There seems to be a growing trend of opening what used to be deemed more exclusive food (Italian, French etc) in food/hawker centres with competitive prices to boot. Ragazzi the Italian Kitchen is one such outlet to jump on the bandwagon to offer quality Italian food at coffeeshop prices.
Located at a rather obscure coffeeshop under a block of flats in the Ghim Moh estate, Ragazzi is owned and run by Gabriel Cher, ex chef-de partie of The Oriental's Dolce Vita (Interestingly, Dolce Vita serves Mediterranean food now, not Italian). Business was rather slow on a wet Saturday evening and one can only wonder if its the lack of publicity, wet weather or quality of food thats keeping the crowds at bay.
Zuppa alla Funghi - For $2.50 a pop, I certainly wasn't expecting much. But I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the soup was made from grounded mushrooms and onions, which was evident from the taste and texture. Only thing that could been improved was its thickness. It did come across as a little too watery but hey, its definitely value for money.
The bruschetta ($3) could have been good but was let down by a few factors. The good things first. Well toasted with the sides a little charred but soft and warm within. Now for the bad part. There was an way too much olive oil on the middle portion of the bread, which made it a little too soggy. Tomatoes on the top didn't look very fresh but did provide the necessary texture and zest.
Melanzane al Forno - I've never been a fan of eggplants and this wasn't about to change anything. The eggplant was a little too soft for my liking but I did like the layer of grilled cheese on top.
Carbonara ($7) - Being a cream based pasta lover, I naturally ordered the Carbonara to be on the safe side. The pasta was a tad too overcooked and the gravy did come across as a little too thick, rendering me nauseous after a while. However I would still say its very decent with the respectable bacon toppings and definitely better than anything pasta mania or the likes can whip up.
Del Bosco ($6) - As with the Carbonara, the Del Bosco's pasta was a tad too overcooked as well but what won me over were the sausages, which tasted thoroughly smoked but was a tad too salty. The tomato sauce wasn't outstanding, being average at best.
Tiramisu ($4.50) - I would be lying if I said that the Tiramisu was decent. To be honest, it was terrible. For one, the sponge fingers weren't soaked in Kahlua. It tasted more like fruit essence or something. Also, the mascarpone cheese was a little too dense and the whole thing was rather watery(water logged would have been appropriate too) at the bottom. It definitely didn't help that too much Cocoa powder was added as well.
All in all, a very filling dinner for 2 pax cost $27.50, which is very pricey by hawker standards but cheap by restaurant standards. Overall food quality is still decent so you might want to give this place a shot if you are craving for Italian food but not willing to fork out the dough for it.
Yet again, i brought my gf for dinner on this day. This time at a location much closer to home. This restaurant has been featured on television before for its unique location and quality of its food. The program raved about its food but i've never been a believer of commercial reviews so its more or less my own thoughts right here.
For starters, i liked the environment and the view. The location is quiet and though there were quite a few people there, it didn't come across as packed as there were plenty of leg space for everyone which is what i like.
(Bliss Special) Crab meat soup - My gf ordered a bliss special meal which consisted of a soup, main course and a dessert. All for $13.90 which was quite a shock for me as the price was rather low for what i envisioned to be a medium priced location. I was however, soon to realise why it could come at such a price.
The crab meat soup they served was not unlike the broth used in shark's fin soup. It had little pieces of carrot, radish, some crab meat and quite a bit of pepper. Nothing amazing but what do you expect for the price eh?
Stella Artois ($7.50) - Our drink for the day. A word of caution, the place DOES NOT SERVE cold water. So you MUST buy a drink. On further notice, i realise the place serves a pretty decent selection of wine, mostly old world wines at a pretty hefty price. If my memory serves me well, it does not serve wine by the glass. @ $7.50 a bottle, it does strike me as rather expensive for a simple beer but i may just be a miser. =P
Baked Seafood Rice ($14.90) - My main course of the day. It was a rather large serving so that earns it plus points. Beneath the thick layer of cheese contains 2 medium sized prawns, 2 huge mussels and assorted pieces of fish interlaced with the rice. Not to mention the 2 squid rings you see on top.
To be honest, i was rather excited when i got my dish. It smelled great and i love tomato based stuff, be it pasta or rice. And looking at the huge serving with the ingredients they offered just made my mouth water. However, it looks better then it tastes honestly, so that really disappointed me. Don't get me wrong, the rice was great and so was the cheese layer but the crucial part of its seafood just didn't quite cute it for me. The prawns were moderately fresh but the mussel and squid ring couldn't be called good which is such a waste considering the nicely done rice. Overall, this is passable but the seafood alone was not worth the money.
(Bliss Special) Smoked Salmon Pasta - Once again, the presentation of the dish is excellent. The serving of salmon it came with was quite generous i must say. However, the salmon didn't taste fresh yet again, just like the seafood in my baked rice. I would have really liked if they could give reasonably fresh seafood for their dishes, because the pasta tasted pretty well done as did the rice. Maybe the chef's specialty is actually in these instead of seafood? Because it sure tasted that way. The pasta was springy and had enough seasoning to make it taste slightly salty yet not overbearing. Needless to say, the pasta was finished but the salmon remained.
Tiramisu ($5.90) - This disappointed me to no end. I wanted a good dessert to end the rather mundane dinner offering but it just didn't do the dessert justice. The top layer was way too soft and watery as was the bottom layer. The rum soaked and completely destroyed the cake layer beneath and worse, the rum didn't taste like rum at all! This has got to be the worst tiramisu i've had thus far. Do NOT try it.
Not shown is my gf's dessert which is also equally bad. Mango ice cream from a really bad manufacturer i suspect. Not worth mentioning as well.
Total bill for 2 came up to $42.20
I like the place and the lack of service charge and GST. I also like the rice and spaghetti but the seafood really didn't do anything for me in the meal except make me sigh in disappointment. The dessert served was outrageously bad as well and the lack of iced water is simply a sin. Service was nice but difficult to get and given the bad seafood, the price to pay for this 'Blissful' meal simply wasn't worth it.
Nihon Mura or Japanese Village literally is located to the side of Tampines Swimming Complex. (Of all the places)
Decorations are pretty good with bamboos and teak taking the bulk of the ambiance but seat lay outs do tend to be on the crowded side during dinner.
The twist in Nihon Mura is their 99 cents sushi (2 per plate) and their stick ordering system.
The ordering system is quite unique in that all you have to do is collect sticks from the various counters containing your order and bring it back to your table. This includes everything from drinks to dessert to rice. The only exception are the sushi which you collect from the now familiar conveyor.
Sushi wise, the shop is nothing to shout about. I found the rice used of average quality and lacking in taste, some were also not packed properly so thats a few points off. Its still decent for its price mind you.
Having been there twice as of now. I'd say the service was very good. I ordered a beef bowl rice (sorry i forgot the name) which cost me about $10 but i couldn't taste the beef. I confirmed with my gf that its tastes more like Pork Liver then beef before i called the supervisor over to reason with him. When i told him to try, he promptly offered to change the dish for another beef rice bowl even though we have consumed close to half of the current bowl. The second bowl brought to us was newly made and cost lesser, this time, with the beef taste i so desire. Add the fact that the rice is served in a rock bowl which was heated, giving the rice a wok hei taste and you have a good experience.
The other item we had was the fried tofu which is a staple dish for me at any japanese outlet. Their rendition was good but somehow pales in comparison with Sakae's crispier skinned ones. Overall though, still a good Tofu.
Pan Fried Salmon (about $7) - only this dish was plainly a waste of money. Small, overly tough and lacking taste whasoever, something nobody should order regardless of the circumstance.
My experience at Nihon Mura is a mixed affair. Food wise, the place really isn;t much to shout about but services wise, i'm very impressed with the staff. Also, the beef rice is indeed very nice and fragrant. Which i heartily recommend.
Do try out the place for the kick of it. After all, 2 filling meals there cost me a total of $60.
Located in Changi Airport Terminal 1, Popeyes is a simple fast food restuarant in the vein of Macdonalds and KFC. Given its location, one would deduce it to have a relatively short queue and waiting time. However, that would be grossly wrong since queues are generally LONG and waiting time will usually be about 20-25 minutes. Well, i hated queuing and i was there with my gf to just take a stroll, dinner here was more or less ad hoc.
I've always loved the cartoon Popeye the sailor man. I guess its all about muscles and who would have thought spinach gave you superhuman powers? Its just a really funny cartoon at the time and age. So the draw for this place was simply nostalgia for me as they had a corner doing constant reruns of the show. No spinach on the menu though.
Ok, this was the queue that greeted me which i joined to begin my 25 minute journey to the counter of friendly, tired staff and slow moving staff.
Fries - Nothing spectacular but it does have an additional herbish taste (maybe spinach?) that makes it taste slightly better than others. It did come across as a little too dry though.
Mashed Potato - The mashed potato came in a small serving thats only slightly bigger then KFC. The sauce however tasted better in my opinion as its less watery and less salty compared to KFC. The potato also had small chunks in it which i suspect is yam but i'm not too sure on that.
3 Piece Chicken Meal ($8.65) - Its called Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits so obviously, this should be its main draw. Its biscuit is nicely fragrant and warm which does differentiate it from usual fast food chains which give horrible tasting buns. The chicken was fried to a crisp and yet managed to maintain its juiciness unlike KFC which usually comes off as a tad dry or sometimes undercooked. The seasoning is not unlike its mashed potato sauce which made it fragrant with each bite. I like the fact that the chicken meat was firm and tender at the same time which was surprisingly uniform throughout the 3 different chicken parts. (Please note that requests for specific chicken parts result in a 50 cents charge each)
Seafood in a basket ($7.95) - For this meal which i ordered for my fish loving girl, we're actually quite torn about our opinions for it. I liked the fish and the shrimp because this was usually served piping hot unlike its "left to cool in warm container chicken". I felt the fish was tender and reasonably good tasting but she felt it was less tender nor fresh than other offerings. Also, she commented that the fish was fried after being taken out of the fridge which gave it a 'frozen' taste. The shrimp was relatively small and so is the serving. It was crunchy and like everything here, is full of batter and flour which may or may not appeal to everyone. For the shrimp, our debate is mostly on whether the crunchiness of it is chemically enhanced or naturally preserved. But you can't fault that it tastes better the way it is now.
Suggestions - Oooo...this piece of paper is so important. I'd only hope they take a look at the suggestions written into serious consideration. Firstly, they need to have another outlet. Secondly, they need more counters and faster serving staff. Thirdly, chicken parts should be given by request and not chargeable.
The queue when we left - Yes, this is the queue throughout our entire meal. It never quite diminished and i doubt it will reduce by much anytime soon. Management needs to look into this soon, for the customers sake and for their staffs sake.
In all honesty, this place isn't half bad. The chicken is actually better then KFC in many ways and tastes a notch above the other fast food chains. However, queuing and its location didn't really make me enjoy the experience much. The price was on par with about every other fast food restaurant (the meal cost $16.60) so the only weak links are its queues and its obscure location. Do try for yourself and find out if you like it.
After our rather filling dinner @ Pow Sing Restuarant in the previous post, we proceeded to have dessert @ Icecube which was conveniently nearby. This is what we had.
Mudpie - I really can't remember what flavor this mudpie was. Thus i forgot the name as well. Terribly sorry. However, i remember it had caramel and a flavor reminiscent of peanuts. Smooth and quite fulfilling though a little too sweet.
Waffle with cookies and cream ice cream - I'd say the waffle is excellent. Definately try it. Its served warm and with the ice cream melting atop it. Tastes simply heavenly. Not to mention the ice cream is pretty good as well. You must try this.
Total for this came up to $20 as well. As a good place for dessert, its definitely worth a try and visit for the waffle alone.
After our last visit to Peaberry & Pretzel some time back, my gf and I decided to head back to Sunset Way to try out Megumi Japanese Restaurant on the recommendations of some folks.
Located just a few doors down from Peaberry & Pretzel, Megumi's air conditioned interior is smallish, with the bulk of the seating capacity in the al fresco area outside. Notice that this means lunch here in the afternoon might mean a sweaty affair unless you get to sit inside.
Billed as the Megumi special roll, there was nothing really special about it in my humble opinion. It came across as your ordinary California Roll with crab sticks and Tamago in it. Not that the extra ingredients gave it much taste either. Lets just say it tasted like a slightly sweeter version of the California Roll. So much for the secrecy. One other bone I had was that the rice was a little too dry and could have been firmer.
Char Siew Ramen - Labeled a house specialty, the ramen was a let down honestly. The noodles were your normal egg noodles though of a more springy version whereas the Char Siew was a little too dry and tough. It certainly didn't help that the soup was a tad too salty as well.
Saikoro Steak Set - Another one of the house specialties except that this one actually tasted quite decent. The beef was a little overcooked but still retained enough of its juices, taste and texture to warrant a decent rating. However, I must mention that portions are small and not homogeneously cooked, as evident by the residual butter I detected on some pieces of beef.
Black Sesame Ice Cream - I'm not exactly a fan of black sesame ice cream so I am not in a position to comment if its good or not. But my gf seemed to like it quite a bit so I'm guessing it must be of a certain standard.
Fried Vanilla Ice Cream - This was probably what I liked the best of all the dishes that evening. Interestingly, the batter was a thicker version of the crispy yet light tempura batter and actually went quite good with the vanilla ice cream. Now something needs to be done about the quality of the ice cream though, which was really mediocre.
While $61 for 2 pax isn't unreasonably expensive for the food, it isn't exactly cheap either, considering that the food was merely average. One funny thing I discovered. The restaurant was actually playing Korean songs. How cool is that?
Another entry in the budget food section, due in part to my ultimate lack of funds and the belief that there may be reasonably good food at a reasonable price. So, i met up with a good friend at Serangoon Garden for our much belated catch up session.
Located to the immediate carpark next to the bus interchange at Serangoon Gardens is this little restuarant. Its a pretty well known restaurant but there are many chicken rice stalls in Serangoon Gardens so it might be good to note that they all have their different niches which they cater for. Anyway, i worked in this area for 2 years so its natural for me to actually get a good feel for which chicken rice i actually like, and this is one of them.
Ah Char - This comes the moment you sit down but its not free mind you. I can't complain about the price since its only $1 and honestly, its a good appetizer for me since its sour and sweet at the same time.
Chicken Portion for Two - The chicken portion which they gave for the two of us. The meat is fragrant and tender which i felt was important for a good plate of chicken rice. I didn't quite like the fat beneath the skin so its a good thing there wasn't too much of that. I also liked the fact that i didn't have to pick through bones for the meat and a good point to note is that the serving managed to fund my friend through 2 bowls of rice and me through mine.
Crispy Nonya Tou Fu - I was telling everyone this was the must-have dish at this place. The Tou Fu is absolutely soft and melts in your mouth on the inside and crispy on the outside. Its always hot and warm even to the last piece and the sauce it came with definately helps to make the dish even more delectable. I can't quite make out the sauce but i suppose it tastes like a cross between oyster sauce and tian jiang (sweet sauce).
Chicken Rice - One thing i always look for in chicken rice is that it must not be too oily. And Pow Sing does it just right. Its possible to enjoy the rice without feeling too guilty about it afterwords because unlike other run-of-the-mill chicken rice elsewhere, its chicken rice is fragrant yet not oily, tasty yet not overwhelming.
Well, the meal only cost us about $10 a person. So its really rather cheap. If you came for a packet of chicken rice, it only costs between $3-$4 for a rather huge packet so i'd say its good value for money.
Since this isn't exactly a posh eating place, there's no need to judge certain criteria like service and ambience. Its still a decent eating place for simple a non-oily chicken rice at a decent price. Do give it a try if you are there.
I was actually introduced to this place by my gf because she is a fish lover. So we made our way down to try it on a nice couple date, 7th July 2007 (07072007). Contrary to its name, the Manhattan Fish Market (MFM) franchise actually originated from Malaysia in 2002 and its first outlet in Singapore is the one situated at Plaza Singapura. The first thing this restuarant brings to mind is its direct competitor, Fish & Co (F&C), which has been in Singapore for a far longer time than MFM. So how does its food really fare, you know the drill by now. Read On!
For serving only fish, the menu does contain a pretty good selection of items ranging from fish to mushrooms to squid and all manner of friendlies from the ocean. I have to say i was impressed with the service attitude of its staff from the moment i stepped in. They seemed a jovial and happy lot unlike some other establishments where their staff seemed to have been placed there with a gun to their backs. When we entered, it was rather early, around 6.30 pm, and were quickly shown to a couple seat found hidden to the right corner of the restuarant. It came with a tv and simple cushioned seats, but was sufficient nonetheless. The service staff were also very attentive and i never had to raise my hand for a glass refill. Very impressive indeed, especially when the crowds started to appear, my glass was still filled! Talk about service. Bravo!
Manhattan Seafood Soup - The Manhattan seafood soup was surprisingly tasty and full bodied. A single scoop can easily net you a spoonful of fish meat, crab, scallops and even a little squid! For $4.90, this really surprised me as i was expecting something much less worthwhile. A good way to start the meal.
Fried Country Mushrooms - My gf told me this was a must try dish at the place and i must say, its really very good. I couldn't quite make out if the mushrooms were shiitake or small portebello mushrooms but they were really juicy when you bit into it. The fried layer of batter was thin and crispy, coupled with the juicy and soft mushroom, it was just a match-made in heaven. ($9.90)
Hot Fiery Action!!! - Ordering a seafood platter also gives you a small demonstration of what the staff would do to your face if you tried to flee without paying. Nah, just kidding. He's just torching the layer of mayonnaise and cooking the prawn.
Seafood Platter for Two - The main event. This monster really did us both in. Well, me anyway, since i did most of the eating. Worth mention is the rice which tasted a little like Hainan Chicken Rice and as with all things in this restuarant thus far, simply fitted in well with everything. There were 3 fried oysters, 4 scorched prawns, dozens of squid , 1 huge piece of fish fillet and loads of fries and rice. Couples on a diet? Stay away!! But honestly, this was really good and the portion much bigger then what you can get from F&C. The squid was fresh and had a sour taste that whet your appetite and really mixes well with the rice. The oysters tasted like the mushrooms mentioned above and was simply great. The fish was normal and lacked anything i could complain about except that it tasted like any other fish fillet. The prawn and scorched mayo deserve mention. Definitely eat the mayo with the rice, its really good, i wonder if we could ask for more mayo next time. And the prawn with mayo is great, i could complain a little about freshness but for the price, its pretty decent. ($29.90)
Total bill came up to $52.60. Reasonable given the quality of food and service. I'll be back for more on this place.
I like the place. Reasonable price. Big servings. Good food. Laid back atmosphere. Great service. Which is more than i can say for some insanely priced hotel outlets. This is one place thats filling on the tummy and easy on your wallet. Do swing by for a meal if you are in the vicinity and like fish.
Known for its slightly bigger than average servings and marketed as an authentic American dining place after its founder. I've personally had it quite a few times with different people but didn't really take pictures. So here's my first try at it when i went for a movie with my gf @ the Cathay because we skipped the Cathay Restaurant and opted for something less expensive. Sorry about the picture quality. Will bring my camera for real next time.
Mixed Grill - Billy bomber's mixed grill, though not as photogenic as the Jack's place (JP) rendition above won in terms of serving size and sheer ease of eating. The meats were all done pretty well and the best part was the lack of observable fats or bones much unlike the (JP) rendition. I liked the sausage which was pretty big for its price and the chicken was actually quite tender and nicely marinated. The lamb tasted a tad less fresh but i've never been a fan of lambchops. And the mashed potato beneath completed the meal well. I was satisfied (servings wise) for this rendition.
Fish And Chips - The fish and chips came in an even bigger serving then my mixed grill. 3 huge pieces of fish accompanied by sides of potato wedges and salad. I had a go at one piece of fish and loads of fries because my girl is a little on the "conservative and weight conscious" type. I felt the fish was average and a tad dry but the portion more than made up for it.
Bill: We paid $45 for all we had here. Quite reasonable if you ask me.
Simple western food at affordable prices. Still, its not really too special and falls under the generic category along with Jack's Place, Swensen's and the myriad of western food offerings out there.
It touts itself as being a place for steak and so i'd suppose the best it offers are its steak. For this review however, none of us ordered steak and so its a review on how good its other food tastes. Anyway, me a 2 other friends met up to swap some information and wanted to have Sakae Sushi, however, the queue really turned me off and so, the newly renovated Jack's Place was our stop.
Steak and Chicken(or Fish) Combo - This was had by my friend, Al, and from his reaction and comment. I'd say he liked it. Note that the steak was actually lamb steak and not beef. I didn't get to try it but Al said the steak was "tender and melts in my mouth". He was also pretty happy about the chicken(or fish) that came with it as he liked the black pepper sauce it came in.
Mixed Grill - This was what i had and i can't help but say how disappointed i was with this mixed grill. The portion was very small. Much smaller then whatever my friends ordered. Do not let the picture full you, its much smaller then it looks. The egg should be a good measurement since it managed to cover all the meat beneath which consisted on chicken and lamb. I couldn't find the beef no matter how i looked. The meat were fatty and boney which meant the portions were really small and totally not worth the money. The sauce was also too salty maybe because it was meant for a BIGGER portion? The only saving grace for this was the potato it came with. A comment by my fellow diner: "Wow! That's so much smaller a portion than i remember." And that just about sums it all up.
Grilled Salmon - only got one bite of this salmon but it was done pretty well. It was pan simmered and crispy on the outside yet juicy and succulent inside. The garlic managed to lessen the fishy taste and my friend liked it as well.
Bill: The meal came up to $70 for 3 pax.
Still, i would not recommend this place to anyone since its simply awful to serve the most expensive item, mixed grill, with so little. Its just a sin. Avoid!!
1=SGD 0.0587
There seems to be a growing trend of opening what used to be deemed more exclusive food (Italian, French etc) in food/hawker centres with competitive prices to boot. Ragazzi the Italian Kitchen is one such outlet to jump on the bandwagon to offer quality Italian food at coffeeshop prices.
Located at a rather obscure coffeeshop under a block of flats in the Ghim Moh estate, Ragazzi is owned and run by Gabriel Cher, ex chef-de partie of The Oriental's Dolce Vita (Interestingly, Dolce Vita serves Mediterranean food now, not Italian). Business was rather slow on a wet Saturday evening and one can only wonder if its the lack of publicity, wet weather or quality of food thats keeping the crowds at bay.
Zuppa alla Funghi - For $2.50 a pop, I certainly wasn't expecting much. But I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the soup was made from grounded mushrooms and onions, which was evident from the taste and texture. Only thing that could been improved was its thickness. It did come across as a little too watery but hey, its definitely value for money.
The bruschetta ($3) could have been good but was let down by a few factors. The good things first. Well toasted with the sides a little charred but soft and warm within. Now for the bad part. There was an way too much olive oil on the middle portion of the bread, which made it a little too soggy. Tomatoes on the top didn't look very fresh but did provide the necessary texture and zest.
Melanzane al Forno - I've never been a fan of eggplants and this wasn't about to change anything. The eggplant was a little too soft for my liking but I did like the layer of grilled cheese on top.
Carbonara ($7) - Being a cream based pasta lover, I naturally ordered the Carbonara to be on the safe side. The pasta was a tad too overcooked and the gravy did come across as a little too thick, rendering me nauseous after a while. However I would still say its very decent with the respectable bacon toppings and definitely better than anything pasta mania or the likes can whip up.
Del Bosco ($6) - As with the Carbonara, the Del Bosco's pasta was a tad too overcooked as well but what won me over were the sausages, which tasted thoroughly smoked but was a tad too salty. The tomato sauce wasn't outstanding, being average at best.
Tiramisu ($4.50) - I would be lying if I said that the Tiramisu was decent. To be honest, it was terrible. For one, the sponge fingers weren't soaked in Kahlua. It tasted more like fruit essence or something. Also, the mascarpone cheese was a little too dense and the whole thing was rather watery(water logged would have been appropriate too) at the bottom. It definitely didn't help that too much Cocoa powder was added as well.
All in all, a very filling dinner for 2 pax cost $27.50, which is very pricey by hawker standards but cheap by restaurant standards. Overall food quality is still decent so you might want to give this place a shot if you are craving for Italian food but not willing to fork out the dough for it.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Yet again, i brought my gf for dinner on this day. This time at a location much closer to home. This restaurant has been featured on television before for its unique location and quality of its food. The program raved about its food but i've never been a believer of commercial reviews so its more or less my own thoughts right here.
For starters, i liked the environment and the view. The location is quiet and though there were quite a few people there, it didn't come across as packed as there were plenty of leg space for everyone which is what i like.
(Bliss Special) Crab meat soup - My gf ordered a bliss special meal which consisted of a soup, main course and a dessert. All for $13.90 which was quite a shock for me as the price was rather low for what i envisioned to be a medium priced location. I was however, soon to realise why it could come at such a price.
The crab meat soup they served was not unlike the broth used in shark's fin soup. It had little pieces of carrot, radish, some crab meat and quite a bit of pepper. Nothing amazing but what do you expect for the price eh?
Stella Artois ($7.50) - Our drink for the day. A word of caution, the place DOES NOT SERVE cold water. So you MUST buy a drink. On further notice, i realise the place serves a pretty decent selection of wine, mostly old world wines at a pretty hefty price. If my memory serves me well, it does not serve wine by the glass. @ $7.50 a bottle, it does strike me as rather expensive for a simple beer but i may just be a miser. =P
Baked Seafood Rice ($14.90) - My main course of the day. It was a rather large serving so that earns it plus points. Beneath the thick layer of cheese contains 2 medium sized prawns, 2 huge mussels and assorted pieces of fish interlaced with the rice. Not to mention the 2 squid rings you see on top.
To be honest, i was rather excited when i got my dish. It smelled great and i love tomato based stuff, be it pasta or rice. And looking at the huge serving with the ingredients they offered just made my mouth water. However, it looks better then it tastes honestly, so that really disappointed me. Don't get me wrong, the rice was great and so was the cheese layer but the crucial part of its seafood just didn't quite cute it for me. The prawns were moderately fresh but the mussel and squid ring couldn't be called good which is such a waste considering the nicely done rice. Overall, this is passable but the seafood alone was not worth the money.
(Bliss Special) Smoked Salmon Pasta - Once again, the presentation of the dish is excellent. The serving of salmon it came with was quite generous i must say. However, the salmon didn't taste fresh yet again, just like the seafood in my baked rice. I would have really liked if they could give reasonably fresh seafood for their dishes, because the pasta tasted pretty well done as did the rice. Maybe the chef's specialty is actually in these instead of seafood? Because it sure tasted that way. The pasta was springy and had enough seasoning to make it taste slightly salty yet not overbearing. Needless to say, the pasta was finished but the salmon remained.
Tiramisu ($5.90) - This disappointed me to no end. I wanted a good dessert to end the rather mundane dinner offering but it just didn't do the dessert justice. The top layer was way too soft and watery as was the bottom layer. The rum soaked and completely destroyed the cake layer beneath and worse, the rum didn't taste like rum at all! This has got to be the worst tiramisu i've had thus far. Do NOT try it.
Not shown is my gf's dessert which is also equally bad. Mango ice cream from a really bad manufacturer i suspect. Not worth mentioning as well.
Total bill for 2 came up to $42.20
I like the place and the lack of service charge and GST. I also like the rice and spaghetti but the seafood really didn't do anything for me in the meal except make me sigh in disappointment. The dessert served was outrageously bad as well and the lack of iced water is simply a sin. Service was nice but difficult to get and given the bad seafood, the price to pay for this 'Blissful' meal simply wasn't worth it.
Rating given:
Nihon Mura or Japanese Village literally is located to the side of Tampines Swimming Complex. (Of all the places)
Decorations are pretty good with bamboos and teak taking the bulk of the ambiance but seat lay outs do tend to be on the crowded side during dinner.
The twist in Nihon Mura is their 99 cents sushi (2 per plate) and their stick ordering system.
The ordering system is quite unique in that all you have to do is collect sticks from the various counters containing your order and bring it back to your table. This includes everything from drinks to dessert to rice. The only exception are the sushi which you collect from the now familiar conveyor.
Sushi wise, the shop is nothing to shout about. I found the rice used of average quality and lacking in taste, some were also not packed properly so thats a few points off. Its still decent for its price mind you.
Having been there twice as of now. I'd say the service was very good. I ordered a beef bowl rice (sorry i forgot the name) which cost me about $10 but i couldn't taste the beef. I confirmed with my gf that its tastes more like Pork Liver then beef before i called the supervisor over to reason with him. When i told him to try, he promptly offered to change the dish for another beef rice bowl even though we have consumed close to half of the current bowl. The second bowl brought to us was newly made and cost lesser, this time, with the beef taste i so desire. Add the fact that the rice is served in a rock bowl which was heated, giving the rice a wok hei taste and you have a good experience.
The other item we had was the fried tofu which is a staple dish for me at any japanese outlet. Their rendition was good but somehow pales in comparison with Sakae's crispier skinned ones. Overall though, still a good Tofu.
Pan Fried Salmon (about $7) - only this dish was plainly a waste of money. Small, overly tough and lacking taste whasoever, something nobody should order regardless of the circumstance.
My experience at Nihon Mura is a mixed affair. Food wise, the place really isn;t much to shout about but services wise, i'm very impressed with the staff. Also, the beef rice is indeed very nice and fragrant. Which i heartily recommend.
Do try out the place for the kick of it. After all, 2 filling meals there cost me a total of $60.
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Located in Changi Airport Terminal 1, Popeyes is a simple fast food restuarant in the vein of Macdonalds and KFC. Given its location, one would deduce it to have a relatively short queue and waiting time. However, that would be grossly wrong since queues are generally LONG and waiting time will usually be about 20-25 minutes. Well, i hated queuing and i was there with my gf to just take a stroll, dinner here was more or less ad hoc.
I've always loved the cartoon Popeye the sailor man. I guess its all about muscles and who would have thought spinach gave you superhuman powers? Its just a really funny cartoon at the time and age. So the draw for this place was simply nostalgia for me as they had a corner doing constant reruns of the show. No spinach on the menu though.
Ok, this was the queue that greeted me which i joined to begin my 25 minute journey to the counter of friendly, tired staff and slow moving staff.
Fries - Nothing spectacular but it does have an additional herbish taste (maybe spinach?) that makes it taste slightly better than others. It did come across as a little too dry though.
Mashed Potato - The mashed potato came in a small serving thats only slightly bigger then KFC. The sauce however tasted better in my opinion as its less watery and less salty compared to KFC. The potato also had small chunks in it which i suspect is yam but i'm not too sure on that.
3 Piece Chicken Meal ($8.65) - Its called Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits so obviously, this should be its main draw. Its biscuit is nicely fragrant and warm which does differentiate it from usual fast food chains which give horrible tasting buns. The chicken was fried to a crisp and yet managed to maintain its juiciness unlike KFC which usually comes off as a tad dry or sometimes undercooked. The seasoning is not unlike its mashed potato sauce which made it fragrant with each bite. I like the fact that the chicken meat was firm and tender at the same time which was surprisingly uniform throughout the 3 different chicken parts. (Please note that requests for specific chicken parts result in a 50 cents charge each)
Seafood in a basket ($7.95) - For this meal which i ordered for my fish loving girl, we're actually quite torn about our opinions for it. I liked the fish and the shrimp because this was usually served piping hot unlike its "left to cool in warm container chicken". I felt the fish was tender and reasonably good tasting but she felt it was less tender nor fresh than other offerings. Also, she commented that the fish was fried after being taken out of the fridge which gave it a 'frozen' taste. The shrimp was relatively small and so is the serving. It was crunchy and like everything here, is full of batter and flour which may or may not appeal to everyone. For the shrimp, our debate is mostly on whether the crunchiness of it is chemically enhanced or naturally preserved. But you can't fault that it tastes better the way it is now.
Suggestions - Oooo...this piece of paper is so important. I'd only hope they take a look at the suggestions written into serious consideration. Firstly, they need to have another outlet. Secondly, they need more counters and faster serving staff. Thirdly, chicken parts should be given by request and not chargeable.
The queue when we left - Yes, this is the queue throughout our entire meal. It never quite diminished and i doubt it will reduce by much anytime soon. Management needs to look into this soon, for the customers sake and for their staffs sake.
In all honesty, this place isn't half bad. The chicken is actually better then KFC in many ways and tastes a notch above the other fast food chains. However, queuing and its location didn't really make me enjoy the experience much. The price was on par with about every other fast food restaurant (the meal cost $16.60) so the only weak links are its queues and its obscure location. Do try for yourself and find out if you like it.
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After our rather filling dinner @ Pow Sing Restuarant in the previous post, we proceeded to have dessert @ Icecube which was conveniently nearby. This is what we had.
Mudpie - I really can't remember what flavor this mudpie was. Thus i forgot the name as well. Terribly sorry. However, i remember it had caramel and a flavor reminiscent of peanuts. Smooth and quite fulfilling though a little too sweet.
Waffle with cookies and cream ice cream - I'd say the waffle is excellent. Definately try it. Its served warm and with the ice cream melting atop it. Tastes simply heavenly. Not to mention the ice cream is pretty good as well. You must try this.
Total for this came up to $20 as well. As a good place for dessert, its definitely worth a try and visit for the waffle alone.
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After our last visit to Peaberry & Pretzel some time back, my gf and I decided to head back to Sunset Way to try out Megumi Japanese Restaurant on the recommendations of some folks.
Located just a few doors down from Peaberry & Pretzel, Megumi's air conditioned interior is smallish, with the bulk of the seating capacity in the al fresco area outside. Notice that this means lunch here in the afternoon might mean a sweaty affair unless you get to sit inside.
Billed as the Megumi special roll, there was nothing really special about it in my humble opinion. It came across as your ordinary California Roll with crab sticks and Tamago in it. Not that the extra ingredients gave it much taste either. Lets just say it tasted like a slightly sweeter version of the California Roll. So much for the secrecy. One other bone I had was that the rice was a little too dry and could have been firmer.
Char Siew Ramen - Labeled a house specialty, the ramen was a let down honestly. The noodles were your normal egg noodles though of a more springy version whereas the Char Siew was a little too dry and tough. It certainly didn't help that the soup was a tad too salty as well.
Saikoro Steak Set - Another one of the house specialties except that this one actually tasted quite decent. The beef was a little overcooked but still retained enough of its juices, taste and texture to warrant a decent rating. However, I must mention that portions are small and not homogeneously cooked, as evident by the residual butter I detected on some pieces of beef.
Black Sesame Ice Cream - I'm not exactly a fan of black sesame ice cream so I am not in a position to comment if its good or not. But my gf seemed to like it quite a bit so I'm guessing it must be of a certain standard.
Fried Vanilla Ice Cream - This was probably what I liked the best of all the dishes that evening. Interestingly, the batter was a thicker version of the crispy yet light tempura batter and actually went quite good with the vanilla ice cream. Now something needs to be done about the quality of the ice cream though, which was really mediocre.
While $61 for 2 pax isn't unreasonably expensive for the food, it isn't exactly cheap either, considering that the food was merely average. One funny thing I discovered. The restaurant was actually playing Korean songs. How cool is that?
See all my pictures here
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Another entry in the budget food section, due in part to my ultimate lack of funds and the belief that there may be reasonably good food at a reasonable price. So, i met up with a good friend at Serangoon Garden for our much belated catch up session.
Located to the immediate carpark next to the bus interchange at Serangoon Gardens is this little restuarant. Its a pretty well known restaurant but there are many chicken rice stalls in Serangoon Gardens so it might be good to note that they all have their different niches which they cater for. Anyway, i worked in this area for 2 years so its natural for me to actually get a good feel for which chicken rice i actually like, and this is one of them.
Ah Char - This comes the moment you sit down but its not free mind you. I can't complain about the price since its only $1 and honestly, its a good appetizer for me since its sour and sweet at the same time.
Chicken Portion for Two - The chicken portion which they gave for the two of us. The meat is fragrant and tender which i felt was important for a good plate of chicken rice. I didn't quite like the fat beneath the skin so its a good thing there wasn't too much of that. I also liked the fact that i didn't have to pick through bones for the meat and a good point to note is that the serving managed to fund my friend through 2 bowls of rice and me through mine.
Crispy Nonya Tou Fu - I was telling everyone this was the must-have dish at this place. The Tou Fu is absolutely soft and melts in your mouth on the inside and crispy on the outside. Its always hot and warm even to the last piece and the sauce it came with definately helps to make the dish even more delectable. I can't quite make out the sauce but i suppose it tastes like a cross between oyster sauce and tian jiang (sweet sauce).
Chicken Rice - One thing i always look for in chicken rice is that it must not be too oily. And Pow Sing does it just right. Its possible to enjoy the rice without feeling too guilty about it afterwords because unlike other run-of-the-mill chicken rice elsewhere, its chicken rice is fragrant yet not oily, tasty yet not overwhelming.
Well, the meal only cost us about $10 a person. So its really rather cheap. If you came for a packet of chicken rice, it only costs between $3-$4 for a rather huge packet so i'd say its good value for money.
Since this isn't exactly a posh eating place, there's no need to judge certain criteria like service and ambience. Its still a decent eating place for simple a non-oily chicken rice at a decent price. Do give it a try if you are there.
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I was actually introduced to this place by my gf because she is a fish lover. So we made our way down to try it on a nice couple date, 7th July 2007 (07072007). Contrary to its name, the Manhattan Fish Market (MFM) franchise actually originated from Malaysia in 2002 and its first outlet in Singapore is the one situated at Plaza Singapura. The first thing this restuarant brings to mind is its direct competitor, Fish & Co (F&C), which has been in Singapore for a far longer time than MFM. So how does its food really fare, you know the drill by now. Read On!
For serving only fish, the menu does contain a pretty good selection of items ranging from fish to mushrooms to squid and all manner of friendlies from the ocean. I have to say i was impressed with the service attitude of its staff from the moment i stepped in. They seemed a jovial and happy lot unlike some other establishments where their staff seemed to have been placed there with a gun to their backs. When we entered, it was rather early, around 6.30 pm, and were quickly shown to a couple seat found hidden to the right corner of the restuarant. It came with a tv and simple cushioned seats, but was sufficient nonetheless. The service staff were also very attentive and i never had to raise my hand for a glass refill. Very impressive indeed, especially when the crowds started to appear, my glass was still filled! Talk about service. Bravo!
Manhattan Seafood Soup - The Manhattan seafood soup was surprisingly tasty and full bodied. A single scoop can easily net you a spoonful of fish meat, crab, scallops and even a little squid! For $4.90, this really surprised me as i was expecting something much less worthwhile. A good way to start the meal.
Fried Country Mushrooms - My gf told me this was a must try dish at the place and i must say, its really very good. I couldn't quite make out if the mushrooms were shiitake or small portebello mushrooms but they were really juicy when you bit into it. The fried layer of batter was thin and crispy, coupled with the juicy and soft mushroom, it was just a match-made in heaven. ($9.90)
Hot Fiery Action!!! - Ordering a seafood platter also gives you a small demonstration of what the staff would do to your face if you tried to flee without paying. Nah, just kidding. He's just torching the layer of mayonnaise and cooking the prawn.
Seafood Platter for Two - The main event. This monster really did us both in. Well, me anyway, since i did most of the eating. Worth mention is the rice which tasted a little like Hainan Chicken Rice and as with all things in this restuarant thus far, simply fitted in well with everything. There were 3 fried oysters, 4 scorched prawns, dozens of squid , 1 huge piece of fish fillet and loads of fries and rice. Couples on a diet? Stay away!! But honestly, this was really good and the portion much bigger then what you can get from F&C. The squid was fresh and had a sour taste that whet your appetite and really mixes well with the rice. The oysters tasted like the mushrooms mentioned above and was simply great. The fish was normal and lacked anything i could complain about except that it tasted like any other fish fillet. The prawn and scorched mayo deserve mention. Definitely eat the mayo with the rice, its really good, i wonder if we could ask for more mayo next time. And the prawn with mayo is great, i could complain a little about freshness but for the price, its pretty decent. ($29.90)
Total bill came up to $52.60. Reasonable given the quality of food and service. I'll be back for more on this place.
I like the place. Reasonable price. Big servings. Good food. Laid back atmosphere. Great service. Which is more than i can say for some insanely priced hotel outlets. This is one place thats filling on the tummy and easy on your wallet. Do swing by for a meal if you are in the vicinity and like fish.
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Known for its slightly bigger than average servings and marketed as an authentic American dining place after its founder. I've personally had it quite a few times with different people but didn't really take pictures. So here's my first try at it when i went for a movie with my gf @ the Cathay because we skipped the Cathay Restaurant and opted for something less expensive. Sorry about the picture quality. Will bring my camera for real next time.
Mixed Grill - Billy bomber's mixed grill, though not as photogenic as the Jack's place (JP) rendition above won in terms of serving size and sheer ease of eating. The meats were all done pretty well and the best part was the lack of observable fats or bones much unlike the (JP) rendition. I liked the sausage which was pretty big for its price and the chicken was actually quite tender and nicely marinated. The lamb tasted a tad less fresh but i've never been a fan of lambchops. And the mashed potato beneath completed the meal well. I was satisfied (servings wise) for this rendition.
Fish And Chips - The fish and chips came in an even bigger serving then my mixed grill. 3 huge pieces of fish accompanied by sides of potato wedges and salad. I had a go at one piece of fish and loads of fries because my girl is a little on the "conservative and weight conscious" type. I felt the fish was average and a tad dry but the portion more than made up for it.
Bill: We paid $45 for all we had here. Quite reasonable if you ask me.
Simple western food at affordable prices. Still, its not really too special and falls under the generic category along with Jack's Place, Swensen's and the myriad of western food offerings out there.
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It touts itself as being a place for steak and so i'd suppose the best it offers are its steak. For this review however, none of us ordered steak and so its a review on how good its other food tastes. Anyway, me a 2 other friends met up to swap some information and wanted to have Sakae Sushi, however, the queue really turned me off and so, the newly renovated Jack's Place was our stop.
Steak and Chicken(or Fish) Combo - This was had by my friend, Al, and from his reaction and comment. I'd say he liked it. Note that the steak was actually lamb steak and not beef. I didn't get to try it but Al said the steak was "tender and melts in my mouth". He was also pretty happy about the chicken(or fish) that came with it as he liked the black pepper sauce it came in.
Mixed Grill - This was what i had and i can't help but say how disappointed i was with this mixed grill. The portion was very small. Much smaller then whatever my friends ordered. Do not let the picture full you, its much smaller then it looks. The egg should be a good measurement since it managed to cover all the meat beneath which consisted on chicken and lamb. I couldn't find the beef no matter how i looked. The meat were fatty and boney which meant the portions were really small and totally not worth the money. The sauce was also too salty maybe because it was meant for a BIGGER portion? The only saving grace for this was the potato it came with. A comment by my fellow diner: "Wow! That's so much smaller a portion than i remember." And that just about sums it all up.
Grilled Salmon - only got one bite of this salmon but it was done pretty well. It was pan simmered and crispy on the outside yet juicy and succulent inside. The garlic managed to lessen the fishy taste and my friend liked it as well.
Bill: The meal came up to $70 for 3 pax.
Still, i would not recommend this place to anyone since its simply awful to serve the most expensive item, mixed grill, with so little. Its just a sin. Avoid!!
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