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

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

Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King Four Seasons

Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King Four Seasons is the much-talked-about ramen restaurant for the past couple of months since its opening on 10 May. With queues lining outside its store like other three Keisuke ramen restaurants.. I wondered if the ramen served by Ramen Champion Keisuke Takeda was really that good..

Why visit Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King Four Seasons at Bugis Village?
Champions really think differently.. Singapore has many chain ramen restaurants.. But Keisuke Takeda's ramen outlets each has different concept.. Millenia Walk outlet serves ramen in crab broth while Amara Hotel outlet serves ramen in chicken broth.. The outlet at Orchid Hotel serves ramen in pork broth.. just like this outlet at Bugis Village but this outlet markets beautifies its ramen into Four Seasons (春夏秋冬) - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, and plus a King version ramen.. Aren't you tempted yet?

First of all, where is the restaurant at Bugis Village?
If you are facing the entrance of KFC, walk down to the right side. If you are facing the entrance of McDonald's, walk down to the left side. The ramen restaurant, with its glamorous exterior, is hard to miss. (^O^)

What if there's a queue?
Just queue! Hahahaa.. No worries, there are free and more than enough barley tea to go around.. However, the trick to avoid queuing is to visit during off-peak hours.. I didn't queue and my orders came in less than 5 minutes on a Saturday because I visited at about 5pm..

How to order?
You will be given this order sheet and a pen when seated.

FYI: The order sheet is also available in Japanese! It's just on the other side of the same order sheet..

The order sheet is quite straight-forward.. Just check the box of your choice!

Spring Ramen: Basil and Parmesan Cheese
Recommended for food adventurers and people who loves cheese!

Summer Ramen: Spicy Minced Pork
It's SPICCCCCY! Not only it is spicy (hot), it is full of spice (Japanese shichimi, Szechuan pepper and Cayenne pepper)! Recommended for peppery and spicy-hot lovers~~

Autumn Ramen: Minced Pork with Bonito Flavour and Fried Mixed Mushrooms
Clearly.. It is so obvious that mushroom lovers must order this!

Winter Ramen: Pork Broth Ramen
This is the safest or in other words, non-adventurous choice. Recommended for people who prefers something simple and nice and with no surprise.. But also, at the same time, the best choice to assess the tastiness of its ramen..

King Ramen: Stir-fried Pork with Ginger on Top
What to say? The name says it all.. IT'S THE KING! Recommended for all.. (^O^)

(In the center) After making your order, sign up for the mobile membership, simply by scanning the QR code or through its website and you can enjoy 7% off!

(On the left) "替玉" (Japanese: kaedama): In a ramen restaurant, kaedama means extra noodles. The extra noodles comes when you are almost finished or have finished your bowl of ramen.. Please note that it does not mean that a bigger bowl of ramen is served to you.. (^______^)

(On the right) Japanese Rice: It is not uncommon to have rice with ramen.. Because the broth is thick and tasty.. not to forget that it would be extra saltier after all the flavour of pork (chasyu) and egg were being added in.. You can pour the rice into the leftover soup after you had finished your noodles.. うまい!! (yummy in Japanese)

Such a considerate restaurant! If you are scared that you would be in a mess while slurping your ramen.. You can ask for paper apron to protect your clothes and rubber band to tie your hair! Or if you want to cosplay as Keisuke! Hahaha..

You will be served with a tub of fried beansprouts and a bowl of hard-boiled eggs.. FOR YOUR FREE CONSUMPTION!

Gentle note: Please be considerate and hygienic!

Take only how much you can eat with the small tongs in the tub of beansprouts.. You can place them on the small dish plates provided.. I'm adding this note as I saw the person next to me eating directly from the tub with his chopsticks!

For the eggs.. Although it's freeeee, don't overstuffed yourself and try to finish the whole basket of eggs.. Remember to mind your cholesterol~~ There was another person at another table finishing all the eggs.. I wondered if she still had stomach space for her ramen..

Are you a hands-on person? Start grinding the sesame while waiting for your ramen! Adding some would add flavour to your ramen~~

Winter Ramen with Flavoured Egg ($12.90): Less means more.. not in a fashion sense but similar.. This simple ramen has no distractions.. You can enjoy (assess) the tastiness of the thick pork broth that was boiled for 11 hours.. Some, or should I say many, Singaporeans may find the broth "jelat" halfway through finishing your ramen.. If you are a true blue ramen-lover, you will know how to appreciate and might love this thick thick thick broth..

King Ramen with Flavoured Egg ($15.90): おいしい~~ (delicious in Japanese) The thinly sliced stir-fried pork contains a little fat.. Hence, it was soft and easy to chew.. The onions enhances the sweetness of the pork.. I like the black fungus.. Because there were so much of saltiness going on.. The black fungus really helped to tone down the feeling of overconsumption of sodium, psychologically.. Haha.. OH OH!! Important: The flavoured egg was soooo nicely done!! So soft and tasty!

Eating the noodles with the strong and thick (salty) broth, and savoury stir-fried pork.. Oooh~~~ No wonder it is called The KING..
LOVE: I like that it allows me to choose how I want my soup to be, what noodle texture and the amount of oil to add.. And thankfully, my ramen turned out how I wanted it to be..

The menu and way of ordering was very simple and direct.. I saw an old and sweet uncle-auntie couple discussing and ordering their ramen.. Though they needed a little help.. They understood with minimal explanation from the staff..

I also like the take-yourself and do-it-yourself concept.. which is very common in the eateries in Japan.. (^O^)

Ambience: I like the interior decor.. Different areas are decorated in different seasons.. It fits the name of the restaurant! Though the seats were kinda close to one another.. It was not as cramped as I thought it would be.. I think some eateries in Japan are more "cosy"..

Value: Worth! The price is comparable to some chain ramen restaurants in Singapore yet it is nicer compared to many of those restaurants..

Verdict: I will visit again~~ but maybe in another two weeks or so.. I admit the "Normal" broth (authentic Japanese taste) is really tasty but too much of it can really make me feel uncomfortable.. I'm not Japanese mah.. Let me make a date with Keisuke's ramen in two weeks' time then~~ and I will be choosing "Light" for my soup the next time!


Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King Four Seasons
Bugis Village, 158 Rochor Road
Tel: 63335740
Opening hours:
(Mon - Fri) 11:30 - 14:30 / 17:00 - 20:30
(Sat & Sun) 11:30 - 20:30
Website: https://www.facebook.com/KeisukeTokyoSG

Plaza Brasserie

less than 10 minutes walk from Bugis MRT Station, i arrived at PARKROYAL!
location: unless u drive, it's kinda out of the way.. but able to navigate with my BFF who is good with maps and directions..

Buffet Dinner - CRAB Fiesta~ for August 2012!
Crabbies available on my visit: Chilli Crab, Black Pepper Crab, Cold Crab, Salted Egg Yolk Crab, Soft Shell Crab and Thai Green Curry Mud Crab..





Best: Salted Egg Yolk Crab (finger-lickin' - literally)
Most Fragrant: Black Pepper Crab (Spicy but shiok!)
Could be better: Chilli Crab (Zi char can do better)
Pleasant Surprise: Thai Green Curry Mud Crab (tastes like curry chicken!)
Hit and miss: Soft Shell Crab (too flour-ful)
Give it a miss: Cold Crab (bland and bland)

besides free flow CRABS.. the international buffet spread offers a wide range of sumptuous dishes which is more than u can eat.. (note that the list is not exhaustive).. such as Sashimi, sushi, tempura, roasted chicken, teryaki chicken, oyster omelette, spicy squid, butter prawns, cold seafood, salad bar, cakes, ice-cream, ice kachang and etc..





verdict: quite worth it if u're a seafood lover.. especially if u are a skilled eater when it comes to crabs.. besides their crabs, the buffet spread is quite up to standard.. frankly, it was above my expectation.. the thick and generous freshly cut salmon sashimi.. the endless supply of prawns and oysters.. and the cakes were OMG.. waaah~~ *drools*

oh! their hot beverages - espresso, hot chocolate, teh tarik, cappuccino, various tea of your choice, are all free flow!

enjoy 15% off with many credit cards such as DBS, UOB, Standard Chartered and more.. Try before August 2012 ends~~

Mondays to Thursdays: Adult S$52++, Child S$31++
Fridays to Sundays: Adult S$55++, Child S$33++

Plaza Brasserie
PARKROYAL on Beach Road
7500 Beach Road, Singapore 199591
Restaurant tel: 65055710
Hotel tel: 65055666

Putien (NEX)

it was my mom's birthday so we went to Pu Tien to celebrate~ as many reviewers have mentioned, i was kinda disappointed as well to learn that they no longer serve buffet.. nonetheless.. the food is worth the visit and the $$$.. now let's cut the chase and go on to my food journey~~

Fried Noodle (Mee Sua) 妈祖面线



this is the best Mee Sua i've ever had so far.. no only the Mee Sua is super fragrant after absorbing the sweetness of the clams, scallops and prawns.. there's nuts that adds crunchiness into the soft Mee Sua.. also.. the seaweed is super crispy as if they were pan-fried.. even after u've left the dish that for a while.. unlike most of the mee sua that we had which absorbs the soup and becomes super soggy.. this Mee Sua @ Pu Tien does not! of course it absorbs the gravy/soup but it doesn't become mashy and soggy! woah~~ this is nice!
my mom's recommendation!

Bamboo Herbal Prawn 药膳竹筒虾



this is heavenly! the herbal taste is not those bitter kind.. it's sweet and very fragrant.. the bamboo, after being steamed, enhanced the aroma of this soup.. not only the soup was great till i licked to the very last drop.. the two BIG prawns are very smooth, sweet, fresh, Q and fused with the herbal fragrance of the soup..
MUST HAVE!!

Pu Tien Sweet & Sour Pork with Lychees 莆田荔枝肉



i know mixing lychees with sweet & sour pork is no longer novel.. but this one @ Pu Tien is really one of the best i've had! firstly, the sweet & sour pork is ENTIRELY cover with the thick and tangy sauce.. however, the outer of the pork remains crisp while the inner is super tender and juicy with the fragrance of lychees!! wonderful dish~~
MUST TRY!!

Deep-fried Chicken with Garlic 脆皮蒜香鸡



i'm so glad the chicken wasn't dry and tough.. coz it sure looked like it would.. but i'm kinda disappointed with its boring and not-surprising taste.. it just taste like every other Deep-fried Chicken with Garlic that u can find in other similar chinese restaurants like Crystal Jade..
Can give it a miss. . .

Pomfret in Fermented Red Rice Wine 红糟鲳鱼



the fish was dry.. sliced toooooo thinly that i can't savour or even enjoy the sweetness of the fish.. as they were too thin so ultimately after all the frying.. the fish became super dry.. *sad*
Can we skip this?

Deep-fried Duck with Yam 芋香鸭



very very very very very very UNIQUE!! i'm a person who seldom eats duck coz i think there's a smell and i don't really like it.. but this is good! not only the duck meat is tender, soft, it is sweet too! the yam that wraps around the duck gave a very surprising good combination.. the yam is very fine and fragrant.. it is not too sweet so as not to overpower the taste of the duck (main).. the outer crust just perfects the dish.. the crust is not oily and not thick.. though i think there can still be improvement on the sauce.. as both duck and yam are considered sweet ingredients.. the sauce could be more tangy.. maybe could add like plum sauce or orange sauce?? i find the sauce they have a little too diluted.. nonetheless.. my mom and sis find this dish very good even without the sauce..
THUMBS UP!!



i enjoyed my first dining experience at Pu Tien.. the staff are very polite, attentive, well-equipped with knowledge they ought to abt the dishes and my mom likes that they are well-groomed.. looking neat and tidy also gives people the impression that the restaurant is hygienic and food is 'clean'.. most importantly.. the service is very prompt.. i waited only for abt 7 mins and within another 7 minutes i had all my dishes up.. so efficient! GOOD!!!
Putien (Nex)
23 Serangoon Central
#02-18/19 Nex
Tel: 66348035