Manhatten Fish Market@Central

This fishy place serves a "Strictly for Sharing" menu!!!

Haha! When i first saw it, i exclaimed in delight! Well... sometimes i can't finish my dinner all by myself, so it's good to share rite? Waste not, want not. That's what my mother says. Anyway it's very tsk tsk to waste food!

Rites: let me go more into detail on our Strictly for Sharing.

We shared the Manhatten Seafood Platter ($29.90++) for Two

Deep fried fish fillet, calamari, oysters and prawns served with chips and garlic rice kinda remind me ...FISH and CO Seafood Platter for 2!!!

So similar!!! i wondered who copied who! And of cos they had more platters of slightly different variety for couples to share like The Giant Flaming Whole Lobster Platter and Premium Sea Catch Whole Fish Platter and Fishermen's Giant Fried Platter. Lots of platters going on here.

Well well well, so now it's just up to the food to live up to its reputation of being the best in america! Beginning i was thinking "Shucks... ate this stuff before. and many times" But what impressed me was when the waiter, armed with a gasoline can, flamed the prawns covered with some special sauce, according to the waitress, flaming in front of me for a good few minutes before serving it.

okie, here's the deal. Prawns flamed in special sauce. Not tasty and not special. The sauce, somehow i have tasted it before like in those Japanese salad sauce, issit Thousand island or Salad Cream??? Well, it's not unique for sure. And the rice that was under the flamed prawns, tasted so burnt!!!!

Next, fried calamari, sad case here, the batter was thin, not fluffy nor light. Not savoury and heavy infact. Couldnt pop more than 5 into my mouth. Feels very oily. I think i prefer the other restaurant's grilled calamari way more.

Up next, fried fish fillet. Heng, this fish fillet saved the platter's name. The fish was fresh, tender and succulent. Fried to perfection and drained of oil. Thumbs-up. The only booboo bit was it came in a fillet and not 2.

Oysters came in3?!?!? and it's a Platter for 2? Come on! what is going on here!!!! *holler* Shouldn't it be 2 or 4 oysters in a platter!!! This is ridiculous, in the end the Bf and I had to push and shovel the oysters with " no, u have it" when it comes to an oyster.

Lastly, the sauces...can i have more chilli please???? U only gave me a teaspoon to have with so much fried food with it. i've gotta have more chilli to cover all that oil.

Damnit. I'm never coming back here again. Even if they have bigger and better hooha flames. Bleah.

Those people in the snake Q are really blind in their tongues and mind.

Lunar Official Opening Party

we saw Hossan Leong! His mohawk was Soooo........ spiky!

photo: thanks to MOBLOG

Lunar Fusion Bar

Its key theme is a fusion of modern and traditional chinoiserie, and with that in mind, the 1,393-sq-m floor space has been remodelled to resemble an art gallery. Previously occupied by Clinic, Lunar moves in on the auspicious 15th day of the lunar calendar.

The 150 pieces of Chinese pop art , a definite controversial subject depicting flesh and provocative poses, companied by the 50 specially lighted goldfish, 50 colourful lanterns and 100 bird cages that form part of the decor will soon be the talk of town.

We stayed long enuff to catch the girl boy(ahem, uncle more rightly speaking as he had receding hairline) band and chinese orchastral 'pop' band, with the leading lady playing the erhu. in betweens, there were the 2 fiery body dancers who took the stage with dirty looks from many women. But i may read them wrongly, they might be looks of envy since the 2 hot dancers had so much booty to shake and wow the boys till they drool like beer taps flowing...sheesh. man.

And my cuz said one of the dancers was super hiao cos she will pose sexily for the cameras...double sheesh.

Waraku@Central

Ritey, after much publicity and opening of new outlets, i guess Waraku de pasta must be quite good at what they are doing! Off we went to hunt and sample their pastas at the newly opened Central outlet.

First up was the huge glass window display of plastic pastas! So many choices to choose from! With over 80 colourful main courses and a wide selection of drinks and desserts, CUZ, me and wj took a pretty long time to hurdle across the menu. And the waiting queue was very long too. When we arrive, we had 9 tables infront of us so neither of us had really been to Central before, so we decided to check out the place. After about half an hour of walking 3 floors of small shops, it was almost our turn! Yippee! and CUZ was so intrigued with the wide range of white plates with colourful pastas stuck onto them.

I took a dare at the Black Squid Ink pasta (Spaghetti Al Nero di Seppia), Cuz had the Prawn Spicy Carbonara while wj had the Prawn Chicken Macaroni Gratin. We all started our meal with the complimentary mini-salad that comes with every order of a main course. Crisp ice-berg lettuce drizzled with a very 'salty' dressing; i think it must be a concoction of fish sauce and soy sauce or something. Guess that's must be one of the reason why they say Waraku Pasta is healthy. Here we are, sampling their small bowl of salty tinge salad with half a cherry tomato and other greens.

Rite! let's get to business and talk about their food cos this is why we are here! Food Sampling!

Squid Ink Pasta: Cheap for a whole plate of pasta with enuff squid. As for taste. Those who cant stand fishy taste or smell, u should really avoid this one. It has this real fishy taste before and after u swallowed it down! The fresh tomatoes didn't compliment the taste at all and for me i think it make it worse as it was fresh and raw in taste so it reminded me of a fresh fish out of sea! Once is enough for me here! And for couples on dating, one caution reminder, GIRLS! Avoid eating this unless u are very confident of urself!!! Firstly u have to be wary of the sauce getting onto your pretty dress or blouse, secondly, after the first spoonful, your teeth will be stained in black! And im warning you, i have to gurgle my mouth many times before the little bits of black ink came off my teeth!

Next up, have u ever wondered why would the japanese actually want to do pasta when it's such a recognised cuisine of the italians? I mean everyone and anyone would expect the italians to whip up a ass-kicking pasta and japanese to make a delicate and colourful sashimi or sushi rite?

So i guess CUZ also didnt really enjoyed the japanese pasta over here.... The pasta was well done, not hard or soft, had enough pasta sauce to go with it, just the taste was too asian? Just too weird, like the fish sauce salad that we had in the beginning.

Finally the last one which we tried for that nite was: Prawn Chicken Macaroni Gratin. Portion was way too small here for a man. However, WJ said that it was pretty filling as it was smothered in cheese and the potatoes just ballooned in his stomach after awhile. And taste verdict: He said it was nice! So this is a safe one to try people! Remember to add your parmesan cheese!!!

ode to odette

this pair just caught my eyes when me and my girlfriend walked
past its shop.

Melissa Look-a-like

Out of the Pan

Located at Basement 1, Raffles City Shopping Centre, this restaurant offers common dishes like salads, soups and waffles, along with its main signature dish- crêpes, created with either an Asian or European twist. At Out of the Pan, the award winning pastry team creates an alluring range of waffles, sweet crêpes, ice creams and cakes for patrons. U can even make your own 'signature' crepe with the fillings that you want, something which my mum keeps reminding me.

wj and i shared a set meal which includes any crepe from the ala carte menu, 3 salads to choose from, and a selection of drinks which includes brew of the day, tea or soft drinks. Our first thoughts was to try out the Peking duck flavour but mum beat us to it. So we decided to try the Seafood jungle instead. Mum ordered the Tutti Fruiti salad and we had the Potato red skin Salad. Both salads came looking all colourful and yummy, but the taste is quite lacklustre. Nothing great here, and the salad sauce was really way beyond nice.

Daddy had the roast beef+bell peppers which i could see that he was enjoying himself totally. Mum stole a piece from him and said that his tasted better than her Peking duck. Wj and I tried mum's Peking Duck and thought that her Peking duck was far superior than our Seafood Jungle!

The Seafood Jungle crepe did had many shrimps and bite size scallops but the taste just wasnt there, neither was it savoury enough for me to want more. Dull.

Overall, here's the verdict:

Seafood Jungle, recommended by the restaurant itself but i HIGHLY UNRECOMMEND it.

Peking Duck: nice chinese flavour. Savoury and makes you want more. You can give it a miss if you are on a diet. Lots of Peking skin to be removed.

Roast Peppers: Tender thick strips of roast beef topped with juicy crunchy bell peppers. This is the one you should try.

Generally all crepes came with a generous serving of filling and topped with lots of romaine lettuce plus salad cream. Good for starving people, bad for people on a diet. If you aint hungry, one portion of the crepe here could serve 2 persons. Overall for pricing, it's not very expensive considering the amount of food you are getting for the price. Service was prompt and efficient. Staff was generally friendly. But i was there in the morning so not much crowd. So we had their undivided attention. Entertainment: Water spurting at the fountain while we eat. Ample natural daylighting to the overall ambience. Nice breakfast spot i think for a weekend. Maybe if there's a second chance, i might just go back and try their sweet crepe instead of savoury ones.


Extra Info

Open:All-Day Dining
Sunday to Thursday - 10:00 am to 10:00 pm

Friday, Saturday, eve of public holidays - 10:00 am to 10:30 pm

Simply Peranakan@ the Esplanade

Both dad and mum loves Perananka food, especially my dad's a peranankan, so it brings back fond memories of the old days for him i guess. Mum booked a table for 4 at Simply Peranakan@ the Esplanade. We wait in eager anticipation that saturday as we missed the one at turf city which has closed. We were staying over at Raffles the Plaza that night so mum decided that it wasn't a good idea to go dinner without planning as we have left our family car at home.

It was literally full house and with a queue snaking outside and although we had made reservations in advance, we still had to queue for awhile!

Lucky thing was, we weren't really hungry so we didnt mind waiting for awhile. i saw many people eating Fish head curry! heard it was one of their speciality but we just had fish head curry a week ago at Samy's...

Did i mention that the one at Dempsy has temporarily moved to Serangoon area. But it will be back soon as it is under renovation and beside it at Dempsy's, Long Beach Seafood is opening!!! WOOHOO! then whenever i have cravings for chilli crab i can just walk there!!! *slurps* i love their eggy spicy sweet and tangy chilli crabs!!! As for pepper crabs, i still prefer Jumbo Seafood ones for their fragrant peppery crabs, the peppers are done till perfect, or roasted, fried. Really haven a clue what they did to their peppers but they are simply heavenly! okie too much deviation here....Back to Peranankan Cuisine....

ritey, so we ordered:

1. Sambal Kangkong
   
2. Bakwang Kepeting


3. Buah Keluak


4. Beef Rendang


5. Chap Chye


6. Bakwang Kepeting

So before the dishes came, the waitress offered us Keropok, spicy and appetising achar and chilli padi!!!The achar was quite good! Loads of crushed peanuts with just the right hint of sweetness and spicyness in all that strips of veggie. LURVE IT!

First up was the Bakwang Kepeting!!Seasoned meat-balls made with minced pork, crab meat and prawns simmered in a specially prepared broth accompanied with finely shredded bamboo shoots. Crunchy to the bite with nicely favoured morsels of crab meat. Thumbs up here. and servings was just one 'ball' per person. Sob sob, cant i help more please????
Arriving quickly was the Beef rendang,Sambal Kangkong and Nyonya Chap Chye.
Sambal Kangkong, nothing special here. But it's dad's favourite dish all time anywhere, anytime for a plate of greens. I find it abit oily...but i guess sambal 'anythin' is always oily.

This traditional Nyonya Chap Chye delicacy is prepared with an assortment of different vegetables and herbs like cabbages, mushrooms, glass noodles (tang hoon), black fungus and a touch of green paste in a claypot. Flavours all immersed in. Nice! and really good for those who cant take spicy food, this dish is a sure favourite!

Marinated beef stewed in a rich gravy of coconut milk spiced with chilli paste, ginger, lime leaves and a dash of curry powder - is the Beef Rendang!A dish of Indonesian origin with a Nyonya twist. Personally i didnt think the beef was tender enough, i thot the one i had in Batam was better! As for taste, it was quite savoury, just too bad that the beef was abit too 'stringy'

Ayam Buah Keluak (recommended!!!) Really love this one!Pieces of juicy chicken stewed with black nut gravy. A good balance of spicy, sweet and the unique aroma of the nut. A signature dish not to be missed! Yup, i think it's one of their signature dishes as there aint many restaurants that actually will take the effort to do a Buah Keluak dish. And it was simply lovely to dig the black paste out from the shell and mix it with my rice! SEDAP!!!

Finally to cap up the delicious night, we ordered one portion of all the house's dessert but only got 3 out of 4. Wells, what can i say, they've sold out and still in good business!

932 Raffles the Plaza

9th floor, so the view wasn't all that spectacular. But the view still consist of Suntec Convention halls, Marina Mandarin Hotel, Ritz Carlton, Singapore Flyer, One Raffles Link and of cos the infamous 'durian' The Esplanade.

The attention to detail remains the hallmark of accommodation at Raffles The Plaza. Invitingly spacious, the Grand room is furnished in a contemporary fashion whilst radiating warmth and comfort from amber lighting. Both shade and curtain were automated with a generous balcony overlooking the memorial square.

A quiet and spacious corner room, it includes special features such as a separate sitting area and a large writing desk, no free internet though.

The toilet was spacious enough to have 4 people in it at one go. Outdoor shower head, long vanity top and a huge bathtub with Bose speakers above, one can truly immerse oneself in the bathtub full of bubbles and soak in the music. Terrific!

Donut Factory

Mum had always wanted to try a box of donuts from the Donut Factory.

Typical singaporean. See a queue. Then also want.

This time round, one of her colleagues was kind enough to queue and bought 2 dozens for the office, and she gave 6 pieces to my mum. Mum loves the dark chocolate oozing centred donut. I had the crunchy nutty one. Sis had the apple cinnamon, wj had the orange flavoured one, dad had the almond flaky one.

Come Sunday, mum is planning on her virgin Q at Raffles City Donut Factory.Watch her.

psst: she's going to drag you to the Q as well dad.

$10 for a box of 12 glazed donuts

$11 for a box of 12 in assorted flavours,

The Donut Factory,

B1-61,

Raffles City,

tel: 6337-6268.

Opening hours: 12.30pm to 10pm daily

Lazy Weekend

another weekend has come and gone.
so what have i accomplished this weekend?



hmm...

A small gathering at Punggol. (a new gf+potluck, carried baby, wooo... maternal instincts that i didnt drop the baby? and baby kayden didnt cry too!!! hopefully daddy's going to send me the photos then i can post some pretty baby photos here!!!)

An overnite at WJ's. (boring, no tv)

Huge dinner at Fisherman's Wharf (uncle turned 60, woohoo...more than half a century!)

A cousin who brought his new gf (what's with new gfs???!! is everyone changing partners? or getting hitched) and went from aunties to uncles, formally introducing her to us as if it was their wedding instead of his father's 60th BIG birthday.

Another trip to MOS. (no pictures here gals. quiet affair, angmoh & ahbeng fight, mohawk cutie, angmoh pickup, sharkeaters and werewolves, coyote auntie in black, non-alcoholic nite)

New old chair from office for tine. Lunch with family, yeah for rangoon Bak Kut once more, traditional dessert, full stomach with almond and walnut paste.

i miss having more time doing my own personal stuff and recordings.

Crocs Prima

i simply cant seem to find any love for the original looking crocs. I'm sorry to those croc lovers out there, especially sandee...but they are SO UGLY!!!! Gimme a hundred bucks and i will still refuse to wear them.

However, lately crocs has developed Prima - ballet-inspired flats which have shown some hope towards a compromise of fashion and comfort. These flatties promise slip-resistant and non-marking soles with anti-microbial and odor resistant. So much omph! packed in that pair of flatties huh! Now even I feel a tiny itch to get one pair for myself. Price $56

Polaroid

taken at our uncle's 60th birthday.

Campana Zig Zag

Fave: Jelly shoes.
i know i know they have been in the novo shoe shops for ages but for someone who is undertall like me...Sometimes i think quite hard whether should i go for skyscapers high heels to make me feel on top of the world or at least being able to grab the hanging holders of the bus, or to have comfy soles in one of these jelly shoes, which can be quite costly.

Finally i found a pair of jelly shoes exactly the one like those sold by Melissa Jelly Shoes!!! at best of all, i bought it at a price of $6!!!! hohohoho.....

will post my shoes for you gals to compare over the weekend....i try, no promise.

PS Cafe

Cut to the chase.

Objectives: My Parents especially my mother had wanted to come to this place for the longest time, she has heard that it has fast becoming a celebrity seen and see place so since it's her birthday, wj and i brought her there.

Pricey. Yes.

Service. So-so. 2 out of 5. Most probably was becos it was a sunday's brunch. Loads of people and no reservations for weekend brunches, it comes on a first come first basis system. Although my family and i didnt wait long for our table.They did offer us outdoor seats first but seeing the scorching sun, my mother was willing to wait for an indoor cool area. I think we didn't regret waiting for that extra 10mins or so. The waiter and waitresses were very busy, i think. The waiter that waited on our table brought us 3 cups of ice water when there was 5 of us. Minus points here. We even have to remind him to bring us 2 more cups of water. Before our main were served, he was kind enough to bring us side plates for us to share. However, 2 out of the 5 dishes had chocolate stains on them!!!! and there were crumbs too!!! REAL BIG BOOBOO over here. Next, when our order was brought to us, there wasn't enough serviettes or cutlery for all of us. Minus points again. This time we told another waitress to get some cutlery for us.

Food: Mother and dad shared the MEAT LOAF AND SALAD (meat loaf with prune dressing on a bundle of salad greens). I have come to an understanding that it is a salad but the meatloaf was really little and it cost $22.

Wj and I shared the CHEF STEAK SANDWICH (wagyu ribeye steak, caramelised onions grilled to perfection if i might say so, danish bacon which i couldn't find any, romaine lettuce... a generous amount of probably 2 leaves, sliced tomatoes, served with baked beans and voluptous steak fries)

we love the big steak fries and onions!

Cost $28

Sis had the POACHED EGG PORTOBELLO STACK (stack of pached eggs, portobello mushroom, grilledbacon, wilted spinach on top of mashed potatoes with smoked cheese).

The chef comments here was that the portion was too small for her size. So chef is not impressed here.

Cost $22

Verdict: Nice ambience, makes me miss melbourne's big breakfast and it's other variations found along the tucked-in corner lanes of Flinders and appreciate melbourne's easy finds of cheap and good breakfast. I MISS MELBOURNE!!!! Food and pricing can NEVER beat melbourne's. But since it's not Melbourne ( i have to remind myself again and again), we just have to settle here at PS cafe. If you can live without ambience then i think PS cafe is good enough for just a one time visit and nothing more.

on the window sill

Mum's a year Wiser

Szechuan Court

Family Affair@ the museum

It was a flashback to the past of the 1960s and 1970s as the ambience of pasar malams from these decades were brought to life and brought fond memories not only to my parents, especially my dad who bought 2 wooden spinning tops home, my mum who Q-ed in the hot sunny afternoon for a piece of caricature of herself, my sis relishing on her hum ching peng for the 2nd time, even myself and wj had a real swinging good time too looking back at the games we bought played when we were young. Remember 5 stones, kuti-kuti, yo-yos? and the blowing balloon? they seem so long time ago....

The food stalls enticed a local crowd with local delicacies while the free games stalls and their tables and stationed voluteers who shared the rules of the game with children brought much joy to the young and old. And the best of all were the freebies!!!! Free chinese calligraphy, caricature and self protraits and free paper balloons, blowing balloons and free games to play. This has just to be the best pasar malam this year i have been too.

ps: did i forget to mention that we enjoyed ourselves so much that we visited the pasar malam twice on different days , the night affair on saturday and the family affair on sunday.