Kim Gary Plus Hong Kong Restaurant (ION Orchard)

It has been a very long time since I last visited Kim Gary. I noticed that it has opened a new branch at ION Orchard and it is called - Kim Gary Plus.

Maybe it was because I was out of touch with Hong Kong cafes, did Kim Gary used to have so many items on its menu??? There were too many so I couldn't photograph the menu page by page for you. The menu was so extensive that I took quite a while to decide what to have.

Well, as a full-fledged carnivore, the above promo caught my attention!
*rawrssss*
(Note: Click on image to enlarge.)

The sets are served with choice of soup (borsh or cream soup) and a beverage.

I was happy to see that my Cream Soup was filled to the brim! Haha.. Though it was not as hot as I wanted, it was warm enough to my standard. I like that the soup was not diluted but I thought that they could've added another pinch of salt to enhance the tastiness.

What a pretty presentation of a Garlic Bread in a basket~~ It was soft and fluffy!

My main highlight: Combo Hot Plate Set ($19.50) consists of grilled pork chop, fish fillet and chicken chop. Wow, it was sizzling hot! The choices of sauces are: white sauce, red sauce, garlic sauce or black pepper. And my choice was black pepper~

So how much do I love meat? I finished all of what was served! LOL.. The pork was tender, fish was not overcooked, and the chicken was moist. My only tiny complaint is the corn. It was not sweet lor. I was a bit disappointed... But actually, other than my three pieces of meat, the sides don't matter to me.

Fried Nissin Noodles with Chicken and Fried Egg ($9.90) - at Kim Gary, don't be embarrassed to order instant noodles that cost almost $10. Because, Kim Gary made the instant noodles taste like they are worth $10. Wahahahaa.. just my personal opinion though. Anyway, it was really very nice. Not only it was tasty, full of flavour, it was very springy in texture because the very fact that it is instant noodles!
Verdict: What to do? If I need a quick fix for my craving for big portion of food at an affordable price in town (or specifically at ION), I guess Kim Gary Plus would be one of my top choices!


Kim Gary Plus Hong Kong Restaurant (ION Orchard)
Address: ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn #B4-66, Orchard, 238801
Tel: 68357048
Website: http://www.kimgary.my/

Grandma's (Changi City Point)

I was craving for something spicy and rich in flavour. Browsing through the restaurant directory at Changi City Point, Grandma's just stands out.

The staff were very polite, well-trained, and efficient! This is coming from a hungry woman who had not eaten anything for nine hours and was damn famished at 8.30pm. My brunch was at 11.30am. Yes, at that point of time, I could gobble down a pot of beef rendang!

However, as the restaurant was quite packed at that time, the staff had very politely informed me when taking my orders that I would have to wait for about 15-20 minutes.

My drink was served in two minutes or so. The floor manager updated me that I had to wait because they need to cook the big drumstick.. ooooh~~

First up was Ipoh Hor Fun (Soup). The soup was very tasty while the hor fun was springy in texture and not soggy! I like my food served hot and this was indeed served boiling hot. Bagus! The beansprouts added some crunchiness to the bite and also takes away some of the oily aftertaste. The prawns were somewhat tasteless and slightly overcooked. Oh well, the hor fun should be the main highlight anyway, right? (^___^)

Next came my big drumstick! Nasi Bukhari is served with a big drumstick, sambal prawns, beef rendang and half of a hard-boiled egg (hidden under the drumstick).

- The rice passed with flying colours~~ I like how the rice was cooked so perfectly with each grain separated from one another, and how the spices had fully covered each and every single grain.

- The beef rendang was very soft and strong in flavour. It was not too spicy, within my spiciness tolerance range.

- The drumstick slightly disappointed me though. It was a little on the dry side but can make do with it.

- What really really really shocked me was the sambal prawns! There were only two medium-sized prawns hidden under that bunch of onions. Seriously, hungry woman is angry woman. What a sneaky act!

The Otak Otak is a must-order!! It has very generous amount of fish meat and the texture was just right, not too hard and not too soft. The plus point is - the juiciness springing out from the fish meat. Haha~ I must had been too hungry.

Sambal Kang Kong was so outstanding. Really should not judge a dish by its appearance. As humble as it seems, the layers of flavour enhanced every mouthful of rice I put inside my mouth. Gosh, gimme a bowl of white rice and I can clean this plate of kang kong! I think the main appeal would be the fragrant sambal aroma and taste which made this dish so appetising.
Verdict: I shall visit whenever I have the craving for spicy and strong-flavoured food! Haha..


Grandma's (Changi City Point)
Address: Changi City Point, 5 Changi Business Park Central 1, #B1-26/27
Tel: 66363180
Opening hours: (Mon - Fri) 11:30 - 21:30 / (Sat - Sun) 11:30 - 22:00
Website: http://www.grandma.com.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Grandmas.Singapore

Saltwater Cafe (Changi Village Hotel)

A decent lunch buffet spread of tasty Asian dishes for just $36++.
Who's in for it? I AM!

Just that there's a little travelling to do, unless you stay near Changi Village Hotel where you can find the hidden gem - Saltwater Cafe.

See a familiar face in the picture above?
Saltwater Cafe is headed by a celebrity chef who had appeared on many television shows in Singapore - Chef William Soh.

The buffet area is rather small but there's a Chinese saying that goes 麻雀虽小，五脏俱全, which roughly means.. Though it is as small as a sparrow, it possesses everything. Well, at least most of the usual suspects of an Asian buffet could be found here.

I photographed about 90% of what was available during lunch buffet.
(Click on image to enlarge.)

Let's feast!

Visit the decent salad bar for healthier moments in between the carnivorous meal.

I quite like the cold dishes section. The tofu salad and mango chicken surprised me. The taste was so refreshing and really appetizing. Good way to start my buffet~

Though I was a little disappointed that there were no sashimi, but there were the usual prawns and scallops and some limited choices of sushi.

Dessertssss! Wasn't there a saying that says - desserts go to a different stomach? Hahahahaa~~

Do it yourself! Make your own lor mee and prawn noodles~~ add as many ingredients you want. They are all for you to eat.

You can make yourself some kueh pie-ti as well.

Toss and turn and mix up a good rojak for yourself! I like mine with more you tiao and sweet sauce. Extra peanuts for the crunchiness!!

The above picture was not photoshopped! The chef just happened to stand behind the roasted chicken. Hahahaa~~ There's char siew, roast pork, roasted chicken and duck! I like the char siew as it was tender and moist. The sauce was sweet and thickened just right.

The chef at this live station was not as friendly as I thought so I only took this photo. The roti prata was thin and errrr.. didn't tasted like roti prata. It tasted like carrot cake! LOL..

There were different curry to choose from, such as chicken, fish and mutton curry, to go with the prata or briyani.

The live station for satay (chicken, pork, mutton & beef) is at the outdoor area.

Also at the outdoor area, you can make your own teh tarik. No kidding, you can "pull" your tea from one tin container to another until it's very foamy. (^O^)

I found something! Kachang puteh corner! Many people just passed by this as it was lower than our eye level and all the containers weren't open. So, keep your eyes open!

The following would be what many people had described as hawker centre dishes:

Sambal prawns: very succulent and tasty. I kept refilling my plates with these.

Black pepper sliced beef: the texture was just right. It was not too tenderized. The black pepper sauce was not too overpowering. I got no complain about this standard tze char dish.

Chilli sotong: MY FAVE!! There's no fishy smell and taste. It was deliciously sweet and mildly spicy. For those who prefer spicy hot food, feel free to add more chilli available at the make-your-own-noodles counter.

Sweet & Sour pork: Skip this! Really. It was rather soggy and almost tasteless. The coating was badly done. It was floury when I chew the cubes of meat... which reminds me, the cubes of meat were soooo small.

Sambal fish fillet: What happened to the hotness and spiciness of this dish? Furthermore, the texture of the fish fillets suggested overcooking. *cries*


For those who can't do a meal without soup, here goes:

Cream of Pumpkin: was not creamy enough BUT I preferred that it was not that creamy.. Hahaaa.. which fits the occasion of buffets. Imagine gulping down a bowl of heavy creamy soup, anyone would be quite full already.

Bak Kut Teh: either they placed the tag wrongly or they brought out a half-done soup. There was no peppery taste, the distinctive feature of bak kut teh!


My first few plates:

I love to start with some salad and appetizers.

The staff was going around the tables, asking customers if they would like to try the popiah. Well, it was not fantastic but not too bad either. Just that there was not enough peanut and sweet sauce to my liking.

The start of my carnivorous adventure~~

Needless for me to say, you can see from the photo, the satay was moist and nicely done. It was almost effortless to bite off the meat from the stick. The sauce was very nutty and close to authentic Malay-style satay sauce. Let me reiterate, "close to".

Pardon my lack of skills in making a good prawn noodles, as you can see, my prawn noodles has more prawns and fishcake than noodles. Hahaha..
One thing weird was that the prawn soup was spicy! Really, I didn't add any chilli to my prawn noodles but it was spicy enough for me to take sips of water.

Durian Pengat is not the regular durian pengat. It was more like creamy durian paste with sago. The durian taste and smell were not distinctive at all!! Though it fell short of my expectations, it was not too bad.

Everything on this plate were gooooooooood! Gosh, if only I had more space to stomach more food, I would have taken another two servings of all the cakes and puffs!

(What's not photographed: Teh tarik, bandung, soy bean milk, ice cream, red bean soup, nyonya kuehs, curry, stir-fry veggies and char kway teow)

What I liked:
- The ambience was kinda relaxing. The swimming pool was right outside and you could see the Changi golf course. I felt like I was away from the city (which I really was) and time just slows down.

- The attentive and friendly staff were prompt in refilling my glasses and clearing my table. Good job!

- The chefs kept the buffet counters very clean! Also, some of the chefs were very very friendly and willingly to chat with customers. That's nice~


Flaws:
- When I collected food at the outdoor area, I was holding my plate of satay in one hand and a cup of teh tarik in another. Then I realised, I had to pull open the door. NOT PUSH! If only it could be pushed, I could do it with my hands full. Fortunately, there was a nice lady who opened the door for me.

- Travelling all the way to Changi Village could be a hassle for some. It took me more than an hour to get there on public transport.

- No sashimi! I was pretty disappointed because even some cheaper buffet restaurants offer salmon sashimi. However, I admit I'm being biased here.


Verdict:
Overall, I thought that the buffet spread substantiates its affordable hotel buffet price. The quality of the food was quite decent in general. It's a buffet place recommended for family and especially for those with elderly members in their family.


Saltwater Cafe
Address: Level 1, Changi Village Hotel, 1 Netheravon Road
Tel: 63797018
Opening hours:
Sun - Thu: 06:30 - 23:00
Fri - Sat: 06:30 - 00:00

Just Like It! (ION Orchard)

Wanna have some ice cream?
Let's have the scientists concoct ice cream in a dark and mysterious laboratory down in the basement!

Just Like It! has just opened another outlet at ION Orchard (B4) on 3 August. Barely a week since its opening, the shop has attracted groups and groups of curious crowd. Everyone awaited and watched the making of the scientifically produced ice cream.

First and foremost, let's check out the menu~
(Click on image to enlarge.)

Additional information:
- Regular cup is about one scoop and large cup is about two scoops of ice cream
- It costs RM9.90 for a regular cup and RM11.90 for a large cup in Malaysia.

See how the ingredients are stored in conical flasks! Once you've decided the ice cream flavour, your cute scientist shall start the ice cream experiment..

This is the part of the experiment where the crowd starts to gather. Liquid nitrogen is odorless, colorless and non-flammable. The method of using liquid nitrogen to prepare frozen desserts has been widely used and commercialized recently.

Experiment completed with success! Check out the ball of ice cream neatly scooped into the cup by the cute scientist.
(*whispers* He does look like a science student working in a lab though.. Hahahaa~)

For novelty's sake, gotta try!

And for those who love cuties in lab coats, what are you waiting for?

Just Like It!
Address: ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn #B4-35, Orchard, 238801
Website: https://www.facebook.com/justlikeit.sg

Bear Bites 熊の食

I want BEAR PAWS for lunch! Not the exotic delicacy found in China, but the BEARY BEARY CUTE PAW PRINTS BUNS~~~

Located at the outdoor area of *Scape, some may have problems finding the secluded Bear Bites 熊の食. Try to search for Toast Box and Old Chang Kee, and you will find Bear Bites. IF you are still a little lost, don't worry 'cos you won't miss this (see pic below)! It stands right in front of Bear Bites.

Questions: How to order? What to order?
(Note: Click on image to enlarge.)

This "Make Your Bear Paw Bun" (I came up with the name, haha!) order sheet can be collected from the counter. Circle your choice of Meat, Bun and Sauce.

(Important Note: Strawberry buns are seasonal. According to the staff, it will be available in December! Yumyum~)
(^O^)

Once you've done so, queue and order at the counter. Decide if you would like to get a meal (comes with a drink and fries) or just ala carte.

See the menu below! Remember to click on image to enlarge~~

Food are prepared upon ordering. I'm sure we are all patient enough to wait for 5 to 10 minutes for the beary visual-satisfying buns!

Voila! Look at my beary cute buns! My choices were:
- Karaage Crispy Chicken + Brown Sugar Bun + Golden Cheese
- Karaage Crispy Chicken + Yam Bun + Mushroom Sauce
- Oishii Fish Fillet + Milk Bun + Tartar

Tasting time!

Meat: Crispy Chicken was indeed crispy and chunky, but it was quite oily as well. On the other hand, (literally on the other hand) the fish fillet kinda reminds me Big M's fish fillets. It was soft and moist! It could be a healthier choice over the oily fried chicken.

Bun: I thought that the taste was rather light overall, but the texture was rather springy and soft. However, the bun absorbed some of the oil from the fried chicken and the overflowing sauce. Somehow, the bun lost its flavor and became a little soggy when I was eating it halfway.

Sauce: Cheese goes well with almost everything. But the down side of this Golden Cheese sauce was that, it was a little watery. I would love it if it were thicker and stronger in flavor. Good thing that there were slices of mushrooms in the mushroom sauce! It was nicely done and compliments well with the fried chicken. The tartar sauce was too watery, to the extent that my fish fillet was swimming away every time I tried to take a bite. ('cos the watery sauce made it very slippery)

Love it:
- Who doesn't love the bear paw buns? I saw two guys snapping photos of the buns and also of themselves. This is not just cutesy food for kids or girls, but for everyone! We are all (at least many of us) visual animals. I was so visually satisfied by the beary cute buns that I enjoyed my eating experience from the start till the end.

- I was also very pleased with the service of the polite and friendly staff. They serve customers with a smile! A big THANK YOU to the staff at Bear Bites for the good and warm service~

- The alfresco dining area can be very romantic to some. Eating under a big tree, on wooden chairs and tables, with a small pot of plant on the table, romantic isn't it? (^___^) As long as it is not super sunny and hot or drizzling with rain, I quite like the setting.

Not quite happy with:
- The limited number of seats! I hope the shop would expand and open in a sheltered and air-conditioned place. It started to drizzle when I was there. Fortunately, I was almost done with my meal.

- The over-generosity of sauce! My fish bun was totally drenched in the watery tartar sauce. It was a bit messy eating it because everything were sliding here and there. I could barely keep the meat, veggies and bun together. It would help if the sauces were thicker and given in smaller amounts.

- Why I don't get to keep a receipt? There was only one copy of the receipt and the staff took it to prepare the buns. I don't mind not getting one but I just thought some people might have difficulty identifying theirs if they ordered in a big group. (^O^)

Some advice:
- Go on a good weather and during non-peak hours if you wanna dine at their romantic outdoor area due to the limited number of seats. If not, just take away and dine at your comfy choice of place.

- You might want to inform the staff the amount of sauce you want when you order. Some may prefer their buns to be drenched in sauce but some might be like me, sufficient amount would do.

- Bear in mind that the portion of a meal (especially if you upgrade to cheese fries) is quite filling! If you are going with someone or in groups, some can just order the buns ala carte. Not only you can try more bun flavors, you will also have more stomach space to try their Smoked Salmon with Japanese Yuzu Sauce Salad and Bear Paw Gelato! (which I would do so next time..)

Verdict: Though the buns lack a bit of the yummilicious factor, the appealing appearance of the buns is the selling point! Most of all, the wide variety of buns and sauces allow customers to mix and match, and experiment to come up with a delicious bun! I will be back, for sure.

Bear Bites 熊の食
Address: *Scape, 2 Orchard Link, #02-42
Opening hours: (Daily) 10:30 - 22:30
Website: https://www.facebook.com/BearBitesSingapore