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Sport & Recreation
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1=SGD 0.0587
Had the opportunity to partake in a food tasting session at Jia Wei (家 味), which literally means taste of home, courtesy of the folks from Grand Mercure's marketing department. Opened in December 2007 and occupying the premises of the former Thai inspired Beads Restaurant, Jia Wei is helmed by Chef Lee Tuck Seng, who has over fourty years of culinary experience with several culinary awards under his belt.
There is the option of taking the escalator or lift up to the second floor, where Jia Wei is situated. The restaurant's interior is reminiscent of a classical, not too elaborate Chinese restaurant with its round tables, parquet flooring, low ceilings and Chinese ornamental displays.
Dim Sum Appetiser - This dish wasn't on the Christmas menu that we were supposed to sample but no complaints about the extra food though.
Personally I thought that the Siew Mai had too much fat meat in it which resulted in a rather strong pork taste that fell wayside of the fine and exquisite ones I've had at Royal China and the likes. On the other hand, I appreciated the prawn and scallop dumpling which saw fresh and crunchy prawns enveloped in a translucent green skin and topped with a slice of savoury scallop. In the middle of the scale was the prawn and mango roll which carried a faint (too faint in fact) sourish tinge from the mango coupled with the fresh prawns. Its relatively thick skin discounted the experience quite a bit for me. As for the deep fried prawn wanton, it was comfort food. Fresh prawns wrapped in crackling wanton skin. Overall, a rather oily dish to kick start the dinner.
Turkey and Ham Fresh Fruit Salad - No Christmas meal would be complete without turkey so the menu started off with a turkey appetiser, which is quite a surprise really, especially when you seldom see turkey in a Chinese restaurant's menu. Honestly, I found this dish rather lacklustre as compared to the one I had just a week ago at Braise. I know the preparation methods are different but comparisons are naturally inevitable. Jia Wei's offering was a little too dry and a tad too salty for my liking. However, I must complement the idea of pairing the turkey up with wasabi sauce and fruits, creating a myriad of flavours - saltiness from the turkey, sweetness from the fruits and a touch of 呛.
Jia Wei Superior Shark's Fin Soup in Hot Stone Pot - This is the second restaurant that I'm having shark's fin served in a hot stone pot, with the first being Taste Paradise. The purpose of serving soup in a stone pot is to keep the soup hot/warm for a much longer period of time, so as to maximize drinking pleasure. This soup was a tad starchy, almost creamy smooth in texture yet light on the flavours. The fins were of quite a size and came bundled with crab meat, beansprouts and the likes.
Pan Fried Fillet of Pork Spare Rib with Special Sauce & Grilled Special Rack of Lamb with Chinese Wine - The lamb was on the original menu but most of us opted to swap it with the spare rib. Fortunately for me, I had the luxury of trying both (with some friendly persuasion of course). My piece of pork rib was 50% meat, 50% fats, which was a turn off really. I spent more time trying to slice away the fats then enjoying my piece of meat. However my dining companions seemed to have gotten much leaner cuts so I was probably just unlucky. And the special sauce didn't exactly wow me. It was just sweet, probably from some infusion of honey.
Surprisingly, the lamb was quite good - tender sans the overwhelming lamb taste that I personally have a disdain for. If only we knew.
Braised Bai Ling Mushroom with Broccoli - If I didn't know any better, I would have thought that the main focal point for this dish was the broccoli because of the small serving of bai ling mushroom. That aside, this was a very simple dish which offered no surprises. I liked the copious amounts of dried scallops though - salty and adding flavour to a rather ordinary dish.
Homemade Noodles with Prawn and Conpoy - Honestly, this dish just didn't do it for me. The noodles tasted like a thicker version of kway teow and carried some bite but it failed to absorb the essense of the gravy, which by the way, was rather bland. I would have prefered a more robust sauce especially when the prawn, though crunchy and meaty, failed to carry much sweetness in its flesh. Overall a rather average rendition in my humble opinion.
Chilled Lemon Jelly - I have a low tolerance for extremely sour stuff hence the dessert wasn't exactly my cup of tea. Not that the jelly was sour. On the contrary, it was pleasingly sweet and wobbly of course. It was the lime sorbet that had me cringing with every mouth. What was interesting was the addition of diced apricots and raisins - the first I've seen in such a dessert. Still, a no go for me.
The above Christmas set dinner cost each pax to the tune of $98 , inclusive of a glass of red or white wine. There is a 30% discount if you opt for the set from Monday to Thursday. I would like take this opportunity to thank Grand Mercure, especially Keane, for this invitation.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
My girlfriends and I had the chance to visit Ma Maison on a Wednesday evening. Thinking that it's a weekday evening and that we were there at 8pm, there would be less people. Boy, were we wrong... There was a queue snaking out of the restaurant. We waited for 30 minutes before we were shown a seat. Very popular place indeed. We ordered and settled to take photographs while waiting for our food. We noticed that there were a few tables with Jap patrons and that's usually a sign that there's good Jap food in existence.
My apologies for not being able to provide the actual name of the dish as I was too excited and forgot to take a photo of the menu.
The food we ordered
Escargots:
This is done with garlic. It was delicious! Served up warm, it was very fragrant and they were good to provide all the right utensils for extracting the flesh.
Hamburger Steak
The meat was well minced and packed in a patty. It is served with an egg and some potato, doused in brown sauce. Even the waitress said "brown sauce" So I have no idea what sauce it is actually. Even though I'm not really one for meat, I did like this one as the meat was minced and easy on the stomach.
Gratin with Prawn and Scallops
I love this potato and cheese combination. There weren't many prawns and scallops though.. I think there was a grand total of two each. But this is one dish you have to share with friends. One person can't finish the whole plate.
Pork Cutlet
This is served with two sauces and mineral salt. The waitress explained what we should do with the sauces but when she left, all four of us were still baffled because we couldn't understand what she said. Well in the end, we did it the Singaporean way - Rojak style. We put all the sauces into the little dish she gave us and just dipped our pork pieces into it. The cutlet was a little on the tough side, a little too difficult to chew. The meat inside didn't have any taste and the crisp outside was a little bland too. The potato it was served with was nice though.
Cuttlefish Ink Spaghetti
I was a little taken aback by how black the spaghetti came. But all my companions swore by this dish so I tried it. It was yummy! Just good on its own. My only grievance is that it is a little on the dry side but I will definitely order this dish again.
Apple Pie with Ice Cream
The apple filling was suitably sweet but the crust was a little too dry and had a very starchy taste to it which I couldn't bear to eat. We finished up most of the pie leaving the crust behind.
Brownie with Ice Cream
We all loved the brownie. Me being a dessert lover, I'd say this is one of the better brownies I've had. It's not too dry nor moist and has just enough chocolate flavour so that one will not be sick of the taste before finishing.
Goma Ice Cream (Sesame)
This is my first go at such a flavour and I'd have to say it has a special taste to it. The ice cream left a strong aftertaste in my mouth. It wasn't sweet but did have a very strong taste of sesame. Quite enjoyable I guess.
The four of us spent $87 in all which I'd say is pretty reasonable.
For more pictures, please click to go to my blog.
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Since my first visit here, I have always wanted to go again and I got the chance to visit this charming place again. The ambience is rather relaxing with experienced staff who will ask if you wished to let them show you how to make tea.
Usually, it's good to ask for their help since not everyone has a tea set at home and complete the art of making tea. We ordered Imperial Golden Cassia since it has a light taste and is suitable for those who dislike the strong bitter Chinese tea.
Refreshments included buns, toast, noodles and the meal set since it was near dinner time and we decided to settle it there. This place is also famous for its tea eggs. Although they are not suitable for vegetarians because of the stock used.
It was definitely a good time since 4pm on a weekday means you get to choose your table and stretch your legs when the other table is empty. We choose the third level since there were only 3 of us.
One thing to watch out for at some of the tables was the ceiling. Bending down is a must since you don't want to end up with a headache later on.
I was rather disappointed with the size of the burger since I had expected the usual burger buns. Other than that, the prices can be steep for the snacks.
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I decided to visit this for the stamps as I used to collect stamps until I discovered email. There, I found the reception to be warm and cordial.
A coloured map of the place was given for each person and given some suggestions on the route. We started with the first level since we were there. Each room has their own theme with different exhibits to play with and understand their history.
Besides stamps, postboxes were also on display. It would have been good if there were more postboxes from foreign countries although I did see some that were given to the musuem.
The most interested postbox was the postal chute that was installed in UK. It was supposed to be 12 stories high so that the postman didn't have to go up each story to get the letters to be posted.
The second level brought about more stamps and stuff related to rariety. Utterly amazed by those as we would never see them again.
Other exhibits include the comic range and toys from the Mint Toy Museum. A place for stamp collectors to see if they have missed out any old stamps from Singapore.
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Braise - A collaborative effort between Loh Lik Peng of Hotel 1929 and New Majestic Hotel and Chef Sebastian Ng of Ember Restaurant that opened in March 2008. Helmed by Chef Desmond Lee, who had stints at Raffles Hotel, Saint Julien and the now defunct Fig Leaf as well as an attachment with celebrity Chef Gordan Ramsay, this modern European restaurant offers classic French food with a modern lift.
Sitting pretty on the 2nd level of an old monorail station along Palawan beach, Braise plays neighbour to Amara Sanctuary's Silk Road of the Sea, which is located on the ground floor. The interior of Braise is nothing short of breathtaking, offering a splendid view of the surrounding Palawan beach through floor to ceilings windows throughout the entire place - very reminiscent of a green house actually. Temperatures are kept to a comfortable low through the use of powerful airconditioning. Essentially the place offers the best of both worlds - bright and cheery with a view in the comfort of an airconditioned environment.
The complimentary bread was served warm and had bits of herbs in it, coming across as crusty on the outside while soft on the outside. Overall a mildly flavourful piece of dough that saw me asking for seconds.
Pressed Duck and Potato Terrine with Mix Greens and Balsamic Onion - Wrapped up with a flimsy layer of lettuce, the duck had a lightly salted smokey aftertaste that went well with the smoothness of the potato. Subtly pleasing to the tastebuds but not exactly my idea of a fantastic appetiser though as it failed to open up my appetite.
Pan Seared Foie Gras, Lentils Fricassee and Red Wine Sauce - I would gladly sacrifice my health for another piece of this foie gras. Though smallish, the foie gras was pan seared till the exterior was a tad crisp yet remaining soft and quivery on the inside. Equally outstanding was the lentil stew with red wine sauce which lent its savouries to the foie gras and created one of the best foie gras dishes I've had this year.
Turkey Breast, Braised Vegetables, Honey Spiced Sauce - Turkey, especially the breast portion, tends to be associated with toughness. However Braise's rendition was, on the contrary, surprisingly tender without losing its fibrous texture. A pity the sauce was a little lacklustre, coming across merely as a little sweet from the honey.
Venison with Braised Vegetables, Cassis Sauce - Believe it or not, this is the first time I'm having venison in a non Chinese restaurant and I am suitably impressed with what Braise presented. Well seasoned and grilled till the meat retained but a nice pinkish hue, it tasted rather similar to a well done piece of steak, albeit more tender. Buttery overtones carrying a pepperish tinge complemented the sweetness of the meat and left me lamenting about the portion size. The only gripe I had about this dish was the sauce, which tasted like cough syrup to me.
Tout Chocolate Combination - Comprising a scoop of chocolate ice cream topped with chocolate balls, a slice of chocolate cake and chocolate mousse on a biscuit base, this dessert didn't exactly involve much aesthetics and looked rather haphazard if you ask me. However, I must say that I enjoyed it quite a bit. The chocolate ice cream was smooth and more bitter then sweet (great for those who don't like too sweet stuff) with the chocolate balls giving it an extra crunch. The sponge layers on the cake were moist and compact while the chocolate layers gelled everything together for a nice and simple chocolate cake. As for the mousse, it had a nice bitter hazelnut taste on a crunchy biscuit base.
Vanilla Creme Brulee, Figs, Passion Fruit Sorbet - I thought that the creme brulee was quite decent save for the fact that the sugar layer was overly thick. Made from real vanilla beans, as evident by the black vanilla seeds in the pudding, this dessert didn't overwhelm with its sweetness and had a smooth and almost creamy texture. The passion fruit sorbet provided the sourish contrast to the pudding's sweetness, allowing for a more varied taste sensation.
Lunch for 2 almost broke the bank at $93 after a $4 discount from some promotion that Sentosa is currently running in which diners will be reimbursed for their entrance fee to the island if they dine at certain F&B outlets. Having said that, I see this amount as money well spent for the quality of food, ambience and service. A revisit to this charming little restaurant beckons. This time under the moon's pale glow of course.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
It isn't the first time that I have patroned Thai Express and the menu has been updated. It is delightful to find out that this is also vegetarian friendly. Since I have tried their Olive Fried Rice (it tastes great), I decided to try Pan Fried Hor Fun.
When it arrived, the hor fun was fried although not what I had imagined. However, dipping it into the sauce was good. The portion was a little too much for me, so I would say it was value for money.
It's a good place to have a meal as the staff were attentive; refilling the ice water and clearing the plates timely.
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I decided to have a late lunch there and ordered Spaghetti Aglio Olio and Fresh Garden Salad. One thing about NYDC is that it tries to be vegetarian friendly.
The food arrived quite timely and I was able to enjoy the salad and the spaghetti. Since it's supposed to taste slightly more plain than other food, I felt that it was not that bad considering having eaten the salad with Honey Mustard and eating the spaghetti after that.
I'm not quite sure of the serving portion for my order was enough since some might want to have desserts after that.
The service crew were polite and would find out the answers to the queries if they didn't know the answers. Even when they were busy during the peak hours, they would try their best to serve the customers in a timely manner.
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Prosperity Kitchen opened with much fanfare about two weeks ago and the highlight of the grand opening was the presence of 3 TVB stars who flew down just to grace the occasion. The wow factor was upped by the vehicle of choice - a Lamborghini which was used to ferry the stars to the eatery.
Located at a rather unlikely place, Prosperity Kitchen is nestled in a short row of shophouses along upmarket Mohamed Sultan Road and plays neighbours to the excellent Sage The Restaurant and The Patissier. I can't quite begin to describe the interior with its single tiled wall that is reminiscent of traditional HK cafes, layered steps and a single line of booth seats thrown into the equation.
Yuan Yang - This concoction of tea and coffee leaned more towards the coffee side which was fine by me. I don't really drink much yuan yang so I have absolutely no idea how this one compares to the other HK cafes.
French Toast - A hallmark of HK cafes, the humble french toast is honestly not an easy dish to get right. Prosperity Kitchen's rendition was rather soft on the outside and the peanut butter layer seemed almost non existent. Although taste wise it was quite decent, what turned me off was the excessive oil that oozed out whenever I tried to cut into it. I still prefer the toast from Hong Kong Cafe along East Coast Road.
Century Egg Congee - I thought that the congee, century egg aside (I don't fancy it), was quite well done with the porridge smooth and harbouring bits of soft rice grains. It didn't come across as too starchy or nausea inducing as well but it could probably do with a wee bit more ingredients.
Four Treasure BBQ Rice - According to news in the grapevine, the chef in charge of the roasted meat section at Prosperity Kitchen was "headhunted" to join from Crystal Jade, which does lend a wee bit of credibility to the quality of the meats I guess. The "treasures" in this dish were decent but nowhere near outstanding. The char siew, roast duck and chicken all came served cold and tasted a tad bland. As for the salted egg, how bad can salted egg get?
A rather simple and filling meal set the 2 of us back by about $26, which isn't really expensive. Food quality is decent and the wait staff were all very polite, almost to a fault. Please note that the whole place is rather noisy and the tables are quite near each other, so carrying a private conversation can be quite a challenge.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Well... won't comment on the ice cream since for such ice cream retail, the taste and price are the same every where. Staffs are quite ok though I've encountered better staffs who are friendlier. However the place is real small and cramp. Many of the times I went, there were no seats. Except for once we went when the shop is near closing.
Better to purchase the ice cream and eat walking around rather than wait for seats to be cleared and tables wiped.
And due to the low number of staffs at each outlet, this outlet was no exception. The speed of clearing tables wasn't there and a few times, customers have to push away the used cups and spoons or throw the used utensils away to use the tables.
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Heard many rave reviews about Thai Pan, a Thai style cze char restaurant located at the eastern tip of Singapore so made the long trek down to give it a shot. Apparently its claim to fame is its quality food at coffeeshop cze char prices.
Located in a charming colonial style clubhouse within the Civil Service Club's premises at Changi Village, Thai Pan's interior boasts a sloping ceiling with wooden arches, parquet flooring and views of lush greenery through the checkered windows. The place does seem susceptible to echos though, because of the lack of sound dampening/absorbing materials like carpets.
Jade Tofu with Chicken Floss - I thought that the name sounded promising. Jade tofu conjures images of silken tofu with a nice savoury taste. However that wasn't quite the case unfortunately. The skin was a little crisp and the inside was soft but not exactly silky. I struggled to make out the mild savoury taste that the tofu carried but to be fair, it was decent, just nowhere in the league of Pow Sing.
Broccoli with Crab Meat - Personally I thought that this was quite good. There was egg white and small chunks of crab meat in the not too starchy and mildly appetising gravy that layered the crunchy and not overcooked broccoli.
Phad Thai - I didn't quite take this Thai Pan's rendition of this Thai street dish as the ketchup taste was just too overwhelming. I would have prefered a kaleidoscope of flavours and of course the ubiquitous dried shrimps. This one only had egg and chicken cubes.
Olive Rice - At $1 a pop, this was a great deal. But please note that its a promotion so I can't say if it will be a good deal in future. The rice was sufficient for 1 pax and had a nice wok hei taste with egg and cashew nuts. Accompanying alongside was a small serving of slightly sweet minced meat sauce that went well with the rice. The only minor gripe i had was that the rice did seem a little too damp for my liking.
The food was quite decent and the pricing relatively reasonable, at about $24 for 2 pax - a value proposition that comes close to or on par with what the coffeeshop cze char stalls are offering, albeit in a much better environment with better service.
See all my pictures here.
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