Founded in 1991, Soup Restaurant is a heritage Chinese restaurant that offers a mix of Singaporean Zi Char, Cantonese cuisine, and Hainanese cuisine. With their extensive menu, homely service, and reasonable prices, Soup Restaurant makes for a decent Chinese restaurant you can comfortably being guests to, while being assured that the experience will be good.

Ambience at Soup Restaurant is modern Oriental, like stepping into a luxurious Chinese home. Solid, dark rosewood furniture is spaced neatly in the brightly lit, clean, and inviting dining area, while Chinese style lantern shaped lights hang overhead. Elegant Oriental vases and artwork in beautiful colours lend a touch of sophistication, making the place very inviting. However, this is true only for their bigger outlets, the smaller neighbourhood outlets are more cramped with poorer ambience.Service at Soup Restaurant is homely and friendly. The elderly servers remind me of doting grandmothers, making sure you're comfortable and well-fed. On a particular occasion, there was this auntie that just kept going around with a pot of tea, topping up glasses, and she was really enthusiastic about it! Orders take awhile to fulfill though, about 15 - 20 minutes, even during non-peak periods. I also note that staff are quick to clear empty / dirty tables and plates.

Food at Soup Restaurant is a mix of various Chinese cuisine, ranging from heritage Singaporean Zi Char dishes to classic Chinese favourites. Generally, I find food at the bigger outlets to be well-executed and delicious, but the consistency at the neighrbourhood outlets is hit-and-miss. You're much better off eating at the bigger outlets. Portions are designed for communal dining, and at least 2 - 3 people is recommended. Prices are affordable and reasonable, budget about SGD $22 per person for a meal here.The signature dish on the menu, you'll see every table has an order of Samsui Ginger Chicken (SGD $17.90). The clean tasting, fresh, sweet poached chicken is tender and moist, with a fatty skin that is easily removed. Pair it with a liberal garnish of crushed ginger, wrap it in a crunchy lettuce along with cucumber slices, and enjoy! Highly recommended!The double boiled Shark's Cartilage Collagen Soup (SGD $12.90) is a classic Cantonese soup / broth, hearty and comforting. The rich, savoury sweet soup / broth is made from chicken stock, sea cucumber, and shark's bone, resulting in a creamy, collagen rich, warming dish. There is a generous slice of tender sea cucumber, soft fish maw, and crunchy Chinese cabbage / bok choy within. Said to aid in developing radiant skin and healthy joints!The Earthen Bowl Steamed Red Rice With Hand-Chopped Minced Pork (SGD $8.90) arrives with warm, healthy red rice, packed with nutrients, and garnished with kai-lan / Chinese kale / Chinese broccoli. The star is the savoury salty, hand chopped minced pork and water chestnut patty, which is tender, moist, and utterly delicious. Drizzle a little of the thick, dark soy sauce over, then mix well before eating. Good!Full Soup Restaurant review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2016/04/zi-char-soup-restaurant.html

The in-house restaurant of Mandarin Orchard Hotel Singapore, the Triple Three Restaurant caters to the hotel's guests in the morning, but is open to the public for lunch and dinner. Offering a wide International buffet spread, Triple Three Restaurant, named for the address of the building, keeps things interesting with their themed buffet dinners (wagyu, foie gras, seafood, etc.), and overall, is a decent choice of hotel buffet. I personally find it to be better value for money if you take advantage of their special offers or promotions.Ambience at Triple Three Restaurant is clean, modern, and comfortable, though the overall atmosphere feels dated. There really isn't much points of interest that draw the eye, nothing stands out amongst the understated furnishings in the spacious but warmly lit room. At least there's ample seating, but tightly packed such that the passages for movement are cramped. The food displays and various open kitchens are well laid out and attractive, with clear labels indicating what each dish is.Service at Triple Three Restaurant is good. Staff are polite, professional, and efficient, seating diners quickly, and guiding them where needed. I also note they clear empty / dirty tables and plates quickly, which is always important in a buffet, preventing your table from being cluttered. If celebrating a birthday, staff at Triple Three Restaurant will surprise the guest with a cake, as well as sing the birthday song! The chefs at the various open kitchens also engage with guests, with the exception of the wine area, which isn't staffed, a barrier to enquiring about the various drinks.Food at Triple Three Restaurant is largely decent. The International buffet here features an extensive array of options, it's near impossible to try everything in 1 visit! The difficulty is deciding which of the 15 food stations and open kitchens is worth the stomach space, and because of their nightly themed buffet dinners, the types of dishes available change daily. I find their regular prices, at SGD $127 per person, to be very expensive, and not worth it, however, Triple Three Restaurant regularly has dining offers and promotions. Generally though, I find the buffet at Triple Three Restaurant to be above average, but not particularly outstanding, when compared to other hotel buffets.The artfully plated Pan-Seared Scallop With Avocado Puree features plump, fresh, meaty scallop, on a streak of creamy avocado puree. The delicate sweetness of the scallop is complemented by the grassy, earthy avocado. Beautiful!The star dish of my meal was the Honey Baked Ham, Sauteed Button Mushroom, Roast Zucchini, Roast Capsicum, Yorkshire Pudding, Honey Pineapple Glaze, Wholegrain Mustard. The smoky roasted vegetables of Sauteed Button Mushroom, Roast Zucchini, Roast Capsicum, pair well with the crisp Yorkshire Pudding. The Honey Baked Ham was outstanding, thick, meaty, and moist in texture, with a nice savoury salty smoky taste. Perfect, and best paired with the Honey Pineapple Glaze, which was rich, sweet, and fruity!Loved the Chocolate Mousse here, among the best I've eaten! The texture is creamy, thick, and rich, with intense chocolate flavour. The garnishings of blueberries, pistachio sponge cake, and chocolate balls, lend variety to each sweet mouthful, preventing it from being cloying. Excellent!Full Triple Three Restaurant review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2016/04/triple-three-restaurant.html

Opened in December 2012 and operated by Creative Restaurants Holdings, which also manages several other Japanese restaurant brands across Singapore, Shabu Sai is their shabu-shabu and sukiyaki buffet hot pot concept. Designed to appeal to the masses, dining at Shabu Sai is passable, but nothing to shout about. There is good variety, but not as much as elsewhere, and even the general taste of food here is less tasty than elsewhere.Ambience at Shabu Sai is open, spacious, and brightly lit, with ample seating areas, and modern, functional furniture. Suitable even for large groups, the hot pot cooking smell does tend to stick to your clothing, even though the ventilation is adequate enough that it doesn't feel stuffy or uncomfortable. The place is also noisy and feels slightly messy, especially with the crowds during peak periods.

Service at Shabu Sai is passable. Staff engagement is minimal, beyond seating diners, you won't be interacting much with them. The entire buffet is self-service, although I note that staff regularly come around to clear away empty / dirty tables frequently, which is good. They're also prompt in serving meat orders to your table, and will quickly assist with changing gas canisters if needed. However, it's difficult to attract their attention.

Food at Shabu Sai is Japanese shabu-shabu or sukiyaki hot pot buffet style, where you choose 2 soup bases. Pick your vegetables and sides from a selection of around 30 items, then place your meat orders with staff. Everything is free-flow here. You can even change soup bases throughout your meal with some creativity! Prices are designed to attract the masses, budget about SGD $32 per person for a meal here. I find taste to be passable at best.As a Japanese concept buffet dining, the soup bases naturally are Japanese inspired, with several other Southeast Asian flavours of soup bases as well. The variety of soup bases is the main highlight of dining here, as everything else is just passable. My personal favourites would be the Soup Base Sukiyaki and Soup Base Yuzu Collagen, in that order.Full Shabu Sai review: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2016/03/shabu-sai.html

Opened by celebrity Singaporean couple Syarif Sleeq and Malaque Mahdaly in May 2015, Chulop By The Syarifs in the sleepy East Village mall offers home made churros and artisinal dipping sauces. Everything is freshly made daily, according to recipes developed by the talented couple, and Chulop By The Syarifs used to draw long queues, selling out quickly when they first opened.

Ambience at Chulop By The Syarifs is limited, as it's primarily a takeaway kiosk, with no seating at all. That said, the decor outside the store is really pretty, like a cheerful garden. The inside of the store has bright colours, but still manages to look uninspired, plain, and dull. Stay here too long and the smell of churros frying might stick to your clothing!

Service at Chulop By The Syarifs is decent. What I like are the short waiting times, usually not more than 5 minutes. The staff are friendly, able to engage you in conversation if you're waiting, as well as offer recommendations. Otherwise, everything is mostly self-service here, as Chulop By The Syarifs is a takeaway kiosk.

Food at Chulop By The Syarifs is focused on 2 areas; home made artisinal churros with dipping sauces, and crafted beverages such as coffee or milkshakes. I find taste to be pretty good, their version of churros has a crisp exterior, with a soft, slightly doughy interior. Portions are standard, usually 3 churros and 1 dipping sauce. Prices are on the high side, an order usually costs about SGD $4 - $5, expensive for this dessert!

The Churros With Spanish Caramel Dip (SGD $3.90) was outstanding. The churros are long, with a crisp exterior that crunches satisfiyingly, and is coated with a decent dusting of cinnamon sugar. The interior is slightly soft and doughy, with a light chew, yet isn't too thick in texture, being just right. The best though, is the dip, similar in taste to a salted caramel, being a nice balance of sweet salty, yet manages to remain light, not overpowering. Good!Full Chulop By The Syarifs review: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2016/03/chulop-by-syarifs.html

While Cafe Calle Real has only been in their current location for about 1 year, their history actually stretches back to July 2006, having moved from Lucky Plaza, to Joo Chiat, before finally settling here in UE BizHub East. Cafe Calle Real is known for its modern Filipino cuisine; while predominantly Filipino, it also incorporates elements of Spanish and Chinese cuisine.Ambience at Cafe Calle Real is colourful and cheerful. Sturdy wooden and metal furnishings, laid out in communal dining style, are in vibrant summer colours, without being garish or tacky. The ample natural light makes the place brightly lit, and the atmosphere can be noisy and bustling with laughter during peak periods. Cafe Calle Real can even set up a buffet line to accomodate events!Service at Cafe Calle Real is good. Staff are friendly, polite, and welcoming, greetings diners and having them quickly seated. They display good product knowledge, able to describe how dishes are created. Food is served incredibly quickly, and looking at a full table packed with delicious food is just delightful. I like that staff come around occasionally to check if they're able to clear empty / dirty plates, and will also accede to requests for a change of serving plates.

Food at Cafe Calle Real is modern Filipino cuisine. Having previously visited the Philippines, and tasted the cuisines of both Manila and Cebu, I notice Filipinos prefer strong flavours, centered around savoury, sweet, salty, and sour, with an emphasis on contrast of flavours and counterpoints. At Cafe Calle Real, dishes taste less intense in flavour than normal, making it enjoyable for a wider variety of people. In terms of execution, small elements of Chinese, Indian, or Spanish cuisine have been incorporated into the traditional Filipino dishes. Portions are designed for communal dining, much too large for an individual, and sharing between at least 2 or 3 people is best. Prices are comparable to other cafes, budget about SGD $19 per person for a meal here.

Loved the Lechon De Carajay (SGD $14.80), more commonly known as Lechon Kawali, with its extremely crispy skin and moist, tender meat! Chef says the pork is air-dried for 3 hours, smoked for 1 hour, then roasted for another 2 hours. This results in the skin being taunt, cracking beautifully, yet retains moisture in the meat, making it soft and succulent. Paired with a robust sweet liver sauce, this was easily among the best dishes I tried here. Highly recommended!The Kare-Kare (SGD $18.80) is a type of Filipino stew, made of oxtail and beef stomach, along with eggplant / aubergine, string beans, and kai-lan / Chinese kale / Chinese broccoli (a modern ingredient). A thick, savoury sweet peanut sauce is liberally poured over the top, making this dish rich and flavourful! I find the peanut sauce to be milder in flavour than the traditional versions I've tasted, yet the lightness is rather appealing, making it easy to eat. Paired with an intense dried shrimp paste, which you mix in yourself, this creates a new depth of flavour for the dish. Excellent!It's said, "Sell the sizzle", and that's completely true with the Sizzling Pork Sisig (SGD $12.80). A noisy, sizzling hot plate, filled with egg, minced pork, minced beef, onions, bell peppers / capsicums, coated in pineapple juice, is mixed at the table, releasing a fragrant aroma of meat. Totally appetizing, this savoury salty sweet dish is best paired with rice, and eaten when piping hot. Pure comfort food at its best. Good!Full Cafe Calle Real review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2016/02/cafe-calle-real-tasting-session.html