Hifumi Japanese Restaurant (Marina Square)

Image: Hifumi Facebook

Yeah~~~ Hifumi Japanese Restaurant has opened its second branch at Marina Square. This popular semi-buffet restaurant was really packed on a Sunday afternoon. I saw couples, groups of friends, family with children, grandparents.. Waah.. See how well-received Hifumi is!

Upon entering, I could see that the seats are really spacious and there is ample space to move around (getting to the all-u-can-eat appetizer bar). I was cheering already. (^O^)

Please refer to my post on Hifumi Japanese Restaurant (Plaza Singapura) for the full menu.

Image: Hifumi Facebook

It seems like their (June) monthly special menu - Japanese Rice Box - is still available. I'm not sure when it would end so be sure to try before it's gone!

Let's talk about the main first~~

Grilled Salmon Rice Box Set ($16.99) - "Maccha sushi rice with semi-grilled salmon" sounds delicious already!

Look at my pinkish delicious-looking salmon waiting for me to dig in... *drools* I like how the salmon slices were so thick and grilled on the side.. Don't hold too high expectations on the quality of the salmon.. The salmon was just average quality but well, since it's under $20 set.. I think it was worth every cent~

Maccha sushi rice!! My first time.. heh heh~~ Sadly, the maccha taste was not distinctive.. It could be easily passed off as seaweed rice..

Baked Chicken with Japanese Pepper Sauce Set ($11.99) was under Healthy Meal category. The chicken was rather bland (haha.. maybe because it was supposed to be healthy?). It seemed as though the chicken was not marinated at all. The biggest disappointment was that even though it was baked, the chicken was not fragrant. Fortunately, it was still quite juicy and the pepper sauce on the outside helped to add some flavour.

Not to forget, the set is not even $12! Look at the generous chunks of the chicken!

Saba Shioyaki Set ($12.99) was really worth it!! It's about the same price as what you can get at food courts but look at how big and fat the saba is! Besides, it was really juicy and tasty! Good!

Below are some snapshots of the unlimited refillable all-you-can-take-and-eat appetizers~~ oops! I forgot about my chawanmushi! I had three of that.. *guilty*

Verdict: Of course I will be back! It seems like they introduce new appetizers (such as dumpling, tapioca chips and lotus roots chips) every now and then.. Good!

The environment is casual and spacious too.. I can leisurely spend my time munching the appetizers.. Walking up and down to refill my drinks multiple times then end my meal with a hot beverage (fave: mocha!).. And at the end of my meal, I'm paying less than $20 per pax! O.M.G.

Small note: The staff use disinfectant when cleaning the tables! Previously I mentioned in my post on its branch at Plaza Singapura where the staff just wipes off the food shreds to the floor and chair. This new branch at Marina Square is so much more hygienic and the staff are more pleasant and more at your service. Deserves a thumbs up!


Hifumi Japanese Restaurant (Marina Square)
Address: Marina Square, 6 Raffles Boulevard, #02-106A/106B
Tel: 63374721
Opening hours: (Daily) 11:30 - 15:00 / 17:00 - 22:30
Website: https://www.facebook.com/hifumi.sg

Killiney Kopitiam (Marina Square)

I wanted to have breakfast at the Big M but I lost my vote to the majority. Hence, we settled for breakfast at Killiney Kopitiam @ Marina Square.
Each meal set comes with coffee or tea. If you wish to change your drink, there's an additional charge. Of course, ala carte menu is available.

Aglio Olio was unexpectedly good. The spaghetti was cooked to the right texture and the prawns were sweet and succulent. Of course, it can't be compared to restaurant standard. But for a cafe, especially Killiney that is famous for its traditional toast, the Aglio Olio was above my expectation. (^O^)

Supreme Mee Siam is supreme because of the two prawns. According to my Peranakan food expert, the gravy was good for its price. It fared well in the hitting the spots of spiciness, sweetness and sourness. You get what you paid for!

Halibut Fish & Chips came with a generous portion of fries and three smaller than expected fish fillets. It was served with ketchup and (big spoonful of) tartar sauce. I like how this fish & chips was freshly fried and served hot! But there was nothing fascinating about the taste. Quite plain to be exact. Please note that this fish & chips came after a twenty-minute wait 'cos they fried this upon ordering. So, don't order this if you're rushing for time.

Verdict: Hmmmm.. Good to have a change in breakfast choices every now and then.. But there's a good reason why people stick to traditions.. Maybe next time, I'll order their traditional toast instead.. Heehee~~

Killiney Kopitiam (Marina Square)
Address: Marina Square, 6 Raffles Boulevard, #02-230A/231A/232
Phone: 90716168
Opening hours: (Mon - Fri) 07:30 - 22:00 (Sat) 07:30 - 23:00
(Sun & PH)08:30 - 22:00
Website: http://www.killiney-kopitiam.com

Some's - A Roast's Culture

If you happen to be in the vicinity of Novena, what makan places will you think of? Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice - crowded. The Big Bird - overrated. I was looking for somewhere that is not as crowded, has good food, must be of good value, errm.. better if there's air-con! ... and ... I found one!

Some's - A Roast's Culture offers lunch value meal of roast delights at $6 nett! The value meal comprises of your choice of one meat, two sides (poached cabbage and achar), soup and rice/noodles. If you're a carnivore like me, you can choose to have more meat choices - two meat ($7), three meat ($8) or four meat ($10).

Check out the menu! (Note: Click on image to enlarge.)

What goes well with roast delights? Beer! (personal opinion) If it's not because I had to go back to work after that, I would like to have some beer to go with my fragrant roast meat though..

Braised Roast Duck ($6.50) is a combo on its own. It means that you cannot add-on other meat choices. According to the boss, he only prepares 12 servings of this dish every day! The duck is slow-cooked so it was really soft and tender. Every bite was filled with strong aroma of spices with added tastiness of Some's traditional sauce. Good but with some down parts. The lotus roots were quite hard and raw while the yam was quite bland. Also, though at a glance, the portion looks quite generous, but there were too many bone chunks here and there. It would had been better if more lean meat and flesh were given.

Crispy Pork + Roast Duck Combo ($7) - the above picture shows two sets of the same combo. Don't be mistaken! hahahaha.. The achar was really really good. It was very crunchy and the strong sweet-sour flavour was just so appetising! On another hand, the poached cabbage was... not very tasty. Would the word "awful" be too harsh?

Main star was Crispy Pork! O.M.G. the crispiness is 10/10. My colleagues could hear the crunching sounds when I was eating it. However, remember to be realistic. The crispiness decreases when left too long. So, be sure to eat the Crispy Pork first if you order this!

Roast Duck was too dry and really really tasteless. It does not have the roast fragrance at all. I was so disappointed because it looked good. (-_-) Fortunately, there was some tangy home-made sauce at the side to go with the duck.

The above picture shows (top) Tender Char Siew + Simply Chicken Combo ($7) and (bottom) Signature Ribs + Tender Char Siew Combo ($7).

Simply Chicken was what its name says - simply chicken.. nothing special. I had high expectations of the Signature Ribs 'cos its supposed to be a signature dish right?! However, sadly, it fell short of my expectations. I thought that it was too salty and the thick sauce was overpowering and upping the saltiness to the max. No doubt the ribs itself was really tender and soft but the overdosing of sodium really spoilt the dish.

The contender that outshone the signature dish was Tender Char Siew. As its name suggested, it was really tender and I think they used lean meat only. The
char siew was well-marinated and roasted to perfection.

Hence, the perfect combo to choose when I visit next time would be Crispy Pork + Tender Char Siew. (^O^)

OH! Remember you can choose either rice or noodles? See below.

We all know that lu zhi (gravy from braised meat) goes well with rice. But if you want plain rice, please inform them upon ordering. They don't ask if you want gravy or not.

I didn't not try the noodles but I gathered that the noodles was not bad. Can try!

Woooh~ Whatever chilli you want, they have it!

Service: I think the place is run by a family. They were really friendly and smiling all the time. The boss was patiently explaining the menu to me when I was there the first time. He was very honest in recommending what was nice and popular (Crispy Pork) and what was normal (shall not mention). Hahahaa~

Ambience: Though the place is air-conditioned, the door was left open so it was only rather cooling. But that was good enough. If the door was closed and we are eating in a fully air-conditioned place, I think I'll be tabao-ing the roast meat smell back to office. The place is spacious and they have tables for groups of four and even to a big group of ten!

Value: Worth! Maybe I should try the $10 (four meat choices) combo next time. Heehee.. (^___^)

Verdict: Yes I will be back again! Food was served fast and considering the quality and quantity, I think my $7 was very well-spent! Moreover, it's not easy to find a place that is not packed during lunch time, air-conditioned and serves good food.


Some's - A Roast Culture
Address: Goldhill Centre, 189 Thomson Road
Tel: 62511278

Genki Sushi (Chinatown Point)

Genki Sushi - the highly acclaimed high-tech sushi restaurant in Singapore. Well, using iPad to order is not a novel selling point anymore. Hence, Genki Sushi had infused more selling points that set them different from other sushi restaurants, or rather, from all restaurants in general.. Read on...

Upon arrival, the staff politely handed me an iPad and explained to me how to order using it.. Check out what's on promotion! (Click and enlarge the iPad!) Do check the battery life of your iPad in case it dies on you in the middle of your meal.. (^O^) I noticed that they have an area near the entrance where they charge all the iPads.. That's better! When I visited the outlet at Orchard Central more than a year ago, I remember I had to charge it on my own at the table..

I like the clean and organized set-up.. Toothpicks on the left and chopsticks on the right in the drawer, and sauces on top of it..

Besides the soy sauce plates and tub of ginger.. they provide tissue and a rubbish bin.. Yes! You saw and read correctly.. That's a rubbish bin on the left!

The reason of having the rubbish bin clears up.. {Please clear food debris before inserting plate} Wooooh.. Seems like there's a lot of DIY going on here.. No wonder I only see 2 to 3 staff around on a Saturday when the restaurant was almost packed with customers..

DIY includes making and refilling my own tea - which I would gladly do it! I can make my own thick thick matcha and refilling it with hot water as and when I want.. No need to search for eye contact and wave for staff's assistance..

I love the all-you-can-drink and all-you-can-make matcha idea.. Can all Japanese restaurants be like that? Hah I wish!

Yeah~~ Genki Sushi's biggest and my fave selling point! I like how my food arrives in "Express".. hahahah~~ My orders came reeeeeeeeeaaaaally fast.. Each order came within 3 to 5 minutes upon confirming my order on the iPad.. That's "express" as well..

Chawanmushi / Steamed Egg with Crab Meat ($3.80) is good, compared to some other sushi chain restaurants.. But the tastiness has slightly dropped compared to when I tried this at the outlet at Orchard Central a year ago.. Nonetheless, it is still worth ordering.. Besides the two chucks of crab meat, there were two shrimps, a slice of fish cake.. soft and smooth egg with the thick and tasty soup..

Vegetable Kakiage ($2.30) was crispy and served in generous portion! It goes well with rice.. So I was munching this while having my Salmon Oyako Don.. (^o^)

Salmon Oyako Don ($7.80) was slightly below average.. There were 5 or 6 slices of salmon but I thought that they could be slightly thicker.. The rice was the down part.. Not sure if it was because there was not enough vinegar or the rice was done long ago.. it was a little dry and bland.. But considering the affordable price, I'm not all that unhappy with it..

Salmon Triple Flavour ($3.80) - I can't really remember the names.. But I think it comprised of Salmon sushi, Seared Salmon with Pollock Roe and Seared Salmon with Cheese & Black Pepper.. Go with the sequence.. Eat from the lightest in flavour to the strongest.. This is a must-order for me!

Shrimp Triple Flavour ($3.80) - the shrimp version was just as nice! Just that I love salmon more.. Hahaha!

Tempura Shrimp Sushi ($2.30) - I found that the batter was badly done.. Yes it was crispy alright.. But because it was so thick that it was kind of hard in texture.. Of course.. because of that.. I could barely taste my prawn..

Yuzu Sorbet ($3.80) was served with a small slice of tangerine.. I like that there were small dices of yuzu fruit in the sorbet.. Love it!

Before you leave:
1. Clean and clear your plates!
2. Take your iPad to the counter for payment.

- Many people tapped on the "call for bill" button on the iPad but the staff went and told them to bring the iPad with them to the counter.
- Some people just took off and went to the counter directly without the iPad. The staff had to get it for them.

Verdict: I like the setting in every way and on many levels. Firstly, the DIY part. Taking my food when it comes to my table on the "Express way", then press the blinking button to send the Express tray back.. Making my own matcha.. cleaning and inserting my plates into the dish slot.. Genki Sushi is an "engaging" restaurant in a way..

Secondly, the convenient way of ordering food. I always have trouble flagging down a staff for assistance in some restaurants.. Is asking for a refill or enquiry about my 40-minute late order a problem? Huh? Huh? With the iPad, I can order what I want when I want to.. Please note that if you buy take-outs, you order with iPad too!

Thirdly, the combination of first and second reason.. I can clear my own table and make space for more food! Hahahaaa..

Conclusion: Yes! I will visit Genki Sushi again.


Genki Sushi (Chinatown Point)
Address: Chinatown Point, 133 New Bridge Road, #02-33
Phone: 67020900
Opening hours: (Daily) 11:30 - 22:00
Website: https://www.facebook.com/GenkiSushiSg

Bosses Restaurant (黑社会)

Image source: I-S Magazine

Bosses Restaurant (黑社会) offers 30% discount off for dim sum items and desserts, from Monday to Saturday, from 2.30pm to 5.30pm.. I've long heard about the unconventional dim sum items Bosses offers.. And it was about time to cancel Bosses from my to-eat list and report to the restaurant right away~

(Click on image to enlarge.)

I was presented with a thick menu, but because I was there targeting the 30% off, so I only focused on their dim sum and dessert menu!

Please note that the prices I stated below are after 30% off.

Fried Fish Skin ($3.80) was sneakily placed on my table as a snack.. I thought most dim sum restaurants serve peanuts? Oh well.. though I'm not a fan of fried fish skin.. I applaud the novel idea.. However, I did saw another table having peanuts.. Perhaps they asked for peanuts instead.. Hence, if you do not want to pay for the snack, please make note to the staff when they place it on your table..

Superior Lobster Dumpling ($6.65) was ... unbelievably normal.. It was like Har Gau (Prawn Dumpling) with three prawns.. I was surprised to see the three dumplings in different colours.. However, it turned out that it was just coloring.. All tasted the same.. Haizzz.. I sighed when I picked one up.. the skin was glued to the paper and the skin was detaching from the big ball of lobster.. (-_-)

Crispy Sesame Mango Prawn Salad Roll ($4.90) deserved more sighs from me.. The skin was too thick with too much sesame.. There were too little mango and I could barely taste the prawn as they were too bland.. *cries for help*

Shredded Duck & Mui Choy in XO Sauce Rice Roll ($5.46) was yummilicious! I could finish two plates of this.. really.. Shredded duck and mui choy already sounds yummy.. With the savoury XO sauce over the rice roll.. Oooh.. Hou hou sek! (Delicious in Cantonese)

Signature Custard Lava Bun ($4.20) was very impressive! Yes.. like most people who had reviewed on Bosses' custard lava bum.. The custard really overflows! See pic below!

As if there's soup inside right?? (^O^)

Famous Chilli Crab Tart ($5.95) was kinda deceiving.. Shreds of crab meat and dices of prawns stir-fried in chilli crab sauce then placed in a tart..
What you imagine was what it tasted like.. *cries again*

Experience: It was like a roller-coaster ride.. Among those dim sum items that I've ordered, a few were nice and some that did not make the mark.. Judging from the marketing point that Bosses offers dim sum that are different from usual, I like that it serves many items that most dim sum restaurants don't.. However, it still lacks a bit in the tastiness..

Ambience: It's a modern dim sum restaurant.. Unlike most Chinese restaurants, Bosses uses the colour, BLACK, boldly throughout the exterior and interior of the restaurant, including the furnishing..

Service: The staff was polite and prompt.. I know there were a few reviews on how bad their service were.. Probably because I was there at 3.30pm.. The restaurant was not crowded.. So my orders came fast and the staff were pretty attentive to my needs.. Oh! They would check and refill tea and hot water for the teapot for me.. That was nice~ (^O^) Although I was puzzled why the staff, who had ushered me in, had asked for my name.. I was like thinking "Why would you want to know? Would you even remember me?" LOL..

Verdict: Hmmm.. I might be back to try other unconventional dim sum items.. But I'll still be targeting the 30% off timeslot! Haha.. I don't think that the delicious index of the dim sum items was worth paying for in full.. My total spending for the above 5 dim sum items, plus tea ($2 per pax), plus the snack ($3.80) and towel ($0.30 per pax) was $41.86 (inclusive of GST and service charge) after 30% discount.


Bosses Restaurant (黑社会)
Address: Vivocity, 1 HarbourFront Walk, #02-156/157
Tel: 63769740
Opening hours:
Mon - Thu: 10:00 - 22:00
Fri - Sat: 10:00 - 22:30
Sun: 10:00 - 22:00
Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bosses-Restaurant-Vivocity/178715018843432