Hofbrauhaus or Hof brew house (Brewery) is one of the must-visit attractions in Munich! On every Munich tourist brochure we received, the iconic HB (Hof Brau) will definitely be mentioned and we’re gonna tell you why…
Why visit Hofbrauhaus Munich?
Hofbrauhaus am Platzl in Munich
If you are visiting Munich but happen to miss the Oktoberfest, no worries. The Hofbrauhaus is a restaurant in the heart of Munich where the atmosphere of the Oktoberfest happens every night!
There are 2 portions to Hofbrauhaus, namely the restaurant area…
Inside the restaurant area of Hofbrauhaus
as well as the “happening fest” area / open air area
View from the restaurant into the open air area
There is a performance area where live Oktoberfest music is played nightly at the fest area. Hence, if you missed the Oktoberfest proper, Hofbrauhaus is definitely one of the places you must go to catch up on the atmosphere of the festivals.
What to eat & drink at Hofbrauhaus am Platzl Munich
Drinks and Food Menu at Hofbrauhaus
For drinks, you can choose from the usual wheat beers (at about 4euros for 0.5litres) such as light, dark or the Oktoberfest brew (only during Oktoberfest period) specially brewed for the Oktoberfests.
But the highlight of the menu has got to be pork knuckle (or Schwein Haxe)!
Best pork knuckle ever @ Hofbrauhaus Munchen
First and foremost, the skin was crispy yet not the overly crispy type where you feel it is almost burnt. The fatty bits was not too fatty but just nice, allowing you to bite off. There are some versions where the fatty bits are not well done and you will find it very hard to chew off.
The meat itself was flavourful and juicy, infused with the herb taste. If you take 1 mouth of the crispy skin, fatty bit and flavourful meat, it would just be “Ah….”
One word for the pork knuckle – Yummilicious! (That’s when you need to combine yummy and delicious into one word)
And it really was…
The ambience inside the restaurant was also fantastic. We were seated at one corner of the restaurant with views out to the pathway outside the restaurant…
Window seats at Hofbrauhaus Munich
In addition, the tables we were seated at were traditional, made out of wood and even had supports for our feet. The service was also great. The waiter took care to speak to us in good English and was meticulous in his service. Eventhough we only ordered one portion of the pork knuckle to share, he automatically got an extra plate for us and often checked back with us from time to time to ensure that we were really well taken care of.
All in all, our experience at Hofbrauhaus was nothing short of excellent. And you would think that the bill would run sky high? Nope. We only spent 20.20Euros that evening and enjoyed a wonderful meal with excellent service at that!
Total bill at Hofbrauhaus – Well worth every cent!
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!
食客 also known as ” The Restaurant Guest” is a Korean BBQ and Grill franchise. Ssikkek Restaurant has several outlets across Singapore in venues such as United Square, Bras Basah as well as this outlet at North Bridge Road!
Ssikkek Restaurant aka The Restaurant Guest @ North Bridge Road
We arrived at this Ssikkek outlet near Chinatown at about 6:30pm and as you can see from the picture, there was already a crowd outside the restaurant! As recommended by many blogs (including this Singapore Travel Blog), you should always make a reservation prior to visit. We could see from the waiting list that the queue number had already reach about 40 people. Thankfully, we made the reservations and we were seated promptly in less than 5 minutes!
What to eat at Ssikkek Korean BBQ and Grill Restaurant
Actually, we did not know what to eat at Ssikkek. We just saw the queue and made it a point to visit. But as they say, if you see a queue, join it! (eventhough sometimes as Singaporeans, you may not know exactly what you’re queuing for, case in point…)
And we were pleasantly surprised…
Variety of Meats including pork collar, pork belly, bacon and beef steaks
The first thing we noticed at the Restaurant Guest is that there is a good variety of meats. Pork collar, pork belly, bacon, beef steaks, marinated chicken and beef were all available. Other than the meats, there is also a small selection of vegetables, squid, prawns and korean dishes such as kim chi, glass noodles and pancakes…
A few choices of Korean cooked food available
Soft drinks, korean tea as well as orange juice are available as well. Kate made a concoction of sprite with orange which tasted like fizzy orange – not bad at all! The star of the show is of course the meats…
Best meats at Ssikkek Korean Restaurant
Close up of the meats available at Ssikkek Korean BBQ
We’ve tried almost all the meats at Ssikkek Korean Restaurant and we must say that although the variety is not that many, the quality more than made up for it. If you prefer to have some fatty bits in your lettuce wrap (which we ate 3 platefuls of to “act healthy” – who are we kidding right?), go for the pork belly. Otherwise, we recommend the pork collar.
It is quite unusual for pork meats to have white bits in the grains of the meat much akin to Kobe beef. But the pork collar at Ssikkek is one of the best korean grills we’ve had. The meat was tender, juicy (even after the BBQ which usually removes moisture) and had a fresh bite to it. Dipped in some reddish korean BBQ sauce, some kim chi, wrapped in green lettuce and stuffed meticulously into your mouth in 1 big mouthful? Just awesome!
Pros and Cons of eating at Ssikkek Korean Restaurant
Let’s start of the pros shall we? The taste was great. Fresh ingredients, no holds barred on the generosity and quality of the meats. Our BBQ plate was also great. The technology allowed smoke to be directed away from you while the oil seeps away through the seams of the plate, leaving you with awesome, well-cooked meat!
Well, there are 2 main cons. Kate pointed out that there weren’t small dishes as a Korean restaurant should have. You know the small dishes like that of Big Mama Korean Restaurant? Yup, those…
Secondly, we realised that although the restaurant has the technology of the BBQ plate which absorbs the smoke from the BBQ, it is not used throughout the restaurant. As a result of these few plates without the suction, the entire restaurant has a “smoke-filled” environment!
How to get to Ssikkek Korean Restaurant BBQ and Grill at North Bridge Road
Map of Ssikkek Korean Restaurant at North Bridge Road (Oriental Plaza)
Ssikkek Korean BBQ and Grill Restaurant
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Whether to eat at Ssikkek Korean Restaurant?
The price of eating at Ssikkek is $24++ every night and only $14++ from Mondays to Fridays for lunch. Sundays and PH costs the same at $24++ throughout the day. Ssikkek opens from 12pm to 2:30pm for lunch and 5:30pm to 10pm for dinner.
We say that given the quality and generous servings of meats at Ssikkek, it was really well-worth it. If you do not mind leaving the restaurant smelling of BBQ, great quality korean BBQ awaits you at the Restaurant Guest – Ssikkek Korean and BBQ Grill!
If you’re looking for 1-for-1 Sangrias, then head on down to Fandango at Chijmes! Kate and I wanted to chill at Chijmes and we chanced upon the happy hour promotions at Fandango, so off we went! (Ok lah, let’s face it, Sangria is a chick’s drink, so you all can guess who wanted to go hor… :p)
The happy hour at Fandango Chijmes starts from 3pm to 7pm daily and is available for Sangrias, house pours and beers. For Sangrias, it is only available by the glass, not the jug.
Sangrias range from $15 to $18 per glass while costing $60 to $70 per jug. Since there is 1-for-1 promotion during happy hours, it means each sangria only costs $8 per glass! Therefore to let our readers know which are the best sangrias here (who are we kidding?! It’s happy hour!)…
We’ve tried 6 Sangrias (over a span of 3 hours – please pace yourself and remember IF YOU DRINK, DONT DRIVE!) and here they are…
Sangrias We’ve tried at Fandango Chijmes
1. Classic Red Sangria – Red Wine, Cherry Brandy and Orange Juice ($15) 2. Apple White Sangria – White Wine, Cointreau and Apple Juice ($15) 3. Rose Sangria – Rose Wine, Cointreau, Apple and Cranberry Juice ($15) 4. Oriental Sangria – White Wine, Cointreau, Jasmine green tea and Apple Juice ($16) 5. Lychee Sangria – White Wine, Lychee Liquour and Cranberry Juice ($16) 6. White Beer Sangria – Hoegaarden, Cointreau, Apricot Brandy and Apple Juice ($15)
Actually, we enjoyed ALL the Sangrias! But we feel that ladies will definitely dig the sweet Sangrias – Lychee, White Beer and Rose Sangrias. The cool thing is that they all come with fresh fruit bits for the real Sangria feel!
Since we’re at a Spanish restaurant, we decided to try out their Paella and 1 tapas…
Compared to the Paella we’ve tried at Serenity @ Vivocity, the Paella at Fandango pales in comparison. The main reason is because of the rice not being fragrant and flavourful. It does not taste as though the grains have fully absorbed the flavours of the seafood. Plus the texture was a little wet, further evidence that it should have been cooked a little longer – for the texture to be drier and for the flavours to be absorbed into the grain.
Mussels were also a little dry.
However, the saving grace was the prawns. Huge, succulent and do-ing (or “Q” as the Taiwanese would say). When the ingredients are fresh, it shows. It even shows in the pictures right?
The mixed mushrooms was sauteed in garlic, pepper and truffles. Oh so delicious! Although we had it by itself, we could have imagined a perfect match to a bun or some bread…ooh lala!
How to get to Fandango Tapas & Wine @ Chijmes for Happy Hour Sangrias
Fandango is located at Chijmes, a short walk from Raffles City. If you’re taking the MRT, it is a short walk from the City Hall MRT station. However, do note that Chijmes will be undergoing a $45 million renovation / facelift, expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2014.
1-for-1 Happy Hour Sangria at Fandango Chijmes
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So the next time your girl wants to chill out over a glass of Sangria, do check out the Happy Hour at Fandango Chijmes and it could save you a couple of bucks!
Keisuke Tonkotsu King is certainly one of the best ramen joints in Singapore! We were introduced to this ramen outlet at the Orchid Hotel by Ninja Girls. Actually, we didnt quite remember the name of the outlet but vividly recall them saying “just look out for the queue!”.
Glad that we heard that last bit because there were several Japanese restaurants at Orchid Hotel BUT only 1 had a queue! What’s more, there was a queue even BEFORE the place opened for dinner at 6pm!
Keisuke Tonkotsu King at Orchid Hotel Singapore
Keisuke Tonkotsu King at Orchid Hotel Singapore
Just before opening hours, we were handed the ordering chit. At this Tonkotsu joint, you can order 3 versions of the ramen – the original , black spicy or red spicy. We ordered the Tonkotsu and Black Spicy Tonkotsu with all the toppings at $14.80++ and $15.80++ respectively. The Keisuke outlet at Orchid Hotel can only take about 24 guests. Hence, when we were sitted, our order chit were quickly taken and our ramen was served in UNDER 5 minutes FLAT!
Tonkotsu and Black Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen at Keisuke Tonkotsu King Orchid Hotel
Tonkotsu and Black Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen at Keisuke Tonkotsu King Orchid Hotel
The interior of the restaurant was decorated much like that of a local ramen joint in Japan. With the chefs shouting out in Japanese, for a moment, it kinda felt like we’re in Japan! Kate also introduced the grinding of sesame seeds to me. It is said that the sesame seeds bring out the taste of the Tonkotsu soup!
While grinding, our Tonkotsu ramen was served…
As one can imagine, the soup was just so rich and flavourful! No wonder they dare to call themselves “Tonkotsu King”! The thick pork broth was simmered till perfection and served with huge pork slices, black fungus, braised egg, a huge piece of seaweed and the irresistable ramen.
Here comes our tip.
You can actually just order the normal versions of the Tonkotsu ramen for only $10.80++ because…
THERE IS FREE FLOW OF EGGS AND SEASONED BEANSPROUTS!!
As kiasu Singaporeans, we couldnt resist the free flow bit and “went in for the kill” devouring half the container of beansprouts and 3 eggs each! That’s 2 normal eggs and 1 braised egg. Yah, a bit too much. My jeans were BURSTING at the seams as we left the place completely satisfied!
The only catch is that you will have to shell your own eggs – which in some instances (Tom’s instance) may be…well…messy. Oh, we were thinking that the other reason for serving the boiled eggs was for you to see the difference between braised and normal boiled eggs. IT WAS A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE!
The whites were flavourful but the yolk was still slightly runny. The entire texture was also softer compared to normal boiled eggs. Makes me want to order the braised eggs on my next visit. Owners are smart! :p
How to get to Keisuke Tonkotsu King – the Best Ramen in Singapore!
Keisuke Tonkotsu King is located at Orchid Hotel Singapore, a mere 2 minutes walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT. If you’re coming from Tanjong Pagar MRT, take exit A!
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Well, the next time you’re thinking where to enjoy a great bowl of ramen, take it from us (and Ninja Girls) to try out the Keisuke Tonkotsu Ramen at Orchid Hotel Singapore!
Saltwater Cafe is the main restaurant of the Village Hotel Changi. This evening, we came by to try out the dinner buffet which includes grilled items! Located beside the swimming pool at the level 1 of Village Hotel Changi, Saltwater Cafe offers a nice backdrop with a spacious interior…
Saltwater Cafe surroundings and interior
So we got right down to business! We started with the appetizers and some sashimi. The appetizers were fresh while the sashimi was quite good as well. However, the baby scallop was not as fresh…
Grill at Saltwater Cafe
What to eat at Saltwater Cafe Dinner Buffet
We thought the BBQ and roasted meat section could brighten up the session. However, we were again disappointed. The BBQ selection was limited to sotong, dory that was not too fresh, chicken chop as well as lamb. We thought lamb could salvage the situation. It was not to be. The meat was tough and dry. At the BBQ selection, the roasted duck and roasted chicken were acceptable. Char siew on the other hand was found wanting, with the sauce overpowering the taste of the char siew.
Well, all is not lost though. The braised pork was a hit with us. Tender, fatty pork belly with a flavourful but not too sweet/salty sauce. The rendang chicken had an authentic nonya taste to it. You know the kind where you can taste the grinded bits mixed into the rendang sauce? Coupled with tender chicken…Oh so delicious!
Laksa and Lor Mee at Saltwater Cafe Village Hotel Changi
The laksa and lor mee were also stars at this buffet! Their lor mee can give Tiong Bahru hawker centre’s lor mee a run for their money! A variety of ingredients such as pork belly, ngoh hiang and crispy bits added layers of texture to this local delight.
The gravy for laksa is not the thick kind but exudes flavours, making you want to slurp another spoon with each mouthful. Succulent fresh prawns added to the selling points of this dish.
Desserts at Saltwater Cafe Buffet Dinner
Next, we came to Kate’s favourite section – Desserts!
Cakes and Dessert Shots
The dessert section was quite decent. Cakes and dessert shots were quite attractive and delectable. In addition, they also offered durian pengat!
Durian pengat at Saltwater Cafe
Although the durian pengat at Ellenborough Market Cafe was the best we’ve tried, we were pleasantly surprised to be able to try Saltwater Cafe’s rendition. We do recommend (to Saltwater Cafe) removing the sago and adding the texture of the durian flesh in so that it really makes the pengat as though you’re eating mouths full of durian!
Price of Dinner Buffet at Saltwater Cafe
Price of buffet dinner at Saltwater Cafe is $42++ for adults and $21++ for children.
How to get to Saltwater Cafe Village Hotel Changi
To get to Saltwater Cafe, you will have to first take the MRT to Tampines MRT station and take bus 29. After a long bus ride, you will reach Village Hotel Changi. Saltwater Cafe is located at the first level of the hotel. However, to avoid all the travelling, why not consider a staycation at Village Hotel Changi?
What’s there to eat at Changi Village Food Centre?
Nasi Lemak and Longan Red Tea Pudding at Changi Village Food Centre
There are many Nasi Lemak stalls at the Changi Village Food Centre and we came upon the international muslim food stall’s nasi lemak because of its long queue! Long queues equal good food right? So we joined to find out. The wait was only slightly more than 5 minutes and we ordered the fried chicken set. The price was quite steep at $3.50. In terms of quantity, you get an additional piece of drumlet. The chicken was excellent! Crispy on the outside and tender yet juicy on the inside. Im actually salivating as I write this! The rice and chili was quite common. Hence, overall, we’re not really sure if it’s worth $3.5. If it was $2.5, even with 1 less drumlet, we’d definitely recommend it.
Next, we tried the Longan Red Tea Pudding. Yet another famous dessert you must try at the Changi Village Food Centre. Again for $2 bucks, it was a little expensive. But we do recommend it. The taste of red tea in the form of a pudding/jelly was indeed refreshing. Coupled with the evaporated milk, it presented a different form of milk tea altogether!
Battle of the Chicken Chop Ipoh Hor Fun at Changi Village Hawker Centre
Located right in the middle of the hawker centre, there are 2 stalls that sells the delectable chicken chop Ipoh Hor Fun. If you do not notice carefully, you would think that the 2 stalls are one and the same since the signs on the stalls are very very similar. However, we asked the uncle of stall 1 and he said
“No, we are opposition. It is like Samsung, you have and I have.”
There you have it. Since they are “opposition”, we’ve got to settle this dispute right? For Kate, she thoroughly enjoyed stall 1. Actually, stall 1’s chicken resembled that of the taiwanese fried chicken. However, I tell you (overwriting Kate’s recommendation), Amigo’s Chicken Chop Hor Fun is definitely better. Firstly, you see the amount of chicken, it has almost double the amount for the same price of $3.50. Secondly, the chilli is spicy, sweet and aromatic. Thirdly, the chicken itself was crispy, flavourful, chunky and juicy. Last but not least, there was a queue of young army boys there!
So Amigo’s chicken chop ipoh hor fun comes out top in this battle!
Yup, it’s the left one!
Other foods in the vicinity
Mutton Murtabak, Egg and Plain Prata at Changi Village
The total price of the mutton murtabak, egg prata, plain prata and iced coffee was only $10. Have you seen the size of this generous mutton murtabak? The prata and murtabak were all CRISPY!!! The curry was rich, bursting with meaty flavours. A little spicy but it perfectly complemented the crispy and fresh pratas. Yummilicious!
How to get to Changi Village Food Centre
To get to Changi Village Food Centre, you will have to first take the MRT to Tampines MRT station and take bus 29. After a long bus ride, you will reach Changi Village Hawker Centre. However, to avoid all the travelling, why not consider a staycation at Village Hotel Changi? It is just a 3 minutes walk to the food centre and there you can enjoy all the great Singaporean Hawker foods that this famous food centre has to offer!
Lime Parkroyal on Pickering recently launched its Sunday Brunch champagne buffet! At Lime, time just passes by when you’re enjoying the champagne with good quality food on a lazy Sunday afternoon…ah…
Relaxed setting at Lime Parkroyal on Pickering
Relaxed setting at Lime Parkroyal on Pickering
The first thing we noticed about the restaurant was its relaxed setting. The restaurant, though on the first level is set against a row of greenery on the outside of the restaurant, making it feel as though you’re enjoying your brunch amidst a lush tropical setting.
Lime restaurant was spacious and details were also placed on its chairs and tables to enhance this relaxed setting. With a large space, the Sunday Brunch also offered a large variety of food…
Highlight of the food at Lime’s Sunday Brunch Champagne Buffet @ Parkroyal on Pickering
Appetizers at Lime Restaurant @ Parkroyal on Pickering
Appetizers at Lime Restaurant @ Parkroyal on Pickering
The appetizers at Lime were simple and really whets your appetite for more! The vine tomatoes with crab rillette was an instant hit! The sweet juicy tomatoes accompanied by fresh crab was just a perfect match. Who would have thought of it? Crab and tomatoes…hmm…
The salads were also a great starter. The Thai mango, pomelo and Thai beef salad were fresh and crunchy on every bite. The mildly hot taste also made this starter irresistible – Tom actually slurped up the entire bowl! The homemade salmon and mushroom soup are not to be missed as well!
Without much hesitation, we promptly moved into the stars of this Sunday Brunch Champagne Buffet!
Highlights of the Sunday Brunch at Lime restaurant
Highlights of the Sunday Brunch at Lime restaurant
Foie gras is usually a prominent feature for Sunday Brunches. But have you seen the foie gras at Lime? IT’s HUGE!! The generous serving allowed us to enjoy chock full of flavours on every bite! Served together with the passion fruit & apple compote, the pan-seared foie gras was just “oh so delicious!”
The mushroom risotto as well as the herb crusted cod didnt disappoint as well. Touted as stars of this buffet, be sure to try them out as you will be enticed by the rich flavours of the risotto as well as the fresh and tender cod! But dont get too carried away as there are still other highlights at this Sunday brunch!
Seafood section – Sashimi, Sushi, Pacific Oysters, Maine Lobsters and more!Seafood section – Sashimi, Sushi, Pacific Oysters, Maine Lobsters and more!
Asian picks, salads and 12 different cheeses!
Asian picks, salads and 12 different cheeses!
Prawn noodles, Braised lamb shank, fried rice and tiger prawns!
Prawn noodles, Braised lamb shank, fried rice and tiger prawns!
Beware of the prawn noodles…It is spicy! Kate coughed on her first sip of the soup!
Excellent service at Lime Restaurant at Parkroyal on Pickering
Service at Lime was simply impeccable! In the short 3 hours (yes, 3 hours just passes by at Lime’s Sunday Brunch!) we experienced the following…
1. Chairs were pulled as we were about to be seated and we were tucked in nicely at our seats. First time only lah. 2. Napkins were unfolded and placed individually on our laps. 3. Drinks were introduced to us including the type of wines and juices (eventually we still stuck to the champagne…) 4. Champagne was promptly topped up and we were asked politely each time. 5. Likewise with finished dishes. Permission was asked to clear dishes -even with empty plates. 6. Pizza slices and fried rice were served fresh from the kitchen to our tables. 7. Smiles were aplenty throughout our meal and we were served our coffee preferences individually at the end of our meal!
This kind of personalised service reminded us of our fine-dining experiences…
Other highlights at Lime’s Sunday Brunch Buffet
Herb crusted lamb rack and US prime rib
Herb crusted lamb rack and US prime rib
Like most brunches, there’s also a section serving roasted meats. The herb crusted lamb rack and US prime ribs were highlights at this section. Especially the lamb. It may have felt a little gamey at first, but the tenderness and flavourful fatty bits (observe the fatty bits in the photo above!) as well as the herbs soon took over. Yum!
Chef Alex’s specialties
Chef Alex’s specialties
Besides the usual Sunday Brunch fare, Chef Alex had other tricks up his sleeves. He told us that while he was in Dubai, he created the “A” sauce – the “Alex” sauce! This secretly guarded recipe makes the stir fried chicken with curry leaves so so flavourful! The tender chicken bites wrapped in “A” sauce was just irresistible. Other asian delights such as the beef cheek (2 days of preparations!), cereal pork and roasted duck also made this Sunday Brunch unique in its own ways.
Chef Alex striking a pose at the entrance of Lime Restaurant, Parkroyal on Pickering
Chef Alex striking a pose at the entrance of Lime Restaurant, Parkroyal on Pickering
Piper Heidsieck Champagne at Lime’s Sunday Champagne Brunch
Piper Heidsieck Champagne at Lime’s Sunday Champagne Brunch
How can a Sunday Brunch be complete without the bubbly? Lime’s Sunday Brunch Champagne Buffet offers the perfect match with the Piper Heidsieck. The french produced Piper Heidsieck Champagne is light, crisp and bubbly, making it a perfect companion with the quality food served. A touch of class to the Sunday Brunch 🙂
As we headed for the desserts, we found out that the DESSERTS WERE A WHOLE OTHER BUFFET!
Assortment of cakes including highlights of Key Lime Pie and Opera cake!
Assortment of cakes including highlights of Key Lime Pie and Opera cake!
We took slightly over an hour to work through the desserts and it was simply worth it! We just have to highlight that you must try the Lime Pie, Lime Marshmallow, Lime sorbet (in fact all things Lime was excellent), Opera Cake, Green Tea Tiramisu, Macarons as well as the ice creams (triple chocolate ice cream!)! (Going trigger crazy with the exclamation marks!)
For us, the desserts were a great highlight. The chocolates from the ice cream and Opera Cake was so sinfully rich! Lime items had a refreshing taste to it while the green tea tiramisu offered matcha tastes in layered textures!
To end off the meal, we had the cappuccino and latte (inclusive in the buffet). And yes, they were gourmet coffees…Ah…
Prices and Opening Hours of Sunday Brunch at Lime Restaurant @ Parkroyal on Pickering
The prices at Lime Restaurant and Bar for Sunday Brunch are
S$128 per adult Includes free flow of Piper Heidsieck Champagne, House Wines, Chilled Juices, Soft Drinks, Specialty Coffee and Tea.
S$88 per adult Includes free flow of Chilled Juices, Soft Drinks, Specialty Coffee and Tea.
Sunday Brunch starts from 12pm to 3pm on Sundays. The prices are actually very competitive because if you take a look at the ala carte menu, the herb crusted cod fillet costs $38++ and mushroom risotto costs $24++ while the cakes go for $12++ per piece. If you take into consideration the variety of food that you’ll be having (including the foie gras, lamb and US prime rib), the price is a steal for quality food! Oh, don’t forget the bubbly! The Piper Heidsieck Champagne is one of the main ingredients for this Sunday Brunch!
How to get to Lime Restaurant @ Parkroyal on Pickering
Lime restaurant is located at level 1 of the Parkroyal on Pickering Hotel (3 Upper Pickering Street). Parkroyal on Pickering is just a 5 minutes walk away from Clarke Quay or Chinatown MRT. It is just beside the newly revamped Chinatown Point. With its location near to Chinatown as well as the Singapore River, Parkroyal on Pickering also makes a perfect staycation getaway!
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To the chefs and staff of Lime at Parkroyal on Pickering, kudos for an excellent Sunday Brunch champagne buffet, personalised service and great quality food! Welcome to the league of the Sunday Brunches!
For a champagne Sunday Brunch Buffet, Lime @ Parkroyal on Pickering definitely offers quality, value and great service! Enjoy!
**Special thanks to the great people @ Parkroyal on Pickering for making this preview possible!
Japanese Buffet in Amsterdam ?! You must be kidding me! Why did we come all the way from Asia to Europe just to try an Asian buffet? Well, since the price was ok (about 22.50 euros per person) plus the fact that it said “Japanese Buffet” outside the restaurant, we thought that we should “splurge” a little on the special occasion of Chinese New Year – CNY!
Interior of Japanese All You Can Eat Buffet AmsterdamBar Counter of Japanese Buffet Restaurant in Amsterdam
Turns out that our idea of All You Can Eat Buffet is different from that of the Japanese Buffet Restaurants in Amsterdam!
Rules of Japanese Buffet in Amsterdam
We’re not entirely sure if this set of rules apply for all Japanese buffet restaurants in the Netherlands but they are not “free flow” as we know it in Asia! The rules are
Rule Number 1 : You can only order 5 rounds of food
(Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?! You call this a buffet?)
Rule Number 2 : You can only order 5 items per round
(Whaaaaaaaaaaat?! Have we been cheated? Is this really a buffet?!)
Rule Number 3 : You can only order the next round if you have finished the previous round.
(Whaaaaaaaaaaat?! So calculative?!)
Well, on the flip side, since Kate and I are dining together, we get to choose 50 items altogether. That’s not too bad, so we decided to go ahead after reading the rules. We soon realise that this “buffet” can be really full as well…take a look at what we had…
Round 1
Salmon Avocado & Tuna Sushi Japanese Buffet AmsterdamStir Fried Udon with Beef Japanese Buffet AmsterdamTeriyaki Beef Amsterdam Japanese BuffetTempura Prawn and Teriyaki Salmon Amsterdam Japanese BuffetUdon Soup with Prawn and Chicken Japanese Buffet Amsterdam
To capitalise on the number of rounds we have, we ordered the maximum number of dish in round 1 (good strategy right?) The sushi turned out to be one of the best sushi we’ve tasted in Europe (of course the best we’ve tasted was in Japan)! The fish was fresh and the rice was fragrant. The Udon(s) was nothing to shout about but the teriyaki beef was “WOW!” – tender, savoury and cannotstopeatingable! Definitely one of the best teriyaki beef we’ve tasted. The tempura was also good. After the first round, we really wonder why the continent of Europe, eons away from Asia can have such excellent Japanese chefs…(have you also noticed the traditional japanese plates used in this restaurant?)
Round 2
Teriyaki Chicken & fish fillet Amsterdam All You Can Eat Japanese BuffetLarge portion of succulent stir fried prawn Amsterdam Japanese BuffetRib of lamb with Takopachi Octopus Balls Amsterdam Japanese Buffet
The highlight of round 2 was definitely the succulent prawns. Huge ones at that. Subsequently, we realised that the portion was quite huge because it was brought to us by mistake! Ours should have been a 2 person portion not a 4 person. But still, we heartily devoured them. Teriyaki chicken and fish was good and surprisingly, the macha green tea ice cream was excellent as well (since drinks were not included, we ordered some ice cream to “clear our palettes” a little)
Round 3
Unagi and Tuna Sushi + Handrolls Amsterdam Japanese BuffetOctopus on a stick Amsterdam BuffetMuch anticipated Fried Pork Tenderloin Amsterdam BuffetYummy sushi at Japanese All You Can Eat Buffet Amsterdam
The highlight of round 3 was the much anticipated pork tenderloin! It didnt disappoint! It was lightly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside! Could imagine that the meat was tenderised before coating and frying. Excellent! The octopus was also quite fresh. Sushi were just as good as in the first round. By now, we were VERY FULL! Hence, we decided to make round 4 our last round. This idea of buffet really works! We couldnt even make it to round 5!
Round 4
Black Pepper Steak Amsterdam BuffetFried Oyster Amsterdam Japanese BuffetJapanese Beef Curry Amsterdam BuffetIce cream and Logan Amsterdam JapaneseGreen Tea Macha Ice Cream Amsterdam Buffet
The 4th round was Tom’s downfall. He ordered the fried oyster which was not fresh. Although he knew that it was not fresh (texture was quite hard while chewing), he finished all of it so that he could order something in round 5. This was a bad move. Tom had the runs throughout the night that evening! Hahaha! Beef curry and beef pepper steak was great. Turns out that anything with beef at this restaurant was excellent!
Round 5
Platter of Fruits Amsterdam Buffet
After all that (can you believe the 2 of us finished all that above?!) we decided to end our round 5 with something “healthy”…a platter of fruits! Yup, to quench the thirst as well. 🙂
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Nope, we also did not know that Tiffin Room is the oldest restaurant in Singapore.
“Tiffin” actually refers to a light mid-day meal and the restaurant was only named “Tiffin Room” since 1976. However, the restaurant has its roots traced back to 1890s when the founders of Raffles Hotel (the Sarkies Brothers) opened a restaurant at Raffles Place then known as the Raffles Tiffin Rooms.
Today, Tiffin Room is a classy, colonial-styled restaurant that serves daily breakfast as well as its famed curry buffet.
Breakfast at the Tiffin Room Raffles Hotel
Interior of the Tiffin Room @ Raffles Hotel Singapore
As with all buffet meals at the Raffles Hotel Singapore, choices are fairly extensive. For breakfast, there’s a semi-buffet menu where you’ll get to choose from breakfast fares ranging from egg benedict to belgian waffles…
Menu of the semi-buffet breakfast at Tiffin RoomEggs Benedict from Raffles Hotel SingaporeRaffles Omelette Tiffin RoomBelgian Waffles Tiffin Room Raffles Hotel
The menu offers quite a number of selection and you can actually try all the dishes in the menu as well. So we went classic and started with the Egg Benedict as well as the Raffles Omelette. The omelette was quite normal with a spicy tang from the chopped chili. However, the highlight has got to be the Egg Benedict.
We often wonder how the chefs can get this cooking temperature just perfect. Slightly firm on the outside, maintaining the shape of a poached egg. On the inside, runny yolk that flows seemingly non-stop because of the size of the egg. Speaking of the egg, it tasted au naturale, unlike the eggs we normally eat…
The Belgian Waffles was great as well. Slight crisp on the outside while still light and fluffy upon that first bite. The rest of the buffet included
Yoghurts, Milk and CerealsSelection of cold cuts and cheeseBreads and Pastries Raffles Hotel BreakfastFruits Selection at Raffles Hotel Breakfast
One of our favourite pastries was the almond croissant. The chocolate croissant was fantastic as well. The almonds complemented the fluffy textures of the croissant while the chocolate was so rich on the inside!
Almond and Chocolate Croissant Raffles Hotel Breakfast
The magical experience for us at the Tiffin Room was this. As we were invited by Raffles Hotel to have a 2 nights staycation, we had 2 breakfasts at the Tiffin Room. On our second morning, Sivam, our waiter came up to us and have us seated (as with all classy restaurants, he pulled our chairs and tucked us in) and guess what he said…
“Good morning Sir, 2 orange and 2 coffee for you Sir?”
WOW! HE ACTUALLY REMEMBERED WHAT WE ORDERED THE PREVIOUS MORNING!! We have experienced great service before but that was personalised service right there! During the course of the breakfast, we would be asked if we’re enjoying our breakfast and given regular top up of our orange juice (speaking of the orange juice, it was fresh!). Our plates were also cleared promptly so that we could have space for more! 🙂
Northern Indian Lunch Buffet at Tiffin Room Raffles Hotel
The other highlight of Tiffin Room is the curry lunch buffet.
Tiffin Room Buffet Lunch at Raffles Hotel Singapore
As with buffets at the Raffles Hotel, the spread was again very generous…
Starters and Appetizers at Tiffin Room Northern Indian Curry BuffetStarters arranged and taken by Kate!
The curries that stood out for us was the chicken and the beef. The beef was SO TENDER! Went really well with the naan that was served separately. The chicken on the other hand soaked in the curry and was bursting with flavour with each bite!
But the little known highlight about this buffet is the DESSERTS!!
Dessert Spread at the Sunday Brunch of Bar and Billiard RoomSunday Brunch of Bar and Billiard Room Dessert Spread
There are hot desserts such as the fried milk dumpling and Indian vermicelli cooked with milk. Dry desserts such as the cashew nut and milk candies and of course the cold desserts such as the bread pudding and the famous raisin ice cream (also known as raisin kulfi). The ice cream was filled with raisins with every bite and had with a rich velvety taste that was hard to resist!
Famous raisin ice cream aka raisin kulfi @ Tiffin Room
We rounded up our meal with a cup of tea and it was served in this colonial era teapot…
Tea after the lunch at Tiffin Room
For its impeccable service and good quality food. We give the Tiffin Room the thumbs up and kudos to the team of chefs and waiters for delivering such good food and excellent service!
You have just read a post from the complete coverage of our staycation at the Raffles Hotel. You can find the rest of the posts here…
The Sunday brunch at Bar and Billiard Room of the Raffles Hotel Singapore is the pinnacle of all brunches in Singapore. Perhaps even arguably the best Sunday Brunch in Singapore.
Well…think about it. How many restaurants in Singapore boasts of a rich history such as that of the Bar and Billiard Room? Established in 1896, the posh, colonial setting definitely sets it apart from its Sunday Brunch competitors. There’s even a story about a tiger that was shot dead below the Bar and Billiard Room. Talk about myths and legends…
We were invited for a staycation at the Raffles Hotel over the weekend and we were told that the Sunday Brunch would be the highlight of our stay. BUT, the highlight of a Sunday Brunch has got to be its food right? Soon we were pleasantly surprised by what the brunch has to offer…
What to eat at the Sunday Brunch of Bar and Billiard Room Raffles Hotel
Bar and Billiard Room Raffles Hotel AppetizersBar and Billiard Room Raffles Hotel Sunday Brunch selection of cheesesBar and Billiard Room Raffles Hotel Sunday Brunch Freshly Made PastaBar and Billiard Room Raffles Hotel Sunday Brunch Selection of Fresh Oysters and Seafood
First off, the spread was EXTENSIVE! At the entrance, there was a spread of appetizers that included peppered tenderloin carpaccio, poached egg with smoked salmon with mini ratatouille (yes ratatouille! remember the movie?) and smoked eggplant caviar. Imagine the size of a billiard table. Now imagine that table full of appetizers. Yup.
Bar and Billiard Room Raffles Hotel Sunday Brunch Carving StationBar and Billiard Room Raffles Hotel Sunday Brunch Carving Station Beef TenderloinBar and Billiard Room Raffles Hotel Sunday Brunch Leg of LambBar and Billiard Room Raffles Hotel Sunday Brunch Prime RibBar and Billiard Room Raffles Hotel Sunday Brunch Rack of Veal
Some call the Sunday Brunch at the Bar and Billiard Room a carnivore’s experience and they’re really not far off. With choices such as US beef tenderloin, roasted Welsh lamb and the BBQ Iberico pork ribs, even herbivores get tempted. The highlight for us was the lamb and the pork ribs. The pork ribs were tender (meat falls off its ribs) and the BBQ flavour was just amazing. The lamb on the other hand had a great mix of fatty bits that made it oh so irresistible!
Bar and Billiard Room Raffles Hotel Sunday Brunch Fresh Oysters Maine LobsterBar and Billiard Room Raffles Hotel Sunday Brunch DishesBar and Billiard Room Raffles Hotel Sunday Brunch Pan Fried Foie Gras
If you’re a fan of live shucked oysters, you’re in for a treat! The choice of oysters include the Irish, Canadian, Fine de Claire and Belon. The Belon is apparently the most expensive of the 4. But we really enjoyed the Canadian the most. It really really tasted like milk from the ocean! Huge oyster with a tinge of the freshness of the sea. The maine lobster was fresh and succulent. No wonder there’s a queue…
But what is a Sunday Brunch like with Foie Gras and Champagne?
Billecart-Salmon Champagne at the Raffles Hotel Bar and Billiard Room Sunday Brunch (Custom)Free Flow of Champagne and Raffles Hotel Sunday Brunch
According to our waiter Dhiraj (thanks for the excellent and personalised service Dhiraj!), Raffles Hotel is the only place in Singapore to serve the Billecart-Salmon Champagne. Steeped in tradition, the brand has been around for over 200 years (WOW!) and is chosen by the sommelier as a great compliment not only in taste but also in class to the food at the B&B Room Sunday Brunch.
Learn how to prepare the pan-seared foie gras!
As always, the lightly seared foie gras gives off the smoky taste and simply melts in your mouth. No we’re not exaggerating. It literally melts releasing the full flavoured aroma with every swirl of your palate. Ok, now we’re exaggerating.
Chef Nicola’s Ravioli at Bar and Billiard Room Sunday Brunch
Having reviewed the new Italian menu at the Raffles Courtyard, we knew the high standards to expect from the pastas of Chef Nicola. He’s really a genius with Italian food. This ravioli combines simple tastes such as the humble cherry tomato, giving it a quick saute and transforming it into a home-styled, home-flavoured comfort. You really cant stop at 2. Tom had 5.
Along the way, we were advised by fellow bloggers to reserve our stomach. This is because the dessert is A WHOLE BUFFET BY ITSELF!!
Dessert Spread at the Sunday Brunch of Bar and Billiard RoomSunday Brunch of Bar and Billiard Room Dessert SpreadBeautifully decorated desserts Raffles Hotel Sunday Brunch BuffetDelicious Desserts at Raffles Hotel Sunday BrunchIntricate Desserts at Raffles Hotel Sunday BrunchSunday Brunch of Bar and Billiard Room More Yummy DessertsYummy Desserts at the Sunday Brunch of Bar and Billiard Room
Tom is normally not a dessert person and he would usually skip this phase altogether. But the fact that he ate 8 different types of desserts just speaks volume of the quality of the dessert spread at the Raffles Hotel Sunday Brunch. Besides the high quality ice creams (try the vanilla, you may stop eating other vanilla ice creams thereafter), the passion fruit combinations as well as the rich chocolate mousse was simply a pleasure. The cream brulee was not too sweet. Light and inviting. Yum!
All in all, the experience, service, class and taste at the Sunday Brunch of the Bar and Billiard Room Raffles Hotel is simply unparalleled.
You have just read a post from the complete coverage of our staycation at the Raffles Hotel. You can find the rest of the posts here…
A Staycation at Raffles Hotel Singapore would definitely not be complete without a taste of the original Singapore Sling from Long Bar Raffles Hotel!
The Original Singapore Sling at the Long Bar Raffles Hotel
The original Singapore Sling was created by Mr Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender at Raffles Hotel around 1915.
Legend has it that the Singapore Sling was created because ladies of the time were not supposed to consume alcohols in public. So the Singapore Sling was concocted to conceal the light alcohol in a bright fancy colour. The ladies were then happy that there was a drink available to them and the men were happy that they could buy drinks for their ladies! Win-win!
We were invited to a staycation at the Raffles Hotel Singapore and this little story was shared to us by the Resident Historian – Mr Leslie Danker. Cool huh? Let’s now find out what’s in this national drink of Singapore…
Ingredients of the Original Singapore Sling
The ingredients of the Singapore Sling at Raffles Hotel are
30ml Gin
15ml Cherry Heering
7.5ml Dom Benedictine
7.5ml Cointreau
120ml Sarawak Pineapple Juice
15ml Lime Juice
10ml Grenadine
A dash of Angostura Bitters
Garnish with a slice of Pineapple and Cherry
How to make the Original Singapore Sling
If you’re interested to find out how to make the original Singapore Sling, here’s a demonstration done by a bartender at Long Bar Raffles Hotel during our staycation there.
As part of the demonstration to us, we were also shown how the slings of Cambodia, France, Indonesia, Philippines and Seychelles were made. Each of them are named after a Raffles Hotel in each of these countries.
Singapore Sling and the drinks of Cambodia, France, Indonesia, Philippines and Seychelles
If you have not tried the original Singapore Sling before, you have got to try it because it most definitely does not resemble ANY KIND of Singapore Sling we have tried before, ANYWHERE! Nope it does not resemble the ones at Clarke Quay or onboard SQ flights…
You have just read a post from the complete coverage of our staycation at the Raffles Hotel. You can find the rest of the posts here…
Nestled at the corner of level 2 at Parkway Parade is Toby’s the Dessert Asylum. Kate and I saw the unpretentious ambience of the place and decided to give it a try.
Toby’s the Dessert Asylum @ Parkway Parade
Toby’s the Dessert Asylum @ Parkway Parade
The first thing we noticed was that the crew did not have any uniform or same-coloured polo-T. Everyone wore their own shirts to work. Everyone was able to be cashier, serve the food and clear the tables. Talk about empowering! Perhaps it’s a family owned business? Anyone care to comment?
We took some time to scan through the menu as there were simply too many items to choose from!
Mains Menu @ Toby’s the Dessert Asylum
Mains Menu @ Toby’s the Dessert Asylum
The blue lightning beside some of the dish represents “Chef’s recommendation” or something along those lines. This day, we decided to have one mains and one dessert to share, so we went with the pork stew baked rice.
Pork Stew Baked Rice with Chardonnay @ Toby’s the Dessert Asylum – $12.95
Pork Stew Baked Rice with Chardonnay @ Toby’s the Dessert Asylum – $12.95
The pork stew somewhat resembled the chinese mei cai kou rou. Surprisingly, this east (pork stew) meets west (baked rice with cheese) combination, worked really well and we tucked into it readily!
Next we had our dessert.
Dessert Menu @ Toby’s the Dessert Asylum
Dessert Menu @ Toby’s the Dessert Asylum
We scanned through the menu and decided to go for another chef’s recommendation that needed 15 minutes of waiting time – The Leaning Tower of Toby.
The Leaning Tower of Toby @ Toby’s the Dessert Asylum – $12.95
The Leaning Tower of Toby @ Toby’s the Dessert Asylum – $12.95
The tower was made up of 2 squarish pastries, sandwiched between a strawberry / whipped cream layer as well as a scoop of vanilla ice cream, topped with another roll-like pastry.
The highlight of this dessert would be the fresh cream that went really well with the pastry and berries (there were blue berries as well). We think that the taste and presentation was good. But the price was a little steep.
We also ordered a bottle of Chardonnay ($28.95) to accompany our meal and dessert.
All in all, Toby’s the Dessert Asylum offers good service (friendly staff), warm and welcoming ambience. Standard of food is somewhat comparable to most western joints. Good place to hang out with friends!
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Live music by the pianist jazzed up the afternoon tea @ Chihuly
The Spring Weekend Afternoon Tea at Chihuly , Ritz Carlton has an emphasis on CHEESES this time round! Sure there are savoury dishes and all. BUT for desserts, cheeses range from ricotta to parmesan to mozzarella to feta and even goat cheese! Cheeses take centre stage!
Extensive spread at the Chihuly Lounge spring afternoon tea
Selection of sandwiches
We started off with the savoury dishes…
Savoury dishes @ the Afternoon Tea
Salmon & Scallops!
Close up of the scallop sushi!
There’s a great selection of sandwiches (including beef pastrami, smoked chicken and smoked salmon), canapes (smoked duck, scallops, salmon and eringi mushroom) and savoury dishes such as the steamed scallop siew mai, glazed wagyu beef ball with smoked garlic as well as the panko prawn with wasabi mayonnaise!
Our favourite from this selection has got to be the scallop and salmon! Both the salmon and scallop were VERY FRESH and the taste was very refreshing as well! The salmon roe really brought out the sweetness of salmon!
The wagyu beef ball and scallop siew mai should not be missed! Full flavoured beef infused with the smoky garlic makes this a must-try! The “white upon white” (scallop and white meat) steamed combination, also made this dish a favourite.
Highlight of the Spring Weekend Afternoon Tea @ Chihuly Lounge, Ritz Carlton Singapore
The highlight for the day has got to be the desserts!
Selection of desserts
More desserts!
Strawberry balsamic salad with Mascarpone Sorbet
There were so many choices of desserts! The ingenuity of the chefs to include cheeses into the various desserts also made the afternoon tea an unique experience! Desserts included
1. Ricotta Cheese Pudding 2. Coffee and Soft Guanaja Mascarpone Cream 3. Parmesan Macaroon 4. Citrus Cream Cheese Rolls 5. Fontainebleau with Berry Compote 6. Goat Cheese Crème Brûlée 7. Baked Vanilla Camembert Cheese Cake 8. Baked Apple with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Feta Cheese Almond Mousse and Lemon Jelly 9. Mozzarella Cheese with Tomato Raspberry and Brioche Toast 10. Honey Cheese Mousse with Apricot Rosemary Jelly 11. Blueberry Cheese Tart 12. Selection of Cheese with Crackers
Sounds yummy doesnt it? But you wouldnt have guessed that the hot seller is this…
What?! A mouse?!
Yes, the mouse is the hot seller! And it’s used as a decoration with all other desserts as well! Each time they appear on the trays, they’d be gone almost instantly!
It’s also here…
Ma look! They’re here as well!
The mouse is actually the Parmesan Macaroon! The ingenious combination made this dish delectable, refreshing and highly sought after!
Tea with ice made of tea!
It’s small little things like this that makes the afternoon tea an enjoyable one. Even if the ice melts, the taste does not get diluted because the ice is made of the same tea! 😮
How much is the Weekend Afternoon Tea at Chihuly Lounge , Ritz Carlton Singapore?
The price is for the afternoon tea is $52++. A little bit on the high side. However, the quality of the food that you’d be enjoying, more than made up for the price. Not to mention, the exquisite presentation of the desserts!
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Chihuly Lounge Ritz Carlton Singapore
Coupled with the classy ambience at Chihuly Lounge (high glass ceiling, classy beige/gold setting) and the piano background music accompaniment, the Spring Afternoon Tea at Chihuly Lounge, Ritz Carlton is definitely a must-visit for you afternoon high tea lovers out there!
**Special thanks to the great people @ Ritz Carlton Singapore for making this preview possible!
Chomp Chomp Food Centre has been one of the hawker centres that we have always wanted to visit since time immemorial! (Cheem ah “time immemorial”, teens can consider using it in essays…) Well, for several reasons…
Firstly, if you take a look at the location of Chomp Chomp Food Centre (at 20 Kensington Park Rd) below
You’ll realise that the Serangoon Garden area is a nice little enclave that has amenities (banking, food, supermarket etc.) for the community that lives there. Quaint. Much akin to Holland Village.
Secondly, it is also a nice hangout area for teens and young adults. The al fresco setting, cheap hawker food and the unpretentious vibe, makes Chomp Chomp a great place to meet up with friends.
Last but not least, the food! We’ve tried the Hokkien Mee, BBQ Chicken Wings and Pizza from the first row of stalls…stalls 1,2 and 5 to be precise. Here’s the low down…
What’s there to eat at Chomp Chomp Food Centre
Chomp Chomp Food Centre
Legend has it that one of the best Hokkien Mee in Singapore is at Chomp Chomp Food Centre. We have yet to try it. Well, it means that the hokkien mee above is not it. Anyone knows which is the one that we should try?
This hokkien mee from stall 1 looks the part. Well arranged with lime at the side, bright red chili and even the thin white noodles that we prefer. However, it lacked the taste. The flavour of the stock was not infused into the noodles and it was the first thing we noticed right off the cuff. The chili was also too spicy! We take chili padi quite often and this chili is definitely not for the faint of heart (or tongue for that matter).
Dear reader, if you stay in the vicinity, please point us to the legendary hokkien mee!
Though not one of the best we’ve eaten, the BBQ wings at stall 2 is worth a try. The meat is still moist with some juices and the chili complimented the taste quite well. At $1.2 per piece, it is in line with the general prices of BBQ chicken wings.
The other main reason for our visit to Chomp Chomp Food Centre this time round is because of stall 5’s pizza. Friends have shared with us that the pizzas are only going for $3.90 each and there is also a variety of tastes to choose from. We chose the Tom Yam as well as the BBQ chicken and nope they did not disappoint.
The crust was thin and crispy while the Tom Yam flavour was mild but intriguing. No worries, no “hot” and “sudden” punch here. The prawn was also quite fresh. As for the BBQ chicken, there was a chunky piece of meat on each slice. Yum. Do give it a try and support the entrepreneurs who started this idea!
How to get to Chomp Chomp Food Centre
If you are driving, head to Serangoon Gardens. It is located at 20 Kensington Park Road. If you are going by public, buses 73, 136, 315 and 317 serves the area.
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Chomp Chomp Food Centre
If you have a great stall to recommend at Chomp Chomp Food Centre, do tell us in the comments section below! Enjoy your next makan at Chomp Chomp Food Centre, we will be sure to visit it again soon!
If you are a street food foodie and you’re too lazy to go all over Malaysia to look for the best street food, then look no further than Hu Tong @ Lot 10 Shopping Centre!
Hu Tong @ Lot 10
Interior of Hutong @ Lot 10 shopping Centre
Famous Street Foods @ Hu Tong Lot 10 KL
At Hutong Lot 10, you’ll be able to try out all the best street food all over Malaysia! Here you can try out best street foods specialties such as
Another restaurant that you must visit when you are in KL is Yut Kee Kopitiam! It serves home-made food with its own innovation and has been doing so since 1928!
Yut Kee Hainanese Kopitiam in KL
Interior of Yut Kee Kopitiam
Located in Dang Wangi Kuala Lumpur, Yut Kee is one of the oldest surviving Kopitiam in KL. Today, it not only serves up one of the meanest kopi in town, it also specialises in what has come to be a trademark of Yut Kee – The Roti Babi!
Roti Babi @ Yut Kee Kopitiam KL
The Roti Babi is a well-known dish in Kuala Lumpur. It is an innovation of Yut Kee that serves marinated pork encapsulated in bread and then deep fried. Yum! (Everything deep fried is yummy right? :p) Another well known dish here is the Hainanese Pork Chop.
Hainanese Pork Chop from Yut Kee Kopitiam KL
The pork chop is tender and well marinated. The generous gravy (and condiments) is similar to that of the western “brown sauce”. The only minus point is that the sauce somewhat reduced the crispy factor of the pork chop.
Well, if you have the opportunity, why not pop by Dang Wangi and give the Roti Babi and Hainanese Pork Chop a try, the next time you’re in KL!
La Place is actually a Marche like restaurant in Amsterdam. Here you have different stalls offering foods of different kinds and categories. Choices range from sandwiches to meats to fish to pastries and a wide variety of desserts!
La Place Amsterdam
This time, we tried the roasted drum stick, chicken wrap with mango chutney and nuts as well as a mustard soup with carrots and cauliflower.
Yummy but expensive drum stick that costs 4 euros @ La Place AmsterdamChicken Wrap Mango Chutney and Nuts at La Place Amsterdam
The roasted drum stick was so tender that it was falling off the bones and the roasted smell coupled with a mild sweetness made this dish irresistible. The chicken wrap mango chutney with nuts was fresh, crunchy, sweet with all the flavours and textures revealed in your mouth. It was really refreshing. The mustard soup was surprisingly tasty with a think but flavourful texture and it really kept us warm for the rest of our walk.
Mustard Soup with Carrots and Cauliflower at La Place Amsterdam
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Crab Buffet at Ellenborough Market Cafe, Swissotel Merchant Court (almost mispelt Crab buffet as Carb buffet…) is now ongoing from 2 to 18 November 2012! Which means that tomorrow will be the last day! 😮
So is it worth a visit to have unlimited crabs at this buffet? Let’s find out!
About Crab Buffet Ellenborough Market – Absolutely InCRABulous
Absolutely InCRABulous is Ellenborough Market Cafe’s annual crab buffet. This year, the crab buffet boasts of Spanner Crabs, Snow Crab Claw on ice, Chilli Crabs with Golden Mantou, Pepper Crabs as well as Nonya Curry Crabs.
In addition, Ellenborough Market Cafe’s signature Durian Pengat is also available during the buffet. It is also mentioned on the information flyer that Crab Cakes with Hot Mango Salsa and Bread and Butter Pudding would also be available. Unfortunately, these were not available when we asked the chefs…Sigh.
Prices of the Crab Buffet @ Ellenborough Market Cafe Swissotel Merchant Court
This buffet is only available daily for dinner and for lunch on Saturdays and Sundays. The prices are as follows
Lunch Buffet (Saturday and Sunday) – $52++ for Adults / $26++ for Children (Aged 4-12)
Dinner Buffet (Daily) – $58++ for Adults / $29++ for Children (Aged 4-12)
There’s also an exclusive discount for OCBC Card members where One dines free with every three paying buffet adult diners.
Setting & Ambience @ Ellenborough Market Cafe
The buffet starts from 6:30pm to 10pm for dinners and when we arrived, there was already a queue outside! Good thing was that we made reservations but we could only get seats in the alfresco area which meant that all the seats inside were fully taken up that evening!
Entrance to Ellenborough Market Cafe , Swissotel Merchant Court
However, the first thing we noticed as we entered the restaurant was that the seats were actually very well spaced out and that the whole restaurant was huge and spacious! This meant that eventhough it was fully booked that evening, the crowd was not so huge (and noisy) as to affect the dining experience. This also translated to a more pleasant queue at the buffet lines.
The next thing we noticed was that the restaurant had a Peranakan theme to it. The centre pieces, displays and even the tables and chairs had a Peranakan feel to it.
Peranakan Displays in Ellenborough Market CafePeranakan Tables and Chairs
Highlight of the Buffet – Crabs Galore!!
The buffet lived up to its name in that there was an assortment of crabs available to choose from! From the cold platters, there was Spanner Crabs, Snow Crab Claw and even Alaskan Crab Claws!
But of course, the highlight was the famous Chilli Crab with Golden Mantou as well as the Black Pepper Crabs. The Slipper Lobster in Black Pepper Sauce was also a favourite of ours. Salt baked crabs and nonya crabs were also available at the buffet.
The buffet was generous in its servings and there was no lack of pincers for buffet lovers to go for. We had so many pincers that we lost count! Here’s a tip for you crab buffet lovers – We noticed that the Chilli Crabs had pincers that were particular huge (somewhat like Sri Lankan Crabs!) as compared to the black pepper crabs and salt baked crabs.
Close up of Chilli Crab, Mantou & Slipper Lobster
We strongly recommend the Chilli Crab as well as the Slipper Lobster. The Chili crab was not as spicy as the other versions and the sauce was enticing yet flavourful. The gravy really went well with the Mantou – but then again, any fried flour tastes good right? But we must say that the Golden Mantou was for real, crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. The slipper lobster on the other hand was fresh. The meat came off its shell rather easily and you can easily enjoy one big chunk of the lobster – Yummy!
The only bad thing about the crabs was that not all of it were fresh. There were actually some that were turning bad – soft and mushy. Therefore, choose the huge pincers (Sri Lankan Crab lookalikes) from the Chili Crabs! You wont go wrong with that!
Peranakan / Nonya Food
There must be a reason why the restaurant is decorated with a nonya theme. The nonya food it serves! There was actually a selection of peranakan food available at the crab buffet as well. Ayam Buah Keluak, Kueh Pie Tee, Nonya Curry Chicken and Crabs – Traditional Nonya fare were served up in that selection. We went for the braised pork with vinegar and was thoroughly satisfied.
The meat (and of course the skin) was fully infused with the soya sauce and mild vinegar which gave it that fragrant smell. The meat literally melted in your mouth. Dont be too overly concerned about its name with the word “vinegar” as it’s more like a condiment in this traditional dish.
Other selections at the Buffet
Besides the crabs and nonya food, there was also a small selection of sushi, sashimi as well as gourmet fish such as fried tilapia,sting rays and steamed garoupa to choose from. There was also an array of appetisers as well as mains such as lor mee, stir fried udon and fried rice available.
Sashimi Selection @ the crab buffet
Highlight for the ladies – DESSERTS!
Then came Kate’s favourite segment of any buffet – DESSERTS! And the desserts @ Ellenborough Market Cafe did not disappoint. There was a good mix of western desserts such as cakes and sweets as well as traditional desserts such as cheng tng, nonya kuehs and of course the signature dessert of Ellenborough Market – Durian Pengat!
Selection of Western Desserts at the buffetClose up of the dessertsTraditional Desserts @ Ellenborough Market Cafe
We tried all the traditional desserts and rounded them up in a nice flower shape…
Traditional Desserts in a flower shaped arrangement
Starting from the top (the dark one) in clockwise order was cheng tng, bubur terigu, almond paste, bobo chacha, white fungus with pear (good for the throat especially after all the durian pengat), ah balling glutinous rice balls with peanut fillings and last but not least – Durian Pengat right in the centre!
Basically, everything was good but you can give the almond paste a miss. Of course, the best was still the Durian Pengat!
Durian Pengat – The signature dessert @ Ellenborough Market Cafe
Tasting the durian pengat was literally eating durians itself! It was rich, flavourful and even had the fibres of that of the durian mixed into it! Heavenly! The durian pengat went well with the pandan chiffon cake and of course the golden mantou! (What?!) Yes! Enjoy it with the mantou for your own version of durian puff!
To round things up, we had a healthy dose of fruits (durian pengat also counted as fruit right?)
Fruit Platter
as well as the complimentary coffee and tea.
Excellent Service
There’s something that we want to mention about the service. It was excellent! Contrary to what is written on some food review blogs (and note that this is NOT a paid article), the service was really really good! Here are examples of why we say so
1. We told the manager that we wanted to have seats in the air conditioned area once it was available. She remembered and came back to us when it was available later on. She even got the staff to bring our food over for us.
2. The lady and gentlemen serving us at the alfresco area was prompt with their service. Once we were sat down, the lady asked us for our beverage options and came back with our ice water in a jiffy. The gentlemen also cleared our tables as soon as we were done with our food.
3. But the most amazing part was this. Seeing that we were struggling to use the tool to crack the pincers, the lady offered to bring our pincers to be cracked open and brought them back to us. Not once but twice! She was also the one who linked up with the manager to bring us to the seats inside. Kudos to the service team!
Verdict
The excellent service really made our experience at Ellenborough Market Cafe an unforgettable one. It seemed as though they were exclusively serving us but in actual fact the restaurant was at full capacity.
The large variety of food was also a plus. Not only in terms of mains but in terms of desserts as well. Most buffets would only have a measly dessert section. Ellenborough Market Cafe certainly blew their competitors away in terms of variety and value.
The taste of the crabs and quantity of pincers that you could have was great as well.
The only draw back is that some of the crabs were not fresh. They went mushy instead of turgid and succulent as it ought to be. So please stick to the Chili Crab (large) pincers as recommended above and you’d be fine.
Overall, the crab buffet at Ellenborough Market Cafe / Swissotel Merchant Court scores 3.75 out of 5 stars for us! But excluding the service standards, it would be more of a 3.
How to get to Ellenborough Market Cafe @ Swissotel Merchant Court
Swissotel Merchant Court is located at Clarke Quay right beside Central Shopping Mall. Take the Northeast Line (NEL) to Clarke Quay station and take a short walk along the river and you will see the Ellenborough Market Cafe just before the Read Bridge.
As mentioned in the best chicken rice in Singapore post, we did mention the Yishun outlet as one of the contenders for the best chicken rice in Singapore.
The Long Queue
Long queues at Yishun 925 Hainanese Chicken Rice
Well, long queues always form the basis of whether a chicken rice stall is worth trying and at Yishun 925, the queue does not stop!
We joined the queue of 10 people (after lunch hours), sat down, ate and the queue was still there!!
Taste Test
As mentioned previously, the rice here was worth a try. However, when we tried it again this day, the standard sort of dropped.
Chicken rice at Yishun 925 Hainanese Chicken Rice
The rice did not seem to be as flavourful as before. The chicken was still good but could be easily taken out by Tiong Bahru or Mei Ling Street.
Close up of the chicken at Yishun 925 Hainanese Chicken Rice
The saving grace for our outing this time was the chilli. Flavourful, solid chilli that packs a slight punch. The cost of our meal for 2 person was $7.60 which is considered quite expensive for kopitiam price.
Verdict
After another round at this chicken rice stall, it seems to us that it has dropped out of contention for the best chicken rice stall in Singapore. Mei Ling Street, Tiong Bahru and Wee Nam Kee at Thomson Road still have the upper hand in this epic battle.
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Finally got to visit Switch : by Timbre over the Halloween period! The entire restaurant was decorated to suit the theme and the waiters/waitresses also had costumes on – some scaring us as they brought the food to the table!
About Switch by Timbre
Halloween at Switch : By Timbre
As we were being seated (with loud music in the background), we were told by our waiter that we had to order drinks prior to our food. So he introduced us to the Erdinger / Pizza deal at 33++
Erdinger & Pizza deal @ Switch by Timbre
The deal comes with 2 pints of Erdinger and a cheese (margherita) pizza by default. You can choose to upgrade the pizza to duck or meats with some top up. One of the interesting things we noticed was that order was done via the ipad!
Orders via ipad @ Switch by Timbre
The waiter showed us how we could make orders, cancel orders and send orders by confirming your choices twice. It was quite refreshing that the restaurant has decided to keep up with the times as well as the youths by using the ipad as a tool for taking orders. Of course this is in line with the government’s call for productivity! With the ipad, waiters were not required to stand by your side while you state your orders. Our drinks were brought to us within 3 minutes of pressing the confirm button and the food came shortly after.
Switch is also known for supporting local aspiring artistes and bands. During the halloween period, Little Green Frog took the stage and brought the audience to live with its fun brand of singing. The rendition of “Zombie” really sounded like that of the Cranberries – the heavy nasal version which was really cool.
Little Green Frog performing at Switch by Timbre
All in all, the ambience was great (albeit a little loud) and Switch by Timbre is recommended as a great chillax place to hang out with friends and if you’re into local music, a great venue to support our budding artistes!
How to get to Switch by Timbre
The best option to get to Switch by Timbre is taking to MRT Bras Basah MRT Station and exiting @ Exit A. It is just beside the station exit. Bras Basah MRT is located on the circle line.
Alternatively, you may want to alight at City Hall and take a short walk towards the Singapore Arts Museum.
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Yet another foodie post for you food lovers out there! This time, we’re gonna visit the Golden Mile Food Centre! There are really loads of good food at the Golden Mile Food Centre tucked away close to the end of beach road next to Kampong Glam Community Club.
Map of Golden Mile Food Centre
Golden Mile Food is located along Beach Road and the buses 100, 961 and 960 can take you there quite easily. According to this piece of news from Channel News Asia, Golden Mile Food Centre is set to undergo a facelift and will go through 2 months of renovation starting in Sep 12. Let’s hope that the food that we’re gonna introduce here remains after the renovation!
1. Keng Heng Whampoa Teochew Lor Mee
Keng Heng Whampoa TeoChew Lor Mee @ Golden Mile Food CentreLor Mee
Lor Mee is really one of those food whereby you get accustomed to the taste. For those who do not know where lor mee is, it’s basically noodles drenched in thick dark soya-based sauce. Usually the ingredients include fish cake and some pork. The Lor Mee at Keng Heng was quite normal, the only ingredient that stood out was its chilli. It packs a slight punch and brings out the flavour of the noodles.
2. Golden Mile Fried Kuay Teow Mee
Golden Mile Fried Kuay Teow Mee Char Kway Teow
Apparently this fried kuay teow mee (basically 2 kinds of noodles fried together in a sweet sauce) has been around for many years now. The 2nd generation has taken over. The ingredients used are VERY fresh, the prawn was still succulent (not soft like some others) and the wok hei (very slight burnt fragrance) is infused into the noodles. Excellent dish. Must try when you’re there!
3. Chung Cheng Chilli Mee
Chung Cheng Chilli MeePork Rib Soup
The Chung Cheng Chilli Mee is famous for its (of course!) Chilli Mee! However, we had tried the chilli mee previously and was thoroughly satisfied. However, this time, we wanted to try something less fiery and opted for the pork rib soup kuay teow instead. Bad choice, should have stuck with what its famous for. The soup was quite bland. Perhaps because we were there relatively early. There was only a few slices of the ribs. The chilli mee on the other hand comes with generous servings of the chilli, fiery yet shiok. Do give the chilli mee a try and tell us what you think!
Name of the stall is called – Fried Hokkien Prawn MeeFried Prawn Noodle
This fried hokkien prawn noodle is apparently quite famous. We waited 20 minutes for portion on a weekday pre-lunch timing! However, it was all worth the wait. This rendition is the drier version which we prefer and the stock (made of prawns and ribs) have been infused into the noodles. The texture of the noodles remained chewy (not soggy) and each mouth is that much more enjoyable with fresh ingredients used. A Must try as well!
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After watching Fatty Cheong’s roast duck, roast pork and char siew on meat and greed, Kate and I finally decided to give it a try to see if it was really worth all the hype. There’s no pictures taken this time round as there are already tonnes of these pictures on all other foodie sites.
Fatty Cheong is located at ABC Brickworks Market and Food Centre (along Jalan Bukit Merah). Fatty Cheong itself is located opposite KFC beside a small bakery within the food centre. It is really quite hard to miss the long queue. Kate and I waited for half an hour before it was our turn! So without further ado, we shall go through these 3 foods that are recommended at Fatty Cheong, in order of preference…
Roast Duck at Fatty Cheong aka 烧鸭
We ranked the roast duck right up there because the taste was really impeccable! It was once said that Fatty Cheong himself worked at a hotel before (do correct us if we’re wrong) and that was where he picked up his skills in meat roasting.
Back to the duck, the roasted duck at Fatty Cheong can easily be placed in the realms of roasted ducks served in hotels and chinese restaurants (See Peking Duck @ Prima Tower). This is because of the flavourful taste of the duck and not to mention THE CRISPY SKIN!! Taken together, the skin and the meat compliment each other to perfection. Hear the crispy skin crackle in your mouth while the flavours of the meat bursts forth. Yum!
Char Siew at Fatty Cheong aka 叉烧
The 不见天 (direct translation : no see sky) portion of the meat is used for the char siew at Fatty Cheong. The reason why the portion of the pork is called 不见天 is simply because this is the portion at the belly of the pig and literally does not see the sky. This portion is said to be the creme de la creme for char siew roasting because of the bits of fat that makes the char siew oh so flavourful and tender.
This is the disclaimer part. We were served with the portion of the char siew without much fatty parts. This made the overall texture a little on the tough side. This could be why we’re placing it after the roast duck eventhough many have raved about the char siew at Fatty Cheong.
Well, we must say that the sauce used was one of the best we’ve tasted. It was not too artificially sweetened and really brought out the taste of the char siew. The colour was also enticing as compared to some that are too orangy and does not appeal to the palates.
The moral of the story is this – Always ask for the portion with some fatty bits for your char siew!
Roast Pork at Fatty Cheong aka 烧肉
Coming in 3rd does not mean that the roast pork at Fatty Cheong is not good. It is just that relative to the roast duck and char siew, the roast pork did have its downside. The skin of course was crispy but the meat itself was very thinly sliced. In addition, we felt that the taste was a little bit salty.
Overall, it was a good roast pork, no doubt about that. If the cut was a little bit thicker, it would definitely have been much better!
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Fatty Cheong’s at ABC Brickworks Revisited (February 2021)
We revisited Fatty Cheong’s at ABC Market and are happy to share that they have actually opened another stall right at the back of the food centre!
Fatty Cheong’s ABC Market (2nd Stall at the back of the Food Centre)
The stall seemed smaller but the main highlights of roast pork and char siew are still available here. We’ve also noticed the boss doing his inspections to ensure that everything was in good order. This time, we ordered the wanton noodles…
Fatty Cheong’s Wanton Noodles at ABC Brickworks Market
Still as good as ever. Priced at $4, you’ll get generous servings of its famous char siew, complete with slightly charred bits around the edges. Fatty yet firm to the bite. Love it!
When you think about the best or most popular chicken rice in Singapore, which chicken rice stall do you think of? Yishun? Tiong Bahru? Mei Ling Street? Or Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice at Thomson Road?
Kate and I wanted to check out what all this buzz is about and paid a visit to Wee Nam Kee Hainese Chicken Rice Restaurant located at 275 Thomson Road #01-05 Novena Ville (opposite Novena Church)
Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant
Wee Nam Kee Hainese Chicken Rice Restaurant @ Thomson Road
Wee Nam Kee Hainese Chicken Rice Restaurant @ Thomson Road
There was certainly no lack of a crowd at this popular chicken rice joint. We thought the queue was long when we first arrived (we could even find a seat) but when we left, there was even a queue JUST to get into the seating area! To add to the celebrity factor, we also saw Huang Bi Ren and her family within the short time we spent at the restaurant! (Nope, no pictures here as we do not want to intrude into the lives of our celebrities yah?)
Let us side track a little. There is also a nice little soya bean joint at the corner of this stretch. They sell soya bean milk, soya beancurd and even durian soya beancurd! The thing is these 2 stalls try not to “intrude” into each other’s territory and they adhere very stringently to the “yellow lines” that border their boundaries. Therefore, DO NOT ask the aunty at Wee Nam Kee for soya bean, she may give you an ugly stare before telling you courteously to get your drink from that stall. This we faced, so DO NOT repeat our mistake!
In order to fully maximise our trip to Wee Nam Kee, we ordered both the roasted and steamed chicken from the stall. We ordered a quarter chicken for each type of cooking and they cost $10.80 for a quarter of a chicken. The price was quite steep but it was soon compensated by the taste…
Chicken rice at Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant
Chicken rice at Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant
Taste
Let’s talk about the roasted chicken first
Roasted Chicken at Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant
Roasted Chicken at Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant
The chicken was well roasted yet not too oily. The flavour was fully infused into the skin and the chicken which went really well with the rice. The spices were distinctly flavourful and is arguably one of the best roasted chicken around.
Steamed Chicken at Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant
Steamed Chicken at Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant
The steamed chicken was good. No doubt about it. However, not to find fault or anything, we’ve tasted juicier and more tender skin that slaps unto your lips leaving you wanting for more.
The rice was good but also not the best that we’ve tasted. In order to have the best chicken rice in Singapore OR the “dream chicken rice” we recommend…
1. The Chicken Rice from Yishun
2. Roasted chicken from Thomson (Wee Nam Kee)
3. Steamed Chicken from Mei Ling Street or Tiong Bahru
Do you know any other best chicken rice in Singapore that you would like to recommend? Why not share it with our readers through our comments section below?
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Central’s layout isn’t the best (in my opinion). There are shops hidden around the corner and often get missed. I must say I visit Central quite frequently and there are still shops I didn’t know existed!
Anyways, back to the main point of this post 😛 Tom and I were looking out for a quiet place to have dinner on a rainy evening. We decided on Japanese cuisine and we chanced upon Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant when we were looking for the toilet! (and that backs up my side point!) We were attracted by the half price dessert menu but was disappointed when we found out that we have to order the set meal in order to enjoy the special deal.
We thought about it and decided to order ala carte instead. The menu is extensive so it took some time before we placed our order.
Watami Ramen: $13.80
Tonpeiyaki: $8.80
Matcha Tiramisu: $4.80 and
Hot Choco Brownie: $6.80
Ramen from Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant @ Central
Ramen from Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant @ Central
The ramen was served first and it is my favourite kind of pork-based soup. It was flavourful and not too salty. The noodles was however a little too “doughy” for my liking, and only 2 pieces of meat was given. (compared to the ramen from RWS)
Tonpeiyaki from Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant @ Central
Tonpeiyaki from Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant @ Central
The tonpeiyaki is still sizzling when the waiter brought it to our table. I loved the sauce liberally drizzled over it and the melted cheese brought the ingredients together.
The Tonpeiyaki sliced to reveal the ham and cheese
The Tonpeiyaki sliced to reveal the ham and cheese
Matcha Tiramisu & Hot Chocolate Brownie from Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant @ Central
Matcha Tiramisu & Hot Chocolate Brownie from Watami Japanese Casual Restaurant @ Central
We were quite full when our desserts were served. But of course, there is a separate compartment in our stomachs for desserts, at least for me! Even though Tom is not a big fan of tiramisu, he truly enjoyed the matcha tiramisu. The green tea flavour is subtle and the mascarpone cheese is creamy yet light. The hot choco brownie was however too sweet and we had to wash it down with our glass of iced water.
All in all, it was a great way to chill out on a rainy evening. The ambience is warm and cozy with a sneak view of the river. The staff are friendly and attentive (they kneel down so that they are at your eye level or lower when they take your order!). The menu is extensive and includes a huge variety of drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Just remember, don’t overeat! Or overspend! Sometimes ala carte is better than a set meal 🙂
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If you are looking for authentic Peranakan restaurant in Malacca, look no further than Restoran Ole Sayang.
According to locals (2 ladies that sat opposite us), Restoran Ole Sayang is one of the most reputable Peranakan restaurant in Malacca and many locals will point you to this restaurant at the mention of Peranakan food…
Restoran Ole Sayang Malacca Peranakan Restaurant
We were quickly shown to our seats at a big round table and shared the table with 2 other ladies.
Inside Restoran Ole Sayang Melaka
The waitress then came over and told us what was the menu of the day (The restaurant usually cooks according to the ingredients that they acquired for the day). So how good is the Peranakan food here?
Chap Chye – A must try Peranakan dish (9.80RM) at Restoran Ole Sayang Melaka
Chap Chye as the name suggests is a “mixed vegetable” dish. Usually the dish comes flavoured by cabbages, black fungus and vermicelli as the main stay. The chap chye at Ole Sayang was quite unique in that it does not resemble the usual peranakan chap chye and has an acquired taste, slightly to the sourly side. That’s not to say it’s not nice, a unique taste that’s worth the try.
Otah @ Ole Sayang (10.50RM)
The Otah was not one of our favourites, mainly because we have a pre-determined idea of how a great Otah would be like; Moist on the outside, firm and full of ingredients on the inside.
The Otah at Ole Sayang was a little bit dry on the outside and the inside was not as “full” in terms of ingredients as we had imagined. The only plus point was the chilli mix was quite nice and partnered the fragrant rice well.
Ayam Rendang @ Restoran Ole Sayang Melaka (10.80RM)
One of the other Peranakan dish that you would usually try to determine the “skill” of the Peranakan restaurant would be the Ayam Rendang.
At Ole Sayang, the spiciness was just right and the rendang mixture together with the tender chicken was ma ma mia!
Chendol @ Ole Sayang Melaka (2.50RM)
The chendol makes a nice round up to a traditional peranakan meal.
Overall, the restaurant serves up authentic peranakan food at a fraction of a restaurant price. Worthy of its reputation.
Before we left, we noticed many other patrons leaving with bags of keropok. Intrigued with thoughts of “how good can a keropok be?!”, we bought 2 bags at 10RM each.
Keropok from Restoran Ole Sayang Melaka
No regrets there! The keropok turned out to be one of the best we’ve tasted. PLUS it stays crispy even after staying in the fridge for a few days, no signs of lao hong (non-crispiness after exposure to air) at all!
Free Flow of Fragrant Rice at Restoran Ole Sayang Malacca
How to get there
If you notice the huge korean restaurant opposite the Dataran Pahlawan Megamall, walk along the road adjacent to the restaurant. You should be able to identify the restaurant with its pinkish colour (see picture) after about a 5 minutes walk.
Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant is located at 201 Keppel Road. It is a Chinese sit-down restaurant and opens daily for Lunch and Dinner.
Direction to Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant
Of course, the main draw of the restaurant is that it revolves! In this video you can see the floor of the restaurant revolving…
Rotation of the Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant
Because of its centralised location at Keppel, visitors of Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant can be treated to excellent views of our port, our city skyline as well as fire works (from Sentosa) in the evenings…
View of the City Skyline from Prima Tower Revolving RestaurantView of the Port from Prima Tower Revolving RestaurantFirework picture seen from Prima Tower
Fireworks from Sentosa as seen from Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant
Of course, besides the excellent views, the restaurant does have its own draws such as
Peking Duck at Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant
The meat is usually served with noodles while the crispy yet tasty skin is wrapped with cucumber and sweet sauce (green onions if you like some). Remember to choose the egg wraps!
Fried Toffee Banana at Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant
This is a creation of the restaurant and involves frying the banana and coating it with sugar before cooling it in water (performed before the customers). The result is a crispy sweet and innovative dessert.
Another item on the menu that we liked was this
Crab with Egg White at Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant
This dish doesnt look like much but it does taste much more than it looks. Somehow the egg whites are separated into small parts (instead of sticking all together or being too small to feel the texture). The crab meat was fresh and the combination was well…refreshing.
We also tried the lobster and the fried fish in sweet and sour sauce as well but arent much to rave about.
Fried GaroupaChilli LobsterFish Maw soup
Overall, the restaurant is an excellent place to bring your foreign friends. This is because, not only is it a classy restaurant, you can while dining, introduce them to parts of the city right from the restaurant as it rotates.
Classy Restaurant
As for food, stick to the recommended ones!
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Hope you have enjoyed our review of the great views and tastes at Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant!
As with all famous eat outs, there was a queue at Hash House a Go Go. We waited for about 10 minutes and got our own seats, being shown to our seats by the friendly waiter at Hash House a Go Go.
The first thing we noticed about this restaurant was that there was no pretense and was totally casual. Everyone was having fun, enjoying their food and the company they had.
We browsed through the menu and laid our eyes on the
Big O’crispy hand hammered pork tenderloin sandwich ($13.95) as well as the Sage Fried Chicken stacked with bacon waffle, hot maple caramel reduction and crowned with fried leeks ($16.95).
We waited in anticipation as we saw huge portions of food being served to the other tables and we were not disappointed when ours arrived…
Big O’crispy hand hammered pork tenderlion sandwich with Macaroni and Cheese on the side (Hash House a Go Go Las Vegas)
Have you seen this piece of pork tenderloin? It is HUGE! Have you ever seen a piece of patty that exceeds its bread buns by this much? Check out the portion of the macaroni and cheese as well!
Taste: Just as the name suggests, the pork tenderloin was cripsy and juicy. There was something about the flatness that made the whole sandwich that extra palatable. The mac and cheese also went well as a side. Yum!
Man vs Food Las Vegas – Hash House a Go Go and Nascar Cafe
Our first thought (could be yours now) is that “How can fried chicken go with waffles and sweet maple syrup?!” The answer: YES!
Taste: Again, the fried chicken was juicy and cripsy (telling us why its famous) and the waffle had bacon in it! Take a look at this!
Sage Fried Chicken stacked with bacon waffle, hot maple caramel reduction and crowned with fried leeks (Close Up at Hash House a Go Go Las Vegas)
The maple syrup blended well (not too sweet) with the fried chicken. The fried leeks was for us, the secret ingredient that brought these sweet and savoury food pieces together! Each mouth brought out the aroma of the fried leek (unlike anything we’ve tried) while the tastes of the bacon waffle and fried chicken sort of explodes in your mouth as you chew! Wow!
We’ve got to say that Hash House a Go Go is one of the best restaurants we’ve visited in the states. We were pleasantly surprised by the ingenuity and innovation that the restaurant has placed into its food. Needless to say, the taste also had the ‘wow’ factor and we thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience there.
Nascar Cafe – Closed
Nascar Cafe at Sahara Hotel (Closed)
The Nascar Cafe used to be located at the Sahara Hotel. However, the hotel has since closed and hopefully the cafe has relocated as well. (if our readers do know of the relocation, leave your comments below)
The main reason why we popped by at the Nascar Cafe was because of the challenge introduced in Man vs Food Las Vegas!
In each episode of Man vs Food, there would be a food challenge for host, Adam Richman. In this episode of Man vs Food, the challenge was to finish eating “THE BOMB”!
What is “THE BOMB”? It is actually a 2 feet, 6 pounds burrito…
The Bomb at the Nascar Cafe – MVF Challenge
Coincidentally, we met with a challenger of the MVF challenge and there was even a table allocated just for the challenger. This challenger had finished about a quarter of the bomb and we could see that he was totally “bombed”…and here’s the reason why…
Fillings of “The Bomb” at Nascar Cafe
“The Bomb” is filled with loads of ingredients including fillers such as rice (rice?!), beans, meat and the wrap. On the top, it is covered with cheese, dressing and olives!
Although the price of “The Bomb” is just $19.95 (good for many), we decided to go with the baby burrito (the smaller version of the bomb)…
Baby Burrito @ Nascar Cafe
We were really really glad that we didnt take up the challenge. Not only because if we did not complete the challenge we would have to take a picture wearing a pink T-shirt that says “Weenie”. BUT because we even had trouble finishing this quarter of the bomb! Kate and I both at that!
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Of course, if you can finish the challenge, the prize at that time was to have unlimited rides on the now defunct roller coaster of Sahara Hotel.
Overall, thanks to MVF, we were able to experience 2 unique and memorable restaurants in Las Vegas!
Saizeriya is a Japanese owned Italian-styled family restaurant.
No wonder it seemed so familiar when we first saw its sign from a distance away. The green and red colours of the logos immediately reminded us of the same chain of restaurants we saw in Japan…Now Saizeriya has hit our shores in Singapore as well!
The thing we love about Saizeriya is its price! It is truly a family oriented restaurant with budget of the family as its priority. Pastas, pizzas and dorias average about $8 and there are some that go as low as $4-5 bucks!
There are also lots of sides for the family to choose from, such as the chicken wings and escargots
Popular Saizeriya Chicken Wings
Popular Saizeriya Chicken Wings
This Saizeriya we went to is located at Liang Court. It is usually crowded during meal times but the crowd clears very quickly because of its no frills eat-and-beat-it concept.
Saizeriya has recently installed a new system that allows customers to call for the waiter/waitress when they’re ready to order…
System to call for service
System to call for service
Much like the bell you use onboard planes or for that matter in hospitals, once you press the bell, a ring tone would be heard and your table number flashed on a board, informing the waiter that you are calling for them. This system of course makes it more efficient but it can get kind of irritating sometimes. But, the cheap and good food more than make up for any discomfort of this sort 🙂
A quick look at the menu…
Saizeriya Menu
Saizeriya Menu
We ordered the pork and beef meal as well as a spinach pizza ($7.90 nett for the pizza). We also ordered a pasta as well as the wings (we really cant remember the rest of the prices but rest assured they are competitively priced).
Pork and Beef Meal
Pork and Beef Meal
Spinach Pizza Saizeriya Singapore
Spinach Pizza
Pasta Saizeriya Singapore
Pasta
We thoroughly enjoyed the meats, pasta and pizza. Though the pasta may look simple, it was full of flavour and the texture of the pasta was perfect! Not overcooked and still slightly springy (QQ as the chinese would say) in texture. Yum!
The pizza was also overlayed with generous portions of the spinach! The meats were again generous and juicy, not dried unlike some restaurants.
The highlight of eating at Saizeriya has got to be its drink bar where you can have coffee, milo, juice and other soft drinks, FREE FLOW for around $3! Hence, it is a good place for friends to have a meal and catch up over a cup of coffee (or many cups for that matter) without burning a hole in the pocket.
Drink Bar in Saizeriya
Drink Bar in Saizeriya
Overall, Saizeriya definitely rates highly for price and serving portions. The food at Saizeriya can be considered cheap for a restaurant, yet the portion and standard it delivers is comparable or much better than most other restaurants! Whats more, the price you see on the menu is the price you pay! Because there is no GST or Service Charge on top of the price you see on the menu, all prices are NETT prices!
The only setback would be that it could get rather noisy during peak hours. Other than that, Saizeriya is definitely a great place to hang out with friends or to have a no-frills meal with your loved ones!
Slice - The Pizza ReformKate and I stumbled upon a new chain of fast food named “Slice”. As the name suggests (and shown on the take away counter), the restaurant serves slices of pizza.
The concept is that pizzas are served in slices which allows customers the flexibility of choice in choosing their favourite flavours, in contrast to the more traditional pizza restaurants where you’ll have to order a whole round pizza.
Ambience
The restaurant has a trendy feel to it and features many revolutionary figures such as Ghandi and this famous “We want you” poster from WW2
Slice Poster
Other than that, it resembles most fast food restaurants which is the part that stands out. It resembles a fast food restaurant yet serving “slow food” such as pizzas.
Counter of Slice (Poor shot because of lousy camera – Any sponsors?)
Taste
Kate and I ordered 3 items off the menu (all 3 items were chef’s recommendations). The Cheese Steak…
Cheese Steak
The Cheese Steak (cant remember it’s actual name) is rich in mushroom and the beef has the traditional American beef taste that we enjoyed.
The Avocado Chicken…
Avocado Chicken
The Avocado was really fresh and had a tangy taste to it. It complimented the chicken and cheese really well to produce a good mix of flavours.
The Yummy Gummy Milkshake…
Yummy Gummy Milkshake
The yummy gummy was quite original in that real gummy bears were blended into the milkshake (“ouch” for the gummies) and produced a interesting blend of vanilla with sweetness, chewy”ness” and fruity”ness”.
Verdict
Overall, the pizzas did not disappoint. The portions were big and were priced competitively. We missed out on the soups because they were sold out. The only complaint was that the milkshake could be richer in taste.
Otherwise, the overall experience was great. Definitely a good place to hang out with friends over a great meal.
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Ever wondered what is the origin of the world famous buffalo wings?
On our trip to the Niagara Falls, Kate and I thought that since we’re so close to Buffalo city, perhaps we could taste the world renowned buffalo wings?
So a quick check on google led us to Anchor Bar on Main Street…
Mdm Teressa Bellissimo credited to have created the buffalo wings (Original Buffalo Wings Anchor Bar)
Legend has it that one day the son of Mdm Teressa Bellissimo (who created the world renowned buffalo wings) returned one day with his friends. In order to feed her hungry guests, she deep fried some wings (in those days, in the 60s, wings were meant for the broth of soups) and covered them in a special sauce and served them with a cheese dip. Voila! The buffalo wings was born!
Legend of the buffalo wings below Mdm Teressa’s statue (Original Buffalo Wings Anchor Bar)
Kate and I keyed in the address into our GPS and headed over to Anchor Bar. We were there earlier than our usual dinner time in order to avoid the peak hour crowd. However, there was already a queue for dinner at about 6pm!
Inside Anchor Bar (Home of the Original Buffalo Wings)
We parked our car (glad we came early, when we left, there were no lots left!) and took some time to look at the menu and placed our order. It took us about 20 minutes before we could get in!
We ordered the buffalo wings and seafood supreme with a couple of drinks. By the time we were seated down, it did not take that long for the food to arrive.
Yummy Seafood Supreme Pasta $17 USD (Anchor Bar Buffalo)
You know we always give our honest to goodness reviews to our readers so that they get the most informative source right from 2bearbear.com.
However, this time, we have got to say that the buffalo wings were a let down. The wings were overly fried and completely lost its moisture. The meat was tough and to be honest, this was one of the worst wings that we’ve tasted. The steep price (almost $1.20USD per mid wing) did not help as well. The sauce and dip did help somewhat but the meat itself was beyond salvage.
Disappointing Buffalo Wings from Anchor Bar (Home of the Original Buffalo Wings)Over-fried Crabcakes Anchor Bar (Home of the Original Buffalo Wings)
2 things came to rescue our night though;
1. The Seafood Supreme pasta was surprisingly good! The creamy sauce left one craving for more. The shrimp was also a highlight of this dish. It was really fresh and succulent! Although the serving was a huge one, Kate and I wiped it clean to the bowl!
2. There was live jazz music that set the mood for the evening. We remembered a young musician joining the team for the first time that evening and he played mightily well. Everyone in the audience cheered him on and that made the night really memorable.
We think that the buffalo wings must have been good before, perhaps given the crowd, the wings were fried in bulk and in advance. Hence, the poor texture.
When you’re in buffalo, give it a try though. If you experienced the lousier version, at least you could boast and say that you have tasted the original buffalo wings at Anchor Bar, Buffalo, New York!
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