OpenRice Index
  
Thomaschan
This is Thomaschan living in West Coast. I am a StudentI like to hang out in Orchard, Yishun, Clementi. Japanese, Singaporean, Cantonese/Hong Kong are my favorite cuisines. I also love Restaurant, Café and Dim Sum, Steaks and Grills, Sushi/Sashimi.
Member 6 First(s)
No. of Review98 Review(s)
編輯推介數目26 Editor's Choice
Recommended9 Recommended
Popularity1987 View(s)
Replies in Forum0 Comment(s)
Upload Photos363 Photo(s)
Upload Videos0 Video(s)
My Recommended Reviews0 Recommended Review(s)
My Restaurant15 My Restaurant(s)
Follow0 Following
粉絲91 Follower(s)
Thomaschan  Level 3
Follow Follow  Comment Leave a Message 
Sort By:  Date Smile Smile Cry Cry  Editor's Choice  Overall Score 
Display: AllSingapore  
 
 
 
 
 
  Full View Full View   |   Map View Map View
Showing 21 to 25 of 98 Reviews in Singapore
Xi Men Ding? OK Feb 19, 2013   
Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Categories : Taiwanese | Noodles

I am pretty sure the well-known shopping district in Taiwan - Xi Men Ding is no stranger to most of you. A fast-rising source of fashion and culture, Xi Men Ding is also home to the greatest food in Taipei. Since popular local food stalls which boast authentic Taiwanese delicacies are on the rise nowadays, one can easily enjoy a taste of Taiwan here.

Girlfriend Peiyi and I would be heading to Taipei soon in mid-November 2012, and we thought, why not try something in preparation for our trip? We were in Vivocity at that point of time, and Xi Men Ding was quite the obvious choice. There was a short queue of approximately 6 people, but we were seated within 5 minutes.

Anyway, we took notice of their signature fried rice - an impressive looking Taiwanese-style Grilled Roe Fried Rice (S$11.00). It was quite a disappointment when the grilled fish roes came 50% smaller than the ones in pictures. (Blame it on the "for illustration purpose only") Nevertheless, the fried rice was well fragranced and everything - the crunchy cabbage, spring onions and scrambled eggs came to mix perfectly with the heavily flavoured roes.

 
Another speciality - San Bei Chicken with Basil (S$18.90) was slightly bland and overcooked, resulting in juice-less and hard chicken chunks. As a matter of fact, with the exhorbitant price, I could get better quality as well as quantity, at the neighbourhood tze char stall below the block.

 
Fresh Fish Slices w/ Miso Soup (S$6.90) was delectable with the generous portions of mushrooms and fish slices (you don't see it in the picture cos' they are at the bottom).

 
Xi Men Ding also serves a selection of Flower Tea Balls and Floral Tea. With the typical soft drinks going about at the same price, we rather go for a healthier alternative. Hence, we had Osmanthus Tea (S$8.00). I supposed that osmanthus tea emits a strong, sweet fragrance, but this was just bland.

 
Contrary to what many food reviews said about their terrible service, I found it acceptable - the service staff smiled and greeted us. That is pure basic service techniques. However, there was once I requested a waitress to clear up a minor spillage on our table, but she totally forgot about it. Xi Men Ding is probably another restaurant that I will say "this is my first, and the last", as they failed to create any "wow" factors (except for the pricings) or any other reasons I should visit them again.
 
Date of Visit: Oct 13, 2012 

Other Ratings:
Taste
 3  |  
Environment
 4  |  
Service
 2  |  
Clean
 3  |  
Price
 2

  • Keep it up!

  • Looking Forward

  • Interesting

  • Touched

  • Envy

  • Cool Photo
      View Results
Recommend
0

Eat All You Can OK Feb 19, 2013   
Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Categories : Japanese | Restaurant | Buffet | Sukiyaki/Shabu Shabu

With the restaurant motto of 'Eat all you can Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu', Suki-Ya (which translates into "House of Hot Pot") aims to offer a heart-warming dining experience at affordable prices. We happened to be at Marina Square on Christmas night, and thought that a hot pot dinner was an ideallic option for a cold season like this. (Okay, not exactly cold - Singapore has no seasons other than summer.)

The Eat-All-You-Can/buffet prices are as such:

Mondays-Thursdays
Lunch @ $16.90++ // Dinner @ $20.90++

Fridays-Sundays, Eve of and Public Holidays
Add $2 to usual price

Children (4-9 Years Old)
Minus 25% off Adult Price

Diners get to enjoy unlimited, quality paper-thin beef and pork slices, as well as chicken, on top of the buffet bar where a wide variety of vegetables and meatballs are served. There are a total of four options for the broth - Shabu shabu, kimchi, sukiyaki and spicy miso, which is only available on weekends, eve of and public holidays. For buffet option, you get to enjoy free flow of green tea too.

 
Besides the buffet items included, you can order a la carte items, such as edamame, gyoza, ebi tempura and my personal favourite - unagi kebayaki. Alcoholic and other drink options are available as well.

Please do note that food wastage is heavily charged at 20% of total bill.

 

Prior to this, I've done some online research on Suki-Ya and found quite a handful of bloggers/diners complaining about their unsatisfactory services. However, I find no problems with the service staff (or is it because of the merry festive?), but they could definitely improve on their food variety, perhaps by including some of the a la carte items into the buffet.
 
Other Ratings:
Taste
 3  |  
Environment
 3  |  
Service
 3  |  
Clean
 3  |  
Price
 3

  • Keep it up!

  • Looking Forward

  • Interesting

  • Touched

  • Envy

  • Cool Photo
      View Results
Recommend
0

Decent Cantonese Cuisine OK Feb 19, 2013   
Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Categories : Cantonese/Hong Kong | Restaurant | Dim Sum

Red Star Restaurant is conveniently located at Chin Swee Road, which is just a short 5 minutes walk away from Chinatown station. Usually flooded with diners, especially the elderly who came to gather and reminisce the nostalgic ambience. I love how they are still using the classic quaint pushcarts, which contains trays and baskets filled with freshly made dim-sum.

More often than not, Red Star Restaurant has always been the preferred choice when it comes to choosing a dinner place for dear grandma's birthday. Besides serving your usual dim-sum fix in the morning, this Mandarin restaurant which is opened by four well-known chefs in the 1970s, whipped out pretty decent Cantonese classics as well.

For example, their signature Yam Basket topped with assorted ingredients is a favourite of many. Its crispy exterior covered the soft, piping hot yam cake, matched with a couple of savoury seafood and vegetables, this delectable dish is one of the must-tries.

 
Chicken with Assorted Vegetables was a tad bland for my liking. Nevertheless, I like the unique idea of combining ham with chicken chunks, topped with creamy egg sauce.

 
Fried Fish Slices in Sweet and Sour Sauce was average. Nothing to rave about, as I usually do not eat fried fish slices, but when I do, I love it when it's soaked in broth.

 
We also had their spinach leaves, which turns out to be too clumpy. I just wished they'd put more eggs in it.

 
一品锅, also known as Royal Pot consists of an array of vegetables and seafood, including a generous portion of the luxurious sea cucumber.

 
Generally, Red Star Restaurant is an ideal place to head to if you want the nostalgia it brings, which is great for family gatherings, especially when there are elderly. Other than that, food and service were pretty average, as there are definitely better ones out there.
 
Recommended Dish(es):  Yam Basket
 
Other Ratings:
Taste
 3  |  
Environment
 3  |  
Service
 3  |  
Clean
 3  |  
Price
 3

  • Keep it up!

  • Looking Forward

  • Interesting

  • Touched

  • Envy

  • Cool Photo
      View Results
Recommend
0

Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Categories : English | European | Steaks and Grills

This British-influenced pub surely has an unique name - queen and mangosteen, you might ponder what is the link between those two. There is a rumour that the mangosteen was reputedly Queen Victoria's favourite fruit, and apparently she allegedly offered a reward to anyone who can bring this purple fruit to her. Hence, the clever name, but do not be mistaken for they do not sell any mangosteens (or queens) here.

Located within Vivocity with a spectacular paronomic view of the scenic waterfront and Sentosa, Queen & Mangosteen has one of the best ambience among the lesser atas restaurants. Upon entering, you'll be greeted by huge chalkboards with today's specials and promotions, plush couches, high tables and bench seatings which creates the contemporary British pub setting. It is half air-conditioned and half al-fresco, completed with an ornate island bar that overlooks the beautiful waterfront.

Without futhur ado, we ordered their signature Fresh Mesclun Salad (S$12.00), paired with roasted Roma tomatoes, pear and walnuts, Stilton Blue Cheese and drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette. I thought that this refreshing appetizer was texture-rich, the sweet crunch of pear and walnuts, the bright crisp of the greens, the sour chewiness from the tomato and cheese, and not to mention that the elements complemented each other as a whole.

 
Next up, I had Sirloin Steak (S$32.00) completed with thick cut chips, Yorkshire pudding, garden vegetables and served with mushroom pepper sauce. Like always, I had my steak's doneness at medium. It was firm and chewy, but I was disappointed as the meat was drier than expected. (I had to eat with lots of mushroom sauce.) The pudding was slightly crispy with a tad of grease on the exterior and soft inside, it tasted so good.

 
Peiyi had one of their most acclaimed pub grub, Fish & Chips (S$16.00) served with homemade curry tartare sauce. The fish fillets used were fresh and coated in a light crispy batter, however their tartare sauce was of mediocre standard only. The potato chips were thicker than the usual and has a nice crunch to it.

 
Queen & Mangosteen also serve quite an extensive menu of alcoholic beverages here, one might want to order some pub grubs to go along with your drink. Perfect for drink buddies.

Overall, the food standard is above average, thumbs-down for value wise, but it definitely scores big on it's picturesque ambience.
 
Recommended Dish(es):  Fish & Chips
 
Other Ratings:
Taste
 3  |  
Environment
 5  |  
Service
 3  |  
Clean
 4  |  
Price
 3

  • Keep it up!

  • Looking Forward

  • Interesting

  • Touched

  • Envy

  • Cool Photo
      View Results
Recommend
0

Desserts OK Feb 19, 2013   
Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Categories : Desserts and Cakes | Burgers and Sandwiches

God is good. Thousands of centuries ago, he gave homo-sapiens the wisdom, as well as the ability to make the most satisfying desserts for royal events, ceremonies or festive seasons. Nowadays, due to increasing demands and the gastronomic needs for humans, desserts have become the staple for most of us after meals.

It's no different for another human like me. Once upon a time, after lunch at newly-opened Japanese Restaurant at Liang Court - Ryoshi Sushi Ikeikemaru, we decided to head down to Ngee Ann City (also known as Takashimaya) for some desserts. With consideration of atas bakery and patisserie "Paul" in mind as well, we decided to go for Pique Nique (pronouced "picnic") as it provides adequate space for the two children to move about.

Opened by the former renowned pastry chef of Les Amis Group's Canele, Chef Pang Kok Keong currently helms two restaurants - Antoinette and Pique Nique, under his newly-formed Sugar Daddy Group. With the latter specializing in American cuisine, such as hotdogs, burgers and bacons, this Western bistro also serves freshly-made desserts and an impressive array of pastries, and which we are obviously here for.

Eliza had the Hot Iron Waffle (S$11.80) served with whipped cream and a scoop of home-made vanilla ice cream, and finally drizzled with either maple syrup or salty caramel. We had the former, and it was absolutely delicious. The waffle was crispy on the edges and it had a fine balance between eggy and floury texture. It was amazing, and the best thing is the serving size of the waffle. I didn't expected it to be this huge, but yes, here it is.

 
Sticky Dates Pudding (S$12.00) with butterscotch and vanilla ice cream was good also. However, the pudding was warm, but not warm enough to give that "shiok" (ecstatic) feeling when eaten in one mouthful with the cold counterpart. It was a tad too sweet as well, but other than, I finished this whole plate in less than a few minutes.

 
Chococheese Cupcake (S$5.15) was a nice combination of rich chocolate and creamy cheese filling. It is topped with frosted cheese cream and dark chocolate shavings, and it had just the right sweetness.

 
Mark has a small appetite with a picky mouth for good food. I could easily tell that this Blueberry Cheesecake (S$8.35) is good when he wolfed down this slice. But again, I do expect no less for that pricing though.

 
The only disappointment was the Chamomile Tea (S$6.80 for 1 regular-sized pot). It was the least warm and tasteless. Period.

 
Like stated in the introduction, Pique Nique serves decent American meals at affordable pricing as well. I will definitely visit again when nature calls for a light snack in between meals, not to even mention I have not tried their Whoopie Pies!
 
Recommended Dish(es):  Hot Iron Waffle,Sticky Date Pudding
 
Date of Visit: Nov 03, 2012 

Other Ratings:
Taste
 3  |  
Environment
 3  |  
Service
 4  |  
Clean
 3  |  
Price
 3

  • Keep it up!

  • Looking Forward

  • Interesting

  • Touched

  • Envy

  • Cool Photo
      View Results
Recommend
0