Mookata Traditional Thai BBQ
Mum suggested going to Mookata for lunch today! Ah, finally something different! So I Googled for Mookata and this place was one of the few that opens for lunch. Most Mookatas are only opened from 5pm or 6pm. I wonder why.
The restaurant was surprisingly not crowded at 1pm. It was clean and aircon was chilling. And fume hoods to minimise the smelly smoke from the cooking. The mookata pot was huge. It was placed on a metal tray.
Flaming hot charcoal burns underneath the pot. I was quite scared that the sparks might hit my face or eyes. Luckily it didn’t happen.
We ordered the set for four people. It is a combination of marinated chicken (thigh), pork (collar), prawns, squid, suriyaki, streaky bacon, pork belly, fishball, meatball, crabsticks, otah fishcake, round cabbage, chinese cabbage, kang kong, xiao bai cai, corn, golden mushroom, eggs, tung hoon and tofu, for $68.90. IT WAS EXPENSIVE! Dad was all disappointed with the portion. However, the marinate of the meat was tasty and mum enjoyed it very much. We even ordered an additional 200g of the yummy chicken thigh ($7.50). Needless to say, the soup was very yummy and I liked that it wasn’t too salty.
The chilli came in three levels – mild, spicy and hot. I tried all three and yes, they were really different. The hot was still not too hot but had a punch! The chilli dip was good!
The bbq area was made too round, mum kept complaining about the food sliding off. The pot became charred very quickly. This set for four didn’t really fill our stomachs.
Will I visit this place again? Yes, the place was comfortable and food was fresh and tasty. They were much more tasty than other steamboat or mookata food that I have eaten. No, food was on the pricey side.
Rice is at 90 cents per bowl. Plain water is complimentary. Prices exclude 10% service charge and 7% GST.
Restaurant: Mookata Traditional Thai BBQ
Address: 103/105 East Coast Road, Singapore 428797
Tel: 6344 2985
Opening Hours: Mon – Wed 5pm to 12am; Thur – Fri 5pm to 1am; Sat – Sun 12pm to 12am
Website: http://mookata.com/en/index.php?id_cms=8&controller=cms&id_lang=1
Tomo Izakaya
This is undeniably the BEST sashimi bowl rice I have EVER eaten. It is not cheap and I can’t exactly remember how much it cost. I think it was $48? But it was worth every cent of it as every slice of the sashimi was thick and fresh and almost overflowed the bowl.
The waiting time was very very long, about an hour or so, but every anger evaporated when I put the fresh slices into my mouth. Mmmmm!
Restaurant: Tomo Izakaya
Address: 8 Raffles Avenue, #01-09 Esplanade Art Centre, Singapore
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun: 12pm-2.30pm; Sun-Thu: 5pm-11pm; Fri, Sat: 6pm-1am
Tel: 63330012
Tenkaichi Japanese Restaurant
My cousin and I saw this promotion and decided to whack this! So we make a reservation and went down on a weekday! And of course, we chose the buffet with the wagyu menu. We are there to whack the wagyu beef! We topped up another $10 for free-flow of drinks and Haagen-Dazs ice-cream! For their full menu click here.
The restaurant was neat and tidy but they need to install more fume hoods perhaps. We were all smelling of smoke and I took two days to wash the smell away.
Wagyu Beef Ox Tongue
The ox tongue was crunchy but the thought that it was from the tongue kind of puts me off.
Sashimi – White tuna, salmon, sea bream , shime saba, tuna, octopus
Sashimi was really fresh and it was my first time tasting the white tuna. From Wikipedia, I learnt that white tuna is not tuna, but butterfish or snake mackeral. The shime saba was very sweet, totally out of my expectations. I once ate saba sashimi at sushi restaurants but never liked them because they were too fishy.
Marinated Wagyu Beef Sashimi with egg yolk
Sorry, I have read so many people go woooos and wows about this marinated beef sashimi but raw beef? No thanks. I took at bite but didn’t swallow it. The rest of it went to the BBQ stove and we fried them.
Wagyu Beef Sashimi and Lightly Grilled Sashimi
Similarly, raw beef is not for me.
Giant Scallops
The scallops were so good I wished I could eat more of them but we were so full from the plates of wagyu beef. It was pretty fun bbq-ing them as I tried to sear them according to what I learnt from MasterChef.
Pork Cheek Fillet
Giant scallops (again) and prawns (really huge)
Prawns were huge. As a result, bbq-ing them is usually overcooking them due to their size. But nonetheless, they were succulent and sweet. Next up is the show of the BBQ! Look at that marbling! It just takes less than 15 seconds to cook each slice. As you place them onto the hot stove, it sizzles in its own fat and when you put them into your mouth, they just melt. So tender… We had three plates of these.
Wagyu Beef Short Rib and Wagyu Beef Rib Eye Cap
Sizzling
Besides the BBQ section, they have a variety of cooked food such as garlic fried rice, chawanmushi, soba, shisamo, salad, etc. The service was pretty good. One waitress said we have to quickly bbq out beef because it was changing colour. The beef was actually freshly cut upon order. And indeed, after leaving it for a while, it oxidised and turn into a darker red colour.
Don’t forget to leave some space for Haagen Dazs ice-cream! There were vanilla, chocolate, yuzu and macha flavours.
My cousin and I unanimously agreed that one visit is sufficient. The good memories can remain in photos and videos format.
Restaurant: Tenkaichi Japanese Restaurant
Address: 6 Raffles Boulevard, Marina Square Shopping Mall, #03-129, Singapore 039594
Opening hours: Weekdays: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 10:00pm. Weekends: 11:30am – 10:00pm
Website: http://tenkaichi.com.sg/
Phone: +65 – 6250 8918
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/TenkaichiRestaurant/
Reservation: Via website
Tash Tish Tosh
The bomb or more specifically buffalo wings, lack that certain punch in its flavour. It is more sweet than spicy.
It’s mushroom soup with garlic bread (4.90) had a nice flavour but was overly salty. I had to ask for hot water to dilute the soup. I told the Encik about it and he said he would check the soup out.
I didn’t expect the crispy chicken to be just wings again. I expected a quarter of a chicken or a spring chicken to be served. It had a nice crisp but the meat was tasteless.
There is no service charge or GST.
Cafe: Tash Tish Tosh
Address: 314 Bedok Road at Simpang Bedok, Singapore 469478
Tel: +65 87148677
Website: https://www.facebook.com/tashtishtoshpizza
Chicken Up
Riding the wave with Korean fried chicken craze!!!!
I was impressed with its fried chicken that is so crispy, so juicy and full of flavour! It adapts the Korean methods of removing the fat from the skin and double-frying. This is the reason why its chicken is tender and succulent!
The japchae we had was good. The glass noodles were cooked al dente and flavour and seasoning was just the right amount.
Japchae $12
I must comment on this onion bomb that we had. It had the most awesome onion taste, and was not too greasy. I particular like the mustard sauce that comes with it. It has a nice spicy flavour that complemented the onion bomb.
Yangpa (onion) bomb $12
Original crispy up $18
Makgeolli $25
Truffle fries $8
Service was good and they have a good system of order and payment. Its visible kitchen looks clean and feels pretty well-organised. Prices exclude 10% service charge and 7% GST.
Restaurant: Chicken Up
Address: 2 Tampines Central 5, #01-44 to 47, Singapore 529509 (in between Tampines Mall and Century Square)
Tel: 65880308
Website: http://www.chicken-up.com
Chir Chir Fusion Chicken Factory
This korean fried chicken place was opened not long ago replacing the previous Sushi Tei lot at Bedok Point.
We bought the Groupon voucher and had our dinner here last night. The queue was very long but we managed to be there early before the queue started.
The waiting time for the food was surprisingly short. The delicious corn cup ($0.50 per pax) is refillable! The chicken we ordered was awesome! They use fresh chickens!!!! The roasted chicken with rosemary is the best I have ever eaten! The meat is tender and seasoned to perfection. The spicy chicken was brilliant too, meat was juicy and its spicyness was not overpowering. The salad with chicken was made great by its sauce. However the fries were not warm enough when served.
The portions were big and luckily there were five of us to share all these food!
Cheese French Fries $9.90
To start eating your chicken, you can use these pair of “tongs” to tear the chicken meat apart without dirtying your hands. So innovative!
Cajun Chicken Salad $13.90
Rosemary Chicken $29.90
Spicy Chicken $28.90
Mac and cheese $9.90
My first mac and cheese! It was cheesy and the macaroni was al dente. Lovely!
Garlicky chicken $28.90
Spicy BBQ Roast Chicken $32.90
I will award this spicy chicken a Michelin star!!! The meat is so tender and moist, so well-cooked!!! The spice level really gives punches and kicks!!!
Crispy Fried Chicken $32.90
Not the kind of garlic taste that you will expect. It was quite a letdown. I think the chicken was sprinkled with some garlic spicies powder and some seasoned garlic soy sauce sprinked over the top. Wished there was more garlic flavour to this.
Plain water is complimentary.
All in all, we have bought more Groupon vouchers and can’t wait for return visits to try other items on its menu!!!
Ask me which korean fried chicken place is the best? I have tried Nene Chicken, 4 Fingers, Chicken Up and I think every restaurant has its own uniqueness. All are nice!
Drinking water is complimentary! Prices exclude 10% service charge and 7% GST.
Restaurant: Chir Chir Fusion Chicken Factory
Address: Bedok Point, 799 Upper Changi Road, #02-05/06, Singapore 467351
Opening Hours: 11am to 11pm daily
Website: click here
Khmer (Cambodian) Food (Siem Reap)
I just got back from Cambodia yesterday and I should do a long post after my last post two years ago! I was basically too busy with work and life.
Cambodia was really hot and humid, 99% of its people depend on tourists to survive. Tuk-tuks are everywhere waiting for that fateful someone to get on and eateries are everywhere too. Hygiene may pose a problem but as long as you use your experienced judgement, you shouldn’t get any upset tummy. Food are also priced very reasonably from USD1 (low-end) to USD14 (high-end).
We stayed in The Villa, Siem Reap, situated within walking distance to the Night Market, Central Market, Pub Street and to many of eateries all around. TripAdvisor’s Genevieve Restaurant, Haven Training Restaurant and Bugs Cafe are all nearby. If you are bored of Khmer food, there is KFC and Sarpino’s Pizza. It is a very convenient and comfortable budget place to stay in!
The most common food you will see on menus are Lok Lak, fried MaMa noodles, Amok, Khmer curry and ginger chicken. Cambodians use fish sauce as a main seasoning that makes every dish delicious. We had our first meal at a place near our hotel called Lilypop Restaurant.
Website: http://www.lilypop-restaurant.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lilypoprestaurant
Beef Lok Lak
Beef is both marinated and stir-fried in fragrant peppery sauces that is very appeitizing.
Deep-fried pork
Stir-fried mee
This stir-fried mee looked so plain but once you get started on it, you simply can’t stop! The noodles were surprisingly springy and full of flavour! It is a fusion of pepper, fish sauce and chilli sauce! I finished the whole plate and I must mention that this plate of mee cost only USD1.50!
On one of the evenings, we had our dinner at this well-acclaimed The Sugar Palm restaurant. Nice ambience but food was over-rated.
Website: http://www.thesugarpalm.com/spsr/
Fish Amok that needed 45 minutes of preparation time
Khmer Crispy Noodles
Ginger with chicken
This ginger fish was taken at Fusion Kitchen (part of Soria Moria Boutique Hotel) along Wat Bo Road. We were there on a Thursday and happened to be “Oh My Buddha” day. So every food item was on 50% discount and drinks were one for one. I really liked the ginger and fish. It was much better than the ginger with chicken I ate at Sugar Palm.
Address: Soria Moria Boutique Hotel, Wat Bo Road, Salakamrouk, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Website: http://thesoriamoria.com/
Fried, baked or charcoal-grilled chicken are also common on the menu. The chicken meat is tougher because they are reared locally and chickens run around the residents’ houses. You will find that the chickens have little fats. We really prefer this texture and the meat is more flavourful too. The chickens are usually marinated with lemongrass and ginger.
Before I arrived in Cambodia, my friend has been telling me to eat tarantulas!! We chanced upon Bugs Cafe outside our hotel. Wanting to fused culturally, we stepped in and ordered the Mixed Insects (tarantula, scorpion, giant waterbug, crickets and silkworms wok-fried in chilli). OMG, it was an experience of my lifetime! And ONCE is ENOUGH!
Website: http://bugs-cafe.e-monsite.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bugscafesr
On our way taking the tuk-tuk 70 km out of Siem Reap, we saw many villagers selling bamboo sticky rice. So Daddy bought one and tried. It is made of glutinous rice, red bean, coconut and some sugar, cooked over heat for 20 minutes.
TripAdvisor recommended this Genevieve’s Restaurant, quoting it has the best fish amok and many other Khmer dishes at a very affordable price. We went there two days in a row!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GenevievesRestaurant#_=_
Address: Sok San Street, Siem Reap, Siem Reap 3058, Cambodia
Tom Yum Gong
We suggested the chef to make it much more spicy for us, as their original is said to be sweet. It turned out spicy enough for us and the tom yum tasted very authentic! A pity there was too little soup for the three of us to share.
Sweet and Sour Fish
Sweet and Sour Fish (with sauce separated)
Their freshwater fish – Red Fish, deep-fried and drenched on with sweet and sour sauce. The fish was very very meaty and well fried. A little muddy taste for those who are sensitive to it, otherwise, very delicious.
Fish Amok
Every cube in that banana leaf wrap is fish. Not too sweet and not too coconut-ty. The fish had a good texture. What amazed me was the flavourful vegetables at the side.
Khmer Beef
Tenderloin beef was used in this beef dish cooked to the level of your choice. We had them medium and it turned out perfect. Garlic was the main garnishing and the side sauce was a mixture of black pepper, fish sauce and lime (I think). It was very appetizing.
Khmer Fish Curry
The Khmer Fish Curry was also very good, not too spicy and with a little bit of sweetness.
Picture taken from Central Market showing where the locals eat. There wasn’t any foul smell from the wet market or smelly fumes from the cooking surprisingly. But we still did not want to put our stomachs to risk here.
cooking with charcoal underneath
looks like our niang tou fu, don’t they?
sweet desserts, with lots of houseflies above
Cooking just at the side of her business
cai-fan look-alike stall. Many many houseflies!!!
no idea what this is…
We also saw crickets and grasshoppers being sold in markets. Do you dare to eat them?
steamed quails eggs
We also bought some Jasmine Rice home. It was really cheap. USD0.80 for 1 kg.
That almost summed up all the food we have tried in our six days of stay in Siem Reap. Goodbye Siem Reap, and to all the dust and heat too.
Nolboo Hangari Galbi
One authentic Korean BBQ restaurant you can visit! I love their kimchi stew!
Every customer is served a complimentary pumpkin porridge as an appetizer and a red bean dessert and hot tea at the end. The banchan is complimentary and is very fresh. However the kimchi that they served is not the best I’ve eaten.
Would definitely come back for their BBQ!
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- Restaurant Outlets
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- banchan
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- bibimbab
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- Interior 1
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- dessert
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- Interior 2
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- Kimchi Stew
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- pumpkin porridge
Cod Fish Bibimbab – $19.90
Kimchi Stew – $ 15.90
Beef Bibimbab set $15.90
Half Ginseng Chicken set $15.90
Hangari Beef (BBQ) 360g $35.90
Soy Bean Stew Set $14.90
Korean Beer $6.90
Coke $4.90
Prices excludes 10% service charge and 7% GST.
Restaurant: Nolboo Hangari Galbi
Address: 112 East Coast Road #03-06 112 Katong Singapore 428802
Tel: 6636 3119
Ganesha Cafe
After our full day out for water sports, massage and visiting the paddy fields, temples and beach, our last stop is this dinner place in Kuta. This whole stretch of shops is built on the beach and the al fresco dining is on the beach facing the sea. Beware of sand flies! Every restaurant here serves the same food and I guess they depend on the local tour guides to bring in business.
We reached just in time when the sun was setting and the view was pretty. My friend took a few shots of the sunset and the glistening sea waters.
Frankly, food here was expensive and to make matter worse, though they look more than presentable, they are not that delicious. Two of us couldn’t finish the food as there was a minimum weight of the seafood that we need to order. Besides the live band that moves around to spice up the beach atmosphere. Nothing worth coming back here again.
chicken satay
fried jumbo prawns
grilled red snapper
live band
1kg Fried Jumbo Prawn 335k
1kg Red Snapper 155k
1 set Chicken Satay 85k
Coconut 20k
Comes with complimentary peanuts and sambal kangkong.
Prices in Rupiah. Prices exclude 15% service charge.
Restaurant: Ganesha Cafe
Address: Kedonganan Beach, Kuta, Bali
Tel: 361-8585222
Email: info@ganeshacafe.com
Website: http://ganeshacafe.com/
Kukup Trip
Came back from a 2D1N Kukup trip today! It was pretty fun and I must say that it was above my expectations. Mum was telling me the place is dirty and food isn’t nice. However, the $85 I paid for was worth very cent!
The mini van came to pick the 9 of us up at our designated location and we left Singapore customs at about 4pm. Customs was smooth on a Friday afternoon. It took slightly more than an hour to reach Kukup. Mr Lim (our host) was already waiting for us there! We got down the mini van and he walked us up to an air-conditioned restaurant for our seafood dinner. It was already getting dark at 6pm and tide was low. We could smell the sea and the buildings are just by the sea. Mr Lim helped us take our wine and beer to his resort to chill while we settle for our dinner.
It was okay only. Not very impressed with the tastes. The prawns were a little small, and the crab wasn’t the meaty Sri-Lanka crabs. The tofu dish and fish were good. Perhaps expectations were a little too high for this meal as I’ve heard people telling me how good and fresh Kukup seafood is.
Day 1 Dinner
After we finished our food, Mr Lim came to pick us to his resort. It is actually one of his houses and turned it into a homestay experience. Actually there are many such homestay in the same area. [contacts of home stay are at the end of this post] Mr Lim led us in on his bicycle. All the residents there either cycled or rode on motorcycles.
The sky was dark and we were walking on narrow walkways that did not have any barricades. One could easily fall into the mud during low-tide and into the waters during high-tide. In case you are wondering, the houses are build on concrete poles on the seabed. So when the tide is high, the water is just below the house and when it’s low-tide, you could see all the mud and everything underneath the house.
It was a confusing way to walk in and hence we didn’t venture out after we reached the house. I was totally impressed with the cleanliness of the house and the facilities! It provides everything a house has and was air-conditioned. It was so comfortable and cosy, you would be quickly feeling at-home.
Through the big porch into the gate, it was a big living room. The two mahjong tables and tiles caught my attention when I stepped in. There were 3 doors to the bedrooms along the hallway. The first two bedrooms had 3 to 4 double decker beds and the third bedroom had only 1 double decker bed with a space to lay mattresses on the floor. The guys took the first room (for security reasons) and the ladies the second room. We left the third room empty. Then it led to the dining area. Adjacent to the dining area was one seating-toilet, one squating-toilet, a bathroom and two external basins. There was a back door that led to the kitchen and a balcony.
Mr Lim then showed us how to turn on the TV, karaoke set and briefed us on some safety issues. He left us and said he would be back at 830pm for BBQ. Before we could really settle down, another man walked in. This man was selling firecrackers! He had 2 pieces of chart displaying the pictures of the various types of firecrackers he had. We bought a box of crackers (60 sticks), one 25-shot fireworks and 3 Kong Ming lantern. It cost us a total of RM$100.
We settled down and played Monopoly Deal and before we knew it, Mr Lim had already starting BBQ-ing and called us to the balcony area for another round of feasting! This time, the food was really good. But I was already full from dinner and there was a lot of leftovers. Mr Lim cooked the chicken wings really tender and the Muar otak, sambal sotong, sambal stingray and prawns were really delicious. The prawns were huge! I really enjoyed the prawns. We poured out the soft drinks prepared by Mr Lim in the fridge and put in the ice. Everything was already prepared and we felt so pampered. After the soft drinks, red and white wine came. (We bought it in JB after the customs.)
Mr Lim kept away the food we couldn’t finish and said we can use the heat from the BBQ pit to heat them up if we wanted to eat later in the night. Eventually all the food was finished up by the guys at midnight. After BBQ, we had a lot of fun with our firecrackers at the balcony. Mr Lim even had bricks prepared for the firecrackers! Then it was shower and KTV time! We slept at about 3am.
Next day, we woke up at 830am. Mr Lim had already prepared breakfast for us! There was milo, kopi-O, nasi lemak, kueh-kueh and dough fritters. We took breakfast, washed up and then it was time to visit the fish farm. He guided us on this bicycle again to the jetty. This time, he detoured to the jetty, walking along the inner part of the Kukup Laut to show us the people and temples. We took a boat out to the fish farm that took less than 10 minutes.
At the fish farm, we walked along the shaky wooden planks. There was a guy telling us the fish farm is worth a few million ringgit. Then he scooped up a baby shark, a horseshoe crab, puffer fish and a archer fish mini “show”. We stayed there for about an hour before taking the boat back. We went back to the house to pack our stuff and checked-out. Mr Lim’s wife was already in the house doing the cleaning up and there will be another group arriving at 2pm. He mentioned that the place is usually full over the weekends.
We then headed to the restaurant beside the jetty (non-air-conditioned). This time, I thought the food was much much better! The prawns were bigger. However, there was so many houseflies, we were busy fanning them away.
Day 2 Lunch
After lunch, Mr Lim got the mini van to pick us up for our departure. We thanked him whole-heartedly and left the place feeling refreshed and happy! Mr Lim’s service left a good impression on us! Highly recommended to relax and spend time with family or friends.
Homestay contacts:
The first row was our host – Mr Lim Eng Seng.
The rest are other home stay contacts I took while walking.
Limoncello Pizza & Grill
CP and Von treated us to this restaurant for their birthday celebration. We walked all the way from Clarke Quay to Robertson Quay. It was such a long walk! Luckily the weather was cooling and it was lovely to walk along Clarke Quay in the evening. We walked till almost the end of Robertso Quay and finally reached the restaurant. There was an al fresco dining area. We were lucky to get a table inside as I was sweating from all the walking.
The interior was cosy and we were served iced water promptly. There was free bread but it was hard and tasteless. I thought the olive oil and balsamic vinegar could add some taste but it was equally tasteless. We ordered and our food came quickly. The wood oven baked thin crust pizza were one of the first dishes to be served.
These were what we ordered:
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- Fillet Barramundi
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- Pineapple Pizza
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- Polanta
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- Scialatielli Amalfi
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- Wurstel Gorgonzola
Fillet Barramundi $28
Pineapple Pizza $24.50
Wurstel Gorgonzola $25
Polanta $24
Scialatielli Amalfi $21.50
Chardonnay Chile $48
The pineapple pizza had thin slices of ham spreaded on top of the thin crust pizza. They were juicy and not too dry. The Wurstel Gorgonzola was too normal. Besides the well-made crust, the tomato paste spread and the sausages tasted too average. The fillet barramundi was seasoned with pepper lightly and baked. It was a good choice if you’re going healthy. The Polanta which was supposed to be corn cake was disappointing as it wasn’t of much corn taste. It was a really small piece and it was nothing special. The Scialatielli Amalfi was probably the best dish. The mussels were fresh and the seafood tomato pasta were delicious. Our white wine went well with everything.
Prices exclude 7% GST and 10% service charges.
Restaurant: Limoncello Pizza & Grill
Address: 95 Robertson Quay, Rivergate, #10-19/20, Singapore 238256
Tel: 6634 5117 (Reservations advised)
Fax: 6782 8885
Opening Hours: Mon: 6-10:30pm
Tue-Thu: 12-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm
Fri-Sat: 12-2:30pm, 6-11pm
Sun: 12-3pm, 5:30-10:30pm
Website: http://chope.com.sg/restaurant/limoncello/
Gaia Korean Restaurant
My friend and I wanted to go Seoul Garden today but it was fully booked at the Marina Square branch. Craving for Korean food, both of us hunted down Suntec City Sky Garden – Gaia Korean Restaurant. I’ve always wanted to go there to try but was either alone or had no Korean craving.
Gaia have both indoor and outdoor seats to hold a large capacity of customers during busy lunch hours and of course a wide range of food choices to capture your appetite. We were there quite early and was able to choose our seats. There were a few tables of Koreans when we stepped in. My friend was saying if there were Koreans customers, it must serve quite authentic Korean food! Besides, the boss is Korean and all their servers were able to speak Korean!
We ordered a Budae Jjigae (Ham and sausage spicy soup) and Kimchi Pa Jun (kimchi pancake). We didn’t expect the servings to be that huge! It could fill 4-5 people!
We were served with six types of Ban Chan (side dishes). Every dish was incredibly good, especially the tofu and cabbage kimchi!
Ban Chan - Complimentary
Then our kimchi pa jun came. It was a very very well-made pancake. I’ve never seen and eaten such even texture and colour Korean pancake. It comes served on a hotplate so that it will be kept warm throughout your meal. The pancake does not have too much flour and the exterior is crispy. The kimchi cabbage within is crunchy. A little pity the kimchi-ness and spiciness is lost. There wasn’t much seafood in it too. Nonetheless, still good.
Kimchi Pancake $15
Next came the budae jjigae. The waiter placed it on the stove, then turned on the heat. Soon it was bubbling and the ramyeon within started to get cooked. I loved the amount of vegetables they put in – golden mushrooms (enokitake), cabbage, big bean sprouts, leek and spring onions. There were two gyozas and a few chewy ddogbougi (rice cake). The sausages were aplenty and tasted really good. The ham wasn’t a favourite for me as I do not really like pork personally. But my friend finished them all. The egg and toufu added some soft texture to the overall chewy and spicy experience.
Not wanting to waste the good soup, we ordered a steamed rice ($2) to share. It was lovely, sticky, chewy and piping-hot rice. Wonderful!
We left the restaurant very filled and packed back our remaining food. ^^
Budae Jjigae - $40
Try this out and get to see a couple of handsome and pretty Korean customers here! Oh, how I love Korean food!! Will definitely come back for their bbq next time!
Prices exclude 7% GST and 10% service charges.
Restaurant: Gaia Korean Restaurant
Address: No 3 Temasek Boulevard, #03-10/12 Suntec City Mall, Singapore 038983
Tel: 6339 3313
Fax: 6339 3303
Opening Hours: 11 am – 2.30 pm, 5.30 pm – 10 pm daily
Restaurant Hoshigaoka
This is a newly opened Japanese restaurant at Eastpoint Mall. The previous Eatzi has shifted to Bedok Point. This Japanese restaurant’s parent company JP Pepperdine also owns Jack’s Place, Eatzi Gourmet, Seafood Harvest and BrewBaker’s. With competition from Sakae Sushi in the same mall, we went to try to find out its survival rate. Here’s what we ordered:
The taste of salmon is normal. This is replaceable at Sakae Sushi.
For the price, this is pretty good deal.
Sakae Sushi definitely does not have this. Be careful of oil sizzles while eating this. The amount of butter on top is too much. Two layers of beef here, so make sure you flip the top side down otherwise they will not have the “grill” taste. The meat was sweet, juicy, tender and succulent. Not bad at all.
Chawanmushi was normal.
On another occasion, I stepped in again. This time I had the Saikoro Steak with a Set E (rice, miso soup, chawanmushi, salmon sashimi and fruit) and Gindara Teriyaki. The steak was not bad at all. All I could say is their beef is quality.
However, the Gindara was not to my liking. Somehow, after coating and deep-frying it, the taste of the cod fish was missing. Sushi Tei does a good job at its gindara. Sakae’s is too salty.
Chawanmushi – $3.60
Ishiyaki Wagyu Steak – $28.80
Hot Green Tea – $1.50
Salmon Sushi – $3.80
Salmon Harami – $8
Saikoro Steak – $8.90
Gindara Teriyaki – $13.80
Verdict: I will travel to Tampines 1 for Sushi Tei.
Prices exclude 10% service charge and 7% GST.
Restaurant: Restaurant Hoshigaoka
Address: 3 Simei Street 6 #03-14 Eastpoint Mall Singapore 528833
Tel: 67866388
Opening Hours:
Sunset Grill and Pub (Seletar)
The four of us reached Picadilly a little after 8 pm. We followed our Google maps and found ourselves facing the main gate of Seletar Camp. The place is still a little further in but we’re stucked outside!! We took a few turns around the place, and my youngest brother suddenly noted a small short sign hammered into the soil writing “SUNSET” with an arrow direction. Under the dim street lights and drizzling rain, we drove around slowly looking out for more signs.
So here’s telling you foodies, at the junction facing the main gate to Seletar Camp, take the left turn and follow the windy road. Look out for more similar directional signs saying “SUNSET”.
Upon reaching Singapore Youth Flying Club, the bar is on the left hand side. That is the only food place. Park your car and get off for some flaming buffalo wings!
It was quite a lovely place. You can smell the strong scent mosquito coils just before stepping into the restaurant, as if the mosquitoes there were humongous. There were the al fresco and air-conditioned areas. We were lucky to sit in the air-conditioned area. Otherwise I would anticipate lots of mosquito bites.
There wasn’t much to choose from in the menu. And the food was a little on the pricey side. So here’s what we ordered:
Caesars Salad - $13.50
Deep Fried Button Mushrooms - $14.50
These mushrooms are big and juicy. Never eaten such big button mushrooms before! They are really nice!
fish and chips - $15.50
The fish was so-so. Can’t really taste the fish. The fries were soggy. Coleslaw was not bad. A pass-able food in a school canteen.
BBQ half-chicken - $19.80
Similarly, the fries were soggy. The chicken was sweet. The meat was very soft and not dry. A pass-able food in a school canteen.
Level 5 Buffalo Wings - $32.50
We ordered a full dozen of an overly-ambitious Level 5 hotness of buffalo wings. My brother ordered a $3 chilled milk to prepare for this spiciness. As all of us took our first bites, we were all not prepared for this – fragrant buffalo sauce on ULTRA hot wings. My youngest brother took the first bite and went numb in his mouth. My younger brother was crying for his milk, and I was also gulping down the iced-water like my youngest brother. Only my cousin was saying the level of hotness was acceptable, and she wanted to try Level 10!! OMG. Frankly speaking, we are all chilli lovers. We eat chilli padi, sambal belacan, etc. And the Level 5 hotness was really almost the maximum we could withstand.
After the first wing, we “rested” by eating the fish and bbq chicken. Then we took the second attempt on the second piece. We all agreed that it wasn’t as hot as the first. Probably our mouths were already numb. My cousin was saying my face was even redder than when I drink alcoholics. Yes, I felt a bit high after finishing 4 wings. Both my brothers were super full, not because of the food, but because they drank too much water.
Really love these wings. Really really delicious. Never eaten such nice buffalo wings before. The next time, I would probably order Level 3 only. Why torture myself? HAHA!
“The degree of spiciness for Buffalo wings ranges from Level 1 to 35. Anyone who finishes at least one wing of Level 30 or 35 spiciness will have his name on its wall of fame and receive a certificate.
Price: From $17.50 for six wings and $28.50 for twelve wings at Level 1 spiciness, to $32.50 for six wings and $55 for twelve wings at level 35.”
Adapted from The Straits Times. Lifestyle section, 14th February 2010.
All prices include 7% GST. No service charges. Free flow of iced-water. Our total bill of 4 came up to $114.30.
The service was good. Our cups were never left empty, and there was top-up of serviettes before they were finished. ^^
BEWARE of flaming stomachs later and multiple toilet visits the next day.
Restaurant: Sunset Grill and Pub (Seletar)
Address: 140B Piccadilly Road, Seletar Airbase (Republic of Singapore Flying Club), East Camp, Singapore 797754
Opening Hours: 4pm – 11pm (Closed on Tuesday) [Last order at 930 pm]
Tel: 6482 0244
Carnivore Brazilian Churrascaria
A nice and sumptuous Brazilian buffet in a cosy setting located in CHIJMES. They have less than ten tables in the main air-conditioned restaurant. The majority of the diners are al-fresco style. The three of us were their first customers and their waiters were very friendly with us. Got so much attention that I wished there were more diners to compete with over the grills. We also ordered red wine to go with this huge meat buffet. We requested for it to be chilled. The buffet includes a big table of salad selections, wedges and side dishes to start with.
Their knife-welding Passadors (meat waiters) come to your table and slice the meat from large skewers onto your plates. At Carnivore, the meats are marinated and cooked over fire till perfection.
Picture taken from their website
Their Brazilian chefs will pamper you with an array of meats – beef, pork, chicken, lamb and fish. There were more than ten varieties of grills. These include an exotic whole big skewer of chicken hearts to refreshing pineapple grills. I personally love their pineapple grills and beef grills. A special selection of meats like crocodile, wild boar and ostrich is available during festive seasons.
I would love to bring my Dad here.
Restaurant: Carnivore Brazilian Churrascaria
Address: CHIJMES BANQUET HALL.
30 Victoria Street, #01-03/06, CHIJMES, Singapore 187996
Tel: 6336 1818
Operating Hours & Prices:
Happy Hour Buffet Dinner: 6:00pm to 7:00pm
- $39++ per Adult
- $19++ per Child (Aged 5-11 years)
- Complimentary for children below 5 years old*
Buffet Dinner:
7:00pm to 10:00pm (Sun to Thurs)
7:00pm to 10.30pm (Fri, Sat, Eve of Public Holidays and Public Holidays)
- $45++ per Adult
- $19++ per Child (Aged 5-11 years)
- Complimentary for children below 5 years old*
*Terms and conditions apply
Website: http://www.carnivore.com.sg
Jerry’s BBQ and Grill
Food on my menu queue:
Its buffalo wings go from Smoking, which is mildly spicy, to Intesi-fire,which has jalepeno pepper powder added to the spice mix, and Chef’s Challenge, the hottest option.
Price: From $12.95 for six wings at either the Smoking or Intensi-fire level and $13.95 for six wings at the Chef’s Challenge level.”
Adapted from The Straits Times. Lifestyle section, 14th February 2010.
Restaurant: Jerry’s BBQ and Grill
Address: 277 Jalan Kayu
Tel: 64840151
Address 2: 92 Club Street
Tel: 63234550
Opening hours: 12 pm to 10 pm daily
Buckaroo BBQ and Grill
Food placed on my menu queue:
“Its Buffalo wings come in 10 degrees of spiciness, from Combustion, the mildest level, to Level To Kill, which are the hottest wings. A free T-shirt is given to each table when its diners, regardless of number, finish a dozen Level To Kill wings.
Price: From $17.80 for six wings and $26.80 for twelve wings at the level of Combustion, to $28.80 for six wings and $45.60 for twelve wings at Level To Kill.”
Adapted from The Straits Times. Lifestyle section, 14th February 2010.
Restaurant: Buckaroo BBQ and Grill
Adress: 12B Andrews Avenue
Tel: 67542621
Opening Hours: 4 pm to 10 pm (Wed to Mon. Closed on Tues)
Magma
Our initial plan was to go Kko Kko Nara. But they were full for the night. So we went to Magma, which was round the vicinity. Magma is cosy, with a few tables. It’s kitchen is clearly visible to the diners, with two (probably) German chefs.
We ordered Cherry beer – 0.5 l, 4.8% alcohol, $12. I had never drunk RED beer before. It’s colour was so pretty I can’t help but take a picture of it with my lousy Bold camera. The beer was smooth, and no smelly cherry taste.
cherry beer
I had Berliner Currywurst mit Brot (Fried sausage “Berlin style” with spicy curry gravy), $14. Hmmm… not the tough texture type of sausages. My friend it tasted like some curry otah. HAH! But I quite like it.
Fried sausage “Berlin style” with spicy curry gravy
We also ordered a REGULAR sized pizza, which we three couldn’t finish. Hühnerbrust, Tomate, Zwiebeln, Apfel & Kaese (Chicken breast, tomato,onions, apple & cheese), $29. The base is actually sour cream, and not tomato. On top of the biscuit-thin pizza crust were big tender chicken chunks, apple, tomato, onions and cheeseeeeeee!
Chickenbreast, tomato, onions, apple and cheese pizza
In the bistro, other diners were seen having pork knuckles (HUGE)! The servings in the bistro were big. They serve a good variety of German food. Visit their website to see their full menu. I should bring my Daddy there soon! Remember to make reservations!
Restaurant: Magma (German Wine Bistro and Shop)
Address: 2-4 Bukit Pasoh Road Singapore 089816
(near New Majestic, OSO and Absinth) MRT Station Outram Park, Exit H, Teo Hong Road (200 m)
Website: http://www.magmatc.com/
Tel: 6221 0634
Opening Hours: Mon-Thu 12noon – 11pm, Fri 12am – midnight, Sat 11am (Brunch) – midnight, Sun/PH 11 am (Brunch)-11pm
Email: reservations@magmatc.com.sg
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