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Updated on August 19, 2023November 5, 2013Asia Food Hong Kong Hong Kong

Mak Mun Kee 麦文记 Noodles Shop : Best Wanton and Beef Noodles in Hong Kong?

Mak Mun Kee Noodles Shop (麦文记面家) is said to have one of the best wanton and beef noodles in Hong Kong. Kate did some research online and found that Mak Mun Kee has been around for some time now and has been attracting queues regularly. So we decided to check out the noodles here…

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Best Wanton Noodles in Hong Kong belongs to Mak Mun Kee?

Entrance of Mak Mun Kee Noodles Shop at Parkes Street Hong Kong

Mak Mun Kee opens for lunch at only 12pm till 1230am. Kate and I were there slightly after opening hours and the restaurant was almost full! We took a quick glance at the menu and ordered the specialties here – the wanton and beef noodles!

Menu and Introduction of Mak Mun Kee Noodles Shop Hong Kong

According to its introduction, there is ONLY ONE BRANCH OF MAK MUN KEE IN HONG KONG AT PARKES STREET! We were sat close to the entrance of the shop and we were able to observe the skills of the chef. Steam was rising up as the chef tossed the noodles in the air. Before long, our noodles were served…

Beef brisket Noodles at Mak Mun Kee Noodles Shop HKD38

Wantoon Noodles at Mak Mun Kee Noodles Shop HKD38

Let’s talk about the noodles first. One word. YEASTY! Kate and I dont really like the yeasty taste in most yellow noodles and this was one of the yeastiest noodles we’ve had. To be fair, we were having the dry version. Perhaps the soup version would be less yeasty? The texture on the hand was springy and chewy – what the Taiwanese would say : “Q!” The portion was also very generous.

In terms of taste, the beef brisket was a clear winner. The beef was tender, mixed with portions of tendons that left that savoury taste in your mouth, leaving you wanting for more….

Wantons on the other hand HAD 2 PRAWNS IN EACH WANTON!! 😮 Usually we will have minced pork with (sometimes half) a prawn in our wantons in Singapore. But this version had 2 huge and succulent prawns!

Overall, the beef brisket noodles is a “must-try” while if you’re going for wanton noodles, try the soup version and let us know how it is.

How to get to Mak Mun Kee Noodles Shop Hong Kong

Map of Mak Mun Kee Noodles Shop at Parkes Street

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If you are fine with yeasty tastes, we would recommend that you try out the great tasting beef noodles and huge succulent wantons at Mak Mun Kee!

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You have just finished a post on our 9 day trip to Hong Kong, Macau and Shen Zhen. Read on to find out more about our adventures during this trip!

Hong Kong Trip : Day 1
Hong Kong Trip Day 2 : The Attractions of Tsuen Wan
Hong Kong Trip Day 3 : Ocean Park and New Year’s Eve Countdown
Hong Kong Trip Day 4 – Side Trip to Macau
Hong Kong Trip Day 5 – Continuing Our Travels in Macao
Hong Kong Trip Day 6 – Rounding up Macao and Returning to HK
Day 7 Hong Kong Trip : Side Trip to Shen Zhen & Debunking Recommendations
Day 8 Hong Kong Trip : What we did in Central 中環 Hong Kong
Day 9 Hong Kong Trip : A Surprise Find at Lian Xiang Ju Dim Sum Restaurant

Hotels and Hostels We Stayed in Hong Kong

New Year’s Eve Countdown at Victoria Harbour Hong Kong
Ibis Hotel Hong Kong Central & Sheung Wan : For the Best Views of Victoria Harbour
L Hotel Nina Convention Centre Hong Kong : Great views over Tsuen Wan
Jordan Comfort Inn Review @ New Lucky House Hong Kong
New China Yan Yan Guest House at Chung King Mansion

Food and Dining in Hong Kong

3 Reasons Why You MUST Try Dim Sum in Hong Kong and Macao
The Minimalist Guide to Eating at Tim Ho Wan Hong Kong
A Classy Treat at Lei Garden International Finance Center Hong Kong
Mak Mun Kee 麦文记 Noodles Shop : Best Wanton and Beef Noodles in Hong Kong
Great Desserts at Australian Dairy Company Hong Kong! ( 澳洲牛奶公司)
Lan Fong Yuen Hong Kong : For a taste of traditional milk tea since 1952
Secret to Enjoying Hong Kong Cafes…
What a typical Hong Kong Cafe is like
Debunking Recommendations of DiscoverHongKong.com : What NOT to eat in Hong Kong

Attractions in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Central Mid Level Escalator : Longest Escalator Walkway System in the World
Avenue of Stars 星光大道 : Hong Kong’s Hollywood Walk of Fame
Ocean Park Hong Kong : Still worth a visit?
Temple Street 庙街 Hong Kong : First glimpse at Hong Kong’s Night Market
Where to shop in Hong Kong? Citygate Outlets Tung Chung!
Elements Shopping Mall at Kowloon Hong Kong
Only make a side trip from Hong Kong to Shen Zhen if…
21 Amazing Travel Experiences in Hong Kong

Hotels We Stayed in Macau

Hotel Royal Macau : Luxury at a Central Location
Regency Hotel Macau : A 5 Stars Hotel?

Attractions in Macau

Guia Fortress and Lighthouse Macao : An Elusive Fortress Found
Macao Maritime Museum : Great Price Good Exhibits
Historic Centre of Macao : Ruins of Saint Paul’s, Mount Fortress & More
Cotai Strip Macau : Games, Shows, Food and Entertainment
Taipa Village Macau : Houses Museum, Pork Buns, Portuguese Egg Tarts
Top 5 MUST DO Things in Macao : You have not been to Macao unless you have…

Updated on August 19, 2023November 4, 2013Asia Elements Shopping Mall Hong Kong Travel

Elements Shopping Mall at Kowloon Hong Kong!

Elements is a fancy high class shopping mall located beside Kowloon MTR. The entire shopping mall is divided into 5 zones (the 5 elements – hence its name) including Metal, Water, Fire, Earth and Wood Zones. Different zones offers different aspects of a shopping mall including luxury brands at Metal, health beauty and lifestyle at Wood, international cuisines at Water, Fashion at Earth and Entertainment at Fire.

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Things to see and do in Elements Shopping Mall Kowloon Hong Kong

Entrance to Elements Shopping Mall from Kowloon MTR

Ice skating rink @ Fire Zone Elements Shopping Mall Hong Kong

Kate and I were wondering through this huge mall when we come upon this tree…

Cute tree made of many many stuffed toys!

While we were there, there was an exhibition by Olek – the crochet Queen. She’s listed as one of the top 25 artists in the world and was invited to place her crochet art at Elements. We took some of the shots…

How to get to Elements Shopping Mall Hong Kong

Map of Elements Shopping Mall Hong Kong beside Kowloon MTR

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For endless shopping and entertainment, look no further than Elements Shopping Mall!

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You have just finished a post on our 9 day trip to Hong Kong, Macau and Shen Zhen. Read on to find out more about our adventures during this trip!

Hotels and Hostels We Stayed in Hong Kong

Food and Dining in Hong Kong

Attractions in Hong Kong

Hotels We Stayed in Macau

Hotel Royal Macau : Luxury at a Central Location
Regency Hotel Macau : A 5 Stars Hotel?

Attractions in Macau

Updated on August 19, 2023November 3, 2013Asia Food Hong Kong Hong Kong

What a typical Hong Kong Cafe is like

Hong Kong cafes in Hong Kong are not what you typically see in Singapore. In Singapore, you see classy Hong Kong cafes. They have themes and are well-renovated. Prices are EXPENSIVE as well!

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However in Hong Kong, Hong Kong cafes are more like a way of life. At almost every corner you turn, there’s sure to be a friendly Hong Kong cafe nearby…

A typical Hong Kong Cafe (Cha Chan Teng)A typical Hong Kong Cafe (Cha Chan Teng)

So on the 2nd morning of our trip in Hong Kong, we decided to pop by a Hong Kong cafe to have a typical Hong Konger breakfast. There are a few things that we noticed when we ate at Hong Kong cafes in Hong Kong.

1. Spoilt for choice. Somehow this humble HK cafe manages to serve up MANY types of food each day. For morning, they serve the typical noodles, toast, bun sets. But if you’re game enough (for breakfast), they do serve spaghetti, chicken chop, cutlets and more. This morning, we went for the typical Hong Kong breakfast – bo luo bun, spaghetti soup, toast and milk tea (a must-have in HK)…

Bo Luo You & Milk Tea for 18 HKD ($3 SGD) at Hong Cafe Cha Chan Teng

The bo luo you (butter in bo luo bun – an oven toasted bun with mildly sweet crispy top coating) is a typical snack/breakfast mate. The milk tea is also a typical breakfast staple. But somehow, it tastes alot thicker in Hong Kong. Nicer but may be a be jerlat (too much) if you take more than 2 cups a day.

Hong Kong Cafe Char Siew Spaghetti Noodles and Ham & Eggs Sandwich

2. Old World Charm. When you enter a typical Hong Kong cafe, you will find that most exuberate a charm from yester years. Table arrangements, kitchen, waiters still reminds patrons of how it was like in the 80s to have a friendly breakfast at the local joint. Food choices may have increased in variety, but familiar tastes such as the toast, bo luo bun and of course the milk tea has “nostalgia” written all over it…

3. Fast service. Maybe a little too fast. The pace of living in Hong Kong has greatly risen in the past decade. In many restaurants, you will find that food is just meant to be energy for the body. You eat and you go. The humble Hong Kong cafe has not been able to avoid the brunt of this fast-paced development. Even in the most traditional HK cafe, waiters will circle around tables (like hyenas or vultures), swooping in when they spot an empty plate or when a patron has just finished the last sip of his milk tea. The glaring eyes of the waiters also beams on you should you so decide to enjoy your cup of coffee with the morning newspapers.

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How was your experience like at the Hong Kong cafe? Tell us about it in the comments section below!

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You have just finished a post on our 9 day trip to Hong Kong, Macau and Shen Zhen. Read on to find out more about our adventures during this trip!

Hotels and Hostels We Stayed in Hong Kong

Food and Dining in Hong Kong

Attractions in Hong Kong

Hotels We Stayed in Macau

Hotel Royal Macau : Luxury at a Central Location
Regency Hotel Macau : A 5 Stars Hotel?

Attractions in Macau

Updated on August 19, 2023November 2, 2013Asia Hong Kong Jordan Comfort Inn

Jordan Comfort Inn Review | New Lucky House Hong Kong

Jordan Comfort Inn New Lucky House Hong Kong

Our very first hostel stay in Hong Kong was at the Jordan Comfort Inn. It was the peak period at the end of the year so it was quite difficult to find a cheap and good hotel. In fact, many hotels were fully booked. The next best thing was to look at hostels.

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We were actually quite surprised how expensive hostels in Hong Kong can be. The hostel stay cost $112 SGD for a night. Plus it was small. How small? Approximately 8sqm, take a look…

Small bed beside the entrance to the room

It was also quite difficult to locate Jordan Comfort Inn. As it turns out, there are many hostels in buildings such as the New Lucky House.

In buildings such as this, there are many many hostels. They are sub-divided into rooms and rented as hostels. Most of these rooms have no views at all. They are mostly rooms with no windows. The only view you get is outside the hostel. This was the view outside Jordan Comfort Inn…

Well, the good thing is that our room had air conditioning, an attached bathroom and even a wall mounted TV. There’s also complimentary water available for top up.

But the best part of Jordan Comfort Inn is its location. Temple Street and other famous eateries are within walking distance. We also took a walk to Victoria Harbour that evening. Guess, we’re paying for the location and not the room per se. That really should be the way right? Since you are in Hong Kong, you should be spending most of your time out of your room, shopping and eating!

How to get to Jordan Comfort Inn Hong Kong

Map of Jordan Comfort Inn Hong Kong

Jordan Comfort Inn is located at New Lucky Building, a short walk from the Jordan MTR. To reach here, we took the E21 from the airport and alighted nearby. The ride itself was about an hour from the airport to Prince Edward. Just ask the friendly bus uncles and they will let you know exactly where to stop.

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The room may not be that cheap but the small room does come with an attached bathroom and TV. Hence, for an excellent location, we will recommend no-frills stay at the Jordan Comfort Inn!

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You have just finished a post on our 9 day trip to Hong Kong, Macau and Shen Zhen. Read on to find out more about our adventures during this trip!

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Hotel Royal Macau : Luxury at a Central Location
Regency Hotel Macau : A 5 Stars Hotel?

Attractions in Macau

Updated on August 19, 2023November 1, 2013Asia Hong Kong Hong Kong Temple Street 庙街 Travel

Temple Street 庙街 Hong Kong : First glimpse at Hong Kong’s Night Market!

Temple Street also known as 庙街 in Chinese is a street that converts into a night market in the evenings…

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Entrance to Temple Street 庙街 Jordan, Hong Kong

This was our first glimpse into the night markets of Hong Kong! Well, the key noticeable difference was that there was no food stalls! 😮 Yes, we were quite surprised as well! Well, for the avid shoppers, it means that there’s reduced possibility of stench on your clothes as you shop!

But for you foodies out there, no worries. At almost every corner of the streets in HK, there should be a Hong Kong cafe (茶餐厅) nearby. Near, Temple street, eateries also “expand their territories” at night by placing more chairs on the sidewalks. So you’ll still be able to get food along the roads perpendicular to Temple Street.

Bowring Street - An extension of the night markets — Bowring Street – An extension of the night markets

Temple street sells all sorts of “ling ling long long” (as Kate calls them). “Ling ling long long” usually equate to smallish cute things that usually doesnt have much practical use. Good as gifts though. When your friends receive them, they’ll be like “Awww…this is so cute! Thanks!” and places them in a drawer,somewhere at home, never to see the light of day again…(sinister laugh)

Ok, we digressed.

But still, you may be able to find gems at night markets such as this. You can get souvenirs such as shirts, umbrellas, magnets, display items etc. But a word of advice for visitors, COMPARE PRICES! We overheard one stall quoting quite an expensive price to an unsuspecting tourist! As you’ll soon find that the items/stalls repeats itself as you walk along the street, do take time to compare the various prices and snatch a good deal for yourself!

There’s also a similar market along Bowring street , perpendicular to Temple street, that you can check out as well.

As we ventured on, we started to feel peckish and we chanced upon a roast meat (烧腊) stall, along Shanghai street (an adjacent street)…

Roasted Meat Stall at Shanghai Street Hong Kong

The queue must mean something right? As with the Australian Diary Company, we saw a queue and joined it! Again, we were quite happy with what we found…

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The greatest part about this meal is that it costs only 48HKD!! That’s inclusive of this great tasting boiled soup as well!

Soup to help neutralise any "gelatness" from the roasted meats — Soup to help neutralise any “gelatness” from the roasted meats

I think the main draw itself was the price. We noticed many old uncles coming in to have a meal and most came alone 🙁 The price was great and the portions were huge. With the soup and free drink, the deal seemed even more enticing.

The only draw back was that most of the meats were too salty. Hence, the rice to go with it. Oh, the char siew tasted great though. Sweet with a tinge of burnt roasted taste. Good part of the pork as well. Tender with a little bit of fattiness. The accompanying vege with green onions were a great condiment to the rice as well.

How to get to Temple Street 庙街 Hong Kong

Map of Temple Street 庙街 Hong Kong

Temple Street is a short walk away from Jordan MTR. If you take the exit A, it is just a short 2 minutes walk along Jordan Road.

At night, the street is easily recognisable by this long stretch of night market!

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After a relaxing walk along Temple street and a great meal at the local roasted meat stall, our first night in Hong Kong was turning out to be a great start to our HK trip!

So what was your experience like visiting the night markets at Temple Street 庙街 Hong Kong ?

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Updated on August 19, 2023October 30, 2013Asia Australia Diary Company 澳洲牛奶公司 Food Hong Kong Hong Kong

Great Desserts at Australian Dairy Company Hong Kong! ( 澳洲牛奶公司)

Yes, we’re also wondering why it’s called the Australian Dairy Company when IT IS ACTUALLY IN HONG KONG!! The Australian Dairy Company also known as 澳洲牛奶公司 in Chinese is sort of like a Hong Kong cafe (茶餐厅) which serves typical Hong Kong breakfast fare (think tea, toast and eggs).

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Australian Dairy Company Hong Kong ( 澳洲牛奶公司)

But the reason for the queue?

Typical long queue outside Australian Dairy Company @ Jordan Hong Kong

is none other than the desserts!

What desserts to eat at Australian Dairy Company 澳洲牛奶公司

To be honest, we were actually heading to Mak Man Kee (wanton noodles place at Parke street) to find out its exact location the night before so that we would easily locate it during lunch the next day. BUT, as kiasu Singaporeans, we cant help but notice a long queue outside the Australian Dairy Company.

Then we saw that it had some pictures of desserts. We just had dinner, not a bad idea to have some desserts right? Little did we know that we stumbled upon one of the best dessert stalls in Hong Kong!

After queuing for 15 minutes (surprisingly short queue that evening – picture above is the queue the next day as we headed to Mak Man Kee!), we were promptly sat down. The menu was right before us but we still took some time to figure out the Chinese words on the menu. Thankfully, the aunty who sat beside us, saw that we were struggling and ordered the 2 main favourites for us!

The famous desserts at the Australian Dairy Company are the steamed egg white milk pudding (蛋白炖鲜奶) as well as the steamed almond egg pudding (杏汁炖蛋)…

Steamed Almond Egg Pudding (杏汁炖蛋) at Australian Dairy Company Hong Kong

Steamed Egg white with fresh milk at Australian Dairy Company Hong Kong (蛋白炖鲜奶)

The steamed egg white milk pudding (蛋白炖鲜奶) was shiok! I really think Hong Kongers are foodie genius! Would you have thought of combining egg white , milk and STEAM it?! I know I wouldnt. Yet the result is OH SO DELICIOUS!

The texture was soft and when it enters your mouth, it just melts and spreads. Ah… The taste was rich, flavourful and not too sweet. You can actually taste the egg white and milk all at the same time! Just so yummilicious!

The steamed almond egg pudding on the other hand had a stronger taste of the egg yolk. Again, from the business sense, the creation is a work of genius. You use the white and yolk separately. Create 2 desserts and have no wastage. Genius!

However, we liked the yellow less (not to be confused with yellow yellow – aka durian in the southeast asia region) and the white much more. The yellow had an overpowering yolk taste. For fans of egg yolk, this would be a favourite. But for Kate and I? Well…let’s just say that we managed to finish it.

Just one last comment, like most Hong Kong Cafe, the waiters act fast! So dont expect to leisurely enjoy your desserts cause they’ll be eyeing your bowl every step of the way! Once you’re done, you’re outta here!

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How to get to Australian Dairy Company 澳洲牛奶公司 Hong Kong

Map of Australian Dairy Company 澳洲牛奶公司 , Jordan Hong Kong

The Australian Dairy Company is located at 47-49 Parke Street. If you alight from the Jordan MTR, it is just a short 2 minutes walk away via exit C2. Once at Parke Street, you wont miss the long queue there.

Oh, there could be 2 long queues at Parke Street, the other at Mak Mun Kee. But you definitely wont miss it!

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So what was your experience like eating at the Australian Dairy Company?

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You have just finished a post on our 9 day trip to Hong Kong, Macau and Shen Zhen. Read on to find out more about our adventures during this trip!

Hotels and Hostels We Stayed in Hong Kong

Food and Dining in Hong Kong

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Hotels We Stayed in Macau

Hotel Royal Macau : Luxury at a Central Location
Regency Hotel Macau : A 5 Stars Hotel?

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Updated on August 19, 2023October 25, 2013Asia Citygate Outlets Tung Chung Hong Kong Hong Kong Travel

Where to shop in Hong Kong? Citygate Outlets Tung Chung!

Have you ever wondered “Where to shop in Hong Kong?” and whether there are outlet malls in Hong Kong? The answer…CITYGATE OUTLETS @ TUNG CHUNG!

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Where to shop in Hong Kong?

If you take a look at this map of Hong Kong, Tung Chung is located at the lower left side of the map and is really close to the Hong Kong International Airport! This is why, Kate arranged for Citygate Outlets to be our first stop in Hong Kong!

Shopping galore at Citygate Outlets Hong Kong!

Citygate Outlets is home to more than 80 international brands that offers 30% to 70% discounts all year round! What’s more, it is also a family friendly destination with restaurants, an outdoor fountain and even a cinema!

Citygate Outlet's Heart-shaped Ambassador — Citygate Outlet’s Heart-shaped Ambassador

Endless shopping choices at Citygate Outlet Tung Chung!

Initially, we thought that the sales must be “so-so” but as we continued to shop, we realised that some of the prices are much better than the country it originated from. But do note that if the prices are good, more likely than not, they would be off-season products.

But hey, if it’s cheap, just buy lah :p (Yes, Kate bought quite a bit)

After all that shopping, you will most certainly be HUNGRY! There is a food court (Food Republic) located at level 2 where you can try some of the Hong Kong delicacies. However, do note that the prices are not exactly cheap and the quality is not like those in the city. Still, it gives you the energy to shop more right?

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So our first wanton noodle from Hong Kong was from Citygate Outlets!

Wanton mee and porridge from this stall at Food Republic Citygate Outlets

Pork and Pork Stomach Congee with Fried Dough Stick (44HKD!!!)

Dumpling Noodles with many dumplings (42hkd) at Citygate Outlets Tung Chung

The noodles were quite normal but we were pleasantly surprised by the “shrimp only” wanton, which we later came to realise is a normal part of Hong Kong dumplings. The congee on the other hand was plain and bland – DONT BUY!

How to get to Citygate Outlets Tung Chung

Map of Citygate Outlets , Tung Chung Hong Kong

It is really quite simple to get to Citygate Outlets Tung Chung from the Hong Kong International Airport. All you have to do is

1. Purchase your Octopus card (150HKD with 100HKD value and 50HKD deposit)

2. Take E21 (costs 14HKD) , S1 or S64. Bus ride takes about 15 minutes.

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Hey, let us know your experience shopping at Citygate Outlets at Tung Chung Hong Kong!

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You have just finished a post on our 9 day trip to Hong Kong, Macau and Shen Zhen. Read on to find out more about our adventures during this trip!

Hotels and Hostels We Stayed in Hong Kong

Food and Dining in Hong Kong

Attractions in Hong Kong

Hotels We Stayed in Macau

Hotel Royal Macau : Luxury at a Central Location
Regency Hotel Macau : A 5 Stars Hotel?

Attractions in Macau

Updated on June 6, 2021October 23, 2013Food Serenity Spanish Bar and Restaurant Singapore Singapore Food Spanish Restaurant

Celebration @ Serenity : Spanish Bar and Restaurant VivoCity!

Recently, we had a celebration at Serenity at VivoCity. It is a Spanish bar and restaurant, touted as having some of the best tapas (appetizers) in town. The fame of its suckling pigs and paella also preceded its name. Hence, we decided to have our small celebration there and also check out the food at this Spanish joint.

Decorations at Serenity

Ambience at Serenity VivoCity

With the posters depicting various parts of Spain as well as the decorations that contributes to a relaxing atmosphere, Serenity gave us quite a good first impression. With prompt service, we were quickly tucked to a cozy corner of the restaurant where we could have our mini celebration. (Do note that this is not an advertorial and we did not inform the management about the celebration)

What to drink at Serenity Spanish Bar and Restaurant

They say (or the menu says) that a visit to Serenity is never complete unless you have tried its Sangrias. So we believe and ordered 3 Sangrias…

Classic Red Sangria Serenity – (Red Wine, Gin, Brandy, Orange Liquor, Juices, Lemonade)

Sangria Pantera Rosa @ Serenity Spanish Bar and Restaurant – (Red Wine, Raspberry Schnapps, Mixed Berries, Mint, Tonic)

Sangria De Coco – (White Wine, Malibu, Pineapple Juice)

Well, the verdict was not conclusive. Everyone had their own favourites. I liked mum’s Sangria De Coco while Kate loved the Classic Red. Bro enjoyed the Pantera Rosa. From another perspective, the conclusion is that there’s really a sangria suited for everyone! 🙂

What to eat at Serenity Spanish Bar and Restaurant

Deep Fried Spanish style cod fish cake

For tapas, we tried the cod fish cake. It was not that good. After our crab cakes lesson from USA, we should have avoided “seafood cakes” altogether. Though the crust was crispy, the insides did not do justice to the cod. Well, we’ll leave it as that. Next came the mains…

Paella Valenciana – (Saffron, chicken, Spanish chorizo, tiger prawns, squid, half shell mussels, rice)

1/2 Roasted Suckling Pig

Pollo con samfaina – (Roasted spring chicken stuffed with Spanish style vegetable rice)

Do note that the Paella and Roasted Suckling Pig are hot favourites at Serenity and will take about 30 mins to 1 hour of preparation time (depending on the crowd). Hence, if you’re ordering it, sit down, order these before looking at the rest of the mains or tapas.

Paella. Our favourite has got to be the Paella. Its said that the secret lies in the grains and Serenity uses the Boomba which is able to absorb flavours up to three times as much as normal grain. This move proved to be wise. The Paella was SOOOOOOOOOO flavourful. All the flavours of the ingredients were fused into the tiny grains and bursts forth as you take each mouthful of it. The only comment is that although the ingredients (prawns, mussels) were fresh, the manner of preparation dried them a little too much.

Roasted Suckling Pig. The roasted suckling pig proved to be a favourite as well. At $98++ it had better be good. And it was. The skin was light and crispy. The meat was tender, almost falling off the bones. The combination of the crispy skin and flavourful tender meat? Yummilicious!

In terms of flavour, the roasted chicken was ok. But the rice that went along with it was actually quite good. A little bit sticky but rich in flavours. Perhaps thats where all the flavours of the chicken went to…

Conclusion

The total bill came up to $300+ for 5 people. A little on the ex side. But the authentic Spanish taste did tilt the balance. I mean if you fly 5 people to Valencia to taste the Paella, it would have cost a few thousand bucks right? Hence, for the authentic taste and refreshingly good Sangrias, we give it a thumbs up.

But not too often, else it might just burn a hole in your pocket!

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In our comments section below, tell us more about your visit to Serenity Bar and Restaurant at VivoCity!

Updated on November 28, 2020October 18, 2013Chinese Restaurant Food Singapore Singapore Food Tim Ho Wan Dim Sum Restaurant

Tim Ho Wan Plaza Singapura : Is it Worth the Wait?

Tim Ho Wan, the famous Hong Kong michelin-starred dim sum restaurant has opened its first outlet outside Hong Kong – right here in Singapore @ Plaza Singapura!

Tim Ho Wan @ Plaza Singapura

View of the seatings @ Tim Ho Wan Singapore

Queue for dim sum at Tim Ho Wan Plaza Singapura

If this is your first time eating at Tim Ho Wan, do note that the waiting time can be quite long. As we were eating as a family and needed 8 seats, the staff needed time to re-arrange the seats and wait for patrons to finish up as well. Hence, our total waiting time was close to 2 hours.

HOWEVER, if you are eating as a couple, it is much easier to arrange seats for you. As we were waiting, many couples went ahead of us. Hence, the waiting time for couples is about 30 minutes.

Once you reach the seats in front of the restaurant, you would be given the order chit to have a look at the menu so that you can place orders as soon as you’re seated.

Page 1 of Menu @ Tim Ho Wan Dim Sum

Page 2 of Menu @ Tim Ho Wan Dim Sum

What to order at Tim Ho Wan Dim Sum Restaurant

If you have no idea what to order at Tim Ho Wan, you definitely wont go wrong with the four heavenly kings (四大天王）- Steamed Egg Cake (香滑马来糕), Vermicelli Roll with Pig’s Liver（黄沙猪润肠）, Baked Bun with BBQ Pork （酥皮叉烧包）, Pan Fried Carrot Cake （香煎萝卜糕）。。。

Four heavenly kings (四大天王） @ Tim Ho Wan Singapore

Pan Fried Carrot Cake （香煎萝卜糕）from Tim Ho Wan Plaza Singapura

The carrot cake was flavourful, slightly crisp on the outside and layered on the inside with the textures felt as you go in for your first bite.

Steamed Egg Cake (香滑马来糕) from Tim Ho Wan

The steamed egg cake has always been the surprise for us (we’ve tried the original Tim Ho Wan in Mong Kok, Hong Kong some time back). This is because it is something sweet! Try having something sweet while you’re having the savoury dim sums. Doesnt sound quite right does it? But the egg cake somehow blends in seemlessly with its mild sweetness, light fluffy texture and fragrant brown sugar taste. Somehow it goes really well with the dim sums at Tim Ho Wan…

Baked Bun with BBQ Pork （酥皮叉烧包）@ Tim Ho Wan

The char siew bao as always been the highlight of Tim Ho Wan. So much so that each person is limited to 1 order of the famous dim sum! Unlike all other buns you’ve ever eaten, it is REALLY crispy on the outside and bursting with char siew flavours on the inside! An ingenious creation indeed. Still remember our first bite at Tim Ho Wan Mong Kok…ahh…
Oh, somehow the Singapore version of the baked bun with BBQ pork fares slightly poorer compared to its HK counterpart. Especially the char siew portion. This version is slightly on the sweet side while the one in HK is on the “Oh” side (“Oh” refers to “Oh, this is really good!”)

We also tried several other dim sums such as

Prawn Dumpling (晶莹鲜虾饺）

Garlic Mushroom Spinach Dumpling (金蒜香菇菠菜饺）

You wont miss much if you do not try these 2. But do try the following (plus beef ball – unfortunately we tucked in too fast and forgot to take photo of it :p)…

Chicken Feet with Black Bean Sauce （鼓汁蒸凤饺）

Beancurd Skin Roll with Pork and Shrimp (鲜竹卷）

Spring Roll with Crab Meat (螃蟹春卷)

The beancurd skin roll, beef ball and spring roll are the next few dim sums that you must try. The meats of the beancurd skin roll and beef ball are fresh, succulent and sort of dances around in your mouth (partly also because its hot) but still, it was yummy!

The spring roll had a sweet, seafood taste to its fillings. Something that you dont quite usually get with spring rolls (usually vege inside right?)

However, if you have space for only 1 other dish, you MUST ORDER the Tonic Medlar & Osmanthus Cake (杞子桂花糕)

Tonic Medlar & Osmanthus Cake (杞子桂花糕) @ Tim Ho Wan

Again, we tucked in ferociously before we took this photo (yes, this is almost the remains of the carcass). The taste was simply REFRESHING! Light refreshing sweetness with lasting tastes of the medlar and osmanthus….did we mention that it was refreshing?

You would definitely enjoy your trip to Tim Ho Wan @ Plaza Singapura. Even our mum who is quite a connoisseur herself (high tea / buffet queen) enjoyed the dim sum at Tim Ho Wan! Hence, we would definitely say it’s worth the wait to eat at Tim Ho Wan (添好运）!

Baked Bun with BBQ Pork （酥皮叉烧包）Tim Ho Wan

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Updated on December 31, 2020October 16, 2013E Wedel Cafe Europe Folk Gospoda InterContinental Warszawa Platinum Residence Warsaw Poland Things to do Things to do in Europe Things to do in Poland Things to do in Warsaw Travel Warsaw Warsaw Warsaw Attractions What to eat in Warsaw Poland Where to stay in Warsaw

Top 5 Things to do and Attractions in Warsaw Poland!

On onset, Warsaw may seem like a mundane place with nothing much to do. However, upon closer inspection, you’ll find that there are actually alot of things to do and attractions in Warsaw Poland! Here are our top 5 things to do!

Things to do in Warsaw

1. Old City in Warsaw

View of the Old City from Intercontinental Warsaw

This view taken from the room of Intercontinental Hotel Warsaw shows the aerial view of the entire old city of Warsaw. You may not believe it, but most of the original old city was destroyed during and post World War 2. Hence, most of what we see today is actually a “rebuilt old city” altogether. Meticulous huh?

Warsaw Mermaid at Old Town Square Poland

360 View of Old Town Square Warsaw

Defensive Walls of the Warsaw Barbican Fortress - You can also pick up some souvenirs here :) — Defensive Walls of the Warsaw Barbican Fortress – You can also pick up some souvenirs here 🙂

Monument at the centre of Castle Square Warsaw Poland

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Warsaw Poland

St. John's Cathedral Warszawa Poland — St. John’s Cathedral Warszawa Poland

Cross near the tomb of the Unknown Soldier Warsaw Poland

What to eat in Warsaw Poland

2. E. Wedel Cafe – The Oldest Chocolatier in Poland since 1851

Traditional Wedel Chocolate made from rich melted original recipe chocolate! (E Wedel Cafe Warsaw Poland)

Wedel was known to be the “Willy Wonka” of Poland during his time. Be sure to drop by this original site of the oldest chocolatier in Poland and enjoy a cup of rich melted chocolate at the E. Wedel Cafe!

3. Pierogi – Polish Dumplings

Spelt Pierogi with spinach leaves and cream cheese (24zl)

If you’re thinking about what’s there to eat in Poland, pierogi comes to mind! It would be so completely wrong not to have tried the Pierogi (Polish Dumplings) if you were to visit Warsaw. Make sure you try it! Seriously!

4. Best Traditional Polish Restaurant – Folk Gospoda!

Honey Glazed Pork Knuckle (38zl) @ Folk Gospoda Warsaw Poland

Need we say more? For the best traditional Polish food at great prices, visit Folk Gospoda!

Where to stay in Warsaw Poland

5. Best Hotel in Warsaw – Intercontinental Warsaw Hotel

Spacious room with nice comfy bed at the Intercontinental Warsaw

Palace of Culture and Science from Intercontinental Warsaw Poland

The Intercontinental Hotel Warsaw is definitely the best hotel in Warsaw. Not only does it boast of the best view of the entire city of Warsaw (close up of the Palace of Culture and Science), you can also enjoy the view in the hot tub from the sky pool of the hotel! The breakfast at this hotel is also touted as the best buffet breakfast in the entire Warsaw. Complete with live harp music!

For a lower budget, you can also check out Platinum Residences that shares its facilities with Hilton Hotel Warsaw!

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Updated on December 31, 2020October 11, 2013E Wedel Cafe Europe Food Poland Warsaw Warsaw

What to do in Warsaw : E. Wedel Cafe – The Oldest Chocolatier in Poland since 1851

If you’re wondering what’s there to do in Warsaw? Fret no more! Try the E. Wedel Cafe! Located at 8 Szpitalna Street in Warsaw, the Wedel cafe is today still located at its original location and Jan Wedel (the last “Wedel” owner) was then known as the “Willy Wonka” of Poland!

Wedel Cafe Building located at 8 Szpitalna Street Warsaw

As the oldest chocalatier in the whole of Poland, Wedel is of course known for its chocolates! It is today quite an atas (high class) place to chill out and have a nice leisurely afternoon with your friends. Check out the high class setting of Wedel cafe!

Founders of Wedel Chocolate Warsaw Poland

Interior of Wedel Cafe (Warsaw Poland) with all sorts of chocolates and pralines!

Chocolate basket - Nicely packaged Wedel Chocolates!! — Chocolate basket – Nicely packaged Wedel Chocolates!!

The cool thing about Wedel cafe is that eventhough it is quite high class, the prices are actually still pretty much affordable. Cheaper than your starbucks coffee! 😮 We had a “Traditional Chocolate” which is made of rich melted original chocolate, for only 12zl!! Just 1 is good to share because of its richness. You may feel jerlat if you have 1 whole cup to yourself. But then again, it’s chocolate right? Chocolates are scientifically proven to help the brain release endorphins. Therefore you’ll feel happier…

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E Wedel Cafe is definitely a must visit attraction the next time you visit Warsaw!

Where to stay in Warsaw Poland? Platinum Residence!

If you’re asking where to stay in Warsaw Poland, we’ll definitely recommend Hotel Intercontinental Warsaw! But for similar luxuries but at a cheaper price, the Platinum Residence is a definitely a good alternative and here’s why…

Where to stay in Warsaw Poland

Living room of Platinum Residence

Bedroom Studio Apartment of Platinum Residence

Bathroom of Platinum Residence

View from the Balcony of Platinum Residence

The really cool part about staying in Platinum Residence is that you can share the facilities at the adjacent Hilton Hotel Warsaw! That means that you can enjoy the fitness / swimming facilities as well, without paying for the fees of Hilton! 🙂

In addition, because it is an apartment, it is also bigger in size. It comes with a mini kitchen, a living area as well as the bedroom! The bathroom is also quite spacious with an attached bathtub (something that Kate loves!)

The only funny incident that occurred was that we were brought to the wrong room at first! It was quite awkward because the porter brought our bags up and checked the room first. But after he entered, he said he saw guests sleeping and requested us to have another room…hahaha…

Otherwise, the hotel was comfortable, centrally located with good amenities and walking distance to the best restaurant in the whole of Warsaw – Folk Gospoda!!

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All in all, Platinum Residence is definitely one of the best 5 stars hotel in Warsaw Poland!

Updated on December 31, 2020October 4, 2013Europe Food Poland Things to do Things to do in Europe Things to do in Poland Things to do in Warsaw Warsaw Warsaw Warsaw Attractions What to eat in Warsaw What to eat in Warsaw Poland

What to eat in Warsaw Poland? Pierogi (Polish Dumplings) of course!

If it’s your first time in Poland and you’re wondering what to eat in Warsaw Poland, you definitely wont go wrong with pierogi or the humble dumpling!

What to eat in Warsaw Poland?

Zapiecek is actually a franchise that has many outlets Warsaw. The food there is not too bad, well-priced and quite traditional. If you’re not sure where to go, this place is a good start. But of course, for excellent, top notch, best polish food, you’ve got to go to Folk Gospoda!

Interior of restaurant with many translation of the word "Dumpling" — Interior of restaurant with many translation of the word “Dumpling”

The interior of the restaurant is quite traditionally decorated. The main theme was wood which brought about a homely traditional feel. The wall was also written with different translations and fonts of the word “dumpling” which seems to suggest that their dumplings are quite good…

Hungarian Pancake with Goulash & Pork Stew (32zl)

There were so many types of dumplings available on the menu and after browsing for quite a while (the waitress came back to us twice), we finally decided upon the Spelt Pierogi and the Hungarian Pancake!

We chose the spelt pierogi cause of its unique ingredients of spinach and cream cheese. Usually dumplings come with meat. This is a bit different. Plus it’s recommended! The cheese was mild (much like a sauce) and went quite well with the spinach filling.

The Hungarian pancake on the other hand was REALLY filling! The starchy pancake and the meaty chunks made us really really full after the meal. The sauce was meaty with a slight tomato base so though we were quite full, it did not make us feel jerlat (too sick of it).

The meal ended with a nice glass of Sangria. Great choice by Kate. 700ml for $6SGD! 😮

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Top 7 Things to do and Attractions in Munich Germany!

When one thinks of Munich, Oktoberfest will naturally come to mind! But what are the top things to do and attractions in Munich really? Where exactly to stay in Munich?

Let’s find out!

Top Things to do and Attractions in Munich Germany!

1. Glockenspiel Clock Tower

Rathaus Glockenspiel @ Marienplatz Munich

The Rathaus Glockenspiel is one of the top 10 must visit clock towers in the world! Today, it attracts millions of visitors annually to see its shows and the uniqueness of what this clock tower has to offer!

2. Marienplatz

City Hall Clock Tower and the Mariensäule (Marian Column)

Besides the Glockenspiel, Marienplatz itself also attracts visitors alike. At this old square, visitors can enjoy a drink at the cafes, catch the show of Glockenspiel or simply just people watch. Meet your friends at Mariensaule if you’re lost!

3. Viktualienmarkt

Viktualienmarkt (Munich) and the Maypole

An old farmer’s market in the past, Viktualienmarkt has evolved into a large market that sells all types of groceries, meats and even souvenirs. Have a meal at the al fresco dining area while you’re there!

4. Hofbrauhaus Munchen

Best pork knuckle ever @ Hofbrauhaus Munchen

Missed Oktoberfest? No worries! Hofbrauhaus brewery has its own merry men that conjours that lively atmosphere at the Oktoberfest! What’s more, you get to savour the best pork knuckle ever here at Hofbrauhaus! Guten Appetit!

5. Englischer Garten

Entrance to the Englischer Garten Munich

Enjoy a leisurely stroll at the Englischer Garten! Check out the Japanese Tea House or the Chinese Tower in this garden while you’re here. You may also chance upon surfers here!

6. Side Trips to Oberammergau and Mittenwald – Bavarian!

Street with Alps in the background - Artistically taken by Kate! — Street with Alps in the background – Artistically taken by Kate!

Alps (The Kofel : Oberammergau Matterhorn) and the ice cream shop

The awe-inspiring Bavarian Alps can be visited via Munich! Take a short trip to Oberammergau and Mittenwald where you’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery as well as the large mural art! You can also choose to visit the Neuschwanstein castle that inspired the animation at the start of Disney’s production.

7. Oktoberfest!!!

Welcome to Oktoberfest at Theriesen Wiese, Munich!

Throngs of people in the Oktoberfest beer tents - in the middle of the day! — Throngs of people in the Oktoberfest beer tents – in the middle of the day!

How can a visit to Munich be complete without going to the Oktoberfest?! Oktoberfest, held at the Theresienwiese Oktoberfest area is not only the biggest beer festival in the world, it is also a huge gigantic fun fair, offering a great time for the entire family!

We stayed at the NH Dornach during our visit to the Oktoberfest. Do check out our posts about the hotels!

Related Posts

You have just finished a post in this series of our travels in Munich. Find out more about Munich in these related posts!

Top 7 Things to do and Attractions in Munich Germany
Englischer Garten Munich : A surfer’s paradise?
Viktualienmarkt Munich : A Market in Munich City Centre
Marienplatz Munich : Old Town Square of Munich
Glockenspiel Munich : Top 10 Clock Towers in the World
Hofbrauhaus Brewery Munich : Fresh Beers and the Best Pork Knuckle Ever!
Oktoberfest Germany Munich : The Biggest Beer Festival in the World!
Oktoberfest Munich, Germany: Things to do and Attractions (Besides Beer that is…)

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Updated on December 29, 2020September 27, 2013Berlin Berlin Berlin Attractions Europe Germany Things to do Things to do in Berlin Things to do in Europe Things to do in Germany Travel

Top 8 Things to do and Attractions in Berlin Germany!

Although Berlin is the capital of Germany, many people do not know the things to do and attractions in this wonderful city! Here is a quick low down of all the things you can do here (click on the links to see our coverage of each of them)

1. Brandenburg Gate

Brandenburg Gate is an iconic landmark in the whole of Berlin. A popular tourist site that is also home to many embassies, Brandenburg Gate sees many events taking place in and around its premise.

2. Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie : American soldier as you enter the Allies American Sector

One of the main crossings between East and West Germany, Checkpoint Charlie has seen a fair share of action during the Cold War, including the stand-off between 10 tanks from Soviet and American forces in 1961.

3. Berlin Wall & East Side Gallery

Cute Watch Tower @ Berlin Wall East Side Gallery

Besides the Berlin Wall Documentation Centre, the Berlin wall is also home to some fine street art. At the Berlin Wall East Side Gallery, you can see some iconic art work such as the cute watch tower above.

4. Berlin Zoo

The Alkapa at the entrance of the Berlin Zoo!

The Berlin Zoo is an excellent place to spend the day with the kids. There are some interesting animals such as the Alkapa which cannot be seen in our Zoo.

5. Alexanderplatz

Alexanderplatz and its iconic King Neptune Sculpture

Alexanderplatz was featured in the Bourne Supremacy where Jason Bourne met a contact in the movie. It is also close to iconic structures such as the Berlin TV tower, Red City Hall as well this sculpture of King Neptune seen above.

6. Berlin Central Station

Futuristic Berlin Central Station (Hauptbahnhof)

If you’re arriving by train, you would not miss this iconic train station. The Berlin Central Station is covered completely with glass on the exterior that gives it its futuristic feel. Great photo opportunities!

7. Berliner Currywurst

Is the Berliner Currywurst all that its hyped out to be? Find out in our post!

8. Hotel Stays

Berlin Hotel Huge room with beds and living area!

We stayed at the Hotel Amelie Berlin as well as the Berliner Hof Hotel. Do check out our posts about the hotels!

Related Posts

You have just finished a post from our Berlin Travels. Below, you can find other relevant posts covered during this trip!

Top 8 Things to do and Attractions in Berlin Germany
Berliner Hof Hotel – A great base to explore Berlin
Berlin Hauptbahnhof : Futuristic Berlin Central Station
Alexanderplatz Berlin : A relaxed evening and a sumptuous steak dinner at Block House
Hotel Amelie Berlin : No frills budget stay
Berliner Currywurst : Is it really all that its hyped up to be?
Berlin Wall East Side Gallery : Iconic Artwork Awaits
Checkpoint Charlie Berlin : At Berlin Wall between East and West Berlin
Holocaust Memorial Berlin : Memorial to the Murdered Jews in Europe
Brandenburg Gate Berlin Germany aka Brandenburger Tor : A Must Visit Attraction
Berlin Zoo aka Hauptstadt Zoologischer Garten : Back to Nature…
Berlin Wall Documentation Centre : History Before Your Very Eyes
Der Reichstag Berlin : Home of the German Parliament (Bundestag)

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Updated on December 31, 2020September 25, 2013Europe Folk Gospoda Food Poland Travel Warsaw Warsaw

Folk Gospoda : Simply the Best Polish Restaurant in Warsaw!

Folk Gospoda Best Polish Restaurant in Warsaw

Folk Gospoda is simply the best polish restaurant in Warsaw! This restaurant is excellent in taste, has great service and has prices that are hard to beat (especially for its set lunches). So good, that we visited it twice in a matter of days!

Entrance to Folk Gospoda in Warsaw Poland

On our first night there, we were pleasantly surprised by the ambience. A cozy, homely feel accomplished with the wood finishes…

Warm and cozy ambience with wood finishes at Folk Gospoda Warsaw Poland

The bar counter at Folk Gospoda Warsaw Poland

Menu of Folk Gospoda at Grzybowska Street

On our first visit to Folk Gospoda, we ordered the traditional polish fare of smoked duck and meat dumplings!

Folk Gospoda (Warsaw Poland)Smoked duck with raspberry sauce (43zl) and yes, that's an apple! — Folk Gospoda (Warsaw Poland)Smoked duck with raspberry sauce (43zl) and yes, that’s an apple!

Folk Gospoda: Russian Style Meat Dumplings (24zl)

Both dishes were superb! The smoked duck was tender and the skin was crisp. The raspberry sauce complemented the smokey full flavoured duck. The dish was also served with sauerkraut as well as the potato dumpling which was chewy but oh so yummy!

On the other hand, the dumpling tasted really traditional (slight gamey taste) with bacon bits and pine nuts that really made the taste outstanding. The seasoning of the meat was not too salty, well balanced to bring out the flavours of the meat. Yum yum!

Set lunch at Folk Gospoda - Soup (Pea), Mains and Desserts for only 19zl! — Set lunch at Folk Gospoda – Soup (Pea), Mains and Desserts for only 19zl!

We decided to visit Folk Gospoda again because we heard about the set lunches which included soup, mains and desserts for just 19zl! (Thats $7.50SGD!). The other reason was because we simply had to try the honey-glazed pork knuckle which we saw on the menu on our last visit! Sounded so enticing! Again, we thoroughly enjoyed this visit…

Folk Gospoda Restaurant: Stick of Pork Skewer with Green & Red Peppers w Fries

The set lunch came with the mains of the pork skewer with fries and it was well worth the price. Although the meat was a wee bit tough, the taste more than made up for it. The smokey, BBQ, kebab-like taste was quite enjoyable. The light hot sauce helped to tingle the taste buds as well.

Finally, the highlight that we were waiting for…the Honey Glazed Pork Knuckle! Just by looking at the picture, you must be wanting to sink your teeth into it right? Well, it was REALLY juicy and tender! The skin was lightly sweetened by the honey and the meat, OH SO TENDER! The combination coupled with some light mustard was just perfect. Ma ma mia! Speaking of pork knuckles, we would still rank the Hof Brauhaus pork knuckle 1st. But this one at Folk Gospoda comes in a really close 2nd!

Folk Gospoda Warsaw: Creampie with Fruit

We ended off the meal with the fruit creampie. Seemed to us like a traditional dish. The cream was light and fresh. Tasted as though the cream was freshly blended and frothed before bringing up to you. The total bill came up to 70zl and it was really well worth it!

How to get to Folk Gospoda Warsaw Poland

Map to Folk Gospoda in Warsaw Poland

Folk Gospoda is located near the junction of Grzybowska and Wallcow streets. You wont miss it because you will notice a large mural on the wall that says “Folk Gospoda” and a logo of a peacock (we’re guessing here). Because we stayed at the Platinum Residences (beside Hilton Warsaw), it was just a short walk away.

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When in Warsaw, like they say, if you haven’t been to Folk Gospoda (the best restaurant in Warsaw Poland), you have not been to Warsaw!

Englischer Garten Munich : A surfer’s paradise?

Englischer Garten or the English Gardens in Munich is a large public garden, larger than that of Central Park in New York! Here, you can enjoy a relaxing stroll through the gardens, have a tea at the Japanese Tea House or just chill with your buddies at the Chinese Tower (aka Chinesischer Turm).

What to do at the Englischer Garten Munich

Japanisches Teehaus or the Japanese Tea House is a place in the gardens where regular tea ceremonies take place. Not a very good shot though.

Japanisches Teehaus with red autumn leaves

One of the most amazing sights we saw at the English Gardens was this…

Surfers surfing at the Englischer Garten Munich!

These surfers are actually surfing in the river! Turns out that this is an artificial stream with waves produced by pumps. ONLY experienced and skilled surfers are allowed on this river. See how skillful these surfers are!

Kate and I stood there for quite a while and it started to drizzle…so we continued on to enjoy the rest of the gardens, heading in the general direction of the Chinesischer Turm…

Chinesischer Turm at the Englischer Garten Munich

The Chinesischer Turm or Chinese Tower is one of the main attractions at the English Gardens. The Tower itself was meant to replicate a Chinese Pagoda and it is also home to the beer garden, which holds 7000 seats – the 2nd largest in the whole of Munich!

Unfortunately, the rain started to pour and Kate and I did not have the opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere here. If you had enjoy a couple of drinks here, share your experience with us in the comments section below!

How to get to Englischer Garten Munich

Map to the Englischer Garten Munich

As the garden is really huge, the Universitat, Giselastrasse & Münchner Freiheit U-bahn stations are close to the gardens. For the Chinese Tower, alight at Giselastrasse for a closer access!

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Englischer Garten aka English Gardens in Munich

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We hope your visit to the Englischer Garten and the Chinesischer Turm would be a wonderful, sunny and enjoyable one!

Updated on December 31, 2020September 18, 2013Europe Germany Munich Munich Travel Viktualienmarkt

Viktualienmarkt Munich : A Market in Munich City Centre

Viktualienmarkt is a market located in the centre of Munich city. Since Kate loves pasar malam (night markets – think Singapore & Taiwan), the equivalent in Europe would be markets like the Viktualienmarkt and the Albert Cuypmarkt in Amsterdam.

What to do at Viktualienmarkt Munich

The Viktualienmarkt was formerly known as a farmer’s market. However, as it grew and the reputation of the markets grew, more and more stalls took roots here. Today, it is home to more than 140 shops that includes restaurants, beer gardens and shops that sells flowers, souvenirs, fruits and vegetables, all sorts of meats and spices!

Restaurant at Viktualienmarkt where everyone hangs out on a sunny day

Shop selling souvenirs and potpourri at Viktualienmarkt Munich

As we were browsing the potpourris at this shop, we chanced upon a very cute porcupine souvenir. So we reached out and touched it. Not a good decision…

“No no! Dont touch it!” came the shouts from the store owner. So be warned! We think that the owners did not want us to affect the display that they had so painstakingly put in place. Remember not to touch, unless you want to buy!

Soup of the day - Vegetable with beef 6.30Euro — Soup of the day – Vegetable with beef 6.30Euro

We had our lunch at the Munchner Suppenkuche, basically a soup kitchen. The vegetable beef soup was quite hearty. The bread was the sour rye bread, an interesting complement with the soup. While we were having our soup, a TV production was on-going, so we watched on…

Film and production crew at Viktualienmarkt Munich

The actor and actress kept repeating this scene over and over again... — The actor and actress kept repeating this scene over and over again…

How to get to Viktualienmarkt Munich

Map of Viktualienmarkt in Munich

If you’re coming from Marienplatz (after visiting Glockenspiel), head south, towards St. Peter’s church. Make a turn at the corner and you will arrive at Viktualienmarkt!

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Visit Viktualienmarkt in Munich and take in the sights and sounds that this old market has to offer!

Updated on December 31, 2020September 13, 2013Europe Frauenkirche Germany Glockenspiel Marienplatz Mariensaule Munich Munich Travel

Marienplatz Munich : Old Town Square of Munich!

Marienplatz Munich is the old town square of the city and is definitely one of the places that you must check out when you visit Munich!

View of Marienplatz and its attractions!

There many attractions in and around Marienplatz…

1. Rathaus Glockenspiel. You can catch the 11 am show of the clock tower (Rathaus Glockenspiel) or take a seat at one of the many cafes and enjoy a cuppa while the performance takes place. If you’re standing, be prepared to stand for a while because it is a 15 minutes performance!

2. Mariensaule (Marian Column). The Marian Column is a monument that signifies the end of Swedish Occupation. Built in 1638, it also has a statue of Virgin Mary at the top of it. Also makes a good meeting area in the middle of the square.

3. Frauenkirche & St. Peter’s Church. Completed in the 1500s, Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Dear Lady) is one of the most prominent landmarks in Munich. The church has 2 iconic towers with a blue top. You can also visit the top of towers to have breath-taking views of the city of Munich. Another prominent landmark is the St. Peter’s Church.

Frauenkirche Munich and its 2 iconic towers

4. Shopping! In and around Marienplatz are tons of shopping options! Head towards Kaufingerstrasse and along Neuhauser Strasse towards Karlsplatz, you will find many shops and malls that line these streets!

How to get to Marienplatz Munich

Map of Marienplatz Town Square in Munich

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Updated on December 31, 2020September 11, 2013Europe Germany Munich Rathaus Glockenspiel City Hall Clock Tower

Glockenspiel Munich : Top 10 Clock Towers in the World!

Glockenspiel Munich, also known as the Clock Tower in Munich is one of the major attractions in Munich. Much like the Astronomical Clock in Prague, it is one of the top 10 must-visit tower clocks in the world! We visited the clock for the 11am performance…

Glockenspiel Munich – Top 10 Clock Towers in the World!

Rathaus and the statue in the middle of Marienplatz

The clock tower is part of the city hall or Rathaus. Hence its name of Rathaus Glockenspiel (City Hall Clock Tower).

There are 2 stories being told by the clock. The first part of the story (top portion) tells of a marriage which ends with a jousting match. The second part of the story (bottom portion) is a legend that depicts a dance that was suppose to ward off a plague.

The entire performance lasts about 15 minutes. It is actually quite tiring to hold the camera up for such a long time (thanks Kate!). Hence, here’s a shortened version of the performance for you!

How to get to Glockenspiel Munich

Map of Rathaus Glockenspiel Clock Tower in Munich

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Remember to visit this world renowned attraction – the Rathaus Glockenspiel Munich (Clock Tower) the next time you descend upon the city of Munich!

Updated on December 29, 2020September 6, 2013Berlin Berliner Hof Europe Germany

Berliner Hof Hotel – A great base to explore Berlin!

Berlin Hof Hotel is a great starting point to explore Berlin. Located near to Berlin Hof Hotel are attractions such as the Gedachtniskirche, KaDeWe (Kaufhof Des Westerns – Shopping Mall of the West, biggest shopping mall in Europe) and the Berlin Zoo!

Gadachtniskirche - A symbol of the West Berlin during Cold War — Gadachtniskirche – A symbol of the West Berlin during Cold War

Another view of the Gedachtniskirche - Today it is a museum & anti-war monument — Another view of the Gedachtniskirche – Today it is a museum & anti-war monument

It was initially a challenge to locate the Berliner Hof. We walked up and down Tauentzienstrasse (Tauentzien Street) asking several passers-by and was still not able to find it. Finally, we asked the lady at the newspaper stand. She spoke to us in German but pointed in a general direction. We followed her direction and finally found it! Yup the Berliner Hof was undergoing renovation.

Hence the iconic Berliner Hof Bear also stayed indoors

Reception of the Berliner Hof at the 2nd level

As we were there early that morning, we left our luggage with the reception and visited the Berlin Zoo! We only checked in after the zoo and we were completely surprised by the size of the room!

Large Room at the Berliner Hof Berlin Hotel

Berliner Hof Huge room with beds and living area!

Living area with a sofa Berliner Hof Hotel

View of the main street from the living area from Berliner Hof Hotel

The room is REALLY HUGE! There is even an additional living space with a long work desk as well as a sofa. The TV is movable, allowing you to choose between watching at the living room or just laze in bed. We watched Big Bang Theory in German! 🙂

Bathtub at the Berliner Hof Berlin Hotel

Although the room has a oldish look to it. The room was clean and kept in good condition. Because of the location of the hotel, you can overlook the shopping street right from the living room area. Did we also mention that the room was huge?

KaDeWe (Kaufhaus Des Westerns) - Shopping Mall of the West — KaDeWe (Kaufhaus Des Westerns) – Shopping Mall of the West

KaDeWe is a short walk from the Berliner Hof. It is not only the largest shopping mall in Europe but also the 5th largest shopping mall in the world! With 60,000sqm of shopping space and more than 2000 employees, you’ll be spoilt for choice here! We also got our nespresso machine here which was on additional offer. If you’re a nespresso lover, check out the Nespresso outlets in Europe as they offer better prices for both the machine and capsules!

Map of the Berliner Hof Hotel

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Besides the minor hiccups of locating the hotel, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Berliner Hof Hotel in Berlin!

Updated on July 18, 2015September 5, 2013Travel

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Updated on November 28, 2020September 5, 2013Contests & Promotions

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Updated on December 29, 2020September 4, 2013Berlin Berlin Berlin Hauptbahnhof Central Station Europe Germany Travel

Berlin Hauptbahnhof : Futuristic Berlin Central Station!

Just a quick post to explain why we totally love the Berlin Hauptbahnhof – Berlin’s central railway train station!

The Berlin Hauptbahnhof was completed in 2006 and even today, it exudes that futuristic look. The exterior of the train station is covered with glass panels, allowing sunlight to enter during the day, minimising electrical use, adding to the green factor.

In addition to the inter-state and inter-city train lines, there are also restaurants and shops in the train station. There are also picturesque scenes of the Spree River beside the Berlin Central Station. Taking a walk along the Spree River can also bring you to sights such as the Berliner Dom, Berlin TV Station as well as the St. Mary’s Church (Marien Kirche) at Alexanderplatz.

View of the Spree River in front of Berlin Central Station

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The Berlin Central Station does leave an impression doesn’t it? To us, the Berlin Hauptbahnhof is definitely one of the most iconic train stations we’ve seen!

Updated on December 29, 2020August 30, 2013Alexanderplatz Berlin Berlin Berlin TV Tower Europe Germany Red City Hall Travel

Alexanderplatz Berlin : A relaxed evening and a sumptuous steak dinner at Block House

On our first day in Berlin, we visited Alexanderplatz along with many significant architectures such as the Brandenburg Gate as well as the Holocaust Memorial. To put all the hype and speculation at ease, we also tried the Berliner curry wurst. After checking into Hotel Amelie Berlin, we took a leisure walk along the Spree River to the Berlin TV Tower…

Walking along Spree River to Berlin TV Tower - Past the Boden Museum — Walking along Spree River to Berlin TV Tower – Past the Boden Museum

Things to do at Alexanderplatz Berlin

As we approached Alexanderplatz, we also came across these…

Berliner Dom - Not to be mistaken with the Boden Museum — Berliner Dom – Not to be mistaken with the Boden Museum

Red City Hall Berlin – Seat of the Berlin City Council and Mayor

Marienkirche - Church dating back to 1294 — Marienkirche – Church dating back to 1294

Alexanderplatz Berlin

We also took a walk to the Berlin TV Tower and found out that the entry to the top of the tower is 12Euros. There’s also a restaurant there. However, do not be mistaken that there would be free entry if you are visiting the restaurant. According to the receptionist, you will still have to pay for the entrance fee. The good thing is that the dinner at the restaurant is not too expensive, at about 20Euros.

That evening, we walked past the Block House steak restaurant. So we crossed back the street across Marienkirche to the al fresco Block House…

Al fresco dining at Block House steak restaurant

T-Bone steak with sour cream & garlic cheese for the potato

We finally settled for the 500g T-bone steak which comes with the salad as well as the potato which is good for 2 to share. Besides the steak, the restaurant is also famous for its home made sour cream and garlic cheese. We must say that the sour cream was really good. Not too over-powering yet beautifully compliments the potato, which in turn compliments the steak. Marvelous meal!

The cool weather also reminded us about the dinner at Vrijthof Square in Maastricht , the Netherlands. Beer remains cold, no room temperature or worst, warm beer!

Map of Alexanderplatz Berlin

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After the dinner, we took a leisurely walk back along the Spree River and walked past the Ampfelman traffic light restaurant, taking in the nice scenery along the river as well. Alexanderplatz Berlin was indeed a wonderful day out!

Updated on December 31, 2020August 28, 2013Europe InterContinental Warszawa Poland Warsaw

InterContinental Hotel Warsaw : Best 5 Stars Hotel in Warsaw Poland!

InterContinental Warszawa (Warsaw) is arguably one of the best 5 stars Hotel in Warsaw Poland! Kate and I had the opportunity to enjoy a night at this marvelous hotel and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay here.

As always, we requested for a high floor at the Intercontinental Warsaw and we were met with this view when we first entered the room…

Spacious room with a view at Intercontinental Warsaw Hotel

Besides the amazing view, the room itself was spacious, comfortable and very well equipped…

Pseudo wine bar with beer and wine glass + chocolate/coffee/tea with boiling facility at Intercontinental Hotel Warsaw Poland

A work desk for the business travellers (Intercontinental Warsaw)

Shower with bathtub at Intercontinental Warsaw Poland

Close up of the shower set in the bathroom (Intercontinental Warsaw)

But as avid readers of 2bearbear.com, you would have known by now that Kate and I dont easily get “wowed” unless it’s like Ritz Carlton Singapore or amazing views like this…

Panoramic Views of Warsaw from the 43/44 storey Wellness Centre of Intercontinental Warszawa

National Stadium Warsaw Poland - Euro 2012! — National Stadium Warsaw Poland – Euro 2012!

YES! One of the main selling points of the InterContinental Warsaw Hotel is the magnificent views of Warsaw from the Wellness Centre. You will be able to see the Palace of Culture and Science and of course the National Stadium Warsaw, Poland!

Did you know that the Palace of Culture and Science was a gift from Soviet Union to the people of Poland and even today, some still detest it because of its mark of Soviet domination. It also has a nick name – the Wedding Cake because of its design.

On a lighter note, the National Stadium was built in time for the Euro 2012! The opening match was played at this venue!

Pool and Gym of Intercontinental Hotel Warsaw

The highlight of the wellness centre is of course the gym and the pool!

Gym with magnificent views over Warsaw from Intercontinental Warsaw!

You’ll be able to enjoy views of the Palace of Culture & Science as well the entire city of Warsaw right from the comforts of the swimming pool, hot tub or right at the gym!

The wellness centre is also open in the evenings and early mornings. At night, you can enjoy night views of the city…

Night view of the Palace of Culture and Science from Intercontinental Warsaw Swimming Pool

There is a neat little elevation at the edge of the pool where you can stand on and have a better view. The other cool thing about visiting the wellness centre in the morning is that there is an excellent view of the sunrise each morning! We were chatting with the instructor at the gym and he showed us the photos he took that particular morning which was absolutely amazing! At the Riverview Wellness Centre, you can also enjoya sauna, steam bath and even massages! Do check it out!

Best Buffet Breakfast in Warsaw – Downtown Restaurant InterContinental Warsaw

Downtown Restaurant (Intercontinental Warsaw) overlooking the main street in Warsaw

Breakfast Buffet @ Downtown Restaurant Intercontinental Hotel Warsaw

Many have touted Downtown Restaurant at Intercontinental Hotel Warsaw to have the best buffet breakfast in Warsaw. We were impressed but whether it’s the best…well…take a look and you can decide

Live music of the harp for breakfast at Intercontinental Warsaw Downtown Restaurant?! Class and elegance... — Live music of the harp for breakfast at Intercontinental Warsaw Downtown Restaurant?! Class and elegance…

We were impressed by the ambience and class of Downtown Restaurant. It was spacious, sun-lit and elegantly decorated. The live music on the harp definitely added to the class. There’s even a view of the main street at the windows seats. There was also a good spread…

Downtown Restaurant Intercontinental Warsaw Breakfast spread of cereals and bread

Downtown Restaurant Intercontinental Warsaw Poland: Doughnuts fruits and asian spring rolls

Intercontinental Warsaw Downtown Restaurant: Cold dish and Egg Station

Truth be told, the spread was good but it was still classic European buffet breakfast, nothing really stood out from the spread.

Intercontinental Warsaw Downtown Restaurant Breakfast Buffet: Typical hams, sausage, eggs, hash brown

Downtown Restaurant Intercontinental Warsaw Breakfast: Breakfast Cereals for Kate

Well, we cannot confirm plus chop, say that the Downtown Restaurant has the best buffet breakfast in all of Warsaw. However, the class, ambience and elegance of the restaurant does set it apart from its competitors. Tell us if you know better buffet breakfasts in Warsaw below in the comments section!

Map of InterContinental Warsaw Hotel Poland

Another great thing about the Intercontinental Warsaw Hotel is that it is a short walking distance from the Warsaw Central Railway Station. In addition, the Zlote Tarasy (Golden Terraces), a huge shopping mall is just a 5 minutes walk away!

Modern Zlote Tarasy (Golden Terraces) Shopping Mall Warsaw Poland

Cute zebra crossing in front of Zlote Tarasy mall Warsaw Poland - Remembrance of Chopin — Cute zebra crossing in front of Zlote Tarasy mall Warsaw Poland – Remembrance of Chopin

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All in all, Intercontinental Warsaw is definitely one of the best 5 stars hotel in Warsaw Poland!

Bavarian Alps & Murals from Mittenwald Oberammergau : Breathtaking!

There are 2 things that you must see when you go to Mittenwald and Oberammergau in Germany. Wait…at this point you must be thinking, “Where the @$#%#@$$ is Mittenwald and Oberammergau?!”

For those of you who are travel show enthusiasts (or simply Lord of the Remote Controls), you may have seen Oberammergau featured several times on several travel shows. In this post, we will tell you the 2 main reasons :

1. The Bavarian Alps
2. Mural Art
(Yes, I understand. Mural art is defined as a large painting usually done on walls)

Our journey to Mittenwald and Oberammergau in Germany!

After completing our trip from Berlin to Munich via a stopover at Dresden, we decided to do a day trip to visit attractions around Munich. Originally, we wanted to visit the Neuschwanstein Castle. However, we googled and found out that it was the renovation period and visitors were informed that parts of the castle would be obscured due to the restoration work.

Hence, the next option was to embark on the Mittenwald, Oberammergau journey!

The catch is that this day trip would really take the entire day. This is because the journey from Munich to Mittenwald would take about 2 hours and Mittenwald to Oberammergau via Murnau would take another 2 hours. So 2 hours here and 2 hours there PLUS the return trip. That doesn’t leave much time for a day trip.

Hence, we would really advice for you to stay a night in Oberammergau (there are excellent views of the Alps from some of the lodges – imagine waking up to the Alps…) and try to avoid this itinerary. That is unless you think “been there done that”…

The trip started with a train ride first to Mittenwald. To get our properly geared up, we had croissant with a cookie crumble top, apple strudel with real slices of apple and our morning coffee.

Croissant with cookie crumble at the top

We had some trouble at first trying to confirm that we were on the right train. Eventhough we were informed by the receptionist at the counter that we were on the right train, the sign board did not mention Mittenwald. So we asked some passengers on the train just to confirm. In addition, many seniors with hiking sticks confirmed that we should be headed in the right direction (hiking in the Alps right?)

Unfortunately, due to construction on the tracks, we had to alight at Tutzing for a bus transfer to Welheim. The good thing about travelling in Germany is that if such diversions occur, there would be many people directing you and many buses awaiting to bring to the next available station for you to continue your journey.

The following video shows our departure from one of the smaller stations, shows our readers a glimpse of the countryside in Europe…

Departing a station in the countryside of Europe

Before long, the first view of the Bavarian Alps was in sight and we arrived at Mittenwald after several scenic stops…

Another view of the Alps from Ohlstadt Station

Due to our low quality camera (any sponsors out there?), slow reaction and fast moving pace of the train, we were not able to capture some spectacular views of the views overlooking the fields and villages. However, we did capture a close up view of the Alps at Mittenwald station…

Close up view of the Bavarian Alps from Mittenwald

Fantastic Views at Mittenwald Germany

Here are some of the fantastic views of Mittenwald. To think that we actually contemplated to skip it to go to Oberammergau only!

Main street of Mittenwald - Cool thing about Mittenwald is that it winds between the alps and it built close to it, REALLY CLOSE! — Main street of Mittenwald – Cool thing about Mittenwald is that it winds between the alps and it built close to it, REALLY CLOSE!

Church in the background and Mural building in the foreground

Restaurant with Mural art - Check out the crowd dining here! — Restaurant with Mural art – Check out the crowd dining here!

Street with view of the Church in the middle

Story of the Spaghetti (ice cream) at Mittenwald... — Story of the Spaghetti (ice cream) at Mittenwald…

A small little incident occurred when we ordered our spaghetti at this particular restaurant. After ordering our spaghetti and having waited for about 5 minutes for it, we were served with…wait for it…ICE CREAM!! IN THE FORM OF SPAGHETTI!!!

Of course it was not what we ordered. But we later realised that the waitress must have said “Spaghetti Eis (pronounced as ice)” which meant spaghetti ice cream! And we must have nodded! The waitress’ face went black for a moment but she was kind enough to finally deliver us our spaghetti. Judging from the half-filled beer, you can guess that we waited for quite a bit. Even had to rush the spaghetti down so that we would not miss our next train to Oberammergau…

Train leaving Mittenwald to Murnau, change of trains to Oberammergau

Arriving at Oberammergau

After another 2 hours ride (maybe slightly less), we finally arrived at Oberammergau!

View of the alps while leaving Mittenwald

Mini train taking us from Murnau to Oberammergau

Bavarian Alps and crystal clear waters of the rivers at Oberammergau (Kofel Oberammergau Matterhorn in the background)

After stepping out of the station, there was a huge crowd of people that turned right (facing the main street). However, Kate and I analysed the map and decided to turn left instead. And it was the right direction! Turning left took us to the heart of the city!
So remember to turn left when you leave the train station, facing the main street!!

Here are some of our memorable moments at Oberammergau!

Realistic Mural Art - 3D effect! — Realistic Mural Art – 3D effect!

Motorcycle or planes for kids to ride on!

Oberammergau City Centre – Murals Galore!

Church and the iconic alps (Kofel aka Oberammergau Matterhorn)

Another shot of the Bavarian Alps from Oberammergau Matterhorn (The Kofel)

Oberammergau Restaurants and Mural Art!

We had dinner at one of the restaurants in the city centre and it was actually quite tasty. The dinner costs 25Euros inclusive of taxes and tips. The pork sausage with onion rings and pickles was a good starter that worked up our appetite. The roasted pork with dumpling was quite good. The taste was flavourful. Eventhough it was a little bit salty, taken together with the dumpling, the taste was perfect.

Pork sausage salad with onion rings and pickles

Although we couldnt afford the cuckoo clocks, we did learn a thing or two from the shop assistant. Turns out that the price of the cuckoo clocks depends on

1. Whether it is an actual one (that has mechanisms built in) or an imitation
2. Size (Hence, the longer it can go without winding)
3. Music / Intricacy

So these factors come together to determine prices of the cuckoo clocks that can go as high as 2000 euros! 😮

We hope that you have enjoyed this post (one of our longest EVER!) about our day trip from Munich to Mittenwald and Oberammergau! Do leave us your comments below!

We’ll now leave you with a video of the sunset at Oberammergau!

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So will you visit Mittenwald and Oberammergau on your next visit to Munich / Germany?

Updated on December 29, 2020August 21, 2013Berlin Europe Germany Hotel Amelie Berlin

Hotel Amelie Berlin : No frills budget stay

Our stay at the Hotel Amelie Berlin was a pleasant one marred by only one incident which we will recall later in this post…

The Hotel Amelie Berlin is within walking distance from the Friedrichstrasse (affectionately known to us as Fried Rice Station) or Oranienburger Tor U-bahn station. The price of the hotel was about 70euros inclusive of breakfast which was quite ok.

When we arrived at the hotel, a well-mannered receptionist who spoke with good English served us. We arrived early and placed our luggage there. She also showed us how to get to all the attractions on the map.

Hotel Amelie Berlin - 2 single beds — Hotel Amelie Berlin – 2 single beds

The room was small but clean and decent. The toilet was nice and clean with an attached shower.

Clean toilet with hot water at Hotel Amelie Berlin

The only thing about the toilet is that the mirror is placed very high up. According to our estimations, anyone less than the height of 1.7metres, will not be able to see themselves in the mirrors of the bathroom.

Funny choice of height to place the mirrors dont you think?

So far, our experience have been good. The breakfast served was also typical european with bread, cheese, milk, hams and eggs…

Breakfast at Hotel Amelie Berlin from 8 to 10am

Then the “incident” happened…

After breakfast, we wanted to ask the receptionist what was the building across the road (it looked like some kind of a prison). At first, she ignored us. Then we realised why. She was not able to speak English! So she continued to do her calculations (should be summing up the profits for the night) and ignored us.

So this episode sort of turned our experience at Hotel Amelie. Well,

Firstly, shouldnt the receptionist be able to speak English just like the receptionist who spoke excellent English the day before?

Secondly, even if she could not speak well, she should have asked someone to help instead of just ignoring us.

Other than this “episode”, the stay was nonetheless a good one, because of its price as well as its proximity to attractions nearby.

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Do let us know if you have similar experiences at Hotel Amelie Berlin in the comments section below!

Updated on July 3, 2021August 19, 2013Travel

National Day Staycation at the Regent Singapore – A Four Seasons Hotel!

King Size Bed in Deluxe Room of Regent Singapore

Staycation or short overseas trip? That was the question for the Hari Raya / National Day long weekend last week. As it was also Kate’s birthday, we decided that a staycation at Regent Singapore at the Regent Club Deluxe Room was in order!

Staycation at the Regent Hotel Singapore!

The facade of the hotel didn’t seem much, a little oldish looking in fact. However, when we stepped into the hotel lobby, everything changed! A classy ambience and spacious lobby invitingly greeted us as we stepped in. The lounge piano music serenaded guests at this 5 star hotel. The lounge piano music was LIVE!

We were promptly greeted by Margaret as we arrived at the reception. She seemed very knowledgeable, giving us a quick run down of the facilities, breakfast timings and the all-important cocktails plus pre-dinner hors d’oeuvres @ the Regent Club from 5:30pm to 8:00pm daily! You’re wondering what is hor d’oeuvres now aren’t you? We’ll give you a tour of the Regent Club in a bit!

We also asked for our complimentary parking ticket, which Margaret promptly got from the concierge for us. After passing us the keys, she actually walked out of the reception and showed us ALL THE WAY TO THE LIFT LOBBY! That’s great service right there! Thanks Margaret!

We were filled with anticipation as we walked from the lift lobby to our room and we were pleasantly surprised…

Regent Singapore Club Deluxe Room Staycation

The Deluxe room boasted of a generous living space, a sofa for two as well as a comfortably inviting King-sized bed!

The room exuberated class and was equipped with an essential of staycations in Singapore – A bath tub!

After we checked in, we went for a swim at the pool and when we returned, there was a rostrum of treats waiting for us! The hotel knew about Kate’s birthday and made arrangements to send up these treats that included macaroon, cakes, creme brulee and fruity mousse shots. Thanks for the thoughtful gesture Regent!

Regent Singapore Staycation – The Facilities!

Facilities at Regent Singapore (Swimming pool, Jacuzzi, Steam bath, Sauna & Gym)

As we have mentioned in previous posts, the swimming pool of the hotel makes or breaks a staycation. Well, the swimming pool of Regent Hotel JUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUST made the mark. It was by 5 star standards, well, small. However, the deck chairs were well laid out and the service by the pool was prompt. Towels were laid for us while complimentary smoothies were dished out by the pool as well!

While we were relaxing by the pool, we also noticed that the staff was also kept really busy, serving drinks, clearing towels, setting deck chairs – all in a day’s work!

You can also access the other facilities such as the Jacuzzi, steam bath and sauna via the gym or through the washroom by the pool. We’ve got to say that the hotel has all the facilities ready for a staycation. The fitness centre also has 2 massage treatment rooms with soothing treatment options to ease you into your staycation!

The Regent Club – A Perfect Complement to the Regent Staycation

Regent Club at level 11 of Regent Singapore

Soon it was time for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at the Regent Club located on the 11th floor of the Regent Singapore. The cocktail at Regent Club goes on from 5:30pm to 8pm daily!

Hors d’oeuvres actually mean appetizers in French. But do not be fooled, the spread at the Regent Club is REALLY A SPREAD…

Salad, Cold Dishes, Sushi and Beef Salami Sandwich

Pizza, Springrolls, Paus and Duck wrapped with Potato

As Kate would put it, “It really is a meal!”. The drinks which included a alcoholic selection, beers and wines (both red and white) made the cocktail a classy yet relaxed one.

As it was also National Day, we tuned in to Channel 5 to watch the National Day Parade. Sean who worked at the Regent Club this evening checked back with us from time to time asking us how the evening was and whether we needed to turn up the volume for the NDP. The remote was also passed to us so that we could hear the proceedings audibly! Thanks Sean, it’s small gestures like this that made our stay all that unique!

Breakfast at the Regent Singapore

The breakfast spread at Regent Singapore was the common international buffet…

Breakfast Buffet Spread at Basilico Regent Singapore

Patries! Kate's favourite section! — Patries! Kate’s favourite section!

The breakfast we’ve got to say was quite normal. Given that the usual price for the buffet (if you walk-in) is $40++ per person, one would have expected more. Perhaps a partial buffet and set menu with choices such as the egg benedict and turkey sandwich?

But, the service was still impeccable. Why?

1. We were greeted with the widest smile (always a great start to the morning), seated promptly and served with coffee and juice almost as soon as we were seated.

2. Tom dropped his tea spoon (not on purpose!!) and one of the staff saw it and IMMEDIATELY replaced his spoon! 😮

Again, small little gestures. But it shows that the hotel pays attention even to the smallest details. Kudos to that!

Why a Staycation at the Regent Hotel?

There are 3 reasons why we think that Regent makes a good staycation in Singapore.

1. Location. Located near the start of Orchard Road, Regent Hotel offers a great base to shopping and dining at Singapore’s premier shopping belt. Just a short walk away, we went for Ramen at Bari Uma

Ramen Bari Uma - A short walk from Regent Singapore — Ramen Bari Uma – A short walk from Regent Singapore

Kate thought the chef was cute – *sob sob*

We also headed to Orchard Road to do some shopping. Plus, Hard Rock Cafe is also a short walk away from the hotel’s premise.

2. Regent Club. We’ve been to a couple of cocktails at Club Lounges but the spread at Regent Club was really much better than the rest. A meal really. Drink selection was also excellent. If the beers had more than 2 selection, that would have been AWESOME!

3. Luxurious Rooms. A classy, luxurious, spacious and comfortable room. Need we say more?

A shout out to Irene, Sean and Margaret for making our stay all that unique!

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For your convenience, we have arranged for the best staycation deal at the Regent Singapore right here!

Happy Singapore Staycations everyone!

**Special thanks to the great people @ Regent Singapore & Four Seasons for making this staycation possible!

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National Day Staycation At The Regent Singapore – A Four Seasons Hotel!

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Updated on December 29, 2020August 16, 2013Berlin Berliner Currywurst Europe Germany

Berliner Currywurst : Is it really all that its hyped up to be?

As we travelled about in Berlin, we came across many MANY currywurst shops and again MANY say that they’re the ORIGINAL Berliner Currywurst. So to put all this hype to rest, Kate and I investigated the Berliner Currywurst…

Everyone also say they have the Original Berliner Curry Wurst

So we took out our 1.5euros and ordered the currywurst at this particular shop. It took all of 1 minute before the owner came out from his kitchen and served us this piping hot wurst…

The thing is, there’s really nothing to shout about here. The reddish sauce is really a tomato based sauce poured over the wurst. The yellowish curry powder sprinkled on the top was the only thing “curry” about the wurst.

What salvaged this dish was that it was cold (about 10 degrees in the morning) and that the wurst was piping hot. Taste though, was quite normal really.

So. To put all the hype about Berlin Curry Wurst to rest, there is really nothing to shout about here. Just good old wurst in the cover of another mildly flavoured sauce.

A blessing in disguise? You decide!

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Updated on December 30, 2020August 14, 2013Dresden Dresden Europe Germany Travel

Stopover @ Dresden : From Berlin to Munich | Things to do and Attractions in Dresden

Dresden was our chosen stopover as we travelled from Berlin to Munich to join the Oktoberfest. We did not know much about Dresden (not that we do now) but it was one of the more prominent cities on the map and we thought it would be good to make a stopover, breaking the 7 hours train ride into well…a more “bear”able journey! 🙂

We woke up early that morning and had breakfast at Le Crosbag for 7euros…

Breakfast of croissant & coffee at Le Crosbag

We even got to see the sunrise at the Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Main Train Station)!

We caught the train to Cottbus @ 7:35am (don’t worry, if you are not sure of the timings, the friendly staff of Bahn will print out the itinerary and guide you on where exactly to catch the trains) and transferred to platform 10 for the train to Dresden. It was a bit of a rush since we only had minutes to catch the next train – a little bit like the Amazing Race…de de de…

Train from Berlin HBF to Cottbus at 735am

If you’re wondering why we’re changing trains here and there, the reasons are

1. Happy Weekend (Schones Wochende) Tickets are ALOT cheaper. For 42euros, you can travel in a group of 5 (YES! 5 PEOPLE!!) within a slightly more than 24 hours window ANYWHERE in the country. The catch is that you cannot take the fast trains like ICE. Hence, our journey was lengthened to about 9 hours instead of 6.5 hours with ICE. Well, ICE costs 120euros per person…that’s 240euros for both Kate and I. Compared to 240euros, 42euros seemed like a good choice…

2. Stopovers / Day trips. The longer journey allowed us to enjoy the countryside and make a stop over at Dresden. So that we can bring you this post about Dresden right?

Whats there to do at Dresden?

Dresden Hauptbahnhof (Main Train Station)

The old city (or Alte Stadt) of Dresden is just a short 10 minutes walk from the Dresden HBF. Once out of the train station, look for directions to Prager Strasse (or Prager Street). This is a row of shops, mall and arcades along the way to the old city. Modern before the classics. Nice.

Prager Street - Shopping galore! — Prager Street – Shopping galore!

One of the things that caught our attention was a lady instead of a man on the traffic lights…

Reminds us of the cute Miffy traffic lights in Utrecht, the Netherlands!

There are many other interesting historical architectures that caught our attention…

Semperoper Opera House - Experience Opera at its best! — Semperoper Opera House – Experience Opera at its best!

Watch this video of Theatreplatz in Dresden!

Statue of King Johann in front of the Semperoper

Take a 360 view of Zwinger Palace in Dresden!

View from the Augustus Bridge (River Elbe)

Fürstenzug aka Procession of Princes – A 102 metres long mural!

Frauenkirche with Statue of Martin Luther - Possibly the most famous building in Dresden — Frauenkirche with Statue of Martin Luther – Possibly the most famous building in Dresden

Neumarkt and Frauenkirche

On the way back to the train station, we decided to stop by the Herbstmarkt (or Autumn Market) for lunch…

Feel the vibe at the Dresden Herbstmarkt!

One of the many food stalls at Dresden Herbstmarkt

There were many stalls at the Herbstmarkt. There were stalls that sells food (of course), souvenirs, snacks (like nuts that we snacked on) and open air seating areas. If you’ve seen the video, you would have heard the loud music in the background as well!

We finally settled on this stall – that many people visited (you wont go wrong with crowds)

So here’s what we had – champignons (mushrooms), pork patty, potatoes and beer. All for 10euros! The mushrooms was really flavourful. The yoghurt topping really blended well with all that flavour. The pork was chunky and meaty and the potatoes were well “marinated” on that big giant flat pan that they use in the tents.

Lunch of mushrooms, pork patty, potatoes and beer for 10euros

Do note that at some pubs, there is a deposit (called Pfand) for beer mugs. Could be like 2euros. Once you finished drinking and return the mugs, you’ll get your deposit back.

On the way back, we stopped by the old city and got ourselves a cookies and cream ice cream. A large one for 1.70euros.

One for the road - Cookies and Cream Ice Cream! — One for the road – Cookies and Cream Ice Cream!

All in all, it was a great day trip that Kate planned (Thanks!) and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves revelling in the history of Dresden as well as taking part in the festivities at the Herbstmarkt. The meal there was particularly enjoyable. Picture the cool weather with the sun shining brightly, lively music in the background and great food.

All the perfect ingredients to a great meal and a great stopover at Dresden!

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Do try out this stop over at Dresden the next time you travel from Berlin to Munich ya?