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Endoh Taiki's Reviews

    1011. Gelare (Hougang Mall)   
       05 Mar 2008 at 3:48 pm
    claud claud says:

    1/2 Price Tuesday! So 1/2 the menu and service too?

    Felt like having waffles yesterday so I met my girlfriend for dinner at Gelare. The last time I went, the mushroom cream pasta was pretty shiok. But yesterday our experience was in fact, very bad.

    This outlet at Hougang Mall is pretty small and getting a table for 4 wasn't easy. After 20mins of waiting outside, finally we got our table. They've now improved on their menu and there were many choices that looks quite good. Since we were there for the waffles and pasta, we didn't get distracted. We wrote our orders on the order sheet provided at every table and went to the cashier to place our order.

    While waiting in the queue, I realised that the ice cream choice we wanted wasn't available. And thus I tried to remember whatever that's there and walked back to the table to check with my friends. By then, I've already forgotten 80% of the choices available. Had to walk all the way back to check again and then back to the table to change our orders. Statisfied with our choice of ice cream for our waffles, we got back to the queue and when its our turn, the cashier told us that they had run out of mushroom cream pasta!!! (They could have indicated somewhere or inform us when they cleared the table right?) My friend had to walk back to our table and check what we want to change our pasta to, and then we changed our order AGAIN and joined the queue AGAIN!

    We ended walking back and forth for about 5 times before we placed our orders with the cashier!

    Our pasta was served first and one look at it I lost my appetite. We ordered tomato seafood pasta, the pasta looked pathetic with the little amount of sauce that only managed to cover 1/3 of the pasta for mine and 1/2 of the pasta for my friends'. We were too hungry to complain and so we just went ahead with what was given.

    After our pasta, we stayed to chat while waiting for the waffles which was finally served after more than 30 mins! We did indicate to serve our waffles later, aka after we're done with our pasta, but not till that late.

    Very disappointed about yesterday's experience. Guess I'll just forget about the pasta and just go for their waffles the next time.


    Rating given:Rating: 2 out of 5Rating: 2 out of 5Rating: 2 out of 5Rating: 2 out of 5Rating: 2 out of 5

    1012. Gelare (CityLink Mall)   
       05 Mar 2008 at 3:09 pm
    Category: Desserts
    Kilkenny Kilkenny says:

    The infamous Gelare Tuesdays, the only time of the week when you get waffles at half price. Sounds good doesn't it? Except you can expect to wait for eons for your waffles to be served.

    We waited for a good 40 minutes before our simple waffle with two scoops of ice-cream got served.

    If they couldn't keep up with the service standard, or to train their staffs to politely inform us of a possible long wait, they might as well not try stunts like this. It only serves to stain their brand name.

    And I totally agree with Polarbear above, no free water is a bad move. It's the little perks that keep customers coming back, and the little irks that keep them away.


    Rating given:Rating: 1 out of 5Rating: 1 out of 5Rating: 1 out of 5Rating: 1 out of 5Rating: 1 out of 5

       05 Mar 2008 at 10:57 am
    Category: Fast Food
    feizhu feizhu says:

    Arnold's Chicken? What's that? Thoughts of yet another generic deep fried chicken stall flashed across my mind when my friend brought it up. When informed that it was a rather famous outlet selling chicken that rivaled Popeye's and beat KFC's hands down, I embarked on a trip with my gf that very same day to verify the claims.

    Located on the 2nd floor of City Plaza, the main outlet of Arnold's is tucked away in a rather obscure corner and very much resembles a fast food joint except that they do take and serve orders at your table. Please note that you still pay at the counter though.

    We had the 2 person combo meal, which consisted of 5 pieces of chicken, potato fries, 1 regular coleslaw, 2 buns and 2 soft drinks. The highlight was of course the chicken, which was very crispy on the outside with a tinge of herbs yet tender and moist on the inside. And the best part was, it didn't have the used oil aftertaste that usually came along with KFC chickens. The coleslaw was also quite a refreshing change from the funny tasting and smelling ones that KFC serves. Even my gf who dislikes coleslaw commented so. The buns were way too oily though, being deep fried in oil and the fries really tasted like frozen fries that had been deep fried.

    $18.10 for the above is rather pricey actually, especially when you can get the exact same stuff at KFC for about $5 less. Quality wise, no thoughts of comparison between Arnold's and KFC should even cross your mind because there is simply no competition. Unfortunately, location wise, KFC is a clear winner.

    See all my pictures here


    Rating given:Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5

    1014. Montreux Bistro   
       04 Mar 2008 at 11:32 pm
    Category: Deli and Cafe
    feizhu feizhu says:

    The vibrant dining scene of East Coast/Upper East Coast road has a new entrant - a small bistro by the name of Montreux. Its not exactly new to the East Coast area per se, with a small cafe going by the same name and owned by the same person operating out of the basement of Siglap Centre. The cafe only sells cakes and desserts though, while the bistro serves up appetisers and mains as well.

    Partially hidden from view in a tiny shophouse just 2 units down from NTUC, Montreux's interior is simple, uncluttered and very "cafeish". Its really tiny though, probably maxing out at about 20 customers or so.

    Complimentary Bread - The bread, though served warm, was at best forgettable. But no one complains of free bread especially when they are starving.

    The soup of the day - Beef Goulash. Tangy with a hint of spice and a few chunks of beef, something which I certainly didn't expect from a low cost set dinner soup. It was a tad too watery though.

    Bangers & Mash - Okay this hardly qualifies as bangers and mash although technically there's nothing wrong with it. Correct me if I am wrong though, but isn't bangers and mash suppose to come with huge sausages and not the teeny weeny ones you can get off the shelves from some supermart? However, having said that, its best to keep in mind that we are talking about a $12.90 set dinner here so I guess that kinda puts things into perspective. Just for the record, the sausages weren't great, average at best.

    Half Spring Chicken - The half spring chicken was rather smallish but decent enough. Served up with a piece of overfried rosti, it was a tad dry (probably a little overcooked) with a light herb taste.

    Hazelnut Cake - The cake had to be the highlight of the set dinner, or the entire meal for that matter. Smooth hazelnut and sponge sitting atop a nice crunchy wafer base. A very nice nutty taste. It did seem a tad too dry though. Also, only half a slice of cake was served, making portions really small.

    Espresso Brownie - Our waiter recommended this and after the positive experience with the hazelnut cake, I had fairly high expectations of it. And it was quite good with molten chocolate atop and the cake a tad chewy and not too dry. However, I couldn't quite make out any taste of espresso at all. Montreux might want to consider adding more espresso into the mix or renaming the brownie?

    2 set dinners plus an extra dessert cost $36, which certainly isn't expensive. Generally mains are average but desserts are better. If they could improve the quality of their mains, I'm sure Montreux Bistro will be a success, especially when service is good as well. On a side note, I've not tried anything from their ala carte menu because the items in it do seem rather expensive, which means that my review might not be entirely fair.

    See all my pictures here


    Rating given:Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5

    1015. The Singapore Flyer   
       03 Mar 2008 at 4:36 pm
    claud claud says:

    I had a chance to take a ride on the Singapore Flyer before it was officially opened to public. I was very very excited and was looking forward to the flight. I was there at night and as it was not open to public yet, there wasn't much people there. The flyer was lighted in blue neon color at night and gives a very dreamy feeling at night.

    Everyone has to pass through a security check, like at the customs, before entering the boarding area. To get to the flyer itself takes abit of walking and couple of escalator. And before stepping onto the boarding platform, everyone will enter into a mock up of the capsule where photos will be taken. ($15 for the first photo, $10 for subsequent copies.) This photo is supposed to be superimposed into the back drop and show as if we took it while riding on the Singapore Flyer. You can buy the photo after the flight with the magnetic tag passed to you at the mock up photo taking area.

    Finally we saw the capsule! Boarding the capsule can be rather tricky. It continues to move as everyone rushed up to get into the capsule before the boarding period passes. I wonder if they carter for handicaps entrance. Probably they'll have to stop the moving flyer for such boardings. The capsule was not as big as I’d imagined. 24 of us standing around the capsule already seemed rather packed and it was rather warm inside the capsule. Can't imagine hot hot it might be in the day when the sun is above.

    The view from the top of the capsule was magnificent. You get to see the beautiful skyline from high above. It's recommended that you move around the capsule and enjoy the entire 360-degree view. If you are planning to take photos, its advisable to bring a tripod and set it up before you're 1/4 way up the flight. The glass used isn't suitable for photo taking with flash. So you'll have to have very steady hands or use flash and missed out the beautiful backdrop in the background of your photo.

    I'll probably return for another flight when the construction of Marina Bay is complete. Now only one side has got good view.


    Rating given:Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5

       03 Mar 2008 at 4:36 pm
    Category: Mexican, Steakhouses
    claud claud says:

    The first impression I got when I stepped into the cafe is the use of bright colors and 2 huge Jalapeno plushie on display at the capsule display near the entrance. There's a row of booth seats thats great for big group gatherings. Very cosy place to chill out and enjoy the night with friends.

    As I was there for an event, I didn't get to take a look at their menu. Everyone was served a sampler plate with fried calamari, wedges, soft burrito and some jalapeno-liked thing with stuffings. I like the fried calamari as it was tasty and crispy. Would surely order this if I go back again. And the jalapeno was as flavorful, not sure wat's inside the stuffing thou as I was too hungry to slowly taste and analyzes them.

    Perhaps Yebbers can arrange a gathering there? Hmm...


    Rating given:Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5

    1017. Seasons Reasons   
       03 Mar 2008 at 4:35 pm
    Category: Fusion
    claud claud says:

    Seasons Reasons was featured on TV a few times and finally I got a chance to settle for lunch one day. The place is hidden at a corner and easily missed if one isn't noticing. The place can hold about 30-40 pax and is simply decorated with white tables and chairs. Good place for quick meal but not so comfortable for chilling out with friends.

    The choice of food is quite small, and I settled with something special that day. I ordered the Spicy Spaghetti Goreng
    Topped with Mussels & Shrimps @ $13.90 and a glass of Orange Spice. When the spaghetti was served, the smell of Tom Yum filled my senses. I was attracted to it and wanted to deep my fork in it as fast as I could. The presentation was enticing too. The color makes it appealing enough for even my friend who came later to order the same dish. After my first taste of it, I knew immediately I'll return for more if I've the chance. The spaghetti is cooked with some spice that resembles those used in Tom Yum. Very fragrance and nice. Shrimps were plentiful and the mussels were fresh. Serving is big enough to fill any hungry man/woman. Yummilicious pasta!


    Rating given:Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5

    1018. Waffletown   
       03 Mar 2008 at 4:35 pm
    Category: American, Desserts
    claud claud says:

    After hearing about Waffletown from His Food Blog in the shoutbox, I went there to give it a try since I was around the vicinity. The place looks very retro and brings back memory of the A&W days, without the big brown bear wearing the orange top. There were many students when we arrived. Half of them eating cup noodles! Strangely, waffletown is more like a cafeteria that serves other kind of food other than waffles and fried chicken.

    As recommended, I ordered the Strawberry Ala Mode Waffles. The waffles are rectangle and topped with real strawberries, whipped cream and a scoop of ice cream of choice. I've to agree that the waffles is simply divine! I fell in love at first bite! I'm craving for their waffles now! *drooools*

    I also tried their fried chicken set that comes with whipped potato and coslaw. Quite disappointing with this one thou. The chicken was rather small and there's nothing special about it. Arnold's chicken is much more yummy lah. So Wafflestown is just for waffles huh.


    Rating given:Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5

    1019. Chewy Junior (Bugis)   
       03 Mar 2008 at 4:34 pm
    Category: Bakeries
    claud claud says:

    Had passed by Chewy Juniors couple of time when I was at Bugis Junction, but the queue was long most of the time. When I saw that there wasn't any queue one day, I bought a box of 6 to try. There were quite a number of choices and I settled with the more common ones. Couple of toppings worth mentioning is the Strawberry Cheesecake and Blueberry Cheesecake. I like the blend of sweetness and sourness from the cheese.

    Chewy Juniors is almost like a combination of donuts and cream puff. With an almost crispy outside and soft chewy inside. Toppings just gave the puff more texture and taste. Can give it a try if you're craving for something sweet.


    Rating given:Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5

       03 Mar 2008 at 4:34 pm
    claud claud says:

    After reading the two very different takes on this place, I went last week to try it out myself. The place looks very different from how I'd pictured it. It was nicely done up and looks very appealing. When I was there around 5.30pm, there were already 2 families ordering in the restaurant. One thing I've to agree with Lucardia is that the photos in the menu really did make the food look more appealing than it really was. And I've also spotted the reason why the above reviews were so different. They've actually changed their menu after genesis review and before Lucardia went. They'd also increased their pricing! I suspect that they've changed the cook too.

    Anyway, since I was already there, we went ahead to order. I ordered a medium-rare Cumin-rubbed Sirloin Steak @ $12.90, my bf ordered a medium done Sizzling Sirloin with blackpepper sauce @ $10.90. The Gratinated half mussels, @ $6.90, looked interesting so we ordered it too. For drinks, we had a sarsi float @ $3 and a mocha latte ice blended @ $5.

    The wait for the food took alittle too long since there wasn't much people around. While waiting, our drinks came and they gave us a complimentary basket of chips. This chip tasted like some Hari Raya goodies. They should probably just use potato chips instead. The mocha latte was badly done. It was too diluted and didn't taste like mocha latte at all. Sarsi float was alright since its just normal soda with ice cream.

    Soon, our steak came, before the starters (or tapas as they'd called it). It didn't look as appealing as seen on the photos in the menu, but still the smell was pretty good. When I cut into my steak, the steak was overcooked to medium done instead of my medium-rare. It was too tough and the layer of fats was pretty big as compared to the rest I'd seen elsewhere. Taste wise, its nothing to rave about. Soon my bf's sizzling sirloin came. And guess what! His was cooked to medium-rare! Bravo! They'd mixed up our steak! We ended up eating the other's order instead since he's not a fan of bloody steak. The blackpepper sauce was pretty good as compared to the cumin one.

    The mussels were the best catch for us that day. Interesting taste with the toppings, which tasted like cheese and some flakes-like toppings.

    Before we left, the person on duty told us that the restaurant is there to serve the community. All the earnings from the restaurants actually goes back to charity and to help the needy. It's under the management of Jeewa Ltd and incooperation with Jamiyah Singapore.

    Overall, the experience at J's Wok and Grill was quite a disappointment. Considering we actually drove around Bedok just to find the place.


    Rating given:Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5Rating: 3 out of 5

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