Friday, December 19, 2008

Brown Sugar


Mushroom Sphagetti (3/10)

The pasta was not well-cooked. My mouth was aching after the continuous chewing. The sauce was good though, but it doesn't help much. :P

Wagyu Burger



Their signature - Molten 100% Valrhona Chocolate Cake (8/10)

BBQ Chicken

Can you believe my hub wanted to try the food here (even though we have had our meal at Mr Chicken Rice), just because it 'uses 100% olive oil'?

"It's healthier" he said.

*face palm* relatively speaking, maybe yes. But Fried Food? Healthy?



Fried Chicken (7/10)

Anyway, it was so-so only. Nothing fanciful. The olive oil thing was probably used to reduce the guilt. :P



Place
1 Pasir Ris Close #02-121/122,
E!Hub, Downtown East

Mr Chicken Rice

I have heard so much about him, or rather, his famous chicken rice at Mandarin Hotel. It got me really curious how different his chicken rice is, from the normal chicken rice stall in a hawker or kopitiam.

Years passed and I have yet made a trip down to Mandarin Hotel to satisfy my curiosity. It's the price, no question about it.

If not for my hub, I could have passed by this 'Mr Chicken Rice' shop, thinking that it's just another chicken rice eatery.



"It's owned by the Mandarin Hotel Chicken Rice chef"

That got me really excited. 'Posh' chicken rice at civilian's price? There's no time to wait!



Chicken (6/10)

I must, however, admit that I am disappointed. Putting aside the fact that I raised my expectations way too high, this chicken dish is still not on par with the standards of a typical 'good chicken rice stall'.



Vegetables (6/10)



Soup (7/10)



So what's missing here? Chef Low himself? The hotel environment? Or is this simply a case of poor expectation management? ... Or, is this really how it taste like at Chatterbox? :p Branding.

Oh, btw, if you haven't been to downtown east for years, do check it out one of these days. I enjoyed myself thoroughly when I was there! :D

Place
Downtown East
#02-120

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Thai Accent

Ok, it's my fault for insisting that 3 dishes and 1 Soup and a staple is just about nice for the two of us. It's not. :P

I was just too hungry and it's not everyday that I can get my hub to enter a Thai Restaurant, ya know?

Stir Fried Kang Kong with Shrimp Paste (8/10)

It was so tasty that I kept digging into it. There's a price to pay, though. I gulped downa few glasses of water after I reached home. Must be the MSG. :P




Pineapple Rice (8/10)





Stir fried beancurd with minced pork and mushroom (8/10)




Green Curry Chicken (7/10)

Ever since a Thai acquaintance told us that one can tell how good a restaurant is by trying Green Curry Chicken, this dish is always on my list whenever I order food in a Thai Restaurant.



Tom Yam Prawn Soup (Clear soup base) (7/10)




We left the place with a bloated tummy and half a bowl of green curry chicken behind. :P

Place
1 Harbourfront Walk
#02-145/146 VivoCity

Baba King

Ok, I admit that the show 'The little Nyonya' did influence me, a partial Nyonya, into wanting to eat Peranakan food. :P

I especially wanted to try the Chicken Ponteh, which they kept emphasizing throughout the show.

Chicken Ponteh Buah Keluak (8/10)

The meat was very tender and flavourful but it wasn't really what I have expected - the show raised my expectations too high. :P



Beef Curry



Sambal Long Beans (7/10)



Fish Maw Soup (8/10)

Also longed to have this soup after watching the show. :P I'd say this soup is a good dish to complement the other strong and flavourful but heavy dishes. Light with a tinge of sweetness. Sedap. :)



Service

Blur and bochup staff. There were many staff but none of them attended to us when we were standing at the entrance. Gave us 4 sets of cutlery when there are only two of us. Waiter almost wanted to put the cutlery and serviette on top of small puddles of water on the table (that they are supposed to wipe off but did not). :P

Their boss used to chat with my hub and his colleagues as they were regulars. Hub said their service used to be better when their boss was around. :P

Place
Baba King Nonya Delicatessen Pte Ltd
1 Expo Drive, #01-31
Singapore Expo

Friday, December 12, 2008

Baystreet 21

Beef Set

They gave my hub a very 'well-done' steak even though he requested for a medium-well.


Sweet and Sour fish (7/10) with rice (1/10)

The rice was very hard to chew I had to stop after 2 spoons. :(



Almond Jelly (5/10)

Disappointing.


Place
IMM Building
#02-28

Streets Cafe Restaurant

Mayo fries (7/10)

We ordered this because we liked novelty of the fries being cooked with mayo, although we have absolutely no idea how they are going to do it. LOL We should have known better.



They came separately. :P

Nissin noodles with fried chicken (8/10)



Milk Tea (7/10)



Green Tea with Aloe Vera, wolfberry and lychee (9/10)
- I can't remember the exact name but it's just as long!


A very innovative way of putting different ingredients together. It works for me.



Place


IMM
2 Jurong East Street 21
#01-126

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Fish & Co

Garden Salad (8/10)



New York Fish & Chips (8/10)

They offered so many types of fish & chips in their latest promotions. For a moment, we couldn't decide which to choose!




Place
AMK Hub
#02-03

Friday, December 5, 2008

Barcelos Flame Grilled Chicken

There were queues everywhere.

We spotted this as we walked along to search for a less crowded restaurant. Hungry, we knew we shouldn't look further.

1/4 Chicken - Mild Peri; with Coleslaw (5/10)



Wedges (7/10)



Chicken Pitta Pocket - Tangy Lemon (8/10)



View from our seats



Service


The ordering process took quite long because the trainee was quite blur. They don't have this and they don't have that and the cashier guiding the trainee was rather unfriendly. The waiter serving the table was friendly and helpful but very inexperienced. He came back three times to me, each time asking a different question (need a glass? ice? straw?). I would have preferred he asked or did all these at one go. Oh well, at least he made an effort!

Place
Vivo City, Level 2
Unit 91-93

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Chen Fu Ji

Appetiser (some fish strips) - 8/10



The following looks like some really posh dish you see on tv huh? The background of Suntec Shopping Centre is a giveaway. :P



Chen Fu Ji Fried Rice (8/10)

The famous expensive fried rice that created quite a stir a decade or so ago. According to their website, there is 'No hint of oil' in their fried rice. Wow, if this is true, I wonder how did they do that?

I find the fried rice good, but it's not something that I will be hooked to. My hub likes it very much - Must be the expensive crab meat on top, which ironically, I prefer to do without. :P



Roast Duck (8/10)


This is surprisingly good. :)





Barley Drink (9/10)

Must try!



We were the only customers back then and it was dinner time! There were so many staff idling around (not that they want to). I wonder how are they going to survive at this rate...


Place
Suntec City
3 Temasek Boulevard
#03-18

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Cafe Cartel

I never thought I would be giving Cafe Cartel another chance again but my hub suggested that we give it a try. Perhaps that was really an isolated case or have they made efforts to improve since?

Whatever the case, I enjoyed my meal this time round.

Soup of the day (7/10)



Country Chicken Stew (8/10)



Waffle and Ice cream (8/10)



Place
Junction 8, Bishan
#01-33

Friday, November 21, 2008

Imperial Treasure

Roast Duck (7/10)
Kailan (6/10)

The photos of the above are 'beyond resuscitation'. :P

Beancurd (8/10)


Durian Pudding (9/10)

It was my hub who wanted me to order this, despite my (feeble) resistance. But I am glad he made me order this for this is the best I have tasted so far! This dessert is also the reason why I decided to put up this post.


Unknown dessert

I still cannot recall what this red substance is. Whatever it is, it is defnitely no match for my durian pudding! Yumms! :D



Place
1 Kim Seng Promenade
#02-06 Great World City

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Ikea Restaurant

This is a hidden gem.

Vegeterian Rice (9/10)



And I really mean it when I say it is 'hidden' because unlike all other main courses, you can't even see the staff preparing it when you order. The staff had to go all the way to the 'back' of the kitchen to get it.

Rice is fragrant and well-executed. A very simple but satisfying meal! :)

Don't remind me of the queue and waiting time, though. >_<'

Place
317 Alexandra Road
Singapore 159965

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Shokudo

Curry Pasta (6/10)




Place
Cathay Cineleisure Orchard
8 Grange Road
#02-06A

Friday, October 31, 2008

Ichiban Boshi

We have been to Ichiban Boshi for quite a number of times before. This post is specially dedicated to a very efficient and friendly staff at Suntec Outlet - Mary.

Thanks to her, our experience at Ichiban was even better than before. Just to cite one of the few things she did that night.

1) She was very prompt and efficient, to the extent that before we finished ordering our food, my favourite Chawanmushi arrived at my table - piping hot. Yes, it's that fast! She asked her colleague to bring it out while we were recollecting the food that we wanted to order. :P

2) She came to our table frequently to check if all our orders are here and rushed the kitchen staff even though we did not ask her to do so!

3) She helped me pick up a card that I dropped when she saw that I was in an awkward position to get it.

Overall food rating - 8/10

Just a few photos to share.

Mini Cha Soba


comes free from the 'stamps' that we have collected.








Place
#B1-062,
3 Temasek Boulevard Unit B,
Suntec City Mall

Price
$40+ (even after $20 'stamp' discount)