If you haven’t already heard of Costa Coffee Singapore, well, it’s better late than never. It is the largest and fastest growing coffee shop chain in the UK. It is thoughtfully brought over to this little red dot, because we all know Singaporeans are suckers for taking a chill pill, in a coffee chain, with good ambience and that we are all cheapos it’s legit for us to sit for hours even with just a cup of coffee. Costa Coffee Singapore is no different.Conveniently located at VivoCity, Raffles Place & Chevrons House (for now), all slackers are welcomed for a cup of hot beverage, or iced. Further, each location has a different ambience to tackle the respective target market. For the VivoCity outlet that I was at, it was homely and filled with warmth. Perfect for a meeting with your client, or simply an opportunity to have your backbone removed for a bit while slouching at the comfy couch.

It is also apt for a dining place because they offer a complete meal; From a dosage of your daily required caffeine, to a light meal of gourmet salad, to a more hearty meal of sandwich / wrap, to then wrapping up the meal with a dessert, you have it all here, a one stop shop.Hot Cappuccino ($5.80): Before we dip into the hand-crafted coffee, a handy piece of information for you is that, over here at Costa Coffee Singapore, Spanish terms are used. Si, Spanish. Primo, Medio and Massimo are sizes in ascending order, and they are, more often than not, $0.50 apart from each other in terms of pricing. Now. The Cappuccino I had was ordinary, as I’d expected more. The presentation was perfect though. I’d say, maybe go for their Latte instead. That’s what I usually have, and will give it a shot next time round. If coffee is not your cup of tea, Gryphon is available to suit your palate.Seared Sesame Crusted Tuna Salad ($11.90): I am pretty impressed with this beauty. Your usual suspects of greens, potatoes, drizzled with classic vinaigrette and topped with Saku Tuna makes up the entire course. Valentine’s Day seems to have been prolonged because it was my love at first sight. The Seared Tuna was perfectly done – it’s tender and mildly but adequately flavored, so that a hint of fishy smell was still tastable. Also, thanks to its generous portion of Seared Tuna, it is a worthy bowl of healthiness.Rosemary Chicken Wrap with Eggplant & Cheese ($7.20): Personally, I feel that the wrap was slightly too thick to properly taste the treasures in it. Having tried both the sandwiches and the wraps, I’d say opt for the sandwich instead. It’s much better (coming from a person who doesn’t usually eat sandwiches). Its Grilled Vegetables & Mushroom Panini was very much flavorful. I would guess that any of the Paninis would do the trick. The bread was the star.Apple Crumble ($6.50): This piece of dessert is one of the best Apple Crumbles I’ve had. The tart was crumbly but firm, making sure you can taste the toasted crust, while the inside was the complementary contrast, soft, warm and sweet. I like that it doesn’t get cloying, and it’s not overly sweet. In addition, the bits of raisin and cinnamon helped spices things up. Have your Apple Crumble warmed a little more. Top it with a French Vanilla Ice Cream and you’re good to go.

Costa Coffee Singapore prides themselves as having well-trained and the most passionate Baristas around. To be able to craft a cup of coffee for diners, one has to be trained for 1 – 2 months, and to pass some grueling tests before being certified a Costa Barista. To maintain the same cup and taste of coffee across the board, the Baristas check on the exact dosage and extraction of the coffee-making machine, on a twice daily basis. That way, two separate cups of coffee can be said to taste identically.

With such attention to detail, I think you can expect to experience a quality time here. Although there are some hits and some misses, just go by my advice and you wouldn’t go wrong. Get The Chosen Glutton’s preferred combo: Hot Latte + Seared Sesame Crusted Tuna Salad (for a light meal) / Panini (for a heavier meal) + Apple Crumble with French Vanilla Ice Cream. Your meal is complete.

No, that’s not Bacon & Booze, but Punggol Waterway Park – the very place we were before we were headed for this cafe right at the edge of Singapore, literally. If you think that the Park is already inserted very deep into the North-eastern part of Singapore, you haven’t seen B&B. It is literally, a few steps away from the waters.You can safely take Bacon & Booze very literally, though I think it should be named Booze & Bacon instead, because it’s stocked with much more booze. They are at least semi-serious with the booze and you don’t just find the usual here.The Food Menu is relatively smaller, with a series of bacon items, brunch items and others. As we arrived here from a Breakfast Buffet, we only had a couple of side items, and of course, booze in the afternoon. Feels like a vacation already.Somersby Apple Cider ($12++): Though it wasn’t particularly a hot and humid day, and that it was actually drizzling a little, I was still craving for the ever thirst-quenching and refreshing bottle of Somersby Apple Cider. The alcohol content might be 4.5%, but trust me, it is almost non-existent. It’s sweet, and as easy to drink as an Apple Juice, except sparkling. No it’s probably not for serious beer drinker. I don’t usually drink alcohol, but when I do voluntarily, it has to be this. A product of Sweden.Honey Wings ($10.90++): Between Sambal and Honey Wings, we went for the latter. I thought the wings were okay-done. It can be better if it’s a little more moist. But I like the part where it’s genuine winter honey drizzled quite generously on this finger food. You can patently tell that it’s honey even with your eyes closed.Bacon Wrap Enoki ($9.90++): My finger was quick to land on this dish, one of my favorite bacon dishes. Bacon was perfectly done, soft and still retaining its juices. However, the enoki could have been thicker and more substantial to make the course more balanced. The Teriyaki Sauce though, kind of spoiled it with its overdose of sweetness. Sweet and salty did not go well here. It comes in 4 sticks of 3.

Though the food is somewhere between below average to average, I’d still recommend for you to drop by here, if you are planning on a trip to Punggol Waterway Park. It’s not within walking distance, but only about a 10 minutes drive away. I’ve yet to try their Brunch items in the $15 range. But well, I guess you can always come here for its counterpart, booze! Promotions and Happy Hour can be found here. The cafe is just as chill a place as the park, and it is very enticing also thanks to its neighbor, a Horse Ranch.You can walk around the area to find cabins (available for a staycation), a stable, and horses, if you are lucky. We were, as people were doing joy rides. It’s $10 per person for about a 5 minutes ride, if you so desire after the meal. A valued secret, both the cafe and the Ranch. I’m already planning a stay at the Ranch. Watch the space.

No, Jamie Oliver is not an Italian, although he has declared he ‘should have been one’. It was only four years ago that the first Jamie’s Italian started its business in Oxford, UK, thanks to his love for Italian food, ingredients and culture that tag along. Similar to the big name that opened earlier this year on our shores (Hong Kong’s famed Tim Ho Wan), Jamie’s Italian Singapore has the queue going like nobody’s business. Thankfully, they do have the SMS System to save the day. Keep calm, join the queue, give your number, and you are free to go off shopping at VivoCity.Posh Chips ($7.50++): I know, I like the sound of it too. It’s Truffle Oil and Parmesan on the thickly-cut fries. It can look small in portion but it turned out pretty fine, like Hermione’s Beaded Purse. Sorry I digress. For the price I paid, it was all worth it. The truffle was light but still detectable. Not overly orgasmic but somewhat there.Crispy Squid ($11.50++): Served with my type of sauce (garlicky mayo with lemon), it was enjoyable. The squid was slightly dry but pleasantly quantifiable. Though the outside is fried, you can still taste the squid. Best with a touch of the sauce.
Brixham Bay Crab Risotto ($19++): It sounds promising but was distasteful. Firstly, the risotto is uncommonly beady and hardened, not the kind of risotto I’m comfortable with; the kind that is slightly mashy. Then, I had expected the crab to be in a more generous portion. It was in negligible shreds of crab meat. Lastly, it’s a creamy risotto not creamy enough for me. I wouldn’t go for its risotto if you’re more conventional with your texture of risotto.The Jamie Italian’s Burger ($27.50++): To be frank, I was the most excited with this main. Unfortunately, it was really uninspiring and lackluster. Stuck with sunflower and pumpkin seed, the Mixed Seed Bun wasn’t impressive enough to begin with. It was too evenly baked, a little charred edges would do the trick. The bacon was perfect though – not crispy and not excessively salty. The part that makes or breaks the course is the Wagyu Steak. My expectation when it says it’s a steak is a piece of grilled in-tact meat. It was regrettable when I realized it was the typical patty – juice-less and not flavorful.Black Angel Spaghetti ($16++): I don’t dispute the freshness of the pasta, but its counterpart of squid ink, accompanying items and condiments basically brought the star level downwards. It was purely bland and far from being Squid-Inky.Chocolate & Vin Santo Pot ($12.50++): A more bitter, caffeine-free, stronger alcohol taste version of Tiramisu, this dessert piece strikes me as an interesting end to the course, if you like a bittersweet one. It wasn’t for me as the Vin Santo (Italian Dessert Wine) was too overpowering. It’s topped with Zabaglione Ice Cream (comes with a sweet wine flavor).Ji Warm Brownie ($11.50++): Chocolate is a must as desserts for me. This was sufficient to cope with my need, though there was nothing to scream about. I still miss Cocotte’s legendary brownie. Topped with Vanilla Ice Cream.

You ought to know that I dined at Jamie’s Italian without taking into consideration the ‘brand name’, and believe it or not, not even the waiting time (45 minutes, reaching at about 5.45pm on a Friday). Despite so, the food (mainly the flavors more than anything) was upsetting. However, I have heard a lot about its Baked Mushrooms, 30-Day Matured Prime Rib, and Pink Snapper Acqua Pazza. These are the items I will order on my second trip there. I say don’t waste your time on their pasta and risotto.

Service was top-notch though. No snobbish attitude just because they are Jamie’s Italian. Very professional, engaging and warm. Perfect for its family and casual setting anyway.

For full review and more photos, please visit http://thechosenglutton.wordpress.com/2013/07/30/jamies-italian-singapore/

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.

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.