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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Mar 23 2012
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Food

La Nonna Italian Restaurant

Before this, I already had a target on La Nonna, after finding out that it serves traditional Italian cuisine. “La Nonna” means the Grandmother, implying the cosy, heartening type of food a grandma would cook. I believe I’ve quite found the right place to satisfy my Italian craving. This is it. Furthermore, with its second outlet opened and located more conveniently at Holland Village, I’ll never have too much of transport woes!

Complementary bread well, is a complementary thing and it probably serves as a compliment to us too. It makes everyone happy. What’s even better is that the bread and crackers’ light taste, together with the neutral and healthier olive oil, gives you the appetite and momentum to continue into your appetizers and main courses.
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A what appears to be a vegetarian dish but is actually not, the Penne Delle Nonna ($18) had an authentic Italian touch to it. The penne clearly had a firm texture to it, done al dente. The sauce was cooked well with the penne and ended quite a fulfilling dish.
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What a better way to end off an Italian meal with none other than the original Tiramisu ($12)? I always make it a point to order tiramisus whenever I’m dining Italian style, that’s when you get the real deal out of a tiramisu. The tiramisu here is definitely one of the better ones around, so soft and irresistible. It has a certain kind of attraction which causes you to instantly pop every bit of it into your mouth the moment you meet it.
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Indoors dining proved to be a cosy option while the alfresco area may be rather dusty and humid. I received pretty casual yet friendly service and mannerism which I would applaud for. Also, don’t forget to try their signature pizzas.

Alternatively, their 1-for-1 main course/pasta/pizza during the weekdays lunch specials and 20% discount off all drinks is pretty value for money, not to forget their 3 course set lunch at $22++ as well.

 

26/26B Lorong Mambong

Singapore 227685

 

76 Namly Place

Singapore 267226

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Mar 18 2012
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Food

Auntie Anne’s: Addicted to Pretzels

Pretzels.

At first it just tastes great, and you want it more and more.

At last it still tastes great so you buy some more.

Auntie Anne’s has been in Singapore for several years and although the hype about their pretzels is becoming less and less obvious, I believe that they still sell the best pretzels in Singapore. Pretzels are getting out of food trends as the years go by but people still love to have them as a snack, here and there.

The best way to eat pretzels would be with your hands. Don’t hesitate, they will be twice as yummy.

The Almond Pretzel was sweet, and it tastes equally good with or without the caramel dipping sauce given.
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The Parmesan Cheese Pretzel, on the other hand, was much softer and fluffier than the almond pretzel. You can taste a few traces of cheese but it would definitely be better if the cheese could taste a much more distinct, cheesier taste.
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Besides that, their pretzel dogs are signature too. Their baked goods are pretty fresh, the ones you get would be just or if not, a little time out from the oven.

I got a shock when I found out that pretzels are actually high in calories. You mean the few flavoured pieces of dough could add up to so much?! But heck that, it won’t stop me from munching on pretzels. A price of around $3 and more for just a pretzel may seem a little daunting to pay, but it’s worth it.

Suntec City

5 Temasek Boulevard

Suntec City Mall #02-82

Singapore 38985

Other outlets include the ones at Plaza Singapura, Great World City, Parkway Parade and Tampines Mall.
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Mar 15 2012
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Food

Olio Cafe: Splurting chocolate

It was a casual day and so I thought I would step inside this casual looking place for lunch. Perhaps the ambience seemed a little plain and the food looks normal but there’s no reason to underrate it. What I liked most was its value-for-money quantity but not overlooking so much of quality.

The Classic Roast Chicken Sandwich ($12.50) was nothing too much to rave about, but it’s huge portion did shock me a little. The surprising thing was the dish was made sweet: the chutneys in the sandwiches. I didn’t really know if it actually made the sandwich more or less fulfilling but I wouldn’t say that I did not enjoy it. Alongside the two huge sandwiches are a serving of sweet potato fries which were – – – sweet. This time, I felt that the sweeter fries went well with the sandwiches, somehow chosen deliberately for this purpose. Worth it or not – depends if you prefer quantity or quality.
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The cakes and pies on display at the glass counter at the cashier looked ordinary, I was contemplating if I should do away with a sweet ending to my meal, when I saw the name of the Olio Sizzling Brownie ($6.80) in the menu. Looking up, there was a poster picture of it hung on a side wall. And so I made my decision. I got a little surprised when a plate of sizzling and fizzling sounds arrived at my table. A hot plate of bubbling chocolate sauce and a centrepiece of a brownie laid before me. The brownie was great, a harder chocolate layer on the top with peanuts, the second layer full of freezing vanilla ice cream and the last layer a moist and soft sponge cake. With so much chocolate sauce given, I could not resist but finish it clean. A reminder to myself: not to be too eager and burn my tongue with sizzling chocolate sauce again.
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I was happy to realise that Olio Cafe has takeaway and delivery options as well, so next time I’m out of home-cooked or hawker food and tired of fast food, I know where to head to.

180 Kitchener Road

City Square Mall #03-39/40

Singapore 208539

No. 1 Sengkang Square

Compasspoint Shopping Centre #01-14/15

Singapore 545078

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Mar 13 2012
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Food

Barracks Cafe @ House Dempsey

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Dempsey Hill. The heaven of food districts. On my very first visit to the prestigious food centre, I had to start off with a bang. So I headed to a well-liked and review place, House. Dempsey House consists of a beauty emporium, a Camp Bar for drinks at night, and the more renowned cafe, Barracks. It was formerly an army barracks, hence its name.

I was curious as to why a chinese red bean bun ($2.50) would be doing on its menu with a recommended sign next to it. Curiosity gave food to the cat. I thought mini red bean buns were the best buns of all, but this extra large one rivalled it. It’s softness was the winning factor.
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After my first experience of trying truffle shoe-string fries ($11), I can say they are a million times better than normal fries with salt. For 11 bucks of the same portion at McDonalds’, you might say that it is a rip-off, but not until you try it for yourself. White truffle oil does great things.

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The Red Snappper ($28) would be recommended if you’re going for something light but substantial. The clams give the broth a herbal taste which is not overbearing. You will be surprised to find green noodles underneath the fish, and the delicious clams are definitely a huge bonus for lovers.

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A main feature of Barracks would be their signature skinny pizzas. It was difficult to make up my mind with so many flavors available, but I ended up with the Mozzarella Bolognese Pizza ($25) being a fan of mozzarella AND bolognese. Despite being a 9 inch pizza, it was nearly barely enough for 2-3 eaters. What I like most about it was the well matched combination of mozzarella, greens and bolognese sauce. The sauce might have gone better with pasta but it didn’t matter anymore. Everything comes together as a piece of good thing.

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Desserts oh desserts! I must say that if you come all the way to Barracks without trying the desserts, then save the trip. In fact, now I’m starting to claim that it’s all about the desserts at Barracks. People claim that Barracks has the best Strawberry Shortcake ($9.50) in Singapore, which I certainly believe so now. The strawberries in the cake are not left just as they are but they are much more melted and softer. As I am not that accustomed to eating strawberries, I usually avoid strawberry cakes, but these were made such that it was perfect for me. Alongside it comes with a small glass of not milk but warm vanilla bean sauce – pour it all over the cake and tuck it into your mouth.

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The Warm Banana Salted Caramel Cake ($7) blew me away as well. It’s unique appearance appealed to my senses, I loved how warm and soft the bananas and cake was. After you uncover the cubes of bananas, you find a pool of caramel in the middle of the cake. It’s like finding gold. And yes, those are popcorns.

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It was certainly one of my best meals so far. I see myself coming back and I have this *evil* temptation to aim and try everything encompassed in the desserts menu.

8D Dempsey Road

Singapore 249672

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Mar 11 2012
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Food

Infographic by HackCollege: We Love Ramen

Thanks HackCollege.com for promoting this infographic to me, I certainly found it well-designed and interesting!
We Love Ramen Infographic
Created by: Hack College

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