Changing Appetites (Marina Square)

Ah, now I know why I felt that "asian" flavour in the food at Changing Appetities. Because it's Japanese fusion! Alright, only realized when I saw one of the reviews above.

Honestly, Changing Appetites totally did not strike me as a place with jap-fusion food. It looks like another Cafe Cartel/ Breeks. Even their list of food looks very much like it. Pasta, brownies, mud pies etc. Very western style.

I was there with a group of friends for early lunch. I didn't order a main course but I (after several attempts to order a mudpie of any sort) got myself a brownie and stole several mouthful of different dishes from my friends.

Main course - eh, let's see. First thing that struck me was that it seemed rather typical for them to display their meat-stuff in a "kebab" style. If they were really a western restaurant, I'd be pretty amuse with this style of presentation. But when you try their food, it sure does have a tinge of asian flavour, with the funny unidentifiable taste/ spices used. Nonetheless, it (was nothing like japanese-fusion food) tasted rather weird to mix things like pasta with weird sour-sweet spices.

Drinks - nothing special. Feeling super hyped and all, my friends and I ordered 2 giant mugs of their super-sized ice chocolate. Well, all I can say is that it felt like a drink done with little effort put in. Powder, water, ice, ice cream, stick a spoon in, serve. If chocolate powder were coarse grains, I'd feel as though I was drinking sand-water. Yuck.

Dessert - bleh. Though their menu seemed to have such a variety of desserts, with their mudpies looking like their "main attraction", there was virtually NO mudpies available then! Out of the THREE brownies they had, only ONE was available. Were we too early (we were their first customer of the day)? Still, I think that's no excuse to not have all their desserts available! Was quite a let-down.

Price - it's a little like Cafe Cartel I'd say. Though with what I experienced the other day, I'd say it's a place I'd go once and never again. Not with that quality nor price.

The plush seats and brightly colored wall murals which remind me very much of Keith Harrington's pieces of art, caught my eye as I walked past the eatery.

Well, the concept of food is rather similar to that of NYDC as they serve American food (with influences from other countries too), mudpies! and drinks which include milkshakes, yada yada. In terms of ambiance, I am reminded of New York New York (@ CitiLink Mall) because of the seats of the tables that line the side of the restaurant are really comfy. While this would be good for sitting around and chatting, it is not so good for eating a full meal. Reason being, you have to lean quite far back to get any back support from the "sofa-like" chair. These chairs also make going in and out a bother as you either have to push your seat all the way out or have the people sitting at the end to get out of their seat before you can pas through. Small price to pay though, for very comfy seats!

The food tastes pretty good but not "ohmygosh, it tastes so good! I'm coming back next week to eat here again" kinda' good. The burgers are humongous so I wouldn't advise ordering a double patty unless you plan to share it with a friend. Other food portions, however, are pretty manageable.

My friend said the Fish & Chips are good while I personally love "Cheese the Chicken", which has mango bits and tortilla chips over grilled chicken and topped by melted cheese.

Having tried one of their signature Mudpies, The Frankenstein, it didn't leave a deep impression on me as it wasn't awesome.

Price wise, it is comparable to other American eateries with similar concepts such as NYDC and New York2.

The wait to get a seat, especially for larger groups of people, can vary drastically. Come at the right time(before the crowd comes) and you get a seat pretty easily. Arrive at the wrong time and you would have to wait quite a while before you get to order your food. This may have something to do with the comfy/cozy ambiance that makes you just want to sit there and chat with your friends.

In conclusion, I would recommend this place if you're looking for some place to chill with your friends over dinner or dessert.