Not long ago I found myself dining in Garden of Eden.

After reading reviews from several bloggers, my buddy and I decided to come here for a try! We heard that they needed reservations for most of the tables inside but they do have other tables for walk-in customers. Initially we were skeptical as we thought that we may not get some good ambience, then later we find that we were given a really sweet spot! The fairytail styled carriage was one of the many interesting assets they have. The bar corner was also a nice idea for customers who simply wanted peace and drinks. One of the staff recommended that we walked around the restaurant to take pictures if we want to, and we saw this situated in front of a mini-bridge. The rest of the restaurant also provide customers with really lovely setting and this is probably why they strongly encouraged customers to book reservations in advance because ambience is one of the unique selling point of this restaurant. Complimentary garlic bread was served before we even looked through the menu, service was really efficient. My buddy decided to order the Carbonara ($18), it may be a tad bit expensive but I had a spoonful, and it was one of the best carbonara I've ever had! The linguine was cooked perfectly with hint of garlic and really flavourful bacon creamed sauce, topped with crispy bacon bits. The taste was simply unforgettable and a few days after this experience, I craved for carbonara for a few times, that says a lot because I'm not a fan of creamed pasta. For myself, I went with the Orange Duck Confit ($28). The duck leg was marinated in orange and thyme then cooked to crisp-tender form, served with roasted potatoes and ratatouille and drizzled with orange sauce. I wished that the portion was larger because it was a really amazing dish! It's hard to describe in words so I would recommend that you could try it out yourself! It's hard to believe when I rave to people that the food here are awesome because they tend to be always think that the restaurant would focus on the ambience and service more than food. But seriously, the food are what completes this restaurant. Overall, everything experienced here was more than satisfying and this may be the main reason why its called Blisshouse, because customers would definitely feel bliss throughout the way! Perfect place for couples or any other gatherings!

Strangers' Reunion is a cafe located at a 10mins walkable distance from Outram Park MRT Station. After reading so many raving reviews about this fanciful place, my friends & I decided to visit on a Friday night! 

Despite its remote location, the cafe oversees a strong crowd that night even at 9pm. We've waited for a good 15minutes outside until some other customers left. In the midst of waiting, we also spotted that they have this sort of art gallery next door which is kind of cool. The interior has this kind of rustic warm uniqueness to it which makes you feel very relaxed, calm and at ease, probably the most perfect ambience for a date or simply catching up with old friends. We were led to the end of the restaurant where we were given the option to choose between sitting side by side on a corner table facing the wall or sharing a table with strangers. We've chosen to sit with this group of guys and hmm, let's say it was a pretty interesting experience! (That's why it's called Strangers' Reunion.) 

So anyway! We were starving & the first thing we ordered was the Chicken Schnitzel ($19.90), served with lotus root chips and mesclun, the portion came just right for 3 person. The huge chicken breast was nicely fried thoroughly and wasn't too greasy, but seasoning can be improved. Next we have our Truffle Fries ($12.90), the portion was more than enough to share between 5 people. Truffle oil was used but the taste wasn't that distinctive as I've expected. However, they did serve with truffled mayonnaise to strengthen the taste. Of course, what's a cafe without coffee? We've got 3 cups of Magic ($5.50/ea). This is actually a 2:1 ratio of Ristretto to Milk. The balance was enjoyed first with the taste of milk followed by a slight bitter coffee kick. My friends didn't really like the bitterness but I kind of silently got addicted to it, there's just something impressive from the sips other than the beautiful coffee art. Here comes the signature dishes! Strangers' Reunion is popularly well-known for their buttermilk waffles which everyone would definitely order. On the menu, customers can choose to have their waffles with the artisan Greek yogurt, vanilla icecream or maple syrup. We happily got ourselves the Buttermilk Waffles with Vanilla Icecream & Fresh Fruits ($12.90). This is probably one of the best waffles I've had in awhile! The light fluffy waffle was served golden crispy on the outside and showed no signs of imperfection. The high quality vanilla icecream and fresh fruits also compliment everything else really well. We kind of wanted more after the first waffle so we went ahead to get another one! This is the Buttermilk Waffle with Strawberry Maceration & Icecream ($13.90). The waffles are all the same, but the fragrant batter and not-too-sweet overall just makes you want more everytime you finish one! 
Overall, although the savoury dishes were considered quite normal, the waffles and coffee have lived up to their names! And despite its brisk business and full house night, the service staff were very efficient and were always on high alert to serve. The cosy ambience also makes everything else perfect for chilling or catching up! Will definitely return for the waffles!

After some intensive and impromptu dinner marathon session at Star Vista, my buddy continued suggesting taking a walk around The Kitchen foodcourt just to 'food window shop'. I found him ridiculous but agreed anyway and gosh, we ended up getting something again! 

There's this particular stall that's very unique from the rest with showing a section of interesting plastic food models along with different awards and prizes and some media coverage information. Apparently it's selling the famous Bishan Curry Chicken ($5.50) which is on a promotional price down from the original $5.90. Business seems to be better here than the other stalls. The curry I received was served hot in its thick consistency, it is spicy but the spicyness level did not overpower the delicious curry flavour. The chicken was presented in generous large portions for its price and cooked to tender perfection that's easily removable from the bone. The potatoes were also amazing and have totally absorbed the curry down to its core. The rice was also served warm in a good generous portion enough to be fairly ratio with the curry chicken. The two compliments really well and the rice did help to level down the spicyness. This dish is one of the reasons why I'm a huge fan of curry.

Olio Cafe didn't appear much to me in the beginning because I had thought that it's just a typical restaurant like many others in Lot One. When I found out the interesting menu it has I immediately brought my food buddy along to try things out! 

The restaurant adopts a modern chic fine dining alike concept yet somehow it could be the warm lightings or colours that made me feel very comfortable as if it's like a 2nd home. The menu is pretty sleek and simple but provides an extensive offering of high end quality appetizers, mains, desserts and beverages. There's fusion involved in some of the items incorporating local and western concepts. Some of the pictures shown really could open up hungry stomachs! I personally find the condiments offering at the side of the table pretty interesting as you don't often see a bottle of olive oil chili instead of typical ketchup and chili sauce. For starters, I have ordered the Olios Wing Zing ($8.70) as I'm always on the lookout for the best wings in the country. My food buddy find it a tad bit tough but it may be just his mood on that day. I do agree that it could be more tender but the flavour is great, there wasn't much need to dip into the sauce at all! So he had gotten the Golden Fish & Chips ($16.50) which is true to its name. We were both surprised at the size of the fish as it is almost the size of our faces. The fish was crisp-perfect and I believe a good fried fish fillet would be able to retain its moisture and warmth even after 10minutes and this did! I have no idea how they did it but there's no need for the dip in the sauces either! The thick cut fries were also not too oily nor starchy like other fries I've tried. This dish is really good and definitely worth the price! As for me I've set my eyes on getting the Seabass Fillet on Lobster Ravioli ($16.80) from the start, I didn't even consider anything else. The dish was nicely plated and presented to me exactly the same way as the picture shown on the menu. The seabass was extremely moist and tender cooked to perfect temperature and timing. The lobster ravioli were bathed in warm lobster bisque that's really yummy and not too salty. The ravioli wasn't as awesome as I've expected because the dough could be made thinner. But overall the fish is the star of the dish so I don't regret this order at all! Overall, I would really like to visit this place again for other things on their menu. The ambience is my type of environment and the service was really great! The waiter who served me was pleasantly friendly and down-to-earth so it's kind of nice. I also saw that they have a high tea promotion at $15.90 for pax of 2 and that may be the reason why I may end up persuading someone to go back with me again!

How often do you go to a fast food joint, cafe or restaurant and get everything you ordered served piping hot & fresh all at one go? Throughout the years I've visited, Arnold's Fried Chicken never fails in this aspect. 

So I recently went there with some friends and we've ordered the two 2 Person Combo Meal ($23.70). You can swap the chicken parts to your favorite kind with slight additional charges, and the Cheese Dip ($0.60) was pretty good and cheap compared to some well-known fried chicken places we know. 

The thing about Arnold's Fried Chicken is that not only are they locally-based, they probably serve the best fried chicken in this country! Their fried chicken, fried to perfection, is goldenly thin & crispy on the outside with some awesome succulent, tender and juicy meat on the inside. You can also expect to always see smoke while you're savouring it! 
Their Coleslaw is also light and fresh and you can keep on eating it without getting that kind of tired feeling. Their Fries were also great, not soggy or greasy and really complements everything else. As for the Bun, it's also soft and fluffy & sometimes I like to get some chicken meat in the middle & eat it like a burger! 

So whenever I visit this place, there's always presence of long queue where I have to place an order first then get a waiting number. The wait usually takes around 10-15mins and once the friendly staff directed me to a table, my orders were always instantly sent to me within 1-2mins, served piping hot that it tells you they definitely didn't just leave your food lying around in the kitchen. 

I love this place so much that I hope they have more accessible locations in town. But nevertheless, their food are worth every bit of traveling and waiting time!