Amazonia brands themselves as an "integrated Family Entertainment Centre", with enthralling amusement facilities going hand-in-hand with a comprehensive menu selection at their bistro. I recently had the pleasure of attending a tasting session with OpenRice at this one-of-a-kind recreation centre, so this post will inevitably focus on the highlights of the bistro!

Amazonia had picked out some of their star dishes for this session, and while there were some hits and misses for me, the sheer variety on offer ensures everyone is bound to find something on the menu that hits the spot.

Our four-course tasting menu consisted of:
- Caesar Avocado Salad
- Chef Nasi Goreng
- Sweet & Spicy Garlic Tiger Prawn
- Chocolate Fondant with Ice Cream

The salad certainly stood out in its use of creamy avocado chunks, which are not usually found in Caesar salads. It definitely was a welcome addition for me! Besides this, you get all you would expect in a Caesar salad, such as croutons, eggs, olives and tomatoes. In particular, the croutons remained crisp instead of turning soggy, and so did the lettuce leaves.No surprises in the nasi goreng, which came with all the usual accoutrements such as prawn crackers, chicken drumsticks, satay and an over-medium egg. The rice was thoroughly aromatic and flavourful, providing a beautiful base for the various accompaniments. While the satay was fragrant and tender, the drumsticks paled in comparison, being rather hard and dry.The tiger prawns arrived on a bed of fragrant fluffy white rice, with an assortment of greens on the side. While there wasn't anything particularly wrong with this dish, I felt it could be made more complete with some garnishes and spices in the rice. That would also go some way in justifying the rather high price of this dish.Rounding off the session was the Chocolant Fondant, which came topped with a generous dollop of ice cream. It was wonderfully rich and creamy, as might be expected with a dessert like that. The fondant was also studded with crunchy chocolate buttons that tasted of surprisingly high quality.As part of the event, we were also shown around the various play areas within the maze-like entertainment complex. The inner-child in me was indeed coaxed out, as I marvelled at the various games rooms, ball pits, slides, trampolines, bridges and tunnels that transported me into a whole universe of fantasy. Amazonia even has a surreal glow-in-the-dark themed recreational golf course in which I spent more time admiring the creative setup than doing any real putting!

I would say Amazonia has indeed succeeded in bringing us a unique brand of family fun and dining, with an entertainment setup that is sure to charm any youngster's heart. It certainly offers a safe and wholesome enthralling escape from the daily rigours of your little ones' lives, whatever they may be! Some of the bistro's offerings, however, may need to be reviewed to see how they can provide more value for the prices charged. 
 

WARAKU Japanese Casual Dining has a wide range of Japanese cuisine. I was there for a ramen fix, and found what I was looking for in the huge steaming bowl of Tempura Tonkotsu Ramen.

The bowl was indeed eye-catchingly huge, monstrous enough to swallow my entire face. The quantity of ramen itself, alas, was way less impressive, filling only half the bowl at most. At least it tasted good. The ramen was springy and chewy, albeit a little clumpy. The pork broth in which it was soaking was deliciously umami and addictive.The star of the show for me was the assortment of tempura items, including nori, ebi and sweet potato. They were well battered and delightfully crispy. The taste of each item also shone through the thick batter.

Overall, WARAKU is a nice place to have some authentic, delicious Japanese cuisine by the picturesque Singapore River. 

Pique Nique is a lovely place to spend a leisurely afternoon, with the beautiful decor within the diner. The wide range of Western-based fare ensures you never get bored of their offerings too.I had a side of Petit Mac & Cheese to go along with my Classique Burger. Both were memorable. The Mac & Cheese was everything you could ask for in a Mac & Cheese, with macaroni baked in a cheese sauce with gruyere, parmesan and mozzarella. It was rich, chewy and extremely moreish.The burger was a classic beef one, with a sizable patty layered with cheddar, tomatoes, ketchup, lettuce, onions and mustard. It was a fairly large burger, and the ingredients worked well together. My main quibble would be the excessive amount of ketchup used, making the burger too sour for my liking. Apart from that, it was good.

Nando's has been around for quite some time now, and this is a testament to the strong reception towards its unique peri-peri based chicken dishes. Despite this, I have not patronized Nando's for some time as their brand of fiery, spicy cooking does not really hold much appeal for me.

A blue moon must have been present in the night sky when I stepped into Nando's after a multiple-year hiatus. Dropping by for a light bite, my partner and I went with a quarter chicken and a serving of Algarve salad. While not exactly my cup of tea, the food was decent and had some nice touches.

The chicken was, as expected, fresh and tasty. The lemon & herb marinade thoroughly penetrated the flesh, creating a lovely fragrance. A smoky, charred taste also permeated the chicken, creating a memorable experience. I must say, however, that the chicken must have been a really small one for a quarter of it to be so tiny.The traditional southern Portuguese salad fared passably well too. I was largely attracted to this salad by the presence of feta in it, and I enjoyed the cubes of salty, crumbly dairy goodness. The cashews were fragrant and tasty. The rest of the salad, however, was frankly quite ordinary. Nothing particularly bad, just fine.

Overall, my impression of Nando's has not changed much. Expect quick, casual chicken - with a unique Afro-Portuguese twist. Serving portions are a little on the small side.

Poulet is a modern French-themed bistro that offers a wide variety of French-based classics including soups, salads, sandwiches, desserts and of course, their signature rotisserie chicken.

Curious about all the hype surrounding this relatively new kid on the block, we decided to give it a try.No French dining experience is complete without French Onion Soup, and the one we had did not disappoint. The thick liquid was rich, hearty and beefy, with copious quantities of fragrant caramelized onions. The obligatory croutons stayed crisp and had a rich buttery taste to them.We also had a serving of fried breaded winglets with a cranberry sauce. This was much more ordinary, with the winglets small, overly greasy and lacking flavour. The sauce seemed incompatible with the chicken, or perhaps this is just my preference. On to the star of the show - rotisserie chicken. As expected, the chicken was tender and juicy, with delicious chunks of enticingly fragrant white flesh. The jus was thick and hearty, with a rich, delightful aroma. However, one major shortcoming for me was that the entire dish was exceedingly salty. Certainly not a dish to have often, for fear of serious health issues. Even the bread pudding we had after failed to adequately wash away the salty aftertaste of the chicken.