We were ushered into the restaurant, and as seen from pictures before I physically visited the restaurant, it was cozy – the furnishing is stunning it makes you feel like a king. There are two sections to it – one with sofa seats, and the other hard furniture – your liking.

Interior of Arteastiq.

Service was pretty warm and welcoming too, which is a definite cherry topped.

Trinity Platter.

Trinity Platter :: From a couple of options to choose from, we decided on Smoked Turkey Ham, Crabmeat Salad with Volvant, and Spicy Jumbo Topshell with Chilled Mango Salad. Ohhhh, I’m telling ya’, you’d salivate even before the course was served. Everything was perfect, especially love the topshell – although the serving was minimal, it was enjoyable while it lasted. The Smoked Turkey Ham though, was ordinary, like those you can purchase off the supermarket. We gave a skip to the Atlantic Smoked Salmon as we were afraid it was too salty for our liking.

Hot Chocolate.

Hot Chocolate :: Disappointingly, it wasn’t the best. I think there was too much sweetness to it, but the biscuit that comes with it was highly complementary. A quick dip into the beverage and the taste is spot on.

Ginger Tea with Durian Ice Cream.

Ginger Spice Tea with Mao Shan Wang Gelato :: What a weird, but interesting combination isn’t it! I was hugely intrigued by the pairing, but was let down when sipped. It was rather diluted in my opinion, although the durian still made us smile, ultimately. There are a lot more dessert tea to choose from, no worries.

Pearl of Mekong River.

Pearl of Mekong River :: Genuine crab meat in a wrap. I have no idea how much wrong it can go with an un-shelled crab meat. Well, just a little – I thought the course definitely need to go with some condiments. Maybe vinegar will do the trick. It was a tad’ too plain. Likewise for the following course.

Viva Duck.

Viva Duck :: Neither the wrap nor the duck tasted good the way it is. The small cup of vinegar helped salvaged the brunch. Be ware though, eating the course might be disastrous – not a very neat affair. So if you’re on a date, choose something else!

Pick the right timing and the ambience would be a treat, pick it wrong and hit the busy hours, it’ll be different. Nevertheless, it’s certainly worth a try. You’ll be spoilt for choices with the array of tea, dessert tea, hot, and cold beverages. They serve brunch and main courses at different timings of the week and day. I’m pretty sure I’ll be back to try the other courses.

—> Note #1: It opens from 11am – 1030pm daily.

—> Note #2: More often than not, they have promotions / set meals during tea time.

Address: 333 Orchard Road, Mandarin Gallery, #04-14/15
Telephone: 6235 8370

Spruce @ Phoenix Park.

If you are taking a public transport there, it’s a 15 minutes walk from Redhill MRT. I always do the walking instead of bus services, I am a bus-idiot. Be warned though, especially on weekends meal time, that there will be a long queue waiting for you if you haven’t made any reservations. We waited for a good 45 minutes for a group of 6. Worse thing is it’s so secluded there isn’t anywhere for you to walk around or do some window shopping while waiting.

Greek Yoghurt :: $7++

Greek Yoghurt ($7++) :: Having yoghurt as a side dish to my breakfast / lunch always makes me feel blessed and pampered. The chilled granola crunch and fruit preserves spices up your morning, making you feel that the day really has just started. Additionally, Yogurts are always not too expensive as an item by itself. So it’s a plus.

Banana Hotcakes :: $14++

Banana Hotcakes ($14++) :: Yes it’s either Eggs Benedict or Yoghurt + Hotcakes for me, usually. Disappointingly though, the Hotcakes doesn’t match up to the standard of the Yoghurt. I thought the Banana flavor overpowered the course. Also, the hotcakes are really just plain, hotcakes, no fragrance like it usually would bring out, even though hotcakes might not be as smell-satisfying as pancakes. The honeycomb butter and blueberry syrup didn’t help much either.

Spruce Signature Burger :: $17++

Spruce Signature Burger ($17++) :: Served with hand-cut chips, it is a very heavy breakfast / brunch. Carbohydrates-overload with the burger and chips, coupled with the beef patty. I thought the chips was pretty good. Not being too much of a burger lover, this burger here didn’t help salvage the situation. It’s not that it’s bad, but I just thought it’s ordinary. By the looks of it, I really think this is not a place for burgers.

Chocolate Cake.

Carrot Cake.

The slices of cakes cost at or around $10 per slice.  The price is definitely steep if you look at it just like that. But it sure is hell of a tower. Each slice threatens to stand taller than you, what after a filled stomach for the morning. It is best to share it with your mate. The Chocolate Cake is again, pretty ordinary. The Carrot Cake, on the other hand, wasn’t quite to my liking. I guess it’s just me. I haven’t had a good history with Carrot Cakes myself. So.

Somehow, even though there aren’t over-staffed, they were not very attentive when it comes to service. They are polite and friendly, don’t get me wrong, but I guess that towards the end of our meal when it was running slower, humans being humans, just switched to off automatically. Otherwise it was fine.

—> Note #1: To check out on their opening hours, the periods that they sell main courses of lunch and dinner and brunch, click here.

Address: 320 Tanglin Road, Phoenix Park
Telephone: 6836 5528
Photos by Qianyi.

Miso Mushroom Soup.

The magnificent-looking Miso Mushroom Soup. Like my friend who went for this, we were tempted just by the look of it (hell yeah the mushrooms), although we both know it’s not worth it, the soup, how much space it takes in our limited pits. I’m alright with Miso-based soup, I thought it was okay. But definitely one dish that can be skipped if you don’t have the capacity to store it. Maybe have one and share it amongst four.

Assorted Sushi.

You can see that generally, the sushi they have here at Momiji is very rarely-seen elsewhere. That is one of the selling points I’d say. Even though sushi is filling, it’s after all a Japanese Buffet. What’s one without good sushi. One that imprints strongly in our senses is a sushi topped with strawberry. Interesting isn’t it? Their sushi is worth taking a look. We couldn’t help ourselves but fill out plates with many different sushi (even though, again, it’s a suicide mission to a Japanese Buffet).

Assorted Skewers of Items.

There are quite some worthwhile skewers items to fill the plate with. I must say that they look very appealing displayed out on the counters. That’s the first step to having a good spread of buffet for diners. Taste wise, it was just alright. Nothing to rave about. They also have Enoki Maki (Bacon + Golden Mushroom) and Bacon + Asparagus. I thought it was a good item to have on a Japanese Buffet spread, one that I rarely see too.

Grilled Steak.

Grilled steak, dory fillet, chicken steak, beansprout + snow pea shoots (dou miao) are some of the items on the BBQ / Live Cook list. Of them all, I thought the Grilled Steak was awesome, although some of my friends call it a ‘chewing gum‘ because of its tendons. I didn’t get those parts even though I love it, I love to chew on steaks rather than softly and uneventfully swallowing them down. Yes I’m a weirdo like that. A few rounds of grilled steaks ordered. Guilty as charged.

Smoked Duck Breast.

I was walking around the counters and picked this up, proudly telling my friend this is going to be epic. It looks too good – appealing and appetizing. But god like to play fun with you, as always, the higher your expectation, the bigger your disappointment. It was bland and tasteless, and I had enough after having one piece of the two in the small cold dish.

What I love about this buffet is its feature on some of the uncommon dishes. Even though all in all, I thought the concept and the likes are still very similar to other Japanese buffet. A plus point is its Chocolate Fondue. I didn’t realize its presence until later in the buffet. A wide array of fruits, desserts and chocolate fondue items all at your disposal. Asked if I’d go back again, I’d most probably not. It was not a bad experience, although the ambience was almost near non-existent, just that it has nothing that entices me to go back again.

—> Note #1: For the opening hours and prices, click here. Although I think the prices are a little outdated. If I’m not mistaken, they jacked up the prices by $2 each. You have to check with them on this.

Address: 180 Kitchener Road, #05-04/06, City Square Mall
Telephone: 6509 1193
Photos by Yee Meng.

Vineyard @ Hortpark.

The name of the restaurant already sounds posh, and it was when we put the face of the restaurant to the name upon reaching the destination. For a better ambience inside, and outside of the restaurant, go during dinner time! For me, I was so torn between having a seat indoors or outdoors. The indoors was decorated so cozily, air-conditioned. The outdoors on the other hand, was quieter in comparison, and a much more romantic business. Figuring that my friends and I weren’t here exactly for romantic businesses, lol, we headed into the shelter.

Menu @ Vineyard.

I was looking through the menu of the restaurant. Very interestingly, they have a good mix of dominantly Thai, Italian and French cuisines. Of course, it’s called Vineyard for a reason – they house about a hundred different world wine labels. I’d think that it’s a haven for wine-lovers. I also like the fact that they have an interesting array of desserts. Some of which doesn’t look too appetizing like the Warm Lemon Lava Cake, Chantilly Cream, Sesame Tuile. Very disappointingly, they didn’t have it on the day we went there. But I’d be sure to try it the next time I’m there (oh hell yes sure I’ll be there again).

Grilled Prawns in Piquant Dressing with Pomelo Salad :: $14++

Grilled Prawns in Piquant Dressing with Pomelo Salad ($14++) :: Abundance of pomelo, but not so much on the grilled prawns. If I didn’t remember wrongly, you can count the number of prawns with a hand. But the awesomeness makes up for the lack of numbers. These prawns are those that cooked to perfection – just right the tenderness, nowhere near hard, tough. These are the ones worth indulging in every inch of it. If you love pomelo too, it’s an extra, extra bonus I’m telling you.

Pizza All Meat, Angus Beef Ragout, Aged Salami, Corona Ham :: $22++

Pizza All Meat, Angus Beef Ragout, Aged Salami, Corona Ham ($22++) :: Beef content, as you can see. It looks promising, but doesn’t taste as much. I was a tad’ disappointed with it, to be honest. I love cold cuts, hams, salami, but I thought the pizza toppings didn’t bring out the flavors that the individuals could have brought out more distinctly single-handedly.

Oven Roasted Wild Snapper with Seasonal Vegetables, Lemon Caper Noisette :: $28++

Oven Roasted Wild Snapper with Seasonal Vegetables, Lemon Caper Noisette ($28++) :: You must be kidding me if you tell me that you’re not drooling after seeing the dish. I love love love the presentation of all the dishes, especially this exotic looking Snapper, coupled with it being oven roasted, one of my favorite types of cooking. It’s well-marinated, no sauce required for it to taste good, although the lemon was a good company. The only thing that bothers me is the container of the course – it makes it hard to cut up the fish and pick it up with ease. Nevertheless, oh who cares, I love it in a nutshell.

Sticky Date Pudding with Butter Scotch, Vanilla Ice Cream :: $12++

Sticky Date Pudding with Butter Scotch, Vanilla Ice Cream ($12++) :: We were recommended this, and told that the Sticky Date Pudding here isn’t as sweet as some other places serve it. With me already eyeing the dessert even before we ask for recommendation, I pointed it to the waitperson and nodded my head, give me one. True enough, it isn’t as sweet. The Ice Cream complements the Date Pudding well enough it was enjoyable.

Traditional Tiramisu :: $12++

Traditional Tiramisu ($12++) :: I love this Tiramisu. It is not only sufficient in quantity, but also in its flavor. It’s rich and thick, which some may not like it as much. But for me, yes yes yes. Again, the presentation just makes it all more treaty.

I have to compliment their service. It was top-notch. We reached the restaurant at 6pm, but didn’t order until 8pm (we had some agenda, but that’s besides the point). The restaurant was full, but I didn’t feel that we were rushed at all. In fact, I was feeling guilty on our part. I appreciate it a lot. They know their courses well too, and very genuine when serving us, providing us with recommendations. Can you imagine, the whole experience, was just complete with good food, service and definitely ambience. I am too impressed. With that said, it’d be smart to make a reservation if you don’t intend to head there early.

—> Note #1: On weekdays, lunch is from 12pm – 3pm, and then starting their dinner again at 6pm till 11pm for Mon – Thur and 1am for Friday.

—> Note #2: They have a kids corner specially for families on weekends.

Address: 33 Hyderabad Rd, #02-02, Hortpark
Telephone: 6479 7977
Photos by Charisse and me.

Ardent's Cafe Bar Outdoor Seating.

The whole ambience mismatches its surrounding (along Neil Road), although positively. The impression still lasts, up till here.. The service was reasonable as well, to a certain extent. Their waitpersons are very polite.

Rosti with Sour Cream + Smoked Salmon :: $12.30

Rosti with Sour Cream + Smoked Salmon ($12.30) :: Plain Rosti itself is $5.80, and if your math is good, you should have worked out that the smoked salmon (4 slices) add-on is $6.50, more expensive than the rosti itself. We all agreed unanimously that the rosti is, the best amongst all for the night. Although it can’t be matched with Marche’s, it’s still acceptable. Maybe what, compared to the rest of the courses.

Stuffed Blue Cheese Burger :: $16.80

Stuffed Blue Cheese Burger ($16.80) :: I thought the beef patty was alright. How do I put it – it’s the start of a bland, average-tasting and sometimes disappointing courses here at Ardent’s Cafe Bar. There really isn’t much to say about it because it’s very featureless. Only good point I can think of is, I don’t think I’ve seen this course in many other restaurants / cafes.

Eggs Blackstone :: $13.80

Eggs Blackstone ($13.80) :: Poached eggs with grilled bacon. You know those eggs benedicts that you have, that is not only unadorned, but tastes like ones that you can cook at home. What with the English muffin being dry, bland, plain and hard. The worst part of Eggs Benedict is when the complementing sides, no matter bacon, ham or salmon, doesn’t complement the poached eggs, when you’re like having two separate courses when it’s actually one. It happened just that way for this course. It’s way far from the best Eggs Benedict I’ve ever had so far at Wild Honey.

French Omelette :: $13.80

French Omelette ($13.80) :: Asparagus, tomato and mushroom is what it contains. And this ordinary looking omelette tastes, just as ordinary. After the first bite, I immediately blurted out, ‘which coffee shop’s is this from?’ Yes it is that bad. Heavily peppered (I’m not complaining as I’m a pepper person), but bland that you thought they might have ran out of salt. It was so bad that the small portion of it wasn’t even finished by the six of us there.

The Three Minis :: $15.80

The Three Minis ($15.80) :: One of the dishes that looks promising on the menu description. Black Forest Ham with Bagel + Honey Baked Ham with Mini Burger + Black Pepper Ham with French Loaf. Those are the stated three mini burgers / sandwiches for the course. Being a cold cut fan, I was ecstatic to have it ordered, and eager to try. But it was nowhere near the hype. It feels like it was made from yesterday’s ingredients, hard and cold. Looks can be deceiving, so can its words on the menu.

Mascarpone Nutella Pancakes :: $12.80

Mascarpone Nutella Pancakes ($12.80) :: In the spirit of redemption, we’ve decided to give the dessert (we consider) a shot at it after condemning 80% of its main courses. I must say it looks, once again, promising and hopeful with its presentation. But when they say it’s nutella, it really is. I thought the combination was just out of place and like the restaurant with its surrounding, mismatched. Once bitten, twice shy.

Besides the issue of food, its policy is something of a big problem, at least to me too. See we bought the Groupon vouchers, two of them – $45 for $90 worth and $15 for $30 worth, as we thought six of us would probably spend more than $90. But over the phone during reservation (which isn’t needed at all, it was empty, and now I know the reason why), and when face-to-face at the restaurant itself, we were turned down the request of expanding both vouchers together. The voucher states ’1 voucher per table’, coupled with ’5 to 6 persons’ for the $90 voucher and ’1 to 2 persons’ for the $15 voucher. So I was asking how about them doing us a favor by splitting the bill, since we have 6 persons, it can be split into 5 + 1. And there they went to explain about their policy, how they don’t do it, etc. If it wasn’t for my kind-hearted friends, I’d have slammed them so hard in the face. I can never understand when restaurants do this with their vouchers. When told to ‘come back another time’ with the $30 voucher, I had half the heart to tell them that I wouldn’t come back even if invited for free. They really need to improve on their, everything, if they are to survive, it’s no wonder they need Groupon to help them out here. One of the worst eating experiences I’ve had in my life, no exaggeration.

Address: 80 Neil Road
Telephone: 6325 7077
Photos by me.

Sesame Congee :: Complimentary Starter.

Promptly after settling down, we were served with a small holder of sesame congee, a complimentary starter. Congee has never, never been my thing. But to have it as a starter, it’s still a first for me. Nothing spectacular, probably just something to whet your appetite for some grills to come.

Complimentary Appetizers to Share.

6 unique dishes of complimentary appetizers, two shares for the 6 of us. For the first time us, we had no idea it was to be shared amongst the table – they could have done us a favor by telling us. Anyhows, we asked, eventually, to realize. The ikan bilis is salty and crispy, definitely something to start your course. Mashed Potato, Korean Radish (I think), Kimchi, and Beansprout. Although none of it is something to shout for (can’t expect much from complimentary items can you?), it still feels good to have something to munch on while waiting for your items to be done up behind.

Steamed Rice :: $1.50++

Grilled Honey Pork Belly :: $25++ | Pork Belly with Chili Paste :: $20++

Steamed Rice ($1.50++) :: This is, literally and physically, just steamed rice. No flavor, no aroma, just, ordinary steamed rice.

Grilled Honey Pork Belly ($25++) | Pork Belly with Chili Paste ($20++) :: Similarities first – both are hanging between bland and just the right amount of marination. With that said, your taste bud will be struggling to capture some taste, present or not, from the dish. Differences? The latter actually tastes better than the former. So cost wise and taste wise, go for the latter. I guess what can be improved is to cater a sauce that goes well with it. We had to resort to asking for chili sauce to go with it, which I thought, isn’t too pleasant for such a type of meal. Something commendable though, would be its smell – the BBQ smell is just awesome you can inhale it in all day.

Complimentary Dessert.

I’m not sure about the dessert, but it tastes like Bubur Pulut Hitam. Again, like the appetizers, it’s nondescript. Something we just put in our mouth and go.

I wouldn’t say it’s going to be my last time coming here. But there’s a high chance it’ll be at least a while before I patronize again. They mostly need to work on their service, interaction and communication with the diners. Sometimes, the importance of service can supersede that of the quality of food. The food isn’t of the worst, although it surely can be improved. I’m not writing them off just yet, probably just need another time to try other items on their menu, and hopefully by then, better service.

—> Note #1: They serve iced green tea. But it costs $1++. You’ve been warned, if you don’t intend to drink – tell them before they pour you a glass.

—> Note #2: For the BBQ items, you can either request for them to BBQ it just beside your table or in the kitchen. Don’t worry about the smell of it ‘stenching’ your clothes – their system sucks the smoke away from you.

—> Note #3: They have another outlet at Ngee Ann City Tower A, Level 5.

Address (In Context): 181 Orchard Road, #08-04/05, Orchard Central
Telephone: 6884 9151
Photos by me.

Just by looking at the queue and how all the seats in the parlor are occupied, I know for sure, something has to be going on in there. We found a seat not too long later, probably thanks to beginners’ luck (for me). This is probably the only place where when you’re waiting for your ice cream to be made, your heart beats a little faster, although positively. I haven’t had any experience like this – the crew was throwing and tossing balls of ice cream in the air – into cups, onto the preparation board, and across the room into cups filled with waffle. I am, impressed. And highly probably so are the rest of the people in the room. To add to the fun, when one of the crews drop a ball of ice cream on the floor, they make a huge hooha about it. It’s just, so much fun just by ordering the ice cream, so much that you secretly wished that they’d drop theirs on the floor so that you can stand at the counter and continue watching others at work. If you’re bringing your child there, they have a viewing gallery (or standing spot, rather) for kids too. It’s cute.

German Chökolätekäke (Love It; 6 oz), with plain waffle :: $8.90

German Chökolätekäke (with Plain Waffle, ‘Love It’, 6 oz) ($8.90) :: The name of the signature creation is already entertaining, if you try to say it out aloud, repeating it a couple of times. Anyhows, it’s of chocolate ice cream base, with brownie, pecans, coconut and caramel, all jumbled together. The ‘Love It’ size, also known as the Medium size (6 oz), is $7.90 itself, with the add-on of plain waffle would be $1, or if you’d rather have a dipped (in chocolate) waffle, it’s $1.50 instead.

Chocolate Devotion (Love It; 6 oz), with plain waffle :: $8.90

Chocolate Devotion (with Plain Waffle, ‘Love It’, 6 oz) ($8.90) :: Oh be warned, if you aren’t starving, go for a ‘Like It’, 4 oz instead. I was literally stuffing myself with the thick chocolate ice cream, topped with chocolate chip, brownie and fudge. You can’t taste anything but chocolate, of course, you can tell by the name. Having a waffle to come with chocolate ice cream would be a smart choice as it makes finishing the cup of ice cream less painful.

Some other flavors that they have includes Peanut Butter Cup Perfection (which wasn’t too bad actually!), Berry Berry Berry Good (strawberry, blueberry and raspberry), Oreo Overload, Coffee Lovers Only (self-explanatory), Mint Mint Chocolate Chocolate Chip and more. If you’d so like, you can customize your ice cream order too. It’s just at a little higher cost – no more than a dollar.

Service at the counter is for sure, as aforementioned, friendly, approachable and energetic. It’s already joyous to look at them preparing your order (for your information, my ball of ice cream was thrown across the counter into the cup with the waffle – seen with my naked eyes). However, I probably wouldn’t encourage / suggest people to go for dessert there, due to the sheer fact that the prices are very steep. I just can’t justify its worth (even with the ‘performance’ before the course). Nevertheless, it’s worth at least one try for everyone.

—> Note #1: They also serve smoothies, shakes and whole cakes.

Address: 181 Orchard Central Road, #01-09/10
Telephone: 6634 1015
Photos by me.

Max Brenner – Chocolate by the Bald Man. That is what they call themselves. Probably because one of the owners is bald. I haven’t any idea how well the marketing for that tagline has gone. Anyhows, it’s definitely unique and one of a kind.

Interior.

It isn’t necessarily big. Nor is the Chocolate Bar a very comfortable (though it can be cozy) place to stay for long and enjoy the chocolate. But I guess what sets this potential weight-gainer restaurant apart from the rest is its theme. Unlike the Chocolate Buffets in Fullerton Hotel / Marina Bay Sands, which has a classy and elegance touch to it, Max Brenner has dashes of artsy fartsy feel.

Max Brenner Menu.

A Chocolate Love Story. For sure, they have cooked up quite some stories for their chain. I love how they have come up with statements relating to chocolates. Here goes.

Chocolate is not just about taste. It’s a symbol of different aspects in our lives – of romance, of sensuality, of decadence. These aspects actually create the new chocolate culture of Max Brenner.

Don’t you just feel blissful and blessed already?

Chocolate Pizza with Banana Slices :: $13.50++

Chocolate Pizza with Banana Slices ($13.50++) :: This caught my attention while flipping through the pages of drooling-good chocolate dishes. They have items ranging from hot chocolates to pizzas to crepes. I was so torn as to what to order. If not that we already have a full meal before, I’d have insisted on having a bigger piece of Max Brenner on my first trip there. Indeed, it didn’t disappoint. You don’t have to worry about it being not as chocolatey as you thought, neither do you need to worry about not having enough of it. Best way of eating here is probably ordering many different items and sharing it throughout with your group of friends. That way you wouldn’t get too much on a specific one – you know how chocolates can play with you.
Fun fact: The Chocolate Pizza is featured in the US TV Show, Food Network’s ‘The Best Thing I Ever Ate / Pizza’.

Interestingly, they are certified kosher too. Probably because they originate from Israel.

I’ll be sure to be back any time soon. And as and when that happens, I’ll most promptly update more of it here. So far, I’ve been more than satisfied.

Address (In Context): 8 Raffles Avenue, #01-06/08, Esplanade Mall
Telephone: 6235 9556
Photos by me.

Quentin's Eurasian Restaurant Menu.

Bar Counter.

With it being situated in a not-so-accessible location, coupled with it not being too crowded whilst there, the setting was perfect for the afternoon lunch. Red tablecloth, glass wares and the set, gives the feeling of a mismatch between the price of the food items and the ambience – a rare occasion.

With us being hungry like carnivores, we decided to order some sides / desserts-before-mains even before the rest of the friends arrived.

Fried Devilled Wings :: $12.80++

Fried Devilled Wings ($12.80++) :: By the name of it, it sounds promising. Unfortunately, it wasn’t so when it was served. It was neither salty enough, nor spicy enough. On top of that, the inside of the wings was burnt. Maybe it was thawed in the right manner, but yes, you can skip this dish if you’re looking for sides.

Display of Molten Cakes.

Chocolate Molten Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream :: $5++

Chocolate Molten Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream ($5++) :: To be frank, when I hear ‘Molten Cake’, my heart will say yes no matter what my sense of taste may have an opinion on. I must say, if you don’t think about it too much, it won’t be as discounted as I did to it, as I had some high expectations on it (or Molten Cakes in general) even before it came. Although so, the Vanilla Ice Cream is for sure some supermarket house brand standard.

Crackers as Complimentary Starters.

So when all friends have marked their attendance, they served the complimentary plate of crackers, accompanied by a dish of sambal chilli. And let me get this out – the sambal chilli is oh-so-orgasmic! Who would have thought crackers go well with chilli. A good experience on this (although I still prefer Mexican’s nachos as starters!).

Oh yes, before we go into the main courses – this restaurant serves dishes like it’s a coffeeshop eatery serving home-style dishes cooked to your order (zi char). So a plate of rice each was served to us (I love their rice, ones where you can easily separate each grain of rice, relatively dry), and of which you can asked to be topped up as and when you like throughout the meal.

Roast Beef :: $16.80++

Fried Pepper Steak :: $15.80++

Chicken & Beef Stew, Kristang Stye :: $15.80++

Pan Fried Dory Fillet :: $13.80++

Since we’re talking about ‘zi char’, let’s ‘char’ all these dishes’ reviews together. Of the two beefs that we ordered, I thought the Roast Beef was more flavorful and easier down the throat. The Pepper Steak, even though it’s supposed to be my favorite (because Pepper is my life), did not quite meet the expectation. It was quite bland I thought. We had Chicken Stew, AND Beef Stew. The former has a sweeter taste to its stew, while the latter a saltier one. If you ask me to choose one, I’d choose Chicken Stew for its tender meat (really awesome), but Beef Stew for its stew. For the Dory Fillet, I see tumeric, I see lemongrass, I go drooling. Even though it did turn out to be good, it didn’t quite match what I envisioned it to be.

Sugee Cake :: $5++

Sugee Cake ($5++) :: I’ve heard so much raving reviews on its Sugee Cake, so I decided to give it a try. I really, really haven’t any idea what it should taste like. To put it simply, it’s hard, it’s dry, it’s grainy, it’s bland on the base and sweet on the top (icing). If that’s what it’s supposed to taste like, then yes. But otherwise, it isn’t to my liking. It doesn’t have any awful taste, but for the first time, I neither hate / love a dessert. That doesn’t happen much, does it?

What I have to compliment them on is their service. Well, I don’t know, but you just can’t get good service across the board, can you? Every individual is different. In this restaurant, I’ve no idea what kind of waitpersons they hire, seeing that it’s a Community House, but they’re generally alright, although not as attentive / know what to do. But the lady boss (or at least she looks like she is) was outstandingly friendly and approachable. She makes me feel at home.

What’s good is its price – it’s not something to complain about at all. But the reason why, I would most probably not return is because there are more food items in the menu that don’t taste as good, than those that actually satisfies.

Everything aside, if you’ve decided to give it a go (which I wouldn’t object), and like it, they have a free membership that you can apply for. You can get the card immediately, and a loyalty card. In any case, if you’re looking for something different, here.

—> Note #1: Note the time that you’re heading there, because they’re only open from 1130 – 1430 (last order 1400) for lunch and 1830 – 2230 (last order 2200) for dinner. And closed on Monday. This applies to this outlet in context.

Address (In Context): 139 Ceylon Road, Eurasian Community House
Telephone: 6438 0327
Photos by me.

On top of the hill.

Hill Top Japanese Restaurant is without a doubt, a hidden find. You already get a treat (to your eyes) even before you enter the restaurant. The feeling is just, carefree. Whilst at the carpark, you’ll see a long flight of stairs leading up – don’t go up, just go past the stairs and there you’ll see the restaurant, tucked in a corner.

Teppanyaki.

Chef at work.

Don’t you feel that it’s always a feast to the eyes when the chef plays around withe the spatula, the oil, and the sprinkles of salt. It’s such a pleasure to be seating right in front witnessing it (although you will have to put up with the smell of it all at the end of the day).

Fried Garlic Rice :: $3.80++

Fried Garlic Rice ($3.80++) :: The smell definitely aroused the senses, but the taste didn’t match quite up there. It was forgettable and only average.

Kurobita Pork Belly :: $23++ | Black Pepper NZ Fillet Steak :: $30++

Kurobita Pork Belly ($23++) :: Pork Belly, yummmyyy. Love its tender meat, and well, I don’t know about you, but Pork Belly, rarely, goes wrong. Everything can be said to be fine except that its portion is disturbingly disappointing. Which goes likewise for the next course.

Black Pepper NZ Fillet Steak ($30++) :: Maybe it’s because we shared the courses we ordered between a couple of people, but still, that would have to add up to equal if we ordered a 1:1 ratio of main courses. But still it didn’t fill our stomachs much. Quantity aside, I thought the quality was up to standard for this meat here too. It’s chopped into cubes for us – easy bite size, and tasty.

Beancurd :: $4++

Beancurd ($4++) :: I tell you, this, coupled with the soy sauce, is WIN. The beancurd itself doesn’t come with much taste to it, but with a little company with the aforementioned, it brings out the personality in the beancurd, if I may. Worth giving this a try, as ordinary as it may be.

Service is above average though not excellent. And that applies to the ambience of the restaurant too. It’s probably the view and the location that makes the restaurant somewhere worth going to at least once. The quality is there, but not the quantity. Matched with the super steep prices, it’s not somewhere I’d be back anytime soon, at least.

Choices of Desserts.

Oh yes, they have a complimentary dessert for each guests too. You get to choose between Mango Pudding, Sago Honeydew, Chin Chow, Almond Beancurd, and Green Tea / Strawberry / Vanilla / Chocolate Ice Cream. We went for the Sago Honeydew. Well, it’s not too bad, although nothing much to highlight.

APPETIZERS
Sashimi (Mini Size) [$15++]
Sake (Salmon) Sashimi [$25++]
Maguro (Tuna) Sashimi [$25++]
Sashimi Moriawase (Assorted Raw Fish) [$32++]

MAIN COURSES
Scallop [$25++]
Cuttlefish [$17++]
King Prawn [$28++]
Salmon Special [$22++]
Unagi Kabayaki [$20++]
N.Z Sirloin Steak [$26++]
Soft Crab with Egg [$10++]
Kurobita Pork Belly [$23++]
Pork Loin / Chicken [$16++]
Venison (Deer Meat) [$20++]
Duck Liver (Foie Gras) [$20++]
Salmon (Fried or Sauce) [$20++]
Hilltop N.Z Special Steak [$30++]
Air Flown N.Z Fillet Steak [$30++]
Teriyaki Chicken / Pork Miso [$18++]
Black Pepper N.Z. Fillet Steak [$30++]
Sukiyaki Beef (Aust.) / Chicken [$18++]

OTHERS
Beancurd [$4++]
Kake Udon [$6++]
Tekka Maki [$6++]
Futo Maki [$10++]
Baby Kai Lan [$8++]
Miso Soup [$2.20++]
California Maki [$8++]
Steamed Rice [$1.80++]
Fresh Asparagus [$8++]
Yaki Udon (Beef) [$8++]
Fresh Mushroom [$6++]
Fried Garlic Rice [$3.80++]
Nigiri Sushi (4 pieces) [$12++]
Nigiri Sushi (8 pieces) [$20++]
California Temaki (Hand Roll) [$5++]
Maki – Oshinko / Nori / Kappa [$4++]
Fried Olive Rice with Chicken [$3.80++]

Address: 2 Jurong Hill, Jurong Bird Park
Telephone: 6266 3522
Photos by Kathleen.