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Food & Beverage
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1=SGD 0.0587
Dropped by Gim Tim for dinner with my parents, who had heard much about it but never really gotten down to trying. Just a little background on Gim Tim. It started out as a humble restaurant in its present location, at the corner of a row of shophouses in the midst of a sleepy HDB estate. From there, it has since grown into 4 outlets but with only the original outlet retaining the Gim Tim name.
If its your first visit, some topography skills are required as the restaurant is located behind a market in a quiet cul-de-sac facing a block of HDB flats. The interior holds no allure, save for the fact that its air conditioned.
Braised Boneless Duck with Sea Cucumber - We ordered this dish thinking that it was sufficient for 3 people. It turned out to be much bigger than expected ( I estimate it to be for about 5 pax) and we had to doggy bag the left overs. The duck meat was tender yet firm and fibrous while the sea cucumber was not too soft and chewy. Both came in generous servings. Just a little something that I learnt about the cooking procedure for this dish. The duck has to be fried first till crispy and then simmered in the gravy to let it absorb all the flavours. Thats why the duck meat still manages to remain firm when served.
Broccoli with Prawns - A most excellent dish with the sizeable prawns fresh and crunchy and the broccoli cooked just right. Simple yet tasty.
Home Made Beancurd with Spinach - A little crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the homemade beancurd was decent, but still had room for improvements. One major flaw is its lack of taste, even with the spinach. I did like the mushrooms that came with it though, wildly refreshing yet not overpowering.
$75 for 3 pax might seem a little too much given the variety of food and cost of items. However, no one complained. Honestly, I think the quality and potions more than justify the price. Throw in good service minus the service charge and this place goes into my book of must return places.
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Azhang is an intriguing place because the name sounds Chinese, yet it serves largely Mediterranean food. How you define Mediterranean food, I don't have a clue though, but thats what it has been described as. From its old hideout at Joo Chiat, Azhang has relocated to a nicely done up shophouse unit along Mohamed Sultan Road, just beside the Italian eatery, Papi (which happens to be a place that comes highly recommended from my friend). Decor was simple and subtle, giving rise to that homely and laid back atmosphere which I personally fancy quite a bit. There were 8 of us for dinner and we were split into 2 camps - the beef eating and the non beef eating. 5 of us formed the former and we had the Azhang's Combo Platter and the Rib Eye to share between us. Everyone had a serving of the highly recommended Roasted Corn Salad.
The Roasted Corn Salad had a nice mixture of colours and tasted really great. The corns were coated with butter and roasted over an open flame until slightly charred. Toss in some garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil and whats not and you get a really sublime flavour. Although I am not a fan of Corn Salad, I must say this one is without question, one of the, if not THE best Corn Salad I have ever tried.
When it comes to steaks or prime ribs, comparisons with Morton's offerings are inevitable. And so it was the case with the Rib Eye served with a topping of Onions and Sauteed in red wine atop a bed of Pilaf. The Ribeye was actually quite decent, except that it was a little too rare which made it a little too chewy and difficult to carve (I did the carving so I know). Decent, but not worth the $26.90.
A feast for the eyes awaited in the form of the Azhang's Combo Platter. Honestly, I have never seen such a huge platter before. Salmon Belly, Calamari, Jumbo Prawns, Tandoor Chicken, skewers of Lamb and Beef Kebab and Pilaf formed the platter.The Salmon Belly was pretty alright, without the salmon taste being too overpowering. Calamari was tasteless except for the grilled taste. The Jumbo Prawns were huge but they were pretty tough due to the grilling and it was a major chore trying to get the shell off. I looked forward to the Beef and Lamb Kebabs, but they were disappointing. Too much spice and minimal natural flavours from the meats. It was also a little too charred on the outside. The Tandoor Chicken was the pits. I practically couldn't taste any chicken at all because it was too charred which had a very acidic taste. Acidic enough to make me cringe with every bite.
Thus concludes our dinner for the night and our bill stood at about $297/-, inclusive of a bottle of red wine. Not worth it if you ask me. Sure, the atmosphere is great and stuff, the wait staff are personal and friendly (namely Ava), but for the quality of food and pricing, I am better off elsewhere.
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Had an appetite for cheap French food so headed down with my gf to FRE(N)SH at Vivo City for a quick tartine fix.
Hidden in a quiet corner of the colossal shopping mall, FRE(N)SH is interestingly named, from which I infer to be a short form for French & Fresh or vice versa. I may be wrong, but I deserve some marks for trying? The place in itself is tiny, as evident by the bar counter seats which take up the majority of the place. There are 4 tightly packed tables in a corner as well but they shouldn't even be an option unless you seriously don't mind sitting about 20cm away from the next table.
FRE(N)SH Chicken Tartine - How could I resist ordering a Tartine with the same name? (I'm assuming its their signature dish.) The bread was nicely toasted with extremely generous amounts of chicken, sliced potatoes and mustard. Personally, I couldn't quite stomach the mustard as it made me tear involuntarily but the chicken and potatoes were good. Probably next time round I'll ask for mayonnaise instead.
Chicken Tartine - This was very similar to the FRE(N)SH Tartine except that it had anchovies and it came with mayonnaise instead of mustard. As with the former, ingredients were generous and this dish had a slight fishy overtone which generally went well with the chicken taste. However, any stronger and it would have been revolting (at least for me).
Crème brûlée - Served in an aluminum foil container, the layer of sugar atop looked a tad charred but broke easily with the slightest effort. Didn't find it to be quivery smooth though. But I could make out the vanilla beans in it, which probably means that its home made. Thumbs up to that!
Tiramisu - Looking more like a chocolate cake than anything else, the Tiramisu had a nice amaretto liqueur taste to it, which is different from the usual Kahlua infused ones. However, I did find the layer of sponge a little too excessive, so much so that it reminded me of eating a slice of cake. On that note, the Mascarpone cheese was a little lacking. But overall rather smooth and decent.
No GST, no service charge, what more can I ask for? Well maybe a mint to cleanse my breath. I'm just being corny here but $32 for 2 set meals is a rather good deal if you ask me. A drink, a Tartine and a dessert - a complete meal without busting your wallet.
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Was on leave on a Friday so dropped by Szechuan Kitchen with my colleague (who also happens to be on leave) for some dim sum since we were in the vicinity. Szechuan Kitchen is not to be confused with Szechuan Court, which I had the privilege to dine in sometime back. Szechuan Kitchen serves up dim sum and other simple dishes whereas Szechuan Court serves up exquisite Cantonese fare at a relatively higher price of course.
Tucked away on the third floor of Raffles The Plaza and just next to Szechuan Court, Szechuan Kitchen very much resembles a small teahouse with its wooden furniture and paneling. Not that I'm complaining though. The teahouse look gave it a humble and down to earth feel. Only quirk was its table placement, which had a passageway in the middle for passers by to walk through.
Deep Fried Prawn and Banana Wrapped in Bean Curd Skin Roll - I've never ordered this dish before and to be honest, I sort of regretted it. The bean curd skin was crispy but oily and I couldn't quite taste the banana taste, probably due to the minuscule amounts present. The prawns were fresh though, but had their sweetness curtailed by the taste of the bean curd skin.
The steamed pork dumpling aka Siew Mai was quite well done - tasty yet light on the palate. No oily residue or overwhelming pork taste to contend with. Definitely one of the better Siew Mais that I've tried.
Steamed Bun with BBQ Pork - A rather average rendition of the Char Siew Bao. The pastry was a little too thick and the Char Siew filling a little too sweet. Luckily it was served piping hot, which served to cover up most of its flaws (It helped that we were starving too).
Steamed Prawn Dumpling with Century Egg and Pink Ginger - This has got to be one of the weirdest Har Gao that I've ever eaten, with the addition of ginger and century egg. I appreciate the sense of innovation, but I really dislike ginger, especially when it comes in a sizable piece! That aside, the skin was relatively thin and not too starchy, with the prawns being fresh and crunchy. If only they would do something about the ginger. Oh and did I mention that there was no taste of century egg whatsoever?
My personal favourite, the Deep Fried Bacon Roll with Golden Mushrooms. As the name suggests, the golden mushrooms are wrapped with a layer of bacon and then coated with flour before deep frying it to a crisp. The result? A nice crispy layer of batter complementing the slightly salty bacon roll with the added crunchy texture of the golden mushroom. Even my colleague liked it!
Pan Fried Carrot & Radish Cake with Chinese Sausage and Dried Shrimp - Disappointing sums this dish up. True, it was softer and silkier than your average carrot cake but it was so soft that it became a little gross. Nowhere close to the likes of Royal China or Wah Lok.
Baked BBQ Pork Pastry with Pork Floss & Cheese - Another innovative dish from Szechuan Kitchen - Char Siew Sou with cheese. The pastry had a distinct hearty oven baked taste but the Char Siew filling was a little bland. However, this was where the pork floss came into play, breathing a light sweetness into the whole dish. I could detect the presence of the cheese as well, but in a more subtle milky variant. All in all, an innovation well done.
The bill came up to just over $40 (before discount, $20 after discount) for a non filling dim sum lunch for 2, which in my opinion, is relatively expensive for the quantity and merely above average quality of food. Service was generally faultless but could have been friendlier.
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Was back once again at Prego in hope that things would be better after my disappointing last visit some months back. Actually cheapskate/greedy me was cajoled by the fact that I could order/stuff more for the price with 50% off.
Spacious with high ceilings and huge windows that look out to the pedestrian walkway just outside, Prego doesn't strike you as an Italian restaurant in any way. And certainly not one which practices the fine dining concept.
Bruschetta - A stunning piece of art, a most aesthetic presentation of this humble Italian dish in all its glory. Pity such stellar comments couldn't be extended to its taste. For one, the bread was way too toasted and hard, marring the whole should have been crispy on the crust yet soft on the inside experience. I couldn't detect any olive oil taste on the bread as well, which made this dish as good as eating dried croutons with diced tomatoes.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara - A most common Italian dish, but to do it well takes quite a bit of skill. Prego's rendition was certainly not the best that I've tried but I dare say its probably one of the better ones. The pasta was al dente while the gravy wasn't too dense, going well with the very generous servings of bacon bits. Salty yet creamy, my personal favourite.
Calzone Farcito - This is honestly the first time I've tried a folded pizza and frankly, it definitely will not be the last time. Gimmicks aside, it reminded me of a huge curry puff with loads of stuffing in it. The dough was nice and chewy while the stuffings guarantee more than a mouthful. Only gripe I have was that the dough was a tad too oily, as evident by the dabs of oil on the exterior. I still like it though!
Crema Bruciata al Basilico, Composizione di Frutti di Bosco - Though the Creme Brulee didn't look the least bit appealing with its a little too charred sugar layer, it was quite good if I may say. The layer of sugar was thin and didn't stick to my teeth while the pudding was soft and quivery with a nice tinge of basil. Coupled with the contrastingly sour raspberry and hibiscus sherbet, it was really a pleasure to eat.
The Tiramisu was 70% Mascarpone cheese and 30% sponge, resulting in a dessert that was as light as air. Adding to the delightful equation was the slight taste of kahlua, which I believe came from soaking the sponge fingers in the liquor. However, it did seem a tad watery at the bottom.
Well $52 for 2 pax (after discount) is a steal for the quantity and quality of food. If this dinner is anything to go by, I'll definitely be back for more.
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Ever fancy something extra in your ice cream? Or perhaps something different from the normal cup or cone ice cream you get outside? Ice Cream Chefs has the answer! Alright I know that sounds like a cheesy commercial tagline. But seriously, Ice Cream Chefs does offer something that deviates from the norm - an avenue to "customise" your ice cream with toppings such as oreo cookies, chocolate chips and candies with promises to introduce more stuff in the near future. There is also an option to mix and match ice cream flavours to suit your preferences.
Sitting pretty alongside East Coast Road, just further down from Hong Kong Cafe, Ice Cream Chefs is rather easy to miss unless you maintain a look out for its purple sign board. Add in the fact that the location shares the same address as Ocean Park Condominium and you get a really confusing road trip. Tip: You have to make a right into the private carpark just after you make a right turn from East Coast Road into the road leading up to Ocean Park Condominium. There you press the red button followed by the code 0106 and politely request for the person on the other line to open the barrier for you. Do note that parking spaces are limited though.
The folks at Ice Cream Chefs take pride in hand making their ice cream. According to what I understand from the very short conversation I had with one of the guys, the process of making the ice cream involves leaving flavoured milk to harden on a flat pan like surface and flipping it over when one side hardens (something to that effect. Please dont berate me if I get it wrong).
Step 1: Scrape the ice off the hard top and plonk down a set amount of the ice cream of your choice.
Step 2: Flatten the ice cream with the provided set of huge metal spoon lookalikes (whatever those are called)
Step 3: Place desired toppings on the flattened ice cream and drizzle the complimentary chocolate syrup over it.
Step4: Use the spoons to forcefully crush the toppings to blend in with the ice cream and with a little mixing, your customised ice cream is ready to be served!
Disclaimer: The steps are based on what my experiences first hand and it may or may not represent the actual set of steps.
A regular scoop of ice cream goes for about $3 if I remember correctly and a medium scoop goes for $4 ( Please pardon my poor memory, but its all around that price range). For the ice cream lovers, there's a bigger tub option as well. Novelties aside, I personally liked my creation quite a bit (no I'm not narcissistic) and the quality of ice cream was comparable to that of Ben & Jerry's, albeit a little less robust. Would like to see more basic flavours though. Maybe banana? Mangosteen?
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Had a craving for Japanese food but didn't feel like Teppanyaki at Jurong Hill Top Restaurant so made my way down to Kotobuki with my gf.
Located in a bustling small town centre deep within Taman Jurong, Kotobuki's unassuming presence is marked by 3 overhanging paper lanterns near the doorway and a quaint Japanese stand lamp with its name. Thats not to say its shabby or anything. Walk in and be comforted by the snug homely feeling complete with wooden tables, chairs and of course a small comics corner. The place can probably seat about 30 odd people with its 8 or so tables.
I was wondering if Kotobuki's ramen would be as "sweet" as Marutama's initially but my fears were laid to rest when I took a sip of the soup. It wasn't artificially enhanced one bit. In fact, it was so bland that I couldn't really make out anything much. Ironically it looked the part. The noodles were of the egg variety and were definitely not hand made as they weren't springy and came clumped together. Did I mention that the soup was a little too oily too?
The additional pieces of char siew weren't fantastic either. They weren't melt in your melt for sure but at least there were minimal fats and taste wise was still acceptable.
For $3.50 a stick, I didn't expect much from the Asparagus Bacon. But I certainly didn't expect the puny portions. I could stuff 5 such rolls down my mouth at any one time, no problems! Taste wise was rather lacklustre as well. The bacon was a tad too dry and so was the asparagus. Couldn't really make out much taste as well.
A rather normal rendition of the staple Agedashi Tofu. Bang for the buck though, as $6 netts you quite a few pieces of soft silky tofu with rather elastic skin. A pity we left our tofu to soak in the sauce for too long, rendering the skin soft and mushy by the time we took to eating it.
First looks, the California Maki looked every bit impressive with its aesthetic arrangement and mounds of fish roe atop glimmering in the light. However, thats where the positive comments end. The roe was mind blowingly salty and lacked the burst in your mouth feeling when I bit into one. Actually the rice itself was salty as well, which made the whole dish too salty for words.
A must order dish everytime I step into a Japanese restaurant, the Ebi Tempura's batter was a little too thick but I derived consolation from the fact that at least it had a wee bit of taste, unlike the one I had at Sun with Moon. The prawns were reasonably sweet but the batter could use a little sprucing up on colour though as it did come across as a little pale.
Finally an all meat dish. The Chicken Teriyaki was decent enough with the chicken being well grilled and the Teriyaki sauce not too sweet. Taste wise, it did falter a little though, coming across as less robust than what I would have liked.
Average food, higher than average prices. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out whether its worth it. Only plus point is the decent service and cosy environment. There's another outlet at Liang Court, but I've never tried it so I shall not comment.
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Following our dinner at Marutama at Central some weeks back, my gf and I were back once again at Central to try out Grains - a Chinese restaurant which supposedly serves up healthier Chinese food without compromising on the taste or texture (Its in their mission statement). Just how much truth did that supposition hold was what we were there to find out.
Located on the second floor of Central, Grains practices an open dining concept whereby there are no walls between the restaurant and the walkway. Parquet flooring marks the boundary of the restaurant and the decor is simplistic, choosing to stick to the traditional wooden finish. There are actually pros and cons to such a dining concept. The pros are that you get a more open and spacious feel, not restricted by any boundaries. The cons are that people can walk by your table and stare at what you are eating. Hence, romantic dinners here are a definite big no no.
Spinach Tofu with Shimiji Mushroom & Dried Scallop - I simply love this dish and reckon its almost on par with what the top notch hotel Chinese restaurants serve. Soft but not too silky with a lingering smoky taste to it. Add the not too starchy gravy to it and you get a lip smacking dish of tofu. If only they would work on refining the texture of the beancurd a little.
The Sautéed Bean Sprouts with Salted Fish came across as very agreeable as the beansprouts were fresh, crunchy and not overcooked. The salted fish was crispy and not too salty, making for a very pleasant dish. Also, if you notice carefully, the restaurant has made an effort to remove the roots of the beansprouts, which is definitely a big plus point to me.
BBQ Trio Combination - Alright, this dish is definitely not healthy. One look at the gleaming layer of oil coating on the surface of the meats and you know. Health consciousness aside, the roast chicken was a little too soft while the roast duck skin wasn't crispy. The roast pork had just too big a bone and too little meat. All in all a decent tasting dish. Nothing more, nothing less.
Grain's very own version of the humble fried rice. Lightly fried with scallop cubes, brown rice and wolfberries thrown into the mixture - an idea which I personally find very refreshing. The wolfberries gave the rice a lingering sweet dimension while the brown rice gave the dish an uneven and rough texture. You might just want to try this dish if you ever drop by.
I was very much intrigued by the Baked Egg Custard as I had never eaten custard by itself before. To me, custard had always been associated with tarts, buns or puffs, but never as a stand alone. I just had to try it. On hindsight, that was probably the worst decision of the day as the baked custard proved a disaster from start to end. It tasted exactly like steamed egg with milk, albeit of a much rougher texture. Not exactly the sweet custard I was expecting. Also, being heavy on the egg and milk, it rendered me nauseous after a few mouthfuls.
Lychee Ice Cream in the form of a mochi is something new, to me at least. Novelties aside, it tasted familiarly like those Yeo's lychee packet drink that you can get from any supermart, except that it was in a solid ice cream form. Worth a try just for the sake of trying, but don't expect any surprises.
My gf and I enjoyed our dinner and we were struggling to finish up all our dishes. All for just $64, which isn't exactly cheap, considering the variety of food that we ordered. But then again, the quality of food is commendable and service is relatively good. So do they really serve healthier food without compromising on the taste? Somehow I'm inclined to think so, with the exception of the BBQ platter of course.
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My Humble House or 寒舍 - arguably one of the most prolific restaurants under the Tung Lok group and the only Chinese eatery out of 3 restaurants in Singapore to be voted as one of the top 100 restaurants in the world by Restaurant, a prestigious British magazine. Humble House recently celebrated their 5th anniversary with an exclusive buffet boasting of Foie Gras, Wagyu beef, Lobsters, Scallops and free flow wine. The reception for the night was cocktail style.
Through the immaculate use of wood, water, crystals and lighting, the interior screams modern chic with a touch of class yet oozes a sublime old world charm. A contrast so glaring yet seductive. Candles are used alongside dim ceiling lights to set the mood right for a relaxing dinner, a secret rendezvous or a special night out. Definitely a place to bring that special someone.
I was actually looking forward to the Wagyu beef, but sadly, it fell seriously short of expectations. Thought done up medium rare, I couldn't see or taste any marbling that seperates Wagyu beef from normal beef. And to top it off, portions were meagre, which meant more rounds of queuing. However, to be fair, the beef was rather decent, sweet yet juicy.
Fresh with the memories of having the delightful Peking duck from Asia Grand Restaurant, I was subjected to an onslaught of a weird tasting dish of the same name. Humble House's rendition, unfortunately, was served up cold and the sauce came across as a little too strong. It didn't help that the skin wasn't the least bit crispy or that the crepe was limp.
One of the very difficult dishes to perfect in any restaurant, the Foie Gras was decent enough to warrant a second attempt at the ridiculously long queue. However, it didn't come across as quivery or smooth, leaving behinds bits of sediment when consumed. What I did like about it was that the accompanying blueberry sauce complemented the Foie Gras very well, strong yet not overpowering.
Crispy Chicken Rice - Interestingly, this dish fell under the desserts section. The crispy rice actually referred to the use of rice crispies which were naturally crispy. Add on some chicken shreds, wolfberries et al and top it up with soup to achieve a nice warm dish close to the heart. Reminded me uncannily of your normal noodle soup dish, albeit with an extra crunch.
Lobster Popiah - I must be getting on in age for my eyesight seems to be failing me. I could barely make out the ridiculously small portion of lobster embedded within each nicely sliced piece of popiah. I'm sure the pieces were much bigger, but I'm probably just myopic. Wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the lobster didn't taste like much either, coming across as bland.
Chocolate Fondant - Am I glad that I only took one piece of the fondant to try. The exterior was soft and tasted like kueh, which was a huge turnoff. Not even the oozing chocolate or blueberries could save this dessert.
In case you are wondering, no it isn't free and each of us forked out $80 just to get into the thick of it. I reckon I ate about $30 worth of food and took about $50 worth of pictures. Looking at the math, I'm at a crossroads as to whether I should laugh at my stupidity or cry at my foolishness.
On a side note, I've actually been to My Humble House on a previous occasion and I must say that the food at the buffet is definitely not on par with the regular offerings. However, I maintain my stand that its definitely not worth the price nor is it worthy of its top 100 ranking.
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Decided to take a long trek from Boon Lay to Yishun with my gf and her family for dinner at Taste of Thailand. There are actually 2 outlets of this very popular restaurant but both of them are currently in Yishun (One used to be at the Old Sembawang Shopping Centre, but moved out just recently due to renovations to the mall). As mentioned earlier, this place is popular, which means you have to be prepared to wait for a table. Just for the record, we waited for about half an hour for our table.
Once you have registered your name at the counter, your orders will be taken and you have a choice of sitting in the artificially cooled interior or the naturally cooled exterior. Be prepared to wait longer if you want to sit in the air conditioned section.
The pineapple fried rice was a cut above average with its miniature shrimps, meat floss and deep fried onions. The rice was evenly fried and not too dry or moist. However, something very important was missing - the pineappletaste. Having said that, still decent and certainly bang for the buck.
I liked the fried fish quite a bit. The skin was crispy whereas the flesh was soft and a little sweet with a lingering aftertaste, albeit a little dry. The fish was quite a size for the price as well. Remember to try this one out!
The sweet potato leaves were not too shabby with the leaves fried with dried shrimps and a wee bit of chilli. Nicely spicy and fragrant with no sticky residue or aftertaste.
Deep Fried Squid - The Chinese version of Calamari. The batter covering the squid wasn't too thick and gave a nice texture but could do with a little more seasoning to improve the flavours. The squid was cooked just right and maintained a little chewiness. A very decent dish.
Prawn Paste Chicken - Although this dish seemed quite popular amongst the other patrons of the restaurant, I didn't quite take to it as the paste was a little too bland for my liking. The taste wasn't strong enough to invoke any salivation on my part nor was it fragrant enough.
The cereal prawns was a steal at just $15, with probably about 12-15 prawns or so. The prawns weren't the freshest of the lot, but fresh enough. The cereal was nicely fried but came across as a little too bland for my liking (probably lousy cereal). An addition of cut chilli might have injected a little more flavour into it.
I would be lying if I said that we weren't full after all the dishes. In reality, we were too stuffed to even make it to the car. All for a mere $75/- for 7 pax. Now lets see, that makes it about $11/pax for a 7 course dinner which includes seafood. This is probably as cheap as it gets for such a decent quality of food. Service was good and prompt too, which is an added bonus. If you haven't tried out this joint, I highly recommend that you do so.
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