Amanogawa @ The Marketplace, Raffles City

Lunch

• Chilled Cabbage Salad
• Ebi Tempura Maki
• Mini Udon
• Steamed Egg
• Green Tea

Congrats to this humble yet bustling establishment for a four tick achievement! (The first one so far, and therefore deserves a picture of the signage outside the restaurant.) I had a hard time establishing whether this place was truly an authentic Japanese eatery or just one of those Chinese-run Japanese restaurants. I'm not saying all Chinese-run Jap restaurants are bad, but the cooking here was so good that it made me wonder. And the place was packed, though lunch hour could easily account for the crowd.

I also have to say that their set menus are truly awesome. The prices are reasonable for the portions. What I love most about Japanese food is how everything is compartmentalized - how everything comes in small little dishes or just one big Bento, which is (of course) separated into smaller parts. It just gives me this really sacrosanct feeling of the food; each dish is independent of the others, with its own flavors and sauces that do not mix with the other dishes. Perhaps it's just my personality. I never liked gravy touching my peas (and that's just me using an expression, because I never liked peas to begin with).

First came the salad. This consisted of finely sliced chilled cabbage and a few slices of tomatoes and cucumber, dressed with a mayonnaise-like type of sauce. But as I mixed the mayo into the vegies, I noticed a lightly tanned liquid residing below. One whiff of it and I knew it was good stuff. That brownish liquid is in fact fish broth, a savory dressing which only the Japanese seem to enjoy in their salads. It was a pleasure eating this icy appetizer; it would have been better if they didn't add any mayo at all and just condensed the fish broth further. Now that would have been sweet.

Then came the tempura maki, five slices of crisp battered prawn, wrapped in a layer of seaweed, then rice and then rolled in ebi roe. This was delicious as well, with the warm crunchy interior of tempura contrasted against the lukewarm rice wrapped around it. But the condiments which came with it surprised me a bit. You see, they gave me a small soya sauce plate with wasabi spread on the side, which implied that they expect me to pour my soya sauce into the dish, mixing it with wasabi. This, in Japanese cuisine is a no no, because wasabi is usually served in a green lump on the same plate with the maki, together with the pink ginger, and then the eater places the wasabi on the sushi itself before dipping it into soya sauce. Dissolving the wasabi into the soya sauce is a boo boo in sushi eating (and was probably devised by the likes of my dad), because this quashes the spicy taste of the wasabi. (Then again, according to my aunt, real Japanese don't partake in wasabi at all in order to appreciate the full taste of the fresh sashimi, which made even more sense. But then again, I'm not really a big fan of raw seafood.)

Another thing which really bothered me was the green tea. This restaurant used the Lipton-like sachets whereas the real thing's usually in powder form. Oh well.

The next course was this mini udon which had an authentic soup base, which was just superb. But the portion was rather small (hence mini) and it only sufficed for three big slurps.

And last but not least came the steamed egg. It has an elegant Japanese name to it, but I forget. This came in a little plastic cup of its own, and was kept warm by this cover. The first spoonful already told a lot about the entire dish. The soft and semi-fluffy texture of the egg reminded me of "dou foo fa", but a subtle taste reminded me that this was in fact egg. I still have no idea what goes into this little cup of delight. There's definitely a spice or an extra ingredient, for it's always not that simple, but I just can't put my finger on it.

The ambiance in this place wasn't much. The shop itself was so small; and the whole place was packed with office workers having their lunch break. But the gastronomic experience was truly outstanding, and despite the claustrophobia-inducing seats, I wouldn't mind coming here again for more dining pleasure.

Total cost: S$13.80++
Rating: aaaaa

Ichiban Boshi @ Esplanade

Afternoon Tea

• Green Tea
• Various Sushi Dishes
• Mini Chicken Don
• Fried Beancurd
• Yakitori (Black Pepper Chicken)

My aunt came over from Hong Kong with my cousin, Ronald, and I've been showing them around Singapore for the past few days. And what would be a trip to Singapore without seeing the big slices of durian lining the shores at the mouth of the Singapore River.

We all had early lunches so we badly needed a break from the sightseeing. Walking into the almost deserted restaurant, we ordered an afternoon set meal and a variety of sushi, including fried ebi roll (Ronald's favorite), some sea urchin (for my aunt), a plate of Tanaki maki (which is my personal favorite) and a plate of those red spiced baby octopuses which everyone loves. There was also the sticks of yakitori my aunt wanted to try. The service was quick and efficient, perhaps attributable to the fact that we were like the only ones there, but also very accommodating to our sharing everything, with extra plates and spoons all round.

First, the sushi was great. Because we didn't bother to pull it off the belt and ordered it off the menu instead, the sushi was made fresh (unless they pulled the plates off of the belt behind our backs, which would imply how perfectly preserved the sushi is). I loved the fried ebi roll, two pieces of breaded prawn deep fried to perfection, then wrapped in a piece of lettuce and then, a layer of seaweed and rice, topped with a coat of coriander on one side, adding a little oriental spice-up to the entire maki. The baby octopuses weren't that bad either, chilled and icy, making its preserved flavor sweet as you sink your teeth into the semi-crunchy roughness of the octopus. I've always loved these little delights; its texture is truly unique, as if you're biting into a tiny edible water balloon filled with a spiced chewy interior. There's no other way to describe it.

My love for the Tanaki maki (if I remember the name correctly) had once again been reinforced. What I like most about this selection is that it resembles very much a California roll, with its crabmeat, cucumber and avocado center, but instead of a coating of ebi roe, the outside just consists of rice topped with a few bento flakes (thinner-than-paper shavings of cuttlefish). And at S$1.90 for a four piece plate, it makes for a very appetizing portion. I just hope the Ichiban Boshi execs don't read this, because I really think there's something screwed up about their pricing on this particular item. Oh well, I shall enjoy it while it lasts.

The yakitori though, was beyond help. First of all, my aunt ordered black pepper, which from my previous postings you will remember I have a problem with. (For those who forgot, black pepper is suppose to be for rotting meat, and it spoils the true fresh flavors of any piece of meat.) And second, at S$2.40 a stick (yes, ONE stick!) it was a total rip off. I could've gotten way better yakitori for about a third of the price at one of those Tari Q places (which I will one day get down to reviewing, I promise). I shall have to bring them there one day, when I get the time.

I'm actually a somewhat loyal customer of this chain of Japanese restaurants, and I love eating at these Ichiban places scattered all over the island. From what I can tell, the quality of the food at all their branches is about the same, and the quality is top notch in itself. (The Great World City outlet does seem to have more stuff on their menu though.) One thing that did piss me off this time was that for every S$20 spent, you can get a stamp on this "frequent diners" card and we were just two bucks short of one more stamp.

Damn. Should have gotten another plate of the Tanaki maki.

Total cost: S$38.80 (for 3 people)
Rating: aaaaa

Crystal Jade Kitchen @ Shaw House

(Another) Class Dinner

• Brothy soup (with either fish stomach or some other marine creature I'm not aware of)
• Hong Kong Kailan fried in garlic
• Pork Chops in Ketchup-based sauce
• Steamed fish with black beans
• Pan-fried garlic-chili prawns
• A Char Siew cum Chicken cum Roast Duck Platter
• Red bean "sugar water" dessert

Yup. A rather ironic gathering. We were suppose to bid farewell to the 'China scholars' with this dinner, but only one (Liang Xun) showed up. Well, at least the class (or part thereof) was together. There were seven of us - including Pei Yi, honorary member - but we ordered a 6-pax meal to share since Ming Jing had already eaten.

Anyways, the food wasn't bad. Their cooking was light and mild, a staple characteristic of Cantonese cuisine. I especially liked their pork chops, which resembled in appearance and preparation "Gu Lo Yuk" (or sweet and sour pork) - deep fried and then re-coated in a sweet and soury thick red sauce. It went well with their dryish fragrant white rice, in which the individual grains are separated from one another, which I especially liked since at home, all I get is rice with a more sticky texture since mom likes it that way (ie. more water is added).

The pan-fried garlic-chili prawns were a bit more mediocre. I'm guessing this was a Singaporean-inspired dish. The prawns were butterflied and deep fried (probably in oil with garlic) without batter, making the outer layer form a crispy shell around each prawn. To add more flavor, a pile of bits of fried garlic and diced chili were sprinkled on top (a mountain amounting to more volume than the prawns themselves) which made the dish all the more Singaporean. For me, it was no use scraping off these condiments, for the oils from the chili slices had already seeped into the prawns, chasing away any of the sweetness akin to seafood left in them. What a perfect waste of good prawns.

Their steamed fish wasn't as bad, as more of the flavors were captured in the "Dou Xi" that was added. The steaming probably helped too - it was steamed to perfection, with the meat just clinging onto the bones. I watched in horror as the others mutilated the fish in the oddest of ways in the process of getting the meat off the bones. (In all honesty, I have to confess to being guilty of sloppy eating of the fish too.) In the end, more than half the fish was wasted.

The overall dining experience was commendable. Crystal Jade does a nice job in bringing Cantonese cuisine to the masses here, but it's not as authentic as it should be. (It pales in comparison to my grandma's cooking, should I make that comparison.) And this isn't one of the best CJ branches there is. For better tastes, go to the one at Takashimaya or the one tucked away in the corner at Bugis. The one at Holland Village will also pass off nicely.

With that said though, I really enjoyed the night out with my class - though it did sort of end prematurely. It's hard to get so many of us together at one time these days.

Total cost: S$20 (per person)
Rating: aaaaa

Sidebar: Apologies for the lateness of this entry and others. Blogger was down for some reason and I couldn't log in.

PastaMania @ Orchard Cineleisure

Late Lunch

• Minestrone Soup
• Mussels and Clam Linguini in White Wine Sauce
• Iced Lemon Tea
• Banana Dessert Pizza

What a horrible experience I had today at PastaMania, once again proof that even for the same franchise, there are black sheeps. The PastaMania at Bishan is much more decent, with more efficient service and better pasta. Just goes to show that places with higher turnovers get it right more often.

This was a mini class outing of sorts. We got tickets for 'Howl's Moving Castle' (which turned out to be a sweet and beautifully animated Miyazaki, though it had a weak ending, which spoiled the entire film) and went downstairs to grab a bite before the movie. Me and Jan shared this 'Buddy Meal' promotion they had, which came with drinks, soup and a dessert pizza.

The main I chose was the mussels and clam Linguini in white wine sauce, which was a mistake already because Spaghetti would have gone better with the soupy consistency of the sauce. Yet the problem was not with the pasta. The sauce was under-done and overspiced, and little of the tangy seafood flavor of the clams and mussels came out in the white wine sauce at all. Four of the clams were unopened, which were quickly sac-ed for the safety of my stomach.

Then came the dessert pizza, a rough piece of pizza dough topped with slices of banana and a soft sprinkle of chocolate dust (well, miniature chunks, actually). As Jan said, "chocolate and banana just don't go". It was horrible enough to have to taste it, but the tough texture of the pizza base made chewing mandatorily longer. In the end, we ate a piece each and the other 2 leftover pieces were passed around, being offered to others, though with no takers. The remains were left untouched on the table.

This meal was so not worth it.

Total cost: S$8.10 (per person)
Rating: aaaaa

http://www.pastamania.com.sg/

Auntie Anne's @ Plaza Singapura

Afternoon Snack

• Cinnamon Sugar Specialty Pretzel
• Regular Lemonade

I was wandering the basement of PS, just after getting a rather horrible haircut, trying to find some nourishment for my famished body. (Maybe it's because with less hair, I'm loosing more heat from the surface of my scalp, causing my metabolism to increase.) I hadn't had pretzel for quite some time already, so, despite having just recovered from a nasty sore throat cum cough bug and trying to cut down on sugar intake, I willingly gave in to a sweet piece of odd shaped pastry. Besides, they had this Combo Deal for a Specialty Pretzel and a drink.

The guy at the register had on this "I Y Pretzel" t-shirt; it had the grammatically dubious caption of "Make world a sweeter place" on the back. He was a shy person, a man of few words who hardly made eye contact to the people going up to him with orders. I was promptly served my order of a Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel.

The pretzel itself was good. It wasn't oven fresh, but then again, the turnover at this outlet was relatively slow, so one shouldn't expect much. Biting into its soft central core surrounded by that sugary, cinnamonny mixture reminded me of the churros at theme parks. It was hard not to get any of the sugar on your lips as you carefully maneuvered your way around the pastry's coiled shape, but that's where the lemonade comes in.

The lemonade is the best there is in Singapore. Most people come to Auntie Anne's just for it, ignoring the signature pretzels entirely (my ten minutes sitting at the place's little counter for customers to enjoy their treats also made me witness to at least a few others who did such a thing). Drinking the lemonade with a super sweet pretzel, though, was not a very good idea; the taste of the lemonade was diminished to a soury texture, much less refreshing than it usually is. I think it would have gone better with a salty one. (Note to self.)

Total cost: S$3.70
Rating: aaaaa

http://www.auntieannes.com/

Eating Tip: To fully enjoy Auntie Anne's pretzels, its best to go to branches with high turnovers, like the one at Bishan or Suntec (upstairs). The pretzels there are usually fresh and hot. Alternatively, purposely order something that's not displayed in those pretzel-warming devices, so they're forced to make it fresh - unless your craving for a certain flavor is too strong.

Pizza Hut Delivery @ KitLing's Place

Class Dinner

• 3 Pizzas (2 Super Supremes and a Hawaiian)
• Fried Chicken (which I abstained from because of my sore throat and flu)
• Coleslaw and Mashed Potatoes
• Various bottles of soft drinks

There were nine of us at this little class gathering. (Never thought I'd use those words together in one sentence.) Why KitLing called Pizza Hut in the first place is beyond me, but I have to admit, their crusts are the tastiest. Pizza Hut took about 40 minutes to deliver the first order of two regular pizzas (a super supreme and a Hawaiian), which was hardly enough. So we ordered another large Hawaiian.

When it finally arrived after another hour of waiting and we opened it, lo and behold, sitting there in the flattened box was - not a Hawaiian, but - a large Super Supreme pizza. Well, you could just imagine how angry we were - for one thing, Yoke Pean didn't like Hawaiian, but the rest of us just adored it. But hunger got the best of us and despite the slight mix-up, we started digging in anyway.

KitLing went downstairs to chase down the delivery boy, only to be told that it wasn't his problem - okay, jurisdiction. I then called up Pizza Hut Delivery to tell them just how much they sucked. The woman on the line was, like, "Did the person who took your order repeat it?" and "How much of the pizza is left?" It ended with "Well, we could make you another one to replace it, but since you ate the pizza already..." (ie. They actually expect us to wait another hour for them to come up and trade our already-delivered Super Supreme for a Hawaiian replacement.) By that time, I'd already gotten fed up and just gave the phone over to someone else to absorb all the BS.

Listen here, you monotonous no-good-excuse-of-a-service-sector-worker telephone operator drone, just because you think "most Singaporeans" can't tell the difference between Super Supreme and Hawaiian toppings on their pizzas (and, had they known the difference, would probably gladly suffer in silence in order to avoid complications even if this had happened to them) and that they wouldn't expect service levels to be a bit more than above naught, doesn't mean you have the right to scam a bunch of teenagers who happen to enjoy their pizzas. Sure, the rest might not care, but I for one will be boycotting Pizza Hut Delivery Singapore for the rest of my life. And let me tell you this as well: your dine-in service isn't much better either. So, to QSR Brands (the Malaysian company that runs Pizza Hut in Singapore) and to all those out there who think that all consumers would settle for lousy service, I spit on you - and hope that you'll catch this horrible flu overtaking my body.

There's a joke that goes that in the US, pizzas deliveries take a shorter time to arrive than ambulances. And there is a good reason why this is probably so: It's because the Americans have come to expect such a high service level from their F&B sector. It's called "SATISFACTION GUARANTEED". (The irony here is that in the end, the Americans will probably need to call for ambulances from all the fats from unhealthy diets - such as pizza - clogging up their arteries.) But the point stands. The level of service you get will depend on how much you're willing to expect of it. And if you Singaporeans are willing to live with one-hour pizza deliveries which end up delivering the wrong pizza, then no-one can save you from the dismal crap-hole you've dug for yourselves. And before you know it, you'll be so deep in horrible service that you'll end up screwed for life.

So, on a revolutionary high, I encourage everyone to start rebelling against poor service - not just in the F&B sector, but other tertiary sectors such as retail as well. Complain and feedback to the staff and their superiors. Boycott certain brands or chains if you must. Embarrass them in front of their other customers if you have to (by complaining loudly or being obnoxious about it); you don't have to feel embarrassed yourself, you as a (potentially) paying customer have the right to at least a decent level of service!

When I got back home the next day, I threw away the Pizza Hut Delivery menu stuck on my fridge. (And this was a menu with a picture of JarJar Binks on it, advertising some StarWars Episode 1 promotional meal. Just goes to show how long ago was the last time they actually delivered to my place.) Truly a waste of space.

One tick for the crust. Peace.

Total cost: [unaccounted for]
Rating: aaaaa

Eating Tips: Here are the contacts for other more respectable pizza delivery chains:

• US Pizza (Tel:+65 68993838) - My favorite. I just love their thick chewy crusts and garlic twists.
• Canadian Pizza (Tel:+65 62410241) - Great variety of toppings. And their 2 for the price of 1 offer is ideal for parties. The fact that there's one just on Six Avenue means super fast deliveries for me.

Sidebar: I, nexus0123, write this entry in unsound mind, drugged by various soporifics in the Strepsils and spoonfuls of cough syrup which I have been consuming non-stop for the past few days. Pizza Hut, you suck.

McDonald's @ King Albert Park

Lunch

• Grilled Chicken Foldover - grilled chicken with lettuce and sliced tomatoes wrapped in unleavened flatbread
• Medium Fries
• Lemon-Lime Juice

I've gotten mixed reviews about this new item on McD's menu; some said it was disgusting, others would beg to differ. So this was finally my chance to judge for myself. After watching Morgan Spurlock's "Super Size Me" documentary (http://www.supersizeme.com/), I really have cut down a lot on fastfood. So as I stepped into the branch, it had been about a month plus since my last visit to McD's. My advice, don't go if you don't have to.

I stood in front of the counter for quite some time, trying to decide whether or not to get the fries. If I had just gotten the foldover and lemon-lime juice a la carte, then it would have cost about $6.50. So, thanks to the economist in me, marginal utility theory took over and I got the meal. I knew that fries were probably the unhealthiest item on the entire menu, salt-laden and grease filled, but the idea of warm crunchy goodness of freshly frenched fried potatoes in my mouth overwhelmed me and I caved. Damn Alfred Marshall.

So I was greatly disappointed when the first fry I placed in my mouth was lukewarm and soggy, a bad sign of the things to come. I ended up giving most of the portion to WeiXun. McD fries are the best only when they are fresh, crunchy and hot. After a while, they become flaccid, soggy and unappealing, kinda like... well, if you know what I mean, then good.

The foldover itself wasn't so bad, and did justice to neither extremes of the reviews I got. The flatbread was not dry but actually soft and moist, unlike other wraps I've tried. The veggies were fresh too, a welcoming relief since I've always known fast food vegetables as yellow-brown rotting lettuce or disintegrating slimy tomatoes. The only taste came from the white sauce (oh no, I'm using Singlish!) which I suspected was a runnier version of mayonnaise. The chicken was overdone too, with no signs whatsoever that they actually grilled it.

Final verdict: It was a good feeling to know that I was actually eating something pseudo-healthy at McD's for a change. For a better deal though, I suggest you go try a similar foldover at Long John Silver's. It has a more robust teriyaki sauce.

Total cost: S$7.20
Rating: aaaaa

http://www.mcd.com.sg/

Sidebar: I pledge to not go to McD's again until the passing of a long long time, whenever that may be. Peace.

PastaMania @ Bishan Junction 8

Dinner

• Carbonara Linguine - a rich creamy, eggy sauce topped with pan-fried bacon pieces over a bed of Linguine
• 3 slices of Garlic Bread
• Vanilla Coke

Went out with the swimmers for dinner tonight after watching the movie Robots. We wondered around for quite some time, but finally decided on PastaMania. There were nine of us in total, and putting together the octagonal tables there was a bit of a tessellation nightmare.

The promptness of service there was amazing, truly a fast food restaurant for pasta. Shame on MOS Burger. Anyways, the food came piping hot, which is nice, especially for the cream sauce Carbonara I ordered. (As the cream cools, it thickens depending on the amount of cheese added, making the dish unbearably heavy. Thus, it is necessary to eat it steaming.) I ordered Combo C which came with a drink and the 3 slices of garlic bread.

First, the bread. It was good and toasty, which is how all garlic bread should be. I spent much time chewing and chewing, trying to figure out what the heck they put on it. After much analyzing, I have determined that there has to have been the following: butter, garlic, thyme, and either parsley or coriander. Other possible ingredients include lemongrass (which I got a hint of) and garlic salt. I must find out and make it for breakfast tomorrow.

The Carbonara was not bad, but really heavy, as expected. Shane, Roger and I ordered exactly the same thing. I couldn't believe some of the others, who had cream-based sauces and upsized theirs; the regular size was heavy enough as it is. The sauce was mediocre and too much Parmesan was added, which thickened the cream; perhaps the egg had something to do with it as well. The bacon, which was seared to a crisp, was overdone, like the turkey bacon in the Burger King burgers. The fact that they were fat and oily didn't go down well with the already thick sauce. I felt like I was going to get a heart attack at any moment.

I think the sauce was rather bad. I believe they have this big vat of already made cream sauce in the kitchen and all they have to do is add any extra ingredients onto the plate, like peas and ham for Alfredo and bacon for my Cabonara. (This also explains why the service was so fast.) Truthfully, I think the sauces I make at home are better. What they missed was the mint, I believe - it never hurt to add some in cream sauces.

Also tried a slice of Weixun's Garlic Pizza Bread, which was dry and burnt (ie, overdone). The table next to us ordered this pizza calzone style, which made it look "like a giant currypuff". I shall have to try that the next time round.

Total cost: S$12.40
Rating: aaaaa

http://www.pastamania.com.sg

Eating Tip: Always remember - there is a pasta for every sauce. I'll just make examples (muahahaha!) of the 4 types of pasta at PastaMania. Spaghetti goes well with meaty and/or tomato-based sauces; not bad with white wine sauces either, especially vongole. Linguine, Spaghetti's flatter yet fatter cousin is better for creamy, thick, cheesy sauces, as it's shape (for some mysterious reason) clings better to such dairy-based sauces. Fusilli (screwed up pasta) is good with any sauce, although I prefer it with cream based. It's great for salads and mac n cheese too. Penne (the short tubes) goes well with cream-based sauces, because the holes are nice places for these thick sauces to crawl into, but will work with tomato-based ones as well. Click on this link for more. http://www.ilovepasta.org/shapes.html

Lei Garden @ Orchard Plaza

Dim Sum Lunch

• Various dim sum
• An Entree platter (with Fried Beancurd skin, Char Seow and Roast Pork)
• Fried man tou
• Coconut lobster rice

It's so hard to find Cantonese cooking here - excluding my grandma's of course. Lei Garden is one of those rare gems in Singapore where, should you be lucky enough, the Honkie away from home can get a sweet whiff of Cantonese cuisine that he/she (usually) so dearly misses. (Truthfully, I've not met a single Honkie who has no complaints about the food; this is not some nationalistic gibberish, but those who have been to Hong Kong will know.)

The dim sum was good, as usual. As on all Sundays, the restaurant sets up this booth-like table where they display various specialty dishes and dim sum and where some of the chefs cook right in front of you (- only at this branch though). My mom, as usual, went out and picked dishes we haven't yet tried before. She came back with this appetizing entree platter which consisted of fried tofu skin (called "foo pei gun" in Cantonese), char seow and lovely roast pork pieces. It also came with this sweet reddish-brown sauce for dipping.

This platter went well with the fried man tou, the sauce complementing nicely with the tasteless buns. The char seow was not your normal type that you get; resembled the Japanese type more and reminded me of the one from the Ghim Moh char seow rice stall, but less burnt up. The "skin", that colored layer encircling the meat, was not the normal red but a brownish dark complexion, which was rather thinner than usual as well, showing how carefully broiled the piece of meat had been prepared [bad grammar]. The roast pork was not your normal type as well. There was little of the layer of fat between the crispy skin and the more "slim" parts; this meant that as you bit into it, the crisp top layer of skin would break like a cracker; yet unlike a cracker, it did not shatter, remaining intact for more masticating pleasure, lengthening the amount of time it lingers in your mouth, thus allowing its (porky?) taste to be fully experienced as well. (They have a specific name for this type of roast pork in Cantonese, but it slips my mind. It is usually eaten with mustard though, but the sweet sauce was fine here.)

The coconut rice was something new. It was served in your typical coconut, like the pineapple rice at Thai restaurants. This one, though, was rather perfect, like the ones seen dropping on the heads of cartoon characters - and it had three holes too, exactly like a bowling ball. The rice was baked with spices (cumin, I believe) and on top was a layer of melted cheese and some crab/crayfish like pieces of meat which was alleged to have been lobster (let's trust the restaurant on this one). It was actually not that bad, but a bit dry. The cheese went well with the (*cough*) lobster and made the overall dish less bland. The coconut taste also seeped (although barely, since the coconut was mature) into the rice, giving it a rather enticing fragrance.

Three ticks because it was not the best I've tasted at this place, of which I had higher expectations. The branch at CHIMES is better, though more expensive. Their juhua tea today was a bit on the weak side too.

Total cost: S$109 (for my family of five)
Rating: aaaaa

Sidebar: The time of the meal has been changed to suit my blogging format.

Genghis Khan @ Takashimaya SC

Dinner

• "International" buffet
• Free flow of drinks

It was unfortunate that food of this standard should be served in the form of a buffet. Had it merely been a normal restaurant with an a la carte menu, I would have walked right out of the place without hesitation. But then again, there was my family, though from them too I could detect a certain air of disgust. Where oh where to begin? Perhaps I better go with the order in which I ate.

The salad was warm. It’s one of the most horrible feelings one can get, eating something raw which is suppose to be cold or chilled- you know, not cold enough to mask that “fresh” taste but not hot enough so as to set your mind at ease with regard to the germs. I always get this icky feeling of uncleanness when this happens. The fact that the slices of greens were too huge didn’t help either. And a lack of condiments meant that the only accompaniments I got to this course were carrot sticks, capsicum shreds and onion shavings. And they only had one dressing! At least it was thousand island, one that I could bear with.

The seafood was the same. It was cooked, and it was suppose to be chilled - like on a bed of ice or something. But it was just not cold enough. Seafood is worse when this happens. The “fresh” taste you get is the fishy type and because seafood used to be more complex organism than mere lettuce, with bodily systems for digestion and waste management, the iciness of eating warm seafood is much more unbearable psychologically. I swear I’m going to get a tummy ache from this meal.

One thing that I’ve noticed (and which my grandma has brought up often) is the Sporeans’ obsession with prawns. For some reason, they view prawn as the ingredient symbolizing goodness and luxury in taste. What the hell, there were like five prawn dishes in the entire buffet - probably more, just that I dare not try anymore. There was the (unsuccessfully) chilled prawns, Japanese Ebi fried, prawn roasted on a stick, shrimp steamed with garlic served with tofu, and (by far the most disgusting) a shrimp on top of a ball of mashed potatoes which called itself “lobster salad”. It was putrid. The lump of alleged “lobster salad” was dry and dull, an amoral mass of insustenance.

There was also cooked food, the kind you get at high tea buffets. But these are just not worth mentioning.

Then came the sushi - a considerable effort, but with many of its own problems. First, the rice was not the Japanese short grain that is sticky and pliable. Thus, the moment the ball of rice touched your tongue, it fell apart into a soft gooey consistency. They had these maki rolls; standard fare, only they decided to put sausage in it! And the California Handrolls, they put (of all things) peanut butter in them! Oh the humanity! Maybe it’s this funny Mongolian tradition I am unaware of. They were, after all, conquered by the Japanese during World War Two. But just because of that, it doesn’t mean you can go around bastardizing one of the cornerstone cuisines of the world (which also happens to be one of my favorites). My word.. peanut butter indeed.

The teppanyaki was in innovative addition to normal buffet fare. You attach these plate tags available at your table, pick out the raw stuff at the counter and hand it over to the pseudo-chefs to cook. Then they deliver it to you hot, but not before screwing up by horrifically flooding the plate with a black pepper sauce (and not a very good one at that). Let me tell you one thing, Genghis. The only reason pepper should be used on meat is in order to mask its rotting taste. So if your beef or chicken is not rotting (a big if there), then why the hell screw up a perfectly good piece of meat by putting a bloody pepper sauce on it?

Standard fruits and low-grade desserts follow. Once again, these are not worth mentioning.

As for presentation, let’s just say that it was not their main concern (- with food so horrible, it shouldn’t be). The dishes looked palatable, but unconvincing. The floors were sticky, as if somebody had spilt something and no one bothered to mop it up. The entire restaurant was in plain view thanks to the window which encompassed half the perimeter. This meant that passers-by walking through the shopping mall could see you eating every bite. A truly horrific dining experience.

The single tick for this review has nothing to do with the taste of the food, or lack thereof. It is not out of mercy, but rather for the efficient service in clearing the plates and the free flow of drinks. Nothing more.

I wonder why the place still hasn’t closed down. The market forces of supply and demand should have condemned such a kitchen to hell twice over already. But then again, perhaps most of the patrons did enjoy the food there - it’s just that they don’t know how good real buffet food can be (and at a more reasonable price too at some places). On a note of consolation, this wasn’t the worst buffet. But it’s pretty damn close.

Total cost: S$40
Rating: aaaaa

Swensen's @ Bishan Junction 8

Lunch

• Teriyaki Chicken Pasta - 2 Slices of marinated chicken on a bed of pasta with a side of steamed veggies
• Various flavors of ice cream
• Coke

Went out for lunch with the class just before collecting A level results. There were 9 people there - probably a record for my class, which can be considered pathetically inactive. So we shared three of the '3 for 3 March madness' meals plus orders of ice cream all round to share.

I've tried this pasta dish before at another Swensen's and I can say that the delightful flavor of the chicken is still as great. The pasta was probably the vermicelli type from the supermarket and was just the right size to absorb the slightly thick sauce from the chicken. The taste was just perfect, not too salty, not to bland. The steamed vegetables also added a certain natural sweetness to the saltiness of the chicken. The portion was a bit small though, leaving me rather hungry even after the main course.

Total cost: S$14.
Rating: aaaaa

http://www.swensens.com.sg/