Merlion Wayfarer's Profile

Merlion Wayfarer had a craving for soya milk one fine night when she was in the Aljunied area. As it as quite late in the night (11-ish), she opted to go to the 24-hour Yong He Eating House. Located at Geylang Road, this eatery serves mainly refreshments and snacks.Craving-laden details are at: http://merlionwayfarer.blogspot.sg/2012/11/you-tiao-soya-milk-just-good-enough-for.htmlThe S$1.10 You Tiao (fried dough stick) was served to us cold and very oily - The oil actually soaked through the white rice paper. The S$1.20 soya milk was cold and thick. Unfortunately, it was quite a small cup and a bit powdery. This place is good for satisfying cravings, but as a should-think-about-it if you intend to be a regular patron.…Read More

Dunkin DonutsChangi Airport T3East, SingaporeOctober 2012http://merlionwayfarer.blogspot.sg/2012/10/donut-in-cosy-setting.htmlAlthough there were a wide variety of donuts to choose from on the menu, those on the display shelf were a lot fewer. Service was ok at the counter but a little slow in the clearing of tables after customers left.Merlion Wayfarer opted for a sugar-coated donut. The bread is soft and the apple filling is ample. Definitely worth the S$1.60 price tag. Paired with a latte in a cosy setting, it's a good buy for a short break from the hectic lifestyle. …Read More

Itacho SushiChangi Airport T3East, SingaporeOctober 2012Merlion Wayfarer thought that she finally found an Itacho sushi outlet that is not crowded, no queue at all, to be exact. When she ordered her food there, she found out why.http://merlionwayfarer.blogspot.sg/2012/10/going-to-pieces-over-sushi.htmlSushi platter consisting of Smoked Salmon, Botan Shrimp, Roast Duck. The price of each ranges from S$1.20 to S$2.Merlion Wayfarer was surprised to see her sushi disintegrate when she picked it up. It is really very bad skill for nigiri sushi to disintegrate even before it is being picked up.In addition, as she was sitting near the counter, she heard about sushi being returned. Luckily, she survived diarrhoea-less this round!…Read More

Kraze Burger is a casual burger joint that originated from Korea. Kraze Burger was originally spelled this way to elicit a 'craze' for their burgers.Hmmm, let's see how this turns out...http://merlionwayfarer.blogspot.sg/2012/10/not-so-kraze-taste.htmlAfter a short ten minutes wait, the orders arrived. For the price, the burgers were served plain, with only a macaroni side which tasted somewhat "clinical" with the plain white sauce. It made the big white plate seem empty.K.B Original burger (S$11)The K.B Original burger was served with a standard bun, and as the menu suggests, sandwiched between them were a beef patty, cheese, homemade pickles, lettuce, tomato slices, onions, and Kraze sauce (which hardly differed from the usual tomato sauce). The ingredients looked fresh, particularly the lettuce, while the meat patty was tender. Overall, it was a well-flavored, and much better than your average fast food joint burger. Then again, you are paying more than ten dollars for just a burger.K. Onion burger (S$14)The K. Onion burger came in our choice of the wheat bun, which the waiter offered as a healthier option. This burger had more ingredients within than the Original - crispy onion rings, bacon, honey barbeque sauce, and cream cheese sauce. The bacon made the taste more fragrant, especially with the onion rings.Service was fairly prompt and polite, but which also depended on which waiter that came by - There were some that were a bit "shortsighted". OK for the experience, but for tastier burgers, Merlion Wayfarer recommends the generic yellow-and-red fastfood brand.…Read More

Merlion Wayfarer so enjoyed the experience at Paris Baguette that she was back within the same month to snuggle into the armchair there.http://merlionwayfarer.blogspot.sg/2012/09/baked-breads-simple-exotic.htmlBaked breads which range from the Korean Bulgogi Sandwich at S$6 to a plain Baguette at S$3...Simple croissants go at S$2.50 while more exotic ones like the Cheese Half Pan is at S$3.50 and the Italian Chicken Calzone at S$3.60...A heated fragrant Chocolate Croissant coated with glaze to make it so much more appetizing. With the first bite, the glaze gave the crust an initial sweetness before the flakiness of the layer bread sets in. The chocolate filling was visible, could have been more ample... …Read More

Merlion Wayfarer found this outlet next to its famous competitor in Far East Plaza. Zero queue and yet serving the same famous dish.http://merlionwayfarer.blogspot.sg/2012/10/nothing-beyond-spiciness.htmlRiceRice was warm and fluffy and served warm. Very good. Only that it was served way before anything arrived. It was only 15 minutes later that the food arrived. Fortunately, the wait staff took back the rice upon request.Ayam Penyet (S$6)Ayam Penyet Surabaya is prepared the authentic way as it is over at Surabaya, Indonesia’s second largest city. The price is lower compared to $6.50 at Ayam Penyet Ria, with the size of the chicken is a little smaller too.The smashed fried chicken (Small!) is served on a banana leaf with lots of crispy crumbs (So few!), a slice of fried soyabean (Salty!) and a piece of fried beancurd (Cold!). It is accompanied by their potent homemade chili sauce and a slice of cucumber to cool the palate.BBQ SquidLike the Ayam Penyet, the BBQ Squid is served on a banana leaf. The squid is laden with very potent Indonesian-style chili. The portion here is small too, and the squid is overcooked and tough. There is no taste other than the spiciness. Another totally disappointing experience.…Read More

(Sauna-baked details are at http://merlionwayfarer.blogspot.sg/2012/10/sauna-baked-coffee.html)The air in this outlet was stifling and they had to use many fans to supplement the airflow. So picking a table with a fan beside or above was absolutely crucial...Oh yah, add that to a table with comfortable seats (coz there were several types of seats, from cushioned seats to wooden stools), and tables that were still dusted with bread crumbs from previous diners.Old Town White Coffee (S$2.20)This was served thick and frothy. It was a bit too bitter. But that was easily rectified as more condensed milk could be added.Kaya & Butter Toast (S$2.20 for 2 slices)More disappointing was the state of the kaya and butter toast. They arrived cold. Merlion Wayfarer absolutely detests going to an airconditioned place, paying a premium for the food, and then be served COLD BREAD. Thankfully, they were crispy and thin enough for some crunch effect.Once again, Merlion Wayfarer was disappointed by her experience. But usually a fix within Singapore is a lot less time consuming and effortless than the 3h queue at the Causeway to go to the Old Town at JB where there is prompter service and half-priced products (same price as Singapore, but in Malaysian Ringgit).…Read More

Merlion Wayfarer eats at BBQ Chicken today!(Juicy details are at http://merlionwayfarer.blogspot.sg/2012/10/juicily-bbq-d.html)Grilled Chicken Omelette Rice ($13.90)Their signature olive rice is wrapped in a specially-prepared omelette and then served in a grilled boneless chicken thigh. The sauce is generous, and tinged with some mushroom flavour. Omelette tasted a bit plastic, being less fluffy than the others.Char Grilled Smoked Duck ($17.90)This dish consisted of two huge chunks of duck the size of two fat tubes of ham. The skin was layered with a huge lining of fat but grilled to a crispy golden brown colour. When bitten, the juice of the succulent meat simply oozed out. Absolutely the most delicious duck ever!…Read More

Once Upon A MilkshakeMaxwell ChambersTanjong Pagar, Singaporehttp://merlionwayfarer.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-ultimate-cream-sensation-irish.htmlFeeling a bit jelak with her constant chocolate endeavours, Merlion Wayfarer explored a non-chocolate one this round. She went for the Red Velvet Cake with Ice Cream. Combined with Babelicious Baileys, the combination costs S$6.50. The cake was surprisingly delicious with the Baileys taste enhancing the cream cheese fragrance in the Red Velvet cake.…Read More

Merlion Wayfarer settled for a zichar dinner recently. She was at Punggol Plaza's Hao Xiang. Choosing simple fare, she ordered a hor fun. Now, hor fun is a basic dish that is very hard to go wrong. And she was glad that Hao Xiang's version tasted just right.In the mood for soup in this cold weather, she also ordered a Fish Maw Soup. For those who are not used to this delicacy, fish maw or the swim/gas/air bladder is an internal gas-filled organ that contributes to the ability of a fish to control its buoyancy, and thus to stay at the current water depth without having to waste energy in swimming.Sounds kinda gross, but the soup served on her table was surprisingly sweet and surprisingly delicious. There were huge chunks of fish slices and a few token slices of fish maw. It was only after a few unbelievably tasty spoonfuls that it dawned on Merlion Wayfarer that the sweetness could have come from MSG lacing. And yeah, she was right. Soon after her meal, she was gulping down mouthfuls of water to quench her thirst. Sigh, no more soups from zichar stalls...…Read More

Modesto's, VivoCitySouth, SingaporeJune 2012Merlion Wayfarer tried out the set dinner one fine evening in Modestos. Costing S$70, it comprised of one appetizer, two main courses (choices include pasta and pizza), and one dessert.Fresh bread is served first with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. A good way to start the meal...Crema Di Funghi, a "home-made cream of fresh mushroom soup, topped with cream". Sounds absolutely wicked, but tastes thick and mushroomy with hardly any hint of cream. Instead, lots of mushroom bits floating in the thick stew...A toasted and fragrant Regular Pizza Amatriciana - The ingredients may be simple (tomato, cheese, pork bacon, onions), but the result was quite delicious...Linguine Alle Vongole - Nothing "flat" about the spaghetti with fresh clams, dried chilli and garic in extra virgin olive oil and white wine sauce...The original version of Tiramisu Modesto's with mascarpone cheese, espresso, savoiardi fingers and coffee liquer. A romantic way to end the dinner by the sea in a restaurant with dim lighting and professional service staff...The view from inside the restaurant of the harbour outside...The full album is available at: http://merlionwayfarer.blogspot.sg/2012/10/romancing-by-harbour.html…Read More

Merlion Wayfarer had been wanting to try Hatched for some time eversince seeing a TV program on it.So it was finally, on one cloudy day that she ended up in Hatched after a visit to the nearby Botanical Gardens. Being someone who usually simplifies her egg decisions with just stirfried eggs or hardboiled eggs, she was confounded by the number of names for different styles of cooking eggs. Egg simi? More at http://merlionwayfarer.blogspot.sg/2012/10/egg-simi.htmlSo she ordered a simpler Egg Benedict - one with ham and one with smoked salmon. The choices are bit pricey at S$12 for one egg and S$18 for two eggs. When the eggs came, they look sooo cute! …Read More

Romankan Yokohama (浪漫館横滨) CafeTakashimaya Food Court, Ngee Ann CityOrchard, SingaporeSeptember 2012http://merlionwayfarer.blogspot.sg/2012/10/not-romantic-katsu.htmlThere was a limited choice of bentos to choose from - Fillet Katsu Bento (S$13) and Ebi Fry Bento (S$16.50) are displayed here, together with add-ons like Fillet Katsu (S$3.40), Ebi Katsu (S$4.20), and Rose Katsu (S$6.70).Merlion Wayfarer chose the Fillet Katsu Bento. The batter was not as flaky as she preferred, and the dish came with fries and rice - too filling for most. A little touch of seaweed or sesame sprinkled atop the rice will be nice. …Read More

Paris Baguette CafeWisma AtriaOrchard, Singaporehttp://merlionwayfarer.blogspot.sg/2012/10/french-korean-bakery-arrives-in.htmlParis Baguette Cafe opened its first outlet in Singapore earlier this year. It now occupies the former Din Tai Fung's unit on the second floor of Wisma Atria.Bright blue lighted logo which is visible from the ground floor and across the other side of the building...Delicious range of cakes which cost between S$8-11 a piece, including apple-look-alike "0248 Peach" at S$9.50...Walnut Rye Pain De Mie at S$6.50 (Ouch?)... A simple yet tasty Mushroom Brioche. It was served with metal cutlery on a piece of exquisite brown-patterned paper...…Read More

Hao Xiang Seafood GardenPunggol Plaza, Punggol FieldNorth-East, SingaporeXinZhou MiFen was quite the ordinary fare, albeit a bit dry and tasteless. The ingredients were the standard cha shao (roast pork) and some crab stick.Hao Xiang has an interesting combination of spinach with garlic, which is not on that many zichar stall menus. The spinach was was not overcooked and soggy. Instead it was crispy and surprisingly crunchy. Although she ordered "Prawn Paste Chicken", Merlion Wayfarer was surprised to have Prawn Paste "Chicken Wings" served on her table. The full blog is located at http://merlionwayfarer.blogspot.sg/2012/10/quite-ordinary-fare.html…Read More