It was my colleague, Florence's birthday that we decided as a team to go down to Changi Airport for a quick get together lunch with the entire team and the boss. Well, Breeks has been around for at least 15 years if i'm not mistaken and has been serving unbiased and unpretentious western fast food for the masses since its inception. Its strong points according to its website are its fish and chips and its chicken of which i have yet to try honestly.
Clam Chowder Soup - Its definitely thicker then usual campbells soup and there is quite a good variety of condiments and bread in the soup. Not lacking in the taste department at all and in fact, its pretty satisfying for a starter.
Safari Feast ($14.50) - As we were trying to decide which other starter we should have, the waitress informed us of the safari feast which included everything we needed to have. Criss cut fries, chicken drumlets, fried fish and some deep fried shrimp. Sinful stuff. Anyway, we ordered the feast and were delighted that they gave us 5 drumlets instead of 4 which was the norm. Great service on that one. The fries were golden, thick and crispy, the wings were crispy, spicy and juicy which were both good. The shrimp and fish were alright though it could be better as they somehow lacked much taste.
Hotplate Salmon Steak ($16.90) - Fish and Shrimp Lafayette ($15.90) - Baked Seafood Rice ($14.90) - Leaving you with the photos as i didn't get to eat much. I did try the seafood rice which was decent but not outstanding, the fish lafayette was alright as well but not fantastic. My boss had the chicken melt which was actually quite tender and fragrant but also, not fantastic. Honestly, that holds true for my main course as well.
Pan seared Black Pepper Fish Spaghetti ($16.90) - The spaghetti is worth mentioning as it was done al dente and worked well with the tomato based sauce it came with. The black pepper fish itself was also done pretty well but lacked the sweetness it should to be above average as the black pepper tended to mask the taste. However, in its defense, the fish was soft and seared well to retain its juices. The garden salad was a good choice to neutralize the taste when it overwhelmed as well.
Total bill came up to $134.10 for 7 people which averaged about $20 per head. Not too expensive but the quality needs improvement.
The place was surprisingly quiet for lunch and the seats were more or less free to choice. Service was pretty good but lacking finesse and the food has lots of room for improvement. However, for simple unpretentious fast food which it really is, it gets the job done. Just don't expect me to return when there are so many other better places around.
Udders aka cows mammary glands are a home grown brand of ice cream. Highly possibly opened by our female compatroits, Udders is a funny and friendly brand situated along Thomson Road. I chanced upon the ice cream during a food convention at Suntec City and the following are what i have to say about it.
Lychee Martini (approx $5 for one scoop) - This ice cream actually had actual lychee bits in the ice cream. It had so many lychee bits that the taste actually overshadows the martini taste which made it rather unpleasant for me. Would have prefered a stronger martini and lighter lychee taste.
Baileys and Bourbon (Approx $5 for one scoop) - This one is a clear winner for me. I'm a huge fan of Bailey's and so anythign with it inside works for me. The taste is strong, which is excellent and the creamy taste is a godsend which works superbly as ice cream. Love this!
Overall, the baileys saved the day. The ice cream ain't cheap but at least it was authentic. Give it a try, you never know, you might like it.
Aston's is no newcomer to the food scene and i was delighted to see a new branch opened so close to my workplace and so close to the east. In true Aston's fashion, this is located in a the heartlands in a simple kopitiam.
Being my first visit, its only natural to go straight for the beef steak while my gf had the chargrilled chicken.
Prime Sirloin Steak ($10.90) - I had the sides of pasta salad and whipped potato which were rather below average this time. The pasta tasted a little hard and uncooked while the whipped potato had a pasty firm texture which is either liked or disliked easily. The steak itself was thankfully done well. Medium rare, juicy and at a decent size, this is still what Astons excel in.
Chargrill Chicken ($5.90) - This came with sides of seasonal veggie and potato salad. The seasonal veggie is uncooked and tasted raw while the potato salad is a little too soft. Lacking the crunchiness of the Seragoon branch outlet. The chicken itself was tender, juicy and quite fragrant with spices albeit having a little frozen taste within. It still clocks in at a decent size though.
Overall, i'd say the meal is still above average for a kopitiam but they really need to work out the kinks for the kitchen before they can really take off.
Second Visit - Well, we were running out of cheap good places to visit so it was back to Aston's again to try it out. Hopefully, the standard has risen.
This time, we ordered a grilled fish with herbs and a Astons, I eat Superburger. And to sum it up, this visit was a much better.
Grilled Fish with herbs ($6.50) - Now this is a classic, my gf had it the first time we visited Aston's and now she's having it again. Not as good as the first time around but still, it was done soft and fragrant as it should be. The sides this time included a potato salad and french fries which were both way better then out first visit here. Service is still bordering on bad though.
I-eat Superior Burger ($12.50) - Its my personal mission to always try a beef burger and i must say, i was not disappointed this time. The burger was huge for its price, neighboring tables were angling for a look at my burger. Yeah, its pretty big. And i had sides of the potato salad which retained its former glory of being slightly soft and yet crunchy. The burger itself had loads of stuff in it. Apart from a rather large beef patty which was done really well i might say. There were tomatoes, lettuce, bacon, cheese and including, an onion ring or crown which really just made the burger irresistible. The meat was done medium rare which let it retain its juices and chewiness while the rest gave off a beefy fragrance which i loved. Top stuff, i'd say try this once you are there.
Overall, the second visit made my confidence for this branch increase a little. Its still green in the service but otherwise, its definitely looking like a good new Astons for the east to me.
I listen to this station almost every morning when i'm communing to work! Its a relaxing, funny and fun filled station with noteable morning shows with Ding Zhi Yong and company who usually talks about loads of issues close to the heart of Singaporeans. The good part is how they manage to make all this funny.
The evening show is equally good with Zhou Chong Qing and Zhou Tai Tai with their not-so-subtle jokes with double meanings.
The song selection is alright with some new songs gradually introduced on a weekly basis but sometimes it does feel repetitious after awhile. But its not a complaint really, there's really only so many songs available at times.
Either way, this is my most listened to Chinese Station. Cheers!
It was a day of celebration, a celebration of me and my gf's 1 year anniversary together that we decided to patronize a recommendation by my boss. The location was good, nestled in the middle of Sentosa with practically no one around to bother us. Still, it was with trepidation that we went since i've heard no other accounts of a good visit to the place due to its relatively infant start. Loving adventure and the unknown, we went ahead.
Here's a place that gives the impression of being miles away from your troubles and cares of the world. Calm, clean white covers most surfaces with glass walls and sleekly varnished tables and chairs. The view is equally enticing with the palawan beach spread before your eyes and your date. Its an ambiance that reinvigorates in the afternoon and energizes in the evening.
Its not in my thoughts or habit to order drinks in a swanky restaurant but then again, i couldn't stinge on a date like this i suppose. The end result is that we ordered 2 fruit punches which could have bought me about 6 fruit punches elsewhere. To be fair, it is rather good, being well balanced in sweetness and sourness but its still an expensive drink.
The complimentary bread was served warm with a nice aroma which reminds me fondly of pizza. Upon opening it, there are small granules of cheese and some chili thrown in for good measure. The crust is crispy while the inside was soft and warm. Not a bad start.
Pan seared foie gras, banana chutney and chocolate sauce - Doesn't this just look delightful? Who could resist foie gras anyway? Not me. This rendition was seared crispy on the outside and melt in your mouth on the inside. The gripe here is that the foie gras itself, had a layer of salt on it and the "chocolate sauce" tasted more like soya sauce which meant it was extremely salty overall. The banana managed to lessen the taste but i wonder if they actually poured the wrong sauce on this? It could have been so much better if the sauce was sweet. Even with this gripe, the foie gras was still done well.
Pamma Ham, Scallops and Rocket Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing - I had a piece of the scallop in pamma ham and it was delightful. Light, sweet and fresh tasting, its easily taken and liked. Though the scallop could have been more plentiful and the dressing as well. The lack of honey dressing left a bitter taste on the rocket salad actually.
Pan Roasted Pork Belly with Savoy Cabbage and Spiced Port Sauce - This is a worthy main course. Don't be fooled by its rather oily and fatty appearance. What you get with each bite is melt in your mouth tasty meat (and fats of course) but sinning has never felt better. Crispy pork belly that actually tastes salty and sweet at the same time. This is definitely something to try. The savoy cabbage is light and manages to neutralize a bit of the aftertaste that the pork leaves behind. Still, this was pretty darn good.
Roasted Cod with Ratatouille and Basil Dressing - My gf had this. Simply put, it looks amazing. 2 fine sized cod pieces between servings of ratatouille and sprinkled with basil sauce. Subject to the taste test however, and it falls flat. Amidst all the colors, i was unable to find much flavor in the roasted cod. In fact, it was also less tender and soft then any other cod dishes i've tried. The ratatouille was also lackluster in taste but at least it tasted fresh.
Cheese Platter - I was rather surprised with the menu when i saw the cheese platter as a choice for dessert. So, i decided to try it out just to know how it actually tastes like. The platter came with a variety of choices including blue cheese, cheddar and a few others i can't quite remember but the one thing i do remember is...i'll never have blue cheese...ever again. The taste is indescribably unpleasant. Stay away from this unless you have an acquired taste for it.
Cinnamon apple tart with cinnamon ice cream ($14) - Sweet! Sweet sweet and sweet! Sugar icing, mashed apples soaked in syrup and crumbles adorn this sweet dessert. The tart was served warm and crispy with a pleasant fragrance. In fact, it tastes pretty good until you mix it up with the cinnamon ice cream which tipped the scales from bearably sweet to excruciatingly so. Without the ice cream, this is one dessert thats easy to recommend.
Chocolate Lave Cake with Hazelnut Ice Cream - I expected this to be good but it turned out only average. The reason for this is the rather thick layer for the crust and the unmelted chocolate which definitely did not flow like lava. But bigger then this gripe is the weird pairing choice, chocolate lava (bitter) with hazelnut ice cream (equally bitter). And to add insult to injury, the hazelnut ice cream tasted more like coffee ice cream to me which thus resulted in one of the most bitter desserts i've ever had. Improvement definitely needed.
The total bill this time came to $131.85 for 2 people. Acceptable but not for the quality of food i had.
There's potential here for sure. The serene location and open space gives the customer a santuary away from the bustles of life. Yet, the pairing quality and the preparation of fish needs a definite improvement. Otherwise, this becomes perpetually, a place which has potential but lacks substance.
Clam Chowder Soup - Its definitely thicker then usual campbells soup and there is quite a good variety of condiments and bread in the soup. Not lacking in the taste department at all and in fact, its pretty satisfying for a starter.
Safari Feast ($14.50) - As we were trying to decide which other starter we should have, the waitress informed us of the safari feast which included everything we needed to have. Criss cut fries, chicken drumlets, fried fish and some deep fried shrimp. Sinful stuff. Anyway, we ordered the feast and were delighted that they gave us 5 drumlets instead of 4 which was the norm. Great service on that one. The fries were golden, thick and crispy, the wings were crispy, spicy and juicy which were both good. The shrimp and fish were alright though it could be better as they somehow lacked much taste.
Hotplate Salmon Steak ($16.90) - Fish and Shrimp Lafayette ($15.90) - Baked Seafood Rice ($14.90) - Leaving you with the photos as i didn't get to eat much. I did try the seafood rice which was decent but not outstanding, the fish lafayette was alright as well but not fantastic. My boss had the chicken melt which was actually quite tender and fragrant but also, not fantastic. Honestly, that holds true for my main course as well.
Pan seared Black Pepper Fish Spaghetti ($16.90) - The spaghetti is worth mentioning as it was done al dente and worked well with the tomato based sauce it came with. The black pepper fish itself was also done pretty well but lacked the sweetness it should to be above average as the black pepper tended to mask the taste. However, in its defense, the fish was soft and seared well to retain its juices. The garden salad was a good choice to neutralize the taste when it overwhelmed as well.
Total bill came up to $134.10 for 7 people which averaged about $20 per head. Not too expensive but the quality needs improvement.
The place was surprisingly quiet for lunch and the seats were more or less free to choice. Service was pretty good but lacking finesse and the food has lots of room for improvement. However, for simple unpretentious fast food which it really is, it gets the job done. Just don't expect me to return when there are so many other better places around.
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Lychee Martini (approx $5 for one scoop) - This ice cream actually had actual lychee bits in the ice cream. It had so many lychee bits that the taste actually overshadows the martini taste which made it rather unpleasant for me. Would have prefered a stronger martini and lighter lychee taste.
Baileys and Bourbon (Approx $5 for one scoop) - This one is a clear winner for me. I'm a huge fan of Bailey's and so anythign with it inside works for me. The taste is strong, which is excellent and the creamy taste is a godsend which works superbly as ice cream. Love this!
Overall, the baileys saved the day. The ice cream ain't cheap but at least it was authentic. Give it a try, you never know, you might like it.
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!
Being my first visit, its only natural to go straight for the beef steak while my gf had the chargrilled chicken.
Prime Sirloin Steak ($10.90) - I had the sides of pasta salad and whipped potato which were rather below average this time. The pasta tasted a little hard and uncooked while the whipped potato had a pasty firm texture which is either liked or disliked easily. The steak itself was thankfully done well. Medium rare, juicy and at a decent size, this is still what Astons excel in.
Chargrill Chicken ($5.90) - This came with sides of seasonal veggie and potato salad. The seasonal veggie is uncooked and tasted raw while the potato salad is a little too soft. Lacking the crunchiness of the Seragoon branch outlet. The chicken itself was tender, juicy and quite fragrant with spices albeit having a little frozen taste within. It still clocks in at a decent size though.
Overall, i'd say the meal is still above average for a kopitiam but they really need to work out the kinks for the kitchen before they can really take off.
Second Visit - Well, we were running out of cheap good places to visit so it was back to Aston's again to try it out. Hopefully, the standard has risen.
This time, we ordered a grilled fish with herbs and a Astons, I eat Superburger. And to sum it up, this visit was a much better.
Grilled Fish with herbs ($6.50) - Now this is a classic, my gf had it the first time we visited Aston's and now she's having it again. Not as good as the first time around but still, it was done soft and fragrant as it should be. The sides this time included a potato salad and french fries which were both way better then out first visit here. Service is still bordering on bad though.
I-eat Superior Burger ($12.50) - Its my personal mission to always try a beef burger and i must say, i was not disappointed this time. The burger was huge for its price, neighboring tables were angling for a look at my burger. Yeah, its pretty big. And i had sides of the potato salad which retained its former glory of being slightly soft and yet crunchy. The burger itself had loads of stuff in it. Apart from a rather large beef patty which was done really well i might say. There were tomatoes, lettuce, bacon, cheese and including, an onion ring or crown which really just made the burger irresistible. The meat was done medium rare which let it retain its juices and chewiness while the rest gave off a beefy fragrance which i loved. Top stuff, i'd say try this once you are there.
Overall, the second visit made my confidence for this branch increase a little. Its still green in the service but otherwise, its definitely looking like a good new Astons for the east to me.
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The evening show is equally good with Zhou Chong Qing and Zhou Tai Tai with their not-so-subtle jokes with double meanings.
The song selection is alright with some new songs gradually introduced on a weekly basis but sometimes it does feel repetitious after awhile. But its not a complaint really, there's really only so many songs available at times.
Either way, this is my most listened to Chinese Station. Cheers!
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!
Here's a place that gives the impression of being miles away from your troubles and cares of the world. Calm, clean white covers most surfaces with glass walls and sleekly varnished tables and chairs. The view is equally enticing with the palawan beach spread before your eyes and your date. Its an ambiance that reinvigorates in the afternoon and energizes in the evening.
Its not in my thoughts or habit to order drinks in a swanky restaurant but then again, i couldn't stinge on a date like this i suppose. The end result is that we ordered 2 fruit punches which could have bought me about 6 fruit punches elsewhere. To be fair, it is rather good, being well balanced in sweetness and sourness but its still an expensive drink.
The complimentary bread was served warm with a nice aroma which reminds me fondly of pizza. Upon opening it, there are small granules of cheese and some chili thrown in for good measure. The crust is crispy while the inside was soft and warm. Not a bad start.
Pan seared foie gras, banana chutney and chocolate sauce - Doesn't this just look delightful? Who could resist foie gras anyway? Not me. This rendition was seared crispy on the outside and melt in your mouth on the inside. The gripe here is that the foie gras itself, had a layer of salt on it and the "chocolate sauce" tasted more like soya sauce which meant it was extremely salty overall. The banana managed to lessen the taste but i wonder if they actually poured the wrong sauce on this? It could have been so much better if the sauce was sweet. Even with this gripe, the foie gras was still done well.
Pamma Ham, Scallops and Rocket Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing - I had a piece of the scallop in pamma ham and it was delightful. Light, sweet and fresh tasting, its easily taken and liked. Though the scallop could have been more plentiful and the dressing as well. The lack of honey dressing left a bitter taste on the rocket salad actually.
Pan Roasted Pork Belly with Savoy Cabbage and Spiced Port Sauce - This is a worthy main course. Don't be fooled by its rather oily and fatty appearance. What you get with each bite is melt in your mouth tasty meat (and fats of course) but sinning has never felt better. Crispy pork belly that actually tastes salty and sweet at the same time. This is definitely something to try. The savoy cabbage is light and manages to neutralize a bit of the aftertaste that the pork leaves behind. Still, this was pretty darn good.
Roasted Cod with Ratatouille and Basil Dressing - My gf had this. Simply put, it looks amazing. 2 fine sized cod pieces between servings of ratatouille and sprinkled with basil sauce. Subject to the taste test however, and it falls flat. Amidst all the colors, i was unable to find much flavor in the roasted cod. In fact, it was also less tender and soft then any other cod dishes i've tried. The ratatouille was also lackluster in taste but at least it tasted fresh.
Cheese Platter - I was rather surprised with the menu when i saw the cheese platter as a choice for dessert. So, i decided to try it out just to know how it actually tastes like. The platter came with a variety of choices including blue cheese, cheddar and a few others i can't quite remember but the one thing i do remember is...i'll never have blue cheese...ever again. The taste is indescribably unpleasant. Stay away from this unless you have an acquired taste for it.
Cinnamon apple tart with cinnamon ice cream ($14) - Sweet! Sweet sweet and sweet! Sugar icing, mashed apples soaked in syrup and crumbles adorn this sweet dessert. The tart was served warm and crispy with a pleasant fragrance. In fact, it tastes pretty good until you mix it up with the cinnamon ice cream which tipped the scales from bearably sweet to excruciatingly so. Without the ice cream, this is one dessert thats easy to recommend.
Chocolate Lave Cake with Hazelnut Ice Cream - I expected this to be good but it turned out only average. The reason for this is the rather thick layer for the crust and the unmelted chocolate which definitely did not flow like lava. But bigger then this gripe is the weird pairing choice, chocolate lava (bitter) with hazelnut ice cream (equally bitter). And to add insult to injury, the hazelnut ice cream tasted more like coffee ice cream to me which thus resulted in one of the most bitter desserts i've ever had. Improvement definitely needed.
The total bill this time came to $131.85 for 2 people. Acceptable but not for the quality of food i had.
There's potential here for sure. The serene location and open space gives the customer a santuary away from the bustles of life. Yet, the pairing quality and the preparation of fish needs a definite improvement. Otherwise, this becomes perpetually, a place which has potential but lacks substance.
ladyironchef said:
Login to add your comment. Or, Register for an account now. It's free!ahh.. nice ambience but food can be better eh?
20 Aug 2008 at 7:57 pm