It must be a furor when I gave those pathetic 3 stars.
After much recommendation and hooha on TV over this HotPot Culture, I chose this place to be where I'll be treated for dinner as bday gift from mom while not burning her pocket.
I was so looking forward to it over the whole week and finally I got to eat it just now.
The lady was so polite at the reservation's I was so sure that it is going to be a wonderful experience.
I sat down excitedly and was happy with the service. I impatiently ordered for herbal broth though it wasn't highly recommended.
My sister took the Chicken one which was highly recommended.
When the soup came, I happily went to the uncooked food spread to get stuff.
Variety wise, I loved how fragrant the sesame oil was and the shallots were crisp! I have never really seen so much variety of veg, and also those yong tao hu stuff. There were also dried pork skin. Fish, chicken fillet and pork liver!
I dumped everything into the soup and the soup was really nice! However, to my disgust, the dried pork skin had an awful oil smell, the veg was alright, the yongtauhu stuff was average. At that point of time, I wished there were individual teppans.
The fumes kept tearing my eyes I don't know what to do, but no choice.
So we ordered the food.
I ordered some fish that was rather spicy, assam prawns, bacon prawns, minced pork with mushroom, pork, shitake, etc.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fish was so unfresh it was so unexpected that those on the uncooked buffet spread was better, and probably the heavy chili was there to mask it,
Assam prawns had the same theory. Prawns were unfresh too. Bacon was over fried the bacon was fullatoomuch oil, and shranked really bad. Prawns are the same batch of stale prawns.
Minced pork with mushroom was....SOUR??!!!
Shitake was best.
Fried rice was rather oily but otherwise fragrant, so i ate that whole night, and with the soup....
The night was half saved by the chocolate fondue. The chocolate was really just right I won't get sick of it. However, the bananas, honeydew and strawberries were SOUR. but watermelon was juicy.
DID I SAY HOW GREAT THE BANANA CAKE WAS? especially with the chocolate????!
but by that time the chocolate was rather burnt. When I put out the flame, it hardened, if i put it back on, it gets burnt.....argh.
The ice cream were so bad that it literally fell apart. it did not even stick together....i wonder if u understand what I am talking about lol.
ANYWAY, did anyone mention over here that the drinks are at restaurant rates, and the plain water is 50cents per glass????
Well, not that I wanna complain. They've GOT to make money right???
Sadly, I am VERY disappointed that the standard (i suppose) dropped so drastically, and I never got to get the standard I expected it to be.
St Regis hotel, the latest glamorous and prestigious hotel to open on our shore. Tout as a 6 star luxury hotel and with so much at stake, Yan Ting, a Cantonese restaurant offers to promise you a totally different dining experience.
Stepping into St Regis is quite an experience on its own, the grandeur of the hotel will simply blow you away. The splendor furnishings and the majesty furnitures are not all, even taking a lift in St Regis promises you a unforgettable reminiscence.
6 Star is not exaggerating, and from the moment you enter the hotel, it feels so good to be rich, even just for that afternoon.
Albeit being a Chinese Cantonese restaurant, the contemporary and classy feel of the restaurant’s interior certainly does not show any indication, with the exception of the 4 seasons painting, and the exquisite chopsticks and spoons plated in gold and inlaid with jade pieces.
An elegant chandelier is the highlight of the low ceiling in the restaurant. Stylish curtains and the comfy seats brings out a cozy and relaxed dining atmosphere.
The main emphasize which makes Yan Ting stands out from the other Chinese restaurant is in the pricing for its dim sum. While others usually charged dim sum by per basket or plate, Yan Ting attempts to break through the norm and bring the pricing of dim sum to another level by its per piece charging.
For Yan Ting’s A la carte menu, just like some of the more prominent Chinese restaurants, they are priced by per person, and the small servings of the food meant that there is no chance of sharing food.
Being in a 6 Star hotel, you definitely will not expect Yan Ting to be easy on the pocket, with most of the simpler dishes priced from $10 to $24 each. And with the small serving, expect to spend up to $100 for a decent meal, per person.
Appetizer Unlike their western counteparts, most Chinese restaurants doesn’t actually serve out appetizer since the Chinese doesn’t have the emphasize on course eating. The small squid is actually quite good, simple enough to start our taste bud going in anticipation of the rest to come. And its free, so no complains there.
Cripsy radish pastry ($1.80 per piece) This is the first time i had a radish pastry before, and i must say it is good, the crispy skin compliments well with the soft radish inside.
Oven-baked fluffy Char Siew Pastry ($1.60 per piece) The Char Siew Pastry is indisputably the star of the show here. Take a bite into the crispy fluffy pastry, and you will discover the juicy and sweet char siew hidden within. Having one each is really not doing justice to the pastry. And i’ll rather pay $1.60 for one of these wonderful char siew sou, than to eat several cheaper ones. Excellent!
Stir-fried “cheong fan” rice roll with XO sauce ($4) I never had stir-fried “cheong fan” rice roll with XO sauce before, and to be honest initially i mistook this dish for the fried carrot cake done with XO sauce which is commonly found in Chinese restaurants dim sum menu.
Although it tasted more like Char Kway Teow than “cheong fan”, but i find it to be quite all right, and at $4 even though the portion is quite small, its still cheaper and more worth well than the XO sauce fried carrot cake that i had at Peach Garden.
Steamed shrimp dumpling ($2 per piece) The steamed crystal shrimp dumpling, or more affectionately known as “Har Kao” comes at a hefty price tag of $2 per piece. If you do your maths, this works out to be $6 for one basket of three Har Kao. There’s always a first time for everything, and this is really a first time where i had such expensive shrimp dumplings.
However, Yan Ting’s Har Kao is really one of the best that i had tried so far, the thin skin envelops the fresh and succulent prawns. But at $2 each, Yan Ting is really testing the limits for the first-rate dumplings.
Steamed Pork and Shrimp Dumpling ($2 per piece) “Siew Mai” or steamed pork and shrimp dumpling is always the dim sum i’ll base my judgment on how good the dim sum at the restaurant really is. The Siew Mai here passes the test, the combination of the crunchy prawn and the lean pork goes well together.
Xiaolongbao ($4 per piece) To be frank, I never liked xiaolongbao, since i can’t really appreciate the beauty of it. Even though the xiaolongbao is a bigger rendition than your normal ones, to pay $4 for one xiao long bao, i’ll be crazy.
But, the Xiaolongbao at Yan Ting is really different from the usual ones, the pipping hot stock juice literally floods out upon a bite into the skin of the xiaolongbao. Although the xiaolongbao is quite good, but i’ll not order it again if i come back to Yan Ting. For a $4 xiaolongbao experience, once is enough.
Traditional Cantonese egg tart ($1.60 per piece)
The egg tart is done exactly the way i like it, cripsy skin with the smooth egg custard within. I lamented the fact that the egg tart is too small. And at $1.60 per piece, they are not really cheap.
Deep-fried Yam Croquette ($1.60 per piece) The deep fried Yam croquette with diced chicken is excellent. Although the croquette is deep fried, but its not too oily, and the Yam taste is quite unique too.
Steamed Wild Mushroom Roll ($1.60 per piece) We ordered the steamed wild mushroom roll out of curiosity from the name. There’s two to three different type of mushroom, well the mushroom roll is not really my call.
Hong Kong BBQ platter ($16 per serving) BBQ pork, roasted duck, and crispy roasted pork makes up the Hong Kong BBQ platter. Note that its $16 for one portion, andthree of us ordered 3 portions, which adds up to $48. Ripped off is the only word to describe this.
The crispy roasted pork is not too bad, but it comes in only four small cubes. The roasted duck is really ordinary, and the BBQ pork or char siew, does not justify the exaggerated price tag of $16 for 4 cubes of roasted pork, two slices of roasted duck and three slices of char siew.
For $48, you can have a whole duck, with healthy servings of char siew & roasted pork. This is totally what you will not expect coming from Yan Ting, however the truth is there for all to see. This is somehow an anti-climax for the rather excellent dim sum that we had.
Total Bill was $150.20 for 3 person, which works out to about $50 per person. But if you work out the sums, excluding the BBQ platter which was $16 per portion, the amount for dim sum is actually about $34. Although we didn’t have that much dim sum, but i still find $34 to be acceptable given the high quality dim sum we had.
6 Star dim sum comes at a price, although some of the dim sum did not really justified the price, but overall the dim sum was nothing short of excellence. I’ll definitely try Yan Ting again, even though its a extravagant experience, but like they say, good things come with a price. Just that in this case, its a heavier price.
Do note that if you decided to give Yan Ting a try, you must be careful and not over ordered, that is unless you got a deep pocket. Service is good and professional, with the staff knowing when to approach us, and when not to disturb us. Yan Ting certainly test my limits for good dim sum, although i am still skeptical about their A la carte menu. Give that a miss and try their dim sum! And dim sum is only available during lunch, not dinner.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Had dinner with my folks one weekend evening and didn't want to venture far from home so ended up at Ju Bao, which is headed by the former head chef of Lei Garden, Yip Kin Chee.
Located at Teck Chye Terrace along Upper Serangoon Road, or more commonly known to people in the neighbourhood as "Hongkong Street" for its high concentration of Cantonese restaurants, Ju Bao's selling point is purportedly its great Cantonese food at affordable prices. Crowds throng this place during weekends so if you are thinking of having dinner, please go early.
Broccoli with Scallops - Our waitress tried to hard sell this dish to us and we succumbed. After all, how expensive or bad tasting could it be? On both accounts, it was a grave mistake. The scallops were small and lacking in bite but the major bummer was the fishy smell they emitted. The broccoli was still decent but at $22 for such a small portion, you have got to be kidding me.
Crispy Chicken - I suspected the chicken was precooked and left to cool in the kitchen because it was cool when served. And it was very oily. Some parts of the chicken were very salty while other parts were bland. Did I mention that portions were small as well? Sadly, the only positive note was probably the moist and tender meat, which made eating the chicken bearable, but barely.
Steamed Tofu - The tofu was smooth and came topped with mushrooms, minced meat and some other garnishes. However the dish in its entirety tasted rather bland and $8 for 4 relatively small pieces is terribly expensive.
While the absolute prices of the food didn't seem much, but factor in the quality and quantity of the food and its really a case of too little (quality & quantity) and too much (price). An unsatisfying dinner for the 3 of us cost about $47, which would have been better spent elsewhere. From the former head chef of Lei Garden, I had expected way better. Did I go on an off day or is the place just over hyped? I seriously wonder.
Safra Yishun country club, take a 15mins walk from Yishun MRT, LIC had the opportunity to visit the place last week and took some photos, so i thought i’ll share them and for people who have never visit any Safra around our island yet.
Swimming pool is definitely a main feature of any country club, be it for the kids or adults who fancy a swim, especially so in our hot weather.
Chalets are also a main feature of Safra, members can get them at a cheaper rates but i think non-members also are allowed to book them. Otherwise just get a friend who’s Safra member!
Personally i didn’t book any Safra chalets before, although several occasions i been to friends organise ones. I guess its pretty cool to book a chalet and just relax with your family, love one, and friends.
The rock-climbing area is one of the unique facilities available at Safra Yishun.
With this, LIC shall end the post on Safra Yishun! There’s plenty of other facilities like tennis court, gym, arcade, bowling centre, pool tables, spas at the country club also. Well you can check them out to see the facilities, some requires a fee, while others should be available for booking.
Don’t be afraid to explore the Safras around our island, they are built by the government for us to use after all!
This is a non-food related post, i’m sorry for any disturbance if you have came to ladyironchef wanting to read about my food adventure, but instead found yourself reading this post which has totally nothing to do with food. The next post will be on Eatzi, which is a cafe eatery under the same management by Jack’s place, which is also located within Safra Yishun.
You are always welcome to visit
ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Eatzi steakhouse & bistro is under the same management of the family-known name, Jack’s Place. The one that we are exploring today is located within Safra Yishun, just besides the swimming pool which makes it convenient for customers who want a hot meal after a swim.
With the green white chequered table cloth so oddly-like to the interior of Jack’s place, the familiar items on both menus makes you wondered why Jack’s place came out with Eatzi.
While some restaurants group came up with different restaurants, but they branded and package the different restaurants. But in the case of Eatzi, they do not hide the fact that they are under the same management as Jack’s place, and with the menu items also mostly similar, it makes us wonder do we go to Jack’s place, or Eatzi?
Nevertheless, Eatzi has their daily set lunch menu which offers different food on different days. The day that we went was a Tuesday, the choice of soup cream of corn. Main course is boiled fish with spinach & mussel topped with ginger cream sauce, or sauteed pasta with olive oil topped with crumbled chicken.
Sauteed pasta with crumbled chicken ($9.80) The Sauteed pasta with olive oil topped with crumbled chicken comes in the daily set meal. All set lunch includes a soup of a day, choice of main course, and dessert of the day, and coffee/tea.
Nasi Goreng with egg & satay ($9) Asian fusion delights seems weird to be on the menu of Eatzi, a place more for its steak and western meal. Nonetheless, the serving was quite big, and one person will struggle to finish the food. Do note this dish is on the A la carte menu, not in the set lunch.
NZ Ribeye steak with brown sauce ($14.80) Obviously Eatzi being a steakhouse, you ought to try some steak here. The NZ ribeye steak is on the executive set lunch menu, the main different between the normal set lunch and executive set lunch is the different type of food, with the executive priced slightly higher.
The waitress brought the steak on the hotplate over to our table, and pour the brown sauce to make the steaks goes sizzling! This is followed by the potato, which is cut into half and mayo sauce is applied to fill up the centre of the potato.
Eatzi offers affordable eating in a cafe with its set menus. Certainly when the food is so cheap, you can’t be really expecting much quality from it. The place’s great if you want a simple meal and at a cafe environment, its affordable pricing is definitely targeted to the mass market.
However, i won’t be going back because of the apparent lack in quality, and personally its a case of eating good food, not necessary expensive ones, but good food. Given a choice between Eatzi and our local delights at hawker centre, i’ll gladly choose the latter.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
A newcomer has burst onto the dessert scene at Serangoon Gardens, which already hosts popular dessert outlets like Frolick, a yoghurt specialist and Ice Cube, which sells ice cream and the like. However this new dessert place, aptly named Dessert Bowl or 一碗甜品, caters to people who prefer Chinese desserts.
Opened only about a week ago, Dessert Bowl can be rather difficult to find, given that its on the 2nd floor and plays neighbour to a pub along a quiet row of shophouses that houses OCBC as well. It definitely doesn't help that the signs are not prominently located. However make your way up and be rewarded by the sight of a brightly lighted cosy area which can probably take about 30 people or so. If you are lucky, you might just get one of the 2 sofa seats that overlook the roads below through the huge glass windows.
Rock Melon Sago - A very typical Chinese dessert, the rock melon sago wasn't outstanding and I personally found it a tad too sweet. But having said that, I don't remember the last time I had a rock melon sago that made me go wow. So maybe its just me.
Strawberry Ice - I didn't get to try this but from what I understand, the strawberries were very sour but other then that, no other complaints.
Mango De Creme - My original order of the Durian mousse was sold out so I thought I would try something a little different, namely the Mango De Creme, which was essentially custard with toppings of mango cubes and puree served up in a tin foil container. The custard came across as smooth and firm, very much like the texture of creme brulee. I'm not sure if it was effort on the part of the shop or pure luck that the mango cubes were sweet but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Overall a rather enjoyable dessert.
I don't really eat alot of Chinese desserts so I'm not sure if $10.50 for 3 desserts is considered expensive. But personally I think its still acceptable especially when this is definitely a cheaper alternative to Ice Cube. The dessert menu is rather extensive and that would probably be a good reason for me to drop by often for an after dinner dessert session.
Tian Wai Tian has been around for as long as i remember, and i believe they need no introduction. Located just besides the PIE expressway at the Upper Serangoon road exit. If you are coming from train, then stop at Potong Pasir MRT on the North-east line.
There isn’t any ambience to talk about, Tian Wai Tian is your typical zi-char in a normal coffee shop kind of place. Tian Wai Tian is so popular that besides the seats in the coffee shop, they also have tables at the back alley.
The most amazing thing is actually Tian Wai Tian only serves a few of their popular dishes, as in they don’t even have a menu to choose from, its always the same old few dishes, yet they pack in the crowd everyday!
Fish Head Steamboat ($20) Tian Wai Tian’s famous fish head steamboat! There are two types of fish to choose for your steamboat, the white promfet and the red groupa, which we got. The soup base is always a very important item for any steamboat as all the essence of the ingredients are cook together in it.
The soup here is pretty good, and you can have it topped up too. But i find it to be slightly on the salty side. More vegetables are needed to have a better balance.
Well a must-try dish if you come to Tian Wai Tian, since this is their signature dish.
Prawn Roll ($7) I believe the prawn roll is a very common dish and most people should be familiar with it, my family usually have it during the Chinese new year! The prawn roll here is good, dipped in the sweet sauce, awesome!
Tofu Prawn ($12) The tofu prawn in spicy sauce taste refreshing initially. Seldom do we see a combination of prawn and tofu cooked in spicy sauce. However, the taste is a tad too much and we can’t finish the dish.
Fried prawn sauce chicken ($8)
The fried prawn sauce chicken is mainstay dish on most of the zi-char stores, my favourite so far is the one in Holland Village XO Fishhead store. But the ones here are pretty decent i guess.
Sambal Kangkong ($6) Kangkong are best done in hot spicy sambal, and the one at Tian Wai Tian doesn’t disappoint. Hot and spicy!
Total Bill is $55.50 for 4 person. Tian Wai Tian serves their famous fish head steamboat, with the few of their popular dishes. Variety isn’t what you can have at this zi-char store, but if its some familiar dish that you need, find them here!
Service-wise, practically none, this is a zi-char, not some fanciful restaurant. The auntie working there can be quite rude and snobbish, so don’t say you are not warn.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Have you ever wished you could have a nice and relaxing weekend brunch/lunch in a lush greenery setting without the midday heat or the pesky mosquitoes? Well that was certainly on my mind as I headed to Canopy for a lazy weekend lunch with my gf.
Located smack in the middle of Bishan Park, Canopy is managed by Asmara spa and the cosiness is apparent from the minute you step in. Comfortable padded chairs coupled with huge wooden trim glass doors that allow sunlight to peer in make for a nice resort feel. The arched ceilings add a touch of colonial class and best of all, the interior is airconditioned. Canopy offers al fresco seating as well but unless you don't mind sweating it out on a hot day then by all means go ahead.
Eggs Benedict - One of the items on the breakfast/lunch menu, the eggs benedict was a rip off in my humble opinion. $12 for 2 slices of bread, 2 slices of ham and 2 poached eggs drizzled with Hollandaise sauce just screams expensive. And to top it off, it wasn't exactly outstanding. The egg yolk wasn't the least bit runny and the bread was a tad too dry.
Wagyu Steak with Skinny Fries & Herb Butter - A daily special that was scribbled on an overhanging chalkboard, the wagyu beef weighed in at about 300g(according to the waitress) and came as per requested - medium rare. However that's where the complimentaries end. The wagyu didn't taste like wagyu at all. The meat wasn't as tender or succulent as I had expected it to be and it was pretty much tasteless. I know of places which can put this dish to shame with their normal beef. And in case you are wondering, the herb butter was pretty bland as well.
Linguine Tossed with Lobster - As tantalizing as this dish may sound, it was a disappointment really. For starters, the linguine wasn't al dente and came across as very bland. The small lobster cubes (yes cubes), though crunchy and fresh, were bland as well and overall the whole dish was rather dry.
ps: I could count the number of lobster cubes with 2 hands. I suspect all the cubes combined can barely form one whole medium sized prawn.
Disappointment would be an understatement, not when I had to fork out over $75 for a less than satisfying lunch. Service was a tad slow and the food was so average that I didn't have the heart nor the wallet to stay on for dessert. The good thing about this place is its setting, but unless the management decides to lower the prices or buck up on the quality, the neighbouring joint shows more promise.
Heard many good things about Bistro 103's food and service so made the trip west one evening to try it out for myself. Opened in April 2007, Bistro 103 is a small family run restaurant with the husband as the chef and his wife and brother in law manning the store.
Located at the unlikelinesses of places, in a small shop unit along Pasir Panjang Road just next to a motorcycle repair shop and Manhill Restaurant, Bistro 103 offers a simple and unpretentious dining area filled with wooden furniture and daily specials scribbled on a chalkboard. From what I understand, the menu is rotated monthly and corkage stands at $5 .
Breaded Seafood Tofu with Wasabi Mayo - This was something unique which I have never tried anywhere else before. The tofu was coated with bread crumbs and deep fried till a crisp. There was a slight hint of tofu taste but the texture seemed a little too firm for my liking. Also, the bread crumbs came across as a little too thick as well.
Bacon, Ham and Mushrooms - We chose to have this dish done with a tomato base for a change and I must say it was quite well executed. The tomato sauce was lightly sweet with a mild tomato undertone, which is vastly different from the usual zesty type of tomato sauce that I'm used to. The pasta was a little too overcooked though, as evident by its limpness. The quantity of mushrooms was also found lacking but the generous servings of ham and bacon made up for it somewhat. Maybe they should just omit the mushrooms in the title altogether.
Oven Baked Barbeque Pork Ribs - This came as a recommendation and though huge in serving size, I found the execution a little wanting. The marination was not thorough enough and some parts tasted bland. On the upside, the meat fell off the bone with minimal resistance yet retained a certain degree of firmness. Nice but could have been better.
Chocolate Panna Cotta - Usually chocolate and panna cotta in the same dish would do the trick for me but not in this case. The panna cotta wasn't firm enough and I couldn't quite make out the taste of it as the layer of chocolate syrup and cocoa powder above proved a tad too overwhelming. So much for a $5 dessert.
Brownie with Ice Cream - A staple personal favourite, the brownie was served steaming hot (literally!) as evident by the steam it emitted when I cut through it. Moist(a little too moist actually) and not too sweet. Coupled with the normal tasting ice cream, it made for a sweet and not too expensive ($5) ending.
Dinner for 2 cost about $62 which does stretch the value for money notion a little thin. But hey, its $62 for an appetiser, 2 mains and 2 desserts - a value proposition that can hardly be found elsewhere, not for the quality of food nor the service. And if you need that extra nudge, try patriotism. Its after all, local.
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.
1=SGD 0.0587
It must be a furor when I gave those pathetic 3 stars.
After much recommendation and hooha on TV over this HotPot Culture, I chose this place to be where I'll be treated for dinner as bday gift from mom while not burning her pocket.
I was so looking forward to it over the whole week and finally I got to eat it just now.
The lady was so polite at the reservation's I was so sure that it is going to be a wonderful experience.
I sat down excitedly and was happy with the service. I impatiently ordered for herbal broth though it wasn't highly recommended.
My sister took the Chicken one which was highly recommended.
When the soup came, I happily went to the uncooked food spread to get stuff.
Variety wise, I loved how fragrant the sesame oil was and the shallots were crisp! I have never really seen so much variety of veg, and also those yong tao hu stuff. There were also dried pork skin. Fish, chicken fillet and pork liver!
I dumped everything into the soup and the soup was really nice!
However, to my disgust, the dried pork skin had an awful oil smell, the veg was alright, the yongtauhu stuff was average.
At that point of time, I wished there were individual teppans.
The fumes kept tearing my eyes I don't know what to do, but no choice.
So we ordered the food.
I ordered some fish that was rather spicy, assam prawns, bacon prawns, minced pork with mushroom, pork, shitake, etc.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fish was so unfresh it was so unexpected that those on the uncooked buffet spread was better, and probably the heavy chili was there to mask it,
Assam prawns had the same theory. Prawns were unfresh too.
Bacon was over fried the bacon was fullatoomuch oil, and shranked really bad. Prawns are the same batch of stale prawns.
Minced pork with mushroom was....SOUR??!!!
Shitake was best.
Fried rice was rather oily but otherwise fragrant, so i ate that whole night, and with the soup....
The night was half saved by the chocolate fondue.
The chocolate was really just right I won't get sick of it.
However, the bananas, honeydew and strawberries were SOUR.
but watermelon was juicy.
DID I SAY HOW GREAT THE BANANA CAKE WAS? especially with the chocolate????!
but by that time the chocolate was rather burnt. When I put out the flame, it hardened, if i put it back on, it gets burnt.....argh.
The ice cream were so bad that it literally fell apart.
it did not even stick together....i wonder if u understand what I am talking about lol.
ANYWAY, did anyone mention over here that the drinks are at restaurant rates, and the plain water is 50cents per glass????
Well, not that I wanna complain. They've GOT to make money right???
Sadly, I am VERY disappointed that the standard (i suppose) dropped so drastically, and I never got to get the standard I expected it to be.
Very unsatisfied.
Rating given:
St Regis hotel, the latest glamorous and prestigious hotel to open on our shore. Tout as a 6 star luxury hotel and with so much at stake, Yan Ting, a Cantonese restaurant offers to promise you a totally different dining experience.
Stepping into St Regis is quite an experience on its own, the grandeur of the hotel will simply blow you away. The splendor furnishings and the majesty furnitures are not all, even taking a lift in St Regis promises you a unforgettable reminiscence.
6 Star is not exaggerating, and from the moment you enter the hotel, it feels so good to be rich, even just for that afternoon.
Albeit being a Chinese Cantonese restaurant, the contemporary and classy feel of the restaurant’s interior certainly does not show any indication, with the exception of the 4 seasons painting, and the exquisite chopsticks and spoons plated in gold and inlaid with jade pieces.
An elegant chandelier is the highlight of the low ceiling in the restaurant. Stylish curtains and the comfy seats brings out a cozy and relaxed dining atmosphere.
The main emphasize which makes Yan Ting stands out from the other Chinese restaurant is in the pricing for its dim sum. While others usually charged dim sum by per basket or plate, Yan Ting attempts to break through the norm and bring the pricing of dim sum to another level by its per piece charging.
For Yan Ting’s A la carte menu, just like some of the more prominent Chinese restaurants, they are priced by per person, and the small servings of the food meant that there is no chance of sharing food.
Being in a 6 Star hotel, you definitely will not expect Yan Ting to be easy on the pocket, with most of the simpler dishes priced from $10 to $24 each. And with the small serving, expect to spend up to $100 for a decent meal, per person.
Appetizer
Unlike their western counteparts, most Chinese restaurants doesn’t actually serve out appetizer since the Chinese doesn’t have the emphasize on course eating. The small squid is actually quite good, simple enough to start our taste bud going in anticipation of the rest to come. And its free, so no complains there.
Cripsy radish pastry ($1.80 per piece)
This is the first time i had a radish pastry before, and i must say it is good, the crispy skin compliments well with the soft radish inside.
Oven-baked fluffy Char Siew Pastry ($1.60 per piece)
The Char Siew Pastry is indisputably the star of the show here. Take a bite into the crispy fluffy pastry, and you will discover the juicy and sweet char siew hidden within. Having one each is really not doing justice to the pastry. And i’ll rather pay $1.60 for one of these wonderful char siew sou, than to eat several cheaper ones. Excellent!
Stir-fried “cheong fan” rice roll with XO sauce ($4)
I never had stir-fried “cheong fan” rice roll with XO sauce before, and to be honest initially i mistook this dish for the fried carrot cake done with XO sauce which is commonly found in Chinese restaurants dim sum menu.
Although it tasted more like Char Kway Teow than “cheong fan”, but i find it to be quite all right, and at $4 even though the portion is quite small, its still cheaper and more worth well than the XO sauce fried carrot cake that i had at Peach Garden.
Steamed shrimp dumpling ($2 per piece)
The steamed crystal shrimp dumpling, or more affectionately known as “Har Kao” comes at a hefty price tag of $2 per piece. If you do your maths, this works out to be $6 for one basket of three Har Kao. There’s always a first time for everything, and this is really a first time where i had such expensive shrimp dumplings.
However, Yan Ting’s Har Kao is really one of the best that i had tried so far, the thin skin envelops the fresh and succulent prawns. But at $2 each, Yan Ting is really testing the limits for the first-rate dumplings.
Steamed Pork and Shrimp Dumpling ($2 per piece)
“Siew Mai” or steamed pork and shrimp dumpling is always the dim sum i’ll base my judgment on how good the dim sum at the restaurant really is. The Siew Mai here passes the test, the combination of the crunchy prawn and the lean pork goes well together.
Xiaolongbao ($4 per piece)
To be frank, I never liked xiaolongbao, since i can’t really appreciate the beauty of it. Even though the xiaolongbao is a bigger rendition than your normal ones, to pay $4 for one xiao long bao, i’ll be crazy.
But, the Xiaolongbao at Yan Ting is really different from the usual ones, the pipping hot stock juice literally floods out upon a bite into the skin of the xiaolongbao. Although the xiaolongbao is quite good, but i’ll not order it again if i come back to Yan Ting. For a $4 xiaolongbao experience, once is enough.
Traditional Cantonese egg tart ($1.60 per piece)
The egg tart is done exactly the way i like it, cripsy skin with the smooth egg custard within. I lamented the fact that the egg tart is too small. And at $1.60 per piece, they are not really cheap.
Deep-fried Yam Croquette ($1.60 per piece)
The deep fried Yam croquette with diced chicken is excellent. Although the croquette is deep fried, but its not too oily, and the Yam taste is quite unique too.
Steamed Wild Mushroom Roll ($1.60 per piece)
We ordered the steamed wild mushroom roll out of curiosity from the name. There’s two to three different type of mushroom, well the mushroom roll is not really my call.
Hong Kong BBQ platter ($16 per serving)
BBQ pork, roasted duck, and crispy roasted pork makes up the Hong Kong BBQ platter. Note that its $16 for one portion, andthree of us ordered 3 portions, which adds up to $48. Ripped off is the only word to describe this.
The crispy roasted pork is not too bad, but it comes in only four small cubes. The roasted duck is really ordinary, and the BBQ pork or char siew, does not justify the exaggerated price tag of $16 for 4 cubes of roasted pork, two slices of roasted duck and three slices of char siew.
For $48, you can have a whole duck, with healthy servings of char siew & roasted pork. This is totally what you will not expect coming from Yan Ting, however the truth is there for all to see. This is somehow an anti-climax for the rather excellent dim sum that we had.
Total Bill was $150.20 for 3 person, which works out to about $50 per person. But if you work out the sums, excluding the BBQ platter which was $16 per portion, the amount for dim sum is actually about $34. Although we didn’t have that much dim sum, but i still find $34 to be acceptable given the high quality dim sum we had.
6 Star dim sum comes at a price, although some of the dim sum did not really justified the price, but overall the dim sum was nothing short of excellence. I’ll definitely try Yan Ting again, even though its a extravagant experience, but like they say, good things come with a price. Just that in this case, its a heavier price.
Do note that if you decided to give Yan Ting a try, you must be careful and not over ordered, that is unless you got a deep pocket. Service is good and professional, with the staff knowing when to approach us, and when not to disturb us. Yan Ting certainly test my limits for good dim sum, although i am still skeptical about their A la carte menu. Give that a miss and try their dim sum! And dim sum is only available during lunch, not dinner.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
” dim sum extravaganza “
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Had dinner with my folks one weekend evening and didn't want to venture far from home so ended up at Ju Bao, which is headed by the former head chef of Lei Garden, Yip Kin Chee.
Located at Teck Chye Terrace along Upper Serangoon Road, or more commonly known to people in the neighbourhood as "Hongkong Street" for its high concentration of Cantonese restaurants, Ju Bao's selling point is purportedly its great Cantonese food at affordable prices. Crowds throng this place during weekends so if you are thinking of having dinner, please go early.
Broccoli with Scallops - Our waitress tried to hard sell this dish to us and we succumbed. After all, how expensive or bad tasting could it be? On both accounts, it was a grave mistake. The scallops were small and lacking in bite but the major bummer was the fishy smell they emitted. The broccoli was still decent but at $22 for such a small portion, you have got to be kidding me.
Crispy Chicken - I suspected the chicken was precooked and left to cool in the kitchen because it was cool when served. And it was very oily. Some parts of the chicken were very salty while other parts were bland. Did I mention that portions were small as well? Sadly, the only positive note was probably the moist and tender meat, which made eating the chicken bearable, but barely.
Steamed Tofu - The tofu was smooth and came topped with mushrooms, minced meat and some other garnishes. However the dish in its entirety tasted rather bland and $8 for 4 relatively small pieces is terribly expensive.
While the absolute prices of the food didn't seem much, but factor in the quality and quantity of the food and its really a case of too little (quality & quantity) and too much (price). An unsatisfying dinner for the 3 of us cost about $47, which would have been better spent elsewhere. From the former head chef of Lei Garden, I had expected way better. Did I go on an off day or is the place just over hyped? I seriously wonder.
See all my pictures here.
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Safra Yishun country club, take a 15mins walk from Yishun MRT, LIC had the opportunity to visit the place last week and took some photos, so i thought i’ll share them and for people who have never visit any Safra around our island yet.
Swimming pool is definitely a main feature of any country club, be it for the kids or adults who fancy a swim, especially so in our hot weather.
Chalets are also a main feature of Safra, members can get them at a cheaper rates but i think non-members also are allowed to book them. Otherwise just get a friend who’s Safra member!
Personally i didn’t book any Safra chalets before, although several occasions i been to friends organise ones. I guess its pretty cool to book a chalet and just relax with your family, love one, and friends.
The rock-climbing area is one of the unique facilities available at Safra Yishun.
With this, LIC shall end the post on Safra Yishun! There’s plenty of other facilities like tennis court, gym, arcade, bowling centre, pool tables, spas at the country club also. Well you can check them out to see the facilities, some requires a fee, while others should be available for booking.
Don’t be afraid to explore the Safras around our island, they are built by the government for us to use after all!
This is a non-food related post, i’m sorry for any disturbance if you have came to ladyironchef wanting to read about my food adventure, but instead found yourself reading this post which has totally nothing to do with food. The next post will be on Eatzi, which is a cafe eatery under the same management by Jack’s place, which is also located within Safra Yishun.
You are always welcome to visit
ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Rating given:
Eatzi steakhouse & bistro is under the same management of the family-known name, Jack’s Place. The one that we are exploring today is located within Safra Yishun, just besides the swimming pool which makes it convenient for customers who want a hot meal after a swim.
With the green white chequered table cloth so oddly-like to the interior of Jack’s place, the familiar items on both menus makes you wondered why Jack’s place came out with Eatzi.
While some restaurants group came up with different restaurants, but they branded and package the different restaurants. But in the case of Eatzi, they do not hide the fact that they are under the same management as Jack’s place, and with the menu items also mostly similar, it makes us wonder do we go to Jack’s place, or Eatzi?
Nevertheless, Eatzi has their daily set lunch menu which offers different food on different days. The day that we went was a Tuesday, the choice of soup cream of corn. Main course is boiled fish with spinach & mussel topped with ginger cream sauce, or sauteed pasta with olive oil topped with crumbled chicken.
Sauteed pasta with crumbled chicken ($9.80)
The Sauteed pasta with olive oil topped with crumbled chicken comes in the daily set meal. All set lunch includes a soup of a day, choice of main course, and dessert of the day, and coffee/tea.
Nasi Goreng with egg & satay ($9)
Asian fusion delights seems weird to be on the menu of Eatzi, a place more for its steak and western meal. Nonetheless, the serving was quite big, and one person will struggle to finish the food. Do note this dish is on the A la carte menu, not in the set lunch.
NZ Ribeye steak with brown sauce ($14.80)
Obviously Eatzi being a steakhouse, you ought to try some steak here. The NZ ribeye steak is on the executive set lunch menu, the main different between the normal set lunch and executive set lunch is the different type of food, with the executive priced slightly higher.
The waitress brought the steak on the hotplate over to our table, and pour the brown sauce to make the steaks goes sizzling! This is followed by the potato, which is cut into half and mayo sauce is applied to fill up the centre of the potato.
Eatzi offers affordable eating in a cafe with its set menus. Certainly when the food is so cheap, you can’t be really expecting much quality from it. The place’s great if you want a simple meal and at a cafe environment, its affordable pricing is definitely targeted to the mass market.
However, i won’t be going back because of the apparent lack in quality, and personally its a case of eating good food, not necessary expensive ones, but good food. Given a choice between Eatzi and our local delights at hawker centre, i’ll gladly choose the latter.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
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A newcomer has burst onto the dessert scene at Serangoon Gardens, which already hosts popular dessert outlets like Frolick, a yoghurt specialist and Ice Cube, which sells ice cream and the like. However this new dessert place, aptly named Dessert Bowl or 一碗甜品, caters to people who prefer Chinese desserts.
Opened only about a week ago, Dessert Bowl can be rather difficult to find, given that its on the 2nd floor and plays neighbour to a pub along a quiet row of shophouses that houses OCBC as well. It definitely doesn't help that the signs are not prominently located. However make your way up and be rewarded by the sight of a brightly lighted cosy area which can probably take about 30 people or so. If you are lucky, you might just get one of the 2 sofa seats that overlook the roads below through the huge glass windows.
Rock Melon Sago - A very typical Chinese dessert, the rock melon sago wasn't outstanding and I personally found it a tad too sweet. But having said that, I don't remember the last time I had a rock melon sago that made me go wow. So maybe its just me.
Strawberry Ice - I didn't get to try this but from what I understand, the strawberries were very sour but other then that, no other complaints.
Mango De Creme - My original order of the Durian mousse was sold out so I thought I would try something a little different, namely the Mango De Creme, which was essentially custard with toppings of mango cubes and puree served up in a tin foil container. The custard came across as smooth and firm, very much like the texture of creme brulee. I'm not sure if it was effort on the part of the shop or pure luck that the mango cubes were sweet but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Overall a rather enjoyable dessert.
I don't really eat alot of Chinese desserts so I'm not sure if $10.50 for 3 desserts is considered expensive. But personally I think its still acceptable especially when this is definitely a cheaper alternative to Ice Cube. The dessert menu is rather extensive and that would probably be a good reason for me to drop by often for an after dinner dessert session.
See all my pictures here.
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Tian Wai Tian has been around for as long as i remember, and i believe they need no introduction. Located just besides the PIE expressway at the Upper Serangoon road exit. If you are coming from train, then stop at Potong Pasir MRT on the North-east line.
There isn’t any ambience to talk about, Tian Wai Tian is your typical zi-char in a normal coffee shop kind of place. Tian Wai Tian is so popular that besides the seats in the coffee shop, they also have tables at the back alley.
The most amazing thing is actually Tian Wai Tian only serves a few of their popular dishes, as in they don’t even have a menu to choose from, its always the same old few dishes, yet they pack in the crowd everyday!
Fish Head Steamboat ($20)
Tian Wai Tian’s famous fish head steamboat! There are two types of fish to choose for your steamboat, the white promfet and the red groupa, which we got. The soup base is always a very important item for any steamboat as all the essence of the ingredients are cook together in it.
The soup here is pretty good, and you can have it topped up too. But i find it to be slightly on the salty side. More vegetables are needed to have a better balance.
Well a must-try dish if you come to Tian Wai Tian, since this is their signature dish.
Prawn Roll ($7)
I believe the prawn roll is a very common dish and most people should be familiar with it, my family usually have it during the Chinese new year! The prawn roll here is good, dipped in the sweet sauce, awesome!
Tofu Prawn ($12)
The tofu prawn in spicy sauce taste refreshing initially. Seldom do we see a combination of prawn and tofu cooked in spicy sauce. However, the taste is a tad too much and we can’t finish the dish.
Fried prawn sauce chicken ($8)
The fried prawn sauce chicken is mainstay dish on most of the zi-char stores, my favourite so far is the one in Holland Village XO Fishhead store. But the ones here are pretty decent i guess.
Sambal Kangkong ($6)
Kangkong are best done in hot spicy sambal, and the one at Tian Wai Tian doesn’t disappoint. Hot and spicy!
Total Bill is $55.50 for 4 person. Tian Wai Tian serves their famous fish head steamboat, with the few of their popular dishes. Variety isn’t what you can have at this zi-char store, but if its some familiar dish that you need, find them here!
Service-wise, practically none, this is a zi-char, not some fanciful restaurant. The auntie working there can be quite rude and snobbish, so don’t say you are not warn.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
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Have you ever wished you could have a nice and relaxing weekend brunch/lunch in a lush greenery setting without the midday heat or the pesky mosquitoes? Well that was certainly on my mind as I headed to Canopy for a lazy weekend lunch with my gf.
Located smack in the middle of Bishan Park, Canopy is managed by Asmara spa and the cosiness is apparent from the minute you step in. Comfortable padded chairs coupled with huge wooden trim glass doors that allow sunlight to peer in make for a nice resort feel. The arched ceilings add a touch of colonial class and best of all, the interior is airconditioned. Canopy offers al fresco seating as well but unless you don't mind sweating it out on a hot day then by all means go ahead.
Eggs Benedict - One of the items on the breakfast/lunch menu, the eggs benedict was a rip off in my humble opinion. $12 for 2 slices of bread, 2 slices of ham and 2 poached eggs drizzled with Hollandaise sauce just screams expensive. And to top it off, it wasn't exactly outstanding. The egg yolk wasn't the least bit runny and the bread was a tad too dry.
Wagyu Steak with Skinny Fries & Herb Butter - A daily special that was scribbled on an overhanging chalkboard, the wagyu beef weighed in at about 300g(according to the waitress) and came as per requested - medium rare. However that's where the complimentaries end. The wagyu didn't taste like wagyu at all. The meat wasn't as tender or succulent as I had expected it to be and it was pretty much tasteless. I know of places which can put this dish to shame with their normal beef. And in case you are wondering, the herb butter was pretty bland as well.
Linguine Tossed with Lobster - As tantalizing as this dish may sound, it was a disappointment really. For starters, the linguine wasn't al dente and came across as very bland. The small lobster cubes (yes cubes), though crunchy and fresh, were bland as well and overall the whole dish was rather dry.
ps: I could count the number of lobster cubes with 2 hands. I suspect all the cubes combined can barely form one whole medium sized prawn.
Disappointment would be an understatement, not when I had to fork out over $75 for a less than satisfying lunch. Service was a tad slow and the food was so average that I didn't have the heart nor the wallet to stay on for dessert. The good thing about this place is its setting, but unless the management decides to lower the prices or buck up on the quality, the neighbouring joint shows more promise.
See all my pictures here.
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Heard many good things about Bistro 103's food and service so made the trip west one evening to try it out for myself. Opened in April 2007, Bistro 103 is a small family run restaurant with the husband as the chef and his wife and brother in law manning the store.
Located at the unlikelinesses of places, in a small shop unit along Pasir Panjang Road just next to a motorcycle repair shop and Manhill Restaurant, Bistro 103 offers a simple and unpretentious dining area filled with wooden furniture and daily specials scribbled on a chalkboard. From what I understand, the menu is rotated monthly and corkage stands at $5 .
Breaded Seafood Tofu with Wasabi Mayo - This was something unique which I have never tried anywhere else before. The tofu was coated with bread crumbs and deep fried till a crisp. There was a slight hint of tofu taste but the texture seemed a little too firm for my liking. Also, the bread crumbs came across as a little too thick as well.
Bacon, Ham and Mushrooms - We chose to have this dish done with a tomato base for a change and I must say it was quite well executed. The tomato sauce was lightly sweet with a mild tomato undertone, which is vastly different from the usual zesty type of tomato sauce that I'm used to. The pasta was a little too overcooked though, as evident by its limpness. The quantity of mushrooms was also found lacking but the generous servings of ham and bacon made up for it somewhat. Maybe they should just omit the mushrooms in the title altogether.
Oven Baked Barbeque Pork Ribs - This came as a recommendation and though huge in serving size, I found the execution a little wanting. The marination was not thorough enough and some parts tasted bland. On the upside, the meat fell off the bone with minimal resistance yet retained a certain degree of firmness. Nice but could have been better.
Chocolate Panna Cotta - Usually chocolate and panna cotta in the same dish would do the trick for me but not in this case. The panna cotta wasn't firm enough and I couldn't quite make out the taste of it as the layer of chocolate syrup and cocoa powder above proved a tad too overwhelming. So much for a $5 dessert.
Brownie with Ice Cream - A staple personal favourite, the brownie was served steaming hot (literally!) as evident by the steam it emitted when I cut through it. Moist(a little too moist actually) and not too sweet. Coupled with the normal tasting ice cream, it made for a sweet and not too expensive ($5) ending.
Dinner for 2 cost about $62 which does stretch the value for money notion a little thin. But hey, its $62 for an appetiser, 2 mains and 2 desserts - a value proposition that can hardly be found elsewhere, not for the quality of food nor the service. And if you need that extra nudge, try patriotism. Its after all, local.
See all my pictures here.
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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.
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