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

Housed within the former shophouse premises of the very 1st OCBC bank in Singapore, CATO is a modern Asian restaurant and bar with an extensive list of craft beers, spirits, and quirky tapas / bar bites. Opening their doors in July 2015, CATO has gained some traction with its novel and creative Modern Singaporean cuisine.Ambience at CATO has an old-world, bespoke allure. The rustic historic facade, rough brick walls, distressed steel beams, dark stained wood flooring, and low ambient lighting call to mind the sailing ships of old. Along with the tongue-in-cheek posters, jumping music beats from the resident disc jockey, and comfortable lounge / bar / restaurant furniture, the overall atmosphere is very inviting, the sort of place where you linger while time just slips away. Excellent!Service at CATO is unobstrusive, professional, but slightly forgettable. Staff are efficient, quietly and quickly going about their duties, be it taking orders, clearing empty / dirty tables, or arranging the table to serve dishes. While I have nothing to fault with the good service, there is very little rapport, and thus, little to tie diners to making a connection.Food at CATO is modern Asian / modern Singaporean, with a small menu that changes regularly to keep repeat visits interesting. The culinary team behind the kitchen has over 30 years of experience, and serves up contemporary food, combining international flavours on the plate. This also means that taste can be hit or miss, depending on personal preference. Portions are decently sized, and may be shared. Prices are reflective of most other restaurants, budget about SGD $47 per person for a meal here.The extensive list of craft beers and spirits at CATO is their main highlight. The eclectic beer selection varies seasonally, with edgy labels such as Crew Republic, Modern Times, or Schlenkerla, and includes 14 curated selections on taps. Artisinal spirits from over 20 renowned boutique distilleries are available as well, featuring labels such as KOVAL, or High West. Drinkers won't lack choice here, but I notice they don't have cocktails. They also don't serve still water / tap water at all, you can't even order it. Also, their non-alcoholic drinks menu is largely limited to soft drinks or juices.

The Beer Modern Times - Black House (SGD $16) is an oatmeal coffee stout brewed by Modern Times Brewery in San Diego, California, United States Of America. Brewed along with coffee beans that are roasted on-site, this black ale / beer with a brown foam head has a robust, complex taste. It starts out with a toasted grain and caramel notes, which leads into a coffee / espresso, chocolate, and hazelnut taste. Unique and creative! Highly recommended!The Prawn Bisque With Home Made Cod Fish Ball & Coriander Leaf (SGD $12) has a medium intensity to the crustacean soup / broth, with a medium thickness in terms of texture. Decent enough, I understand it can be ordered as either a soup / broth course, or as a shot. More interesting was the cod fish ball, tasty with the aroma of spices, slightly crunchy outside yet soft inside. I would totally order this on its own as a bar snack!The Crispy Squid In Thai Style Glaze (SGD $12) is possibly the best bar snack I've eaten here. Fresh, whole baby squid, coated in a savoury flour and spice batter, seasoned with fish sauce, then deep fried till crisp and golden brown on the outside, yet still tender and meaty inside. Excellent, completely unstoppable. Highly recommended!The house special is Aunty Jasmine's Fish Curry (SGD $25), featuring tender, flaky, milky-white New Zealand Ling fish, surrounded by okra / lady's finger, eggplant / aubergine, carrots, yellow squash, olive infused caviar, chunks of bread, and garnished with fried onions. The star is the secret family recipe fish curry, thick in texture with a solid savoury spicy hit, when poured over the dish, enhances the entire flavour. The only let-down in this dish for me was the rather tasteless bread, though it's meant to be dipped in the flavourful curry, so it still balances out. Likely the standout main dish here, highly recommended!Full CATO review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2015/11/cato-tasting-session.html

Established by the same owners behind Chutney Mary, Al-Hamra is a Lebanese, Middle Eastern / Mediterranean restaurant that has been in operation within Holland Village for over 10 years. Having outlasted many of the other restaurants in the area, Al-Hamra is still quietly plodding along, serving up tasty, authentic Lebanese cuisine.Ambience at Al-Hamra is elegant, with a primarily Middle Eastern / Mediterranean theme. Paintings of buildings with Islamic architecture, the use of ornate framed mirrors, comfortable dark coloured furniture with plush embroidered cushions, earth coloured mosiac floor tiles, and the faux flame torch lighting overhead all contribute to the magical feeling of being whisked away on a magic carpet, to a setting straight out of Arabian nights. Really traditional!Service at Al-Hamra is attentive and professional. Staff are polite and courteous, attending quickly to guests. I also commend their menu product knowledge, they're able to make astute recommendations, as well as introduce and describe each dish. Thumbs up for their proactiveness in clearing empty / dirty plates, and offering to change plates as well.

Food at Al-Hamra is distinctly Middle Eastern / Mediterranean, with a focus on Lebanese cuisine, which is very similar to Turkish cuisine, just with different names for dishes. Generally, I find their food to be of acceptable standard in taste, though it's much better when eaten immediately upon serving, when it's hot and fresh. Portions are designed for communal dining, and I recommend a minimum of at least 3 - 4 diners for it to be value for money. Prices are typical of most other lower-end fine dining Middle Eastern / Mediterranean restaurants, budget about SGD $32 ++ per person for a meal here.The Manakish Bi Zaatar / Zatar Bread (SGD $6.50) is an aromatic bread, fragrant with earthy, floral, spice notes, with a taste that is fresh and savoury sweet. Texture is chewy and crunchy, rather appealing. Closely resembles a pizza, good!The Moutabbal / Moutabal (SGD $12), known as Mashed Eggplant Salad, is a simpler version of the classic chilled Baba Ghanoush dish served in Turkish, Lebanese, and Egyptian cuisine. Eggplant is baked till the pulp is soft, gaining a savoury smoky taste, then mashed with a blend of lemon juice, olive oil, salt, garlic, sesame paste, cumin, and chili powder, then garnished with pomegranate seeds. No other vegetables are used in this dish. It has a savoury, smoky, slightly zesty, slightly sweet flavour, with a thick, creamy texture. Good!The Falafel (SGD $14) is a classic Middle Eastern / Mediterranean hot appetizer, a deep-fried ball made from ground chickpeas, broad beans, onions, garlic, coriander, and cumin. Texture is semi-crumbly, grainy, and chewy within, with a slightly crisp, golden brown exterior. Love how tightly packed this is! Taste is savoury and earthy, with a slight hint of floral spices. Excellent, highly recommended!The Lamb Cous Cous / Lamb Tajine With Cashew Nut & Raisin Couscous (SGD $29) is worth ordering. A warm, hearty, lamb stew, featuring tender, boneless lamb chunks and potatoes, served in a savoury sweet but thin tomato stew, presented in a beautiful traditional tajine pot. The couscous is nice, with a fragrant aroma and a range of textures; soft, chewy, crunchy. While each component is good on its own, it's excellent when paired, as the couscous helps to absorb and hold the thin tomato stew gravy. Highly recommended!Absolutely loved the Muhallabia / Muhallebi (SGD $6), which is a chilled almond cream pudding sweet dessert served in Turkish, Lebanese, and Egyptian cuisine. Made with rice flour, almond milk / full cream milk, sugar, ground almonds, and rose water, then topped with crushed pistachio nuts (a distinctly Lebanese topping) and maraschino cherry. Sweet, fragrant, smooth, creamy, luscious, decadent... excellent! Highly recommended!Full Al-Hamra review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2015/10/al-hamra-tasting-session.html

Chicken Up has vastly improved since I last ate here 3 years ago. Ambience at Chicken Up is now much brighter and cleaner, with a distinctly open, countryside theme, evident from the rustic, sturdy wooden furniture. Restaurants are brightly lit by white light, and the atmosphere is more spacious.

Service at Chicken Up is now more attentive, staff are quick to respond to guests, take orders, and clear away empty / dirty tables. Also, they now have more staff that can speak English! Food at Chicken Up has improved as well, they've expanded their regular menu, removed less popular items, and improved upon their Korean fried chicken recipes. Portions are still large and suitable for communal dining, but bulk purchasing has actually brought their down overall prices, so diners pay less for food now!

The Bulgogi Fries (SGD $18) are a new item on the menu, and among the best things I've eaten here! Actual strips of tender soy sauce marinated beef bulgogi strips, are loaded generously along with red onions, spring onions, and mayonnaise on top of piping hot, straight cut, medium sized fries. The combination is incredibly tasty, savoury, salty, sweet, and sharp; with textures of chewy, crunchy, creamy, and fluffy. Highly recommended!The Gochujang Chicken Dup Bap Set (SGD $13) is good value for money. This set meal for dine in or takeaway includes 1 main (chicken, beef, or pork) rice bowl, 2 salads, 1 soup, 1 dessert or drink, and 1 fruit ball. The Seaweed Soup is nicely light and savoury, without that ugly salty flavour, so it's pretty good. The Fresh Salad features fresh and crunchy lettuce leaves, but is rather small. The Caramelised Kimchi Pickled Cabbage is sharp and sour in taste, but doesn't annoy the palate, with a nicely crunchy texture. The Gochujang Chicken Dup Bap features a basic white rice bowl, topped with cabbage, cellophane noodles, and strips of tender chicken stir-fried with onions in a savoury, sweet and spicy Korean gochujang / red pepper paste sauce. Very tasty, heart, and filling!The Mini Pat Bing Su (SGD $7) has a decent amount of red beans, condensed milk, shaved ice, and vanilla ice cream, garnished with a melon fruit ball and a stick of Glico Pocky Almond Crush Milk Chocolate biscuit. Refreshing with an earthy sweet taste, rather palate cleansing as well. Good!Full Chicken Up review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2012/08/chicken-up.html

Wheeler's Yard needs little introduction. Boss and cycling enthusiast Tommy Ong turned his family's old warehouse into a bicycle workshop and cafe back in September 2013.

Ambience at Wheeler's Yard cafe is laid-back and rustic, with a retro and bicycle themed decor. Long, sturdy, communal wooden tables are surrounded by an eclectic mix of retro / nostalgic chairs. Magazines and music boxes are set on the tables, beside bicycle parts or whole bicycles. The counter is surrounded by old-school / olden items such as biscuit tins, while the rough brick wall is adorned with bicycle frames. Very photo-worthy, visually exciting and appealing. Also makes the place great for chilling!Even the surrounding area has interesting spots. The workshop has bicycle / cycling related products and items of interest, the yard behind has their trailer and a lush green hedge wall, the front has the iconic Wheeler's Yard blue door. They even have benches that double as a waiting area should the cafe be crowded!

Service at Wheeler's Yard is partial self-service. Ordering and payment is done over the counter, as is collection of order, but if you're lucky and the cafe isn't crowded, staff may serve orders to your table. Otherwise, everything is self-service. Staff are friendly and can engage if necessary, though mostly they hang around in the background. The menu has apt descriptions of dishes, so you won't even need to ask them questions. Very minimal interaction, little service required, hence, they practise tipping here.Food at Wheeler's Yard is mostly Western style, influenced by American, British, and Italian cuisine, with some Asian influence as well, such as Indonesian, Chinese, or Singaporean. Generally, taste of food here is decent to above average, but nothing so special that you should go out of your way for. Portions are large, and can be shared. Prices at Wheeler's Yard are typical of a high-end cafe, budget about SGD $32 per person for a meal here.

The Hot Chocolate (SGD $6) here is among the better ones I've had, rich and deep with pronounced chocolate flavour. Warm and comforting, yet not too sweet. Love the little retro gem biscuits on the side!The Or Lu Lu Sotong (SGD $16.90) features large chunks of fresh calamari squid, coated in a thin, crisp Asian spice and flour batter, and served in a thick, dark, sweet Indonesian kecap manis / black sweet soy sauce, and spring onions. Portion is large enough to share. I really enjoyed this, would order again!The Salmon Royale (SGD $18.90) has 2 lovely poached eggs over arugula / wild rocket leaves, large slices of smoked salmon, all on nicely toasted English muffins. Cut into the eggs and watch the yolk ooze out! Decent enough as a dish, and I like the home made Hollandaise sauce, which is thick and creamy. I also thought the touch of adding sweet slices of peach to the salad on the side is a good idea!Full Wheeler's Yard review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2015/10/wheelers-yard.html