As you stroll through Ritz Carlton's grand lobby, hotel staff greet you affably and even offer to show you to the door of the restaurant. Once inside, a moderate sized room with floor to ceiling windows greet you, with a view of a typical ancient Chinese garden complete with walls and bamboo shoots on one side and the magnificent lobby entrance on the other. And let me assure you that it is nothing short of breathtaking, especially when you get a table thats flanked by both the lobby and the garden. Well we were lucky enough to get such a table.
The only other place that I had the delectable appetiser of Deep Fried Yam Slices was Li Bai. Crisp yet fragrant, a great way to start off any meal.
Now when I ordered the Double Boiled Shark's Fin Soup with Chicken, Ham and Chinese Cabbage, I was expecting it to be full of anything but Shark's Fin for its price ($16). Boy, was I wrong. It had enough Shark's Fin in it to put other restaurants $30 rendition to shame. And mind you, the fins were of very decent quality. The soup was light, not too starchy and flavourful due to the addition of chicken, ham and Chinese cabbage which also gave it that extra chew. But I did find the ham a little weird tasting though.
Shark cartilage soup is supposed to be good for the bones and old people like me need quite a bit of it. The Double Boiled Shark's Cartilage Soup with Fish Maw looked and tasted milky with a slightly salty aftertaste. But somehow I found it a wee bit too heavy on the taste. Certainly not the best shark's cartilage soup I've ever tried, but certainly a very commendable offering.
The Wok-Fried stuffed King Prawn in Japanese Style came as the surprise of the night. When it was first served, both my gf and I thought that it was fish, but upon closer inspection, it was actually a gigantic prawn covered in thick gravy. For us to erroneously believe that it was a slice of fish, you can imagine how huge it was (its called king prawn for a reason). The prawn was covered in a garlic infused gravy and tasted very fresh and crunchy, with the garlicky taste complementing the natural sweetness of the prawn very well.
For those who have never tried fish noodles, Summer Pavilion gives you a reason to try. The Poached Fish Noodle Soup with Lobster have a very springy and chewy texture, allowing for more sensation as you chomp through it. The soup tastes suspiciously like that of prawn noodles, albeit a much lighter and soothing version, with little chunks of lobster meat swimming around in it. Best of all, it doesn't cost you an arm or a leg for a bowl ($8).
You might be wondering, whats zucchini doing in a Chinese restaurant? Well, as the name suggests, the Steamed Zucchini Flower stuffed with Prawn, Chicken and Mushroom is a whole zucchini flower stuffed with prawn, chicken and mushroom and then steamed. The result? A nice crunchy stem and a rather delightful paste of prawn, chicken and mushroom with a slight zucchini taste. Interesting dish to say the least and I fancy it quite a bit. Pity about the single flower serving though.
The Baked Marinated Silver Cod Fish with Champagne Sauce was excellently executed. The cod fish was very fresh, soft and tender, with the Champagne sauce being a little strong and sweet. Certainly not strong enough to knock your socks off, but strong enough for you to appreciate its presence. Savour the richness of the champagne and the delicate flesh of the fish with every mouthful. Certainly a dish to tantalise your tastebuds.
The Red Bean Paste Pancake came slightly different from the usual ones that I've tried. The crust wasn't flaky and looked like it had been deep fried instead of pan fried. The difference is obvious from the first bite. The deep fried crust is very thin and crispy and certainly ups the enjoyment factor (for me at least). The red bean paste isn't too sweet, but other than that, comes across as normal. I personally find this one of the best, if not the best Red Bean Paste Pancake that I've ever tried. If you are a fan of this dish, be sure not to miss it.
Shaw Lido used to be my fav cinema as it is located right smack in the middle of orchard road. Lido 1,2 and 3 is big at that time. Erhh.... I jz dun like Lido 4,5, 6 and 7. Too small with a very small screen. They should have jz combined Lido 5,6 and 7 into a cinema.
I can bring in any food that I buy from Subway, Mac or KFC and eat while enjoying the show. When they first started internet booking, they are the 1st cinema to allow to choose seats when booking as well.
However, now I dun like to go back as they dun have any credit card discount for the tickets unlike GV or Cathay. Less Lido 1 and 2, the rest of the cinemas are old and smelly. Dun get me starting on the leg space.
They should buck up in oder to catch up with GV or Cathay. Have more leg room. Change their seats. Have some discount with some credit card company. When all these happens, I will be back to Lido!
Italian food was on the cards on Saturday night as my gf had a craving for pasta. Settling for OSO Ristorante along Tanjong Pagar Road, we were dismayed to discover that it was full when I called in to make reservations. Nevertheless, some kind soul gave up his/her seat and we managed to squeeze our reservation through. Just a little insight into OSO. They fall under the same umbrella as PaPi, but prices are higher and food is decidedly finer.
From the moment you step in, the staff at OSO treat you with due respect. The interior is kept simple and modern, but rather haphazard if you ask me, owing to the dabs of Chinese New Year decorations around. But all in all a rather nice and comfortable place except for the fact that the tables are way to close to each other. It's still alright if there's no one seating beside you, but unfortunately for us, there were these 2 guys who were literally too close for comfort. Anyways, on to the food.
The Pan Fried Eggs "Tegamino" with Black Truffle Puree and Mixed Cheese Fondue was a rather interesting dish and came served up in a hot pan. It certainly didn't look the least bit appetising due to the huge portholes on the surface of the egg. Taste wise, I found it pretty unusual due to the mixture of the cheese, egg and black truffle. It tasted eggy and cheesy with a slightly salty and bitter presence due to the black truffle, which was not too bad actually. My gf found it gross though, so the verdict's still out.
My gf was all applause for the "Spaghetti" with Mixed Seafood, Garlic, Peperoncino and Tomato Sauce and I tend to veer in that direction too. The spaghetti was cooked to perfection - chewy and firm with a wonderful tomato sauce which didn't come across as too overwhelming. Pepperoncino adds that tinge of spiciness and garlic brings out the aroma. Add in fresh seafood and viola, you have a dish which speaks true to your tastebuds. Honestly, this is probably one of the few tomato based pastas that I have eaten and not feel overwhelmed by the tomato taste.
With the rather impressive quality of food so far, I had high hopes for the Ossobuco, having had the chance to experience a wonderful rendition at Senso some months back. My expectations were probably over the roof and OSO's Ossobuco didn't quite match up. Sure the meat was soft and fall off the bone tender, but it lacked that firm texture. Ironically, the star of this dish was not the veal, but the potato puree. The puree tasted so smooth that at a certain point, I was wondering if it was butter or puree.
The Oven Baked "Banana" Cake and Cardamom Caramel was a decent effort, but I found it a little under baked as the cake was still a little too moist and sticky. Real bananas were used in the making, not essence, which was definitely a plus. However, I wonder about the type of bananas used as the taste was a little flat. Using Ang Ba Jio would probably have been better.
I like the Hot Dark Chocolate Tart "Crostata" with Milk Ice Cream. Period. The semi molten dark chocolate is enclosed by a ring of fresh oven baked tart which is gloriously baked till golden brown and crumbly with a strong oven baked taste. Once the enclosure is compromised, the dark chocolate wobbles out and is best eaten together with the sweet milk ice cream and tart. The amalgamation is one step short of stupendous (alright I might be biased because I like chocolate and I like tarts).
A very filling dinner for 2 pax cost $99.05 (after 15% discount), which is rather reasonable for Italian restaurants of this calibre. Service is good, but can be less uptight at times, which would make for a relaxing dining experience. But then again, they are probably trying to portray an image that is in line with OSO's semi fine dining concept. I'll probably revisit if and only if they do something about the lack of personal space. My gf and I certainly do not appreciate being gawked at when we are eating or trying to have a conversation nor are we interested in hearing other people's conversations. Oh and yes, if you do want to visit during the weekends, please please please make reservations.
Cotton On is a reputable Australian brand that sells plenty of basics at low prices! It had a super long queue in its store on a sleepy Monday afternoon, so you can take my word for it.
Plenty of basics and a good number of printed Tees to go too. They have all styles : spaghetti tops, tanks, short sleeves, dresses, bermudas, shorts, etc. ANd don't be mistaken, they have stuff for guys too.
You know what I love most about them? Their tops are LONG. Absolutely perfect for low waist/ hipster jeans. And they have plenty of promotions like 2 for $20 tops, and even $10 dresses and $5 slippers!
And every style comes in a good number of colours to suit everyone.
I was telling myself to save money... but I went in bought myself two tops for $20, another for $12 and a dress for $20 !! And no regrets really. I love all of them. :)
I'll definitely be back and hope you'll be there too!
Tonkichi Restaurant is a Japanese Restie situated in Isetan Scotts itself. It's on Level 4 where you find the household items. :) It was a little tricky to locate at first.
The ambience Pretty much normal. It was quiet this Monday afternoon. So I was really comfortable with that. The decor is the conventional Jap sorts, though it doesn't require you to kneel on the floor. Better for gatherings than romantic dates I'd say though. Good for business meetings where they have booths at the side for more privacy.
Food Ordered (All listed below were sets served with rice) Oyster Fry Prawn and Crab Chicken Teriyaki Ju (mine) Shoyu Rosu (pork) Katsu Dory (Fried fish curry)
I had the Chicken Teriyaki Ju. Honestly I didn't find it fantastic. It was better than some places I've been to but not the best certainly. The rice was good, soft and sticky. Just the way it should be. The chicken was crisp and well covered in the teriyaki sauce. The sauce was pretty much like those you find in the supermarkets but it wasn't diluted (at least). It was going for $18 complete with the appetizer which I refused to try because the meat didn't look like chicken ( I only eat chicken and fish) and miso soup (of course.)
My other companions didn't have any problems with their food. I tried some of the pork tenderloin. It was ok, but had some fatty bits in it which is the reason why I try to stay away from pork. They all loved the oyster fry though. Could see that it looked really good though I couldn't have it today as my skin was acting up.
The service The staff was quite alert, filling up our cups time and again. But then the restaurant was pretty empty so that would have been expected. The tea was barely warm so it turned cold really fast. But everyone was all smiles and they were very polite so that was good.
The damage $111 for 5 people. I would say reasonable at about $22 per person.
I have eaten at a lot of Ya Kun outlets but ahve to say that this is the ORGINIAL YA KUN outlet and everything was done to prefection, from the eggs to the toast to the drinks.
A nice beach pub hidden at the corner of Tanjong Beach. Away from the main crowd as well. Great place to bring dogs and roam around while lazing and suntanning on the beach chairs provided.
The drinks are decntly priced as well with finger food to go along.
The newest outlet for the PF @ Vivocity. Although it is not as big as compared to other outlets, it does have one of the best view overlooking the Sentosa and the future IR. Most of the machines are new and it is not crowded as well. Hope it maintains this way.
To begin with, I was totally amazed at how they charge! On their signboard you'd see that their noodles come in 2 prices, $2.50/$3. I wanted to order a bigger bowl, so I asked for $3 wanton mee, only to realize that $3 does not mean more noodles and char siew, but it means "do you want more noodles or more char siew?" I really cannot believe this actually happens! And from the noodles I ordered, it seems like a bowl of $3 noodles can fill up your tummy only as much as the $2.50 one.
Plus, their char siew is bad. It just tasted like pork and nothing else, with not even a single bit of that sweet-sauce-taste at all. From the meat itself, you can actually tell that the char siew was not very well marinated, if that's how you describe it. And there was really very minimal number of slices of meat..
The chilli was bad too. I don't quite know how to describe it but it didn't go with the noodles at all. I like my noodles spicy, but by adding that chilli I think I made my noodles less edible.
But there's one good thing about this place, that is the fried wanton they sell. It's very crispy and tasty and you actually can get a bowl of it as a side dish, at a price as much as a bowl of noodles..
But actually, I do suggest that if you’re nearby and are craving for noodles, you might wanna spend a bit more time queueing at the fishball noodles shop that’s diagonally opposite. It's more value for money, better quality and more filling.
1=SGD 0.0587
As you stroll through Ritz Carlton's grand lobby, hotel staff greet you affably and even offer to show you to the door of the restaurant. Once inside, a moderate sized room with floor to ceiling windows greet you, with a view of a typical ancient Chinese garden complete with walls and bamboo shoots on one side and the magnificent lobby entrance on the other. And let me assure you that it is nothing short of breathtaking, especially when you get a table thats flanked by both the lobby and the garden. Well we were lucky enough to get such a table.
The only other place that I had the delectable appetiser of Deep Fried Yam Slices was Li Bai. Crisp yet fragrant, a great way to start off any meal.
Now when I ordered the Double Boiled Shark's Fin Soup with Chicken, Ham and Chinese Cabbage, I was expecting it to be full of anything but Shark's Fin for its price ($16). Boy, was I wrong. It had enough Shark's Fin in it to put other restaurants $30 rendition to shame. And mind you, the fins were of very decent quality. The soup was light, not too starchy and flavourful due to the addition of chicken, ham and Chinese cabbage which also gave it that extra chew. But I did find the ham a little weird tasting though.
Shark cartilage soup is supposed to be good for the bones and old people like me need quite a bit of it. The Double Boiled Shark's Cartilage Soup with Fish Maw looked and tasted milky with a slightly salty aftertaste. But somehow I found it a wee bit too heavy on the taste. Certainly not the best shark's cartilage soup I've ever tried, but certainly a very commendable offering.
The Wok-Fried stuffed King Prawn in Japanese Style came as the surprise of the night. When it was first served, both my gf and I thought that it was fish, but upon closer inspection, it was actually a gigantic prawn covered in thick gravy. For us to erroneously believe that it was a slice of fish, you can imagine how huge it was (its called king prawn for a reason). The prawn was covered in a garlic infused gravy and tasted very fresh and crunchy, with the garlicky taste complementing the natural sweetness of the prawn very well.
For those who have never tried fish noodles, Summer Pavilion gives you a reason to try. The Poached Fish Noodle Soup with Lobster have a very springy and chewy texture, allowing for more sensation as you chomp through it. The soup tastes suspiciously like that of prawn noodles, albeit a much lighter and soothing version, with little chunks of lobster meat swimming around in it. Best of all, it doesn't cost you an arm or a leg for a bowl ($8).
You might be wondering, whats zucchini doing in a Chinese restaurant? Well, as the name suggests, the Steamed Zucchini Flower stuffed with Prawn, Chicken and Mushroom is a whole zucchini flower stuffed with prawn, chicken and mushroom and then steamed. The result? A nice crunchy stem and a rather delightful paste of prawn, chicken and mushroom with a slight zucchini taste. Interesting dish to say the least and I fancy it quite a bit. Pity about the single flower serving though.
The Baked Marinated Silver Cod Fish with Champagne Sauce was excellently executed. The cod fish was very fresh, soft and tender, with the Champagne sauce being a little strong and sweet. Certainly not strong enough to knock your socks off, but strong enough for you to appreciate its presence. Savour the richness of the champagne and the delicate flesh of the fish with every mouthful. Certainly a dish to tantalise your tastebuds.
The Red Bean Paste Pancake came slightly different from the usual ones that I've tried. The crust wasn't flaky and looked like it had been deep fried instead of pan fried. The difference is obvious from the first bite. The deep fried crust is very thin and crispy and certainly ups the enjoyment factor (for me at least). The red bean paste isn't too sweet, but other than that, comes across as normal. I personally find this one of the best, if not the best Red Bean Paste Pancake that I've ever tried. If you are a fan of this dish, be sure not to miss it.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Shaw Lido used to be my fav cinema as it is located right smack in the middle of orchard road. Lido 1,2 and 3 is big at that time. Erhh.... I jz dun like Lido 4,5, 6 and 7. Too small with a very small screen. They should have jz combined Lido 5,6 and 7 into a cinema.
I can bring in any food that I buy from Subway, Mac or KFC and eat while enjoying the show. When they first started internet booking, they are the 1st cinema to allow to choose seats when booking as well.
However, now I dun like to go back as they dun have any credit card discount for the tickets unlike GV or Cathay. Less Lido 1 and 2, the rest of the cinemas are old and smelly. Dun get me starting on the leg space.
They should buck up in oder to catch up with GV or Cathay. Have more leg room. Change their seats. Have some discount with some credit card company. When all these happens, I will be back to Lido!
Rating given:
Italian food was on the cards on Saturday night as my gf had a craving for pasta. Settling for OSO Ristorante along Tanjong Pagar Road, we were dismayed to discover that it was full when I called in to make reservations. Nevertheless, some kind soul gave up his/her seat and we managed to squeeze our reservation through. Just a little insight into OSO. They fall under the same umbrella as PaPi, but prices are higher and food is decidedly finer.
From the moment you step in, the staff at OSO treat you with due respect. The interior is kept simple and modern, but rather haphazard if you ask me, owing to the dabs of Chinese New Year decorations around. But all in all a rather nice and comfortable place except for the fact that the tables are way to close to each other. It's still alright if there's no one seating beside you, but unfortunately for us, there were these 2 guys who were literally too close for comfort. Anyways, on to the food.
The Pan Fried Eggs "Tegamino" with Black Truffle Puree and Mixed Cheese Fondue was a rather interesting dish and came served up in a hot pan. It certainly didn't look the least bit appetising due to the huge portholes on the surface of the egg. Taste wise, I found it pretty unusual due to the mixture of the cheese, egg and black truffle. It tasted eggy and cheesy with a slightly salty and bitter presence due to the black truffle, which was not too bad actually. My gf found it gross though, so the verdict's still out.
My gf was all applause for the "Spaghetti" with Mixed Seafood, Garlic, Peperoncino and Tomato Sauce and I tend to veer in that direction too. The spaghetti was cooked to perfection - chewy and firm with a wonderful tomato sauce which didn't come across as too overwhelming. Pepperoncino adds that tinge of spiciness and garlic brings out the aroma. Add in fresh seafood and viola, you have a dish which speaks true to your tastebuds. Honestly, this is probably one of the few tomato based pastas that I have eaten and not feel overwhelmed by the tomato taste.
With the rather impressive quality of food so far, I had high hopes for the Ossobuco, having had the chance to experience a wonderful rendition at Senso some months back. My expectations were probably over the roof and OSO's Ossobuco didn't quite match up. Sure the meat was soft and fall off the bone tender, but it lacked that firm texture. Ironically, the star of this dish was not the veal, but the potato puree. The puree tasted so smooth that at a certain point, I was wondering if it was butter or puree.
The Oven Baked "Banana" Cake and Cardamom Caramel was a decent effort, but I found it a little under baked as the cake was still a little too moist and sticky. Real bananas were used in the making, not essence, which was definitely a plus. However, I wonder about the type of bananas used as the taste was a little flat. Using Ang Ba Jio would probably have been better.
I like the Hot Dark Chocolate Tart "Crostata" with Milk Ice Cream. Period. The semi molten dark chocolate is enclosed by a ring of fresh oven baked tart which is gloriously baked till golden brown and crumbly with a strong oven baked taste. Once the enclosure is compromised, the dark chocolate wobbles out and is best eaten together with the sweet milk ice cream and tart. The amalgamation is one step short of stupendous (alright I might be biased because I like chocolate and I like tarts).
A very filling dinner for 2 pax cost $99.05 (after 15% discount), which is rather reasonable for Italian restaurants of this calibre. Service is good, but can be less uptight at times, which would make for a relaxing dining experience. But then again, they are probably trying to portray an image that is in line with OSO's semi fine dining concept. I'll probably revisit if and only if they do something about the lack of personal space. My gf and I certainly do not appreciate being gawked at when we are eating or trying to have a conversation nor are we interested in hearing other people's conversations. Oh and yes, if you do want to visit during the weekends, please please please make reservations.
See my pictures here
Rating given:
Cotton On is a reputable Australian brand that sells plenty of basics at low prices! It had a super long queue in its store on a sleepy Monday afternoon, so you can take my word for it.
Plenty of basics and a good number of printed Tees to go too. They have all styles : spaghetti tops, tanks, short sleeves, dresses, bermudas, shorts, etc. ANd don't be mistaken, they have stuff for guys too.
You know what I love most about them? Their tops are LONG. Absolutely perfect for low waist/ hipster jeans. And they have plenty of promotions like 2 for $20 tops, and even $10 dresses and $5 slippers!
And every style comes in a good number of colours to suit everyone.
I was telling myself to save money... but I went in bought myself two tops for $20, another for $12 and a dress for $20 !! And no regrets really. I love all of them. :)
I'll definitely be back and hope you'll be there too!
Rating given:
Tonkichi Restaurant is a Japanese Restie situated in Isetan Scotts itself. It's on Level 4 where you find the household items. :) It was a little tricky to locate at first.
The ambience
Pretty much normal. It was quiet this Monday afternoon. So I was really comfortable with that. The decor is the conventional Jap sorts, though it doesn't require you to kneel on the floor. Better for gatherings than romantic dates I'd say though. Good for business meetings where they have booths at the side for more privacy.
Food Ordered (All listed below were sets served with rice)
Oyster Fry
Prawn and Crab
Chicken Teriyaki Ju (mine)
Shoyu Rosu (pork)
Katsu Dory (Fried fish curry)
I had the Chicken Teriyaki Ju. Honestly I didn't find it fantastic. It was better than some places I've been to but not the best certainly. The rice was good, soft and sticky. Just the way it should be. The chicken was crisp and well covered in the teriyaki sauce. The sauce was pretty much like those you find in the supermarkets but it wasn't diluted (at least). It was going for $18 complete with the appetizer which I refused to try because the meat didn't look like chicken ( I only eat chicken and fish) and miso soup (of course.)
My other companions didn't have any problems with their food. I tried some of the pork tenderloin. It was ok, but had some fatty bits in it which is the reason why I try to stay away from pork. They all loved the oyster fry though. Could see that it looked really good though I couldn't have it today as my skin was acting up.
The service
The staff was quite alert, filling up our cups time and again. But then the restaurant was pretty empty so that would have been expected. The tea was barely warm so it turned cold really fast. But everyone was all smiles and they were very polite so that was good.
The damage
$111 for 5 people. I would say reasonable at about $22 per person.
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Rating given:
I have eaten at a lot of Ya Kun outlets but ahve to say that this is the ORGINIAL YA KUN outlet and everything was done to prefection, from the eggs to the toast to the drinks.
I will always drop by if I am around the area.
Rating given:
My fav brand of ice cream esp Chunky Monkey! It is my kind of happy food where I will cheer myself with their ice cream.
The best is can taste the different ice creams that they have before deciding on what I want to eat. Hee....
Rating given:
A nice beach pub hidden at the corner of Tanjong Beach. Away from the main crowd as well. Great place to bring dogs and roam around while lazing and suntanning on the beach chairs provided.
The drinks are decntly priced as well with finger food to go along.
A good place to spend a lazy day by the beach.
Rating given:
The newest outlet for the PF @ Vivocity. Although it is not as big as compared to other outlets, it does have one of the best view overlooking the Sentosa and the future IR. Most of the machines are new and it is not crowded as well. Hope it maintains this way.
Rating given:
BAD.
To begin with, I was totally amazed at how they charge! On their signboard you'd see that their noodles come in 2 prices, $2.50/$3. I wanted to order a bigger bowl, so I asked for $3 wanton mee, only to realize that $3 does not mean more noodles and char siew, but it means "do you want more noodles or more char siew?" I really cannot believe this actually happens! And from the noodles I ordered, it seems like a bowl of $3 noodles can fill up your tummy only as much as the $2.50 one.
Plus, their char siew is bad. It just tasted like pork and nothing else, with not even a single bit of that sweet-sauce-taste at all. From the meat itself, you can actually tell that the char siew was not very well marinated, if that's how you describe it. And there was really very minimal number of slices of meat..
The chilli was bad too. I don't quite know how to describe it but it didn't go with the noodles at all. I like my noodles spicy, but by adding that chilli I think I made my noodles less edible.
But there's one good thing about this place, that is the fried wanton they sell. It's very crispy and tasty and you actually can get a bowl of it as a side dish, at a price as much as a bowl of noodles..
But actually, I do suggest that if you’re nearby and are craving for noodles, you might wanna spend a bit more time queueing at the fishball noodles shop that’s diagonally opposite. It's more value for money, better quality and more filling.
Rating given: