Had one of the most expensive meals of my life thus far, at Magosaburo. A posh Japanese BBQ / barbecue / yakiniku grill restaurant specialising in wagyu beef, Magosaburo is part of an international chain, which was first established in Kumamoto Prefecture, on the Kyushu island of Japan in 2009. Magosaburo opened its ultra-luxurious, swanky flagship store in Ion Orchard shopping mall in December 2012.Ambience at Magosaburo is posh extravagance, a little intimidating. No dressing down here, you'll actually have to look presentable! Colours of black, gold, and silver abound, resembling a premium lounge, with private booths and quiet corners. While seats are spaced close together, diners are almost never seated next to another group, always 1 table or booth apart... lending a sense of privacy. Extravagant looking chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and the windows offer a view of Orchard Road. Upon nightfall, blue neon lights dance across the facade, like fireworks in the dark. Feels like the high life!Service at Magosaburo is great, but not quite the standard I expect from a fine dining restaurant. Staff are mainly young Japanese, presentably dressed in business suits, but speaking in halting English. They offered to change plates regularly throughout our meal, but forget to change the plates of 2 diners at one point. However, they did accede to special requests we had, including helping us grill our food away from the table. I did find them knowledgable, able to introduce each dish and describe how it was prepared.Food at Magosaburo is very good, and the skill in preparing it is excellent. Cuisine is distinctly modern Japanese, with a focus on sourcing the very finest of beef, pork, and seafood, preparing and cooking it with care, then presenting it and allowing the natural flavours to shine on the plate. In fact, it's a waste to visit Magosaburo if you don't eat beef, as the wagyu is the star here. Portions of individual items are small, and come individually priced, but the set meals are substantial and filling. Prices at Magosaburo are high, be prepared to splurge between SGD $150 - $300 per person for a meal here.Kobe Wagyu (SGD $240 Set Menu) is the highest grade of wagyu, the pinnacle of beef, sourced from Tajima cattle born in the Hyogo Prefecture of Japan, raised and processed according to strict conditions. The premium pricing it commands is evident in the taste, the tender, medium-rare yakiniku / grilled beef with high marbling is heavenly, with a savoury, meaty, fatty flavour, seemingly melts in the mouth and coats the palate pleasurably. Incredibly good, highly recommended!The Zabuton (SGD $53 / 80g) is carved from the chuck under blade, and as befits its Japanese name of 'cushion', has a tender, very buttery, almost creamy, luscious texture, with a savoury, rich flavour that has a hint of sweetness. Incredibly good, highly recommended!The Mangalican Pig is a Hungarian domesticated pig that is noted for its thick, wooly coat. These free-range pigs are raised and processed according to strict conditions, resulting in pork meat that has a high fat marbling, exceptionally tender compared to other cuts of pork, and are often called the 'Kobe beef of pork'. The Mangalican Pig Boston Butt (SGD $18 / 120g) cut is carved from the pork shoulder. The tender, medium-rare yakiniku / grilled pork has a delicate savoury sweet, not heavy, elegant flavour, and fat which seemingly melts in the mouth. Incredibly good, highly recommended!

Full Magosaburo review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2015/08/magosaburo.html

Full Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2015/08/pacamara-boutique-coffee-roasters.html

Touted by some as the 'best new cafe of 2014', Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters was founded in October 2014, a partnership between the famous Pacamara Coffee brand from Thailand, and Oz Specialty Coffee from Singapore. It's easy to fall in love with the bright, clean ambience, and great coffee and pastries here!

Ambience at Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters is styled after the Melbourne / Australian cafes, being neat, clean, and bright. Colours of white and wood lend a cozy, clean feel, and the neatly laid out furniture within the spacious, naturally brightly lit interior is welcoming. With minimalist decor and clean lines, Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters just makes you want to linger over coffee and pastries with friends.

Service at Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters is partial self-service, and is possibly the weakest component here. Ordering and payment is done over the counter, but staff will serve orders to your table. Waiting time is rather long, between 10 - 20 minutes, especially during peak periods. The young staff can sometimes be a little blur, such as serving dishes without cutlery, or not bringing enough cutlery. I generally find that I have to help myself to it (not that it's a bad thing). Seating can be rather haphazard, as the long benches are for communal dining, you might end up with strangers opposite / beside you.

Food at Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters is Western style, primarily British, Australian, and American influences. Brunch dishes feature here, as do their pretty-looking, tasty dessert pastries. But the focus is truely on serving great coffee, with beans roasted and blended in-house. Portions are large, and may be suitable for sharing. Prices are reflective of a typical cafe, but rather high for main dishes, budget about SGD $28 per person for a meal here.

The signature Roadster House Blend Coffee (SGD $5.50) uses coffee beans sourced from Thailand, with a smooth, full, robust flavour that has low acidity and bitterness, with tastes of roasted groundnuts, butterscotch / toffee, and hints of chocolate and caramel. Love it!The Cold Brew Honduras Blend Coffee (SGD $6) was pretty good, the chilled beverage has a smooth, sweet, refreshing body with low bitterness, a slight lingering astringent grip, and tastes of melon, chocolate, toast, and roasted nuts. Good enough to drink on its own though, I think pouring it over ice dilutes the natural strength it has.Absolutely loved the Lemon Yuzu Tart (SGD $7), the sweet citrus notes of the yuzu balances the tart sourness of the smooth lemon curd, making it very pleasant to eat! The tart base hold together well, yet crumbles beautifully when cut. Highly recommended!

Full Lime House review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2015/06/lime-house.html

Lime House has gained quite a following since opening in June 2013. Owner Chris Morris, a native of Trinidad & Tobago, wanted to introduce the concept of 'liming' - a term which refers to hanging out in a casual atmosphere. With this Caribbean tradition of 'liming', the Lime House offers a buzzing social calender of music & dance events, almost like a carnival of sorts. And with the friendly service and great tasting Caribbean food at Lime House, a visit here is definitely an experience!Ambience at Lime House calls to mind the beach atmosphere of the Caribbean. Vibrant coloured wooden furnishings, Caribbean inspired paintings of traditional costumes and dancing, urban world music playing over the background speakers, old rum bottles along the rafters of the dimly lit interior. The heritage building Lime House is in still retains its original wooden carvings and tiles, with rather high ceilings lending a sense of space. And with 3 floors to accomodate different occasions, the vibe at Lime House is vibrant, casual and friendly.Service at Lime House is casual and friendly, with staff offering greetings and seating diners quickly. I find them to be knowledgeable on the menu, able to provide basic descriptions of the more exotic dishes. I note that Lime House staff are also pretty hardworking, assisting to prepare / clean up the place for events, including moving sofas around! They're also able to engage in friendly conversation, especially the bartender in the Lime Yard, their backyard tropical garden themed lounge.

Food at Lime House is influenced by Caribbean cuisine. Chef Hasan Defour, who hails from Trinidad & Tobago, has created an eclectic menu, a mix of African, European, Indian, Chinese, South American, and North American cuisine. This celebrity chef has introduced tasty, traditional Caribbean dishes, alongside exciting modern house creations. Generally, I find dishes to be packed with flavour, served in large portions. Prices are slightly high, budget about SGD $40 per person for a 2-course meal here.

The Classic Rum Punch (SGD $18) at Lime House features a refreshing, fruity mix of house rum, bitters, orange juice, pineapple juice, and lime juice. Cooling and thirst quenching, perfect for warm evenings!The classic dish of Fried Plantains (SGD $5) originates from African cuisine, and is commonly served throughout Central Africa and West Africa. Made by pan frying ripe plantains till the exterior turns golden brown and slightly crisp because of caramelisation, then dipping the thin slices quickly in a salt water dip to make the interior soft and creamy. Fried Plantains can be served as a snack, a dessert, or as a staple item.The Sweet Potato Gratin (SGD $24) is a casserole baked dish of layered sweet potato slices, coconut cream, and garlic crumb, garnished with arugula leaves. Tasty and fragrant, you get the layers of sweet, tangy, sour, and floral garlic flavours. However, I did feel the portion is slightly small for me. This dish is an adaptation of the classic African Sweet Potato & Peanut Soup / Stew, which usually consists of sweet potato, onions, beans (black / white / kidney), garlic, lime juice, water, crushed peanuts / peanut butter, and peanut oil. It is commonly eaten in Uganda, Guinea-Conakry, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

Full Baja Fresh Mexican Grill review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2015/07/baja-fresh-mexican-grill.html

First established in 1990 in California, on the west coast of the United States Of America, Baja Fresh Mexican Grill, also known as Baja Fresh for short, is a fast casual / fast food restaurant, specialising in Tex-Mex / fusion Texan and Mexican food. Baja Fresh Mexican Grill is known for their use of fresh ingredients, and their self-serve salsa bar with a variety of freshly made salsa. While the American outlets have seen declining success in recent years, the Baja Fresh Mexican Grill in Singapore, which opened in May 2012, is still doing rather well.

Ambience at Baja Fresh Mexican Grill is simple, casual, and functional. There is minimal decor to speak off, but the bright colours of green, yellow, and white lend a cheery feel. Furniture is functional and bare, similar to other fast food franchises. I do feel that cleanliness level overall isn't that great, the places shows signs of age, and the lights are slightly dim. Seats are also somewhat limited.Service at Baja Fresh Mexican Grill is largely self-service, with ordering and payment done over the counter, similar to other fast food outlets. However, as there is usually a short 5 - 10 minute wait for your orders, staff will serve it to your table. The menu is clear and legible, though the amount of customisable options is wide, and can therefore slow down the queue. While staff do make suggestions on what to order, they can be somewhat brusque.

Food at Baja Fresh Mexican Grill is classic Tex-Mex, known for its use of shredded cheese, beef / pork, and beans. Generally, I find the food to be tasty and well seasoned, balanced in the meals, though the meat is sometimes lacking in moisture. Portions are large, and very filling. Prices are comparable to a high-end bistro / restaurant, depite its casual ambience. Budget about SGD $25 per person for a meal here.The Nachos (SGD $12.95) features a large basket of crisp tortilla chips, topped with tomato salsa, pinto beans, guacamole, sour cream, melted cheese, and chunks of chicken breast. Love the combination of flavours and textures, the fresh and sweet tomato salsa, the crunch of the salty tortilla chips, the savoury chicken, the smooth gucamole, and the tangy sour cream. Good enough to be a meal on its own!

Full Kintamani Indonesian Restaurant review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2015/07/kintamani-indonesian-restaurant.html

Established in 1985, over 30 years ago (!), Kintamani Indonesian Restaurant is among the oldest restaurants in Singapore. Located in the equally aging Furama Riverfront Singapore Hotel, Kintamani Indonesian Restaurant is known for its Halal Indonesian buffet, with their speciality being Balinese cuisine. Their consistently decent food, friendly service staff, and decent prices, has seen to the longevity of Kintamani Indonesian Restaurant, and it's still popular for large scale, Halal buffet meals.

Ambience at Kintamani Indonesian Restaurant is possibly it's weakest point. The spacious but dimly lit interior shows signs of age, though the solid wooden furniture is still sturdy after all these years. Decor is traditional Balinese, ranging from the iconic gate guardians / Balinese gate at the entrance, to the ornate carvings amongst the buffet spread, to the traditional kitchen utensils on the walls. While clean, I dislike the really dark, low ambient lighting.Service at Kintamani Indonesian Restaurant is friendly and efficient. Staff will offer greetings when you enter / exit, and seat diners promptly. Very efficient at clearing away empty / dirty plates, always an important thing in a buffet. Note that they're quite polite, enquiring if you're done before clearing. Food is also regularly topped-up, so the food trays always look full, sufficient for all. However, not all staff can properly answer queries regarding each dish, and ingredients within.Food at Kintamani Indonesian Restaurant is Halal, with their focus being Indonesian / Balinese cuisine. The food in Bali, Indonesia, is noted for its savoury grilled meats and use of spices, in particular, the 8-spice mixture known as Bumbu. These are all present here, prepared by Chef I Gusti Nyoman Kaler and team. Dishes are generally tasty, heavy on flavourful sauces. Prices are reflective of a typical buffet, budget about SGD $50 per person for a meal here.

The Beef Rendang is tender and moist, with good savoury meat flavour. But the highlight is the deliciously yummy rendang sauce, which has a good kick of spices and heat. Highly recommended!Loved the Lupis here, which is a steamed glutinous rice cake, garnished with dessicated coconut and sweet gula melaka / palm sugar. Really good, I actually found myself eating it on its own, almost like a dessert! Highly recommended!The Satay Chicken & Beef here was the highlight of the entire buffet meal. The savoury, perfectly grilled skewers of meat are tender and tasty. People just kept going back for more of these, and it's actually worth to dine here just for these meat skewers! The satay sauce is inconsistent, early on, it's thick, rich and nutty. But after a few rounds, you can tell the kitchen is struggling to keep up with demand, because the satay sauce gets thinner and thinner, and later in the night, the consistency is watery. My suggestion is to go early enough so you get the best satay! Highly recommended!