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. 
 

Bao Today offers a mind-boggling array of over 40 dishes for their high tea buffet, available from 3pm. This buffet is sit-down tapas styled, so there is no need for diners to constantly get up to refill their plates! Rather, friendly servers come round at regular intervals, dishing out delicacy after delicacy that you simply cannot get enough of. The servers introduce each dish and diners simply indicate if they wish to have it, as well as the quantity of each item. Of course, being a buffet, you are entitled to unlimited servings of each item. Just be sure not to order more than you can finish! I like that you can customize the serv ing size of each dish to suit your preferences. For instance, you can order just a single salted egg yolk bun (liu sha bao), or even a single siew mai. This flexibility definitely cuts food wastage and allows each diner to zoom in on what he really wants, as you are not stuck with an entire basket of dumplings when you want only one.

The buffet spread is not fixed, as dishes may be rotated, or even added to and removed from the repertoire according to customer feedback. Below are some dishes that are certain to be mainstays as they hit the spot perfectly!These are so crispy, and so packed with briny goodness! The fried beancurd skin rolls beside them are not too bad as well!Sweet and crispy. A little too greasy though.These dumplings don't just taste good, they look pretty too!Full of bite and flavour.Chock-full of fragrant mushrooms.This was a little too dry and hard.A perfect combination of sweetness and bitterness to balance out your rich feasting!Visit Bao Today for a dim sum buffet spread of immense variety and quality! All of their items are freshly prepared within the day, hence Bao TODAY! 
 

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.

Pies & Coffee has a few outlets scattered around Singapore, but I never ventured to give them a try - until recently. Indeed, good things are worth the wait.

The Steak and Nacho Cheese Pie I ordered was absolutely delectable. The chunks of tender beef blended perfectly with the accompanying carrots, mushrooms and onions to form a hearty stew. The pie pastry was impossibly flaky and buttery, making every bite a heavenly experience. To top it all off, literally, the cheese topping was so beautifully smooth, rich and chewy, it was really buttery, cheesy heaven to the max.

A shoutout also goes out to the accompanying mashed potatoes, which were light and fluffy, yet rich and buttery. The gravy was thick and delicious, yet not overly salty. One of the best mashed potatoes I've ever had.

Do not hesitate like I did. Go grab a pie, any pie, from Pies & Coffee now!