JANEL.K 고혜령

Very happy to be invited by The Entertainer Singapore to enjoy a nice meal at En Grill & Bar recently. Firstly, before the review, would like to share with you all some great deals on The Entertainer App! If you use the Entertainer app here at En Grill & Bar, you get three offers in total! 1-for-1 main menu item 2-for-2 tapas 1-for-1 assorted grilled skewer platter Read on to find

We were invited to the official launch of a brand-new online gourmet cake shop, founded by creative, passionate bakers. Simply known as Cakesonline.sg, you can expect rich looking, pretty cakes for sale. Read on to learn more about this new online bakery. Area: Online Country: Singapore Price: $$ Good For: Celebrations Accessibility: Nil. Online purchase only.

Something amazing is starting today and I want to be a part of it. Other than just sharing stuff on food, travel and beauty, today, I want to share something that that really matters. I got to learn about this amazing movement that was created by the United Nations (UN), which will officially begin today, 25 September 2015. Yes, it is 25 September in Singapore today! This movement,

Let every Thai Milk Tea fan rejoice, as they are now officially able to bring Soi 55's milk tea into the cinemas at The Cathay. After much fanfare from Thai Milk Tea fans at their Golden Shoe Raffles Place's branch, I am glad I now get to also get it here, as they officially open shop on 19 September 2015. Area: Dhoby Ghaut Country: Singapore Price: $ Good For:

The folks at Comb Hair Salon has taken over the space which was previously a Japanese hair salon, about 6 months ago. Nested in a quiet corner near Telok Ayer MRT Station, it is a convenient location for office workers to find solace in their refreshed locks over lunch. The decoration in their hair salon is an aesthetically pleasing row of hairstylist chairs and huge mirrors. They also have

As you all know, I've been trying to have something healthy and less carbs recently. I love rice, so diet sometimes can be difficult. With this dish, I'm using tofu to replace rice, and is naturally gluten-free and has low calories, no cholesterol and is an great source of protein! So here goes! Avocado Lemon Prawn with Tofu (Serves 2) Ingredients: - 2 Avocados - 1 Lemon - About 20 prawns - A

[Johor Bahru] Recently, I've visited JB for a quick staycation! Of course, what's a trip to Malaysia without doing up your hair? I was recommended to this hair salon by a very close friend, and I'm only sharing this post because I did enjoy the results of my hair experience.

Most of you know that I have very dry and damaged hair, and it's really very difficult to style and do up. The hairstylists gave me advice for my hair (without my asking for it) and I really did appreciate them doing that.

In total, I paid about RM380 in total for the hair treatment and hair dye service. Costing wise, my hair is considered long (over the shoulder). But I guess if your hair is shorter, the cost should be lower as well. You can call and check with them.

Nice surroundings.

The hair after~

Loved the result! Staff were also friendly and the environment was relaxing. The hairstylists won't disturb you if they realise you want to relax and not talk. Which was good too.

Zen Haute Coiffure Salon
Location: 2 Jalan Rusa 7 Taman Century 80250 Johor Bahru, Johor Malaysia
Tel: +607-3341179 / 010-9831179

[Johor Bahru] Last month, over one weekend, I visited Johor Bahru for an overnight stay! The checkpoint entry was crazy, had to wait for about an hour to enter the country, and by the time we got in, we were hungry! Here's to share with you some food we had over the past 2 days we were there. :)

LET'S EAT!

Rotiboy at JB Sentral

A delicious bread smell hits you once you cross the Singapore/Malaysian Border, on your walk towards City Square Mall (Johor Bahru, JB). The bread here is a must buy as it is so buttery and amazing to have, almost a reward for you after you've queued an hour or more to get across the border. Total yums, having one is just not enough.

Location: No.5, Level 3, JB Sentral Jalan Jim Quee 80300 Johor Bahru Malaysia
For other locations, view this list: Rotiboy Locations in Malaysia

Hui Lau Shan 許留山
The famous Hong Kong dessert shop in Malaysia is what I didn't expect to see, but it was packed with people when I arrived.

Click here for full review: Hui Lau Shan 許留山
Location: Johor Bahru Town J3-20, Level 3, Johor Bahru City Square Shopping Mall, 106-108, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Johor, Malaysia

Ah Hua Kuey Teow 亚华果条

Being at Johor Bahru, you can't miss out on having good food. And even so, it's not difficult at all finding good food! We just walked into this random noodle eatery, Ah Hua Kuey Teow 亚华果条, for breakfast, and it wasn't a wrong choice.

Click here for full review: Ah Hua Kuey Teow 亚华果条
Location: 21, Jalan Serigala, Taman Century, Johor Bahru

Restoran Soon Soon Heng Bak Ku Teh (顺顺兴肉骨茶)

Just located on the same stretch as Ah Hua Kuey Teow 亚华果条, is the ever popular Soon Soon Heng Bak Ku Teh! This place is almost always filled with people, strolling in to have a taste of the Bak Ku Teh (literally 'Meat Bone Tea'), despite the hot weather.

Click here for full review: Soon Soon Heng Bak Ku Teh (顺顺兴肉骨茶)
Location: 43, Jalan Serigala Taman Abad 80250 Johor Bahru Johor, Malaysia (Just opposite KSL City Mall)

Doi Chaang Coffee

Situated in City Square Mall (JB), this cafe is a must-visit for coffee lovers, as it serves up its coffee using its single-estate, organic Arabica coffee, grown in Doi Chang Village, in Thailand, where it also originated.

Location: J4-20, Lv 4, Johor Bahru City Square Shopping Mall, 106-108, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, 80000 Johor Bahru

Taang Shi Fu 汤师父

A place for people who are desperate to have some soups. They offer a wide variety of dishes and signature soups. However, the soups were sadly, not up to my standard.

Location: Johor Bahru Town J4-21, Level 4, Johor Bahru City Square Shopping Mall, 106-108, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Johor, Malaysia

Taste Better

This is one stop you must make if you love durians, and if you are in KSL mall. It is not only cheaper here, but worth every penny you spend. Get their durian puffs, I'm not crazy over their durian ice-cream, though.

Location: 33, Jalan Seladang, Taman Abad, Level 2-S12, 80250 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

OIC Oh! Ice Cream

Great for those who loves a dose of smoky magic as they hand over their ice-cream set to you, their signature set makes you go "Oh! Ice-cream!" as you view the dry-ice floating out from the pot that holds your ice-cream. Worthy of instagram, but I didn't find their ice-cream anything to go 'oh!' about.

Location: 33, Jalan Seladang, Taman Abad, Level Ground (LG)-10, 80250 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

How would you like to lose weight and regain a figure that you were once proud of? Just last week, I met veteran DJ, The Flying Dutchman (FD), who was just listed as the first celebrity spokesperson in Singapore for Kris by MENCE.

Kris by MENCE is a award-winning skincare and body toning authority from Hong Kong. For the past 35 years, MENCE Hong Kong has helped more than 300,000 customers achieve their ideal body shapes and enhance their health. Amongst its clientele are Hong Kong celebrities such as Hawick Lau, Lau Dan, Wu Fung and Otto Chan.

In just 6 months, FD witness amazing weight-loss results and he is now able to perform long desired actions like, bending down to tie his shoelaces, and sitting up without any support (a demonstration of better back functions).

With the help of a customised treatment programme by Kris by MENCE, he has managed to regain the figure he used to have in his mid-30s.

His results include:
• Losing a total of 8kg; 5.3kg of fats
• Reducing visceral fat by 20%
• Dropping two pant sizes
• Surpassed his ideal weight of 79kg, a goal he had always wanted to achieve since 2013
During the treatment, FD had his fat cells broken down and flushed away with the use of innovative and proven technologies from Hong Kong. His metabolism rate and lymphatic system have also boosted, allowing him to maintain the weight-loss results.

Treatments offered at Kris by MENCE include:
Weight Management Treatments
- Fat burning trimming treatment
- Full body treatment
- Muscle toning treatment
- Weight gaining treatment

Anti-aging Treatments
- Basic Facial Treatment
- Algo purifying & moisturising treatment
- Double chin removal treatment
- Face shaping treatment
- Micro dermabrasion treatment

Each of the above treatments will be conducted in their 10 well-equipped and spacious rooms. There are also room suites that cater to couples, which includes free wi-fi, cable TV, private bathroom, locker and all necessary grooming amenities.

Customers can be assured that all treatments used are non-invasive. As results and treatment periods for each individuals vary, customers should consult Kris by MENCE for their very own health-improving, slimming experience.

Kris by MENCE
Location: 39 Robinson Road #07-03 Robinson Point Singapore 068911
Tel: +65-6536 5747
Website: www.krisbymence.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/krisbymence

Today, I'm going to introduce 2 lovely products to you. Here it is, read on, people!

Skinny Dip Candles

"What? Oh my, how risqué!"

Not only the name is brow-raising, but also its functions. In a good way. I was pleasantly surprised and interested when I first learnt how to use this.

Aroma candles, massage oil and body balm... all in one?! Really?

Yes, really! Introducing the Skinny Dip Candles!

The lady boss of Life's Li'll Wonders had a vision to introduce these lovely candles from the USA, entering herself into a niche market with these unique products.

How to use:
1. First, light them up as you would a normal aroma candle.

2. Then, when the 'wax' starts to melt, a warmish liquid will form. Blow out the candle before touching the liquid!

3. Once you see this, you can use the liquid for application as you would use a fragrant massage oil!

*Cough Cough* Very good for couples. *Wink*

The liquid from the melted 'wax' are specially formulated to be used as a warm lotion for moisturizing cuticles and dry skin, as well as a massage oil.

My burning question (pun intended): How am I to apply the melted liquid from the candle, on my skin? Won't I get burned?

Good question, because you won't! The ingredients in Skinny Dip Candles have a very low melt point. When fully melted they’re just 38 degrees celcius - not even as warm as a hot tub!

As an added benefit, if you don't melt the candle, you can also just swipe the 'wax', which is essentially a body balm, and use it to moisturise dry skin areas! How convenient! 3 uses in 1 product!

Its main ingredients include: Cosmetic-grade soy, Avocado oil, Coconut oil, Shea butter, Beeswax, Sunflower oil. Cocoa butter, Vitamin E and skin-safe essential /Fragrance oils.

As you can see, most of the ingredients are nourishing to the skin.

When I was shown their products, I was really torn over which scents to choose, because they all seriously smell super good.

After deliberating, I chose Eucalyptus Mint, Feeling Flirty, Strawberries & Champagne and Sex on the Beach.

There are over 30 amazing scents and the tins come in 2 sizes 6oz tin ($25) or 1 oz tin ($10). The 1oz tin is perfect for wedding giveaways, bridal or baby showers. Your guests will love them for their lovely scents!

Yes, I said it. Sex on the Beach Skinny Dip Candles. Yowzah!

Note: DO NOT use other candles the way you use Skinny Dip Candles. Which means, no applying other candle wax on your skin, please!

Current Promotion!

Specially for Halloween: Get the Spiced Pumpkin, an interesting aroma for the candle dip, up for grabs at a spooktacular price of $18 (usual price: $25)!

Corrynne’s Natural Soap

A Western Australian company, Corrynne's have been natural soaps and body products for over twenty years, all handmade! Importantly, their products don't contain harmful chemical ingredients, but rather plant-based and made to old-fashioned cold process recipes.

Corrynne's soaps include a very generous amount of essential oils for therapeutic benefits and they smell incredible!

Weighing 100g per bar, you can choose from 27 different scents. Each soap bar costs $6.

Essential oils are known for their fragrance and therapeutic benefits.

Also included in some bars are Australian clays for their exfoliation effect and cleansing properties!

Main ingredients include: Coconut, sustainable palm oil and olive oils, water, herbs, sandalwood powder, French and Australian clays, spices, essential oils and sodium hydroxide.

If you're in a fix on which scent to get, they have an interesting thing called the Soap Kebabs, which features 7 different bars on a stick! Each Kebab stick costs $15.

Life's Li'll Wonders also does hamper and gift services, ranging from $40 to $70. Contact them via their website for your favourite scents and more information.

Life's Li'll Wonders

Website: http://www.lifeslillwonders.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifesLillWonders

Sunrise Bistro & Bar offers diners a quaint place to chill with its repertoire of cuisine, an extensive wine list and a good mix of small bites and sweets. Helmed by its co-founder and chef with an impressive 22-year culinary experience, Chef Vincent Teng is affectionately known for his specialised skills in Sous Vide cooking, modern European cuisine with a contemporary twist and a fine blend of creativity. - Sunrise Bistro's Website

Area:

East Coast

Country:

Singapore

Price:

Good For:

Big groups / Small Groups / Friends / Solo

Accessibility:

Approx 10mins drive from Eunos MRT Station

Outside the restaurant is a place to chill out with your friends, watching soccer matches and having a beer. Al fresco style.

The restaurant boosts a spacious area which is comfortable to dine in, no squeezing and cramp feeling, yay!

Seafood Chowder Soup ($12)

The photo shows a tasting portion, that's why it looks small! I recommend this creamy seafood as a warm starter. It tastes lovely and comforting, the seafood was fresh too.

Seared Foie Gras ($19)

Again another tasting sized portion. But I savoured every bite of their foie gras. Layered in mango, citrus jam and berry compote for a touch of zing. One of the better foie gras I've had so far!

Sunrise "Fish & Chips" ($26)

Deep fried and off wowing people for its presentation, the red snapper fish is deep fried and laid on fries, with mango salsa and tartare sauce on the side. Amazing thing is that the flesh was free of bones, so no worries if you want to order this! Personally I felt this was an interesting attempt to recreate the good ol' fish and chips.

Cereal Crusted Cod Fish ($28)

A dish for the fish lovers, the cod fish is baked with cereal crust and set on top of seasonal vegetables braised in sesame oil and ginger shoyu broth. Its seasonings helped balanced out the good fatness of the cod fish.

Asian Five Spice Duck Leg Confit ($28)

Made via Sous vide for 8 hours straight, the cripsy duck leg is infused with five spices. A lovely presentation also helped to spike up my appetite as we take on the interesting marriage of the passionfruit sauce (served as a light dip) with the duck meat.

Marmite Canadian Pork Shoulder ($26)

This dish had been sous vide with marmite for 12 hours, and tastes like bak kwa! The meat was tender and softer than usual shoulder meats. An overall interesting dish.

BBQ Beef Short Ribs ($32)

This beef short ribs is no joke. Before being served to you, it had been sous vide for 24 hours (yes, an entire day!) straight.Served with mixed spice, this was super tender with the right amount of fat. Would recommend this to meat lovers.

Luncheon Chips ($9)

We also tried their super yummy luncheon chips! It was so thin and well fried, and it just melted away upon popping into the mouth. Goes so well with beer, would come here just for this!

Tiramisu Semi Freddo ($12)

A light ending to a heavy meal, if you've had the mains. Featuring the semi frozen mascarpone cheese layered with coffee liqueur jelly sponge topped with milo crunch and tuile biscuit.

Salted Egg Yolk Custard Molten Chocolate Cake ($14)

This was crazy nice. The warm chocolate cake was rich and lovely. Cut it open, and a beautiful yellow salted egg yolk comes flowing out.

The ice-cream on the side, while nothing to shout about, balances the richness of the cake very well. A really well-balanced, lovely dessert that I want to eat again. This is what I call a heavenly dessert! A must order when you visit!

Overall, I felt that the food here was above average, and is a place I would visit again!

Sunrise Bistro & Bar
Location: 902 East Coast Parkway #01-05 Big Splash Block B Singapore 449874
Tel: +65-6440-9090
Website: http://www.sunrisebistrobar.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SunriseBistroBar

This is an invited media tasting session.

Dear readers,

For all these time, I have been told that my blog address and instagram handle have been extremely difficult to pronounce, read, spell, remember or even, perhaps, fathom.

Hence, to make it easier, I have officially changed it. Updated it, to a plain ol' good name of mine.

Things should get easier now.

As you now know, my blog address has been updated to www.janelku.com, the on you're currently on. If you key in my old blog address, which is www.jankliciouz.blogspot.com, you would also be redirected to the new website. Hence, updating your bookmark is not exactly necessary, while I still prefer you do so. :)

You may also like to know that my new instagram handle and twitter username has been updated to @janelkuuu.

The facebook address is now https://www.facebook.com/janelkuuu.

Please do continue to support this blog.

Lots of love,

jankliciouz, done and out.

No longer just for couples to do on a lazy weekend morning, brunch should be for everyone who loves a good meal to begin their mornings. Clinton Street Bakery, a brunch branch from the famed New York restaurant with the same name, finally joins the brunch scene in Singapore. Despite being quite the latecomer, we're happy that they came anyway.

Area:

Bugis

Country:

Singapore

Price:

Good For:

Small Groups / Friends / Solo

Accessibility:

Approx 5-7mins walk from Bugis MRT Station

Crowded scene taken about 10.30am on a Saturday morning. Seats are limited and the eatery is small and noisy. Despite that, queues are still blocking the entrance of the eatery, in wait for empty seats. Thank goodness we went there about 8 am, as soon as it opened, hence we did not have to wait at all.

Cafe Latte

A smooth latte to begin the meal. Plain, with no latte art form whatsoever. Some would be appreciated, though!

Sugar-cured bacon ($7)

A light hint of sweetness hits as you munch down on these crispies. A must-have here for bacon lovers.

Pancakes with warm maple butter (S$18)

We ordered the pancakes which we've heard so much about. We chose the wild blueberries as our toppings. The blueberries somehow didn't come through very well for me (flavour-wise, and I wonder why), but thank goodness the warm maple butter did.

It was smooth and was not overly sweet. It also provided a delightful flavour when added to the pancakes, which were light and fluffy. Other toppings for the pancakes include: Banana Walnut or Chocolate Chunk.

Clinton St. Omelette ($18)

Here, you can choose what you want to add within the omelette. You are given up to 2 fillings. We chose mushrooms and cheese, but the cheese flavour failed to show up but the mushrooms still tasted good with the omelette.

Well, omelettes and mushrooms, what could go wrong? But for its price, I still wished that they'd added just enough cheese to deliver the oomph it should have. The hash browns on the side tasted lovely, while I probably wouldn't have noticed even if the toasted sourdough toast had disappeared.

And in case you were wondering... no, they do not take reservations. Just like how they roll in New York. First-come-first-serve, people, first-come-first-serve.

Do also take note that only brunch items are available if you go there anytime before 11.30am. The full menu will only be available from 11.30am onwards.

The best bit: The fluffy pancakes!

The worse bit: The crowded space which literally cramps one's style.

Clinton Street Baking Co. & Restaurant
Location: 31 Purvis St, Singapore 188608
Operating Hours: Mon-Sun, 8am-6pm (last orders at 5pm)
Website: http://clintonstreetbaking.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clintonstsingapore

This is a company that believes in eating and feeding people right. Serving up hearty food for the workers around the CBD area, eating balanced is now all served up easy - all in a bowl.

Details

Area:

Raffles Place / Telok Ayer

Country:

Singapore

Price:

Good For:

Small Groups / Friends / Solo / Takeaway

Accessibility:

Approx 3-4mins walk from either Raffles Place or Telok Ayer MRT Station

Crowded at lunch. We had to wait around to get a seat. Most people had takeouts instead, to avoid the wait.

Choosing my meats! I love my red meats.

Seared and marinated Tuna, ready to be put into the bowl.

Let's Eat!

Black Cold Brew ($7)

The black brew tasted alright. It didn't exactly impress, and I only realised that the White cold brew seemed to be the popular choice around here. Totally regretted not trying it out.

El Hibaro ($16)

I had mine El Hibaro style. Striploin with salsa verde, charred veggies, wafu tomato and bean sprout salad on white sushi rice. Just that, instead of the white sushi rice, I changed it to quinoa instead!

It was so filling, just filled me up for a good couple of hours. I honestly didn't even think of snacking in the afternoon.

Make your own bowl ($16)

If you don't wish to get any from their suggested bowls, you can choose to make your own too. Here's how it works, for $16, get 1 grain, 1 protein, 1 hot veg, 2 cold veggies, 1 sauce and 1 topping.

I had my meal with a friend and she had the quinoa, roasted nuts mix, apple kimchi, steak, cucumber, pickles and mushrooms!

Can I just say, the apple kimchi is refreshing!

Low-Down

The best bit: The way it fills me up, such that I didn't feel like snacking. My El hibaro bowl tasted awesome healthy, too.

The worst bit: The price. It was pretty steep. The notion that "healthy = overpriced" is so overrated.

Grain Traders
Location: #01-01/02/03, 138 Market Street, CapitaGreen, Singapore 048946
Operating hours: Mon-Fri (8am-7pm), Closed on Sat and Sun.

Kay Lee Roast Meat Joint was started around 1970s in Chinatown. It all began in a humble coffee shop. With inherited knowledge of uniquely spiced Roasts, they were able to gain a name for their 'Zhu Jiang' styled roasts.

Now located within Suntec City, they cater to hungry patrons looking for some good old roast meat in the modern mall. Well, at least the branch I tried it from. They also have another branch in Upper Paya Lebar.

Details

Area:

Suntec City Mall

Country:

Singapore

Price:

Good For:

Small Groups / Friends / Solo / Family

Accessibility:

Approx 2 minutes walk from Promenade MRT Station or 5-7 minutes from City Hall MRT Station

Managed to get a 'peace out' sign from one of the chefs in the kitchen while I was taking this photo.

Let's Eat!

They first served us with a little appetiser, braised peanuts!

One of their specialties, the Prawn dumplings with mayonnaise ($9)! Dip it in the no-frills-no-thrills mayo on the side. I enjoyed this crispy, juicy snack! But I think it was quite expensive for the quantity.

We also ordered their 3 combination roast meats ($10.80). We had the roast duck, roast pork and char siew (BBQ Pork Belly). Their roasts are pretty good and lean.

Dip the duck into the sweet plum sauce and chilli. Awesome matching.

The char siew done up how they would usually roast it in Hong Kong. This is not like the Singaporean ones, which mostly have a redder edge.

With their recommendation, I also tried the Canton-style dumpling noodles ($8.80) and I loved it. The noodles tossed in their delicious sauce was altogether lovely, and the dumplings were tasty. To be honest, I kind of enjoyed this better than the roasted meat rice.

Their soup, which is served on the side, is clear and pretty comforting too. I'm craving for this now as I am writing it!

Kay Lee Roast Meat Joint 琪利珠江烧腊

Location: 3 Temasek Boulevard, #02-609 Singapore 038983

Tel: 6594-2202

Opening Hours: 11am - 3pm; 5pm - 10:00pm (Weekdays) and 11am - 10pm (Weekends / Public Holidays)

Founded in the year 2011, this pie cafe has since captured many hearts that love pie. Their pastries are buttery and carries crisp, yet crumble once it arrives in your mouth.

You might have remembered my review on Pies & Coffee's Orchard Branch last December. Unfortunately, their Orchard branch has since closed but they are still doing well at four other existing branches, namely: Robertson Walk, Rochester Mall, The Grandstand and Alexandra Retail Centre (ARC).

Details

Area:

Alexandra / Labrador Park

Country:

Singapore

Price:

Good For:

Big Groups / Small Groups / Friends / Solo / Takeaway / Family

Accessibility:

Approx. 3 mins walk from Labrador Park MRT Station

Let's Eat!

Today, I visited their ARC branch to try new flavours which they've recently launched about 3 weeks back.

For those who loves local flavours, you can try their Curry Chicken Pot Pie ($14.90). The curry is fragrant, paired with the succulent chicken, all set in a pot pie. It's an entire Chicken drumstick in there, so you're bound to get loads of meat there.

Some new offerings include the warm clam chowder ($9.20), Hungarian Beef Goulash Pot Pie ($14.50) and the lobster bisque baked rice ($14.90).

Warm your gut with these lovelies, especially if you like rice, as the lobster bisque baked rice takes six hours to prepare, all simmered and soaked in the goodness of the lobster bisque sauce before baking.

Personally, I also enjoyed the Hungarian Beef Goulash Pot Pie as the beef was really tender and its sauce went well with the pie crust. Their goulash has been stewed for more than 5 hours, much effort had definitely went into this seemingly small, yet filling pot pie.

You may also like to have a go at their all-time signature dishes, like the Beef Cheek, Charcoal Crust Curry Chicken Pie, Croque Monsieur and the Barbeque Chicken Pie in Beetroot Crust, if you haven't already done so.

On a sweet note, they also launched a Cake-of-the-month Hell'O'Ween Pumpkin Cake ($6.50 a slice, $52 for whole) at all outlets, which will be available only through Halloween.

Be sure to also check out their other desserts, like the Teh Tarik cake ($4.90 a slice, $39 for whole) and Blueberry Crumble ($7.80 a slice, $68 for whole).

All the new items, mentioned above, are available at all Pies & Coffee outlets.

Pies & Coffee

Location: 460 Alexandra Road, #01-18, Singapore 119963

Tel: +65-6273-0042
Operating Hours: 8.30am-8pm (Mon-Fri), 8.30am-6pm (Sat, Sun & Eve of PH)
Website: http://www.piesncoffee.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/piesncoffee.sg

This is an invited tasting session.

Opened on 20 August, the multi-branch A-One Claypot House is now officially venturing into Bak Kut Teh (肉骨茶, abbrev. BKT).

This new concept of theirs is known as A-One Bak Kut Teh, and the branch at Star Vista is their first BKT themed eatery, which has taken over the now defunct Boston Seafood shack.

DETAILS

Area:

Buona Vista

Country:

Singapore

Price:

Good For:

Big Groups / Small Groups / Friends / Solo / Takeaway / Family

Accessibility:

Approx. 3 mins walk from Buona Vista MRT Station (Exit C)

LET'S EAT!

All cooked with their signature Bak Kut Teh (BKT) stock recipe, which uses high grade white pepper for boiling and simmering for hours, they have churned out many BKT themed dishes, some of which we tried when we visited. Some were less peppery, some were more fiery.

Under the dishes cooked with their bak kut teh recipe, I liked the good ol' Pork Ribs Soup ($10.90) which was peppery. I also liked that the tender meat which was easy to remove from the bone.

Take the meat and dip it into their dipping sauce mixture: Sweet black sauce, chopped garlic and chilli padi. The taste is awesome.

I am a lover of Pig's Organs Soup. Surprisingly, if you order their Pig's Organs Soup ($9.90), they also cooked it with a less peppery version of their BKT stock. However, I can't say this is my favourite, because the peppery taste takes away the essence of the soup, somewhat.

If you want something more filling, try their BKT Pork Ribs Porridge ($10.90) and Minced Meat with Meat Ball Porridge ($9.90).

Like usual popular A-One porridge in other branches, the porridge here is cooked with pearl rice, which makes the porridge smooth, with softer grains. Both porridge is cooked with BKT stock for 45 minutes, using high pressure cookers.

Meat lovers, you can try the dry BKT Chicken Cubes ($12.90) and the Braised Platter ($14.90).

The Dry BKT Chicken cubes are interestingly similar to the Kung Pao chicken dish. But for their rendition, they used their BKT soup base to cook it. It's fragrant, with addition of thinly sliced dried cuttlefish.

The Braised Platter, on another hand, is similar to the assorted braised items that you would go with your kway chap. While the gravy is flavourful, I was a little bummed out that they didn't include pig intestines in this dish. Both dishes are great with rice.

For non-meat lovers, you can have a go at the Ampang Yong Tau Foo and Assorted Vegetables in Sambal sauce ($10.90).

For the Ampang Yong Tau Foo, it comes in 3 sizes: small ($9.90, medium ($14.90) and large ($18.90). Ours was the medium sized one, good for 2 - 3 pax.

The assorted vegetables feature, what A-One likes to call, the 4 'heavenly kings' of vegetables, namely: Sweet peas, eggplant, ladyfinger and long beans.

Overall, it is interesting that they have come up with this concept where most things can be cooked with a signature bak kut teh stock, but the control of the BKT flavour - more fiery, spicy, peppery or BKT prominent - are just a thin line from being different.

Hopefully, they have mastered controlling the flavours for various Bak Kut Teh dishes, because there must be an edge to the various dishes even if it is BKT themed. Importantly, flavours need to be kept consistent for its returning BKT loving customers.

A-One Claypot House
Location: 1 Vista Exchange Green #01-46 Singapore 138617
Operating Hours: 10:30am To 9:30pm (last order)
Tel: +65-6734-6567
Website: http://aonegroup.com.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/a1porridge

This is an invited media tasting session.

Over last weekend, during my staycation at the nearby Marina Mandarin Hotel, I chanced upon a Cantonese restaurant within Marina Square mall. Opened on Valentine's Day this year, its first branch began in Aperia Mall, selling only dim sum items. A few months later in September, the second second branch within Marina Square mall was opened, serving not only Dim Sum, but also other Cantonese fare.

With an experienced kitchen crew spearheaded by Executive Chef Leong (who previously came from a Shang Palace background), they target to preserve traditional Cantonese flavours, serving a wide range of Cantonese dishes, such as 'Roast Peking Duck, Pan Fried “Kurobuta” Pork Chop with Honey Sauce, Braised Homemade Bean curd with Bamboo Charcoal Powder, Braised Pork belly in Special Sauce, Deep Fried Prawn with Pumpkin creamy Sauce, Double Boiled Fish Maw in Superior Shark’s bone soup and many more'.

Being a Cantonese girl myself and a lover of Cantonese food, I was very excited to dig into their dishes upon hearing about it.

Did you know?
Visitors to their restaurant can also get a free Marina Square parking coupon from Dragon Bowl when they dine in the restaurant. That's awesome!

DETAILS

Area:

City Hall / Marina Square

Country:

Singapore

Price:

Good For:

Big Groups / Small Groups / Friends / Solo / Takeaway / Family

Accessibility:

Approx. 2-6 mins from City Hall, Esplanade or Promenade MRT Station

LET'S EAT!

We took up their $78++ current promotion, which includes their signature Roasted Peking Duck, Roast Duck Bone Soup and Braised Duck E-Fu Noodle.

This promotion serves up a 6-people portion. But as there were only 4 of us, we took half of the promotion, paying only about $39++, and also added on some ala-carte dishes to share.

Needless to say, this promotion of theirs is really worth it, because their usual price for the Peking Duck costs about $22 for half, and $40 for whole.

And they also did not waste any ounce of the duck meat, as the remaining duck was used to make the Roast duck bone soup (with preserved vegetables) and the Braised Duck E-fu Noodles, both are dishes that you will not be able to order off the ala carte menu. And even these non-menu items, tasted awesome.

Going back to the Roasted Duck, I can understand why it is their signature dish. In all ways, they did this dish right. The duck meat is tender and mostly lean, the duck skin is crisp and melts in your mouth.

Even the sweet sauce that you lather within the crepe before wrapping the duck in, is tasty and not overly sweet. (Pardon my tummy growling now while I'm typing this, recapping what I ate there is simply not easy.)

Under the ala-carte menu, we ordered their highly recommended Stir-Fried Tenderloin Beef Cube with Black Pepper & Red Wine (紅酒黑椒牛柳粒, $24 for small size). Seriously, I loved this dish.

The beef cubes were not only tender and flavourful, it was amazingly filled with the wok's breath (aka wok-hei). Even a picky eater, like my sister, could not stop munching on this.

We also tried their Braised Mixed Vegetables with Shredded Conpoy & Superior Stock in Claypot (上汤干贝什菜煲, $12 for small size), and our tummies were pleased with its flavours in entirety, as the conpoy really enhanced the fragrance and taste of the dish.

Sit back, eat and relax as a pretty lady in cheongsam strums and plucks on her Pipa, producing lovely classic and fusion tunes for your enjoyment. This live performance is only available on Fridays and Saturdays.

Overall, I really enjoyed the entire dining experience here, from the food, to the surroundings, to its service. I'm glad to add this restaurant as one of my favourite Cantonese restaurant. And yes, I will be back again to try out their dim sum too!

Dragon Bowl is also located very near Milk & Honey yogurt soft serve, which you can visit for dessert after a satisfying meal here.

Dragon Bowl 龍碗 - Marina Square (City Hall) branch
Location: 6 Raffles Boulevard Marina Square #03-129A, S039594
Tel: +65 68581588
Website: http://www.dragonbowl.com.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dragonbowlrestaurant

Aloha! As I step into the Hawaiian salad bar last Friday, there were neither any 'Aloha!'s nor dancing hula girls. But I was greeted with a huge work crowd, who were there for a go at the newly opened Aloha Poke, all aiming to get a healthy lunch.

A little overwhelmed at the support of the healthy-eats seeking crowd, their cashier does seem to be a little all over the place. But might be understandable, given that it was open just less than 2 weeks ago.

Chef Michael, himself, was helping out at the floor. And he even assigned me my seat at the crowded eatery. I got a seat shortly after purchasing my food.

For us, poke means to jab at someone with a finger, right? Well, the Poke in their name means something totally different. Or perhaps, a clever pun like Hawaii giving our food nation a hello "aloha poke"?

Anyway, Poke (pronounced Poh-keh) is a traditional Hawaiian staple for surfers, which comprises of seasoned Ahi (tuna) tossed with toasted sesame seeds, sweet onions and scallions.

According to Aloha Poke, their fish are always freshly prepared in their lightly marinated secret sauce. Mix them with superfoods, and you've got yourself an Aloha Poke salad.

DETAILS

Area:

Tanjong Pagar / Telok Ayer

Country:

Singapore

Price:

Good For:

Small Groups / Friends / Solo / Takeaway

Accessibility:

Approx. 2-4 mins walk from Telok Ayer or Tanjong Pagar MRT Station

LET'S EAT!

First, you have to select your order on a piece of paper first, which is available with pencils, around the eatery. Then, after you've selected it, pass it to the cashier, who will then confirm your order, and have you pay first.

If you are a first timer there (like me) and don't know what to order (or are just plain lazy to make your own choice), you can make a selection to have their Standard Nalu Tuna or Salmon bowl, which they will mix and match for you. In other words, what they recommend as the perfect poke bowl.

Every bowl is served with rice and salad, your choice of poke, and topped off with scallions, pineapple and lime. It also includes 2 complimentary add-ons and 1 superfood.

I told them I didn't want any rice in my bowl, so they removed that option for my bowl. If you go for rice, they will give you mixed rice - which is just a mix of brown and white rice.

My salad mix consisted of the vegs, 2 servings of Ahi Tuna (150g), original Aloha Poke sauce, carrots, almonds, pineapple and avocado. It did look very healthy and it made me feel like I was making a good healthy choice by coming here.

The bowl is the normal, standard sized bowl, and without rice, it felt as if the veg servings were still little. I just wish they would have put in more vegetables or offered an additional serving in replacement of the filling rice.

I did enjoy the taste of the entire salad. I squeezed the lime over the salad and mixed it well. The salad mix was light and refreshing.

The tuna was flavourful and fresh. However, I felt that the quantity of the ingredients, like the avocado and pineapples, would have better enhanced the taste of the salad if they just had slightly more of it within the bowl.

Anyway, there was a good amount of tuna, and I was a happy girl.

All done!

Other than the salad, you can also select from a wide variety of drinks too, like Cold pressed juices ($7.90), Cocoloco ($5.90), Nakd Water ($3.90), Kona Beer ($13.90) or Brother's Cider ($14.90).

For me, since I was aiming for healthy anyway, I decided to go all the way with the cold pressed juice - 'Never Miss a Beet'.

The purplish red mixure in a glass bottle consists of beetroot, carrot, kai lan, ginger, pear, pineapple and lemon. The juice tasted pretty good.

Other cold pressed juices flavours offered at Aloha Poke include the 'Smells like Green Spirit', 'Coco Cloud', 'Choco Sutra' and 'Citrus Ninja'.

All cold pressed juices are from A Juicery, which you can check out their juice ingredients on their website.

My total lunch bill came up to a whopping $23.80. Well, while taste scores above average, I'm not sure if I'm going to be poh-keh or not poh-keh with eating so expensive everyday.

Aloha Poke
Location: 92 Amoy Street Singapore 069911
Operating Hours: 11.30am - 2.30pm, 5.30pm - 11pm
Tel: +65-6221-6565
Website: http://www.alohapoke.com.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alohapoke

It was a good day for an al fresco dining in Singapore, so I visited Erwin's Gastrobar with my bestie for lunch. She had dined there previously and was raving about their steak. Hence, she convinced me to give it a go.

Their lunch menu was made up of a good selection of burgers, sandwiches, salads and pastas. I also liked that they had a column dedicated to healthier options - like the Lemon Sole, Baked Salmon or Herb Chicken Salad. The lunch is available from 11am to 3pm, every Monday to Friday.

As we sat outside the restaurant, it was just nice and not warm at all. After settling down, we ordered food and the wait staff were pretty friendly, even though the place was pretty filled up. High seats are apparent in the restaurant, whether you sit indoors or outdoors.

DETAILS

Area:

Marina Bay / Bayfront

Country:

Singapore

Price:

Good For:

Big Groups / Small Groups / Friends / Solo

Accessibility:

Approx. 3 mins walk from Downtown MRT Station

LET'S EAT!

Under the constant egging of the bestie, we ordered the Black Angus Rib Eye (200g, $22.50). The Rib eye was lean, but the bestie was disappointed when it was served. The steak had shrunk considerably, compared to the previous time she visited.

She went with medium well because she's on team squeamish (a.k.a no bloods in meat please!). Taste was on the average side for me, as were the sides (fries and salad).

Worth the cost? Yeah, sure, probably. Worth the tummy space? I personally think I can do without it.

For me, I asked the wait staff for restaurant recommendations, which led me to order the Classic Burger beef patty with black pepper cheddar and coleslaw ($18.00).

The purple coleslaw added lovely colour to the dark brown of my medium done patty.

While the beef patty and the almost fluffy buns initally made my day, the taste in its entirety came across familiar - then, eureka!

I knew what it was. It was the burger, that tasted like a super upsized version of McDonald's cheeseburger. At that moment of realisation, I literally felt my tummy scorn a little.

The only probable difference, might be the slightly juicier and thicker patty. The bestie agrees.

Finishing our mains, we wanted some dessert to up our moods. Then, I spot Cannoli on the dessert menu, and I was excited. Cannolis are not super common desserts which are offered, so we decided to try that. For $9.50, we were surprised that they served it in mini ice-cream cones instead of the usual fried shells.

While I did enjoy its fillings - strawberries, apricot compote, vanilla mascarpone and chocolate ganache - the space of the mini ice-cream cone made sure to minimise the amount of fillings that would otherwise fill out this lovely Italian classic.

Missing the oomph, much?

On top of that, I didn't enjoy the mini cones because some parts of the cones seemed to be softened, putting a damper on my meal's sweet ending.

Overall, I couldn't say this was a great meal, just an average one. Perhaps with the bestie's constant praises, I had set higher expectations for this place than I should have.

Erwin's Gastrobar @ MBFC
Location: 8A Marina Boulevard #01-01, Ground Plaza Singapore 018984
Operating Hours: 8am - 11pm (Mon to Wed), 8am - 12midnight (Thurs & Fri)
Tel: +65 6634 8715
Website: http://www.erwins.com.sg/

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Details

Let's Eat!

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DETAILS

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DETAILS

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DETAILS

Erwin's Gastrobar (MBFC Branch)

DETAILS