Located at the top floor of Jcube (previously - Jurong Entertainment Centre), a newly built mall which housed the second IMAX theatres locally and highly acclaimed olympic-sized ice skating rink that opened their doors earlier this year, Manna Story has made another of its nest there in the midst of cool air. Like most Korean restaurants, it boasts authentic Korean cuisine served in a homely environment. Bromance ZR, Tim and yours truly decided to have our virgin experiences (okay, that sounds pretty gay) right there.

On a typical Saturday night at approximately 7pm, we expected to see restaurants filled with diners, but it was barely half-filled when we got there. Upon ordering, one of the service staff served us an impressive platter of assorted appetizers, which usually in other restaurants - the most you can get is probably a maximum of 4. For the benefits of all kiasu Singaporeans, this is refillable but please do not waste.
My favourite was the peanuts (2nd row, most right) if you want to know. It is slightly different than the ones you would have in Chinese restaurants, this is harder and a tad more chewer. It was like popping sweets and trust me, it is addictive.

For me, I had their sizzling plate of BBQ Beef (S$13.80) with bowl of white rice, salad and soup. Quantity-wise, it exceeded my expectations, however quality-wise, it was a little dry and hard. There is a small 20% chance you could find a piece that is juicy and tender. Other than that? Keep digging.

We ordered their promo item - Kimchi Pizza Bab (S$8.80) for sharing. Although not exactly pizza, the name simply means Kimchi rice topped with melted cheddar cheese, tomatoes and capsicum. This is good, I love how well the cheese complemented the kimchi rice. I just wished that there was more kimchi in the rice.

Curry Pork Cutlet (S$14.00) tasted like their Japanese counterpart. Thick, juicy, curry-drenched pork katsu topped with carrot and potato cubes. Do you know what I wanted to say? OM NOM NOM NOM.

Mul Naengmyeon (S$11.80) was a disappointment according to ZR. This bowl of Korean cold noodles in plain broth (or water as some might call it) is better appreciated in smaller portions, and when not consumed in chilly weathers. For me, I definitely prefer the Bibim Naengmyeon (which they don't serve here) - cold noodles with broth made from beef.

The whole dinner costed us S$59.70, including service charge and prevailing government taxes. Is it worth visiting again? Well, maybe I might.. if I ran out of food to try.

Everyone loves dim-sum, for I do not know someone who dislikes them. These delicate, mouth-sized artpieces are - in my opinion - the most incredible creations of the Chinese, and not without reasons. Each and every piece of good dim-sum is made out of the freshest ingredients with skilled and dedicated hands that were moulded through years of experiences. And in Zhou's Kitchen, a casual mid-range Chinese restaurant under Tung Lok Group, the chefs know how to do it well.

Their rendition of the traditional siew mai was surprisingly good, as the use of mushrooms and fish roes gave the original flavour a refreshing twist. However, the King Siew-Mai from 126 Eating House still remained as my best vote.The Prawn Dumplings were good, but nothing to rave about. The prawns were juicy and scrumptous, but the foundation of a good dumpling - the skin were a little sticky and dry that proves to be a dissapointment.Research shows that egg tarts contains high sugar and fat content, and is possibly the worst food to snack on. But again, who could ever resist this oh-so-sinful treats? Their egg tarts is probably one of the best in Singapore, with soft and jelly-like egg custard filled in a basket of crispy and flaky skin. They are bite-sized as well, which makes things worse (in a good way) - you want to have more, and more in your mouth.Yang Zhou Fried Bee Hoon - noodles fried with assorted vegetables, scrambled eggs and fresh shrimps, was slightly oily, but not greasy at all. As a picky eater my grandmother is, you know the food is good when she wanted a second, and even a third serving.Fried Prawn Roll, which is encased with a thin crispy skin and filled with soft, juicy prawn paste, is a perfect side dish to go along with the Fried Bee Hoon, and great on its own anyway.Zhou's Kitchen is definitely a place to head for, if you are looking for fuss-free, yet standard dim sum without burning a hole in your pockets. Good for family dinner as well.

Economic fried bee hoon and nasi lemak are dishes known by many. For me, it is one of my favourites and the reason is simple - you spend a few bucks to enjoy a wide selection of dishes (you might want to think it as a mini personal tze char.) While stalls of this particular speciality have populated Singapore over the years, it is debatable which reigns over the rest.

We happened to be in Chong Pang city, a precinct located at Yishun neighborhood recently and yes, the highly acclaimed Chong Pang Nasi Lemak came to mind. However, it was a tad far for our hungry stomachs, hence girlfriend suggested that we settle on the nearby Hup Lee Fried Bee Hoon instead. And we did. Although not as famous as the former, Hup Lee was featured in televisions programmes on many occasions, as well as several magazine's food pages.Equipped with an array of a la carte items, such as fried chicken wings, otahs and Taiwanese sausages, one would be spoilt for choice. So, here was my pick - fragrant Nasi Lemak rice with fried chicken wings, beancurd skin, kuning fish, spicy otah, cabbage and topped with a pile of homemade chilli (S$5.00). The kuning fish and cabbage were nothing to rave about, however I'd say that the otah and chicken wing were pretty impressive, especially the wings which had an extra crispy punch to its skin.And obviously, fried bee hoon is at its best at Hup Lee. Unlike the usual ones that were excessively drenched in oil, Hup Lee's version was just sufficiently greased, without making the dish too oily. Perhaps it is difficult to explain in words, why not head north and try it yourself? Just do not mind the really long queues during peak hours, but again, the queues clear up quite fast due to their efficiency.

Amidst all the blessings and well-wishes while tossing the Prosperity Toss, or better known as 鱼生 (yu sheng) and Lo Hei, our "HUAT AH" probably came out the loudest. It was noisy and rowdy, not to even mention - messy, with bits and pieces of the rainbow-colored dish flying all over the place. But again, that was exactly what the Chinese New Year atmosphere is supposed to be.

My paternal grandma's birthday was usually held right here in this particular restaurant, but somehow this year, we had it in Moi Lum Restaurant which was located at Maxwell Road. Hence, I thought fate brought me to Boon Lay Raja Restaurant once again, when my maternal relatives selected this place for our New Year's lunch during 初一 (beginning of the year).Established in 1979 at Boon Lay Shopping Centre, they had since moved to Jurong East Central (beside Jcube) for better convenience and to accomodate the large dinner crowds. With an extensive menu of dim sum and Cantonese cuisine, they also specialize in seafood dishes, especially shark fin's soup which is proudly presented on their signboard.

Another favourite of mine is the Crispy Roasted Chicken, which was lightly salted just enough to enhance its taste and flavour. Unlike most roasted chicken which happened to be tough and dry, their rendition was juicy and had retained the smooth texture. If you happened to drop-by during this festive season, do try out their unique creation of fried prawns and strawberry sauce.Besides your usual weekend dinner, Boon Lay Raja is also catered for a range of functions, such as buffet caterings, wedding banquets and functions. In addition, the dishes that they present certainly appeals to the elderly, not less the younger generations though.

One of the restaurants that left a huge impression on me is this casual fast-food chain. Not only because of the food, but The Handburger (Somerset 313) was where I brought my first date for a simple dinner.

Their mains include the burger, a garden salad (with or without bacon) or soup of the day. The salad was refreshing and crisp, but the bacon strips were too hard and chewy for my liking. The cream of chicken with crispy crumbs (soup for that day) definitely makes a better choice.

Anyway, I ordered one of their classics, Handburger Original (S$13.80) - 150g of 100% NZ grass-fed prime beef on a bed of crispy lettuce, cheddar cheese, topped up with homemade BBQ sauce and sweet onion jam. The beef patty was exploding with juices, and I want to rave about their toasted caramelised onion bun. It is that good. Crispier than the usual boring buns, it also brings along the frangrance of onions.One of my friends ordered the Blue Cheese Beef Burger (S$17.80) - the same juicy patty, topped with roasted pear, blue cheese, homemade BBQ sauce and sweet onion jam. I would recommend the Handburger Original over this though.We also had their signature creation, The Works (S$17.80) - same patty, topped with battered onion rings, crispy bacon strips, sunny side-up, sauteed basil pesto mushroom, sweet onion jam, melted cheddar cheese, homemade BBQ and aioli sauce. A little of everything, this ingenious burger is the perfect choice if you are still deciding what to eat after an hour.To complete your meal, add in their Nutella Milkshake with Marshmellow (S$4.50), a chocolatey, thick drink with soft marshmellows to go with. Just to add on, they have a loyalty program (THB Fanatics) designed to reward their diners with points, which can be redeemed to offset future bills, and other special promotions too.

Definitely one of the dining places I will frequent occasionally, for old times sake and the affordable, yet quality burgers as well.