Kate and I visited Bao Jin Tian one day and we had an assortment of dim sum that we wanted to try… The dim sum …
Bao Jin Tian (包今天) with a REALLY FUNNY Video of Liu Sha Bao (流沙包)!
Visit Singapore Attractions
Cool Lunch Deals @ The Cornerstone Restaurant Bishan Ang Mo Kio Park!
One weekday afternoon, Kate decided to bring us on a lunch date to Ang Mo Kio. Lunch date, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1? What could …
Ippudo SG @ Westgate : Is it really as good as they say?
We’ve always been ramen lovers. Having been to Keisuke Tonkotsu King and Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen, we really wanted to find out if Ippudo’s ramen is …
Would we visit the 1925 Microbrewery & Restaurant again?
Unlikely. Here’s why… 1. Location. The 1925 Microbrewery & Restaurant is located at Jalan Besar where roads are not easily navigable and parking options are …
What’s good at Chin Chin (津津) Eating House @ Purvis Street?
One fine day, Kate said, “Would you like to have chicken rice and mutton soup at Purvis Street?”. Then I thought to myself, “Does mutton …
Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen @ Liang Court
Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen at Liang Court has quickly risen on our list of comfort foods in Singapore! Why? Several factors actually… We were pretty surprised …
Stew Kuche & Two Wings @ Blk 119 Bukit Merah Lane 1
Blk 119 Bukit Merah Lane 1 seems set to be another happening hang out place right in the heart of Alexandra. Why? The concept is quite simple really. Coffee shop setting with a twist – all the stalls in this coffee shop attracts the younger clientele with French, German and American cuisine. No mee pok ta at this kopitiam…
We were there at about 5pm on a Sunday and the evening crowd was already starting to build up. We decided promptly to go for the half pork knuckle ($15) and a pint of Hofbrau beer (click to check out our experience at Hofbrau Munich) ($12). Apparently, the ordering queue for the drinks and food are different. You pay at 2 different counters as well. While waiting for our turn, Two Wings with its slogan of “One just isn’t enough!” caught our attention and we went with 4 of its wings ($8.50)!
Two Wings has an interesting manner of processing your order. Your handphone number is used as a means to collect your order. Once your wings are ready for collection, a SMS would be sent to your phone and you’ll need to mention your order number on your phone in order to collect your wings. That’s a fantastic way to grab phone numbers for marketing purposes by the way…
The half pork knuckle did not look that impressive. However, we realised that our half was loaded with meat! The outer layer was crispy and the generous layer of fat fused with the meat within. Not too bad for a kopitiam actually. But of course, the original pork knuckle at Hofbrau Munich tops it all! 😛 The sides also had a local twist. Instead of the usual sauerkraut, achar was used. Ingenious really.
Next came our wings. Two Wings actually advocates a “correct” way to have your wings.
Step 1: Pull of cartilage at the wider end
Step 2: Twist and pull the small bone
Step 3: Twist and pull the big bone
Step 4: Eat and enjoy your boneless wing!
In this way, you’ll be left with a huge chunk of meat on the wing end which we thoroughly enjoyed with the chili dip. A great wing overall – crispy and juicy. But we thought that the taste department lacked a little. Best wings ever? Definitely Lost Coast Brewery’s Buffalo Wings; even better than the original buffalo wings at Anchor Bar New York.
At the same joint, there’s also Seasalt – The Seafood Place as well as Immanuel French Kitchen. There was also a bakery to round up the offerings here at Blk 119 Bukit Merah Lane 1.
Our Verdict?
To be honest, the food standard is really not too bad. However, for a coffee shop (hot and stuffy within), the pricing’s a little steep. In comparison, for $10 bucks more (inclusive of taxes), you’ll be able to have a slightly bigger pork knuckle, be seated comfortably in a restaurant, have beers going at $9 a pint and is located centrally – perfect for gatherings (read our other posts to find out where this joint is!).
For the novelty, Stew Kuche and Two Wings at Blk 119 Bukit Merah Lane 1 is definitely a good place to check out.
For return visits? We’re not too sure though…
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Wild Wild Wet @ Downtown East : A Pictorial Review
Wild Wild Wet is undergoing rejuvenation under NTUC’s plan to reinvigorate the entire Downtown East Development. During our stay at D’Resort Downtown East, we were …
What to eat at Whampoa Makan Place Food Centre?
Whampoa Makan Place (Food Centre) was where we had our breakfast this beautiful Saturday morning. In fact, we were looking for another foodie joint (River …
Crystal Jade Jiang Nan Vivocity : A Pictorial Review
Crystal Jade Jiang Nan is one of the specialty of the Crystal Jade Group. This Crystal Jade Jiang Nan we visited is located at Vivocity, 1 Harbour Front Walk, #01-52. If you’re visiting on the weekends, it’s preferred that you make reservations (Tel: 62211830) due to the huge crowds visiting during makan hours.
Enjoy this pictorial review of our coverage of Crystal Jade Jiang Nan at Vivocity!
What we ate at Crystal Jade Jiang Nan Vivocity
Crystal Jade Jiang Nan Vivocity Review
If you’re thinking of what to eat at Vivocity, you can check out Jamie’s Italian Singapore or here at Crystal Jade Jiang Nan.
Having tried all of the above dishes, we’ll strongly recommend the following dishes
1. BBQ Pork Sesame Pastry (叉烧酥）: Soooooooooo flaky on the outside! Handle with care!
2. Bamboo Charcoal Black Pepper Chicken Bun : Crispy outer layer with a ‘traditional’ black pepper chicken taste.
3. Hong Kong Ying Yang : To have a beautiful display (effect from the dry ice) while you enjoy your dinner.
4. La Mian : But maybe not the spicy beef version as it’s a tad too salty for our liking. Nonetheless, the noodles were really good. Makes you want to slurp continously!
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We hope you have enjoyed our pictorial coverage of Crystal Jade Jiang Nan @ Vivocity! Enjoy!
3 Cheap and Good Eats along the Singapore River!
There is a common misconception that restaurants along the Singapore River would be very pricey. True in most cases. But in this post, we’ll let you in on the 3 cheap and good eats along the Singapore River!
1. Saizeriya at Liang Court
Saizeriya Menu
Saizeriya is a Japanese franchise chain that specialises in Italian food. Here, you can get cheap, good and huge portions of pasta! Our favourites include Peperoncino Bacon Spaghetti ($4.90), Squid Ink Spaghetti ($5.90) and the Asari Soup Spaghetti ($5.90). For these prices and these tastes? Definitely value for money! Saizeriya also boasts to have the “cheapest Escargots in town”! For only $5.90, you’ll get 6 yummilicious escargots oven grilled to perfection.
And the best part? There’s no service charge or government taxes. All prices that you see are NETT PRICES!
Address : #02-22 Liang Court Shopping Centre (177 River Valley Rd, Singapore 179030)
Opening Hours : 11am to 10pm daily
2. Hooters at Clarke Quay
Hooters has launched its set lunch menu at $10++ with 10 choices of main course to choose from. Choices include NZ Sirloin Steak, Hooters Burger and the Hooters Chicken Wings. Set lunch even comes with sides of curly fries (hard to get them cheap outside these days), drinks as well as a scoop of the day’s ice cream.
For $5++, you’ll also get to enjoy an ice cold mug of Tiger beer. All these can be enjoyed with awesome views of the river. Excellent value for its awesome location.
Address : #01-03 SHOPHOUSE ROW (BLK 3D RIVER VALLEY ROAD CLARKE QUAY, SINGAPORE 179023)
Hours : The set lunch menu is available from 11am to 3pm daily
3. Chiso Zanmai at Central Shopping Mall Clarke Quay
Free flow of Shabu Shabu at Chiso Zanmai
Chiso Zanmai, located at Central Shopping Mall (Clarke Quay), offers Japanese buffet at only $14.90++ for lunch on week days! The best part of this buffet is the free flow of shabu shabu which you can enjoy to your heart’s content. There’s also a selection of Japanese sushi, Japanese fare and desserts to choose from. Free flow of drinks is available for $1.90++. Otherwise, ice water is complimentary.
Address : #02-17 The Central @ Clarke Quay (6 Eu Tong Sen Street, Singapore 059817)
Opening Hours : 12pm to 3pm
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We hope you have enjoyed our post and will be able to enjoy these cheap and good eats along the Singapore River!
Is Chin Mee Chin Confectionary (真美珍) in Katong worth a visit?
Before we visited Chin Mee Chin Confectionery, we checked out the things to do in Katong posts available on the web. Many recommended visiting this kopitiam for their traditional toasts. During our recent staycation at Village Hotel Katong, we decided to drop by for breakfast before checking-in and this is what we thought…
The first thing we noticed was the traditional setting of CMC Confectionery…
It seems as though time has stood still in this coffee shop. It continues to retain its old world charm and we think that the decorations has not changed much since inception. The clock is so old school!
As the number of seats in Chin Mee Chin Confectionery is limited, you may have to wait a while before being seated. We waited for about 5 minutes before someone else finished their breakfast. In this kopitiam, you’ll just wait for someone to finish and “take over” their table. Once seated, the table will be cleared and you will be asked for the drinks as well as the number of toasts and eggs that you would like. For the rest of the confectionery, you will have to go to the displays and get them like so…
We decided to go for kopi-see (coffee with evaporated milk) and kopi-peng (iced coffee) along with its famous toasted buns with kaya and butter. After ordering, we proceeded to take the custard puff and cream horn from the display…
There a few things that we enjoyed about the breakfast. True to being a confectionery, the famous toast lived up to its reputation. The home-made kaya was not too sweet and had the traditional eggy taste. The cool thing was that the toast was a bun and not the usual slices of bread. So it was lightly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Our other favourite was the cream horn! Really liked the texture of the cream (slight salty) which went well with the crispy outer layer.
The coffee by itself was nothing to rave about. Quite plain actually. But the confectionery which had their various tastes gave a pretty good balance to the coffee.
The Verdict
To be honest, what really attracted us was not the food or the coffee. So what’s the biggest draw?
Tradition and heritage.
Traditional tastes abound especially in the kaya toast. The kaya is unique in that it is more eggy and less sweet unlike the usual kaya you’ll taste these days. In terms of heritage, CMC Confectionery is really part of our Singapore identity, retaining how it operates and even how it looks – maintaining the traditional kopitiam feel.
Great place for parents to say “When I was young, this was the kind of coffee shop that papa went to, no Starbucks last time…”
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And the answer? Yes. We will be back not really because of the food but because of its simple old world charms.
Jamie’s Italian Singapore Vivocity : Is it worth a visit?
Jamie’s Italian has finally made its way to the shores of Singapore! Well-known celebrity chef – Jamie Oliver, has chosen to open this italian restaurant at the vibrant waterfront of Vivocity. We’ll tell you what are some of the stuff we’ve tried and whether it is worth it to visit Jamie’s Italian Singapore!
What we ate at Jamie’s Italian Singapore
The decoration within Jamie’s Italian is the “atas casual” style where there’s an open concept kitchen to prepare starters and cocktails. Guests on the other hand feel entirely relaxed in this cosy atmosphere. As we visited the joint on a Sunday, we could feel the urge to just while away a lazy Sunday afternoon.
For starters, we went with Crispy Soft Shell Crab ($12.50) and the Jamie’s Italian Mojito ($18). The crispy soft shell crab was served with chilli, fennel, sea lettuce & smashed avocado with yuzu lime. Although the soft shell crab was really small (miniature almost), the taste packed a punch. The smashed avocado was rich and appetising, providing a perfect compliment to the lightly crisp soft shell crab.
Jamie’s Italian Mojito contains Bacardi Superior rum, Martini Bianco, fresh mint, lime & sugar, topped with Prosecco. The difference with usual mojito is the addition of the Martini Bianco and Prosecco. This version had loads of fresh mint, making the drink really refreshing. But with a pricing of $18, there just isn’t enough “wow” factor for a recommendation.
Since we were in an italian-styled restaurant, we decided to try Jamie Oliver’s take on pasta. While we were at it, we decided to try a funny-shaped pasta – Meatball Pappardelle ($14). Meatball Pappardelle has beef & pork meatballs with wiggly pappardelle, tomatoes, garlic, red wine & herby breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs were served separately and you’ll be invited by the waiting staff to mix it into the pasta. The interesting thing about this dish is the wiggly pappardelle. When we first laid eyes on it, it really resembled the tentacles of the octopus. But the cool thing about the wiggly pappardelle is that it traps the sauces within the gaps of the pasta, allowing each mouth to burst with the flavours of the tomato-based sauce. Meatballs were also tender when the dish first arrived. But after a couple of minutes, it became a little tougher and drier on the inside. All in all, we think that the meatball pappardelle was really good and comparable to the best tomato-based pasta we’ve had at Fior d’Italia – America’s Oldest Italian Restaurant.
Jamie’s Italian Singapore Desserts
For desserts, we went with the Gelato ($10.50) and the Epic Brownie ($11.50). For the Gelato, you can have the option of 3 scoops of ice cream served with any two of these toppings: Smashed honeycomb, Crushed nuts & seeds, Fruit compote or Butterscotch sauce. We chose salted caramel, vanilla and strawberry, topped with crushed nuts & seeds and smashed honeycomb. Our favourite was the vanilla flavour but for $10.50 it was too pricey. On the other hand, we’d recommend the Epic Brownie. Each mouthful was so rich with chocolate that it tasted sinfully awesome! The choco-rich brownie was balanced with the amaretto ice cream & caramelised amaretti popcorn. Definitely one of the richest choco brownie we’ve had.
We got a sneak at the lemon meringue cheesecake when it was served to other tables. Looked really good 😉
How to get to Jamie’s Italian Singapore
Jamie’s Italian Singapore is located at level 1 of Vivocity. The nearest MRT station is HarbourFront.
Address of Vivocity is 1 Harbourfront Walk, Singapore 098585.
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Is Jamie’s Italian Singapore worth a visit?
For ala carte, the menu was indeed pricey. All in all, the above came to about $80 (WHAT?!). Still, the taste of each dish was really good and by the time we were done, we were exceptionally full as well. For a better deal, there’s a “Jamie’s Sharing Feast for 2” which costs $138. The feast includes antipasti, 3 mains, dessert plank as well as coffee and tea. This feast allows you to try the recommended items on menu at a better price.
All in all, we think that Jamie’s Italian Singapore is definitely worth a visit. But be prepared to “mend” your pockets after the meal!
Check out our coverage of Jamie’s Italian Sydney for a comparison between the two restaurants!
Singapore Art Museum SAM
Singapore Art Museum (also known as SAM) is located in the heart of the Singapore Art District. During our stay at the Rendezvous Hotel Singapore, we visited the Singapore Art Museum, which by the way, is free for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (yay!)
Singapore Art Museum SAM
Singapore Art Museum SAM Exhibitions
Unearthed Exhibition at Singapore Art Museum
Medium at Large SAM
While we were at SAM, there were 2 main exhibitions going on, including the Unearthed and Medium at Large Exhibitions!
Unearthed Exhibition Singapore Art Museum
Unearthed “Tree” – What do you want to see unearthed?
Happenings along the Singapore River
Bukit Brown Cemetery
A Day Without A Tree
Paint melting away under the intense heat of the sun
The Unearthed series is about our relationship with planet earth and the various facets of it starts with the “tree” where visitors put up notes on its branches to share about what do they want to “unearth”. At the Singapore River, various memories (fictitious or real) are written on its banks. There is also a segment that features the recent reclamation of the Bukit Brown Cemetery to make way for the construction of a road that will link the Adam Flyover and the MacRitchie Viaduct.
But in the “Unearthed” exhibition, we appreciated the “A Day Without A Tree” feature whereby roman looking pillars start to melt on the left. So you can use the pillar on the right as a basis of comparison. The interesting thing was that there’s another empty room next to it and you’d think that its a place “under construction”. But if you observe carefully, you’ll realise that the floor is white. White from the paint that melted from the pillars!
Medium At Large – Singapore Art Museum
Various mediums at work in this exhibition
Of the many exhibitions here, there are a couple which we thought were really cool…
Pepe and Marcial Bonifacio Portraits
Description of Pepe and Marcial Bonifacio Portraits
The portraits were actually “executed” via M16 bullets etched unto sand paper. The cool part is that the whole bullet was eventually used , ALL OF IT, to become the portraits that we see. WOW!
Steam Rice Man Singapore Art Museum
Description of Steam Rice Man
Video of Steam Rice Man
If you have read the description, both rice and coal powder are essential part of the Vietnamese yet at the same time has contrasts of soft & hard, sticky & dusty, white & black. There’s also a video that depicts the entire process the artist goes through. Right opposite Steam Rice Man is a video of a lady dancing on butter. Through her expression, it shows the helplessness as she falls and tries to regain her dance again. It sort of depicts her struggles moving from an asian country where rice is a staple, to America where bread and butter became the staple – resulting in her weight gains. Hence, the butter dance. Cool.
Status @ Singapore Art Museum (SAM)
Description of Status
For us, this was one of the art pieces that lets you imagine what the artist is trying to say. Is there something trying to escape? Or is the medium tired of being encased that it forms its own frame? Or just, too much paint used on the original painting? It’s really up to you to decide and that’s the fun part of it!
To end off, we’d like to introduce you to this interactive art piece…
Honey Sticks Singapore Art Museum
Description of Honey Sticks
There are 6425 honey sticks in this exhibit to signify the number of REGISTERED births in Singapore in 1941, the year the parents of the artist were born. Visitors are encouraged to take a honey stick to enjoy from the various flavours of grape, watermelon, green apple and honey (among others). As the number of honey sticks reduces, it sort of signifies the life and death of people through life.
How to get to the Singapore Art Museum SAM
Map of Singapore Art Museum
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Riverview Hotel Sunday Brunch @ River Garden Coffee House
Riverview Hotel’s Sunday Brunch was where we enjoyed a leisurely Sunday afternoon with our family. We chose the Sunday Brunch at Riverview Hotel’s River Garden because
1. Selection of Food. The Sunday Brunch at Riverview Hotel has a wide variety of cuisine available. Beside the usual international buffet, there would be a “twist” at each promotion of Sunday Brunch at Riverview Hotel. During our last visit to Riverview Hotel’s Sunday Brunch, it was a BBQ and Beer Brunch which included the popular Erdinger Beer. This time, the promotion included free flow of moscato or prosecco as well as freshly shucked oysters!
Sunday Brunch at Riverview Hotel River Garden Coffee House
2. Location. The River Garden Coffee House has a central location by the Singapore River. After your meal, you can continue to have drinks by the river (al fresco style) and watch people strolling/jogging along the river. Kids would be playing and boats passing by as well. Accompanied by your family as everyone enjoys this view? Priceless.
Riverview Hotel Sunday Brunch
What we had at the Riverview Hotel Sunday Brunch
According to our nephew (the one who brought you this awesome review of Harris Hotel Batam), “everything is so good!”. He was spot on!
The prawns were fresh and succulent while the snow crab was sweet and delicious. Oysters were freshly shucked and were perfect with a tinge of lemon and tobasco! You can see how huge and fresh the oysters were. Comparable to the $100++ Sunday Brunches that we’ve tried. The only difference is that they only have 1 choice of oysters. But one good variety is enough to get us hooked 🙂 The minus for seafood was that the chili crabs were not fresh. In local terms, “nua nua” (meaning soft). Not a good description for crabs and prawns.
Another plus to this Sunday Brunch at Riverview Hotel is the durian pengat! This we did not notice at our last visit. Again, this durian pengat is comparable to the famous durian pengat at Swissotel Merchant Court’s Ellenborough Market Cafe – with all the edible bits of the durian. So good, that we had 2 bowls full – each.
Lastly, we sneaked a peek at the choice of moscato and prosecco at the Sunday Brunch. We realised that the River Garden Coffee House did not scrimp on their selection and had the Cascine Prosecco and Brown Brothers Moscato on their list. We’ve enjoyed several champagne brunches and we realised that the Cascine Prosecco has a relatively close taste to some selection of champagnes. Hence, if you’re not really into differentiating between champagnes and prosecco, the Sunday Brunch at Riverview Hotel is definitely a great buffet at a great price!
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If we had no budget to adhere to, the Raffles Hotel Sunday Buffet Brunch at the Bar and Billiard Room would be our top pick for Sunday Brunch in Singapore. However, as budget conscious Singaporeans, we’d definitely visit the Riverview Hotel Sunday Brunch for its quality, variety, fresh oysters and great selection of moscato and prosecco!
The Sunday Brunch Buffet at Riverview Hotel costs $48.80++ for adults and $22.80++ for kids. ANZ, Citibank, DBS, POSB and UOB Cardholders get to enjoy 15% discount on Sunday Brunch prices. CIMB Cardholders enjoy 17% discount on Sunday Brunch prices.
Adventure Cove Sentosa : Definitely Worth A Visit!
Adventure Cove Sentosa is one of the major attractions both at Sentosa and in Singapore. In addition to the Maritime Experiential Museum and SEA Aquarium, Adventure Cove was one of the attractions in Sentosa that we pretty much enjoyed. It is a adventure waterpark that offers something for everyone! Find out more about some secret tips that we found out at our last visit here!
Adventure Cove Sentosa Attractions
Tip 1 : Once you’re in, head straight to the area between Rainbow Reef and the Bay Restaurant. At the corner of this area, there is a great area for you and your friends to gather at. It was there where we set up our “base camp”!
Rainbow Reef
The other reason why you should head to Rainbow Reef first is because there will be a SUPER LONG queue as the day goes on. Heading there first will allow you to get a great spot and also be one of the first to be enjoy Rainbow Reef. Something that Tom did…
Rainbow Reef is one of the most enjoyable experience in Adventure Cove. It is actually snorkeling among schools of fish within a reef. You’ll be given instructions
1. Not to kick within the reef. This is because there is a light stream that brings you round like a circuit. You’ll just have to float along. Of course, the other reason is to prevent you from disturbing the marine life within.
2. No diving. Even though you may be tempted to swim among the schools of fish, you are not allowed to do so.
What we really enjoyed about this attraction was that during feed times, you’ll see a HUGE number of fish gather round the food and they all move in one swift, coordinated motion. So much so that there would be a mini wave or tremor that you may feel. Tom was actually shocked by this sudden movement when the feeding begun. But, what an awesome sight to behold! Enjoy!
The Bay Restaurant
The last reason why you should head to the Rainbow Reef area first is because of its proximity to the Bay Restaurant. Usually during meal times, the restaurant itself would be fully occupied. Nonetheless, you can bring out the food that you’ve ordered to the seating area outside, a place which you would have “choped” (Singlish for “Booked”) if you had followed our previous advice.
The fish and chips combo and fried chicken wings, though a little expensive, tasted quite alright. Here are the other attractions that we visited while we were at Adventure Cove Sentosa…
Seahorse Hideaway – A shallow wading pool for the toddlers
Dueling Racer – Grab a mat and race against your mate down the slide side by side
Riptide Rocket – The Waterpark equivalent of the roller coaster. Enjoy!
Pipeline Plunge & Tidal Twister – Twisting and turning at high speeds and plunges!
Bluwater Bay – Chill out or just ride on the giant waves!
Spiral Washout and Whirlpool Washout – Be prepared for a water ride unlike any other!
Tip 2 : We realised that the more exciting ride is always on the left side. Once in line for queues that head to 2 rides, remember to choose according to what you can handle. For us, it’s always the left ride!
Big Bucket Treehouse – A fun splash area for the kids
Splashworks – A water obstacle course
Adventure River – Adventure Cove Sentosa’s Lazy River
At Adventure Cove Sentosa, there are additional experiences – ultimate marine encounters (of course at an additional fee) that you can enjoy. These include Sea Trek Adventure, Shark Encounter, Ray Bay, Open Ocean Dive and the various Dolphin encounters seen above.
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**Photos courtesy of Adventure Cove Sentosa
Kranji War Memorial and Kranji War Cemetery : Remembrance Service on 9 November 2014
Kranji War Memorial and Singapore Memorial are dedicated to those who fought valiantly against invading Japanese forces during World War 2. The Kranji Memorial consists of the State Cemetery of Singapore (burial site of Singapore’s first and second presidents Yusof Ishak and Benjamin Henry Sheares), the War Cemetery, Singapore Memorial and the Commonwealth Military Cemetery.
Kranji War Memorial
Entrance to the Kranji War Memorial
Grave of Benjamin Henry Sheares
The first grave at the entrance of Kranji War Memorial
Singapore Memorial and War Cemetery
Inscription at the Singapore Memorial
The Singapore Memorial was designed by Colin St Clair Oakes who paid homage to the combined forces that defended Singapore. The 13 columns of the Singapore Memorial represents the Army – marching in columns. The roof of the Singapore Memorial represents the Air Force – the wing of an aeroplane. The mast at the top of the Singapore Memorial represents the Navy – the conning tower of a submarine.
Each year, a remembrance service will be held to remember those who have sacrificed themselves during World War 2. As the inscription of the Singapore Memorial reads : “They died for all free men”.
This year, the Remembrance Sunday service will be held on 9 November 2014.
How to get to Kranji War Memorial
Kranji War Memorial is located at 9 Woodlands Road, Singapore 738656. To get there, you can
1. Take the MRT and alight at the Kranji Station. From there, you can take a 15 minutes walk to the memorial. Directions are available at the MRT station (either the locality map or from the station control).
2. Take buses 160, 170, 178, 960, 961. You can alight directly next to the memorial and take a short walk in.
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Parkland Green : What’s new at East Coast Park?
Parkland Green is the latest addition to vibrancy at East Coast Park. Opened in September 2014, there are several dining establishments, sports outlets, a laser tag arena as well as a 1 hectare field for endless activities! Find out more about what’s in store at Parkland Green…
Parkland Green East Coast Park
What’s at Parkland Green East Coast Park
1. 1-Hectare Open Lawn
1-hectare Open Lawn @ Parkland Green
The one hectare open lawn at Parkland Green offers a great venue for families to have picnics and gatherings. The flood lights also lit the lawn in the evenings and we caught some chaps enjoying themselves over frisbee. Definitely a great play area for the kids as well. Nearby, there are also BBQ pits along the coast.
2. Tag Team Inc
Tag Team Inc East Coast Park
Laser Tag Arena Parkland Green
At Tag Team Inc, there are laser tag and archery tag team games available. The great thing about the games here are that they’re safe for children as well as adults. The only down side that we see is that the arena seems a little small – may not be as exciting for thrill seekers.
3. Sports Retail Outlets
Sports Retail Outlets at Parkland Green East Coast Park
Hvper Sports Retail @ Parkland Green
The sports retail outlets at Parkland Green provides an option for park goers to purchase skate scooters, roller blades or bikes. Check it out and you might just be hit by the “active bug”…
4. Dining Establishments
Patro’s Sports Bar & Restaurant / Starbucks Coffee
Atmosphere Sports Bar East Coast
Sandbank Restaurant
Pickmeup Cafe Parkland Green
Bakery & Bar St. Marc East Coast Park
Parkland Green is set to be a great hang out venue with these new dining establishments. Sports bars that offers live soccer matches would definitely be drawing EPL fans in flocks. Do take note that free parking is only for the first year of operation (made known to us by restaurant operators there). So do take advantage and visit while it lasts!
We were actually craving for north indian cuisine this evening and Patro’s came to our rescue! Yay! Butter chicken!
Butter chicken, basmati rice, naan and fried vegetables
Sangria at Patro’s Parkland Green East Coast Park
Indoors and alfresco dining at Patro’s Parkland Green East Coast
First off, we must say that the food was really great. Creamy rich butter chicken with long grains of basmati rice. Shiok! Naan was slightly burnt but mixed with the butter chicken gave the meat a tinge of the tandoori taste. Last but not least, the sangria (at $40 a jug) is definitely a great complement to the meal. An enjoyable meal overall.
Oh, you may have also noticed that we moved from outdoors to indoors. Pretty much due to the mosquito and heat. Nonetheless, alfresco dining experience at Patro’s, watching park goers go (jog/cycle) by, is quite enjoyable as well!
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We hope you have enjoyed our coverage of Parkland Green @ East Coast Park. Tell us more about your experience at Parkland Green in our comments section below!
National Museum of Singapore : A MUST VISIT Singapore Attraction!
The National Museum of Singapore is our favourite museum in Singapore. Not only because its free (for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents) but because of the high quality exhibits that are always on-going at the “grand old dame of museums in Singapore”. In addition, it’s always enjoyable for us to reconnect with our Singaporean roots through the Singapore History and Singapore Living Galleries at the National Museum of Singapore!
National Museum of Singapore
National Museum of Singapore Exhibitions
Masak Masak Exhibition National Museum of Singapore
There is an ongoing exhibition entitled “Masak Masak” (which usually means children playing with toys) which is suitable for kids ages three to seven. Games, interactive installations and films will surely allow the kids to have an enjoyable time at the National Museum of Singapore.
WE : Defining Stories at the National Museum of Singapore
WE : Defining Stories @ National Museum of Singapore
The WE : Defining Stories is a photo exhibition that shows the defining moments of Singapore from the post-war years to independence and finally to where we are today as a nation.
Description of WE : Defining Stories Exhibition
Significant stories such as the racial riots, MacDonald House Bombing, Singapore’s Independence from Malaysia, collapse of hotel New World, hijack of SQ 117, the cable car incident, SARS, floods as well as more light hearted stories such as the queues for hello kitty, new property launches and historic wins by the soccer, swimming, water polo and table tennis teams.
Inside WE : Defining Stories Exhibition
Sebastiao Salgado Genesis Photo Exhibit @ National Museum of Singapore
Sebastiao Salgado Genesis Photo Exhibit
We also enjoyed Sebastiao Salgado’s Genesis photo exhibition at the National Museum. Some of his photos of landscapes and animals seemed very unreal. Really makes you wonder how in the world did he get those shots?! We’re guessing he must have “camped” like Sean Penn in the “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” and waited for the opportune moment to take those shots. Enjoy!
Singapura 700 Years : The Latest Singapore Gallery @ National Museum of Singapore
Singapore Stone as explained by our guide Mike
Singapura 700 Years is the latest Singapore history exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore. In the meantime, the “resident” Singapore History Gallery will be closed for renovation and will be slated to reopen in 2015. The gallery will therefore get a new lease of life in time for Singapore’s Golden Jubilee celebration!
How to get to the National Museum of Singapore
Map of the National Museum of Singapore
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For us, the National Museum of Singapore is definitely one of the top attractions in Singapore. For more of what to do in Singapore, visit our post on the top 101 things to do in Singapore!
Visiting the National Museum of Singapore? Click here to enjoy competitive rates and compare the prices of hotels in the vicinity!
Singapura 700 Years : Latest Singapore Exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore
Singapura 700 Years is the latest Singapore history exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore. In the meantime, the “resident” Singapore History Gallery will be closed for renovation and will be slated to reopen in 2015. The gallery will therefore get a new lease of life in time for Singapore’s Golden Jubilee celebration!
Singapura 700 Years National Museum of Singapore
Map of Singapura : 700 Years exhibition
Exhibits at the Singapura : 700 Years exhibition
Singapura : 700 Years has 6 sections including Archaeology in Singapore, Ancient Singapore (1300–1818), Colonial Singapore (1819–1942), Syonan-To (1942–1945), Road to Merdeka (1946–1965) and Independent Singapore (1965–1975).
Archaeology in Singapore
Archaeology in Singapore : 30 years of uncovering the past from 1984 to 2014
Over the last 30 years, excavation works have been secretly but carefully carried out. This section unearths some of the findings that confirms the historical, colonial and modern past of Singapore. Find out some of the techniques that are used so that historical evidences are well documented for future generations of Singaporeans!
Ancient Singapore
Ancient Singapore with Dragon’s Teeth Gate on the left
Singapore Stone as explained by our guide Mike
The Ancient Singapore section tells of Singapore’s history before the founding of Singapore. This includes records of the Dragon’s Teeth Gate (see above) which formerly stood at the gateway to today’s Keppel Harbour, the Singapore Stone with inscriptions that up to this day no one knows and how Singapore got its name – Singapura (Lion City – did Singapore really have indigenous lions?).
Colonial Singapore : 1819 to 1942
Colonial Singapore – Singapura : 700 Years
Milestones of Colonial Singapore
Chinese in Singapore during colonial times
European settlements in Singapore
Colonial Singapore was a time where British firmly had rule over Singapore. Unknown to most Singaporeans, Sir Stamford Raffles only established a trading port in 1819 and it was in 1824 that Singapore was formerly ceded to the British. This section also depicted the life of the rich (mostly Europeans) as well as the poor during those times. The rich Europeans would spend their days horse riding, socialising and enjoying parties (Literally! take a look at the 24 hour schedule of a typical European at the exhibition!) while the poor had to work long and hard hours as rickshaw riders or coolies.
Syonan-To
Syonan-To means “Light of the South”
This section tells of how the Japanese had a grand plan to conquer Southeast Asia which included Singapore. In fact, General Yamashita had a plan to take down Singapore in 100 days which he eventually only took 70 days. During the Japanese Occupation, it was grim and dark times for Singapore. Food was scarce, men suspected of supporting China were executed and locals had to adapt to a new language and a new colonial master.
Road to Merdeka : 1945 to 1965
Road to Merdeka (Independence)
Countries gaining independence after World War 2
Referendum held on 1 September 1962 to decide on the options for merger
Singapore was part of Malaya from 16 September 1963 to 9 August 1965 (approximately 2 years)
After the war, both Singapore and Malaya knew that the days of the British as a colonial power were numbered. This triggered Singapore’s march towards independent. In 1959, Singapore obtained self governance with Singapore Flag and National Anthem introduced the same year. On 16 September 1963, Singapore and Malaya obtained independence from the British and because of political differences, Singapore was forced to be an independent state on 9th August 1965.
Independent Singapore
Independent Singapore : Post 1965
Singapore’s Leaders
Developing Singapore in key areas of defence, diplomacy, economy and education
Full marks for being a Singapore Buff!
When Singapore gained independence in 1965, leaders of Singapore went straight to work, developing Singapore in areas of defence, diplomacy, economy and education. With the development of public housing, Singaporeans were well taken care of for the first time. Proper sanitation also came along with these public housing. Our guide, Mike also made a joke about the huge contributions Dr Goh Keng Swee made. When Singapore needed to be developed in a certain area, he would be the minister. Hence, he was the minister for finance, defence and education where he played key roles in developing Singapore into what it is today.
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Guided Tours are also available at the following hours. Just gather outside the entrance at the stipulated times!
From 1 to 10 November
English
Mon – Fri 11am
Sat & Sun 11:30am, 2pm and 3:30pm
Mandarin
Mon 1:30pm
Sat & Sun 11am & 1:30pm
From 3 November onwards
Japanese
Mon – Fri 10.30am
Every 1st Sat of the Month 1:30pm
From 11 November onwards
English
Mon – Fri 11am & 2pm
Sat & Sun 11:30am, 1pm, 2pm, 2:30pm (from 11 Nov to 31 Dec only) & 3:30pm
Mandarin
Mon 1:30pm
Sat & Sun 11am, 1:30pm
From 1 December onwards
French
Every 1st Thu of the Month 12pm
We hope you have enjoyed our coverage of the latest Singapore history exhibition – Singapura : 700 Years. If you have visited the exhibition, let us know what you think in the comments section below!
Monkey Goes West Musical : “Go Jurong West Bo Jio?!”
Monkey Goes West is the holiday musical by Wild Rice Pantomimes for the holiday season of 2014! This is also director, Sebastian Tan’s (of Broadway Beng fame) debut musical which will run from 21st November to 13 December 2014.
Monkey Goes West Musical
The story tells of an orphan Ah Tang who ran away from home after quarreling with his adoptive family. He then finds himself transported to different dimension where he meets, you’ve guessed it! His “disciples”!
Wukong, the cheeky Monkey King, Pigsy the brave by always-hungry warrior and of course Sandy, a stubborn but loyal river ogre then travels with Ah Tang to subdue demons and overcome challenges along the way.
Written by Alfian Sa’at with music by Elaine Chan, the musical also stars
Sugie Phua as Monkey King
Siti Khalijah Zainal as Sandy
Frances Lee as Pigsy
Joshua Lim as Ah Tang
Lim Kay Siu as King Bull
Kimberly Chan as Red Boy and…
Chua Enlai as Princess Iron Fan!
Early Bird Discounts for Monkey Goes West
Remember to check out the holiday musical of the year and enjoy these discounts…
Early Bird Discount (from 29th September to 22nd October 2014)
– 20% discount for all OCBC Cardmembers, SAFRA, PAssion, British Club and IKEA FAMILY Card Members
– 15% discount for General Public
Discounts from 23rd October onwards
– Discounts available for Students, Senior Citizens, Full time NSFs, OCBC Cardmembers, SAFRA, PAssion, British Club and IKEA FAMILY Card Members
OCBC Family Package – Limited Availability
– 25% discount for Family of 2 Adults and 2 Children (16 years and below)
We’re catching this musical solely because of the catch phrase “Go Jurong West Bo Jio!?”
Doesn’t it interest you as well? ;P
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P.S. Nope, this is not a sponsored post! Enjoy the musical Monkey Goes West everyone! An uniquely Singapore experience!
Alive Museum Singapore Suntec City!
Alive Museum Singapore located at Suntec City Tower 3 is the latest attraction to hit the shores of Singapore! Alive Museum is actually a 3D illusionary museum that makes use of trick art, digital art, object art, experimental art and dark room to bring about a fun and entertaining visual sensory tour!
Alive Museum Singapore Location & Opening Hours
If you’re thinking of visiting Alive Museum Singapore, here are some quick facts for you…
Location of Alive Museum Singapore : Suntec City Mall #03-372 (between towers 3 & 4). If you’re still wondering, where it is exactly, you may want to know that it is actually at the location of the former Eng Wah cinema!
Ticket Prices of Alive Museum Singapore : $25 (Adults), $20 (Children 3-12 yrs)
Operating Hours of Alive Museum Singapore : 10am to 10pm daily (Last admission at 9pm)
3D Illusionary Fun @ Alive Museum Singapore
Here are some of the fun and interesting shots we took at Alive Museum!
There more than 80 exhibits at the Alive Museum and each of these exhibits invites you to pose and take a shot. There are also indicators throughout the museum to tell you the position to pose as well as the position to take the shot from…
Our views on Alive Museum Singapore
Avoid the crowds. As we visited Alive Museum on a Monday, there was a small number of people within the museum. Still, we had to wait (about 3 minutes) for a couple of more interesting exhibits. We extrapolate that during weekends, the situation would be quite bad. Hence, we recommend visiting on weekday nights or weekend mornings to avoid the crowds and have more time to get the great shots without people obstructing your shots or “breathing down your neck” during your shots.
Ladies and kids. During this visit, we realised that kids/teenagers as well as ladies, somehow enjoy the exhibits more. There were 2 groups of ladies who were laughing out loud and really enjoying themselves as they moved from one exhibit to another.
High Quality. The exhibits were actually of a high quality. High quality in the sense that the materials used to construct the exhibits were thick and hardy. Paint used were also able to withstand prolonged interaction with visitors. The other aspect of high quality also refers to the directions, pictures and signs that allows you to appreciate each exhibit much better and to let you know how you should pose and take the pictures.
Video Tour of Alive Museum Singapore! A scary exhibit at the end of the video : Listen out for the scream!
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Well, the million dollar question : “Would we visit Alive Museum Singapore again?”
It depends. We think it’ll be fun if you go in groups of 3 or 4. Some of the shots are nicer if there are 2 or more people posing. Plus, while one poses, the rest can help to take photos and laugh at the amusing shots that have your friends in it! Not recommended for party of 2 or less.
Have you visited Alive Museum Singapore lately? Tell us more in the comments section below!
*Special thanks to the great folks at Alive Museum for making our visit possible!
** For a limited time, Alive Museum tickets are at 40% off!
A “Long Long Lunch” at Edge Restaurant Pan Pacific Singapore Hotel!
Edge Restaurant at Pan Pacific Singapore has launched the “Long Long Lunch”, which features Singapore hawker favourites from 12pm to 4pm on Saturdays. Also known as “Tunch” (a cool name for Traditional Lunch), this buffet spread also includes local delights such as Homemade Laksa, Bak Kut Teh, Carrot Cake, Satay and lots more!
Thanks to the great folks at Pan Pacific Singapore (big shout out to Wen Xian and Cheryl!), we were hosted to a fantastic Long Long Lunch at Edge Restaurant.
Can you see the waiters dressed in traditional hawker outfit in the background? Topped with the rickshaw hat no less!
Edge Pan Pacific Singapore Long Long Lunch (Tunch)
Our expectations of local fare is especially high and usually for buffets, because of the quantity of which it is produced, the standards drop. But we’re pleased to let you know that the standard of local hawker food at this Long Long Lunch is actually pretty good! Let’s take you through the offerings of Tunch at Edge Restaurant…
Once we were shown to our seats, the waitress informed us of the numbered sticks at our table. It is actually used for foods that require some preparation time (such as char kway teow and popiah).
Hand the sticks over, food prepared, food served to your table! Simple as that!
And here’s a quick tour of the available stalls at this excellent traditional lunch buffet…
In addition to the local delights, there is also a selection of international cuisine for you to choose from, including…
You may realise by now that the Edge restaurant at Pan Pacific Singapore Hotel, is actually quite huge! What we enjoyed about the lay out is that there’s a new discovery at every turn inside the restaurant as the food is dispersed all around. In fact, we only found the traditional kaya toast (which was AWESOME – “everything is awesome…”) towards the end of our meal!
What we ate at Edge Pan Pacific Singapore’s Long Long Lunch
Here’s a low down of what we ate at the Long Long Lunch and our comments on each of these dish that we’ve tried…
You might be surprised but the bak kut teh taken out of the seemingly nondescript pot above, WAS ACTUALLY GOOD! The soup had the light spicy, peppery and not too salty taste of bak kut teh and to top things off, the rib was SO SO TENDER! The teh tarik on the other hand was milky and flavourful but was a tad too sweet. Remember to ask for siew tai/condensed milk!
You would think that for a huge buffet such as this, tastes for local delights such as chicken rice and char kway teow would be greatly compromised? WRONG! In fact, the rice was so fragrant that we REALLY wanted to go for seconds! Which we struggled very hard to decline 🙁 This is to salvage whatever space in our tummies to review the foods here just for you (yes you!) our beloved readers! And we digress…
The roasted chicken was tender, juicy and had a mildly familiar roasted fatty taste to it. To put it simply, you must eat the chicken skin with the tender juicy chicken meat! As you chew, the roasted aroma, coupled with the fragrant rice, swirls magically within…definitely one of the best chicken rice we’ve had in recent times! Oh oh, don’t forget the chili!
The char kway teow was generous in its ingredients of prawns, fish cake and bean sprouts. There was “wok hei” with freshness of the ingredients fried into the kway teow, which was not too oily. Portion was just nice as well – not too jelat!
All 3 dishes above were good. The satay sauce had the right proportion of peanut to sweetness ratio while the satay had a slight charred taste to it. These satays were BBQed “live” and you may have to wait for the next batch if your movements are a little slow. The roasted duck had a crisp and fatty layer on the outside while the meat had that firmness and sweetness as you chew into it – simply how a good roasted duck ought to be. Lastly, the laksa gravy and chili (most important parts of the laksa) were pretty decent. The only let down was the thick vermicelli which could be a little more “silky”. To solve this, politely ask the chef to cook your vermicelli a little longer.
As for the dim sum, you won’t go wrong with har gau and siew mai. Both had mouthfuls of fillings with every bite. The lobster dumpling though was a miss. The skin was a little thick and perhaps the dumpling simply did not meet the expectations of the name “lobster dumpling”. You would expect some kind of a “wow factor” with that kind of name right? The popiah on the other hand had chock-full of fillings and was a great dish to complement the meal.
Just to test the skills of the chefs, we ordered the Aglio Olio at the pasta counter and we were glad that we ordered it. The texture of the pasta was just perfect, a firm bite on each mouth (soggy pastas spoil the taste). The full flavoured garlic and chili bits rounded up this simple but elegant pasta.
To round up the meal, we headed to the desserts section! Kate enjoyed the asian delights of kueh kuehs and kueh lapis while I headed for the durian selection! You MUST TRY the durian cake and pengat at the Long Long Lunch. As with good durian cakes and durian pengats, the texture of the durian could be felt with each bite. Though the silkier texture of the pengat could be deceiving on the first impression, the power-packed taste from the King of Fruits could be savoured with each mouth – all bitter sweet tastes of it! That was why we went for seconds and helped build up our “reserves in the mid section”…
About Edge Pan Pacific Singapore’s Long Long Lunch
The highlights from the Long Long Lunch of Edge Pan Pacific Singapore Hotel includes :
Singapore Heritage
Homemade Laksa (Chef’s Signature)
Penang Prawn Noodle Soup (Chef’s Signature)
Bak Kut Teh (Chef’s Signature)
Satay
Nasi Lemak with Otah
Roti Prata
Homemade Dim Sum
Crispy Char Siew Soo
Fried Carrot Cake
Popiah and Rojak
Singapore Toast (Egg, Kaya, Peanut Butter, Butter and Sugar)
Japanese and Thai
Traditional Thai Tom Yum Soup
Thai Papaya and Mango Salad
Selection of Sushi and Sashimi
Thai-style Deep Fried Banana
Desserts
Durian Puff, Durian Mousse Cake and Durian Pengat (Chef’s Signature)
Ice Kachang (Chef’s Signature)
Soy Bean Milk Pudding (Chef’s Signature)
Portuguese Egg Tart
Mango Pomelo Short Cake
Bread and Butter Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
Pandan Kaya Cake
Chendol Agar Agar
Orange Chiffon Cake
Nonya Kueh and Chinese Cookies
Date: Every Saturday
Time: 12:00 noon to 4:00pm
Prices:
$50nett per adult inclusive of unlimited local beverages, coffee and tea
$25nett per child (below 12 years of age) inclusive of unlimited local beverages
Venue: Edge (Level 3), 7 Raffles Boulevard, Singapore 039595
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Conclusion
If you’re thinking of taking your loved ones out for a relaxing long long lunch but not sure where to get good quality hawker fare at one great location, the Long Long Lunch at Edge Pan Pacific Singapore can be an excellent option.
We used to think that great hawker foods, especially for buffet is simply not possible. Usually such buffets has more “misses” than “hits”. In addition, to keep up with food quality and great local flavours for a large quantity, is extremely difficult to say the least.
Edge’s Long Long Lunch has changed that impression. Kudos to the chefs at Edge Pan Pacific Singapore!
**Special thanks Cheryl, Wen Xian and the team from Edge for hosting us to a lovely Long Long Lunch!
Would we go back to Common Man Coffee Roasters again?
Common Man Coffee Roasters located at 22 Martin Road (walking distance from Boat Quay) is a new cafe that serves up gourmet breakfast and coffee.
Common Man Coffee Roasters is actually quite an “ATAS” (high class) cafe. The setting is quite elegant and classy yet there remains a casual feel to it.
As you can see from the price, the gourmet breakfasts cost in excess of $20. The eggs benedict we tried costs $24. Well, the real question is…is it worth it?
The organic eggs benedict has the following description
“Tender braised ox cheeks, 2 poached organic eggs with chive hollandaise with artisanal sourdough toast”
Sounds good? In fact it tastes better than it sounds. The ox cheeks was indeed tender and the spices have been infused into the meat. The eggs were very professionally prepared. When you break into the yolk, it oozes creamily (yes an odd word for yolks but it does) unto the toast. The sourdough toast gives an unique spin with its soury taste and crisp outer layer. Together the egg,toast,ox cheek fuses into one magical taste. Simply divine.
On the other hand, we couldnt really appreciate the gourmet cappuccino. To us, it was a little bitter and slightly acidic. We also ordered the Churros…
The Churros again were quite expensive. $12 for 5 sticks! But it was good. The outer later was lightly dusted with sugar and crispy on the initial bite. But as you chew on, the texture quickly turns to a soft chewy texture. With the chocolate dip, the churros tasted especially shiok.
Herein lies the problem, all this “divine” and “shiok” tastes come at a price and the total damage was…
We had tried to save by ordering one main and one coffee. But the price was already close to $50.
The Verdict
Our verdict? The eggs benedict was really unlike any eggs benedict we have tried. The sourdough toast made the difference and the churros was good. But for the price, you will really need to think twice.
We think that it would be good to visit just once, just to know how delicious simple and fresh ingredients can come together to create that unbelievably good taste. Otherwise, for the price, it would be unlikely that we’ll come back again.
Isn’t it ironic that the cafe is named “Common Man…” when the common man will really have to dig deep to eat here…
Have you visited Common Man Coffee Roasters? Tell us in the comments section below!
Inaugural World Club 10s Rugby : Sports Hub reopens in 2014!
World Club 10s Rugby is the first event that Singapore Sports Hub is hosting after completing a 1.33 billion dollars makeover. As the centre-piece of the sports hub, the National Stadium, with a capacity of 55,000 reopens to host this inaugural event!
World Club 10s Rugby @ Sports Hub Singapore National Stadium
Smart design and colouring of the seats (notice the varied white and red national colours?)
Can you see the Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands in the distance?
During the matches of World Club 10s Rugby, teams also interacted with the fans through photo taking opportunities and even a traditional dance (akin to the All Blacks Haka) performed by the Samoan Team!
Petrarca – An Italian Rugby Team
Samoan Team performing topless traditional dance!
Traditional dance performed by the Samoan Team
Upon entering into the new national stadium, we experienced a vibe similar to that of what we have experienced during World Cup 2006 in Germany. The stadium is HUGE and coloured with our national colours of white and red. Smart colouring of white among the red (and vice versa) gives an illusion of seats being taken up and not empty.
In the distance, you’ll also realise that the whole stadium is orientated in such a way that it faces the Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands! Closer to the seats, there’s an internal cooling system which you’ll feel at your feet as you get seated down. Because of the design of the dome, you’ll get great perspective of the field no matter where you’re seated – a sign of a world class stadium!
Clear view of the matches at new national stadium
Can you spot the rugby ball?
For a befitting end to the inaugural World Club 10s Rugby, the finals was played between the Blues from New Zealand (captained by Piri Weepu of the New Zealand All Blacks) and the Brumbies from Australia! It was a very close match right from the start and the end of regular time, the match ended in a 5-5 tie. This meant that the match went into extra time “golden point” with the Blues winning it deep into the 2nd period of extra time!
Blues and Brumbies at 5-5 at the end of regular time
Before the start of the first period of extra time
At the end of the first period of extra time
The Blues winning the World Club 10s Rugby in the 2nd period of extra time!
Final score of inaugural World Club 10s Rugby!
How to get to Sports Hub National Stadium
Map of Singapore Sports Hub
There are several ways to reach the Singapore Sports Hub. You can either take the circle line to Stadium MRT station or Mountbatten MRT station (and walk about 600m) or take the east line and alight at Kallang MRT station. That walk would be about 600 metres as well.
Alternatively, buses 10, 11, 14, 16, 70, 70M and 196 alights close to the national stadium or within the sports hub.
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After visiting the National Stadium, we’re really proud that we finally have a world class stadium at the sports hub that we can call our own! Good job Team Singapore!
Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel : Sunday Brunch Buffet!
Straits Cafe at Rendezvous Hotel has launched its Sunday Brunch Buffet and we were invited to check out its offerings as well as its renowned Durian Pengat and Laksa!
Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Singapore
Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Sunday Brunch Buffet
Straits Cafe Buffet Price
Sunday Brunch at Straits Cafe starts from 11:30am to 2:30pm and costs $48++ per adult. As with most Sunday Brunches, there’s a sashimi and oysters corner which we thoroughly enjoyed. The oysters were fresh, huge and succulent while the salmon sashimi was tender, sweet and does not have the “defrosted” taste that many buffet restaurants have…
Japanese corner with salmon sashimi and fresh oysters
FRESH HUGE AND SUCCULENT OYSTERS – only 4 oysters per order
Yummy sashimi!
Seafood is also a main feature at this Sunday brunch with snow crabs, gong gong and fresh tiger prawns!
Snow crab and tiger prawns – before
Snow crab and tiger prawns – after
Gong gong – to be eaten using the tooth pick and a dash of mayo
As for mains, there’s a selection of meats including duck, beef and lamb…
Meat selection at Straits Cafe
Pasta salads and cold dishes…
Selection of cold dishes
Beautifully kueh pie tee – decorated by Kate!
Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel – Kueh Pie Tee
And of course, the renowned Laksa from Straits Cafe!
Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Signature Laksa
Straits Cafe Signature Laksa!
After tasting the laksa from Straits Cafe, we finally understood why its so famous. The gravy was thick and flavourful leaving an aftertaste that leaves you wanting for more. The tau pok, infused with the gravy? Mmm…Mmm… of course, you can also choose to add your own toppings to the laksa, including fresh tiger prawns and maybe even the succulent oysters? That we didn’t try but do tell us about it in the comments section below!
Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Durian Pengat
There’s also a selection of desserts, but our favourite? Nope, not the durian cake, not the durian crepe and not even the durian puffs…IT’S THE DURIAN PENGAT!!
Selection of desserts at Straits Cafe
Waffles with maple syrup and honey
Straits Cafe Durian Pengat, Durian Cake, Durian Puff and Durian Crepe!
Our favourite durian pengat from Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Singapore
To round up the Sunday Buffet Brunch at Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel, we recommend having the traditional teh tarik. The teh tarik (also knowned as pulled tea) is tea traditionally transferred from one cup to another by “stretching and pulling” it through air to “thicken” the tea. As a result, you’ll have tea with bubbles and a thickened texture to it. In addition, this version at Straits Cafe is not too sweet, making it a great compliment with the desserts…
Teh Tarik and durian desserts at Straits Cafe
How to get to Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Singapore
Map of Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Singapore
The closest MRT station is Bras Basah MRT station while Dhoby Ghaut MRT station is also within a short walking distance.
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**Special thanks to Mike and Far East Hospitality for making the Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Sunday Brunch Buffet possible!
SEA Aquarium Singapore : World’s Largest Aquarium at Resorts World Sentosa!
We finally got to visit the SEA Aquarium at Resorts World Sentosa Singapore. After hearing that it is the world’s largest aquarium featuring over 100,000 marine life and seeing videos such as this…
We decided that its about time 2bearbear.com visited the SEA Aquarium Singapore!
Attraction Highlights of SEA Aquarium Resorts World Sentosa Singapore
After reading our visit to the Maritime Experiential Museum, you’ll realise that the SEA Aquarium is actually connected to it. The last time we visited the Maritime Experential Museum, the SEA Aquarium was not yet open to the public that’s why the tickets then were cheaper ($5). But now, with the opening of the SEA Aquarium, you’ll pay ($38) to visit both the Maritime Experential Museum, the SEA Aquarium and admission to the Typhoon Theatre (3D show on Non-Peak Days only).
The SEA Aquarium is located at B1 and there are a total of 7 zones, namely
1. Shipwreck Habitat
2. Discovery Touch Pool
3. Ocean Journey
4. Open Ocean
5. Ocean Dome
6. Moray Eel
7. Shark Seas
Shipwreck Habitat SEA Aquarium Resorts World Sentosa Singapore
Shipwreck Habitat SEA Aquarium
As you enter the Shipwreck Habitat, you’ll pass through this tunnel where you’ll observe various marine life forms that have flourished around this ship wreck. Here are some of the interesting marine life that we saw…
Razor Fish – Swims in a vertical manner!
Description of the Razor Fish
Can you spot the sea horse? Or do you just see a sea weed?
Discovery Touch Pool SEA Aquarium Resorts World Sentosa Singapore
Discovery Touch Pool SEA Aquarium Singapore
The Discovery Touch Pool is one of the highlights for the kids. You’ll get to touch various marine life such as the star fish. Kids will definitely have a ball of a time! The only thing is that the waiting time can be quite long, depending on the period that you’re visiting. We waited for about 15 minutes. Not too bad.
Vertical Fish Column
The other highlight at this zone is this vertical fish column. With the various colours shown by the fish, it displays a dazzling array of underwater performance! Check out this video and you’ll see why…
Vertical Fish Tank at Discovery Touch Pool Zone
Ocean Journey SEA Aquarium Resorts World Sentosa Singapore
At Ocean Journey, you’ll get to see some of the spectacular display of marine prowess in the cold water habitats…
BroadClub Cuttlefish
Intriguing School of Fish 1
Intriguing School of Fish 2
Can you spot the bottlenose dolphin?
King Alaskan Crab!
Jellyfish!
Tiny jellyfish and Upside down jellyfish?
See the Jellyfish in motion!
Open Ocean SEA Aquarium Resorts World Sentosa Singapore
As you have seen from the first video above, the Open Ocean zone features the planet’s largest window to the ocean! The huge manta rays were also seen “flying” through the waters…
World’s Largest Window to the Ocean at SEA Aquarium Resorts World Sentosa Singapore
So how does it compare to the Floor to Ceiling Window for Viewing of The Lost Chambers Aquarium at Atlantis the Palm Dubai?
Huge stone looking fish
Largest Stingray “flying” through the water
The manta rays for us were the highlight. It really looked like it was “flying”! So gracefully through the water! It moves with such ease and majestic movement and in a blink of an eye, it was out of sight.
Ocean Dome and Moray Eel SEA Aquarium Resorts World Sentosa Singapore
We saw the moral eels but did not take any pictures because its movement back to its “nest” was so slick and quick! We did see other interesting marine life at the Ocean Dome…
Ornate Spiny Lobster
Corals
Brightly coloured fish among the corals
Shark Seas SEA Aquarium Resorts World Sentosa Singapore
Shark Seas SEA Aquarium RWS Singapore
As you move towards the exit, you will also exit via a tunnel with views of the sharks…
Hammerhead shark, silvertip shark and sandbar shark
Catch these sharks in action!
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The Verdict
The SEA Aquarium at Resorts World Sentosa Singapore is definitely one of the biggest attractions at Sentosa and possibly Singapore. The only gripe we have is that because its new and the large number of visitors (hear the background sounds to the videos), it may get a little congested especially at the entrance and at the exits. Nonetheless, a great venue to take the family for a day out “at sea”. If you’re wondering how it compares to the Lost Chambers in Dubai, check out our post during our visit to Atlantis the Palm Dubai!
Why You Cant Help Going Back to Sakae Sushi’s “All You Can Eat” Premium Buffet?
Over the past week, we ate at Sakae Sushi’s All You Can Eat Premium Buffet. There’s something about buffet that makes us wants to go back again eventhough we know its not good for us, causes us to overeat, resulting in large tummies.
BUT we still go back nonetheless.
So what is it exactly about buffets that attract us so much? We think its a combination of these factors…
Price. When the price is optimal (notice that I did not use “cheap” because buffets aren’t exactly cheap), it brings out the kiasu Singaporean in me that says “Wah, this is damned hua!” (worth it).
The concept of “free-flow” and “all-you-can-eat”. This concept plays on the mind that you pay a fixed price but have unlimited supply of food. But if you really think about it, there is a limit. Whether you can stomach or not, is another issue altogether.
3 hours of dining. For gatherings, buffets are a great option. In addition to the wide variety of food (which means you do not have to adjourn after dinner for drinks or desserts), you can stay at that place through the duration of the buffet hours which usually is about 3 to 4 hours without feeling pai seh about the need to order more.
And so we digress from our sushi buffet frenzy. (The above is written to reduce our guilt for visiting buffets in the future! :))
What you can expect at Sakae Sushi’s “Eat All You Want” Premium Buffet
The Sakae Sushi Premium Buffet allows you to have ALL THE RED & PINK PLATES you want (compared to 1 red and 1 pink for the normal sushi buffet). In addition, you get to have endless supply (which now you know is not true) of sashimi and teriyaki meats. So here are only some of what we ate that fateful day…
Tuna (Maguro) and Salmon Sashimi
Octopus (Tako) Sashimi
Black pepper beef with rice
Teriyaki Chicken Wings
Yakitori
Tempura Cheese Maki
Makimono
Salmon Mayo Maki
Tempura Temaki (hand roll)
Soft Shell Crab Maki
Kakiage (Fried Vegetables)
Cha Soba (Green Tea Buckwheat Noodle)
Chuka Hotate (Seasoned Scallop)
Chuka Wakame (Seasoned Seaweed)
Pumpkin Koroke
Mochi and Ice Cream
Price of Sakae Sushi Premium Buffet
Mon to Thurs
Lunch (11:30am to 2:30pm) / Teatime (3pm to 5pm) : $24.90
Dinner (6:30pm to 10pm) : $29.90
Fri/Sat/Sun/PH/Eve of PH
Lunch (11:30am to 2:30pm) / Teatime (3pm to 5pm) : $32.90
Dinner (6:30pm to 10pm) : $33.90
This means that if you go for the weekday dinner for 2 persons, it works out to 2 x $29.90++ = $70.40!!
Conclusion
Seriously speaking, there are much better sushi joints around. But when the 3 factors above come together, it is hard not to give Sakae Sushi’s Premium Buffet a long and hard consideration.
The worst part is, knowing the factors above, somehow, we will still be back at Sakae (help!) – unless you guys have some other better recommendations? Tell us (and save us) in the comments section below!
SATS Premier Lounge : Free Entry with your ANZ Travel Card!
SATS Premier Lounge is one of the lounges where you can enter free simply by signing up with the ANZ Travel Card!
SATS Premier Lounge T2 Departure Transit
There are essentially 2 ways of gaining entry into SATS Premier Lounge for free via the ANZ Travel Card. Firstly, when you apply for the card, you will be given 2 vouchers for complimentary entry into the lounge. The second way? Spend on the card! By accumulating a spending of $1500 (you’ll easily achieve this when you purchase your long distance air tickets), you’ll also get complimentary entry to SATS Lounge.
What’s Inside SATS Premier Lounge?
For the sophisticated travellers, lounges are part of air travel. You can grab a drink, have some snacks, catch some shut eye or even have a quick bath before your next flight. At SATS Premier Lounge, you can do all that and even enjoy a massage on one of the massage chairs available in the lounge…
Massage Chairs in SATS Premier Lounge – According to Kate, go for Sequence “5”!
There are also showering facilities in the bathroom if you would like to enjoy a hot shower before your flight. But what do we enjoy the most? The food and drinks of course!
Coffee Machine, Wine and Hard Liquor in SATS Premier Lounge
A good selection of food and drinks (in the fridge) in SATS Premier Lounge – T2
Chicken Rice, Lemon Chicken and Ramen with Gyoza
We actually had ALOT of food at SATS Premier Lounge. We had the chicken rice (which is something you should have – thigh meats with chili!), lemon chicken, ramen, pasta, cup noodles, naan with chickpeas, banana, cakes, beers, wines and coffee! Phew…that was quite a list!
But the other thing that we enjoyed? Reading CRISP NEW MAGAZINES!
Wide selection of magazines and complimentary use of internet
TIME, Fortune, Travel Magazines and international newspapers are available for your reading pleasure. As travel bloggers, we enjoyed every single bit of the travel magazines which were literally BRAND NEW! The feel is really different when you read it brand new as opposed to crumpled ones where 1 million and 1 people have read it before you right?
Lounge area in SATS Premier Lounge
Well, one of the things we liked about SATS Premier Lounge is that eventhough entry was free, it was still relatively exclusive (as you can see from the picture above). During our stay here (about 2 hours – yes, very KS we know), there wasn’t any time that we felt it was overcrowded or too noisy. Everyone just came in for a rest, a bite and off they went. Adhering to the “do not disturb OTHERS” policy.
After our maiden visit to SATS Premier Lounge, it seems like lounges will pretty much feature in our upcoming travels. Whether you’re a sophisticated traveller or simply a gian peng Singaporean like us, SATS Premier Lounge would be a rest stop you’d want to check out before your next flight.
Remember to sign up with ANZ Travel Card!
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If you’re transiting in Singapore, why not check out the Crowne Plaza Hotel, a 5 star hotel, right beside Changi Airport?
Chinese New Year Celebration and Festivities at Chinatown Singapore!
Every year during the lunar new year period, Singapore’s Chinatown ‘springs’ into live! (If you do not already know, the lunar new year is actually a celebration of the arrival of spring that is why the lunar new year is also known as the spring festival). This year, during our staycation at Amoy Hotel, we visited Chinatown and enjoyed some of the atmosphere of Chinese New Year in Singapore!
As the coming year is the year of the horse in the chinese zodiac calendar therefore, the decorations in Chinatown is made up of many running horses also known as 万马沸腾 in Mandarin…
Decorations with horses for Chinese New Year at Chinatown Singapore
Chinese New Year Decorations in Chinatown
Singapore’s Chinatown unlike other chinatowns in all other parts of the world, is not known as 唐人街 (Chinese Street) in Mandarin but 牛车水 (literal translation : Bull Cart Water). The reason is because in the early days, before the establishment of a water distribution network, the bull-cart (really driven by bulls!) was used to distribute water to the households in Chinatown.
During the Chinese New Year period, in addition to the usual row of shopping streets, additional shops are set up at Temple Street (the street is cordoned off) for sale of chinese new year goodies. And the streets? CROWDED!!
Usual row of shopping at Chinatown – Just outside Chinatown MRT station
Crowded Temple Street during Chinese New Year in Singapore
Another view of Temple Street
Opposite view with People’s Park Complex (珍珠坊) in the background
View of Temple Street in the night
Chinese New Year Decorations in the night
Besides the decorations and experiencing the CNY mood, many also flock to Chinatown during the Chinese New Year period to do some shopping!
Chinese New Year Goodies!
Decorative plants sold during Chinese New Year
Taiwanese fruit jellies?
I think we have not visited Chinatown during Chinese New Year for a really long time! There were 2 HUGE stalls selling Taiwanese fruit jellies and they were giving out free samples with slogans such as “来来来，走过别错过” (translated as “Come! Don’t let this (opportunity) pass by!”) and “All can try, 有买没买 nevermind!” (translated as “Sample all the freebies! We don’t really care if you buy or not because we are already making tonnes of money by selling just one box! Hahaha!” (in the style of semi-sinister laughter))
There is however one stall that many would spend endless hours queuing for during the festive season. And that is Lim Chee Guan’s Bak Kwa (local barbecued pork). We did not take any photos as there were simply too many people in a cramped area. The queue can easily reach about 100 (as far as we could see – could be more!)
To sum it up, whether you’re a local or just visiting Singapore during the Chinese New Year period, remember to visit Chinatown to soak in the atmosphere, take some beautiful photos and sample some Chinese New Year goodies!
What to eat at Marine Parade Food Centre?
Marine Parade Food Centre is one of the highly rated hawker centres in Singapore and many will ask “What to eat at Marine Parade Food Centre ah?”. So during our recent staycation at Village Hotel Katong, we decided to check out the food centre and tell you what are some of the recommended stalls here…
Recommended foods at Marine Parade Food Centre
Xing Long Cooked Food
Netizens have been recommending this stall for its otah,fried potato balls, curry chicken, lemon chicken among others. This time, we tried the stir fried chicken, potato balls,otah and because we saw many going for the fried fish, we had it as well. Our choices was also fuelled by Uncle’s incessant “来” (meaning “come” – what else?)
The total damage? $6.30!! The most we’ve ever paid for economical rice!!
Truth be told, we’re just too greedy and wanted to try all the recommended dishes here. Therefore the price became quite ridiculous (it’s actually a 4-meat rice). This is because even in the potato balls, there’s some beef rolled into it. To be fair, the food was not bad. The otah otah had a firm texture (not the soft slimy kind) while the fish bits stood out from the curry flavour (unlike some with curry and no fish). The stir fried chicken has some kind of satay sauce fried into it which tasted quite unique. There was nothing too special about the potato balls and fried fish though. Fish was fresh and there was a slight crisp on the outside. But that was it.
So for $6.30? It’s definitely on the high side.
Hup Lee Fried Bee Hoon Nasi Lemak
The special thing about Hup Lee is that usually you’ll find $2 nasi lemak but this stall offers the same ingredients with Bee Hoon instead. Definitely an excellent price for a hearty breakfast meal.
Neptune Dim Sum
We did not manage to (or have the stomach to) try out this stall. However, many netizens have recommended the dim sum here. Have you tried it? Do let us know in the comments section below!
Apollo Fresh Cockle Fried Kway Teow
Another recommended stall at Marine Parade Food Centre. We were contemplating whether to go for this or give the hokkien mee a few stalls down a try. We decided to go for the latter. But according to the queues (and the look of Uncle Apollo), it seems that this is must-try as well.
Seremban Beef Noodles
We’ve tried the beef noodles during our last visit here and thought that the taste was indeed good. It reminded us of the same traditional (dry version) of the beef noodles we had when we were young. Nowadays, the dried version of the gravy seems to be either too sweet or too salty. Seremban got it just right. There’s just one gripe that we have and we would just like to remind our readers to request the Aunty to cook the beef just a tad bit more (ensure that the colour changes!) If you know what we mean…
Hokkien Fried Noodles
There are usually 2 versions of the Hokkien Fried Noodles. The dry and sticky version with all the taste infused into the noodles or this, the slightly wet version. Of course, we prefer the dry version. So it was with some prejudice that we tried this version at Marine Parade Food Centre. We also noticed that the uncle did not really “fry” the noodles but more of “stirring” the noodles into the soup. As a result, as expected, the noodles did not turn out as good as other versions we’ve tried. For the slightly wet version, Tiong Bahru and Clementi still tastes better. But as a consolation, as you work towards the end of the plate, you’ll taste the gravy and its quite sweet and delicious. Perhaps frying a little longer (and harder) would have made the difference.
Katong Chicken Curry Puffs
Again, many have raved about the chicken curry puff at Marine Parade Food Centre. And it did not disappoint. The outer layer was puffy and crispy (bits dropped off as we went in for our first bite). The puff was still piping hot – an indication of fresh ingredients and regular crowd. Last but most importantly, the curry inside oozed out as you bite into it. This is in stark contrast to the usual “dry on the inside” versions that you would have.
So a thumbs up for the Katong Chicken Curry Puff!
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For your convenience, we have arranged for the best hotel deals in Katong right here!
To enjoy these foods, why not do a staycation at Village Hotel Katong as well? Do try out the foods at Marine Parade Food Centre and let us know what you think thereafter!
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