I remember when TV Mobile first started, I was very disturbed. It was not properly set up and the whole system wasn't stable yet. I don't usually sleep on the bus but I find having some quiet time useful so it isn't really a boon.
At some places, TV mobile will tend to lag and freeze at certain scenes. Occasionally it would leave the actors/actresses in an ugly pose which will send me giggling. People probably think I'm weird then.
Now I think they've lowered the volume and ask people to tune in from the radio station if they wish to hear. But It's kinda like bring your own entertainment isn't it? I think it really defeats its purpose at times. Also very few people carry portable radios these days.
Nonetheless I always enjoy it when the Gags show up. That's my favourite. And I think lots of people enjoy watching it as it usually sends many people into peals of laughter.
TV mobile has a long way to go... meanwhile.. it's back to good ol' MP3.
Hua Xia Tai Mao Bi is a little shop in KK hospital which makes chinese brushes from children's hair. Newborns between 3 to 15 mths are brought to the shop to have their hair shaved off and made into chinese brushes for keeps.
I went with my friend's newborn that day and the lady patiently explained the process and let my friend choose the brush she wanted. They had quite a wide range,from fine ones to thicker ones. There were some with more intricate designs and others with simple paintings on them. The cheapest brush was $49 and the most expensive was $500 , I think.
Well the lady was quite gentle with my friend's 3 month old boy while shaving his head. He didn't cry at all and even fell asleep. He had plenty of hair so my friend chose 2 brushes.
The lady kept the enough to make the 2 brushes and returned my friend the rest. They had to go back 1 month later to collect the brushes. I was wondering to myself... how one would know whose hair was on the brush they made. Just purely based on trust I suppose.
Well the brushes DO NOT come in boxes and you have to purchase boxes too... which are slightly over $100...
The total for 2 brushes and a boxes to put both brushes in was $600.. which is a hefty sum I must say... I seriously don't think I would be spending this sort of money.
But I would have to give the lady credit for being so patient and providing such good service. Apparently Zoe Tay had her brushes done there too!
I've been here a few times and never wrote about it!
The 2nd floor is a great place to just chill and enjoy the music but the drawback is that there aren't any seats and it's constantly crowded. Not to mention it's easier to get in if you just buy a bottle. Just to skip the long queue. Being there early means you get seats... and also get eyed by later patrons cos they really want your seat. My friend went in super early just to reserve seats for us. The drinks are ok, not too diluted and I guess reasonably priced for a bar. I enjoy the live music though I'm not really a fan of that genre.
The ground floor is more for the soccer crowd and those who want to eat. Though it's quieter here but not quite the place for conversation either as it's quite cramped with people mostly.
With Seasons Reasons, the reasons is every seasons! With a passion for a different dining experience, Seasons Reasons is designed based on a quest of the 4 seasons - Summer, Fall, Winter & Spring.
Well, I am back at Raffles City again, just after two weeks since last visiting OChaCha, but then i can’t help it, nowadays there are simply too much to eat at Raffles City! So don’t be surprise if there are more new posts coming up.
Seasons Reasons is a small restaurant among the many new restaurants at Raffles City basement, but it stood out for its simple and comfortable setting. The menu is simple, with the usual starters, salad, soup, sandwiches, and main course. No doubt there are not much variety under each category, but i’ll say its more than enough for the average diners.
Appetizers start at $8.50 for their “hot pick” Golden potato prawn, to $13.80 for their seafood combo. Prices for the main course are pretty reasonable too, ranging from $11 to $20. But they are quite short on their spaghetti selections though, only two types are available. And i lamented the fact that they didn’t have much desserts to choose from.
Like mentioned above, the settings for the restaurant is simple and elegant, and there are also the cozy corner seats for diners who will like to enjoy some privacy.
My buddy and I didn’t have much trouble choosing what we want for lunch, after going through the simple menu once, we decided on Fish & chips, and lamb chop. We didn’t have any starters or soup as it was a simple lunch for us.
Fish & Chips ($14.80) Cod fish tempura and wedges served with lemongrass chili. To be honest, my first impression of the dish, it looks like just any other ordinary Fish & chips at other restaurants. But, my buddy commented that the fish was crispy on the outside, and where some other restaurants fish might get too dry, the one here is just nice. The interior of the fish was soft and not too dry.
Another point to note will be most places served their fish & chips with just tartar sauce, but Seasons Reasons had the tartar sauce, and also lemongrass chili which i find rather special.
Lamb Chop ($19.80) Baby rack of lamb char-grilled to medium well served with a glazed of honey mustard and fork mashed potato. The lamb chop at $19.80, is the most expensive dish served on the menu. And it did not disappoint, with a generous serving of 4 lamb racks, i believe it will fill most people.
The honey mustard sauce adds flavour to the grilled lamb chop, the meat is slightly tough, you’ll need some effort in biting and chewing the meat. But i do find the price of the lamb chop slightly steep, and most probably won’t order it again.
Total Bill was $40.72 for 2 person, not really expensive given we are dining in a restaurant. If you are looking for a simple dining place while you are at Raffles City, look no further than Seasons Reasons. The restaurant do put in effort in the food presentation, no doubt taste is the vital factor, but one tastebud will definitely open up if the food is presented nicely.
With so many restaurants at Raffles City, i don’t think i will be visiting again any sooner, unless they got new menu or promotions. I won’t say the food is excellent, but i’ll say its worth a try if you haven’t been there before.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written above are my geniune feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or bias. Please do not feel emotional or distress should you have any violent objections. Kindly click the little X at the upper, extreme right of your screen if negative adjectives would be derived. Otherwise, feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
An entry long overdue. Had lunch at Eighteen Chefs with a few friends one weekday afternoon. What's interesting and noble (to a certain extent) about Eighteen Chefs is that it takes in ex convicts and delinquents and helps them turn over a new leaf by training them in the food business. Its owner and head chef, Benny Se Teo, who was a former drug addict, trained at Jamie Oliver's London restaurant, Fifteen.
Located at a corner of Eastpoint just next to the POSB, Eighteen Chefs has a rather simple interior which can seat up to about 50 pax. This place runs on a self service system hence no service charge is levied. To order your food, simply fill up a form and bring it to the counter to make payment. Your orders will then be served to you shortly.
Baked Rice with Creamy White Sauce & Chicken Slices ($8.90) - You get to choose what kind of sauce you want for your baked rice as well as the ingredients that go into it. Honestly, the baked rice I had (see above) was decent but nothing to shout about. While the cheese was nice and thick, I found the rice a little too bland for my liking and the cream sauce did little to help. But at $8.90, its relatively cheaper and quality is slightly better than the ones they serve at Swensens.
Eighteen Funky Strawberry ($5.80) - $5.80 for 4 scoops of ice cream served with strawberries, hazelnuts and oreo biscuits - now that should be excellent value for money really. It would have been better if the strawberries had been fresher and if the ice cream had been been richer. My guess is that they gave us tub ice cream from the supermarket.
A decent lunch for 3 inclusive of a dessert to share cost just over $35, which is still pretty acceptable for the quality. Service was excellent and even though the food wasn't exactly stellar, I'll be back to try other stuff. After all, life is all about second chances isn't it?
Sweet to indulge - the catchy tagline behind Sweet Indulgence, a quaint little cafe that resides along quiet Stanley Street and the venue of choice for our monthly dinner.
Fronted by a pink signboard, Sweet Indulgence's interior is rather small and "cafeish", sitting up to a maximum of 24 pax while the al fresco area can take another 10 or so. The thing that irked me quite a bit was that the air conditioning wasn't cool enough even though it had just rained. Imagine if it was a bright sunny afternoon. On a more positive note, the entire place exuded a nice cosy vibe, setting the tone right for a relaxing after work dinner.
I didn't think too much of the complimentary bread. For starters, it wasn't served warm. Not to mention it was dry and sparse as well. But hey, its free.
I liked the shooter of pear juice - light and sweet. Complimentary as well.
Salad - A simple salad with only freshly cut vegetables. Pity about the overwhelming Italian dressing, which came across as much too strong. A light dressing is always welcomed.
Cream of Broccoli - Salty salty salty. That was the first impression that hit me when I took a sip of the soup. Other then that, nothing else actually registered in my taste buds which was quite sad really.
Garlic Prawns - This dish came as compensation due to the removal of a choice for the main course from our pre agreed list. To be honest, I'm almost glad that happened as the prawns were really quite good. Thought small, they were fresh and crunchy with a hint of pepper. Light yet full of flavour. I would have stuffed myself silly if not for the fact that we had to share a bowl amongst 5 pax.
Poached Salmon with White Sauce & Herbs, served with Pasta and Seasonal Vegetables - I didn't choose this main but had a taste of it. First thoughts, the salmon had none of the overwhelming raw fishy taste that I absolutely abhor. Drizzled with the creamy white sauce, it was actually quite decent. The same can't be said about the pasta though, which was bland and overcooked, as evident by the overly soft texture.
Oven Baked Chicken Thigh Steak with Crisp Skin served with Chef Sauce & Potato Mash infused with Vanilla and Cream - I opted for this as my main and wasn't too bowled over by it. For one, I had expected crackling crispy skin but got none. The meat was tender and tasty though but could have been juicier. As for the mashed potato, I would have preferred it to be smoother. But having said that, I appreciate the creativity behind the infusion of vanilla and cream.
Strawberry Cheesecake - I honestly don't know what to make of this. Sweet Indulgence is known for its desserts but if the cheesecake was anything to go by, I wouldn't buy it whole sale. Aesthetics aside, the cake was moist yet firm but almost tasteless. In fact, it was so forgettable that I didn't remember eating it until I saw my empty plate. And its tiny by the way.
Warm Choco Lava Indulgence - We got this complimentary dessert to share between 4 pax as Sweet Indulgence swapped our agreed upon Tiramisu to the lacklustre Strawberry Cheesecake due to some logistics problem. Billed as a best selling hot favourite, the choco lava cake oozed decadent thick chocolate through a break in the outer crust. Now here's the part that really bugs me. The crust was very kueh like - soft and limp, which meant that the whole thing came crumbling down after we made a hole in the crust. But for something that retails at $8.90, I guess its quite worth it.
The 20 of us chalked up a bill of $671 inclusive of the $11 for corkage. That works out to be $33 per pax which I find pretty reasonable for the amount and quality of food we got (we got a glass of coke each as well). Just for the record, food quality hovers just around the average mark but service and service recovery is quite good. Okay to give it a try if you are in the area. Just don't get your expectations too high.
It Shows happen once every 3 months nowadays and somehow, its no longer a surprise to anybody when a new IT gadget is announced. In fact, nothing much surprises anymore. Its just more of the same i guess.
Anyhow, if you got the money, this is the place to get your honey (if you are an IT enthusiast of course). As per Polarbear and Claudia's review. Yes, do not go with the intention of looking or else, you'll just be wasting time getting stuck in the human jam.
I do mean human jam you realise. The number of people gracing the event with their presence is insane. That is to say, its alot alot alot alot of people. Drive a car and prepare to park at bugis or further. Take an MRT and prepare to face the long queue the moment you get off. Its that insane.
For my part, i went on the first night and on the noon of the last day. The first night was alright, the crowd was still manageable but that already means jamming for 30 mins to see something of interest for 5 minutes. On the last day, i went slightly early at 12pm to 1pm and it was awful.
I bought a Kohjinsha SH811 tablet pc for a friend in Australia, the item cost me $1355 with an upgrade to a 2gb ram. Its quite amazing really. The 935gram machine has everything an ordinary pc has and then has touch screen functions as well. Nifty little gadget for people on the go. However, it uses windows vista which really isn't my idea of good.
Anyway, the road to buying the darn thing was horrible and the service was all the way to the dogs. Sim Lim PA mart sold it and i can tell you, the incharge of the event didn't leave a good impression on me at all. He promptly did not fix up the items for me, did not give me a bag, did not give me my payment slip which made me queue 45 mins for a redemption from UOB counter and worse of all, his attitude is obvious that he can't be bothered. When i asked for advice on what to do for future help and asked for his namecard, he promptly refused and turned away. Talk about bad service.
The UOB counter is another huge problem. Lines were so long, its unbelieveable. Take into account the bad service and horrible prizes. (i didn't win the psp nor any gadget, all i got was a letter opener from Beijing). The crowd management really needed to improve.
The worst thing is how the elevators, entrances and the lower levels served as bottlenecks. Its practically packed with people to the brim. I was so worried the elevators would collapse and honestly, given the security guards there, if a terrorist wanted to take out a whole bunch of people, coming to an IT fair would have easily accomplished that and with the bottlenecks, no one could escape. This is not even funny because i can tell you, if it happens, tragedy won't be the word to describe it.
Oh! Before i forget, i highly advice girls to avoid such events. There are whole groups of overactive nerds and Indian bangladeshi people in the show that are obviously not there for the purchase. I caught a few of them simply looking for where the crowd was thickest and closest to the booth girls so they can rub against the ladies 'accidentally'. And also, ladies, try not to wear high heels to such events because poor people like me wear slippers and i was 'stabbed' a few times by people walking past. Do have mercy on nice people like me.
That said, there were some truly good deals, like Sony Bravia 32 inch tvs for $799. Games at below $20 and outside storage of 500gb for a mere $199. Its real cost savings if you are into these things. Otherwise, stay far far away.
Bistro One Zero Three sounds quite interesting right? Being the inquisitive me, i was naturally attracted to the name, and hence the visit to the place. Located at Pasir Panjang, its not a place where you’ll imagine a restaurant like Bistro One Zero Three will be situated. Nevertheless, the ‘ulu’ place makes it fun to go to, as though like we are on a food-hunting trait.
Initially we thought it was near the Haw Par Villa area, so we started looking for it there, but then how wrong we were, Bistro One Zero Three is at the other end of Pasir Panjang Road, quite near to PSA Building. If you are going there by train, i suggest stopping at HarbourFront and take a bus there, its only a couple of bus-stops away from HarbourFront.
The cosy 52 seater bistro is into its tenth-month, and started by the owner Eric, together with his sister and his sister-in-law as the chef. Stepping into Bistro One Zero Three, we felt totally at home, the homely-wood furniture plays a part, but it is the friendly service of the owners who welcomed us enthusiastically, and serving us ice-water while we were going through the menu, that impressed us.
The Menu comprises of sandwiches, gourmet salads, some sides, spaghetti and the mains. They are actually in the midst of introducing more items to the menu, but meanwhile, this are the options available.
Besides dining, Bistro One Zero Three also provides services for birthday-party events, company functions. The previous night they just had a event where guests let their hairs down and party till late night at the bistro. The bistro is a draw for the working crowd during weekdays, and on fridays & saturdays there are people like you and me who specially visit the place.
Well, i like the early-bird feeling, when we got there for a early lunch, we had the whole place to ourselves, totally like what i experienced in Sweet Indulgence! Being hungry people, we went through the menu and didn’t have much problem ordering the food. My dining companion being a Salmon-lover, naturally she’ll order Pan-fried Salmon. My two other mates had Cajun chicken wrap and Salmon & crab meat spaghetti, while i had the bacon, ham, mushroom spaghetti.
Salmon & Crab Meat Spaghetti ($14.50) We began our meal at Bistro One Zero Three with the Salmon & Crab meat Spaghetti. With two generous piece of salmon on the tomato-based spaghetti, it got our salivary gland working even before we started eating! While slurping down the pasta, we can also taste the crab meat which goes quite well together.
Bacon, Ham & Mushroom Spaghetti ($13.50) There are tomato, carbonara style and aglio olio options to choose from, I chose carbonara style since the other spaghetti is tomato-based. The carbonara Bacon, Mushroom Spaghetti here at Bistro One Zero Three is slightly different from the usual one you’ll find in other restaurants.
Usually the egg in carbonara style will be mixed together and cook with the heat of the pasta itself, but in this case, the chef put on his thinking cap and played with his creativity by leaving the egg yolk on top of the pasta. This is a pleasant surprise for us knowing the chef actually put in his heart & soul into making something different from the norm.
Well, i’ll preferred the salmon spaghetti to this one, not that this is not good, but after trying both pasta, we come to a consensus that the tomato-based spaghetti here taste better!
Pan-fried Salmon ($16.50) With Balsamic glaze & acompanied with seasonal vegetables, the Pan-fried salmon is a must-have for all the salmon-lovers out there. Balsamic dressing is a traditional flavoured vinegar commonly used in Italian cuisine, the Balsamic glaze here added a slight twist of Italiano to the salmon.
Cajun Chicken Wrap ($15.90) Tomato herb Tortilla & Mesclun mix are found inside the Cajun Chicken Wrap. The chicken wrap does give me an oddly feeling of ‘popiah’. The two Cajun chicken wrap serving is rather small, and definitely not enough to serve a grown-up (well depending on the appetite also). My mate wasn’t full after he finished it.
Warm Brownie w/ French Vanilla ice cream ($5) Who can resist the temptation of desserts after a meal? Not me, there is always room in my stomach for them! For the record, i love my desserts more than my main.
The warm brownie together with a scoop of the cold ice cream seems to match nicely together. The brownie is not too sweet also.
Panna cotta with Mocha ($5) One thing about Bistro One Zero Three is that they currently have limited desserts selection, only two! So we ordered both the brownie and this one to share. The owners are looking for new additions to the desserts section, so we had to make do with this two for now.
At first glance, we thought that the dessert was a soup, but on second note, it was not! Panna Cotta is actually an Italian Dessert made by simmering together cream, milk and sugar, mixing this with gelatin, and letting it cool until set.
Panna Cotta is usually eaten plained or sweetened with vanilla, chocolate or fruits. But the one we had at Bistro One Zero Three gave a different twist by adding Mocha to flavoured the dessert.
Total bill for 4 person (4 mains & 2 desserts) adds up to $82.86 (including GST & service charge). Overall the experience at Bistro One Zero Three is a positive one, and its a good place to chill out & dine with your friends. The place isn’t really inaccessible if you know where it is, just a few bus-stops away from Harbourfront. And the cozy environment and friendly service from the boss definitely makes it a plus for a revisit, but they need to work on their desserts selections if they are to satisfy my desserts-demand.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written above are my geniune feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or bias. Please do not feel emotional or distress should you have any violent objections. Kindly click the little X at the upper, extreme right of your screen if negative adjectives would be derived. Otherwise, feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
Read in the papers of this new place to check out along East Coast Road so headed down for lunch one wet afternoon.
Located just off the intersection of Joo Chiat Road and East Coast Road, Rose Apple Deli is part of a new breed of eateries which not only sells food, but also sells/exhibits other stuff like clothes, art pieces etc. Other similar eateries that come to mind include Project Shop Blood Brothers Cafe at Paragon. Decor is simple and clean with only about 5 to 6 tables available for dining in customers.
Pan Fried Radish Cake & Yam Cake - Billed as a must try, the yam and radish cakes have supposedly been made by the owners' family for more than 30 years. I must admit, both cakes were quite good, tasty from the use of dried shrimps and not soaked in oil. However, it could have been better. For one, the texture was a little too coarse. Portion size could also have been bigger for $1.20 a piece.
Grandma Rayna's Roast Chicken - Usually the naming of a dish after members of a family is used to conjure up an image of homely comfort food. And truly comfort food it was. The roast chicken was tender, juicy and a tad sweet probably from the honey glaze. But as with the radish & yam cakes, portions were a little small for the price ($10.80).
Gingko Silky Bean - Honestly I didn't quite take to this. The beancurd skin taste was overwhelming and the syrup was bland. But that's just me.
Waffle with Ice Cream - I'm not sure if this was a one off thing, but the waffle had a sour aftertaste which was an instant turnoff. It was quite a size and crispy though but the ice cream tasted rather normal.
The food is decent but prices are a wee bit high. I like the laid back atmosphere and friendly service though, perfect for a lazy afternoon tea.
Rui Kee - A descendant of the now defunct Swee Kee chicken rice stall which was pretty much a household name in the 80s and 90s. Well almost a descendant. Word has it that some relatives of the original Swee Kee came together to set up Rui Kee (Don't quote me on this. Its all hearsay).
Located along North Bridge Road just opposite Famous Islamic Nasi Padang stall, it is but a small shop sandwiched between pubs and whats not, which makes it rather easy to miss.
Rui Kee boasts traditional Hainanese chicken, which is left lying flat after cooking instead of hanging like most places. This is supposedly to retain all the juices and fluids within the chicken instead of letting it drain away. The tried and tested result? A chicken which is much juicier and more succulent than your average one. However it did come across as a little bland without much flavours and not to mention a little fatty under the skin as well. The rice, which had looked promising from the start, was but a shade of good chicken rice. It wasn't as fluffy and tasty as I had expected it to be. But on the upside, it was less oily, which is great for health conscious people. Here comes the winning formula - the chilli which is made from a secret recipe. Although I don't really take chilli, but this was simply great. All of us just couldn't seem to get enough of it. If anything, I'll be back just for the chilli.
Stir fried Kailan - The vegetables were very normal and not worth a mention. But hey, greens are good and make sure you stuff yourself on lots of them.
Dinner with drinks for 3 pax came up to about $25, which is actually breaching the expensive mark. But then again, the chicken is pretty decent and the chilli just gives you that kick so it might be a place to consider revisiting.
1=SGD 0.0587
I remember when TV Mobile first started, I was very disturbed. It was not properly set up and the whole system wasn't stable yet. I don't usually sleep on the bus but I find having some quiet time useful so it isn't really a boon.
At some places, TV mobile will tend to lag and freeze at certain scenes. Occasionally it would leave the actors/actresses in an ugly pose which will send me giggling. People probably think I'm weird then.
Now I think they've lowered the volume and ask people to tune in from the radio station if they wish to hear. But It's kinda like bring your own entertainment isn't it? I think it really defeats its purpose at times. Also very few people carry portable radios these days.
Nonetheless I always enjoy it when the Gags show up. That's my favourite. And I think lots of people enjoy watching it as it usually sends many people into peals of laughter.
TV mobile has a long way to go... meanwhile.. it's back to good ol' MP3.
Rating given:
Hua Xia Tai Mao Bi is a little shop in KK hospital which makes chinese brushes from children's hair. Newborns between 3 to 15 mths are brought to the shop to have their hair shaved off and made into chinese brushes for keeps.
I went with my friend's newborn that day and the lady patiently explained the process and let my friend choose the brush she wanted. They had quite a wide range,from fine ones to thicker ones. There were some with more intricate designs and others with simple paintings on them. The cheapest brush was $49 and the most expensive was $500 , I think.
Well the lady was quite gentle with my friend's 3 month old boy while shaving his head. He didn't cry at all and even fell asleep. He had plenty of hair so my friend chose 2 brushes.
The lady kept the enough to make the 2 brushes and returned my friend the rest. They had to go back 1 month later to collect the brushes. I was wondering to myself... how one would know whose hair was on the brush they made. Just purely based on trust I suppose.
Well the brushes DO NOT come in boxes and you have to purchase boxes too... which are slightly over $100...
The total for 2 brushes and a boxes to put both brushes in was $600.. which is a hefty sum I must say... I seriously don't think I would be spending this sort of money.
But I would have to give the lady credit for being so patient and providing such good service. Apparently Zoe Tay had her brushes done there too!
Rating given:
I've been here a few times and never wrote about it!
The 2nd floor is a great place to just chill and enjoy the music but the drawback is that there aren't any seats and it's constantly crowded. Not to mention it's easier to get in if you just buy a bottle. Just to skip the long queue. Being there early means you get seats... and also get eyed by later patrons cos they really want your seat. My friend went in super early just to reserve seats for us. The drinks are ok, not too diluted and I guess reasonably priced for a bar. I enjoy the live music though I'm not really a fan of that genre.
The ground floor is more for the soccer crowd and those who want to eat. Though it's quieter here but not quite the place for conversation either as it's quite cramped with people mostly.
Rating given:
With Seasons Reasons, the reasons is every seasons! With a passion for a different dining experience, Seasons Reasons is designed based on a quest of the 4 seasons - Summer, Fall, Winter & Spring.
Well, I am back at Raffles City again, just after two weeks since last visiting OChaCha, but then i can’t help it, nowadays there are simply too much to eat at Raffles City! So don’t be surprise if there are more new posts coming up.
Seasons Reasons is a small restaurant among the many new restaurants at Raffles City basement, but it stood out for its simple and comfortable setting. The menu is simple, with the usual starters, salad, soup, sandwiches, and main course. No doubt there are not much variety under each category, but i’ll say its more than enough for the average diners.
Appetizers start at $8.50 for their “hot pick” Golden potato prawn, to $13.80 for their seafood combo. Prices for the main course are pretty reasonable too, ranging from $11 to $20. But they are quite short on their spaghetti selections though, only two types are available. And i lamented the fact that they didn’t have much desserts to choose from.
Like mentioned above, the settings for the restaurant is simple and elegant, and there are also the cozy corner seats for diners who will like to enjoy some privacy.
My buddy and I didn’t have much trouble choosing what we want for lunch, after going through the simple menu once, we decided on Fish & chips, and lamb chop. We didn’t have any starters or soup as it was a simple lunch for us.
Fish & Chips ($14.80)
Cod fish tempura and wedges served with lemongrass chili. To be honest, my first impression of the dish, it looks like just any other ordinary Fish & chips at other restaurants. But, my buddy commented that the fish was crispy on the outside, and where some other restaurants fish might get too dry, the one here is just nice. The interior of the fish was soft and not too dry.
Another point to note will be most places served their fish & chips with just tartar sauce, but Seasons Reasons had the tartar sauce, and also lemongrass chili which i find rather special.
Lamb Chop ($19.80)
Baby rack of lamb char-grilled to medium well served with a glazed of honey mustard and fork mashed potato. The lamb chop at $19.80, is the most expensive dish served on the menu. And it did not disappoint, with a generous serving of 4 lamb racks, i believe it will fill most people.
The honey mustard sauce adds flavour to the grilled lamb chop, the meat is slightly tough, you’ll need some effort in biting and chewing the meat. But i do find the price of the lamb chop slightly steep, and most probably won’t order it again.
Total Bill was $40.72 for 2 person, not really expensive given we are dining in a restaurant. If you are looking for a simple dining place while you are at Raffles City, look no further than Seasons Reasons. The restaurant do put in effort in the food presentation, no doubt taste is the vital factor, but one tastebud will definitely open up if the food is presented nicely.
With so many restaurants at Raffles City, i don’t think i will be visiting again any sooner, unless they got new menu or promotions. I won’t say the food is excellent, but i’ll say its worth a try if you haven’t been there before.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written above are my geniune feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or bias. Please do not feel emotional or distress should you have any violent objections. Kindly click the little X at the upper, extreme right of your screen if negative adjectives would be derived. Otherwise, feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
” For everything, there is a Reason “
Rating given:
An entry long overdue. Had lunch at Eighteen Chefs with a few friends one weekday afternoon. What's interesting and noble (to a certain extent) about Eighteen Chefs is that it takes in ex convicts and delinquents and helps them turn over a new leaf by training them in the food business. Its owner and head chef, Benny Se Teo, who was a former drug addict, trained at Jamie Oliver's London restaurant, Fifteen.
Located at a corner of Eastpoint just next to the POSB, Eighteen Chefs has a rather simple interior which can seat up to about 50 pax. This place runs on a self service system hence no service charge is levied. To order your food, simply fill up a form and bring it to the counter to make payment. Your orders will then be served to you shortly.
Baked Rice with Creamy White Sauce & Chicken Slices ($8.90) - You get to choose what kind of sauce you want for your baked rice as well as the ingredients that go into it. Honestly, the baked rice I had (see above) was decent but nothing to shout about. While the cheese was nice and thick, I found the rice a little too bland for my liking and the cream sauce did little to help. But at $8.90, its relatively cheaper and quality is slightly better than the ones they serve at Swensens.
Eighteen Funky Strawberry ($5.80) - $5.80 for 4 scoops of ice cream served with strawberries, hazelnuts and oreo biscuits - now that should be excellent value for money really. It would have been better if the strawberries had been fresher and if the ice cream had been been richer. My guess is that they gave us tub ice cream from the supermarket.
A decent lunch for 3 inclusive of a dessert to share cost just over $35, which is still pretty acceptable for the quality. Service was excellent and even though the food wasn't exactly stellar, I'll be back to try other stuff. After all, life is all about second chances isn't it?
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Sweet to indulge - the catchy tagline behind Sweet Indulgence, a quaint little cafe that resides along quiet Stanley Street and the venue of choice for our monthly dinner.
Fronted by a pink signboard, Sweet Indulgence's interior is rather small and "cafeish", sitting up to a maximum of 24 pax while the al fresco area can take another 10 or so. The thing that irked me quite a bit was that the air conditioning wasn't cool enough even though it had just rained. Imagine if it was a bright sunny afternoon. On a more positive note, the entire place exuded a nice cosy vibe, setting the tone right for a relaxing after work dinner.
I didn't think too much of the complimentary bread. For starters, it wasn't served warm. Not to mention it was dry and sparse as well. But hey, its free.
I liked the shooter of pear juice - light and sweet. Complimentary as well.
Salad - A simple salad with only freshly cut vegetables. Pity about the overwhelming Italian dressing, which came across as much too strong. A light dressing is always welcomed.
Cream of Broccoli - Salty salty salty. That was the first impression that hit me when I took a sip of the soup. Other then that, nothing else actually registered in my taste buds which was quite sad really.
Garlic Prawns - This dish came as compensation due to the removal of a choice for the main course from our pre agreed list. To be honest, I'm almost glad that happened as the prawns were really quite good. Thought small, they were fresh and crunchy with a hint of pepper. Light yet full of flavour. I would have stuffed myself silly if not for the fact that we had to share a bowl amongst 5 pax.
Poached Salmon with White Sauce & Herbs, served with Pasta and Seasonal Vegetables - I didn't choose this main but had a taste of it. First thoughts, the salmon had none of the overwhelming raw fishy taste that I absolutely abhor. Drizzled with the creamy white sauce, it was actually quite decent. The same can't be said about the pasta though, which was bland and overcooked, as evident by the overly soft texture.
Oven Baked Chicken Thigh Steak with Crisp Skin served with Chef Sauce & Potato Mash infused with Vanilla and Cream - I opted for this as my main and wasn't too bowled over by it. For one, I had expected crackling crispy skin but got none. The meat was tender and tasty though but could have been juicier. As for the mashed potato, I would have preferred it to be smoother. But having said that, I appreciate the creativity behind the infusion of vanilla and cream.
Strawberry Cheesecake - I honestly don't know what to make of this. Sweet Indulgence is known for its desserts but if the cheesecake was anything to go by, I wouldn't buy it whole sale. Aesthetics aside, the cake was moist yet firm but almost tasteless. In fact, it was so forgettable that I didn't remember eating it until I saw my empty plate. And its tiny by the way.
Warm Choco Lava Indulgence - We got this complimentary dessert to share between 4 pax as Sweet Indulgence swapped our agreed upon Tiramisu to the lacklustre Strawberry Cheesecake due to some logistics problem. Billed as a best selling hot favourite, the choco lava cake oozed decadent thick chocolate through a break in the outer crust. Now here's the part that really bugs me. The crust was very kueh like - soft and limp, which meant that the whole thing came crumbling down after we made a hole in the crust. But for something that retails at $8.90, I guess its quite worth it.
The 20 of us chalked up a bill of $671 inclusive of the $11 for corkage. That works out to be $33 per pax which I find pretty reasonable for the amount and quality of food we got (we got a glass of coke each as well). Just for the record, food quality hovers just around the average mark but service and service recovery is quite good. Okay to give it a try if you are in the area. Just don't get your expectations too high.
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It Shows happen once every 3 months nowadays and somehow, its no longer a surprise to anybody when a new IT gadget is announced. In fact, nothing much surprises anymore. Its just more of the same i guess.
Anyhow, if you got the money, this is the place to get your honey (if you are an IT enthusiast of course). As per Polarbear and Claudia's review. Yes, do not go with the intention of looking or else, you'll just be wasting time getting stuck in the human jam.
I do mean human jam you realise. The number of people gracing the event with their presence is insane. That is to say, its alot alot alot alot of people. Drive a car and prepare to park at bugis or further. Take an MRT and prepare to face the long queue the moment you get off. Its that insane.
For my part, i went on the first night and on the noon of the last day. The first night was alright, the crowd was still manageable but that already means jamming for 30 mins to see something of interest for 5 minutes. On the last day, i went slightly early at 12pm to 1pm and it was awful.
I bought a Kohjinsha SH811 tablet pc for a friend in Australia, the item cost me $1355 with an upgrade to a 2gb ram. Its quite amazing really. The 935gram machine has everything an ordinary pc has and then has touch screen functions as well. Nifty little gadget for people on the go. However, it uses windows vista which really isn't my idea of good.
Anyway, the road to buying the darn thing was horrible and the service was all the way to the dogs. Sim Lim PA mart sold it and i can tell you, the incharge of the event didn't leave a good impression on me at all. He promptly did not fix up the items for me, did not give me a bag, did not give me my payment slip which made me queue 45 mins for a redemption from UOB counter and worse of all, his attitude is obvious that he can't be bothered. When i asked for advice on what to do for future help and asked for his namecard, he promptly refused and turned away. Talk about bad service.
The UOB counter is another huge problem. Lines were so long, its unbelieveable. Take into account the bad service and horrible prizes. (i didn't win the psp nor any gadget, all i got was a letter opener from Beijing). The crowd management really needed to improve.
The worst thing is how the elevators, entrances and the lower levels served as bottlenecks. Its practically packed with people to the brim. I was so worried the elevators would collapse and honestly, given the security guards there, if a terrorist wanted to take out a whole bunch of people, coming to an IT fair would have easily accomplished that and with the bottlenecks, no one could escape. This is not even funny because i can tell you, if it happens, tragedy won't be the word to describe it.
Oh! Before i forget, i highly advice girls to avoid such events. There are whole groups of overactive nerds and Indian bangladeshi people in the show that are obviously not there for the purchase. I caught a few of them simply looking for where the crowd was thickest and closest to the booth girls so they can rub against the ladies 'accidentally'. And also, ladies, try not to wear high heels to such events because poor people like me wear slippers and i was 'stabbed' a few times by people walking past. Do have mercy on nice people like me.
That said, there were some truly good deals, like Sony Bravia 32 inch tvs for $799. Games at below $20 and outside storage of 500gb for a mere $199. Its real cost savings if you are into these things. Otherwise, stay far far away.
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Bistro One Zero Three sounds quite interesting right? Being the inquisitive me, i was naturally attracted to the name, and hence the visit to the place. Located at Pasir Panjang, its not a place where you’ll imagine a restaurant like Bistro One Zero Three will be situated. Nevertheless, the ‘ulu’ place makes it fun to go to, as though like we are on a food-hunting trait.
Initially we thought it was near the Haw Par Villa area, so we started looking for it there, but then how wrong we were, Bistro One Zero Three is at the other end of Pasir Panjang Road, quite near to PSA Building. If you are going there by train, i suggest stopping at HarbourFront and take a bus there, its only a couple of bus-stops away from HarbourFront.
The cosy 52 seater bistro is into its tenth-month, and started by the owner Eric, together with his sister and his sister-in-law as the chef. Stepping into Bistro One Zero Three, we felt totally at home, the homely-wood furniture plays a part, but it is the friendly service of the owners who welcomed us enthusiastically, and serving us ice-water while we were going through the menu, that impressed us.
The Menu comprises of sandwiches, gourmet salads, some sides, spaghetti and the mains. They are actually in the midst of introducing more items to the menu, but meanwhile, this are the options available.
Besides dining, Bistro One Zero Three also provides services for birthday-party events, company functions. The previous night they just had a event where guests let their hairs down and party till late night at the bistro. The bistro is a draw for the working crowd during weekdays, and on fridays & saturdays there are people like you and me who specially visit the place.
Well, i like the early-bird feeling, when we got there for a early lunch, we had the whole place to ourselves, totally like what i experienced in Sweet Indulgence! Being hungry people, we went through the menu and didn’t have much problem ordering the food. My dining companion being a Salmon-lover, naturally she’ll order Pan-fried Salmon. My two other mates had Cajun chicken wrap and Salmon & crab meat spaghetti, while i had the bacon, ham, mushroom spaghetti.
Salmon & Crab Meat Spaghetti ($14.50)
We began our meal at Bistro One Zero Three with the Salmon & Crab meat Spaghetti. With two generous piece of salmon on the tomato-based spaghetti, it got our salivary gland working even before we started eating! While slurping down the pasta, we can also taste the crab meat which goes quite well together.
Bacon, Ham & Mushroom Spaghetti ($13.50)
There are tomato, carbonara style and aglio olio options to choose from, I chose carbonara style since the other spaghetti is tomato-based. The carbonara Bacon, Mushroom Spaghetti here at Bistro One Zero Three is slightly different from the usual one you’ll find in other restaurants.
Usually the egg in carbonara style will be mixed together and cook with the heat of the pasta itself, but in this case, the chef put on his thinking cap and played with his creativity by leaving the egg yolk on top of the pasta. This is a pleasant surprise for us knowing the chef actually put in his heart & soul into making something different from the norm.
Well, i’ll preferred the salmon spaghetti to this one, not that this is not good, but after trying both pasta, we come to a consensus that the tomato-based spaghetti here taste better!
Pan-fried Salmon ($16.50)
With Balsamic glaze & acompanied with seasonal vegetables, the Pan-fried salmon is a must-have for all the salmon-lovers out there. Balsamic dressing is a traditional flavoured vinegar commonly used in Italian cuisine, the Balsamic glaze here added a slight twist of Italiano to the salmon.
Cajun Chicken Wrap ($15.90)
Tomato herb Tortilla & Mesclun mix are found inside the Cajun Chicken Wrap. The chicken wrap does give me an oddly feeling of ‘popiah’. The two Cajun chicken wrap serving is rather small, and definitely not enough to serve a grown-up (well depending on the appetite also). My mate wasn’t full after he finished it.
Warm Brownie w/ French Vanilla ice cream ($5)
Who can resist the temptation of desserts after a meal? Not me, there is always room in my stomach for them! For the record, i love my desserts more than my main.
The warm brownie together with a scoop of the cold ice cream seems to match nicely together. The brownie is not too sweet also.
Panna cotta with Mocha ($5)
One thing about Bistro One Zero Three is that they currently have limited desserts selection, only two! So we ordered both the brownie and this one to share. The owners are looking for new additions to the desserts section, so we had to make do with this two for now.
At first glance, we thought that the dessert was a soup, but on second note, it was not! Panna Cotta is actually an Italian Dessert made by simmering together cream, milk and sugar, mixing this with gelatin, and letting it cool until set.
Panna Cotta is usually eaten plained or sweetened with vanilla, chocolate or fruits. But the one we had at Bistro One Zero Three gave a different twist by adding Mocha to flavoured the dessert.
Total bill for 4 person (4 mains & 2 desserts) adds up to $82.86 (including GST & service charge). Overall the experience at Bistro One Zero Three is a positive one, and its a good place to chill out & dine with your friends. The place isn’t really inaccessible if you know where it is, just a few bus-stops away from Harbourfront. And the cozy environment and friendly service from the boss definitely makes it a plus for a revisit, but they need to work on their desserts selections if they are to satisfy my desserts-demand.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written above are my geniune feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or bias. Please do not feel emotional or distress should you have any violent objections. Kindly click the little X at the upper, extreme right of your screen if negative adjectives would be derived. Otherwise, feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )
“ Who say guys don’t like their desserts? I do! ”
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Read in the papers of this new place to check out along East Coast Road so headed down for lunch one wet afternoon.
Located just off the intersection of Joo Chiat Road and East Coast Road, Rose Apple Deli is part of a new breed of eateries which not only sells food, but also sells/exhibits other stuff like clothes, art pieces etc. Other similar eateries that come to mind include Project Shop Blood Brothers Cafe at Paragon. Decor is simple and clean with only about 5 to 6 tables available for dining in customers.
Pan Fried Radish Cake & Yam Cake - Billed as a must try, the yam and radish cakes have supposedly been made by the owners' family for more than 30 years. I must admit, both cakes were quite good, tasty from the use of dried shrimps and not soaked in oil. However, it could have been better. For one, the texture was a little too coarse. Portion size could also have been bigger for $1.20 a piece.
Grandma Rayna's Roast Chicken - Usually the naming of a dish after members of a family is used to conjure up an image of homely comfort food. And truly comfort food it was. The roast chicken was tender, juicy and a tad sweet probably from the honey glaze. But as with the radish & yam cakes, portions were a little small for the price ($10.80).
Gingko Silky Bean - Honestly I didn't quite take to this. The beancurd skin taste was overwhelming and the syrup was bland. But that's just me.
Waffle with Ice Cream - I'm not sure if this was a one off thing, but the waffle had a sour aftertaste which was an instant turnoff. It was quite a size and crispy though but the ice cream tasted rather normal.
The food is decent but prices are a wee bit high. I like the laid back atmosphere and friendly service though, perfect for a lazy afternoon tea.
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Rui Kee - A descendant of the now defunct Swee Kee chicken rice stall which was pretty much a household name in the 80s and 90s. Well almost a descendant. Word has it that some relatives of the original Swee Kee came together to set up Rui Kee (Don't quote me on this. Its all hearsay).
Located along North Bridge Road just opposite Famous Islamic Nasi Padang stall, it is but a small shop sandwiched between pubs and whats not, which makes it rather easy to miss.
Rui Kee boasts traditional Hainanese chicken, which is left lying flat after cooking instead of hanging like most places. This is supposedly to retain all the juices and fluids within the chicken instead of letting it drain away. The tried and tested result? A chicken which is much juicier and more succulent than your average one. However it did come across as a little bland without much flavours and not to mention a little fatty under the skin as well. The rice, which had looked promising from the start, was but a shade of good chicken rice. It wasn't as fluffy and tasty as I had expected it to be. But on the upside, it was less oily, which is great for health conscious people. Here comes the winning formula - the chilli which is made from a secret recipe. Although I don't really take chilli, but this was simply great. All of us just couldn't seem to get enough of it. If anything, I'll be back just for the chilli.
Stir fried Kailan - The vegetables were very normal and not worth a mention. But hey, greens are good and make sure you stuff yourself on lots of them.
Dinner with drinks for 3 pax came up to about $25, which is actually breaching the expensive mark. But then again, the chicken is pretty decent and the chilli just gives you that kick so it might be a place to consider revisiting.
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