Poulet, Bugis+ (former Iluma)

Went to Bugis for the first time since my recent return to Singapore and realized things have changed so much. Iluma is now replaced by Bugis+, and the whole street outside Peace Center leading to Citadines is full of pasar-malam-like stalls selling all sorts of clothes and accessories. 

Checked out Poulet, which had a 85% rating on HGW and thought that the food was overrated. I think the speciality of the house (the poulet/ chicken) was pretty tender and moist but portions were tiny and prices were relatively steep in my opinion. I think the better deal would be to get the Oxtail de Bourguignon although quite honestly, I wouldn't go back to Poulet with the variety of dining options available at Bugis.

[Clockwise L-R: 1. Chicken salad, which totally just looks & tastes like chicken with mayo without salad!; 2. Escargot de Bourgogne, which was very plain; 3. Poulet's specialty chicken! (not bad); 4. Restaurant front; 5. Oxtail de Bourguignon, which is probably the best dish]

Foodprinted on 9 Dec 2012, Sunday

Durians Galore!

I never really thought I'd miss Durians this much (since I've been overseas for the bulk of 2012). Until of course, we start digging in. :)

D24 & 猫山王！generously sponsored by 二舅舅 (my 2nd uncle) when we visited 婆婆 (popo/ grandma).

Foodprinted on 9 December 2012 (Sunday)

Then when I visited Itono and his mom, his mom specially ordered 猫山王 durians live from a durian planation in Malaysia and got it delivered right to their door step to give me a treat! ^_^ 

I learned something new: that this M'sian uncle actually drives into Singapore everyday to do door-do-door 猫山王 delivery + On-the-spot tasting for $7-$9/kg (no minimum purchase necessary!)!

I also tasted my life's first Almond Beancurd from Old Airport (this is from 51 豆花, right next to the insanely long-queued 老伴豆花) - and WOW, it was FANTASTIC! :) The syrup was a tad too sweet for my liking but the texture was so smooth, it's just incredible!! :) Gotta try it! 

Foodprinted on 10 December 2012 (Monday)

Hansel & Gretel

Since Boeing Boeing and Aladdin, I've always been a big fan of Wild Rice production. They consistently turn up great, witty productions that leave me roaring with tears. So I jumped at the opportunity to catch Hansel & Gretel - only to find a few things:

1) I've been away from Singapore for so long that I didn't catch 80% of the local satire played on the key events of 2012

2) I didn't really enjoy Hansel & Gretel too much, thought the situational comedy was too superficial/ lacked depth but the coded innuendo and veiled social commentary made up for it

3) I liked the surprises (foodies goodies!) thrown from the candylicious house for the audience to eat! (great audience interaction!)

and most of all...

4) OMG, I witnessed a marriage proposal from the keyboardist (who's an SMU alum) to his gf! The entire cast conspired with him to give out 2 xmas tickets for the next Wild Rice production, which was how they tricked the unsuspecting gf on stage. :) Aiyooooo, sooooooooo sweeeeeeeeeeeet!

Photos with the cast thereafter. :) 

Hansel & Gretel's star-studded cast includes Sebastian Tan (Broadway Beng), Dwayne Tan (Army Daze), Denise Tan (Gold 90FM), Siti Khalijah (Boeing Boeing), Dwayne Lau (Cinderel-Lah!) and Vernetta Lopez (CLASS 95FM). It will also feature 30 young talents from the age of 4-12 as part of W!LD RICE’s FIRST STAGE! programme.

Dwayne Tan as HanselDenise Tan as Gretel
Sebastian Tan as The Witch aka The Chef
Siti Khalijah Zainal as Nicki Minah (The Witch's Assistant)
Dwayne Lau as Steven (Hansel & Gretel's Father)
Vernetta Lopez as Cassandra (The Evil Stepmother)

Foodprinted on 7 Dec 2012 (Friday)

Adventure Cove, Resorts World Sentosa RWS

Sentosa is one of those special places for me since JC days. Without fail, that place instantly makes me feel relaxed and happy/ "on vacation mode" once I set foot there. Got 2 free tickets to Adventure Cove last Sunday (Tix price SGD$29 adult/ $20 students/above 60 yrs; Annual pass $88 but locker costs $10/$20) so needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity and what a great day it was!

Lol. The photo that's "so cute", the wall behind us cracked! ;)

The island has changed a lot since the Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) integrated project took over. And Adventure Cove is the latest Water Theme Park that just opened officially a day before I visited. It's right next to the Maritime Experience and the newly opened World's Largest Aquarium. 

Anyway, before I venture off-course, the Adventure Cove water park was pretty small but compact and cool! There's relaxing river tubing with surprising sights like a tunnel with fishes around (like Underwater World) and another area where you can literally stop and admire the magical dance of loads of stingrays! This is soooooooooo much better than Wild Wild Wet! 

There's also a Rainbow Reef where you can snorkel with 20,000+ tropical fishes! The varieties are limited to 3 types of fishes (lol) so it isn't exactly very Rainbow-ish, but for folks who've not snorkelled or scuba-dived before, it's quite an experience!

There's also 6 water rides, of which the most acclaimed one is the Riptide Rocket (Rocket for short) a 450m rollercoaster ride powered by alternating magnets. It's S.E.Asia's first hydro-magnetic coaster that has a conveyor belt taking you to the top. 

It took us just about an hour or so to complete the bulk of the rides, so if you plan on visiting, ~4 hours would be enough. Better still, combine a visit to Adventure Cove with a visit to the SEA Aquarium and you'll get a 10% discount :) 

I actually liked the design of the park - there was something at every corner to keep one interested (and make for great photography opportunities!) Oh, btw there's LOTS of photographers dressed in blue who'll take your photo throughout the park. If you are going to do it, just take PLENTY of those photos because at the end of the day, you can buy ALL the photos on a CD + Leather bound photo book for just SGD$70. Photo book alone would already cost you $50 so might as well have unlimited photos right!!! ^_^ 

Susan and I had lots of fun checking out our photos and taking photos with cute stuffed toys before exiting the water park. :)

Xmas is here!!!
Everywhere I go (even in NTUC, Cold Storage etc.) I see Ghiradelli chocolates! Reminds me of my time in San Francisco/ the U.S.A. 

Photos outside Candylicious, Universal Studios Singapore

Grabbed dinner at VivoCity (we took the free Sentosa shuttle which is always a good alternative to the SUPER CROWDED Monorail!! tho you could end up getting stuck in a traffic jam on the Sentosa bridge -_-"') and absolutely loved the Sotong with Tom Yam Soup Thai set. :) I asked for no rice, and I got more sotongs (squid) - yay!!! Susan got the very homely Ramen noodles which was also very good. 

It was a great day out, and I look forward to more fun day outs like that! :)

Foodprinted on 8 Dec 2012, Saturday

Healthy Breakfast

All meals these days consist of this: (think of the circle as a plate divided into 4 sections)

It's really great! I have eliminated processed foods and refined sugar from my diet, and eating fresh, healthy colorful natural foods from God really makes one feel healthy and energetic. 

\

[L-R clockwise] Strawberries blended with skim milk and flaxseed; Natural greek yogurt with grapes; Honey cherry tomatoes, baby cucumbers and hard boiled egg with garlic and toasted granulated onion

Foodprinted on 7 December 2012, Friday

Soup Restaurant (II)

I've briefly mentioned Soup Restaurant in my last post, so here's a more in-depth post with pictures to do the restaurant justice when I had dinner there with my family yesterday. :)

TOP ORDER: SAMSUI GINGER CHICKEN!!!

Normally we would order 2 servings of the Samsui ginger chicken ($15.90 / $29.90) but I decided to switch the menu up a little tonight by ordering other dishes :)

Also ordered their very delicious Hometown Fried Fish Belly with Chilli ($12.90) and outlet specialty, Claypot Salted Fish with Sliced Pork ($8.80)

Then I caught sight of the 8 Treasure Vegetable Wrap ($12.90). Limited to 10 servings a day, this is an individually crafted delight of vegetables medley (with mushrooms, tau kee etc.) drizzled with a really flavorful stock of chicken and pork. Yummmmm! :)

 The Penang Fried Mee Suah ($13.90 for medium size that easily feeds 6 people) sounded interesting so we ordered that too, and IT WAS FANTASTIC!!! I think it beats their famous Ah Gong/ Ah Po Ginger Fried Rice hands down! :)

Also ordered the famous Steamed Hand-chopped Minced Pork with Salted Fish ($8.90), limited to 30 orders a day and the Spicy Bak Chor Chay Po Tofu ($8.90) which was really divine. I say it from the viewpoint of someone who would normally not eat Tofu ;)

Pretty amazing meal huh! :) Can't go wrong with Soup Kitchen! Total damage: $100.95

Foodprinted on 6 December 2012, Thursday

Soup Restaurant (I)

Love, love, LOVE the Samsui Ginger Chicken at Soup Restaurant! 

I don't think I could ever get tired of it. Trust me, it's even better with family & friends. :)

Foodprinted on 23 Nov 2012, Friday

Prata Wala Tissue Prata

Satiated Neuy's prata craving at Prata Wala, Tampines Mall. Had my life's first Tissue/ Paper Prata, so named because it is a super thin, almost paper-like crispy prata drizzled with your choice of Chocolate, Honey or Strawberry sauce (SGD 2.80/ USD 2.30) Not a bad afternoon treat at all! :)

Foodprinted on 23 Nov 2012, Friday

Toastbox Breakfast

Thai friend, Neuy visited for a couple of days. So I took her to a local traditional breakfast only to find that Toastbox just opened an outlet in Bangkok too!

Top L: Butter toast with pork floss; Bottom R: famous soft-boiled eggs to be eaten with dark soya sauce and pepper

Foodprinted on 22 Nov 2012, Thursday

MBS Marina Bay Sands Staycation

Have you heard of Staycations? I didn't till last year when I learned that my cousin took one every month. Turns out that it's a local vacation by staying in a hotel, enjoying the experience of being a tourist in one's own country.

I jumped at the opportunity to do one a couple of days ago given that Rotem, my Israeli friend was leaving Singapore.

Room with a gorgeous view and the famous MBS laser show (10mins) that plays every night at 8pm, 930pm (and 11pm on weekends).

We checked out the infinity pool at night. :) It was so gorgeous!

And Gerard & Rotem challenged me to open my eyes under water without goggles FOR THE FIRST TIME! I did it! lol. 

Took Rotem to the MBS food court thereafter for her last Singaporean dinner, at least for a little while. I'm generally not impressed with the quality of the food there + prices are 2x what you would get elsewhere. But I highly, highly recommend the beef soup! :) 

 [From L-R clockwise]: 1. Beef soup with meat, tendon and meatballs; 2. Char Kuay Teow; 3. Hokkien Prawn mee (apparently one of the top 4 stalls in Sg!); 4. Oyster Omelette (oysters were very fresh)

Went for a workout in the Banyan Tree Fitness Club in the morning overlooking my former work haunt, then took another dip in the infinity pool! :)

Also took a quick soak in the super hot, bubbling jacuzzi overlooking the Gardens by the Bay. Ahhhhh, that's another place I need to go check out for some Zingapore inspiration.

Lunch was at Bay Sushi at MBS. I had the zero carbs sushi and found it okayyyyy. I think food presentation here is lovely, but you're paying more for the ambience/ location rather than the taste. 

Looking forward to the next staycation! :) It's a pretty neat idea!

Foodprinted on 26-27 Nov 2012

Best Singapore Rooftop Bars

From CNN Travel by Suzy Q & Charlene Fang. I've reposted this to add to my collection, and yours :-) Here are the best al fresco spots to enjoy Singapore’s spectacular skyline.

1-Altitude

Who could pass up the chance to drink at 1-Altitude, the world’s highest al fresco bar?Hands-down, 1-Altitude has the most comprehensive view of the city.

At 282 meters above sea level atop the OUB Building, this world’s highest al fresco bar has an unobstructed view of the city from the heart of the financial district.

What to drink: Chocolate Sidecar (cognac, lemon juice and creme de cacao), S$16

OUB Building, 1 Raffles Place; +65 6438 0410; www.1-altitude.com

Breeze

Breeze: Definitely a third date location.Sitting atop the 1924 art deco corner shophouse that is The Scarlet boutique hotel is this fourth-floor bar and restaurant frequented by yuppies drawn to romantic enclaves. 

The Mediterranean-influenced menu also caters to the amorous; an oyster platter for two, Champagne and grilled meat; it’s all been thought out.

What to drink: Golden Passion (Passion fruit juice, peach schnapps, Absolut Mandarin), S$16

33 Erskine Road; +65 6511 3326; www.thescarlethotel.com

Halo Rooftop Lounge

Spend your Sundays at Halo where it's happy hour all day long.This semi-circular space’s metallic façade and slate-colored tiles add some military style to the sunny yellow-lit bar with orange stools. This outdoor watchtower space is not just airy, it also has bird’s-eye view of the surrounding residential flats.

Halo’s Tiong Bahru location may mean it’s a little removed from the hustle of downtown and the bustle of the business district, but come Sports Night the atmosphere is as good as any other.

Go during happy hour (Monday-Saturday: 4 p.m.-8 p.m., Sunday: all day) when it’s two-for-one wines, draught beers and house pours.

What to drink: Chocolate’s Dreaming (rum, Kahlua, Bailey’s, chocolate syrup, milk, whipped cream), S$16

231 Outram Road; +65 6595 1388; www.wangzhotel.com

Helipad

Booze up for an easy landing at Helipad.You can’t really land a chopper on this massive roof -- the "H" is made of decorative light boxes that double up as seats -- but don’t sweat it. Instead, you get to raise your unobstructed elbows with Helipad Iced Teas and sway to the gentle Singapore River breeze.

If you arrive earlier on weekdays (6 p.m. to 9 p.m.), beers and house pour spirits are S$5++ per glass, and wines are two-for-one. Now that would definitely make for a nice landing.

What to drink: Helipad Iced Tea (Bacardi 151, Blue Curacao, lime juice), S$18

#05-22 Central, 6 Eu Tong Sen St. +65 6327 8118; www.helipad.com.sg

Kinki Rooftop Bar

Kinki: Whatever floats your boat, you'll find it here.

Step past the red lanterns at the entrance into an equally vibrant post-nine-to-five world of cocktails with distinctly Nipponese twists –- umeshu, pickled plums and yuzu sake count as typical ingredients alongside vodka, rum and liqueurs.

Dishes like sushi, temaki and okonomiyaki topped with smoked bacon make for good finger food, while enjoying the cool catchment breeze of Marina Bay and the surrounding business district skyline.

What to drink: Spicy Hachimitshu (vodka, honey umeshu, wasabi gomme, fresh lemon, Japanese cucumber), S$16

#02-02 Customs House, 70 Collyer Quay; +65 6533 3471; www.kinki.com.sg

KU DE TA

KU DE TA: Raising the roof and shooting lasers on a nightly basis.Singapore’s youngest architectural icon, Marina Bay Sands (MBS), is the only structure standing 200 meters high in its immediate vicinity.

This means KU DE TA, its party bar, has spectacular views into the city and out over the waters that hug our tiny isle, and of Marina Bay Sands' infamous infinity pool.

Arrive at sunset to reap the full experience, it’s a transition from sharp to gleaming views with a breathtaking sunset. 

What to drink: Lady Be Mine (Martini with lychee, rose water and apple juice), S$20

Marina Bay Sands SkyPark, 1 Bayfront Ave. +65 6688 7688; www.kudeta.com.sg

La Terraza Rooftop Bar

Don't just go for a dinner and a movie, spice the date up with a nightcap at La Terraza Rooftop Bar.This fifth-floor roof space is extremely limited so make sure you call ahead to reserve as many of their seats as you can.

You’ll still be rubbing sweaty shoulders with the largely expat community who regularly hold private events at La Terraza, but that is part of the squeezy space’s charm -- at some point, even the most introverted member of the group will have to speak.

What to drink: Mojito, S$17.70

Roof, The Screening Room, 12 Ann Siang Road; +65 6221 1694; www.screeningroom.com.sg

Lantern

Resist the urge to go night swimming after one too many cocktails at Lantern.The fifth floor of The Fullerton Bay Hotel won't give anyone vertigo, but what Lantern lacks in altitude it makes up in finesse.

It's sexy with a Mediterranean flair; slinky with a five-meter-long bar counter; and splashy with a gorgeous mosaic pool as a centerpiece and tucked-away skyline facing whirlpools for private midnight dips.

What to drink: Red Lantern, S$24 (a Don Julio Tequila concoction with watermelon, cucumber, lime and a splash of cointreau.)

The Fullerton Bay Hotel, 80 Collyer Quay Road; +65 6597 5299; www.fullertonbayhotel.com

Loof

Leafy surrounds and icy-cool martinis make it far too easy to linger at Loof.Unlike its poised queenly neighbor, The Raffles Hotel, Loof is eccentric and, apart from its caged trees, close to being flagrantly wild.

This third-story nook nestled among office buildings is where creative types -- and suppressed creative types -- go to kick back on low leather loungers of all forms and sizes. When crowded, this 150-seat space can get a little stuffy but the variety of martinis that Loof is known to serve should cool you down considerably.

What to drink: Krispy Clean Cucumber Martini, S$16

331 North Bridge Road; +65 6338 8035; www.loof.com.sg

Naumi

Test your ninja skills and see if you can sneak up to Naumi's rooftop bar.Officially, this 10th-story rooftop bar with the sparkly close views of Raffles City and The Esplanade over its infinity pool is open only to the hotel’s guests occupying one of their 40 rooms. But the general lack of service staff stationed up here means commoners like us can slip in unnoticed.

Fingers crossed then, that you get to this cozy timber-paneled al fresco roof early enough to snag one of the few Dedon love seats or the leaf-shaped sunbeds –- the stools at the bar, as you can expect, will do your wagon adventures no good. There isn’t a large selection of cocktails, but really, you’re here for the adrenalin.

What to drink: Mojito, S$16

41 Seah St. +65 6403 6000; www.naumihotel.com

Orgo Bar

One of Orgo's martinis will ensure your night at the opera wasn't a total loss.Bar manager Akihiro Eguchi came out tops in this year’s Diageo Reserve World Class 2011 Singapore National finals with his Crown Jewel concoction: freshly distilled rosewater, pomegranate juice, simple sugar syrup and Tanqueray No. 10 gin.

Making a special request that he recreate this cocktail shouldn’t be the only reason to take a couple of nips here. Located among the shiny thorn-like caps of the Esplanade, it is the perfect vantage point to take in the ever-changing Singapore skyline, has a nice angle of the Merlion, as well as fireworks on red-letter days.

What to drink: Pomelo & Basil Martini, S$18

#04-01 Esplanade-Theaters on the Bay, Roof Terrace, 8 Raffles Ave. +65 6336 9366; www.orgo.sg

Prelude

Prelude: Blink and you might miss this cozy al fresco spot.It’s a good thing Prelude has its back against the bustle. This open-air minimalist bar at the mouth of the Singapore River is unruffled by the CBD's surrounding pomp. Not that this is an entirely dress-down spot, as relaxed CBD sophisticates make up most of this dark-wood and canvas deck-chaired space’s clientele.

The lush potted foliage and laidback playlist stays close to the buoyant atmosphere, and the comfortable yet cultivated offering of the Japanese Baird Brewing Company artisan craft beer vindicates your undoing that top collar button.

What to drink: Merlion Punch (passion fruit, white peach puree, pineapple juice, vodka), S$15

Rooftop, The Waterboat House, 3 Fullerton Road; +65 6538 9038; www.boathouse.com.sg

Ta.Ke at Studio M

Ta.Ke: a bamboo-themed cocktail bar with killer Choya cocktails.This is no place for a quiet cocktail. Anyone stuck for a topic can start with the gaudy armchairs and work their way to the spindly dollhouse stools. French-influenced tapas and Japanese-inspired cocktails make up the menu.

The expansive bamboo-themed cocktail bar that shares its 150-seat space with a sundeck with private cabanas, lap pool and gym and is filled with conversation-starter furniture pieces, so expect much to chat about.

What to drink: Choya C (rosehip tea with choya, sugar and lemon juice), S$15

3 Nanson Road; +65 6808 8888; www.studiomhotel.com/take

Ying Yang

Ying Yang: it'll take your breath away in more than one way.It’s a lounge, it’s a club, it’s a bar.

Roosted on top of boutique hotel The Club, this three-in-one Ann Siang Hill space has views out onto the buildings of Chinatown. It is as swish as you would expect it to be, with a separate side entrance, resort-style umbrella coves and swish vibrant interior design. The only downside: climbing up (and later down) three flights of stairs to get to the bar.

What to drink: Confucius says Beauty (Absolut Vanilla, crème de cacao, frangelico, butterscotch, Chocolate syrup, milk), S$16

28 Ann Siang Hill; +65 6808 2188; www.yingyang.sg

Zsofi Tapas Bar

Zsofi Tapas Bar: they'll feed you so you'll drink with them all night long.This Dunlop Street stalwart’s rooftop area straddles two shophouse spaces, both of different elevations. That is hardly a problem. Sitting up here is much like sitting on the private roof of a house overlooking the Mediterranean, except the view here comprises of surrounding aluminium roofing and tiles.

What to drink: Any of the draft, bottled beers or sangria –- it’s the free tapas per drink that you’re here for.

68 Dunlop St. +65 6297 5875; www.tapasbar.com.sg

Chinatown Food Center

When foreign friends come to Singapore, I'd usually take them to Glutton's Bay, Sentosa, Little India, Chinatown, Night Safari etc. But today was actually the first time I took one of them to the food center at Chinatown.

Came across the Lim Chee Guan Bah Kwa, which in my opinion, is tastier than the more widely available Bee Cheng Hiang that I grew up eating.

Since Rotem (from Israel) had been living in Singapore for a while, she's already tried most of the local Must-Eats. Still, I got to introduce her to the famous Tiong Bahru Bao, Hokkien Mee and Bak Kut Teh! The latter literally translates as "meat bone tea", and at its simplest, consists of meaty pork ribs simmered in a complex broth of herbs and spices (including star anise, cinnamon, cloves, dang gui, fennel seeds and garlic) for hours. Despite its name, there is in fact no tea in the dish itself; the name refers to a strong oolong Chinese tea which is usually served alongside the soup in the belief that it dissolves the copious amount of fat consumed in this pork-laden dish.

The next time we meet, we are going to try some non-hawker food.... The Clan Restaurant!!!! ^_^

Foodprinted on 4 November 2012, Sunday.

Bishan Park - a cluster of hidden restaurants!

I must have been away from Singapore too long that it was a delight when I discovered that you could dine amongst lush greenery in the middle of Bishan Park!

YS & I were famished by the time we got there so we picked the first restaurant we saw to dine at - Canopy Garden & Bar, an Australian style cafe.

I was excited by the whole alfresco dining amidst lush greenery concept and was (pleasantly) surprised to see that the place was rather empty. That gave us a great, quiet place to catch up on old times.

At first glance, I thought that the prices were quite expensive (mains are in the $40s). But I guess you're paying for the ambience more than anything else. Service was so-so here although other diners seemed to have had a bad experience.

I had the Smoked Duck pizza (homemade thin crust topped with smoked duck, pomodoro, mozzarella cheese, shredded apple, rocket salad and truffle mayo , SGD20/ USD16) which was very, very good! The crust was really thin and crunchy (low carb!) and the toppings were generous and flavorful. I don't suppose you can go wrong with apple, rocket and truffle mayo! :) 

My back-up dish would have been the Prawns & Mango Salad (fresh prawns and sweet mango on a bed of mixed greens with cherry tomatoes and spicy mango basil dressing), which is supposedly pretty good too.

YS ordered the Carbonara pasta (fusilli tossed with sauteed bacon, onion, mushroom, and light cream sauce, SGD17 / USD 14) which was just so-so/ you could easily cook it at home.

I also noticed another restaurant right next door called The Green Room Cafe, a vegetarian restaurant which has pretty good reviews. It partners with Aramsa Spa at the same site and I was instantly reminded of Sonya's Garden in Tagaytay, Philippines.

There's also another Western Fusion Bistro by the name of The Cornerstone in the same cluster but I didn't get a chance to check it out. Reviews don't look too good though. All in all, it was such a pleasant evening that I'd love to be back again!

Foodprinted on 5 Nov 2012, Monday.