles (not the old design) = $2.40
2) Whisper ultra thin pack of 16s = $3.80
3) Colgate Sensitive medium sized = $1.80
4) Clinique Facial Wash = $28.50 well orginally i saw from department stores goes about $35 and above
5) Facial Wash (Johnsons&Johnsons - Biore) = $1.50 - $4
Sun screen, scrubs, nail polish, selected makeup, SKII, perfumes, everything you need that stays in the toilet on your makeup desk and even in the car, you have it here and I must say the brands are not few. Its about at least a good 30% off the retail prices. After I've been here, I got pissed when I go to supermarkets or other personal care store... Its like i've been robbed broad daylight.
You might wonder if the quality is good, well i've used it, the texture, scent and packaging is almost similar yet the printing are a little different in terms of description and language, I suppose these are parallel imported from neighbouring countries in which our departmental store goods also originates from these countries such as malaysia, thailand, vietnam, etc.... The higher end products such as clinique and SKII as well as perfumes are original packing, not as though i bought any perfumes from them, matter of fact its no asking, just grab and pay in CASH...
Service is like no service except some ladies and men standing on ladders looking out for those who forgot or choose not to pay and some just blocking the already tight walkways at the squeezy corridors inside the shop. I mean nobody needs promo or help, just meant the cashier and stop blocking us. Its like they live in between those shelves.
Items are cheap, please go early and avoid lunch or after work crowd and aunties in sleeveless tops and sweaty armpits.... I mean how do you sanitize your brain when you get rubbed in the nose with sweaty armpits.. Eeeeeekssss
Great place to shop, but expect no service and things are like super super super cheap... a must go yet be prepared to push and shove or get SHOVED!
Rating given:
Attended a Wedding Banquet at the Carlton last friday and I must say we had a good time. The place was cosy, not to mention clean and beautifully decorated, cutleries were nice and shiny while the ambiance was nicely attuned to the uplifting spirits of a wedding, however the banquet service staff requires a bit more improvement.
The reception was just outside the banquet and doors don't open until 7 in which dinner started at 8 due to a massive jam and guest were delayed. The hall was laid full of tables and chairs with little walking spaces perhaps there are just too many guest yet the aisle was nicely lit with candles atop some glamorously white and pink arranged flowers leading up to the stage. Dinner started with the announcement from the emcees and the couple entered with a slow stroll on the aisle while the champagne popping and cake cutting were the regular events and were carried out smoothly. The manager, Don was a conscientious staff who made sure everything was on time and even gave proper briefing to the groom while making sure the hall was in a perfectly celebratory mood. Everything was more or less planned and executed in perfection.
The first dish arrived pretty soon after the walk in and subsequent dishes arrived pretty fast, though not piping hot yet is perfectly cooked and the portion was really generous. Most tables had left overs we observed and these are the few really yummy dishes they left some good memories.
1) Appetizer cold platter - the prawns are yummy, spring roll crispy, jelly fish crunchy and duck meat juicy
2) Steamed grouper - fish was big and loads of flesh, fresh and the sauce (HongKong soya sauce style) was balanced and light
3) Abalone with broccoli - The whole abalone you get was about the size of a quarter of my palm and was chewy with a savoury sauce.
4) Deep fried Chicken with an auspicious name which I couldn't recall: looked very much like a dried up chicken, skin is crispy and meat is tender, pretty yummy I must say
5) Fried Longevity noodles: I was half expecting my favourite EeFu noodles but it was not to be found, this noodles is also pretty yummy with plenty of stripped carrots and veg.
6) Dessert was a honey dew sago that has got nothing to rave about other than its sweet. Was half expecting something exotic but it turned out still a good ending to an almost perfect meal.
The food was pretty yummy, ingredients used fresh and overall ambience was good, though I find 4 banquet halls sharing a 5 cubicle ladies is a little bit of a long throw, perhaps there are other restrooms I didn't notice. Drinks were the regular tea, softdrink, red or white wine and of course beer.
Yar one thing I must mention. We were given a glass full of roses to sprinkle at the bride on her second entrance in which we were given special instructions by the staff 1) When to throw, 2) Not to aim at the couple's face, 3) Not to throw the glass holder.... HAHAHA! Very Entertaining I must say.
Rating given:
Lunch was a long queue, even when we arrived later then the normal lunch hour, we still had to wait a good 15 minutes before we got a seat for 5. Its not a large outlet but its crowded and the see through kitchen is very interesting to me as we are always curious what happens inside the kitchen. Chef kneading dough, making dumplings, steaming stuffs and making noodles all seemed super fun to me.
We were given the order chit to make our orders while we waited outside and our appetizers were already waiting for us on our table before we got settled down. Service was fast, though not so friendly but it was fast and efficient. Food was served shortly after we settled and of course tea for all.
1) Oriental Salad in Special Vinegar Dressing (appetizer):
was a small dish of chilled seaweed and beansprout tossed in aromatic sesame oil which is both fragrant and refreshing.
2) Sliced Duck in Crispy Spring Onion Pastry (appetizer): is a yummy smoked duck with spring onion in a crispy pohpiah skin. The portion is small and extremely yummy. Loved the clash of taste of the crispy outside and the savoury insides.
3) Steamed Pork Dumplings 小笼包: is something one must have when they visit din tai fung. The skin is thin, almost translucent filled with hot savoury soup from the minced meat inside. You have to pick it up lightly with the 18 pleated top and placed is gently on your soup while to add on a little vinegar and ginger and sip onto the hot soup before you gobble up the entire dumpling. The burst of flavorful minced meat in your mouth while enjoying the chewy texture of the dumpling skin. Superbly yummy!
4) Hot & Sour Soup 酸辣汤: was a simple egg, toufoo and veg soup in a sweet and sour flavor. No wow factor in this and I must say its more of a seh chuan styled soup.
5) Fried Rice with Shrimps & Eggs 虾仁蛋饭: We had 2 versions of this, one just with shrimps & eggs while another with an added portion of pork chop which was heavenly. The rice tasted very yummy, well made and chewy with each rice beautifully coated with the yellowish egg and shrimps so juicy and big while the pork chop added the OMPHHH... factor. Juicy and savoury crispy pork chop with a tender inside tasted super delicious!
6) Stir-fried Dou Miao with Garlic 蒜炒豆苗: Veg is fresh and with a good portion for 5.
7) Chocolate and Red Bean Dumplings (Dessert): Is one of a kind of dumplings, i guess a new creation by the restaurant itself, tasted something in between a mochi and a tang yuan. The skin is tasteless while the gooey insides of chocolate and red bean makes the dinner ends with a sweet note. Its yummy yet funny at the same time. Its nice and different :)
A good lunch for 5 cost set us back at about $110, yet we didn't left feeling so full that we wanna puke. The portion I must say is not big but selections was quite good for chinese dishes. Food was above average, portion we hope could increase a little and price is reasonable. The seats were mostly wooden chairs and table while deco is made up of drift wood and mostly of a chinese retro influence. Loved the open concept yet the neighbouring outlet is actually the Food Republic Food Court. I mean if you dislike it here, you could always hope next door to another world :)
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The place is beautiful, a almost solo building at the very end of the dining lane in Holland Village. Brown canvases with a Bright Orange signature "TANGO" written on the wall. Its more of a drinking place then a dining place and works well when its not raining. Both indoor and outdoor seatings are available however it is very much NON-Airconditioned.
We spotted many diners seating on the road (which is closed in the evening) drinking icy cold beer and that is what drew us in. The place is crowded as usual with many diners littered everywhere. Most common dish on the table is the bar snacks like wedges and calamaries while the most loved drinks were the draught beers in almost frozen pint cups (Hoegarden & Asahi).
We were shortly shown to our seats after taking a long time to get one of the staff's attention and though seated indoors and near to the outside, i started to perspire even before food was served. The lighting were halogen MR16 spots all over, shining directly at us and the fan seemed to far though we could see it turning yet it was just so heated up. The menu has got quite a few nice selections yet we do not have the mood to order much. We ended up ordering a few dishes and quickly gulped down our icy cool beer to cool off.
Food became secondary and perhaps thats why the place is so HOT!
The food was not too bad, lamb steak was soft and juicy and fragrant. The snacks were crunchy yet nothing to wow about and the portion was just too small for even lady diners. Matter of fact we ordered a main each, beer and sides tapas, my lady friend could comment that she didn't feel too full and the dessert selections was not so good thus we adjourned to another dessert restaurant to complete the night.
The place is seriously just good for beer and snacks and noisy chit chat.. but please seat outdoors on the road, its much much cooler and the service anywhere in this restaurant is just as bad so be prepared to be patient. Price is ex for main courses but regular for drinks and snacks. Sauna for dinner... maybe it have a slimming effect!
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This little hideout is really a paradise to chill to dine and to relax. A lifestyle retail shop and a restaurant with a Javanese theme brings out the true spirit of the Balinese culture; Relaxed, Casual and Sensual. Somehow the place intrigues my senses with the close to nature yet clean and mosquito bite free experience.
The white and black colonial building stands strikingly at the edge of the botanical garden and through a hardwood carved door of the equally small porch is a world filled with aromatic incense and traditional Javanese instrumental music. Immediately you feel relaxed and be led by the casualness of the friendly staffs in their beautiful batik Indonesian uniforms. The restaurant is very much an outdoor close to nature setting, luxuriously decorated with wooden dining furnitures, intriguing stone sculptures and lots of cushions. Ceiling fans and the natural wind collides while the smoke from the anti-bug incense shows makes the entire place feels dreamy.
You can choose to seat in the main dining (Joglo) are with choices of proper dining tables, on the floor group dining or these beautiful little huts (Lesehans) sat upon a shallow pond with real living creatures and luxuriously vegetated with aquatic plants. We sat in one of these traditional Javanese Lesehans with daybeds and low dining tables, perched atop the luxurious cushions and beautiful batik table coverings. Menu was served with a good recommendations of yummy javanese cuisines, however we ended with some tapas and brew from their brehaus.
They do have a good array of indian and indonesian cuisines and the few really yummy ones are the Naan sets, Fried Tofu was yummy, and not forgetting the tahu goreng with fantastic peanut sauce. You don't have much to choose from on the desserts yet we found some really interesting meal enders. The lemongrass panna cotta was an interesting mix of taste, something citrusy and grassy clashing with the soft tofu like texture of sweet vanilla custard. We also had the cendol which turned out to be a drink. The ingredients used for the cendol are generous which made it a little too sweet and we expected the green worm like jelly which turned out to be bead like. The food was pretty yummy and priced slightly higher than expected. Portion was generous so its really good to share.
The beer was outstanding. 3 house brews to choose from each with different characters and comes in half or full pint. Happy hours are available with lower priced brews, on top of that they also do serve wine and cocktail. Great place to chill or for a romantic dates. I do spot some bugs flying around yet none landed near me. The place is picturesque and great for gatherings and events. Simply loved the place and hope to hang there more often despite the lack in parking and inconvenient location with minimal public transport.
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Sat on a small hilly area of the Rochester Park is a charming little restaurant named Nosh. The rustic nature embraced this beautiful white and black colonial styled property with both indoor (Air-Conditioned) dining areas for non-bug lovers and the airy outdoor dine and drinks platforms atop wooden raised flooring in an oversized shack.
On a cool evening such as this one and with the natural surroundings arousing of our spirits, we might as well donate some blood to the mosquitoes (but i didn't get one bite), as such we decided on the outdoor seats. Its rather quiet for a weekday evening but we spotted lovely large group seats which means this place could be pretty happening over the weekends. Dimly lit with candles and soft lighting, we practically had to turn on our mobile phone flashes to read the menu which seemed to be pretty lacking in choices.
We decided on a few interesting mains and sides and sat back to enjoy the beautiful surrounding while jazz pipes through the ceiling speakers. The bar is the most interesting piece, illuminated and lavishly decorated with all sorts of spirits and liquors with bar side seats for those who wish to hang and chit chat casually. Service was okay though its just another 2 tables occupied, the staff seemed to be rather non-chalent which in some way merges with the total feel of the place and not very likeable in my case.
Drinks were served and our sparkling white chilled to a good fizzle paired with some bread on the house and a red kinda salsa sauce. I could taste the tomato yet the other stuffs is kinda in a mess. The bread is a mix of crispiness on the skin and softness on the inside yet tasted fresh and appetizing.
Here goes the food:
The Purple Potato Gnocchi is a creamy salad dish with a mix of poached veg, mushroom and yam balls that left an extremely memorable truffle filled after-taste. Though the world Gnocchi don't make much sense yet we decided upon it because we wanted to try something bold. Interestingly, the first comment by our dear old friend who was infamous for his sarcasm was " What small plate and lots of food " it was obvious that this is his favourite dish at the end of the night. Yes... he attempted to lick up the plate but was dressed too gentlemanly to do just that!
The seared sea bass was a pretty delight though the plate still looked way too big for that neatly stacked food, yet the fish steak was nicely seared and cooked to the best taste. You could taste the freshness in the fish and the tangy salad pairs with it particularly well. Portion is good for not a big eater one and is a pretty dainty dish.
The veg pasta is a wowler! Beautiful stacked fettuccine, glittering with loads of colours from the Balsamic Portobello, Seared Artichoke, Sun-dried Tomato, Roasted Capsicum and Olive Tapenade. Fettuccine cooked to a good hardness and drizzled with aromatic spiced olive oil is yummy even if eaten by itself. Veg seared then tossed with the pasta retaining both colour and texture. An excellently executed dish.
The night ended with our food quickly cleared away. Like they always say, its either we couldn't get their attention or attention is given when its not needed! We just couldn't get them when we needed them and that was the service level of NOSH, though they were pleasant yet I expected a bit more than what I experienced. Food was good yet a little on the pricey side, dinner for 4 would lay you back about $160 with light drinks. Ambience and setting was fantastically dreamy and the place is great for events. Drinks and bar snacks are also available and I'm looking forward to try the bar snacks. Will return with my gang, this time dress to PARTY!
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I dined here some time ago yet I just couldn't get over it. It is indeed a memorable experience, not in a good way, yet this was what happened.
Me and my girlfriend (singular), while single and available are suckers for korean BBQ and while we met for aimless talks, we decided to dine somewhere near her office and ended up with MANNA. The entrance looked promising while they had quite a large space for expensive shop fronts. The restaurant can house about 100 patrons comfortably in tables and we were shown the menu while we could choose whichever seat we wanted and we chose a table for 6. The regular korean BBQ menu with some special dishes, yet we are all creatures of habits and did not linger beyond the BBQ meat page.
The staff was of no help, matter of fact of bad help. We previously wanted to order some pork belly and sliced beef and was introduced the 3 meat platter which is a chicken, beef and pork. While we contemplate, we were asked if we wanted any side dishes and we ended with pancake which is supposedly one of the best made dishes here. To prevent our clothes from stinking while we are onto our post dinner drinks, we decided the meat to be cooked in the kitchen. What arrived later shocked us to the brim.
The side dishes arrived first with 6 varieties to choose from. We were disappointed and the veg for the meat also arrived which is a frisky thin basket of a few pieces of veg. Apparently, they do charge extra if you want more veg and this frisky less than 8 leaves of lettuce with cloves of garlic is all we got.
Pancake was a seafood flavor, regular slices I guessed 8-10 inch which is good to share with 4 other friends and the meats finally arrived and we were shocked till our spine tingles. 3 medium sized hot plates full of beef, pork and chicken, bulgogi styled and looked as if they were fried using the same sauce. We were overwhelmed... thats alot of food (aka meat) for 2 girls...
Dinner ended with us eating:
2.5 slices of pancakes
a little pork, chicken and beef yet we wasted more than 80% of the food and while the lady came over to clear our tables she asked us if we wanted to pack them home yet we would not know what we could do with it packed. She cleared the table with a disappointing face and we felt guilty. The thing is, the person who took our orders should advise us and not keep asking us to order more and introduce more stuffs, knowing we can't eat that much. The portion we ordered can feed 6 persons comfortably yet we didn't make a sound. The Singaporean courteous way of handling being sponged! We just make payment with no complaints but vowed NEVER TO RETURN as it will revive bad memories. This dinner for 2 came up to be about $220 with a plastic bottle of korean wine...
Food is Okay, not fantastic, quite pricey i must say and service is so so.... The restaurant was pretty empty for a weekday evening in the CBD area with just another couple at the next table having some rice sets, while we blur dudes got sponged!
2 stars because its a bad experience for me yet staff was friendly and service level was OKAY! so yes it doesn't deserve 1 star but not 3 either!
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You simply can't blame me for being such a sucker for beautiful lingerie, i admit.. that I always gets magnetized into the La Senza outlet when I pass by one. Its Beautiful, Its Glamorous, Its Exciting, Its Wonderful to be a woman and of course pretty little secrets we kept hidden underneath our clothes.
As usual, I can't help myself but went in for a stroll. The shiny black cabinets, full of beautiful blinking "eye shades" arranged neatly in their sizes and cups, oh well... no harm just taking a look and feel the soft satin material while wondering how it would look on me! At this moment, my eyes darted around to look for the drawer that holds my size... as I open it.... It feels like revelation unveils itself.... IT HAS MY SIZE! A tickle in my ears as though somebody whispered....." You think you look good in this one?" I pondered and picked up my new found treasure, while I am about to close the drawer.. another whisp of air" "How about that one in a HOT PINK! and that dark blue looked SASSY!" Oh what the 'XYZ' since i'm already heading for the dressing room, might as well get a few more!
This moment, the friendly staff approaches with a large shopping bag and an invitation to freely pick whatever I liked and so, heeding that friendly gesture I went on with other lacey designs, something for that low plunge top, low back dresses and basics that perks me up on casual t-shirt days. I picked and I stepped into that posh carpeted beautiful changing room with mirrors so flattering and a heart shaped stool for me to try out every position. I feasted with my eyes as if every design looked delicious, imagined the occasions I will appear in them and took a small peek of the price! Hm..... affordable in a fast food lunch and dinner for the rest of the week way! Yes... I'm buying them! and immediately I feel my spirits lifted up and almost exited the changing room skipping. Ditched the ones I tried but am not prepared to buy and head on to the cashier.
While the cashier asked me.. "How about some matching panties!" and I considered.... WHY NOT? The whole set makes it COMPLETE! so motioning at her colleagues that seemed to have a big smile plastered on her face, she brought me to a large black counter and picked up all the matching undies in various matching styles such as boy shorts, g-strings and whatever fancy names! I've decided my best liked style and was showed back to the cashier! While she scanned my last piece, she reassured me of the sizes that I purchased and asked if I was a member or if I wanted to join, gave a brief introduction of the membership and I whipped out my trusty VISA. Carefully she wrapped these delicate pieces in a HOT PINK tracing paper and placed them into a classy LA SENZA paper bag with an extra pink paper on the top for discretion.
I left the shop feeling confident, in complete ecstacy and extremely glad with my purchase while I wondered.. where should I keep these new found love if my lingerie drawer is already full of La Senza? Perhaps a new wardrobe for the new year? and the guilt started to do its job!!!
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If you love the aromatic thick black local coffee, Toast Box is just the right place to sit down for a short break. Yes, this outlet is so different from the other outlets, the interior deco is fabulously posh and I simply love the steamy fumes that emerges from the counter now and then.
Music from the nearby record shop fills the air with a sense of jazziness while we sink ourselves into the heavily cushioned smooth leathery looking seats. The ambiance is casual while men in their cleanl tailored suits looked seriously at their text messages and laughters from the nearby table of tourist. Its a mixed of work and play culture yet joy seemed to rule it all here.
The coffee at toast box is always thick and aromatic while they also do serve various choices of other drinks in which my favourite would be iced lemon grass with jelly. The pearls that they usually add to the drinks are not as chewy and yummy thus would be a bad experience for pearl lovers.
Local staples are available such as soup noodles, mee siam and laksa, while most people usually go for tapas or some sweet snacks during this coffee break. The cakes were extremely old school. I simply love the butter creamed cakes with peanut or vanilla, otherwise chocolate flavoured. It reminded me of the cakes we used to love to receive when somebody is about to get married. Cakes were spongy in the middle with smooth and slightly sweetened butter cream laced with gel coloured flavors is the perfect cake, though its of a good size, I always ended with 2 slices.
This location is extremely charming yet, the price remains the same as all the other outlets. Would love to bring my friends to hang around here!
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If you would really enjoy a mouthful of italian food without owning an italian chef boyfriend, then PastaMania is the most convenient choice. You don't have to speak the romantic language of italiano to enjoy the hot kisses of spicy Sicilian seafood AglioOlio or the stinky cheesy breath of the mix of cheeses on that freshly baked Mediterranean pizza that left a sleazy clue on the crease on your lips.
The closest italian staples at the most affordable prices I can find, the varieties on the menu just made me hope I really do have an inflatable tummy. Appetizers was a good choice of more than 10 items yet I still ended up with a minestrone soup and a chicken caesar salad with bits of bacon. Soup was thin and watery while the salad was really crunchy and tasty with bouncy boiled eggs, just the way Caesar himself might like it.
Well, there were many pasta and pizza choices to choose from, yet with a big group, we could always do what the skinny girls does, to order and to share less we weren't too skinny and would usually over-order, which we eventually did. OVER-ORDERED. so here goes the list:
Chicken Ham & Sausage Baked Rice - was a pipping hot cheesy dish with loads of yummy soft rice underneath all that mess. Cream based, extremely tasty and cheesy, while the ham and sausages just pairs on well with the bits of mushrooms. Portion was a little small as the dish was rather shallow.
Vongole in a white wine sauce - pasta was well made to the right hardness and sauce was light but tasty. The clams chewy and rather brought with it the tasty sense of the ocean. Great portion and lots of clam, just without the wow factor.
Sicilian Spaghetti from the set menu of the day is a seafood angel hair pasta which is spiced nicely with a balanced amount of light chili and spices tossed lightly with olive oil and some chuncks of tomatoes and capsicum for that exotic look. Its yummy, light and healthy. Wonderful choice out of all we have chosen.
Meat Lover meaty pizza is one that was pretty disappointing. The crust was great, crispy and tasty, cheeses regular but the meat topping were hams and sausages and seriously lacking some real MEAT. So we suggest... to bring on some REAL MEAT!
Beverages were not much of a choice from canned drinks but they do have some interesting cocktails to choose from, love the strawberry soda thingee.. It was refreshing.
Meanwhile, the ambiance was nice and the sitting adequate even for big groups of 10 or 16s. Seats were casual and place is rather clean, its not too noisy, perhaps because we were the noise makers and the service is rather quick. Water and cutlery are self serve and order and make payment at the counter. Food portion was okay and I think its a great place for a get together rowdy kinda gatherings. Love the choices love the food and the italian look of the entire restaurant.
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