There aren't many Thai fine dining restaurants in Singapore, but I'm happy to say that Jim Thompson Restaurant is among them. Operated as part of the famous Thailand silk company and museum headquartered in Bangkok, the Jim Thompson Restaurant in Singapore Dempsey Hill is only 1 of 4 such fine dining establishments worldwide. Opening its doors in 2009, the strong brand name of the Jim Thompson Restaurant has drawn many.Ambience at Jim Thompson Restaurant is their highlight, elegant, exotic, tasteful, and stunningly beautiful. Housed in a refurbished colonial building, a beautiful yard with al-fresco wooden dining furniture set admist lush greenery with a small reflecting pool greet diners upon arrival. Step within, and be awed by the high ceiling and long spacious dining hall, carefully laid out for privacy with elegant carved gilded tableware, comfortable large booths lovingly covered in fine hand loomed silk, Siamese glass wall mosaics, and touches of Thai decor, such as spirit houses and ornate candle holders. At regular intervals, dancers in traditional Thai costumes from Bangkok weave through the dining hall, while non-intrusive instrumental music plays in the background. Incredibly lovely atmosphere, I understand most guests return because of this!Service at Jim Thompson Restaurant is excellent, befitting a fine dining restaurant. Staff are mainly from Thailand and the Philippines, and can converse well in English. They offer greetings when you arrive, and are quick to seat guests. In particular, the filipino staff do most of the engagement with diners, offering recommendations, describing dishes when served, and how to eat them. Very good product knowledge! Plates are changed in between courses, and staff are also quick to fulfill requests. The attention shown by staff here is personal and courteous, along with being efficient. Really good!Food at Jim Thompson Restaurant is above average in quality and taste, and while not the best examples of Thai food around, it's still pretty tasty. Cuisine is distinctly Thai and Thai Chinese, though the spicy heat of most dishes can be toned down on request. With Executive Chef Mr. Jarutus Aumpha heading up the kitchen, Jim Thompson Restaurant offers an extensive menu, with over 80 classic Thai dishes, a mind-boggling variety. The pork-free menu here even features limited time special dishes, created by in-house chefs from monthly cooking competitions! Dishes are plated and presented beautifully, with most being well-executed and decent in taste. Portions are large and substantial, even the serving size for individuals is usually large enough to be shared with 2 people! Prices naturally befit its fine dining status, expect to pay between SGD $18 - $70 per dish. This is the biggest hurdle to dining here. Budget about SGD $85 per person for a meal here.Surprised that I liked the Lemongrass Infusion Mocktail (SGD $16) quite a bit, with its mix of fresh lemongrass, apple juice, ginger, and lemonade. I found this fruity, floral beverage with a refreshing light sweetness to be quite a good thirst quencher, and it pairs well with savoury or spicy foods.The Tom Yum Goong / Tom Yum Soup With Chili Paste (SGD $24 / $46) is a hour and sour broth / soup, fragrant with lemongrass, ginger, galangal, shallots, and chili. Within are tender straw mushrooms and meaty sweet fresh prawns. Topped off with carnation milk, I understand that the level of spicy heat within can be adjusted to suit the diner's palate upon request. Among the better dishes we had here!Felt the Khao Pad Sapparot Goong Sod / Pineapple Fried Rice (SGD $22 / $60) was outstanding! Beautifully presented in a halved hollowed pineapple, this savoury smoky fried rice with onions is made sweet and fruity with pineapple chunks, black raisins, and cashew nuts, then topped with fresh, plump, meaty prawns. Easily the best dish of the evening, I couldn't stop eating this! Highly recommended!Full Jim Thompson Restaurant review: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2016/02/jim-thompson-restaurant-tasting-session.html

The Old Chang Kee Group has diversified into restaurants with Curry Times. As the name suggests, Curry Times specialises in curry dishes, in particular, Singapore Chinese and Singapore Indian style curry. They've also rounded out the extensive menu with other local Singaporean favourites, and have become popular for their tasty dishes at wallet-friendly prices.

Ambience at Curry Times is designed to resemble the coffee shop of old. Furniture is solid, dark wood, with marble topped tables, the interiors are brightly lit and open, while the entrance features complimentary gem biscuits in large containers. Decor is distinctly Singaporean / Peranankan, with traditional kitchen equipment such as the mortar and pestle, alongside retro metal serving bowls, and local tingkats. Bird cages hang from the ceiling, doubling as lamps, while interesting tidibits of information adorn the walls. Great!Service at Curry Times is partial self-service. Staff will greet and seat you, but ordering and payment is done over the counter. They do however, serve orders to your table. The menu is detailed with descriptions of dishes, as such, you'll have very little actual interaction with staff. I personally think their Peranakan inspired outfits look like gaudy pyjamas, very jarring to the eye. When serving large groups, staff will assist to arrange dishes on the table. I also note they're very efficient at clearing away empty / dirty plates or tables, and the whole place looks sparkling clean!

Food at Curry Times consists of local Singaporean dishes, with a focus on curry. The extensive menu has a lot of variety, from wet curry, to dry curry, to assam curry, to snack, desserts, unique beverages, and more! Taste of most dishes are generally average, to above average, the kind of passable standards you expect from most food courts or coffee shops. Tasty, but not something you'll go out of your way for. Prices are affordable, but not very value for money due to the quality, budget about SGD $18 per person for a meal here.

The Curry Chicken Loaf (SGD $8.50) is served with a soft, spongy bread with a slightly crisp crust, making it perfect for dipping into the savoury, slightly spicy curry! The chicken is tender and moist, though on its own, I notice it lacks flavour, really only being tasty when eaten together with the curry. The curry itself is the star here, filled with chunks of potatoes and bone-in chicken, it's completely delicious, and makes you want to drink it all!The Dry Chicken Curry Rice (SGD $8.50) is served with plain white rice that is rather absorbent, soft, and slightly sticky. The deboned chicken meat is tasty, coated in a dry curry spice gravy, each tender and moist chunk bursting with flavour. I do wish there was some vegetables to accompany this, as it's pure chicken and rice, without anything else.Full Curry Times review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2015/12/curry-times.html

Full Diandin Leluk review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2015/12/diandin-leluk.html

Located in Golden Mile Complex "Little Thailand", the Diandin Leluk Thai restaurant has a long history. Founded by a husband and wife team as a mobile food truck service, before getting their current permanent location in 1985, Diandin Leluk is known for their cheap / affordable, tasty and authentic Thai food, prepared in rustic home style. Little wonder this 24-hour daily, 7 days a week Thai restaurant has been drawing crowds for years, many of whom have become regulars! However, I seem to recall their food was tastier in the past... it feels to me like standards are slipping.Ambience at Diandin Leluk is simple, functional, and clean, though it's also cramped and bustling. The brightly lit place has solid wooden furniture, with marble topped tables, packed closely together. The place is noisy, with lots of movement and activity, resembling a coffee shop. At least it's air-conditioned and clean. There is some Thai decor adorning the walls, from newspaper clippings to pictures of the Thai monarch. Most eye-catching is the huge photo of rice farmers in the paddy fields. The place is suitable both for a quick eat and go meal, as well as lingering meals with long conversations.Service at Diandin Leluk is efficient. Staff are able to converse well in both English and Thai, seat guests quickly, and clear / empty dirty tables or plates fast. I like their proactiveness in this regard. However, it does take some time to attract their attention, while staff are observant, they're also usually busy and rushing around. Still, at least when they speak to diners, the conversation is calm, polite, and unhurried, the staff gives you full attention. I must commend this, for staff from other restaurants in such situations usually are quite brusque. Only payment is self-service, everything else is tableside service. Orders are also quicky fulfilled, and staff help to arrange the table while serving.

Food at Diandin Leluk is decent in taste, generous, and affordable. The owners still oversee the preparation and hand make several items as well, so you're getting authentic, rustic Thai food. Fresh herbs are imported from Thailand throughout the week, and ingredients used are sourced fresh daily. Taste of most dishes is average to above average, though I notice the amount of spicy heat has been toned down for local palates, thus, most dishes aren't spicy, or just mildly spicy. Portions are generous, and communal dining of at least 3 people is encouraged. Prices at Diandin Leluk are cheap and affordable, budget about SGD $15 per person for a full meal!

The Papaya Salad (SGD $6 / $10 / $12) has thin strips of julienne green papaya, tomatoes, lettuce, and peanuts in a light, sour, slightly spicy Thai chili sauce. Crunchy in texture, the taste is a bright burst of flavour, the sour sauce coating the palate, quickly leading into the pleasant fruity taste of the papaya and the juicy tomatoes. Pretty good dish!The Clear Tom Yum Soup (SGD $12 / $22 / $32) is a clear, sour sweet soup / broth, that is far too tame in the level of spicy heat. At least it has a generous portion of fresh fish, squid, leeks, tomatoes, straw mushrooms, onions, and spring onions. Hearty and very drinkable, though I wish it was more spicy!The Tom Yum Fried Rice With Seafood (SGD $6 / $12 / $22 / $32) has a nice ration of fresh squid, straw mushrooms, onions, and rice. The rice is fragrant with a slight spicy kick, savoury sour in taste, and a hint of smoky aroma from frying. Worth ordering!

Opening their doors in August 2015, Karafuru Desserts is among the most trendy new dessert cafes in Singapore at the moment, for 2015. Karafuru Desserts specialises in French style desserts, namely parfaits and eclairs, made with Japanese ingredients and flavours. Their incredibly photogenic and pretty plated desserts have been flooding social media sites since they opened!Ambience at Karafuru Desserts calls to mind the Japanese minimalist zen. A large, spacious interior, with straight lines and white walls with minimal patterns. A high ceiling and low warm lighting casts a welcoming feel, a clean, neat, inviting atmosphere. Rows upon rows of neatly arranged eclairs, bursting with colour, draw the eye to the dessert display. Bowls of water, decorated with flowers, sit in the middle of tables, a completely tranquil feel despite the noisy crowd.

Service at Karafuru Desserts is completely self-service, with ordering, payment, and collection done over the counter. At least staff are friendly and engaging, they're knowledgable enough to accurately describe the desserts available, and make astute recommendations. Beyond this, there's very little else that's memorable about the service.

Food at Karafuru Desserts is all about desserts, either parfaits or eclairs. These French style desserts are made with Japanese ingredients, creative and beautifully designed, very photogenic. But I tend to find it only decent in taste, not terrible, but not memorable either. Portions are designed for individuals, but can also be shared. Prices are rather high for these desserts, budget about SGD $6 per eclair, and about SGD $15 per parfait.

The Yoghurt Parfait Hanami (SGD $15) features a surprsingly soft and moist sakura / cherry blossom souffle, a millky smooth vanilla pudding on a sweet crisp wafer, tart and sharp red fruit coulis (strawberry, raspberry), a cereal crunch, sakura / cherry blossom syrup, sliced strawberry and raspberry, a hanami dango / sweet glutinous rice dumpling balls with 3 flavours (plain, strawberry, green tea), and a sakura / cherry blossom flavoured langue de chat / cat tongue cookie. Despite the sakura / cherry blossom syrup having a medicinal taste, the overall dessert was above average.The attractive Eclair Matcha Azuki (SGD $6) features a soft, chewy choux pastry shell, stuffed with a grainy matcha / green tea paste, and layered with a smooth matcha / green tea cream on one end, with an earthy azuki / red bean cream at the other end. Absolutely loved the combination of flavours in this. Highly recommended!Full Karafuru Desserts review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2015/11/karafuru-desserts.html

Finally got around to trying the famous Llaollao, but only because it was my colleague's birthday wish. When Llaollao, a Spanish froyo (frozen yoghurt) brand, first opened in Singapore in August 2012, their flagship outlet at Marina Square / Marina Link Mall saw queues of over 2 hours! These days, with multiple outlets across Singapore, the queues are shorter and bearable, but it's a testament to their popularity that Llaollao still manages to attract crowds with their frozen yoghurt treats.

As Llaollao is primarily a takeaway store, there is little to no ambience to speak off. There is usually no seating available, except at selected outlets. About the only thing to say is their incredibly bright green signage, and attractive display of yoghurt toppings, all of which look appetizing. Pure eye candy! Still, it's rather easy to walk and eat with their desserts, though the serviettes provided are of poor quality.

There is also little to no service at Llaollao, as everything is largely self-service, from ordering, to payment, to collection. However, there is some staff engagement, as you'll have to interact with staff when asking for toppings, and they can and will make recommendations when asked. Beyond this, the largely young staff can sometimes be brusque, especially when there are queues.

Llaollao only does 1 type of froyo (frozen yoghurt) flavour, original, and instead offer an extensive variety of toppings. They are especially known for their fruit and sauce toppings. The Llaollao yoghurt is completely natural, and has a unique milky taste with a creamy texture, but also melts rather quickly. Portions can be shared, and prices are slightly higher than other yoghurt stores, budget about SGD $7 per person.Full Llaollao review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2015/11/llaollao.html