The Chosen Glutton

http://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2010/09/11/drowned-in-the-sea-of-swensens-sugar/

To be honest, I was already drooling for quite some time, at the Swensen’s Ice Cream Buffet, before I actually patronized it. Ice Cream Buffet, and it’s not just any, street-sold Ice Cream, it’s Swensen’s – Chocolate Malt Ice Cream, Sticky Chewy Chocolate – those sundae flavors you always order (so much so that you don’t even have to look at the menu of ice cream sundaes available, lol). After what seemed like ages, I finally got down to Orchard Ion (the only outlet with the Ice Cream Buffet) to meet and greet the awesome line up of ice creams.

There’re over 50 different flavors of ice cream and some 40 odd toppings. The flavors include the classics, some gelato (eg. peach and mango gelato, bitter chocolate gelato, cookies cheesecake gelato), and other favorites (eg. sticky chewy chocolate, cookies chocolate), and the toppings surprised me. I wasn’t expecting the wide yet tasty spread of toppings (which includes nestle crunch chocolate chunks, malt balls, lightly salted biscuits, hazelnut chocolate wafers, smarties etc.). I wouldn’t be surprised if any one of you spammed the toppings upon seeing them. lol. Just don’t, overdo it, or you’ll get some serious overdose of chocolates. lol.

One particular thing I like about this buffet is the ability to re-create the Frosted Chocolate Malt (my most sought-after sundae). Because they have the Chocolate Malt Ice Cream, they have the Malt Balls, and they have the Cold Chocolate Fudge and Liquefied Marshmallow. Awesomeness.

Besides ice cream and their toppings, you can expect a small range of cakes and pies. I personally didn’t want to take the cakes and pies, because they have it in a really generous portion (I’d rather fill my stomach up with more ice cream).

Lined up on the same side (as the cakes and pies) of the four-sided counter is the Chocolate Fondue side. Profiterole (cream puffs), vegetable sticks (and that’s how Pocky is made – vegetable sticks + chocolate fondue dumped three quarter into the stick), sweet red strawberries and marshmallow can be found by the fondue set. Good thing the chocolate fondue isn’t as bitter as some that I’ve tried.

One last thing to touch on – they have quartered-up waffles. It’s recommendable to just try it (you can walk over to the ice cream section and ask for a scoop or two on the waffle) once, nothing more.

—-> NOTE #1: Each bowl can only go up to a maximum of 5 scoops of ice cream. Don’t be humiliated like I was when I asked for the sixth scoop. What’s funny is, I don’t get the reason why we can’t go more than 5 scoops per bowl – it’s not like the bowl will crumble with the weight of the sixth.

—-> NOTE #2: You can stay there for as long as your stomach can withstand the sugar. If it means staying there from the time they open till they finish stacking the plates and wiping the tables, so be it.

Price :: $18.90++ / $12.90++ with a food order (not inclusive of soup and sides)

2010-09-11

SGD 20(Lunch)

http://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/onaka-rochester/

Just a short entry on Onaka (Rochester). This cafe is a well-hidden treasure of good, genuine organic juices in specific. Their concept is basically, organic food, which may not sound as appealing as fried chicken and fries, but once in a while, these green and healthy food can be refreshing, just like how I felt after this meal here. Looking in from the out, Onaka looks like some high end private housing, surrounded by trees and grass patches. It takes you away from the hustle and bustle of the busy Singapore (be aware though, request for the indoor seating if you don’t want to ‘feed the mosquitoes’).

Service was warm and welcoming, on top of the frequent trips to the cafe by Caucasians staying just around the corner. It gives you a different vibe (like many other cafes along the Singapore River @ Robertson Quay). It’s a relatively smaller & cozier cafe – it can house up to around 30 – 40 diners at any one point.
Presenting to you first, the organic juices (some of them are originals – concocted by a good friend of mine who’s part of the management there). My friends and I had a go at it, and genuinely think that it’s the best juices we’ve ever tasted. What’s more, its colors are so flamboyant and vibrant it satisfies your sight on top of your taste.Go ahead and ask for recommendations (they have quite a wide range of organic juices, with interesting names attached to each!). They have specific juices for, for example, ladies having their time of the month, anyone who wishes to cut down on their intake, detox, etc. Have fun with it while making your order (:

Moving on to the main courses, we tried some organic pizzas and sandwiches. It sure tastes different, but it’s really not too bad, for me.I had the one with chicken (the only one with meat), just because I can’t really survive with only vegetables and no meat. I thought it tasted better than expected, so it was good.Same goes to the sandwich. In generally, my opinion is, like aforementioned, the food isn’t as bad as one thinks and generalizes. Plus, you will feel healthy and detox-ed after the meal. So, the health-conscious population nowadays, you may want to drop by this place to have fun and be worry-free about your calories and the likes when dining. Most importantly – the juices!

—> NOTE #1: Well, if you’re going, you can drop me a message and I’ll just in turn, drop my friend a message. Maybe we can have the originator make some juices for you.

—> NOTE #2: Prices of the main courses are generally around $10 – $13, while juices are about $5 – $6.

—> NOTE #3: They are closed on Sundays, and on other days, do go on the common lunch times, because if I didn’t remember wrongly, their kitchen closes, sometime after 2/3PM They still have juices and stuff, but not the main courses.

2011-01-08

SGD 15(Lunch)

http://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2010/10/03/87/

Since about a month ago, I’ve been dying to give this buffet a try – after hearing raving reviews from coughsomeonecough. So POP has finally arrived (yay me!) and finally got down to this. Jang Shou Korean BBQ Buffet.

It is at Katong Village, quite inaccessible, unless you are driving (because of course, then any place would be accessible). The hype and expectation was high. And to be honest, I was impressed by the variety of the meat/meat parts at the first sight. I, for one, am a meat-parts person. Intestines, pork tongue and all that jazz, I dig them. So I was a jumping inside when I see abundance of them laid out at the buffet line. First round, I took two plates of meat (parts).The pork is of standard, and most would agree that it’s the tastiest meat amongst the array of meat dishes offered. I can’t remember its name, but I think it’s called Marinated Pork with Honey Or something. It’s rolled up, and when you spread it out, it looks like the one above. I especially love the Tioman fish. Fish meat’s always a pleasure to the mouth when it’s not overdone. Mushroom has the very raw mushroom taste, like those you have in English breakfasts, which I kind of adore. The squids can get a little tasteless at times, but it’s alright.Don’t expect any desserts (ice cream/cakes) or free flow of drinks like you’d be able to get in Seoul Garden buffet, because they don’t have those service. Well, unless you take kimchi or radish as dessert, lol. They do have salads though, and fruits, and beef tendon soup (that tastes worse than plain water, oops).

The reason why I rate this 1 star (✰) is due to a various reasons.
It’s not that there’re any problems with the quality of the meat, but like how I described it to people who’ve asked – it’s like eating roti prata made by a Chinese – it’s the same thing but just doesn’t taste the same It’s familiar yet foreign-tasting. It’s weird like that for me, so I was half enjoying it, half wondering what the heck else was added into it. lol.
Next – like I said, I was initially satisfied with the range of meat available. Everything was okay until a while into the moment, after stuffing down all the different meat/meat parts, everything started tasting the same. There was basically no more distinction and differentiation between those slabs of meat. So, very soon after, I got bored.

But one good thing is their service, and the utensils. Every ten minutes or so, service crew would stop by tables to clean up your BBQ grill (unlike in Seoul Garden, where your grill gets choked up with burnt chunks). You can ask for extra tongs too, which makes things so much easier and more convenient, and there’s also a pair of ginormous scissors on the table, excellent for dividing those pieces of meat.Food and service aside, the ambience isn’t the best. And it gets stuffy and smoky after being in the enclosed area for a while. Thank goodness they opened the window during the later part. So that tells you the air-condition isn’t the strongest either (they have fans though, don’t worry).

On a side note, I didn’t regret going there anyway (although I probably wouldn’t be back there any time soon), despite being super tired after the 24km route march and passing out parade. It was an experience, the company was great, had some damn good laughs.

—> NOTE #1: Monday – Thursday costs you $28.80++, while Friday – Sunday costs $33.80++.

—> NOTE #2: Make a reservation before you go. Despite its location and price, it is still quite packed, at least on that Saturday night that I was there.

—> NOTE #3: Make your payment directly at the counter after you’re done.

—> NOTE #4: It opens from 1800 – 0000.

2010-10-03

SGD 35(Dinner)

https://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/em-by-the-river-by-day-and-by-noon/

A restaurant that serves all-day breakfast (till 3pm) by the river setting – wooden planks as tiles, comfortable, larger-than-your-body sofa, one would expect to have a relaxed and laid-back time here at the restaurant outlet of The Gallery Hotel. Or at least, I was anticipating a great time here. Great breakfast, great setting, great mood and ambience. The setting, the ambience, the mood, yes, but it was all more or less ruined when the supposed highlight (aka. breakfast) arrived. We dug in immediately after waiting for quite some time and were all hungry and ready to devour on anything.

The menu was relatively wide. There were quite a number of the Hollandaise Sauce series – Eggs Benedict, Eggs Florentine, and Eggs Royale. And then there was the traditional American and Continental Breakfast, some pancakes, some pastries and sandwiches. Being the hungry bunch that morning, we each ordered an individual set, and then top it off with another course for sharing.Eggs Royale ($14.00 nett) :: The only consolation was probably its presentation, which wasn’t too off / bad from the norm. Basically, the eggs had way too much of the vinegar taste, bread and salmon was bland and tasteless, it was too much of a disappointment after all that hype within myself every time I walk past eM by the River to other breakfast places. Same goes for the Eggs Benedict ($13.00 nett), eggs were really bad.American Breakfast ($18.00 nett) :: The breakfast set came a juice and coffee / tea. Value was pretty alright, if the breakfast itself was actually acceptable to begin with. But it really wasn’t. The bacon was too hard, crispy and salty, not what I was looking for. The bread and sausages were simply forgettable. The only redeemable portion was its sauteed mushroom. I thought it was the only thing that morning that was up to standard. Just by the look of it, you know effort wasn’t put into the presentation. I am clueless to if they just simply didn’t bother about serving Asians / locals as well as the Caucasians that frequent the restaurant or it was just their attitude. But I feel it’s the former, because we came before this Caucasian, but was served later than him. We felt neglected and attitude of the staff was cold. I thought it was pretty unprofessional, but sometimes it’s just how we go, having worked in the hotel before, people here are more eager to impress Caucasians than anyone else. So.Homemade Pancakes ($10.00 nett) :: We had this as our ‘sharing’ course. Once again, it looks better than it tastes. The pancakes, unfortunately, not only did not satisfy our taste buds, it did not even tickle our sense of smell like most pancakes would. The pancakes were tough (I’ve never had a tougher pancake) and again, undistinctive and dull. I regret to say that we didn’t even bother finishing the course.

On top of everything, the cup of sugar cubes they had on the table was full of small ants. Literally. We realized after dropping a cube into the tea, and told the waitperson about it. We were cool about it, but I was quite shocked though, to not sense any remorse or receive any apology from the staff. Nevertheless, we kept our cool throughout and quickly left the place after settling the bill, even though unwillingly. If anyone were to be in that area, Epicurious or even Kith Cafe would be so much of a better choice for breakfast, in my opinion.

It was nothing but disappointment, the whole trip.

—> Note #1: All prices stated are already inclusive of GST. Nett prices.

2011-03-03

SGD 18(Breakfast)

https://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2010/12/26/teardrops-at-raindrops-cafe/

Tucked in a corner of *Scape at Somerset, Raindrops Cafe is, quite a cafe. Small, indoors and outdoors offered, surrounded by some greens. To make it easier – don’t by the road, etc.; Go into Cineleisure, exit from the Old Town White Coffee entrance/exit, walk a little into *Scape and you should be able to see the cafe. Seating capacity of the cafe is about 30 – 40, so as aforementioned, small. Service gotten upon reaching was average. The waitperson is approachable, but not to the extend of joking and interacting with us (even though we were expressively open and chatty). But that’s fine. What’s not too good though, was its cleanliness. Maybe, maybe it was due to the Christmas parties and craziness the previous night (we went there on Boxing Day – they opened a little later than usual because they were cleaning up the mess). Area was a little wet (just a little here and there), there were a couple of ants on the serviette / table top. And also, some residues on the iced water. Basically, dirty water, dirty cup. The whole top didn’t look too sparkly for a cafe / restaurant’s standard.

Menu’s pretty limited too. You can expect to choose from about 5 main course, 5 pastas, and 5 pizzas. That’s about it. Range’s about $16 for pasta and pizza, and $20 for the main courses. For me, I decided to give the Kurobuta Pork Rack (in apple sauce) a try – it seems like one that’s going to satisfy me the most amongst all choices.Kurobuta Pork Rack ($24.00++) :: First look, I wasn’t impressed by its portion, considering its price tag attached. But as I went on slicing and putting it into my mouth, it turned out pretty satisfactory. I really like the way it was cooked, nicely done, looks-dry-but-juicy, succulent, and basically, perfect-o. The only thing I keep contemplating within is the value for money. I can’t decide if it’s worth the money I paid.Chicken Leg Lemongrass with Pumpkin Risotto ($16.00++) :: And my friend had a go at the Chicken Leg Lemongrass with Pumpkin Risotto. I had a bite, and immediately condemned it (for myself). Usually I wouldn’t even expect the lemongrass to be tapped, but in this case, the opposite happened. The taste of lemongrass was too overwhelming – I’m a fan of a pinch of it, but not it as a ‘sauce’ / ‘gravy’ over the chicken. So, this course really depends on your liking of lemongrass.Meltique Beef ($25.00++) :: I don’t know much about beef, but it was soothing to my mouth. It was done medium rare (just like how I’d do it myself), and I thought it was more than decent.Fish N Chip ($14.00++) :: The most common, the most boring (some says), but also arguably the safest choice of food in a restaurant. Fish & Chips just can’t go, too wrong. Well not unless the restaurant fails too much, lol. If you want to give Raindrops Cafe a try, just for the sake of it, maybe you can order this whilst here, and have your friends order some other dishes for you to try. It’s one of the nicer food here.

After what I deemed as a disappointing trip, I decided to give it one last chance to redeem itself, through desserts. I tried what was on the blackboard, under the ‘Chef’s Specials’ – Poached Pear with Ice Cream.Poached Pear with Ice Cream ($9.00++) :: The pear, poached with Cabernet Sauvignon, tasted, weird. My friend and I agreed that it tasted like plum. Maybe it’s how it’s supposed to be, but no, it totally, isn’t what we’d expected. Main course, meh. Dessert, meh. Meh.

—> NOTE #1: Lunch’s from 1100 – 1430; High Tea’s from 1500 – 1730; Dinner’s from 1800 – 0100.

2010-12-26

SGD 25(Lunch)

https://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2010/09/12/its-tgif-its-mof-no-its-ewf/

Looookk. Whatever happened to having a good, eye-catching logo; Whatever happened to the things our lecturers teach us back in school Other than the words above, the only other thing I saw on its storefront board was a lizard. lol. Just digressing – it has nothing to do with the quality of its food/service.

Just before you get a shock of how it looks it, I’ll let you have a glimpse of its interior. I was having the impression that it’s a restaurant (not fine-dining restaurant but more of cafe cartel, NYNY kind of restaurant) but it’s more of an Astons restaurant. It wasn’t too bad, cool air – check.

One Egg Soup ($3.90++) :: On to the food! For the appetizer – I got to try the One Egg Soup. It doesn’t only sound unique, it actually tastes quite unique too. Although so, I wouldn’t say that it’s the best type of uniqueness out there. You’d actually have the ‘mhm, I can’t really figure out what is in there’ kind of feeling – or at least that’s for me. It tastes pleasant enough though (:

They do not, unfortunately, have the widest variety of main courses there. Well, can’t blame them, it’s really only a small chain, yet. Even though there’re only 10 different main courses, I was already having a hard time choosing between the already delicious-looking menu.

Lamb Burger ($9.90++) :: Yes, I was going back and forth between this and the Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich (I don’t know, this always sounds real good in every menu, lol). I asked the waiter for his opinion, and he recommended this. lol. If you’re expecting some lamb shank/steak kind of meat, please be reminded this is a burger, and it’s only going to be a lamb patty. Don’t be like me, expecting the former. Haha. With that in mind, the meat tasted good. It didn’t have the usual lamb steak smell – I have no idea if it’s a good or a bad thing for you. Personally, I’d love to have that, what many people call a stench. But I’m alright without it too. lol. For me, my appetite was already whetted the moment the dish was served. The glossy-looking burger bun – ohhhhmy

Breaded NZ King Salmon ($13.90++) :: I don’t know if you can see by the picture, but, IT IS FREAKING GOOD. Okay, maybe a little exaggerated, but forget about anything, just go try it. I took a bite and almost flew to the sky (but the ceiling brought me right back down). I love how it’s only breaded on the top of the fish, while the rest of the portion remains fresh and tender. In addition, the smell of salmon stayed on it. It’s near heaven. lol. Just note, that this is my personal opinion, I do notice that people have many different likings as to how salmons are served.

Grilled Pork Chop (13.90++) :: I wouldn’t say it’s a bad try. The meat was more towards the tough type rather than the tender type, which, I am fine with. I like to chew on it. But if you’re looking for the very flavorful, tender, easy to chew and slice kind of pork chop – skip this.

Nutella Shake & Vanilla Malt Shake ($4.90++) :: Both are slightly similar. The latter wins in terms of sweetness though. It is no fun sucking up the sweetness with a full stomach – I almost did the Merlion stunt (I wouldn’t be surprised if I did if I were to finish my cup). I think I might have a marginally higher expectation on the Nutella Shake (after hearing good reviews on it), so I was expecting a little more. Nevertheless, I -would- still order that same drink if I were to re-visit EwF.

Now now. One would assume the specialty of Everything with Fries is its, fries, right I can’t confirm myself if that’s what they’re marketing, but if so, it’s kind of a failure! Hate to put it down, but I am really disappointed by its fries. Curry flavor – too much curry powder, too little salt; Normal flavor – decent; Sour cream and onion flavor – A little more like it, although most parts are still unsalted.

I like the service though. Very cheery and friendly service crew. Good service always enhances the experience. Good job, guys!

2010-09-12

SGD 20(Dinner)

https://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2010/10/02/literally-riders-cafe/

A happy occasion should, without fail, be accompanied by good food, and dearest people. Happy occasion – passing out from BMT – check; Dearest people – my family – check; Good food – we took a gamble at Riders Cafe – check.

Here we are, at the non-air-conditioned Riders Cafe.

It was a spot-on day to get to Riders Cafe. Like how people like to visit countries during autumn, I’d think most would prefer visiting this kind of non-air-conditioned cafe on a windy, just-before-it-rains kind of day. Just when you thought it couldn’t get better, it does. We were, fortunately, assigned a balcony seat. There, not only can you feel the waves of breeze better, you can see black, brown, white horses taking a stroll around the area just diagonally below you. I felt like I was teleported to a countryside in a far far away country where no men live. It was calming with the ambience and setting, not to mention, I love how horses look so cute even with their build.

To compliment the soothing environment you’d have gotten upon stepping into the cafe, the service crew was really approachable and hospitable. It somehow makes you fit in more (I say that because, most of the people dining there are either rich asses, at least they look like they are, or they live around that area and are frequents). Now let’s shift the spotlight to the main point – food.Bacon & Tomato (With Poached Eggs On Sourdough) :: I didn’t try this – my dad did. He said that the eggs are pretty good. But from what I see, it isn’t worth the money. There are only, well, bacon, tomato, sourdough and eggs. lol. Bacon’s overly crispy, and you can only taste the butter somewhere in the middle of the sourdough. The sides are hard.‘The Usual’ :: This set of breakfast includes, well, the usual. lol. Crispy/Smoked bacon, poached/fried/scrambled egg, banger (sausage), basil tomato, mushroom, and sourdough. Basically, more or less the good ol’ English breakfast. The scrambled egg, for me, is better than most that I’ve tried, although it really isn’t very good, even. The bacon, once again, disappoints. Nothing, so far, matches up to that of Sydney, Australia’s well-cooked streaks of bacon. Over here, it is way too crispy/hard, and, eeky. The banger was pretty average. The only item that is excellent is the basil tomato. It’s the best I’ve had. Mushroom is a little below average (if you’re the kind who goes for the raw taste and smell of mushroom, then this might fail you a little). With that, you can infer that it’s, once more, not value for money.Hot Chocolate :: When I saw that it only costs the above stated price, I ordered it without a second thought. lol. And the relatively lower-priced hot chocolate doesn’t mean that the standard is compromised. Because that didn’t happen. It actually tastes fine, topped with small cubes of marshmallows. Definitely acceptable.My mum got herself the Chamomile Flowers Tea. I tried it, and I must say it smells and tastes really refreshing. It’s pleasant-smelling. But I really don’t know about tea. Its presentation is really good. Just showing the picture. lol.

I’d have rated this 1 star (✰) instead of 2 (✰✰) if not for its setting and surrounding. The horses. The countryside setting (oh – a couple was having their wedding photos taken while we were there). It’s a really different experience – worth trying just once. Bring a book along too, maybe, if you have the time.

—> NOTE #1: If you are not driving there, don’t try going in with public transport (except cabs). I don’t remember seeing any bus stops nearby – plus, you’d have to walk quite a distance deep into Fairways Drive.

—> NOTE #2: Make a reservation before you go! We almost had to wait a long time for our table. You can maybe request for balcony seating too (if you’d like to see horse trotting around while you’re enjoying your meal).

—> NOTE #3: Payment is made at your table – you don’t have to go to the counter for that, even though the cafe looks like they utilize the self-service payment-at-the-counter system.

2010-10-02

SGD 20(Breakfast)

https://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/its-not-all-soupy-at-soup-restaurant/

Like what most of us would think, me inclusive. I had the conception from the name of the restaurant that it only serves soup, or maybe mostly soup dishes. It was until I went up to have a look at the menu that I realized, it was just like any other Chinese restaurants – like Dian Xiao Er and PuTien – it’s a high class zhi-ca, where you order dishes to go along with a bowl of rice, in general.

Interior design was pretty intricate – I do think that the designs of Chinese restaurants generally are, more often that not. Comfort level is definitely higher than that of Dian Xiao Er’s (they have bigger tables for the many dishes coming up), but lower than that of PuTien’s. After some tough decision-making, we narrowed it down to some of the dishes we thought would suit our appetite that evening.Beggar Bowl Rice with Chicken ($5.50++) :: Reason why we ended up ordering this on top of our bowls of plain rice is mainly because we wanted to both look at what exactly a Beggar Bowl Rice is, and how it tastes like. Now, that’s why our Marketing Lecturer used to remind us the importance of capturing the interest and curiosity of customers, lol. Stirred and mixed with the small side dish of garlic, this bowl of rice is definitely worth more than just its name. If you like garlic, you’d like how it goes well with the chicken, the rice and its gravy.Sambal Kang Kong (Small) ($7.80++) :: Even though we unanimously agreed that Dian Xiao Er’s rendition of this is tastier, I personally still think that this at least hits the average mark. It’s not too bad, although it might come across a little too salty.Fried Venison with Ginger and Spring Onion ($13.80++) :: This is one that disappointed me a lot. I’ve always been a fan of venison (ie. deer meat), especially when it’s done with black pepper. This dish was way too salty for all of our likings. Furthermore, it was served last, which wasn’t very tactical, because we were almost done with our portion of rice that we ended up eating it without the company of plain rice to neutralize the saltiness. Could have been done better.Hand Chopped Minced Pork with Salted Egg ($8.50++) :: This new series of hand chopped minced pork (only 30 servings are served per day) comes with either salted egg, salted fish or waterchestnut. We went ahead with the one with salted egg. Portion was just right for 4 persons, although we wouldn’t complain if we could have more. I don’t know, but to me, the sauce, the pork, the salted egg, it all blended well together, it was a good dish.Fried Man Tou ($4.00++) :: I was slightly taken aback at the number of pieces it served at only $4 – 8 pieces, so it’s about 50cents per piece, I thought it was quite reasonable in such a place. If you eat it alone like the way it is, it’s quite bland. But what we did, we dipped it in the gravy of the Minced Pork dish – it was considerably compatible

Waisan & Ginseng Roots with Chicken Soup ($5.80++) :: Again, we ordered this so that we actually tasted Soup Restaurant‘s soup. This is one of their popular dishes. It is said to be for those who are fatigued and for stress-relieving. I love this soup and how it tastes – considering their kitchen to be MSG-free, this is impressive.

Subjectively, I feel that the food here at Soup Restaurant is comparable to that of Dian Xiao Er’s, but PuTien‘s is definitely a notch higher. Worth trying. Service I received here is surely the best though. Very courteous waitpersons around.

—> Note #1: Hand towel’s $0.40 per piece, and so will the starters be charged. If you don’t wish to pay, you can ask the waitpersons to remove them. Iced/Warm water’s free though.

—> Note #2: Payment is done at the counter and not table.

—> Note #3: I had my dinner on a weekend. Queue was rather long, so in case you are rushing but still want a good meal, you might have to think twice.

—> Note #4: They have specialty dishes in respective outlets. You can check out their website for more on the dishes they offer in the different outlets.

2011-04-07

SGD 20(Dinner)

https://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2011/04/16/kowtow-to-ippudo-tao-now/

Recommended by blog reader Val, I’ve managed to drop by Ippudo Tao @ UE Square just before I go for a good dessert at Laurent’s. Even though the interior design can’t be compared to that of Ippudo @ Mandarin Gallery, it still, has some high standards and attention to detail. Just look at the signboard planted just outside of the outlet. So striking yet sleek. I love it when the ambience, decor and overall comfort level is there when I dine in a restaurant. Point is, it’s for your best interest if you do a good research on the location (and how to get there) before you head there. I did mine, but still took some time to reach the restaurant. It’s stated that it’s at UE Square, but it’s not in the main building of the mall, but across, behind this private apartments or something, up to Muhammad Sultan Road, then turn left (easiest would be to walk along River Valley Road and then turn into Muhammad Sultan Road).Chashu Menma with Leek ($5.00++) :: It’s pork belly chunks and Japanese bamboo with leek. I’m a huge fan of pork belly, in any forms. lol. So I was automatically swayed to checking that on the menu. No worries on the leek. For me, I’m not a fan of vegetables in general, but the leek doesn’t really have too much of a foul taste in this dish, so it was all good. The combination of the three ingredients, on top of the ponzu dressing (basically some soy sauce + lemon or the likes) goes well for me.Ebi & Avocado Wasabi Mayo ($5.00++) :: Unlike the previous dish, the name of this speaks for itself. I thought it was a rather interesting mixture of ingredients, and reminds me a lot of Salmon Avocado Sushi @ Ichiban. How do I put this – it’s easy to eat, it’s all mayo-filled and soft. Not very satisfying kind of a dish, although it isn’t that it isn’t nice, maybe because there isn’t any tough meat involved. Everything in this translucent plate is soft and you just eat and chew and swallow, nothing special nor memorable.Buffalo Chicken ($14.00++) :: This gold-made (hah, exaggerating) buffalo chicken is a little on the pricey side. If I didn’t remember wrongly, the small one only has 3 pieces, and the large one 6 pieces, like the one we ordered -points up-. It has both the winglets and the drumlets, probably why they didn’t call it, like commonly named, Buffalo Wings. lol. It’s both mildly peppery spicy and sweet, both of which I enjoy much. Although so, I’m unsure of if I’ll be ordering that again on my next visit as I don’t think that it’s worth the money, as much as it tastes good.Enoki Maki ($3.80++) :: Hands down, this is the champion of the night. Pork belly wrapped with enoki mushroom (also known as golden needle mushroom – the ones you throw into steamboats / boiling hot soups). Oh- my god. It’s orgasmic when you eat it while it’s warm. Especially so if you’re a fan of pork belly. AND enoki mushroom. There is no doubt that the next time I’m there, I’ll order this and have the whole plate to myself (1 sticks of 3 pieces – we ordered 2 of it, so the picture shows twice the quantity). Yes, I’m going to turn selfish with the dish (:Nikumiso Tofu Salad ($7.00++) :: The tofu is as soft as, tofu. Uncooked tofu, ultra tender. It’s supposed to be topped with spicy miso paste, but it really isn’t spicy, or at least for me. But then again, when are Japanese food spicy Except with the presence of wasabi, lol. Then it becomes choking. It was a so-so average bowl of salad for me, nothing special. A memorable salad (presentation + taste) would be the one at 15 Minutes @ LASALLE College of the Arts.Tao Kuro Chashu ($18.00++) :: Wanting to experience the ‘spirited dynamism of TAO’, or in actual fact, because of Val’s recommendation to give Tao Kuro a shot, I went for it, with Chashu (pork belly – see I tell you, it’s attracted to me) as the topping. It actually comes with thick chewy noodles, but again, I changed it to the thin ones thanks to Val. Note the word thanks, because I saw a bowl my friend ordered with the thick noodles and I knew at first sight that the thick ones aren’t for me. I was grateful I changed mine and thus moving on to enjoy slurping through it. One thing though, I really have no idea if ramen is meant to be that salty. It supposedly is, because a close friend of mine said that the ones in Japan are far worse. I guess they’ve already toned it down for Singaporeans’ palate. I can’t imagine getting anything saltier down my throat. But other than that, I quite enjoyed the ramen!Teriyaki Salmon with Leek ($10.00++) :: I want to put it across first – I didn’t actually try this dish. But my friend almost went crazy with the small portion that was presented in front of her eyes. This is actually one of the Chef’s Recommendation. It didn’t state if it’s a main course or a side, but she ordered it with the thought that it’s the former, thus wasn’t really pleased. Just in case you intend to order this when you get there – at least now you get to see the portion of it. But I thought, 10 bucks for salmon is not as bad if it actually tastes good.

Definitely a spot-on recommendation by Val – thank you once again! You’re right, if you like Ippudo @ Mandarin Gallery, you’d like Ippudo Tao @ UE Square. The service staff was way too polite (or at least the ones we encountered) it’d be bad not mentioning it here. Very attentive to detail – topping up of iced water on a regular basis, and even asking to top it up after we’ve footed our bill and ready to move off. And that time, I was actually appreciative because I really didn’t mind having that another half a cup of water to quench my thirst from the chats. That’s some extra value for you. Certainly worth a re-visit.

—> Note #1: If you want indoor seating – be sure to make a reservation beforehand to have it nailed first.

2011-04-16

SGD 20(Dinner)

https://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/big-o-cafe-restaurant/

We’re probably thinking the same thing – why Big ‘O’ Interestingly, being the N.Y.D.C.’s sister restaurant (and conveniently located right across N.Y.D.C. at Wheelock Place), they’ve named this cafe/restaurant after their famous cheesecake, Big O Cheesecake. I’ve never noticed this before today (maybe it’s because they’re being overshadowed by the N.Y.D.C. every time I past the area) – only decided to try this when scrolling through the list of restaurants over the net.Mozzarella Sticks ($8.60++) :: It’s 2.5 sticks per person if you share it between two, like I did (we were drawn to the same starter upon looking at the menu). Nicely breaded, the sticks are to my liking, thanks to the thick and elastic mozzarella cheese in the wrap. I especially like the kind that the cheese elongates as you pull it away from your mouth. Yum. Also, it comes with the typical tomato / salsa kinda sauce.Spiced Duck ($19.95++) :: A very typical duck confit, in my opinion. Up till now, I have yet to taste a duck confit that is outstanding and isn’t ‘gelat‘. A slice or two of this is fine. But well, the mashed potato that comes with it helps you in completing the course – that’s the beauty of sides. Hah.Bacon Wrapped Chicken Leg ($17.80++) :: Again, the same problem as above (why does it seem like a recurring problem for this restaurant) – ‘gelat‘. But it isn’t as bad. I love bacon done this well (non-crispy), and the chicken’s tender. I guess it’s the BBQ (if I’m not mistaken) sauce that spoils it. All in all, it’s just another dish, nothing to rave about.Spike ‘D’ ($5.95++) :: Very popular amongst the crowd, we decided to join the club. If you’re a durian lover, this simple-looking cake is for you. Sheltered with a coat of chocolate, the durian in it is a twist of taste for you in this dessert course.The Dark Side Mudpie ($10.95++) :: The highly anticipated fully chocolate-filled and topped mudpie turned out to be a huge disappointment. Well as they say, the higher your expectation, the bigger your disappointment. This was exactly the case. As a huge chocolate lover, I was eagerly awaiting for it to be on my table. The first bite and it was only ordinary. As compared to its sister company’s mudpie, this needs a whole lot of improvement. So if you want a better mudpie, just hop across the aisle to NYDC.

With the payment done with POSB/DBS Card, we’ve received a $10 discount voucher. I’m still sitting on the fence on if I’ll make a return to the restaurant.

2011-06-19

SGD 25(Lunch)

https://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/canele-gallery/

This is going to be more of a special post. There will not be as much comments on the food. Just feast on your eyes, and some brief words.

I love the ambience and setting. It looks really sleek, with the black and pinkish red color scheme, the lighting, cushion-seating and the clever use of mirror and its reflection.Salad ‘Canele’ ($9.50++) :: It might be a tad’ bit pricey, considering its small portion of crab meat amongst the sea of salad. However, I love it.Marinara Spaghettini ($17.50++) :: Reviewed by my friend to be rubber-like tasting. And spicy even though it’s tomato-based. So, that’s a warning for you if you are not a spicy-food eater.St. Marc :: $7.48++Mont Blanc :: $6.54++Black Forest :: $8.41++Triple Chocolate Cheesecake :: $7.48++

In summary:
Black Forest (66% dark chocolate mousse) > Triple Chocolate Cheesecake (walnut chocolate fudge, chocolate chip cheese, dark chocolate) > Mont Blanc (chestnut) > St. Marc (Biscuit joconde with Kirsch, creme brulee, vanilla creme, dark chocolate cream).

Iced Water on Canelé Coaster.

Canelé Coaster.

Service is definitely of standard (even though my order of Chic Choc Crepe was forgotten), not much of service recovery but I’m fine with it thanks to their good standard of basic service. Ambience, need I say more. I still think that it is more of a place for some good desserts instead of main course + dessert.
The next time I’m there, I’ll be sure to try their macarons. And again, my lost-in-the-kitchen crepe.

2011-06-19

SGD 24(Dinner)

https://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2011/08/07/boon-lay-raja-chinese-restaurant/

Yes, don’t be misled by its Malay-sounding restaurant name, it is as Chinese as Tunglok Restaurant, or like, Crystal Jade, lol. I don’t know, I think it’s just me, but I was pretty impressed when I heard that they serve both dim sum and main courses at the same time of the day. I’m under the impression that one usually serves dim sum in the morning and main courses thereafter. Anyhow, the restaurant was recommended to us and we decided to give it a try, as a birthday lunch. Just in case you too want to give this isolated restaurant a go, it’s located right above the NTUC beside the under-renovation Jurong Entertainment (head up the stairs beside the lift, not any other stairs).

We made a reservation for Sunday lunch but it wasn’t really necessary. There were plenty of seats then. Although so, reservation’s always a safe plan.
As the few of us have different appetites, we ordered half dim sum, half main courses – the best of both worlds.Century Egg Porridge :: Once again, if you’ve read some previous entries, I usually don’t eat Chinese food. But this – is amazing. Ate this as my first course, and as my last. At the end of everything, we ordered another bowl of it and swallowed it down. It’s too irresistible and worthy.Freshly Oven-baked Egg Tarts :: Nothing memorable about the tarts, and one can easily buy a tastier one outside. Skip it and save your stomach for some other awesomeness.Fried Prawn Roll with Mango :: One of my favorite dishes of the day. Mango in a dim sum dish just westernized itself a little, in my opinion – very fresh. As is the following dish, Golden Fried Banana Roll with Yam, another one with fruits.Roasted Crispy Duck with Mango Sauce :: Hands down, the winning dish of the day, or, winning dish of the restaurant Although I haven’t tried all of their dishes, but still! The crispy skin of the duck, the special mango sauce, and the unique decorations & additions of kiwi, cherry, and generally fruits (once again) to the duck. It was a challenge restraining myself from ordering another plate of this gold. A must try.Many raving reviews on this piece of art. I thought it was only okay, although I love the part where it is topped with my favorite mushroom of all – enoki mushroom. You can give it a shot, maybe we just have different tastes.

I’d rate this a full 4 stars for its sheer good food, but somehow, I just don’t see myself coming back another time. I’d rate this a 3.5 stars if there is one. Alas, it doesn’t. So, 3 stars it is.

2011-08-07

SGD 20(Lunch)

https://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2010/10/07/we-spent-hours-on-15-minutes/

This isn’t necessarily a justifiable picture reflecting that of the outstanding ambience of the cafe – especially when dusk is imminent. Housing up to approximately 120 patrons, the cleverly dimly-lit cafe, made me, for one, felt cozy and welcomed when I stepped in. Actually, I do believe I’m not the only one who felt the same way (after this friend of mine who insisted on wanting to have Nando’s Chicken for dinner instead, complimented on the ambience too). It was a silent consent that it was a good start to our highly-anticipated (because no one had tried it before) meal.

The concept and design of the cafe sure lived up to the standard of an Arts’ School’s cafe. You can see cut-outs of magazine pages, with words like ‘Oasis of Calm’ and ‘Propaganda Agenda’ taking up the huge fonts on the wall and pillars – how appropriate. You can choose to have your seat by the bar, at the sofa area, or at the proper dining area – the genial waitpersons would lead you to whatever floats your boat.

I was frantically flipping through the pages to set my fingers on the dish I had already pre-set my mind on – Duo Lamb Chop. But very disappointingly, I couldn’t find it, even though I remembered vividly seeing it on its official website (and now that I’ve checked – it IS there. They just need to do a much-needed update on their website’s menu, because it’s at least 50% different, just so you don’t fall for it like I did). After finally convinced that there isn’t going to be any lamb, I flipped between the pages titled ‘Salad In A Jar’ and ‘Main Courses’ to hopefully make up for it.Cajun Dory :: I settled for Cajun Dory; I’ve always loved Dory fish. If you’re not one who can take spiciness, fret not – even though it looks like it can potentially burn your tongue (for non-spicy eaters), it actually isn’t as bad as you think. In fact, it can get sweeter than you think. The fish itself is done just right – soft, and it splits into pieces just by a slight push of your tongue. The only thing I don’t like about this is its sides (or the lack thereof) – broccoli. Nope. Hard and dry. Dry and tasteless. My stomach wasn’t anywhere near full after finishing that course though.Fiery Chicken Thigh :: Oh hey, try this first. Tender is the word. All of us took a bit, and all of us fell in love with it. Spicy it is, but I love it that way. My friend who had this course went ga-ga over the herb butter rice too. lol. Most, if not all of us, agreed that this would be the course we’d order the next time we come (together with other groups of friends of ours – it’s so good we’re going to start spreading the words).Mixed Seafood Spaghetti :: Other dishes we tried include Mixed Seafood Spaghetti, which wasn’t as good as the rest. It was below average (PastaMania can definitely do better), so I wouldn’t really encourage ordering of pasta (the rule for myself is not to order pasta in restaurants/cafes not well known for it, because it’d usually suck/just be average. Well unless the variety of the main courses fail, then I may take a chance).Chili Beef + Sausage :: And then there’s this dish, with the big, juicy, thick – sausage. lol. I got a bite of the sausage, it was easy to the teeth, very different from usual ones I’ve tried (harder and a little more chewy – depends on which you like). My friend commented that Superdog’s chili beef’s nicer than this. So – I don’t usually eat beef, I wouldn’t know.4 Cheese Pizza (Vegetarian) :: Before even taking a bite, I could smell the creamy and buttery fragrance of the cheese. Just have to put it out there – I LOVE CHEESE. Mozzarella cheese. Blue cheese. Feta cheese. Cheddar cheese. If you are as much a cheese lover as I am – please do try this. There are 8 pieces to 1, so if need be, order this as a side like we did. The only negative point I have to the pizza is its thin-crust. It was a little too hard for our liking, and at some point, it disturbs the salty and sweet cheesy taste.Warm Duck Salad | Udon & Prawn Salad :: They are the reason I was there in the first place. Saw the picture of the Salad In A Jar, and I fell in love without second thought. It was love at first sight. lol. Although there were only like 6 pieces of roasted duck meat brushed with honey inside the Warm Duck Salad, each and every piece of it was worth it. I couldn’t bear to swallow what was in my mouth. And the mandarin orange in it made the salad taste funky, in a good way – you know, it’s not just green-ness and leafiness. Occasionally, when you need a change in taste, just pop an orange into your mouth – it’s good.
The Udon & Prawn Salad was more average. I’d pick the warm duck salad over the udon and prawn, although I must say that it’s a unique creation, very nice.

After filling our stomachs up with the appetizers, main courses, and sides, we decided to order some drinks while chillin’ out at the sofa area, right in front of the performance stage (yeah because it was comfortable lying around, doing nothing, and catching up).Somehow, just somehow, each of the 3 cocktails we got tasted like cough mixture. Mine tasted more like fever mixture, I gotta say, but still. I am absolutely clueless, if it was just us or.. I’ve always got a thing for cocktails, but that night was meh. That glass of German Beer won our hearts at the end of the night, lol.
By the way, the cocktails cost $15++ each, and $12++ for the beer.

Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable night at 15 Minutes. If you know you’re happy then you spend more money. We spent some $40 per person over the 3-4 hours there, so yeah. This gets 3 stars (✰✰✰) for its generally well-liked food and awesome ambience to hang out and chill out on any other night.

—> NOTE #1: Live performances are only on Wednesdays (starting 7.30PM), Saturdays and Sundays (starting 8.30PM).

—> NOTE #2: They have the usual order-and-payment system. Both can be done from your table through the waitpersons.

2010-10-07

SGD 20

https://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2011/01/15/pizza-at-la-nonna/

A few of my decade-old friends and I went to Holland Village just the other day to hang out and have dinner, and decided on La Nonna after wandering and loitering the area for a little while. For me, it’s always hard to make a decision at Holland Village, what with the side by side by side bar cum restaurants down the street – we’re basically spoiled for choices. Having read up a tad’ bit about the restaurants at Holland V., and La Nonna being one of the few that caught my eyes, we settled for it.

The picture may not look as ambience-filled as it actually is, but if you ever intend to give this a try, ask for seats upstairs, level 2. To sidetrack a little here, when we went to the restroom (which was at level 2) at the end of our meal, we were like all pleasantly surprised at the very nice presentation and ambience of the dining area. Pity, it was booked that day we went there, so we weren’t given a seat upstairs even though we asked.

It’s always satisfying to have bread / nachos in many Mexican restaurants served before our main courses, because more often than not, we’re all starving while waiting. So we dug in immediately, and I must say, this dry but soft and tasty bread is, ‘like a nice only’. Hah.

We chose to have a pizza each after looking at the (long) list of thin-crust pizzas they have. They all have catchy, (Spanish I guess) names for the pizzas.

Nera Pizza :: $19.00++
The ever so peculiar and unique type of pizza / pasta – Squid Ink Pizza. It’s topped with a few of my favorite seafood – prawns, scallop and calamari. Needless to say, I fell in love with it.

Caprino Pizza :: $19.00++
Cold cuts’ definitely my cup of tea, and so this pizza, topped with pancetta ham, caught my attention, on top of the very interesting goat cheese being part of it. It sounds exotic enough to whet my appetite. With the mozzarella cheese, it’s enough of cheese to satisfy my high cheese intake. The rockets on it makes it easier to finish up the whole 12″ pizza.Cocodde Pizza :: $19.00++
Food being food – it is subjective. I’m not really a mushroom person (not unless it’s sauteed mushroom in English breakfasts), so this pizza, topped with shitake mushrooms and chicken sausages, isn’t to my likings. If you’re even just a tiny mushroom hater, don’t, try this.La Nonna 'Signature Pizza' :: $19.00++
This cheesy pizza (literally and metaphorically) is surely topped with some weird stuff – asparagus, half boiled egg and black truffle. Not the safest choice you can get, but the half-boiled egg makes the whole pizza tastes interesting and fresh (if you’re daring enough). Fortunately there isn’t much of the asparagus taste, or I’d have condemned this (not much of a vegetable fan as you can see).

Overall, the pizzas are up to standard, and worth it even though it’s $19 before taxes per pizza. It’s, for sure, filling. Plus, if you’re having the level 2 air-conditioned seats, that price paid is value for money for the ambience too. Service here is undoubtedly good – they’re friendly and will, once in a while, crack a joke or two with you. Now that’s the spirit! If you want to have a place to chill and feel at home, try La Nonna.

—> Note #1: It might look like they do not serve Iced Water what with only a wine glass on the table, but they do. Go ahead and ask for it.

—> Note #2: They have a few daily special dishes written on the board on the inside, and on the glass beside the door on the outside that you can take a look at.

—> Note #3: Like aforementioned, go for the level 2 air-conditioned seats! If you’re up for ambience that is.

2011-01-15

SGD 20(Dinner)

https://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2011/01/29/103s-bistro-one-zero-three/

Smartly named after the road name, 103 Pasir Panjang, Bistro One Zero Three is located by the roadside. Be warned though, the store front looks like one that has been there through rain and storm, and hasn’t got enough to do a full scale renovation. But looks are almost always deceiving, aren’t they

The menu’s considerably large for a relatively small / medium-sized cafe located in this area. Pasta and main dishes are what fills up the page of main courses for the dining place. And yes, allow me to touch on the feel upon entering the cafe / restaurant. Allow me, to share with you how homely I felt with their service. We were immediately greeted and led to a table upon entering the then-quarter filled cafe. When issuing the menu, the waitperson asked if we’d like some iced water – I simply, love how honest she is. I mean, people would go asking, ‘any drinks to start first’, but no, she asked if we’d like to have some water first. It’s a very, ‘you read my mind and didn’t make us feel bad / awkward / guilty for not ordering drinks’ kind of feeling, and it’s just the start of the good service.

It might not have the nicest ambience, it might not have the nicest decor, but it sure make you feel cozy, comfy and secured. With the whole set up and the service, it gives me a very strong ‘bed & breakfast’ feeling, where food is served, and you are well taken care of, like how you are dead sure that whatever happens, someone will be there to take care of you. Like said earlier, they have quite a wide selection of food (including salad / appetizers / main courses). We decided to get our taste buds going with some Mushroom Soup, the aromatic Garlic Bread and some Escargots as appetizers.Soup of the Day (Mushroom Soup) ($4.50++) :: Even though it might seem like it’s very worthwhile, what with it being served in a big bowl accompanied with garlic bread, it actually, isn’t really. The mushroom soup, in my opinion, didn’t really have much of the mushroom taste / smell. It’s very average-tasting.Escargots in White Wine Sauce ($8.90++) :: I’ve always been a fan of escargots, and well, shells in general. Even though the escargots may not be as chewy as some I’ve tasted (I personally like it chewy), the cheesy sauce made it up. Cheese is good. Escargot’s good. So all is good. The garlic bread goes well with the sauce too (we thought it’s better than the mushroom soup).We kind of had a garlic bread overload, because we didn’t know that the escargots and mushroom soup each comes with garlic bread too. Hah. Fortunately, the bread’s really ‘balmy’ and tasty.Bacon & Ham Pasta ($16.90++) :: First try and I blurted out, ‘PastaMania can do better’. Do keep in mind though, I’m one who has always been alright with PastaMania – I know a lot of people out there who are quite anti-PastaMania, so. But really, it isn’t creamy / cheesy enough for me, and the taste is somewhere in between bland and distinctive.Salmon & Crab Meat Pasta ($16.90++) :: When we first saw the menu, we were questioning internally if the crab meat is the real crab, crab meat or the crabstick crab meat. In the end, we decided to check it out with the approachable staff and to our relief, it’s the real crab meat. I thought the portion of the salmon is pretty generous, considering it was given as a whole piece or not shreds like what one would usually get in pastas. The red pesto sauce made the pasta doesn’t taste like the normal, organic pasta – which may or may not be a bad thing. For me, it’s alright, but I got bored with it real quick.Crispy Duck Leg ($24.90++) :: At first glance, it might look unworthy putting the portion and the cost of the dish side by side and comparing, but after the dinner, I’d safely say that I’ll choose this over the pastas any day. We agreed in unison that the crispy duck skin is really really good, plus, the duck meat isn’t those that will get stuck between your teeth, and it’s soft. Matched with a reasonable portion of mashed potato, this dish is quite a balanced one.Chocolate Walnut Brownie with French Vanilla Ice Cream ($6.00++) :: Even though we were already filled up to our throat, we still went ahead with the dessert. Like they always say, ‘there is always space for desserts’. Couldn’t agree more, hah. We decided on this because we’ve read quite some raving reviews on this particular dessert of theirs. The brownie didn’t look appealing when it’s presented to us – it looked rather dry and hard. This is when ‘looks are deceiving’ comes into play – it’s actually soft and tasty – just right. This is up to your liking, but the vanilla ice cream isn’t your ordinary vanilla ice cream – it’s french’s, thus some custard flavor.

Essentially, this is quite a find in my opinion. To reiterate the earlier point – this place is very homely, with excellent excellent warm service. Thus it gets 3 stars (✰✰✰).

—> Note #1: It’s very hard to get to, so if you’re not driving, maybe not.

—> Note #2: Lunch’s from 1130 – 1500 and dinner’s from 1800 – 2130, so don’t go in between and get locked out.

—> Note #3: There -is- a (clean) restroom in the restaurant itself, even though it looks like this deserted place most probably won’t.

2011-01-29

SGD 20(Dinner)