May 17 2012
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Food

The Chocolate Bar – Marina Bay Sands Singapore

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When you feel like having chocolate, eat it.

This started as an impulse, but the thought of a chocolate buffet is simply too irresistible. And hard to push away as well.

The Chocolate Bar operates from 8pm to 10pm daily at The Club at level 57 of the Marina Bay Sands and that’s a winning factor already. It’s location is gorgeous among the Sands Skypark and beside the lusting Infinity Pool. It was fascinating when we were led all the way up, out onto the deck by the pool of the skypark and eventually to the atmosphere of rustic charm.

To be honest, I didn’t know where to start as I stared at the massive array of mini dessert creations – 57 chocolate themed desserts exactly, created by executive pastry chef Alejandro Luna and his team. Seemed a little like heaven to me. Selections were vast, a regret of mine was that I couldn’t get my tastebuds over all of the desserts!

I grabbed some macarons. Three flavors were available: coconut, milk chocolate passion and raspberry. The coconut made an impression on me.

The dark chocolate raspberry mousse (below) was an excellent combination of bitter sweet dark chocolate and the slight sour of raspberry, I felt that it was a unique creation, soft and easily melting.

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Two other items which I still remember distinctly would be chocolate bread pudding (shown below) and banana steamed chocolate, steamed with banana leaves. The former has started to become popular in the local food scene and I realized why. The soft mash of bread with chocolate can nearly melt in my mouth. The latter looked like a chocolate flavored “kueh”, but when bitten into it releases a strong banana accent which is amazing.
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Other creations include glass shooters of tiramisu, alcoholic desserts, dark and milk chocolate cookies, pralines, an assortment of nuts, pistachios, chocolates and macadamias.
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The dining experience was intimate with dimly-lit hues, akin to a candlelight dinner. Step right out and you would be offered a panoramic view of the city lights in Singapore. It was a great time lazing by the infinity pool after the full buffet. Yes, a downside of a full dessert cum chocolate themed buffet would be the heavy lingering of chocolate afterwards that stops sweet cravings for days. But it was an experience worthwhile, a chocolate haven at the top of the city.

The Club at Marina Bay Sands

Sands SkyPark (Level 57, Hotel Tower 2)

Operates 8pm to 12am daily

S$38++ per person ($54++ per person, including a glass of champagne)

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May 14 2012
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Food

Raindrops Cafe

A quaint, cosy cafe tucked away from the bustling and hustling of Scape at Somerset in Singapore, Raindrops Cafe is indeed neatly and not so cleverly hidden behind the entertainment centre in town. Having read some friendly reviews on it, and shopping round the area, I recommended it to my friend for dinner.
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I would have to say that it was a very relaxing dinner over at Raindrops, which serves mainly western creations including a selection of mains, pastas, sandwiches and desserts. Being in the mood for some hearty pasta, I had the Light Brown Beef fettucine (below), while my dining companion had the Mushroom Carbonara (further below). I noticed that mushrooms are a common ingredient in their dishes, so do head down if you’re a mushroom fan!

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Both pastas were of cream base, with the mushroom carbonara being a lot creamier, while the fettucine I had was a lot drier, which I thought would be better if more moistened. Moreover, the beef was not as “light” as expected. The pasta made me quite full, so it was a hearty dinner I wanted indeed. What I like is the dining atmosphere in the cafe, everything was done simple yet incorporated with a unique touch. It was like a glasshouse amidst a casual landscape of green and brown and the feel is enhanced especially on a light rainy day full of Raindrops. Having a small interior also made the cafe seem a lot cosier, with a few tables in the alfresco area.

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All in all, I wouldn’t say that the food was absolutely fantastic, but I’ll definitely drop by while around the area to have a take on some of their more popular Western mains and pizzas and to experience it’s dining charm again.

2 Orchard Link

*Scape

#02-38

Singapore 237978

Operates 11am – 1am daily

May 03 2012
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Food

Billy Bombers American Diner

I’ve always loved the idea of an American meal. It sounds comfortable. This resolves around retro red plushies, milkshakes, burgers and floats. With a casual, chatty background. There are a few outlets of Billy Bombers in Singapore and I’ve always felt that they are sort of underrated, you could have seen it numerous of times but not even heard of it. Comfort food, comfort surroundings and at comfort prices, that’s pretty much everything we would bargain for.

The American hound dog ($11.90) might not look like a big serving here, but actually it’s an American serving. Now that’s legit. The accompanying coleslaw and potato wedges were satisfactory but even I wouldn’t find anything amiss if the dog was to be served on its own.
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American brownie ($7.90) – this one came doubly sweet and chocolaty, the brownie was overflowing of chocolate and chocolate and chocolate. Generous stripes of caramel and chocolate criss-crossed one another on the big dish: a reason why you should not stop until you literally licked off every corner of the plate. Extremely chocolaty brownies are an addiction, their small squares of portion would keep you craving for more.
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The location at The Central for this outlet is great. Besides chilling in the air-conditioned dining area, you can head out for scenery overlooking the Singapore River and the colourful blocks of restaurants on the other end. Go for the burgers, beef, hot dogs and a root beer float to top it off! There’s nothing as good as living the American dream, is there?

The Central @ Clarke Quay

#02-78

Singapore 059817

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Apr 26 2012
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Food

Fish & Co.

Fish & Co has been a long-lasting semi fast food restaurant as far as I know. It has undergone modernization in recent times and is nowadays, becoming a trendy venue for casual, chatty meals and even birthday events. I love their specialty and tagline of SEAFOOD IN A PAN. You literally eat out of a pan. Yep, this was my very first time in fish and co despite the many years; I’ve had doubts if they were just selling overpriced fast food. But I guess you can never judge a book by its cover.

Seafood Platter for 1 ($19.95) – a great deal and you can have it all for yourself! Besides, the prawns, fillet and calamari is served atop a serving of paella rice and fries or mashed potatoes, so I reckon it’s a great steal for seafood lovers. However, I do find it weird that rice is served with potatoes over here – the double intake of similar carbs seem like a dangerous idea.
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White Fish & Salmon ($18.95)
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Whenever the word ‘fish’ appears, fish and chips automatically registers in my brain. The New York Fish & Chips ($15.95) took me by surprise, it was unlike those I’ve had at everywhere else. It’s crisp outer layer was satisfyingly thin and you will find that the battered fish is so soft to penetrate through. The meat was incredibly tender. In it, generous stuffing of parmesan cheese. There are aplenty of choices of fish and chips such as the Italian, Singapore, Arctic and Danish (which all sound attractive as well). New York would be their all time classic favourite.
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I was recommended the Chocolate Pecan Cluster ($6.95) by a waiter as my original order of key lime cheesecake was not available and when it arrived, I thought it was oddly shaped enough. That didn’t matter much soon as I thoroughly enjoyed the explosion of thick chocolate fudge and nuts in my mouth. Serving size was not too much to deter a too-much-chocolate-attack and so it ended my meal perfectly.
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I have to say that with their extensive range of categories and many choices available under the menu, dining at Fish & Co can be a little tricky as you’ll be spoilt for choice. New items like pasta have also been added to the menu, but don’t forget the legendary seafood and fish.

Ion Orchard

2 Orchard Turn
#B3-20
Singapore 238801

Opening hours:

11:30am to 10pm daily

(and 13 other outlets island wide in Singapore)

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Apr 20 2012
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Food

Laurent’s Cafe and Chocolate Bar

I had a pretty good brunch that day at eM by the River. I knew Laurent’s Cafe and Chocolate Bar, or Laurent Bernard’s Chocolatier. From the outside, it is easy to walk past Laurent’s Cafe and Chocolate Bar on a sunny day where your eyes are insensitive to the dull. Already having the initial plan to indulge in chocolate desserts there, I had to walk up and down the street several times before spotting it.

The interior bears a cosy and pretty decor and allows only around 10 patrons to be seated. Alfresco dining is available with comfortable, cushioned seats with unnaturally grown palm trees wafting atop. I find it a little weird that photography of the cafe itself was not permitted, there is even a sign bearing the warning.

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On that fateful day, their specialty – the souffle – was not available as they had just opened for business and so it was only available at later times. Waiting around 30-45 minutes for a souffle would already be a huge sacrifice, a few more hours of waiting time would be a no-no.

I had the Crispy Chocolate Tart ($7.80) which turned out to be dark chocolate. Being a sweet and savoury person, I am not a fan of dark chocolate but it was a different story in this case, in which the tinge of dark chocolate was what made me give it a thumbs up.

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The Profiterole ($12) was atop three large scoops of vanilla bean ice-cream, and I thought that it was a light and refreshing choice in contrast to the chocolate tart. The only loophole was my expectation of the pastry ball to be softer. The icing on the icing would be the miniature teapot of chocolate sauce. Or it shall be called the chocolate pot. You know, everything is better with chocolate.

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80 Mohammad Sultan Road

The Pier @ Robertson Quay

#01-11

Singapore 239013

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Apr 14 2012
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Food

Pepper Lunch: Go Curry!

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(Curry Rice with Seafood)

If you’re a local, you can’t not have heard of Pepper Lunch.

Originating in Japan where there are about 200 outlets located, Pepper Lunch has been brought to the Asia-Pacific region and its waves have reached onshore of our tiny island. Since then, outlets sprung up everywhere. From full-fledged Pepper Lunch restaurants to the express version in food courts, it is almost impossible not to spot any of them once you step out for shopping.

I guess their attraction points go to the fun of “cooking” your lunch in those sizzling iron plates (which are patented in Japan). What’s better, the smell of your lunch sizzling along with the sizzle. You may come out smelling like you went to a barbecue but I guess that’s not the point. I believe their reasonably priced items make it an ideal place for people especially teenagers nowadays to have a quick lunch. Last but not least, it will be Pepper Lunch’s well formulated pepper rice. There’s just something about the rice with pepper that makes Pepper Lunch, Pepper Lunch. The weirdest thing would be that I have a friend who orders pepper lunch without the pepper.
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With more and more additions of items to their menu, I’m nearly spoilt for choice. Or maybe I really am. Recently, I had the Curry Rice with Beef & Hamburg Steak ($11.90), and I found that the Japanese curry used did nothing but good! Japanese curry is mainly sweet rather than spicy and is much thicker than normal curry. Also, with a supplement of $2, you get to choose a side. In my opinion, the miso soup would be the best choice. The more popular items would be their hamburg steak, which is considered quite a cheap bargain for a good piece of steak.

Now, there’s even pepper pasta available at the restaurants!

3 Temasek Boulevard

Suntec City Mall #B1-010
Singapore 038983

Tel: 6884-9828
Fax: 6884-5759

Hours: 11am – 10pm

*Plus 7 other restaurants and 24 express stalls

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Apr 10 2012
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Food

PAUL Bakery

A legend from France has arrived.
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The very much anticipated french bakery and cafe-restaurant, PAUL, has made its way to our doorstep. Paul is a renowned bakery establishment most famous in Europe, and not to mention hundreds of franchises worldwide. When the boards for renovation of the area where it is now were put up, I felt the wave of excitement.

The menu had a wide array to choose from ranging from bread baskets to breakfast items like eggs to sandwiches and more. I thought the Potato Pancake with Salmon ($21.40) sounded more special and ordered it. The potato pancake is something like rosti but quite different from it. Fried to a crispy skin revealing strips of well-flavored strips of potato, I enjoyed it especially with slices of smoked salmon atop it. To my surprise, they tasted good together. A vegetarian alternative would be the potato pancake with mushrooms.
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I wouldn’t recommend the Waffle with Chocolate Sauce ($6) over here. Sure enough, it was rather crisp but I thought it was normal as a find anywhere else.
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On the other hand, the Chocolate Millefeuille ($6.40) is one of the must-try pastries at Paul. It is more like a stacked chocolate biscuit full of creamy goodness of chocolate. After that, I found some reviews claiming that the Vanilla Millefeuille is even better than the chocolate one! Uh oh, I guess I’ve got to make a trip back to Paul.
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I would like to think that this one’s made specially for the ladies. This Strawberry Tart ($6.40) certainly grabs the attention of any girl. The strawberries were glazed, hence turning out sweet more than sour. This time, yet another creamy goodness surrounds the strawberries in held together as the centerpiece, making the tart taste as sweet as it looks.
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Some feel that the franchise in Singapore has fallen short of their expectations while others are simply enjoying the new food. Perhaps it may not seem at its best compared to the franchises in Europe but I think that it’s just it being placed in the Singapore context. There are 2 dining areas to Paul and I don’t really fancy the squeezy sitting area outside the restaurant. The ambient is just not there. If I were to ever head back, I would probably ask for a sit in the more comfy main dining area. Queues are still going long so be prepared to wait.

Also, don’t forget to takeaway some bread and pastries like their pain au chocolat, croissant and even huge macarons home from their bakery!

391 A Orchard Road
#03-16/16A/17
Ngee Ann City Tower A
Opening Hours

Bakery: Sun–Thu: 8.30am – 10pm
Fri–Sat: 8.30am – 11pm
Restaurant: Mon–Sun: 10am – 11pm

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Apr 05 2012
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Food

Canele Patisserie II: Sw-weet

I was hungover from my last visit to Canele. Since then, new chef Christophe Grilo has taken over the helms of Canele Patisserie in Singapore. A few new creations have been added and everything seems bright.

I see that macarons have become an “in” thing recently. Whoever has the privilege of enjoying macarons anywhere has the same privilege to give a statement to the world with just a click. It is certainly claimed that Canele is one of the best places in Singapore for its macarons, and I’ll like to declare that as well. This time I went for the fat Oreo Cookie macaron ($2.35). Surprisingly, it does not totally taste like an oreo, maybe just half an oreo. The sweetness does not settle in instantaneously, but through it you’ll love it.
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Such lemon-y stuff would be pushed away by me, but at that moment it just so happened I called out its name. The Tarte Citron ($6) was a massive burst of citrus infused with buttery and crust sweetness. The peels topped on the tart gave me a sour shock, they were nothing but zesty and very zesty. How massive a burst is too massive for a burst? Love or hate? Call the judges over.
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Among the three, I enjoyed the St. Marc ($6.50) the most. I love its glistening, marble-like yellow top which just captures the attention. The surrounding plain layers of sponge cake were rather plain, but they served a greater purpose: it brought out the taste of the dominant layer of mild dark chocolate in the center very well. This seemingly ordinary slice may just fool your eyes.

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Wherever I go, it appears that Canele is making big waves here in Singapore. I wouldn’t deny that. With their classy display panels of colorful cakes, macarons, cookies and chocolates, plus all day dining treats, there’s no reason why you would miss such a deal. For me, I feel that the outlet at Shaw Centre has the best location compared to the rest. It is probably the best alternative to retreat into the air-conditioned patisserie and watch the Orchard crowd while pouring bits of sweetness into your mouth.

Shaw Centre

1 Scotts Road

#01-01A

Singapore 228208

Sundays : 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Mondays to Thursdays : 8.30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Fridays : 8.30 a.m to 11 p.m.
Saturdays : 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

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Mar 30 2012
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Food

eM by the River

Situated in The Gallery Hotel, an area cordoned away from the buzz of restaurants at Robertson Quay, eM by the River literally gives you a meal by the quiet corner of the river. I had no idea where to dine while walking round the Quay, so I happened to walk a little further up from it and chance upon the Gallery Hotel.
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They made a slight mistake of serving my Tiramisu ($9.00) before any other course that came, but it was alright. It tasted very light, just suitable for an appetizer as well. However, other than that, it looked better than it tasted.
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The eM Crispy Wings ($7.00) turned out to be finger-licking prawn paste deep fried chicken wings. Among all types, I would love to have my chicken coated with prawn paste the most. Frying them have a special put on on the wings. They do not exactly taste like prawns but a lovely effect which gets you addicted.
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Checking out eM by the River’s All Day Breakfast items is a must. There’s nothing like enjoying a hearty breakfast meal at any time of the day by the River. I especially loved the thin slices of smoked salmon of the Eggs Royale ($17.00); they stole the show. Or perhaps, everything on this particular plate did it.
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I was expecting a little more out from the eM Fish n Chip ($19.00); it looked as crisp as possible, and as delightful as ever. However, the results were only mediocre. Don’t get me wrong, the beer battered fish and chips were good, but I was just hoping for a better burst of flavors.
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For a cooler dining area, you may want to opt to dine indoors in their comfy couches. The dark side is that it is indeed a darker area compared to outdoors by the river – where most diners have already reserved seats.

The food was decent but not exactly mind-blowing, if you like having eggs and all just stick to their brunch menu for a pleasant experience. The Gallery Hotel also offers some other good Japanese restaurants, and if these aren’t enough, head over to Robertson Walk and Quay and explore the gastronomic package there.

The Gallery Hotel

1 Nanson Road

#01-05

Singapore 238909

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Mar 27 2012
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Food

Twelve Cupcakes: From Celebrities With Love

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Cupcakes are on the rise, and especially the perfect Best Friend Forever for ladies on a dreamy off day. The reason is quite simple. These sweet things in life are getting prettier and prettier by the day, not to forget by the new bakeries as well.

Twelve Cupcakes was set up by Singapore celebrity couple Daniel Ong and Jaime Teo. Why the number 12, it’s because Daniel Ong loves bowling, and 12 pins down indicates a strike. There are also 12 holes in a baking tray. Jaime mainly comes out with new flavors and bakes the cupcakes as well. The celebrity factor is not the only reason why it has become a hit among locals recently.

I wouldn’t say that the cake part of their cupcakes are anything special, they are just plainly light without much sweetness. The trophy to Twelve Cupcakes would be their cream cheeses on the cupcakes. Their cream is not just any useless, just for display, fattening lump of calories.

I felt that the Peanut Butter cupcake was quite substantial, I especially loved the peanut butter, it was just the right peanut butter for me. Now I wonder if I can get it in a jar to scoop some for every meal…

Meanwhile, the Vanilla Chocolate cupcake was a lighter and plain one, but with a sweeter and cheesier vanilla topping.
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A best seller to try would be the Red Velvet Cupcake which is its most prominent and familiar cupcake you’ll ever hear about. Sweet vanilla cream cheese piled atop a muffin of moist red velvet cake. Sweet and classic.

The Baileys Cupcake was of light milk chocolate cream which was easy to finish off casually.

And finally, the Rum & Raisin was based on a light vanilla cupcake with a tinge of rum in it.
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While the cupcakes may be smaller and a little pricier at $3 each and at $3.50 for special flavors, I barely hear any whining or complaints of overpricing and under-performing. A half dozen of cupcakes comes at $17 while a dozen at $33. Another deal is that you can get customised cupcakes for any event from them too (Only available at Millennia Walk). Be it custom decorations, different colors of cream cheese, printing words or logos on the cupcakes, they’re all available for you to select. The stall at Millennia Walk comes with a small and relaxing dining area to have your cupcakes which I thought was great.

101 Thomson Road

#B1-60 United Square

Singapore 307591

9 Raffles Boulevard

#01-52 Millennia Walk

Singapore 039596

50 Market Street

#01-28B Golden Shoe Carpark

Singapore 048940

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