Ruiqiiiii's Profile

Last week, we visited Vivocity Earle Swensen's for a Tea Appreciation Workshop jointly held by Earle Swensen's x Dilmah. We got to try out some tea from the Dilmah Exceptional range as well as the new Teatime Happiness set available at Earle Swensen's outlet from 2:30pm to 5pm on weekdays. The range of "Dilmah Exceptional" teas were also displayed. Notice the shape of the tea bags? The pyramid shape allows the tea leaves to infuse more effectively, giving a stronger and more distinct flavour. We were given a short presentation on Dilmah, the basics and process of tea production including some fun facts that I never knew. How many people would have known that Oolong Tea, English Breakfast Tea, Green Tea etc actually comes from one plant only? I believe many would have the common misperception that different tea leaves come from different plants.For a start, we had Chips & Slaw sandwich, served alongside Peppermint Tea and English Breakfast Tea. (Fun fact: Peppermint Tea is an infusion, not tea) The English Breakfast Tea had a much stronger taste compared to Peppermint Tea which was light. The bigger the tea leaves, the lighter the tea! I thought both cups of tea went well with the sandwich- buttered bread, coleslaw and chips. A very unique combination, I've never had sandwiches with similar combinations prior to this. Tends to get a little messy halfway through your meal though.We had a mini hands-on activity shortly after, to make our own (Ceylon Green or Earl Grey) tea. For one tea bag or 2g of tea leaves, it is recommended to use only 220-250ml of water. We paired the tea with Swensen's famous ice cream cake and Earl Grey was definitely a better choice compared to Ceylon Green Tea which has a bitter aftertaste.For those who're interested to indulge in some Teatime Happiness, choose from Neapolitan ice cream cake slice or Chips & Slaw sandwich plus a cup of coffee or tea (choose from 6 different flavours) for only $6.90++. If you would like a bowl of salad from the range of salad bar. top up an additional $3 to enjoy it! Only available at Earle Swensen's on weekdays from 2.30pm to 5pm!Till the next, x…Read More

(Procacci has three restaurants worldwide in Vienna, Florence and Singapore. Procacci Singapore is the only restaurant in Asia & outside Europe.)Attended a food tasting session hosted by OpenRice x Procacci last Saturday. The tasting was set amidst my finals but despite having two papers right after that weekend, I still went ahead. Well, because I just had to. You can't say 'no' to good food.The purrrr-fect life on a Saturday morning. All I can think of - Tranquility. Not sure about you but I have a thing for quiet places and Procacci fits the bill. Indoor or al fresco, either way you're located right opposite Singapore's iconic Marina Bay Sands!If you're unfamiliar with the place (It's located at Customs House by the way), there's a slight chance that you may get slightly lost. Do type 'Customs House' instead of 'Procacci' if you're using Google maps. Yes, the location of 'Procacci' on Google maps' not quite right & I was lost (for a moment) too.This is why you don't have to give up that amazing view for the air-conditioned indoor dining area.The view is as good from the inside!Proccaci has recently launched their Saturday Brunch Menu (vegetarian dishes available). You heard me right, ONLY on Saturdays. We were served a total of eight dishes, which means we tried almost the entire brunch menu! Some visuals to bring you through.First up, Uova Strapazatte con Funghi ($20) - Scrambled Eggs, Saute mushroom, Rustica Toast, Saute Spinach. The Saute Spinach wasn't available that day so we were served brocolli instead. Opt for this only if you like the earthy taste of mushroom! A pity that the Rustica Toast was too hard for my liking.Next, Fritattate al Tartufo ($22) - Egg Frittata, Ciabatta Toast, Truffle Cream.This is amazing, my favourite out of all the dishes! I'm not a big fan of truffle, really neutral but this dish caught me by surprise. You know how some places sell truffle dishes but the truffle taste is so mild & almost non-existent? No such problem at Procacci, truffle IS truffle. We even requested for a second serving of this.Pollo Grigliato ($20) - Grilled Chicken Breast, Fried Egg, Crispy Bacon, Ciabatta Toast.A healthier dish, minus the bacon maybe? But brunch dishes with bacon are definitely more satisfying than those without, at least to the foodies who were at the tasting. Everyone loves bacon! Although I don't prefer chicken breast (I find it dry compared to thigh meat), this dish appealed to a few others. I guess, go with what suits your preference!Next on the menu, Fumo Salmone ($20) - Smoked Salmon, Fried Egg, Ricotta Cheese, Ciabbata Toast.If you know me personally, I don't eat raw salmon but I took a piece of it during the tasting. Not sure how to review it without comparison.... I can only say they are pretty generous with the thick slices of smoked salmon. The Ricotta Cheese paired with the salmon lightens the overall taste! Make sure to read other reviews to find out because I don't think my review on this dish is a good nor an accurate gauge of the standard of smoked salmon served.Another favourite of mine, Salsiccia Italiano ($26) - Grilled Spicy Italian Sausages, Rustica Toast, Fried Egg, Arrabbiata Sauce. There's an oomph factor in this dish, the arrabbiata sauce. Each bite leaves you wanting more!The last dish of the tasting (supposedly), Procacci Delizia ($30) - Mortadella, Parma Ham, Taleggio Cheese, Scrambled Eggs, Rustica Toast. The Big Breakfast of Procacci, a tad luxurious to have artisan-cured meat for breakfast. The price may be on the higher end but this is actually big enough to be able to feed two. Do your calculations, that means $15++ per person. Worth it?! Not to mention that their scrambled egg is really well done, look at how creamy it is!We also tried Uovo Benedetto ($22), an addition to our already very extensive tasting menu. It consists of Poached Egg, Rustica Toast, Crispy Bacon, Hollandaise Sauce, Caviar. This came across to me as a normal egg benedict. Although not the best, it's also far from the worst.A pleasant surprise from Procacci! Prosecco wine from Antinori Wineyard owned by Procacci (Italy) to complete the brunch. Thank you for the hospitality!Procacci is currently having a promotion. Enjoy free flow prosecco on Saturdays (limited period only) at just $25 per person. And for $35, you get to enjoy free flow beverages inclusive of Prosecco, Peroni beer, soft drinks and juices. For the non-alcoholics, opt for free flow of soft drinks and juices for just $15. Procacci also offers other beverages such as tea and coffee on their menu.Don't forget to check out the giveaway on the Facebook page of Openrice & Procacci, here and here respectively & stand to win brunch vouchers for two (worth $130++)! Winner will be announced on 27th May 2015.Cheers to better Saturdays with Procacci, xThank you for hosting us, Openrice x Procacci!…Read More

Ever heard of the Spanish saying "Mi Casa es Su Casa"?Basing their philosophy on the saying which simply means "My House is Your House", My Little Spanish Place is a home-style Spanish restaurant that's possibly as close to mesóns as you can find in Spain. This quaint little shop is located along Bukit Timah road, just a minute walk from Coronation Plaza. Don't be surprised when you enter the restaurant. You will be greeted with a selection of wine displayed on the wine rack on your right. Alcohol is such an integral part of the dining culture that to the Spanish, many consider meals to be incomplete without wine or Sangria. My Little Spanish Place provides a huge selection of Sangrias and a fully Spanish wine list. The yellow lighting adds extra coziness to the place- a feeling of comfort, warmth and a stronger sense of home. Especially love the brickwall details!Special menu of the week is written on the blackboard.Founded by Chef Maria Sevillano in March 2010, My Little Spanish Place has been around for quite some time and in 2013,. To mark its three years, a new Jamon bar was introduced Priding themselves on their Jamon Bar, My Little Spanish Place offers five different types of cured ham which is truly a rare sight regardless of whether it is in Singapore or overseas. Most restaurants offer only one or two types of Jamon, with top-notch restaurants offering up to a maximum of three types. L-R: Joselito (48+ months)/ 5J (30-36months)L-R: Sierra Mayor (30-36months)/ Laudes (18-24months)/ Fermin (18-20months) Chef Edward Esmero, co-chef & partner of My Little Spanish Place, in action. Chef Edward has been with My Little Spanish Place for more than a year now. Dedicated and passionate about his job, he is extremely particular about the standard of food served, regardless of ingredients used or even, food plating. That said, 80% of the products are imported to preserve the authenticity.The manager of My Little Spanish Place & Chef Edward giving an introduction before the food tasting session begins. (Yes, the manager is from Spain!)We were served the Red Wine Sangria, a red wine punch flavoured with fruits. It is a typical beverage in Spain & sometimes referred to as the national beverage of Spain. I like how the fruits give the cocktail a slight citrus taste.Chef Edward explaining to Openricers about the Jamon Bar.While most restaurants use machines for the slicing of Jamon, My Little Spanish Place still does it the traditional way- all Jamon are hand carved. Jamon carving is not as easy as it seems. A well-carved Jamon is one that is as flat as possible but most people tends to carve a 'hole'. Pictured below, Chef Edward demonstrating how to hand-carve the Jamon.First on the menu was the Jamon & Cheese Platter. We were served two types of Jamon, namely 10 Vetas Jamon (left) and Fermin Serrano (right) together with olives, Manchego cheese & quince paste. On first look, it's probably hard to differentiate between the two types of ham but it's recommnded that you start off with the younger because the longer it has been cured, the stronger the taste. Trust your tastebud to do the job because they don't lie! I'm also impressed with the choice of cheese used. Manchego cheese tasted really light, absolutely no issues with the saltiness even if you eat it on its own. Eat the cheese with quince paste if you'd like some sweetness, they go really well together!Warm breads were served alongside the platter. Though they were clearly not part of the main platter served, it was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Yes, as cliche as that may sound. Place the ham on top of the baguette to give it extra crunch but I prefer to keep things simple by eating them separately. Next up was the Croquettas, served with Alioli (garlic mayonaise). The filling is similar to creamy mashed potato, nothing quite fanciful about this dish. It probably paled in comparison to other dishes served that night since there weren't any surprise factor.Gambas al ajillo- Garlic prawns. The prawns are cooked in olive oil with garlic & chilli pepper. Looks are deceiving, this dish is definitely not as oily and heavy as it looks. Dip the baguette into the sauce and eat while it's warm!Voted to be the favourite dish among the Openricers, Champinones al Horno, mushroom stacks topped with prawn & melted Mahon cheese, glazed with Sherry vinegar. It sounds like a simple dish but the simplest dish is, more often than not, the hardest to perfect. The mushrooms were done to perfection, juicy and succulent without that overpowering earthy taste. Definitely top on my list!Next, Chef Edward prepared something that is not in the tasting menu because he wanted us to try it. It's their Tortilla de Patata con Alioli- Potato Omelette with Alioli. A very complex but interesting dish! I took small bites trying to figure out whether the potato omelette tasted more like potato or omelette and I just couldn't decide on one. The texture was similar to an omelette on the first bite but as you continue, it changes to become more similar to that of potatoes. I've never had anything like this before.What's a Spanish meal without paella, a classic Spanish dish? Two different paellas were served, namely the Paella de la Casa and Arroz Negra. Spanish food are very much influenced by seafood because of its location along the coastal region hence both the Paellas contain seafood. Pictured below, Arroz Negra, Black Ink Paella, rice flavoured with black ink squid broth with prawns and squid and served with Alioli.Paella de la Casa- House Paella made with special ingredients such as langostinas, chorizo, prawns, black mussels and chicken.The Black Ink Paella was of the right saltiness and I like the zesty flavor after squeezing in the lemon. However, I still prefer the House Paella because the rice was more flavourful due to the variety of ingredients added.Finally, Dessert Platter consisting of Churros, Hand-churned Strawberry Ice Cream and Chocolate Tart was served. This is Chef Edward's award-winning dessert platter, needs no emphasis on how good it is! The Hand-churned Strawberry Ice Cream is not any ordinary strawberry ice cream that you see outside. It has to be mixed once every 20 minutes, A+ for effort. I'm not a fan of chocolate but my favourite is the Chocolate Tart that's made with 68% dark chocolate. Does this tell you how good it really is?If you haven't been to Spain & would like a taste of authentic Spanish food, why not visit My Little Spanish Place? Just put on your bib and prepare for a night of gastronomic adventure! Oh, be sure to try out one of their signature item, Spanish Suckling Pig that's not featured above! Chef Edward will also be presenting a special menu at SAVOUR on 26th to 29th March. He will be conducting cooking classes, one on weekdays and two on weekends so be sure to catch him in action at the F1 Pit Building. Also, My Little Spanish Place will be opening a new outlet at Boat Quay in mid April 2015, do show your support!Lastly, thank you Reka and Jenny for the invitation!…Read More

Food Tasting at De'Pop Culture Cafe!How did the name "De'Pop Culture" come about? Instead of the commonly perceived "The Pop Culture", De'Pop Culture actually stands for desserts and pop-culture. The cafe is owned by a young couple, Adeline and her partner. Founded in August 2014, it's a relatively new cafe located along North Bridge road.We ordered their Signature Drink- Italian Sodas ($4.90 each)From left to right: Red Raspberry Italian Soda, Kiwi Italian Soda, Blue Raspberry Italian Soda, Passionfruit Italian Soda.First up, the Bacon Surprise ($10.90). Bacon wraps topped with scrambled eggs, Sunny-side up and mushroom. The sunny-side up had yolks that are still slightly runny, which I think is good. The mushroom had a very earthy taste to it, not quite to my liking. But mushroom lovers, you'll love this. Scrambled eggs was a clear winner, love the buttery and creamy taste of it. Bacon, on the other hand, was a tad too tough. I would have preferred chewy bacons for this dish.Truffle Fries ($7.90), covered in a generous amount of truffle, topped with parmesan cheese. Yes, you could taste the truffle in every single one of them, not even one is missed. And to get such quality truffle fries for just $7.90 in a cafe (with no service charge), it's seriously a steal.Next up, De'Pop Breakfast Platter for 2 ($28.90) served on a lazy susan. The portion is really huge. Single serving is available at $18.90 but I love how they came up with the double serving concept. You just saved yourself $8.90! The sausages were juicy and tater tots were pretty much addictive. Bacons were still slightly tougher for my preference but I love the scrambled eggs all the same. Basically this platter of goodness consists of the same ingredients that were used to make the Bacon Surprise.Crab and the Dog ($15.90), a fusion dish that incorporates Singapore signature dish- chilli crab. Do not underestimate the spiciness level of the sauce because it does give you some kicks and punches. However, it tasted more like sambal sauce to me and the tougher italian pork sausage used in the dish pales in comparison to the juicy bratwurst sausage in the breakfast platter.Black Pepper Crab Spaghetti ($14.90), spaghetti served with mushroom and crab meat. Portion served was generous, including the crab meat. I find the black pepper sauce salty, spicy and a little too overpowering to be able to taste the freshness of the crab. (Disclaimer: I would choose anything over black pepper for any dishes so I might be a little biased.) Most of the reviews that I read gave this dish a thumbs up, so try it if you're a black pepper lover!Waffles Caramel ($11.50), all of us loved the salted caramel ice cream! The premium ice cream used was smooth and granola bits added extra crunch to the otherwise soft and fluffy centre. Outer rims of the waffles were a little overcooked as it was crispy instead of soft but overall, recommended!French Toast feat. Banana-tella ($11.90). No doubt the toast were soft & anything chocolate and banana would go well together but I thought it tasted average. I find other desserts more deserving of my already-filled stomach space because they tasted even better!Panna Cotta ($6.90), my favourite dessert of the night! Creamy and smooth, I love this. I was told that the texture of it wasn't right but what's important is that it's nice! To be honest, I've never tried (and never thought of trying) Panna Cotta so I couldn't have known about the texture at all. If you're as noob as me and all you know is eat, order it. It won't disappoint! Most importantly, it doesn't get jelat just after a few spoonful.Another recommendation, their Apple Crumble Pie with ice cream ($7.90). Just the right level of sweetness, with a hint of cinammon taste and the crunch of the crumble made me crave for more!My favourite dishes of the night are Scrambled Eggs (I know it's not a dish), Panna Cotta, Apple Crumble Pie and Waffles Caramel. No doubt that it's a desserts cafe because the desserts are *thumbs up*(Due to the limit on the number of pictures, I'm only able to post pictures of the food. For more pictures on the interior decorations, hop over to playmatesorlovers.blogspot.sg !)…Read More

Attended my first food tasting event last Tuesday at The King Louis!The openricers were treated to such an extensive meal that all of us chose the option "going to burst" when asked about the portion of food at the end of the day, not mentioning the leftovers that we had for each and every dish. Anyway, we had the pleasure of being the first few to try out their Halloween Feast because they just launched it in the month of October and we were there on the 2nd!First on the menu was their Highlandar Pumpkin Soup. I believe it's not difficult to understand why they chose pumpkin over other ingredients. Ellie, the person-in-charge from The King Louis mentioned that their pumpkin soup is made in-house using fresh pumpkin & hence they are able to control the thickness and consistency. The soup was thick and creamy, but too heavy for my liking. (I don't prefer cream-based food/ creamy soup e.g. lobster bisque) I love the bread though. Crust was crispy and centre was soft. Next up was English-Style Chicken Caesar Salad, topped with generous amount of eggs, croutons, bacon, cheese and caesar dressing.The King Louis Platter that consists of garlic sausages, wedges and onion rings, served with sweet chilli and salad. I couldn't emphasize how much I love the onion rings! Just perfect. I thought that their garlic sausage tasted pretty good, succulent and juicy. Consistency, however, could be improved because one of them was shrivelled and dry, so much so that we thought that they were two different kinds of sausages.The star for the night, The Queen Isabelle Platter that consists of Roasted Beef with Black Pepper Sauce, Premium BBQ Baby Back Ribs, Roasted English-Style Queen Pullet, Lamb Steak with Rosemary Herbs, long beans, baked potatoes, cauliflower etc. My favourite has got to be the Lamb Steak with Rosemary Herbs (pictured below) because it's really tender. However, it depends on individuals whether they can accept the "lamby" taste. I'm not really a fan of lamb steak but I thought the taste was quite acceptable and not in any way overpowering.Roasted English-Style Queen Pullet was a disappointment even though it was a plus point that the restaurant uses chilled instead of frozen chicken. The breast meat was just way too dry. Heard that the thighs were juicy though.Premium BBQ Baby Back Ribs which Ellie said (alongside with the Beef Steak) was the hot favourite among customers.Tender meat that falls off the bone easily, it certainly didn't disappoint.Their Roasted Beef with Black Pepper Sauce tasted pretty average to me, despite it being a popular option among patrons. Not sure if it has to do with the wellness of the steak. Our table asked for medium well but most of the beef steak were well done. Some even tasted bitter because of the charred surface. Especially addicted to the baked potatoes that were hidden under the meat. Ended up eating so much carbs even though we were already so full from the meat. Long beans kind of tasted too raw for our preference. Overall, I definitely have higher expectations for their hot favourite dishes and they could possibly do better with quality control to maintain consistency of food.Last but not least, Coconut Ice Cream topped with generous amount of almond, drizzled with honey/ caramel sauce. The ice cream on top tasted way too sweet because of the honey/ caramel sauce but as you dig into it, it's really refreshing.Awesome way to end off a heavy and meaty meal!Overall, it's a fairly good experience for me. The ambience is really nice for those who're interested to chill out on a Friday night with a large group of friends! And another thing to note, their platters are really huge. A group of 4-5pax can probably share the small 2-3pax platter unless all of you have really big appetite! Check out their promotional price in the poster below. Note that the Halloween Feast is only available for dinner from Thursdays to Saturdays.They've also decorated the place according to the Halloween theme, such a thoughtful act! If you haven't been to The King Louis, do visit them this month because their Halloween Feast is really a steal! (Ala-carte Queen Isabelle Platter costs $85.90/ $129.90for 2-3pax and 4-5pax respectively.) The King Louis Grill & Bar is located at VivoCity, #03-07A (Near Daiso).Lastly, thanks Reka & Ellie for the invitation! …Read More

Oriental Salad ($8.50) wasn't bad at all. The salad sauce had this strong sesame taste to it & gets a little jelat at the end, worth a try though!Cafe Latte ($6) cuz old person needs something hot in the morning lol. I am clueless when it comes to tasting coffee, tastes alright?Like any other Cafe Latte.Herbed Chicken with Sunny side up ($14) which reminded me of the food I had at NY Bagels in Taiwan. I don't really like the taste of anything & everything on this plate, sadly. B commented that it tastes fine in his opinion. I'd choose a salad over this anytime. Oh, and one thing I realised was that PB uses chicken breast meat for almost everything? From their brunch menu to their salads. #notmytypeStrawberry Shortcake ($7.50) because I avoided crepe cakes. It wasn't that bad, wasn't bad at all. Just like any other classic strawberry shortcakes that you find in bakeries. But then again, I could have gotten 2 of these from Four Leaves with the same amount hmmm.Okay, I had a good meal cuz my salad and latte were both quite good. Luckily I didn't order from the brunch menu else I'm not sure if I would even visit PB again lol. Not to mention, service wasn't up to standard. From waiter who threw straws on our table while serving us, to them not cleaning the table (hence no space for dessert).…Read More

The service was below expectation (below average, even) but the food was just too damn good. The soft serve was so smooth and waffles were done to perfection. Nothing to complain even though it might be a little pricey for this portion. It's definitely worth a try, especially for those who stay in the West & think that Creamier is too far. Why not visit their sister outlet first? …Read More

I ordered their Eggs Benedict which came with 5 sides: sauteed mushroom, bacon, potatoes, cherry tomatoes and salad veg. Nothing could possibly go wrong with poached eggs, but the parma ham below was so thin I could barely taste anything (just look at the picture above). Might as well don't add? The bread was super thin as well, I think Mcmuffin tastes better. The sweet pea, though added a crunch to the dish, I find the taste a little overpowering. Hollandaise sauce was good, not too sour. Bacon was over fried...... I mean, it's quite obvious right? Potatoes were the only save in this case.Ordered their famous SPAM chips. Something new and different from other cafes, not bad!Cho opted for Baked Eggs (I'm not sure what's the full name for the dish) that came with the same sides. It was average, 'cept that it tastes a little like canned tomato.I find the food really over-rated & I would be back probably to takeaway the spam chips only.…Read More

Ordered the Peanut Butter Jelly Milkshake to share. Peanut butter wasn't overpowering but the jelly made the drink a little sour. I thought the drink was average but boyfr loved it.Ordered one main, Blackstone Benedict, to share. Thank goodness, the yolks of the poached eggs were runny else we would have to exchange it. Read reviews saying that their poached eggs were overcooked and we saw one lady who exchanged hers that morning. Especially love the Sourdough!!!!And how could one possibly miss this?Their Death by Chocolate Cake, with really rich chocolate ganache and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. We shared this and we really couldn't stand the sweetness towards the end of this dessert. It's nice but too much for 2 people imo, maybe 3 would be good. And coming from a person who doesn't like chocolate, this must be pretty up there already.Visit http://playmatesorlovers.blogspot.sg/2014/08/riders-cafe.html…Read More