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Sport & Recreation
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1=SGD 0.0587
Those Dim Sum cravings just don't stop and its been bothering me for quite a while. With some luck, reprieve was in sight as my colleagues and I settled for Dim Sum at the relatively well known Teahouse near our office.
Housed on the third floor of China Square, Teahouse comes under the umbrella of the illustrious Tung Lok group, which is famous for its fine dining Chinese restaurants. Step into the restaurant and a quaint teahouse setting greets you. Decor is simplistic, with wooden tables and chairs and whirling ceiling fans. The sight of Dim Sum being pushed around in trolleys complete the typical teahouse atmosphere.
Tofu with Fish Paste - I found this dish very normal. The Tofu tasted like those you could buy at the markets and the fish paste just didn't taste wholesome enough. I could probably get one of comparable quality at half the price.
Char Siew Sou - I'm rather particular when it comes to Char Siew Sou because its probably one of my favourite Dim Sum dishes. Sad to say, this one didn't quite make the cut. Although the pastry was flaky, it wasn't crisp enough and the Char Siew filling was a little tasteless. No BBQ taste, not sweet, nothing. Edible, but certainly not worth the money.
Egg Tarts - Another one of my favourite dishes. But disappointment after disappointment. The Egg Tart was just short of terrible. The custard filling was hardly sweet and the pastry crumbled upon the slightest exertion of pressure. No slightly burnt taste that I like as well.
Deep Fried Prawn Dumpling - A good gauge as to whether this dish is well executed is to taste the skin. If its thin, crispy and doesn't carry a reused oil aftertaste, then its good. Of course the prawns must be fresh as well to complement the skin. Teahouse's rendition was a mixture of good and bad. The skin could have obviously done with more deep frying because it was a little chewy instead of crispy. The prawns however, were nice and crunchy, which indicates freshness?
Carrot Cake - If I were to call the carrot cake a joke, that would be an understatement. Its probably closer to disaster. The carrot cake was soft and mushy and reeked of oil. Not to mention it left a distasteful aftertaste. Pure gross. They should really take this off the menu. I'm not kidding
Chee Cheong Fun - We had a serving of Char Siew Chee Cheong Fun and Prawn Chee Cheong Fun. Both tasted rather normal, but I like the Char Siew one more due to personal biasness. Only problem with the Chee Cheong Fun is that the skin could have been thinner and silkier.
Har Gao - Fresh and crunchy prawns enveloped by an acceptably thin skin. What more can I say? Could use some heating up though as Dim Sum is best eaten warm or piping hot.
Char Siew Pao - The Char Siew Pao didn't come piping hot. In fact it came almost cold. And cold it remained, with my palate failing to warm up to it. I personally found the skin too thick and not soft enough. The filling was normal and I almost can't remember how it tastes like. I guess that pretty much says how I feel about the Pao.
An unsatisfying Dim Sum lunch (for me at least) for 3 pax cost about $45. Not exactly the most expensive of Dim Sum lunches, but it is hard to justify for the quality and quantity of food. Add in average service and you get a place where I won't be visiting again, at least not for Dim Sum. Wah Lok beckons.
See all my pictures here.
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This is a long overdue post. It's been so long that I even got rid of the pictures I took at this place unknowingly.
I dropped by one weekday afternoon with two other friends for an early lunch and was pretty excited to try out the more upmarket version of Aston's Specialties.
I ordered the King Salmon Steak ($22.90) whilst my two friends had steak. You can get their opinion of the steaks above. I tried a couple of bites from their steak and wasn't impressed. They asked for their steaks to be done medium rare... but didn't get medium rare....
My Salmon turned out to be medium rare instead. One end was even uncooked. I've never tasted salmon so horribly done really. Somewhere in between the salmon was mushy and I couldn't tell whether it's because of the way it was done or that it wasn't fresh. I struggled to finish and in the end I couldn't bear to finish it anymore.
The only thing I really liked was the fries. They were the fat sort I liked and were lightly seasoned, making them tasty on their own without sauces. *yums*
The service was reasonable with the people talking to us before the cameras were whipped out. But when they did notice the cameras, I reckoned we got more attention than other patrons.
I seriously think I would really consder before going back again.
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I'd never really been a fan of U.R.S but I was on a hunt for shoes that day and have exhausted all other options. So into this shop I went looking for the right shoes.
I was surprised to see the very similiar designs... almost identical to the ones I've seen in the other shops. They also have the designs I wanted in more acceptable colours like white brown and black. They also seem to have a larger range of working class shoes.
At first when I walked in, I was ignored by the staff nearest to the door. We looked at each other eye to eye and she turned away quickly. I had expected at least a smile or a "welcome" but was given none. I was tempted to walk out but knowing that I didn't have any other shops to go, I stayed a bit more.
Then I spotted them. The shoes I wanted in simple brown colour and they were on sale! I picked up the shoes and immediately a sweet young sales assistant appeared by my side. She offered to get the shoes in two different sizes as I wasn't sure what size I would wear. She also recommended some others which were similiar and I happily agreed to try.
After trying on about 7-9 pairs of shoes I finally bought three. The same lady served me throughout while serving some other customers. I found her to be very approachable, unlike her colleague. But later on when I was paying I found out that all of them were trainees. Apparently they are all studying and this is like attachment for them. So the other girl was very nervous which was why she turned away. I guess it's relatively forgivable then. The prices of the shoes are reasonable. An alternative to Charles and Keith I guess... despite U.R.S being around much longer than them.
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Click here for full entry plus pics
The owners of Carnivore definitely chose the right name.
Basically Carnivore is like a buffet style restaurant. You start first with the salad buffet. I won't advise you to gorge yourselves here. Remember to pace yourself.
Afterwhich the sitdown buffet starts. All kinds of meats of different parts would come by. REMEMBER to pace yourself. I usually recommend a small slice of each meat. There are many to choose from and if you gorge on the first few slices, you may lose out on the good ones.
Personal favourite = beef. Personal dislike = fish.
Go for the roasted pineapples. They're delish! (after all the meat you've taken, it's good to take something else!)
If I remember correctly, it should cost about 40 - 50 per person.
I think I need to make another trip there soon. Am missing my meats!
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The news is out - Chef Chan will be closing its doors for the last time on the 27th of May and the chef cum owner, chef Chan Chen Hei, will be moving on to do private dining. Hence it was imperative that my gf and I tried it out for the last time.
Located at Odeon Towers along North Bridge Road, Chef Chan the restaurant boasts exquisite food at nearer to earth prices, helmed by chef Chan who used to be the master chef of restaurants in quite a few 5 star hotels. The interior is rather unique, with one area dedicated solely to Chef Chan's personal collection of Chinese antiques and the other for dining purposes. The decor, rather haphazard in my opinion, boasts floor to ceiling windows, which offer a view of the sidewalks. But what that means is that people can peer in as well as the seats are just slightly elevated about ground level.
Chef Chan's Famous Crispy Roast Chicken - A perennial favourite and one of Chef Chan's signature dish, the chicken's skin was crackling crispy and the flesh was tender and juicy. It was quite good, but I found it lacking in flavours. A little herbs or spice and salt would do just well.
Pan Fried Bean Curd Rolls - Nicely done, but the filling of meat and prawns could have been cut down in order to go well and give the right amount of bite to complement the slightly crispy skin. In all honesty, the excess meat filling made me nauseous after a while. Oh and yes, the skin could have been crispier, just like the one I had at Royal China or Wah Lok.
Choy Sum Lightly Boiled - Nothing fantastic about this dish, plain normal and a little too salty if you ask me. The only nice touch to it was the addition of Ti Pou. Portions are generous for 2 pax, but hey its $18.
Gold Medal Fried Rice - With a name like Gold Medal Fried Rice, one would assume that it was top notch or something to that effect. Well it wasn't top notch, but pretty close. The rice had a strong Wok Hei taste and ingredients were aplenty. Interestingly, tomatoes were added in as well, giving the dish added colour and taste.
A button bursting lunch for 2 pax cost about $67 (after 25% discount), which is rather reasonable for the amount of dishes we had. But having said that, I don't see myself patronising again because the quality of food, though reasonably good, is really a far cry from the early days when it was situated at Toa Payoh Safra and pretty much a one man show.
Adiós Chef Chan!
See all my pictures here.
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After our dinner at Jian Dao Jian, we took a leisurely stroll to Tong Shui Café at Liang Seah Street. I had heard of its existence but this was the first time I had actually seen it. It was eye catching to say the least, with the walls painted in bright shades of red and green and traditional red Chinese lanterns hanging along the pathway. It gave a very traditional Chinese feeling, although the chandeliers inside did seem a little out of place. The eating area was small and cozy (though it might seem a little claustraphobic to some), with lots of decorations hanging from the walls. The ordering system at this eatery is similar to that of Hong Kong Café’s, in which you write your orders down on a slip of paper and pass it to the wait staff who will serve your order to you. As we were quite stuffed, we went for the Toast with Peanut Butter and Condensed Milk, Tofu with Meat Floss, Ice Cappuccino and Ice Milk Tea.
The Tofu with Meat Floss was a let down. I had expected a silkier tofu and more flavourful Meat Floss. The gravy was also too salty and oily for my liking. Toast with Peanut Butter and Condensed Milk might seem like a weird combination, but it tasted good. The Peanut Butter was smooth and creamy and the Condensed Milk added a certain sweetness to it. The toasted bread could have been crispier though.
The Ice Milk Tea and Ice Cappuccino were served in glasses that were reminiscent of honey containers and usually reserved for apple juice. I found them a little heavy on the sugar content.
All in all, a rather average experience at $15.53/-. Not too expensive and I might consider going back for supper or chit chat sessions. They close at 6am and are close to town, which makes it an even more attractive option.
See all my pictures here.
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Woke up bright and early on a Sunday morning for some Dim Sum with my gf. Had been wanting to do so ever since we had Dim Sum at Yan Palace some time back. This time we decided to visit one of the old names in Dim Sum - Red Star Restaurant at Chin Swee Road. Located on the top floor of a HDB flat, Red Star is one of the very few Dim Sum places that still serves Dim Sum in pushcarts, just like the old days. The interior in itself is reminiscent of the 80s. We got there at about 0830hrs and the place was more than half filled (It can easily seat about 200 pax).
It would be sheer madness if I were to review everything I ate, so I'll just list out what I find is good and what isn't. You might probably want to avoid the Xiao Long Bao because the skin was a little too starchy and the filling was too dry. The Chee Cheong Fun was a little too rough for my liking and could do with more filling. The Banana with Shrimp Roll was rather unique, with the sweetness of the banana complementing with the taste of shrimp. Other than that, the rest of the items were pretty normal.
The 2 of us paid almost $40/- for the meal, which is expensive by Red Star's standards, considering the last time we ate there, it only cost us about $30. They probably increased the price or something. However, having said that, they are still quite reasonable for the average quality of food that they provide. So if you are looking to relive the old days of the push cart or wish to have Dim Sum as early as 0730hrs, then this is the place for you. As for me I won't be rushing back to patronise anytime soon as I'm still reeling from the shock at my bill. Yan Palace does seem like a more viable option now.
See all my pictures here.
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The exterior of the restaurant was constructed to mimic a bamboo hut from olden China. The fake bamboo shoots placed at the entrance added to the realism. Inside, it was very oriental and cosy, with Chinese calligraphy works displayed on the walls. The restaurant was small, with only a grand total of 10 tables. A friendly waitress took our orders of Mei Cai Kou Rou and Special Tofu, both apparently one of the few signature dishes of the restaurant.
I've never tried Mei Cai Kou Rou before, so it came as a surprise that the Mei Cai was a little sweet instead of the usual saltiness that I associate with Mei Cai. It was something different, to me at least. The Kou Rou was thick with a few layers of meat and fat and tasted decent. The tofu was of the rougher genre, typically called "Dao Gua" or "Dou Gan". It was stuffed with meat in the middle and was nothing special really, but I like the gravy that came with it. It was a little peppery and very salty when consumed alone, but when eaten with the tofu, the saltiness was toned down and it made for a nice combination.
Overall, the bill was just shy of $20, inclusive of taxes and other stuff like towels, peanuts and others. Expensive? No way. Cheap? Relatively. Food wise is ok, based on the limited number of dishes that I've tried. (I've tried their salted chicken before and it was really salty, but hey, it is supposed to be salty.) Honestly speaking, if I am in search of cheap and simple home cooked fare in a quiet environment (uncomfortably quiet in fact, due to the small enclosed area and if there are no other patrons around), I'll be back. Other than that, I think not.
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Had the usual family dinner at Cheng Li Yuan tonight. Cheng Li Yuan is a relatively new kid on the block and showcases food from northern China, instead of the usual south food that we are accustomed to. Located along Tanjong Pagar Road, it is quite prominent if you happen to drive or walk along that road. However, when we got there at about 1930hrs, it was almost empty with the exception of 1 table. We were greeted by the friendly lady boss and shown to our seats. We had the Pork with Special Sauce & Popiah Skin, Fried Mao's Spicy Pork, Fish and Dried Scallop with Egg White, Xiao Long Bao and Red Bean Snow Bun for dessert.
The Pork with Special Sauce & Popiah Skin looked gross when it arrived. The pork strips looked like maggots fried in oyster sauce. However, the dish was pleasently good. The Popiah skin was of a thicker kind and warm when served. Together with the pork strips, it was delectable. The Fried Mao's Spicy Pork was a favourite with my dad. The pork was thinly sliced and pan fried, making it a litle crisp on the edges and chewy.
Fish and Dried Scallop with Egg White might sound a little weird to some, but I like it! It wasn't as good as Prima's(Review coming soon)version, but good enough. The egg whites were smooth and nicely beaten. But beware. Too much of it can make you woozy. Next comes the highly recommended Xiao Long Bao. At $5 for 8 pieces, I consider it a steal, considering the quality. The skin was thin yet strong enough to hold the fillings inside. Pop one into your mouth and the juices just explode. Still, I find Crystal Jade's Xiao Long Bao a wee bit better. But I'll choose this over Crystal Jade's one anyday due to the huge disparity in price.
The highlight of the night(to me at least) was the exquisitely done Red Bean Snow Bun. This is a pretty unique dish because the "bun" is made from egg white which is deep fried. It looks exactly like a bun, golden on the outside and white on the inside. The "bun" was warm, soft and fluffy, albeit a little too oily. It had red bean paste as filling and a sprinkling of sugar on the outside. Pure genius I must say. The bun itself was pretty tasteless, but the red bean paste and sugar provided the sweetness. The paste was smooth and not too sweet. Goodbye Red Bean Paste Pan Cakes. Hello Red Bean Snow Bun!
Total cost for the meal was $52 for 3 pax. Not the cheapest I've tried, but reasonable enough. Food quality is also pretty good. One thing they need to brush up on a little is their attentiveness. We had problems trying to catch the attention of the lady boss and her husband. But you can't blame them really. They are the only 2 wait staff manning the whole place. Try it out if you want something different from your usual fare.
See all my pictures here.
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Sweet Indulgence is a quaint little place found in the CBD maze. It was a challenge for a few of us that night but everyone managed to turn up in the end.
Due to the way the restaurant is built (lengthwise) our table had to be long and the area inside was pretty crammed. People sitting inside daren't move about too much for the fear of being too troublesome.
But the decor of the place was quite nice. I was initially worried it would be a little warm for some but it wasn't. The lighting was a little dim for photo-taking but we still managed. I like the bar counter and the little piano at the side. The boss even invited people to play on the piano in exchange for a glass of wine.
Food Served:Complimentary bread
I was hungry when I had this so I'm probably not a very good judge. It had a slight taste of herbs to it but that was all. It wasn't warm nor soft enough. But it's reasonable I guess.
Salad
A very simple salad. period.
Cream of Broccoli
Most of the others said it was salty but my brother and I felt it was fine. Odd isn't it. We actually finished everything and were quite pleased with it. Maybe it's because we're broccoli lovers. The odd thing about this soup was that it was served AFTER the main course.
Garlic Prawns
Thank goodness for the prawns. 4 bowls of prawns were plonked on the table to be shared by the people surrounding iit. Ours were shared by 5. The prawns came the same time as the salad and saved the day. They were fresh and had just enough bite. They were also in a flavourful dressing/sauce which I found to be quite special.
Poached Salmon with White Sauce & Herbs, served with Pasta and Seasonal Vegetables
Firstly, I have to say that every plate of salmon was different. Ours was without the fishy taste/smell though my neighbour's had. We thought it could be due to the fact that ours was slightly smaller. The pasta was slightly overcooked and tasteless.
Oven Baked Chicken Thigh Steak with Crisp Skin served with Chef Sauce & Potato Mash infused with Vanilla and Cream
I only liked the potato mash really. The chicken wasn't fantastic. I refused to eat the skin as it was quite soggy not crisp and the meat inside though marinated, wasn't very tasty.
Strawberry Cheesecake
I didn't even know what it was when I was eating it. We were arguing about what it was. Some said it was Strawberry shortcake whilst others said it was just a cake. I didn't like it at all and didn't finish mine. It had a very odd smell to it, which I wasn't accustomed to.
Warm Choco Lava Indulgence
We had to share this among the 5 of us as a complimentary dessert. Although I liked the taste of the chocolate oozing out and the taste of the crust but I can't help but dislike the texture of the crust. I don't like the whole thing to crumble into bits the moment one takes a stab at it.
Each of us paid $33 that night. We were full but weren't overly so. I guess it's reasonable as it includes a drink but I had certainly expected more. Not worth a planned visit but if you're nearby I guess it's alright.
I was thinking that they were very unprepared for a mini-crowd like us and maybe they would do better if there were less people? I was just thinking. Ah well.
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