Our fourth and final stop of the tour - Waraku, a casual Japanese dining joint with quite a few outlets in the eastern and central parts of Singapore.
Located on the 3rd floor of Central just further down from Wakashachiya, Waraku seems to be rather popular with Singaporeans judging from the long queues that form during meal times at alot of their outlets and the relatively good comments online. The interior at this particular outlet was decked out in shades of white and brown with wood featuring prominently in the decor. As with most of the other restaurants at Central, the window seats look out into the picturesque clarke quay for a more enjoyable dining experience.
California Ura Maki - Uramaki differs from other types of maki(rolled sushi) in that the rice is on the outside and the nori(layered sheets of seaweed) on the inside. Preparation methods aside, the california maki barely made it past the average mark. The rice was a little too dry and loose and the copious amounts of roe did nothing to enhance the taste, preferring to remain as decorative pieces.
Sashimi 5 Kinds - The huge platter of sashimi came with prawns, salmon, tuna, squid and yellow tail served atop a bed of ice and garnished with leaves and flowers to up the visual appeal. I don't know if the standard for sashimi is consistent throughout all the Waraku outlets but the sashimi at this particular outlet was bad. Nothing was fresh and I kid you not, I spit out the prawn and salmon as soon as I took the first bite. Maybe I'm just being picky and overreacting but it happens that I'm very sensitive to seafood which aren't fresh. But I wasn't the only one. Most of the sashimi was left untouched save for the polite gesture of a few pieces.
An Outing with the GAGA Girls and their Lovable male Pals last nite.... In order to continue the SAGA of the GAGA Girl's Famous "Ha Ha Ha n Hee Hee Hee" we have decided to choose a place less prone to be starred at when we share our nonsensical thoughts louder then usual.
Brotzeit seemed like just the place. First the environment is NICE AND FRIENDLY... You can chill out or party there... makes no difference... The ambience is just so amiable With the beautiful long stretch of high bar side seats to the log like tables and the out door high bar tables to suit every needs.
Just what needs are we talking about? There had been a theory going around:
BAR SIDE SEATS = Available and Looking
LOG TABLE SEATS = Available but I'm With Friends.. So not free.
OUTDOOR HIGH BAR TABLEs = Not Available and We want some personal time.
So next time choose your seats carefully.
Now to the Food and Beer......
The GAGA Girls Loved White Wine which I have to say i'm not such a big fan of it.... But they love the Sauvignon Blanc the best and I believed if you look close enough in the bottle, you might find a baby fish swimming in it... Perhaps thats why I always felt it was fishy to taste... BTW the GAGA Girls are CRAZY DRINKERS.... They way they drink.. I'm sure I can be a fish monger soon. The other drink we tried was the mango beer.. It was a hue darker with a nice mango aroma not to mention a sparkle of zesty note to the taste.
We also tried dessert and the chocolate creme is the best. Its actually creme, coated with dark chocolate and has cherries inside. Its creamy and smooth texture makes the extra calories so worth it. The chocolate was of just the right sweetness and it simply melts in your mouth. As you dig deeper, you will find layers of soaked cherries which is rather delightful.
I must mention about the service. The waiters are so helpful, and not to mention Sooo Cute Looking.... Quite an eyeful i must say... They are prompt, friendly and sure knows what their specialities are. I can't help but feel so AT HOME in this restaurant.. Perhaps bring some cute waiters Home.... Oooppss.......
A must go.. especially single and available girls who enjoy good food, good drink and a good eyeful of cute waiters.....
I came here with popeye after our weekday lazy afternoon shopping spree..
It was one of those places where we always remind ourselves we will go but will never go.. So today, It was pretty much after lunch time and there was no queue, so we went in... The deco was ok... a little too dim for my liking and the sits are tight... We sat on the corner and the table was STICKY.. yes quote me STICKY...
The service was ok.. with many waiters and waitresses walking around however none have got attention for me...
I ordered this nice drink, something with lemon grass and found it pretty refreshing and amazing.. Though it reminds me of TomYum soup, it was something different and I would say special. Popeye ordered the french toast which looked rather Normal and slumpy and it taste great! Not too oily but creamy butter makes it savoury and they give you a jar of honey for you to drizzle on top... TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU WANT. As a kiasu singaporean on a shopping spree.. I WAS DELIGHTED...
I ordered PorkChops Sandwich and it was so NICE.... Pork was soft and chewie and the sauce is yummy... It was really fabulous.... If you want yummy high tea.. this is surely the place to go..... Recharge the leg power for more CHEAP CHEAP BIG SALE... Yeah!!!!!
Today I brought my dad and mum out to TOWN for shopping.. Though they are not so IN... I've decided to show them the Hang Out Place for the Youngsters.. as what they always call us..
After the much shocking experience with jap fashion, everywhere piercings and pacifiers, I thought i should bring them back to earth for a while and there we are.. the most decent looking, normal chinese cafe... the XW Cafe...
Serving HongKong styled cuisines, My dad and mum heaved a sigh of relieve and then they got another shock.... My dad's Ice Kopi came in a metal mug... He can't help but have to hum the jian yu feng yun song... (Famous Movie starring Chow Yuan Fatt in jail).
My mum then ordered her favourite PorK Chop and its really true.... Hong Kong style PORK CHOP really nice.... Dad Ordered the nominal HorFun, perhaps coz he wants to have some fun... But boy.. its yummy. It came with 5 huge prawns all fresh and so crunchy.... The prawn juice pratically squirts out when i chew on it....Of Course.. I make sure i look gracious and very high class when i wipe the juice from my mouth.. heehee! I ordered this french toast thingee and it appeared as a cube of bread... But boy.. the maple syrup and the cold storage butter goes so well with the pipping hot french toast... As u slice the toast, the maple syrup drools down the side.. Can you imagine that....... Sooo Soooo Tantalizing....
When i finally manage to slice a nice piece and savour it in my mouth.. stars laterally appeared.. I'm not sure if its the yummy sensation or the low blood pressure.. but gosh I REALLY SEE STARs.... Since then I've decided that I'll BE BACK........
The price is reasonable and its a wonderful place to hang out with young or the NOT SO YOUNG Pals... Includes mum n dad.... NOT TO BE MISSED.....
It was another fabulous nite out with my GAGA pals.. and guess what... we decided to rave it out the gangster way....
I was actually hoping to find a xiao ma ge mannequin inside.. But don't have leh.... Only could find some really sissy waiters... (oops) Like those in the movie.... (Movie Star ok)!
The deco of the place was CHIC... Too CHIC to be like the famous HongKong Gangster movie starring Chow Yuan Fatt... The Black mirriory Like finishes are simply too fabulous.. I mean you can detect stucked veg in between your teeth everywhere u turn.... Its what i call customer concious designs. The place was huge with a nice view of the sea and smooching couples.... but one thing you must really do.. Thats to check out the LOO... aka TOOLET... It took me like 5 minutes to find it.... There are mirriors everywhere and its so camoflaged i almost peed on the washing basin...
NOW I KNOW WHY IT IS CALLED BOSSES.... In the event you need to hide... u can just camoflaged yourself or hide in some hidden space like the toolet and wait it out.. Your enemy can NEVER find you.... CHECKING THE TOILET IS A SUPER MUST....
Now we come to the food.. I pretty like the idea that they serve an excellent selection of teas.. If you are just feeling chatty, you could ask the waitress whats this tea for and what that tea is used to.. and soon you'll find yourself in a TCM class...
We ordered so much food but there are a few I must mention. 1st there this duck on fruit platter and boy... Its so good.. refreshingly sinless... Judging by the small strips of duck meat on top of this fruit platter, we won't get high cholestrol perhaps will only be overworked as we try to out eat all the others GRACEFULLY.... And theres this fried brinjal or eggplant.... its soft and crispy and very healthy.. Yum Yum... The fried noodles are great too... and not to forget the soup in which the serving is so huge.. One serving and there goes half my stomach.... Not to forget Cold Chickens.... So tender and soft and its COOL... really really nice..
Overall It was an intriguing experience... and its simply too fabulous for the GAGA Girls as in such an environment we are not frowned upon when we do the loud Ooohsss and Aaahhhss and the HA HA HA and the OH MY GOD! THIS IS GREAT.....
Its a experience of the lifetime... Be BOLD.. Try to be a Big Boss... You just never know what you never know....
Ma Maison, which means my home in French, started out with an outlet at Bugis Junction and soon expanded to include one at The Central. Known for its take on Japanese Western food aka fusion food, Ma Maison packs in the crowds at meal times so don't be surprised if you have to wait for a seat if you arrive without a reservation.
Located just a few units down from Wakashachiya on the third floor, Ma Maison's interior is reminiscent of a quaint little European cottage with lots of wood, overhanging crockery and shelves of various liquids. The cozy cottage feel is further reinforced by replica ornaments of yesteryear placed along the wooden window sill. If you are lucky enough, you can get a window seat which overlooks Clarke Quay and the river, but there's probably only 5 such tables or so.
Doteni Hamburger - A signature dish of Ma Maison, the Doteni Hamburger was essentially a beef and pork patty covered with a fried egg, topped with beef tendons and draped with a demi glaze sauce that has been left to simmer for 28 days. And I liked it. The beef, though almost well done, was moist and juicy with a slightly uneven texture. The egg was perfectly done while the gelatinous beef tendon came across as a little chewy and not overly soft. Coupled with the robust sauce, it set the right note for our lunch.
Tonakatsu - After the horrendous tonkatsu experience at Wakashachiya just a couple of hours before, I was rather skeptical about the tonkatsu at Ma Maison. Those fears were put to rest as the pork cutlet turned out fine and surpassed expectations. Sure the meat wasn't kurobuta like Tampopo's, but it was still decently tender while retaining moisture and bite. There was no evident taste of oily residue either. The breaded batter could have been a wee bit thinner though, which would have made it crispier and less oily.
Beef Stroganoff with Omu Rice - My personal favourite. Who can resist tender beef slices served up in a thick savoury sauce coupled with smooth milky omelette enveloping fragrant and tasty buttery rice? If I'm coming back to Ma Maison, its definitely going to be for this dish. I would prefer a little more butter to go into the rice though, which would make it heartier and of course more artery clogging.
Squid Ink Spaghetti - Honestly I didn't quite take to the spaghetti. It wasn't al dente and came across rather bland. Maybe thats the way Japanese spaghettis are supposed to taste like, unlike the richer and more robust renditions from the Italians. If you like light stuff then this dish would probably suit you but do note that squid ink leaves a dark stain on your teeth so remember to rinse!
Had the opportunity to be part of the Gourmet Safari Tour hosted by SPH at The Central over the weekend. Together with Leslie from ieatishoot fame, we were ushered to 4 different Japanese restaurants within the mall to sample their various specialties, with Wakashachiya being the first stop.
Located on the third floor of Central, Wakashachiya originates from Nagoya city and specialises in Japanese curry udon noodles. The paneled simply done up interior is smallish and can probably squeeze in about 30 pax or so.
Tebasaki - Nagoya city is well known for its Tebasaki, which is essentially deep fried batterless chicken wings with a coating of sweet and spicy sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds and black pepper. And being from Nagoya, Wakashachiya serves this delicacy as well. The wings, though small, packed a savoury punch from the myriad of different flavours all fused together. Sublimely sweet, salty and spicy. A pity the wings were so small and oily. Its $5 for 4 wings by the way.
Hitsu-mabushi - This dish was seriously a case of aesthetics over taste. Served up in a huge pot lookalike container, the lid went off to reveal neatly sliced pieces of unagi, cooked to a beautiful crisp as evident by the charred bits on the shimmery surface. However taste wise, I personally felt that it could have been better. For one, the unagi was too soft and disintegrated easily, lacking the firm and crisp texture that I personally like. The daishi soup (fish stock made from bonito flakes) and the plump chewy rice was good though.
Curry Udon with sides of Tonkatsu, Chicken, Tomatoes and Ebi Tempura
- The dish that Wakashachiya apparently is known for - Japanese curry udon. Wakashachiya's curry tended towards the bland side and didn't seem coagulated enough for my liking. The udon was good though, thick and chewy without making me feel like I'm chomping down on flour. Some work needs to be done on the sides though, with the Tonkatsu coming across as hard and dry while the batter encrusting the chicken was overly salty and oily. Same goes for the ebi tempura, with the batter leaning towards the thick side. The tomatoes were, well, just diced fresh tomatoes.
Cilantro - a chic modern asian eatery that closed its restaurant doors at Purvis Street to open up outlets in the heartlands, with the outlet at Old Airport Road Food Centre being the first. Prior to the closure, Cilantro had garnered relatively good reviews from the media for its modern asian cuisine. Therefore this new foray into the heartlands came as quite a surprise.
Smoked Duck Steak - $10 got me their signature smoked duck steak, which came highly recommended by a stall affiliate. Served up with rather tasteless rice and a scoop of equally unimpressive coleslaw, the smoked duck tasted to me a little like honey baked ham, albeit with a more distinctive fowl taste. Actually even the texture was similar, relatively smooth and slightly rubbery without any trace of fibre. On the upside, I could taste the smoky undertones and I guess that was the sole saving grace.
Chocolate Lava Cake - The chocolate lava cake was quite small and I could have probably devoured it in one big mouthful if I chose to. But its $4 and I'm sure you can't get something like this elsewhere for the price. The cake was a little too soft and pudding like for my liking but at least there was molten chocolate oozing out when I made a break in the crust. Don't expect thick decadent chocolate though. You get what you pay for. The chocolate is runny and rather weak but for the price, no complains.
I really don't know what to make of Cilantro. For one, the menu looks intriguing enough for me to want to try again but the relatively high prices (for hawker centres) are quite a turn off. Granted that the pastas do seem reasonable at about $5.50 per plate, but $4 for a bowl of mushroom soup doesn't quite cut it.
This place is very much hidden, but I’m glad I managed to find them through Yebber.
There were 2 other customers when I reached. I sat down and was immediately served by Tim. We discussed about the type of haircut I want and he gave his suggestions and views.
Overall I like the service and the final look managed to “WOW” me. Tim gives very good head massage too! If you’re tired and needs a little boost in the head, you can pop by just for wash and blow service. It’s well worth it! I will be going back in a month or two to cover up the highlighted part and chop off more hair!
After getting cuts from female stylist all this while, its refreshing to get my hair done by a male stylist. And in fact, I find the guys more careful and he pays more attention to little details when cutting, washing and styling. Surely a plus for this!
During my 3 hours at Flhair Salon, I saw many other customers coming in with either messy hair or hair that’s way too long for their look. But they all left with great hair and better look! Being guy stylists themselves, they sure know what’s in and best suitable for the men. Many customers that came today were guys too.
They’re having a 20% discount now! (Till when I’m not sure. Can call them to check it out ya.)
The opening of Vivo City has seen many new restaurants/cafes popping up to capitalize on the crowds that throng Vivo City daily. One such new restaurant/cafe is White Dog Cafe.
Located just a few doors away from the much talked about Kim Gary, White Dog Cafe hosts its own steady stream of customers in its simple yet cosy interior with a view of Sentosa to boot. The menu is interestingly done up to mimic the spots of the Dalmatian. Other than that, nothing else seems to suggest why the outfit is named White Dog Cafe.
Soup of the day - This was plain lousy. The soup was way too salty and tasted like cabbage soup with some small balls of meat in it. The accompanying garlic bread was equally bad, coming across as slip shod and bland.
Deep Fried Breaded Beef with Japanese Mayo - This was recommended to me by the waiter and it sort of blew me away with its quality (this is not a compliment in case you are wondering). The bread coating was way too thick and the beef was tasteless. It was no different from eating deep fried crispy bread. Probably the only thing that was still okay was the rice. Ironical isn't it?
Etoile - My dessert of a specialty cake, the Etoile, which is essentially a dark chocolate cake with chocolate mousse. Sadly, it didn't meet expectations. The outer layer of dark chocolate did look like dark chocolate, but certainly didn't taste like it. I couldn't detect any bitterness or strong chocolate taste for that matter. The chocolate mousse was bland and the cake wasn't spongy. Terribly done if you ask me and I'm very sure the cakes aren't made in house. If they are, its time to change a new pastry chef.
A disappointing lunch for 2 pax cost $28.40. Not really expensive price wise, but factor in the quality of food and you have a no brainer conclusion. I will not be back. I guess that pretty much sums it all up doesn't it?
Our fourth and final stop of the tour - Waraku, a casual Japanese dining joint with quite a few outlets in the eastern and central parts of Singapore.
Located on the 3rd floor of Central just further down from Wakashachiya, Waraku seems to be rather popular with Singaporeans judging from the long queues that form during meal times at alot of their outlets and the relatively good comments online. The interior at this particular outlet was decked out in shades of white and brown with wood featuring prominently in the decor. As with most of the other restaurants at Central, the window seats look out into the picturesque clarke quay for a more enjoyable dining experience.
California Ura Maki - Uramaki differs from other types of maki(rolled sushi) in that the rice is on the outside and the nori(layered sheets of seaweed) on the inside. Preparation methods aside, the california maki barely made it past the average mark. The rice was a little too dry and loose and the copious amounts of roe did nothing to enhance the taste, preferring to remain as decorative pieces.
Sashimi 5 Kinds - The huge platter of sashimi came with prawns, salmon, tuna, squid and yellow tail served atop a bed of ice and garnished with leaves and flowers to up the visual appeal. I don't know if the standard for sashimi is consistent throughout all the Waraku outlets but the sashimi at this particular outlet was bad. Nothing was fresh and I kid you not, I spit out the prawn and salmon as soon as I took the first bite. Maybe I'm just being picky and overreacting but it happens that I'm very sensitive to seafood which aren't fresh. But I wasn't the only one. Most of the sashimi was left untouched save for the polite gesture of a few pieces.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
An Outing with the GAGA Girls and their Lovable male Pals last nite.... In order to continue the SAGA of the GAGA Girl's Famous "Ha Ha Ha n Hee Hee Hee" we have decided to choose a place less prone to be starred at when we share our nonsensical thoughts louder then usual.
Brotzeit seemed like just the place. First the environment is NICE AND FRIENDLY... You can chill out or party there... makes no difference... The ambience is just so amiable With the beautiful long stretch of high bar side seats to the log like tables and the out door high bar tables to suit every needs.
Just what needs are we talking about? There had been a theory going around:
BAR SIDE SEATS = Available and Looking
LOG TABLE SEATS = Available but I'm With Friends.. So not free.
OUTDOOR HIGH BAR TABLEs = Not Available and We want some personal time.
So next time choose your seats carefully.
Now to the Food and Beer......
The GAGA Girls Loved White Wine which I have to say i'm not such a big fan of it.... But they love the Sauvignon Blanc the best and I believed if you look close enough in the bottle, you might find a baby fish swimming in it... Perhaps thats why I always felt it was fishy to taste... BTW the GAGA Girls are CRAZY DRINKERS.... They way they drink.. I'm sure I can be a fish monger soon. The other drink we tried was the mango beer.. It was a hue darker with a nice mango aroma not to mention a sparkle of zesty note to the taste.
We also tried dessert and the chocolate creme is the best. Its actually creme, coated with dark chocolate and has cherries inside. Its creamy and smooth texture makes the extra calories so worth it. The chocolate was of just the right sweetness and it simply melts in your mouth. As you dig deeper, you will find layers of soaked cherries which is rather delightful.
I must mention about the service. The waiters are so helpful, and not to mention Sooo Cute Looking.... Quite an eyeful i must say... They are prompt, friendly and sure knows what their specialities are. I can't help but feel so AT HOME in this restaurant.. Perhaps bring some cute waiters Home.... Oooppss.......
A must go.. especially single and available girls who enjoy good food, good drink and a good eyeful of cute waiters.....
GIRLS RULEZ!!!!!!
Rating given:
I came here with popeye after our weekday lazy afternoon shopping spree..
It was one of those places where we always remind ourselves we will go but will never go.. So today, It was pretty much after lunch time and there was no queue, so we went in... The deco was ok... a little too dim for my liking and the sits are tight... We sat on the corner and the table was STICKY.. yes quote me STICKY...
The service was ok.. with many waiters and waitresses walking around however none have got attention for me...
I ordered this nice drink, something with lemon grass and found it pretty refreshing and amazing.. Though it reminds me of TomYum soup, it was something different and I would say special. Popeye ordered the french toast which looked rather Normal and slumpy and it taste great! Not too oily but creamy butter makes it savoury and they give you a jar of honey for you to drizzle on top... TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU WANT. As a kiasu singaporean on a shopping spree.. I WAS DELIGHTED...
I ordered PorkChops Sandwich and it was so NICE.... Pork was soft and chewie and the sauce is yummy... It was really fabulous.... If you want yummy high tea.. this is surely the place to go..... Recharge the leg power for more CHEAP CHEAP BIG SALE... Yeah!!!!!
Rating given:
Dear Diary,
Today I brought my dad and mum out to TOWN for shopping.. Though they are not so IN... I've decided to show them the Hang Out Place for the Youngsters.. as what they always call us..
After the much shocking experience with jap fashion, everywhere piercings and pacifiers, I thought i should bring them back to earth for a while and there we are.. the most decent looking, normal chinese cafe... the XW Cafe...
Serving HongKong styled cuisines, My dad and mum heaved a sigh of relieve and then they got another shock.... My dad's Ice Kopi came in a metal mug... He can't help but have to hum the jian yu feng yun song... (Famous Movie starring Chow Yuan Fatt in jail).
My mum then ordered her favourite PorK Chop and its really true.... Hong Kong style PORK CHOP really nice.... Dad Ordered the nominal HorFun, perhaps coz he wants to have some fun... But boy.. its yummy. It came with 5 huge prawns all fresh and so crunchy.... The prawn juice pratically squirts out when i chew on it....Of Course.. I make sure i look gracious and very high class when i wipe the juice from my mouth.. heehee! I ordered this french toast thingee and it appeared as a cube of bread... But boy.. the maple syrup and the cold storage butter goes so well with the pipping hot french toast... As u slice the toast, the maple syrup drools down the side.. Can you imagine that....... Sooo Soooo Tantalizing....
When i finally manage to slice a nice piece and savour it in my mouth.. stars laterally appeared.. I'm not sure if its the yummy sensation or the low blood pressure.. but gosh I REALLY SEE STARs.... Since then I've decided that I'll BE BACK........
The price is reasonable and its a wonderful place to hang out with young or the NOT SO YOUNG Pals... Includes mum n dad.... NOT TO BE MISSED.....
Rating given:
It was another fabulous nite out with my GAGA pals.. and guess what... we decided to rave it out the gangster way....
I was actually hoping to find a xiao ma ge mannequin inside.. But don't have leh.... Only could find some really sissy waiters... (oops) Like those in the movie.... (Movie Star ok)!
The deco of the place was CHIC... Too CHIC to be like the famous HongKong Gangster movie starring Chow Yuan Fatt... The Black mirriory Like finishes are simply too fabulous.. I mean you can detect stucked veg in between your teeth everywhere u turn.... Its what i call customer concious designs. The place was huge with a nice view of the sea and smooching couples.... but one thing you must really do.. Thats to check out the LOO... aka TOOLET... It took me like 5 minutes to find it.... There are mirriors everywhere and its so camoflaged i almost peed on the washing basin...
NOW I KNOW WHY IT IS CALLED BOSSES.... In the event you need to hide... u can just camoflaged yourself or hide in some hidden space like the toolet and wait it out.. Your enemy can NEVER find you.... CHECKING THE TOILET IS A SUPER MUST....
Now we come to the food.. I pretty like the idea that they serve an excellent selection of teas.. If you are just feeling chatty, you could ask the waitress whats this tea for and what that tea is used to.. and soon you'll find yourself in a TCM class...
We ordered so much food but there are a few I must mention. 1st there this duck on fruit platter and boy... Its so good.. refreshingly sinless... Judging by the small strips of duck meat on top of this fruit platter, we won't get high cholestrol perhaps will only be overworked as we try to out eat all the others GRACEFULLY.... And theres this fried brinjal or eggplant.... its soft and crispy and very healthy.. Yum Yum... The fried noodles are great too... and not to forget the soup in which the serving is so huge.. One serving and there goes half my stomach.... Not to forget Cold Chickens.... So tender and soft and its COOL... really really nice..
Overall It was an intriguing experience... and its simply too fabulous for the GAGA Girls as in such an environment we are not frowned upon when we do the loud Ooohsss and Aaahhhss and the HA HA HA and the OH MY GOD! THIS IS GREAT.....
Its a experience of the lifetime... Be BOLD.. Try to be a Big Boss... You just never know what you never know....
Rating given:
Ma Maison, which means my home in French, started out with an outlet at Bugis Junction and soon expanded to include one at The Central. Known for its take on Japanese Western food aka fusion food, Ma Maison packs in the crowds at meal times so don't be surprised if you have to wait for a seat if you arrive without a reservation.
Located just a few units down from Wakashachiya on the third floor, Ma Maison's interior is reminiscent of a quaint little European cottage with lots of wood, overhanging crockery and shelves of various liquids. The cozy cottage feel is further reinforced by replica ornaments of yesteryear placed along the wooden window sill. If you are lucky enough, you can get a window seat which overlooks Clarke Quay and the river, but there's probably only 5 such tables or so.
Doteni Hamburger - A signature dish of Ma Maison, the Doteni Hamburger was essentially a beef and pork patty covered with a fried egg, topped with beef tendons and draped with a demi glaze sauce that has been left to simmer for 28 days. And I liked it. The beef, though almost well done, was moist and juicy with a slightly uneven texture. The egg was perfectly done while the gelatinous beef tendon came across as a little chewy and not overly soft. Coupled with the robust sauce, it set the right note for our lunch.
Tonakatsu - After the horrendous tonkatsu experience at Wakashachiya just a couple of hours before, I was rather skeptical about the tonkatsu at Ma Maison. Those fears were put to rest as the pork cutlet turned out fine and surpassed expectations. Sure the meat wasn't kurobuta like Tampopo's, but it was still decently tender while retaining moisture and bite. There was no evident taste of oily residue either. The breaded batter could have been a wee bit thinner though, which would have made it crispier and less oily.
Beef Stroganoff with Omu Rice - My personal favourite. Who can resist tender beef slices served up in a thick savoury sauce coupled with smooth milky omelette enveloping fragrant and tasty buttery rice? If I'm coming back to Ma Maison, its definitely going to be for this dish. I would prefer a little more butter to go into the rice though, which would make it heartier and of course more artery clogging.
Squid Ink Spaghetti - Honestly I didn't quite take to the spaghetti. It wasn't al dente and came across rather bland. Maybe thats the way Japanese spaghettis are supposed to taste like, unlike the richer and more robust renditions from the Italians. If you like light stuff then this dish would probably suit you but do note that squid ink leaves a dark stain on your teeth so remember to rinse!
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Had the opportunity to be part of the Gourmet Safari Tour hosted by SPH at The Central over the weekend. Together with Leslie from ieatishoot fame, we were ushered to 4 different Japanese restaurants within the mall to sample their various specialties, with Wakashachiya being the first stop.
Located on the third floor of Central, Wakashachiya originates from Nagoya city and specialises in Japanese curry udon noodles. The paneled simply done up interior is smallish and can probably squeeze in about 30 pax or so.
Tebasaki - Nagoya city is well known for its Tebasaki, which is essentially deep fried batterless chicken wings with a coating of sweet and spicy sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds and black pepper. And being from Nagoya, Wakashachiya serves this delicacy as well. The wings, though small, packed a savoury punch from the myriad of different flavours all fused together. Sublimely sweet, salty and spicy. A pity the wings were so small and oily. Its $5 for 4 wings by the way.
Hitsu-mabushi - This dish was seriously a case of aesthetics over taste. Served up in a huge pot lookalike container, the lid went off to reveal neatly sliced pieces of unagi, cooked to a beautiful crisp as evident by the charred bits on the shimmery surface. However taste wise, I personally felt that it could have been better. For one, the unagi was too soft and disintegrated easily, lacking the firm and crisp texture that I personally like. The daishi soup (fish stock made from bonito flakes) and the plump chewy rice was good though.
Curry Udon with sides of Tonkatsu, Chicken, Tomatoes and Ebi Tempura
- The dish that Wakashachiya apparently is known for - Japanese curry udon. Wakashachiya's curry tended towards the bland side and didn't seem coagulated enough for my liking. The udon was good though, thick and chewy without making me feel like I'm chomping down on flour. Some work needs to be done on the sides though, with the Tonkatsu coming across as hard and dry while the batter encrusting the chicken was overly salty and oily. Same goes for the ebi tempura, with the batter leaning towards the thick side. The tomatoes were, well, just diced fresh tomatoes.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Cilantro - a chic modern asian eatery that closed its restaurant doors at Purvis Street to open up outlets in the heartlands, with the outlet at Old Airport Road Food Centre being the first. Prior to the closure, Cilantro had garnered relatively good reviews from the media for its modern asian cuisine. Therefore this new foray into the heartlands came as quite a surprise.
Smoked Duck Steak - $10 got me their signature smoked duck steak, which came highly recommended by a stall affiliate. Served up with rather tasteless rice and a scoop of equally unimpressive coleslaw, the smoked duck tasted to me a little like honey baked ham, albeit with a more distinctive fowl taste. Actually even the texture was similar, relatively smooth and slightly rubbery without any trace of fibre. On the upside, I could taste the smoky undertones and I guess that was the sole saving grace.
Chocolate Lava Cake - The chocolate lava cake was quite small and I could have probably devoured it in one big mouthful if I chose to. But its $4 and I'm sure you can't get something like this elsewhere for the price. The cake was a little too soft and pudding like for my liking but at least there was molten chocolate oozing out when I made a break in the crust. Don't expect thick decadent chocolate though. You get what you pay for. The chocolate is runny and rather weak but for the price, no complains.
I really don't know what to make of Cilantro. For one, the menu looks intriguing enough for me to want to try again but the relatively high prices (for hawker centres) are quite a turn off. Granted that the pastas do seem reasonable at about $5.50 per plate, but $4 for a bowl of mushroom soup doesn't quite cut it.
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This place is very much hidden, but I’m glad I managed to find them through Yebber.
There were 2 other customers when I reached. I sat down and was immediately served by Tim. We discussed about the type of haircut I want and he gave his suggestions and views.
Overall I like the service and the final look managed to “WOW” me. Tim gives very good head massage too! If you’re tired and needs a little boost in the head, you can pop by just for wash and blow service. It’s well worth it! I will be going back in a month or two to cover up the highlighted part and chop off more hair!
After getting cuts from female stylist all this while, its refreshing to get my hair done by a male stylist. And in fact, I find the guys more careful and he pays more attention to little details when cutting, washing and styling. Surely a plus for this!
During my 3 hours at Flhair Salon, I saw many other customers coming in with either messy hair or hair that’s way too long for their look. But they all left with great hair and better look! Being guy stylists themselves, they sure know what’s in and best suitable for the men. Many customers that came today were guys too.
They’re having a 20% discount now! (Till when I’m not sure. Can call them to check it out ya.)
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The opening of Vivo City has seen many new restaurants/cafes popping up to capitalize on the crowds that throng Vivo City daily. One such new restaurant/cafe is White Dog Cafe.
Located just a few doors away from the much talked about Kim Gary, White Dog Cafe hosts its own steady stream of customers in its simple yet cosy interior with a view of Sentosa to boot. The menu is interestingly done up to mimic the spots of the Dalmatian. Other than that, nothing else seems to suggest why the outfit is named White Dog Cafe.
Soup of the day - This was plain lousy. The soup was way too salty and tasted like cabbage soup with some small balls of meat in it. The accompanying garlic bread was equally bad, coming across as slip shod and bland.
Deep Fried Breaded Beef with Japanese Mayo -
This was recommended to me by the waiter and it sort of blew me away with its quality (this is not a compliment in case you are wondering). The bread coating was way too thick and the beef was tasteless. It was no different from eating deep fried crispy bread. Probably the only thing that was still okay was the rice. Ironical isn't it?
Etoile - My dessert of a specialty cake, the Etoile, which is essentially a dark chocolate cake with chocolate mousse. Sadly, it didn't meet expectations. The outer layer of dark chocolate did look like dark chocolate, but certainly didn't taste like it. I couldn't detect any bitterness or strong chocolate taste for that matter. The chocolate mousse was bland and the cake wasn't spongy. Terribly done if you ask me and I'm very sure the cakes aren't made in house. If they are, its time to change a new pastry chef.
A disappointing lunch for 2 pax cost $28.40. Not really expensive price wise, but factor in the quality of food and you have a no brainer conclusion. I will not be back. I guess that pretty much sums it all up doesn't it?
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