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Endoh Taiki's Reviews

    521. Everything With Fries   
       18 Sep 2009 at 10:06 pm
    Category: Deli and Cafe
    feizhu feizhu says:

    It's interesting how eateries are named nowadays. Some allude to hidden references while others, like Everything with Fries, tells you straight up what to expect from the restaurant. Indulge in my lameness for a bit as I can't help but think that this cafe's name is in response to the "Would you like fries with that?" question. HAHA.

    The eatery's stark white facade cuts a contrasting impression amongst the faded walls of its neighbours along Joo Chiat Road. Wait staff in pink tops and white shorts add to the overall "uplifting" ambience of the place. There is the problem of cramp spaces though. We got a seat next to the walkway and every time someone walked past, they had to squeeze their way in. Imagine someone's butt scraping past your table when you are eating. Definitely not a pleasant prospect.

    Egg Soup - Apparently a signature and the only soup available on the menu, the one egg soup was essentially chicken broth with a slightly creamy texture and a sourish hint. The accompanying portion of deep fried whisked egg tasted a little like french toast sans the bread. Rather appetising I must say, especially with the addition of ground pepper.

    Grilled Pork Chop - The pork chop's seasoning was quite good but probably a wee bit too flavourful for my liking. Grilling imbued it with a nice smoky taste but unfortunately the meat came across as a little too dry. And as the name of the eatery suggests, it came with a choice from a selection of fries (original, curry, salt and vinegar, sour cream and onion, garlic and herbs) as well as a salad, to balance out all that unhealthy stuff. I'm not too sure the fries were that fantastic though, nothing like my favourite fries from New York Fries.

    Cheeseburger - My initial reaction upon seeing the burger was one of mild shock. The beef patty was probably only the size of 1.5 Macdonald patties, which is really quite small. Size aside, the texture of the patty was rather uneven, which probably means that it hasn't been machine processed. But I would have liked it a little juicier. The bun is purportedly made from scratch and I must say that I enjoyed it quite a bit. Light without being too dense and mildly sweet with a coating of butter, pan fried till lightly charred on the surface - very good!

    Pear Tart - The nutella tart was sold out so we had to settle for the pear tart with an additional scoop of ice cream ( $1.80), which tasted suspiciously like Wall's ice cream. This dessert was a poor attempt at a tart in my humble opinion. The crust was suppose to be flaky but turned out rather elastic. And its a little odd if pear slices don't taste like pear. Overall still edible but don't expect much.

    Dessert and cramp spaces aside, I must say that the meal was quite enjoyable, especially with the relatively economical price tag and chirpy service. I would definitely make it a point to return, but in the meantime, they might want to take a look into their table arrangement.

    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

    522. Yuan   
       18 Sep 2009 at 5:09 pm
    Category: Fashion
    Bobo Bobo says:

    For the first time in many years, I ventured into Far East Plaza, known for its very fashionable stores and their wares. I hardly shop there as the clothes are rarely my style and I'm the sort to look for clothing suitable for work.

    I stumbled onto this tiny shop tucked away on the entrance level (3rd floor). Small as it was it had plenty hanging on its racks. I took up some of the dresses and was amazed at the quality of the material used. The seams are also well done and the lining for each dress was well sewn.

    My excited friend and I spent 3 hours at this shop trying on about 30 pieces of clothing. The salesgirl never once showed a face and volunteered more pieces to try. She gave her honest opinion when some dresses didn't fit too well and tried her best to understand our style, thus not pushing every single piece of clothing to us.

    When some of the pieces we liked had an odd button or feature we didn't quite like, she offered to have them removed or altered for free. Any alteration (even tightening of waist areas) was offered for free. If it only required a shortening, it could be done immediately even.

    What I liked most was the good quality for a reasonable price. One dress cost about $79 and cost me less than $70 after discount. I washed the dress when I got home and it didn't even require any ironing. Just hang straight and drip dry.

    Another top I got cost $34 initially. The salesgirl noticed that there were some makeup stains on the white collar and she took the initiative to look for a new piece even when I didn't notice the stain. Then as there weren't any more pieces, she brought me a black one and told me that I still wanted the white one she would send it to the laundry and have it cleaned for free. How's that for service? That's not all. I told her that I could not afford the time to come down again any time soon and asked for a discount so that I could bring it to the laundromat myself. They agreed and let me have the blouse for $26 with an $8 discount which can easily cover the costs of having it washed.

    When we left, it was really late and most of the shops at FEP were closed but they were still all smiles and actually called us by name. It's no wonder I saw a number of Tai-tais buying a large number of clothing from them within the time I was there!

    I'm planning to go again!


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

    523. Crystal Jade Palace   
       14 Sep 2009 at 10:52 pm
    feizhu feizhu says:

    I had always been under the impression that Crystal Jade Palace and Crystal Jade Golden Palace were one and the same restaurant. But a chance dining encounter at Crystal Jade Palace some weeks back proved otherwise.

    Like its equally upscale sibling, Crystal Jade Palace boasts a tastefully designed interior that oozes contemporary Chinese chic at its store in Ngee Ann City. And what's surprising is that amidst the recession, the place was packed to the rafters by about 8pm. And you would think that such an upscale Chinese restaurant would see a decline in patronage.

    Double Boiled Shark Bone Soup - The restaurant's shark bone soup was honestly not my cup of tea. It came across as way too milky for my liking and rather bland. And the sticking point was the thick layer of residue it left on my tongue.

    Roasted Pork Belly - I'm a sucker for roasted pork belly and this one had crackling crisp skin above proportionately lean meat that wasn't too dry or salty. I would have loved to have seconds if not for my very strained wallet.

    Roast Duck - The roast duck's skin wasn't crisp and there was a lingering fowl taste. Decent nonetheless but I've had way better and definitely not worth the 18 bucks.

    Broccoli with Crab Roe - Tasty but the gravy was a little too starchy which made me nauseous after a bit. However, the serving of crab meat was generous and the broccoli, cooked just right, which more then made up for it. Best eaten with rice.

    Deep Fried Ice Cream - Overinflated best describes the deep fried ice cream, which had a thin hot air inflated crust that looked and tasted like what you would find in goreng pisang. And within that crust lay a scoop of peach flavoured ice cream that seemed to be melting at an exponential speed. Decent.

    Durian Pudding - Durian shreds embedded within smooth and chilled pudding that promised a glimpse of the real mccoy. What's not to like? However I prefer puree or real durian flesh anytime.

    Dinner for 2 crossed the century mark at about $106. I am not sure that the quality of food commands such a high price tag and I definitely favour Golden Palace over this, even with the not too recent disappointment. Service is generally good but I sure didn't like the idea of sitting only about 30cm away from the next table.

    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

    524. 15 Minutes   
       10 Sep 2009 at 10:44 pm
    Category: Deli and Cafe
    feizhu feizhu says:

    Many of us go in search for our 15 minutes of fame in life and apparently you can get your 15 minutes in a newly opened cafe which goes by the name of 15 minutes. And with a tagline like Friends, Food, Fame, it doesn't leave much to the imagination.

    The cafe is nestled within the premises of the modernly funky Lasalle and sports a certain chic and youthful vibe with its soaring windows that offer a view of the edgy campus and of course the stage where you are allowed your 15 minutes of fame. The cafe also has a rather interesting concept whereby upon placing your order, an RF device is allocated to you, which vibrates and emit red flashes to inform you that your food is ready for collection.

    Kaya Muffin - Apparently the kaya muffin has been well raved about in the media but given what I had, I wasn't quite sure the muffin deserved the hype. Spongy but a little too dry with a funny smell. There was kaya in the center but I don't think it tastes any different from the ones I get in a tub at the supermarket. Overall a very mediocre muffin that I would expect to grab from any generic neighbourhood confectionery.

    Chicken Avacado Linguine - The name of the dish intrigued me for I never had avacado with pasta before, especially with a cream based sauce. I was mildly disappointed though as it really didn't taste out of the ordinary. Sure, I could see little greenish blobs of avacado in the sauce but that's about it. Nothing special. Did I mention that the sauce was overly creamy and the pasta a wee bit too soft for my liking?

    Banoffee - 15 minutes had a different take on this classic English dessert. There was no pastry or cream, just solid bananas in a toffee mixture with lots of crushed biscuits. Interesting but can be a little too dry and sticky.

    I don't quite fancy the food but prices aren't expensive and I love the youthful exuberance the place emanates. Makes me feel young all over again. Now that's reason enough to go back, don't you think so?

    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

    525. Bonitochico   
       05 Sep 2009 at 3:16 pm
    Bobo Bobo says:

    I visit MANY online blogshops and this is definitely one of my faves.

    There are SOOOooO many reasons why!

    They update often. About twice a week.

    Packages arrive well-packed and are prompt. I have not experienced any delays. I also have not gotten any defected pieces from them despite buying from almost every collection.

    Each update is done by a different owner. They have 3 owners who all have different tastes and different styles! So the great part is that each update has its own style and there'll be something to suit everyone!

    Prices are very reasonable and the quality is good! However, there are one or two pieces which have to be handwashed and I'm soooo lazy.

    The owners are very friendly. And on top of that they are customer-oriented. Payments had to be done within 24 hours. But there was once when my pet was very ill and I had to bring my pet to the doctor they were very understanding and waited for me! They even asked about my pet after. :) So sweet right?

    They were even featured in the Straits Times National Day edition!


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

       05 Sep 2009 at 2:49 pm
    Category: Nail Salons
    Bobo Bobo says:

    If I can give this place less than 1 star I would.

    My sister bought a package at this place 2 months ago but she didn't go for her manicure/pedicure. She figured that it's very near our home and my mom and I can use it which is why she bought the package. The package cost $800 and consisted of 12 full manicures and pedicures and some disinfecting balls.

    Last week, I went, thinking that I deserved to relax. I sat down and the lady, Cecilia, started to work on my legs. Just minutes into scrubbing my feet, she started to sell me a special treatment which is suppose to be good for removing corns, which she claimed I had. I have been to so many salons and no one said that I had this problem. But anyway the treatment costs $200 and I wasn't sure if it was good so I refused.

    Then with cream on my feet and stuff, she started hard-selling. She refused to continue, saying that if I top up my current package to the one with the corn treatment she can do it right away so that I can experience it right now. THE TOP UP COSTS $2000 ! And that was on top of my current $800 package! I couldn't budge cos my feet were dirty and she refused to continue, though she remained polite all the way. Finally when I said loudly I didn't want because I didn't have the cash for it she continued... not before insisting that I do the $20 scrub. I was so sick of her ranting then I agreed to the $20 scrub.

    After having everything painted and my nail art done, I sat at the counter to have my nails dried... then Cecilia came back with a "MORE ATTRACTIVE" package which she claims that I can pay by instalments. She insisted that MY credit card can pay by instalments. Then came the 45 min lecture on why I should take up the package etc... More and more staff came to hound me.

    Finally I relented. Only because I know my mom had a corn problem and I thought she could really use it. To say the truth... I was on the verge of tears. I kept saying no... kept saying that I needed time to think about it because it was so expensive... but they surrounded me and kept going on about it.

    We went to the machine to pay by instalments... AND IT DIDN'T APPROVE! Can you imagine how embarrassed I felt when they said that loudly? It wasn't even my fault! Then they hounded me more and I paid a deposit of $400 for the package.

    Only then did they let me go. The whole process... wasted 3 hours of my time. Have you ever had a 3-hour pedicure? Nope not even with a manicure.

    When I was standing there making payment... I saw them do the same thing to an older lady. They hounded her.. until she was so irritated she pulled out her wallet, tipped it over to show that she didn't have any cash on her and didn't bring her cards. After that they left her alone... and I really mean alone as in there wasn't ANYONE serving her at all. They just left her there for about 20 minutes choosing colours and preparing her feet at all.

    ** the aftermath:

    After leaving, I came to my senses. And I realised that they would hard-sell me, my mom and my sister things every time we went... I realised that I CANNOT take up that package. I went back and argued. The $400 cannot be refunded (which I expected) but it is now a credit on the old package which can be used for other things. After the package is up.. I WILL NEVER go back there again.

    BTW, my nail polish chipped in 4 days. Faster than if I painted it myself. Sigh.


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

    527. Tao’s   
       25 Aug 2009 at 10:31 pm
    Category: Fusion
    Bobo Bobo says:

    After hearing SOOOOoOoo much about Tao's for such a long time, I finally had the chance to step into Tao's! I was so excited.

    Parking wasn't too much of a problem at Selegie Centre... however 3 hours cost us $10 . If it weren't raining so heavily when we arrived I reckon we would have parked elsewhere. The parking area was a little hard to find but easy (for the driver) to work her way about.

    Because it was a weekday and it was just after lunch @ 2pm, the place was empty!! *happiness* We did make reservations though. I was told by my friend that reservations are a must if you wanted a weekend lunch/dinner.

    They charge $19.80 (or was it $19.90) for a 6 course set lunch. I shan't dwell on the system they have here since everyone's talked about it.

    We just went about picking whatever we liked from the menu.

    I shall only comment on those I did taste. :)

    Food ordered:
    Bacon & Mushroom Gratin, served with Toasted Bread
    This is an item we didn’t have a choice with in the menu. I’m not really a fan of gratin so I was a little hesitant. I didn’t quite take to the smell of the cheese they used for the gratin but it was generally alright for non-cheese lovers. A definite stay away if you dislike cheese though. The bread was heavenly. I LOVEEDDD it. I wished I could have more (it’s free flow) but I was afraid I couldn’t finish the rest of my meal. The bread was well toasted and can be eaten alone without the gratin at all.

    Smoked Salmon Salad
    My choice. My companions had the Fruit Salad and the Prawn Roll though. Nothing fantastic about my salad though I had some trouble finishing it as I found the salmon a little too salty after a few bites. The serving was just right though.

    Cream of Pumpkin
    I absolutely loved this soup. I was the only one not having the Shark fin one, which my companions raved about. But I loved the thickness of this pumpkin soup and the slight sweetness which made me finish it really quickly.

    Grilled Snapper with Japanese Sauce
    This is my main complaint I think. I definitely regretted this choice. The snapper was unevenly grilled and charred on one end but fine on the other. There was so much sauce poured over it and it certainly didn’t help that it was too salty. In reality, the snapper was quite tasty on its own, after much cleaning away of the sauce. I liked the pumpkin mash served with the snapper though. I would definitely go for the flounder next time.

    Ice Rose Apple Tea
    I like how the smell of the rose blended together with the taste of the apple in this one. And they even provided a fork for you to eat the apple. They serve their teas in this nice little pot with a tiny cup, so we had fun tasting each other’s tea.

    Ice Summer Peach Tea
    I LOVE THIS TEA! I like the aftertaste of the peach!

    Brownie served with ice cream
    Or should I say, ice-cream served with brownie? I finished it in 2 bites. Either my mouth’s big or… to give credit, the brownie is quite moist and not too dry. The nuts below should be cut up a little more so that it can be evenly distributed with each bite.

    The total bill came up to $115 for 5 of us which is quite reasonable I guess. Topped with great service and smiles even though we were overstayers, it was a good experience after all.

    I’m looking forward to going there again!


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

    528. Claypot Fun   
       20 Aug 2009 at 10:33 pm
    feizhu feizhu says:

    Read a rave review about Claypot Fun in one edition of the Sunday Times so made it a point to try it out one weekday afternoon (The very day the article was published, I attempted to try it out but was put off by the 45min wait for a table). Apparently the outfit is a collaboration between the Jumbo Group, Palm Beach and Seafood International.

    This newest entrant to the culinary scene at Big Splash is tucked in between a ramen shop and Starbucks. The interior is tiny and can probably seat about 20 odd pax while the tiny alfresco area can take another 10 tops. You probably wouldn't want to sit outside unless you don't mind the queue forming just behind you. One thing that irks me about this place is the seeming biasness in table allocation. Apparently the booth seats are meant for 4 pax and above and we only had 3, so we didn't qualify. However I spotted 2 people sharing one such booth and when I questioned the waitress, she said that there were 4 people. Well I sure didn't see an extra 2 people when they paid up and left.

    Watercress Pork Rib Soup - I thought that the watercress soup was a good start to the meal - light yet savoury. However the ribs were limited to 3 small pieces that looked more like a joke then anything else. Then again, its $5.20, so I probably shouldn't be expecting much.

    Sesame Chicken - I'm no fan of sesame chicken and this one wasn't just about to change my mind. The chicken pieces, though soft, were very oily and portion size was small. Overall an average dish.

    Claypot Rice with Chinese Sausage - Amidst all the hype about the claypot rice, I was disappointed to say the least. And I'm sure I echo the sentiments of my dining partners as well. Apparently the claypot rice was done (according to the waitress) HK style, which meant no black sauce. In lieu was a concoction of sesame oil and soy sauce, which had to be added by the customer himself/herself or by the wait staff upon request. I noticed that the "sauce" was segregated into 2 layers because oil floats and what went into our rice was mainly sesame oil. That obviously didn't sit well with any of us as the rice was quite oily yet dry at the same time. The Chinese sausages were alright but I prefer mine drier.

    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

       13 Aug 2009 at 10:53 pm
    feizhu feizhu says:

    I was enticed by the prospect of stuffing myself with dim sum for tea so headed down to Peach Garden @ Thomson one Sunday afternoon. The last time I had dim sum at Peach Garden, the fare was decent and I was under the impression that if food quality remained consistent, this dim sum buffet could be well worth the money.

    Ambience

    The place has a typical Chinese restaurant setting and looks deceptively small from the outside. The interior however, can seat probably in excess of a hundred pax. Though the place was packed to the rafters with people, I appreciate the fact that tables are spaced adequately apart, which makes for more privacy.

    Variety

    There is a "live" station where service staff dish out carrot cake, fried chicken, ice cream and the likes. Usual suspects like porridge, fruits and desserts can also be found at the station. Dim sum trolleys are pushed around periodically and you merely have to inform the wait staff of the dishes you desire. I counted less then 20 different dim sum varieties off the trolley, which include both steamed and fried variants. I found it quite a pity that Peach Garden didn't include their much loved (by me) custard bun in the buffet lineup.

    Quality

    Personally, I thought that the quality was average at best. The best dishes were probably the Har Gao and the Walls ice cream served up between 2 wafer biscuits. Everything else either tasted out of sorts or was too oily. We threw in the towel after only about half an hour when the whole buffet was suppose to last for two. I guess that says a lot doesn't it?

    Service

    Service was quite acceptably decent. No big boo boos or anything and our tea got refilled quite constantly.

    Value for money

    At about $20/pax after taxes, the buffet is not expensive per se but factor in the quality and I'm better off having ala carte elsewhere. This deal is only good if quality isn't of the utmost priority and you just wish to gorge yourself silly.

    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

    530. The Bar At Mortons   
       09 Aug 2009 at 12:19 pm
    Category: Bars and Pubs
    feizhu feizhu says:

    Mortons has introduced the USDA prime burger, nicknamed "The Million Dollar Burger" by one of its founders, to its sole outlet in Singapore and according to history, it was this very burger that launched Morton's of Chicago, not a piece of steak which Mortons is known for. Surprise surprise.

    You can choose to have the burger either at The Bar at Mortons which is on the fourth and a half storey, or at the steakhouse itself on the fourth. However, if you choose the latter, you will be subjected to a compulsory extra $5 /pax surcharge because of the humongous onion loaf that is served.

    USDA Prime Burger - If you make an order for the burger before 8pm, its $30 . After 8pm and its $25 . The beef patty weighed about 12oz or 340g, which dwarfs almost all of the current competition, served up on a nicely toasted sesame bun. Although I was never a proponent of quality beef (apparently its grain fed and aged) being minced up into burger patties, I have to admit that Mortons did a pretty good job with it. The medium rare patty was tender and carried plenty of juices without the natural beefy taste being too overwhelming. However, the texture was rather smooth, indicating that it was probably machine chop/minced rather then hand. Not that it mattered much though as this burger ranks as the one of the best burger I've eaten in Singapore so far. The sides are decent as well so make sure you ask for all of them (sauteed onions, bacon, mushrooms) but just don't get too excited over the hand cut idaho potatoes, which failed to wow.

    Upside Down Apple Pie - The apple pie was as good as I remembered it to be - not too sourish with raisins for a light sweetness and a scoop of smooth vanilla ice cream. Prices remain the same ($20 ) as 2 years back, which is a rarity in restaurants nowadays.

    Morton's Hot Chocolate Cake - The stuff that makes people throw all diet plans out of the window and another signature dish of Mortons - its decadent hot chocolate cake. The crust was a little hard and held up pretty well while the rich molten chocolate was viscous almost to a fault. Admittedly, it's expensive ($25 ) for its size and though good, I find it rather ridiculous to pay so much for it.

    $30 sure isn't cheap for a burger, but given its quality, I would gladly pay. Service was lacking that evening and we had a hard time trying to get any wait staff's attention. To compound our woes, the wait for our burgers stretched to more then an hour - something which Mortons needs to look into. But hey, it was a great evening and great place to chill.

    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

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