Sparklette Magazine » Beach Road

Plaza Brasserie at Parkroyal – Buffet Feast of Seafood Delights

Jasper Aston Lim — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 03:00:30 +0000

Plaza Brasserie at Parkroyal on Beach Road has brought back its popular seafood buffet. You can have your choice of the freshest catch of the day such as pomfret, sea bass, snapper, sea bream and tilapia prepared in the way you prefer. Choose from various cooking styles like Hong Kong, Teochew, Nonya or even Thai lime and chilli!

And on weekends, a wider selection of seafood is available along with your buffet, including white clams, mud crabs, fresh prawns, bamboo clams and more.

Seafood Galore
September 2 – October 30, 2011
Mon – Thu Dinner: Adult: S$45++ / Child: S$27++
Fri – Sun Dinner: Adult: S$48++ / Child: S$29++

With the exception of the salad counter and the chilled seafood platter, much of the buffet slants towards Asian cuisines. Indeed, as one of the longer standing buffet restaurants in Singapore, Plaza Brasserie has built its reputation as a place to go for Asian buffet alongside a spread of local cuisine.

I like the little Asian touch at the bread and cheese section with the fish and prawn crackers.

Fried pomfret with sweet and sour sauce

Perfectly executed, the pomfret is nicely fried to a crisp. The accompanying sweet and sour sauce only makes the dish more appetising.

Black pepper white clams

Black pepper bamboo clams

I don’t know what secret lies in the recipe of the black pepper sauce, but Chef Jackson has managed to refine it to further enhance the freshness of the clams. Definitely my choice of preparation style next time I’m there.

Mussels in sambal sauce

The mussels are a highlight amongst the seafood dishes. I particularly enjoy the pairing of the big, fleshy mussels with sambal sauce. Delicious!

Hong Kong-style steamed sea bass

While I am usually not a fan of steamed fish, the Hong Kong-style steamed sea bass is a hit. Steamed to perfection, the flesh is firm with a subtle sweetness.

At the hot food section, you may be pleasantly surprised by the wide spread of local favourites.

Hainanese chicken

The Hainanese chicken is superb, especially when paired with sweet chilli sauce and a serving of fragrant chicken rice. You even get to choose your preferred chicken parts here!

Black pepper beef

Braised sea cucumber with mushroom

The sea cucumber and soft-shell crabs are permanent fixtures in the hot food section — and it’s not hard to see why. I enjoy the soft-shell crabs immensely, which have been deep-fried in a spiced-batter, lending extra oomph.

Deep-fried soft-shell crabs

Laksa

At the ‘live’ cooking station, a selection of local delights, such as laksa, roasted meats, oyster omelette and noodles are available.

Oyster omelette

Served fresh off the pan, the oyster omelette is so scrumptious, I find myself getting repeat servings.

Look out for the Japanese section, where they serve up a variety of sushi and sashimi, as well as items like cold soba noodles.

Assorted tempura

I hardly praise the tempura found at buffets, but I must say that I thoroughly enjoy the prawn and eggplant tempura here!

You can indulge in a good selection of prata with flavours like banana and even chocolate, alongside two curries of the day — vegetable and prawn on the day of our visit.

Durian prata

Durian lovers will surely go gaga over the durian prata. As one of the signature dishes, it will impress with the fresh, high quality durian pulp wrapped in a thin layer of roti prata. You can also opt for a scoop of ice cream on top, instantly turning it into a delectable dessert!

Apart from a chocolate fondue fountain with various dippers, the range of desserts also includes items like bubor cha cha, cheng tng and chendol.

Chocolate cake

Go for the chocolate cake, which is rich yet light enough to keep you wanting more. You can also opt for the colourful nonya kueh.

Nonya kueh

If your family or friends are seafood fans, then this is one great promotion you would not want to miss.

Have Your Say!

Where can you enjoy the best seafood buffet in Singapore? Share with us in the comments!

Plaza Brasserie
Parkroyal on Beach Road
7500A Beach Road
Singapore 199591
Tel: +65 6505 5666 | Website

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http://sparklette.net/food/plaza-brasserie-parkroyal-seafood-buffet/ | 5 comments

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Cheap Eats: Golden Mile Food Centre – 10 Food Stalls You Don’t Want to Miss

Jasper Aston Lim — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 03:00:24 +0000

Looking for cheap, casual eats at a good price isn’t that hard with all the available food options and hawker centres in Singapore. This time round, we turn the spotlight on Golden Mile Food Centre and show you the 10 stalls you don’t want to miss here.

1. Once Upon A Thyme – #01-102

Battered fish creamy mushroom pasta
S$6.30

One of the newest stalls to open here, Once Upon A Thyme has just revamped their menu recently. The battered fish creamy mushroom pasta set, one of their three specials, is tasty and filling. The herb-mayo dip, created in-house, pairs well with the fish. A good meal for just the price of S$6.30.

2. Yew Chuan Claypot Rice – #B1-58

Claypot chicken rice
S$5

Those with a hearty appetite can have their fill at Yew Chuan Claypot Rice. With the large portion, the claypot chicken rice is enough for two to share. I like the garnish of fresh greens that not only add colour to the dish, but also makes the dish less cloying.

3. 金华鱼头米粉 Jin Hua Fish Head Bee Hoon – #01-101

Fried fish with thick bee hoon (rice vermicelli)
S$3.50

Being a famous chain with many stalls in Singapore, it is no wonder that there’s always a queue for the fish soup from Jin Hua Fish Head Bee Hoon. And at just S$3.50, their delicious signature milky soup base of the fried fish with thick bee hoon (rice vermicelli) makes it worth the wait!

4. Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice – #B1-35

Hainanese chicken rice

As the name suggest, this stall specialises in serving the local favourite Hainanese chicken rice. Keep a lookout for the speedy serving auntie, who is always running around to deliver food to diners. Here, you can get a decent portion that serves 3 at S$10.50.

5. Mansaku Japanese Food – #01-93

Katsu don
S$5.50

The katsu don set from this Japanese stall — a rare sight in hawker centres mdash; comprises a deep-fried pork cutlet that is moist and tender. The chawanmushi (egg custard) is quite smooth, though somewhat lacking in portion and ingredients.

6. 91 翠绿炒粿条面 Fried Kway Teow Mee – #01-91

Fried kway teow (stir-fried rice-cake strips)
S$3 / 4

Each plate of fried kway teow (stir-fried rice-cake strips) at stall 91 includes a small serving of freshly cooked greens. Cooked without lard and fried using minimal vegetable oil, it is surprisingly fragrant and much healthier than your usual char kway teow! For an added dose of greens, you can pay more for extra vegetables.

7. 74 Economical Mixed Rice – #01-73

Fish Fillet with Special Exotic Thai Sauce

Of the various mixed rice stalls in the complex, 74 Economical Mixed Rice offers a relatively smaller selection of dishes. Don’t let that turn you away though, because you can get a good-sized portion at a very reasonable rate. My huge plate of rice with two servings of meats and vegetables each add up to just S$3.70!

8. 桐记面食 Tong Ji Mian Shi – #01-100

Lor mee
S$3 / 4

“Super-size” your lor mee to enjoy it with many savoury additions, such as the oh-so crispy deep-fried lotus roots. Real value for money!

9. Tiong Bahru Roasted Pig Specialist – #01-70

Char siew and roast pork rice
S$3.50

The popular Tiong Bahru Roasted Pig Specialist chain serves plates of delicious roasted meat of consistent quality. Topped with a flavoursome gravy, a plate of the char siew and roast pork rice is not to be missed.

10. Kheng Fatt Hainanese Beef Noodles – #01-89

Beef noodles

There seems to be a perpetual line at Kheng Fatt Hainanese beef noodles. If you can wait, the firm, bouncy meatballs and tender beef slices will not disappoint. Another selling point is the thick and sticky gravy ladled atop their noodles.

Have Your Say!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Which hawker centre do you frequent most in Singapore? Tell us in the comments!

Golden Mile Food Centre
505 Beach Road
Singapore 199583

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http://sparklette.net/food/golden-mile-food-centre/ | 7 comments

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tcc – High Tea Set for March 2011

Veron Ang — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 03:00:05 +0000

Every month, tcc the connoisseur concerto lays out a special high tea set at its boutique cafés. What makes this set so popular is that you can enjoy a variety of high-quality bite-sized delights at a very reasonable price. On special occasions such as Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year, the pretty platters are given festive touches like heart-shaped macaron tarts and bak kwa mini sandwiches.

tcc High Tea

The tcc high tea for March 2011 is a treat for both eyes and palate.

High tea set
S$12.90++

Available from 2-6pm daily until March 31, 2011

The new high tea set includes items that range from the bruschetta with chopped tomatoes, scones accompanied by jam and cream, to the mini oreo cheesecake topped with whipped cream.

Also included in the price is a drink, which you can choose between the tcc premium blend or the tea of the day.

Have Your Say!

What is your favourite tcc high tea set? Share with us in the comments!

tcc
- ION Orchard
- PoMo
- Wisma Atria
- International Building
- Suntec City
- Anchorpoint
- Central
- Changi Airport T3 Arrival Hall
- Marina at Keppel Bay
- Changi Airport T3 Departure
- No. 4 Robinson Road
- Samsung Hub
- German Centre
- Novena Square
- Centrepoint
- Bugis Junction (Atrium)
- The Pier @ Robertson
- Funan DigitaLife Mall
- The Atrium @ Orchard
- Isetan Scotts
- Singapore Management University
- Citylink Mall
- Raffles Xchange
- Great World City
- Peranakan Place
- Bugis Junction (Main Boutique)
- NTUC Building @ One Marina Boulevard
- Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)
- Millenia Walk
- Clarke Quay
- Circular Road
- Beach Centre
Website

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http://sparklette.net/food/tcc-high-tea-march-2011/ | 2 comments

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tcc – High Tea Set for a Sweet Valentine

Veron Ang — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 03:00:17 +0000

For those romantically — and gastronomically (hey, that’s why you’re here right?) — inclined, the February specials at café chain, tcc the connoisseur concerto may be just the thing to satiate your wants.

Shareable for two, the popular tcc high tea made its début this time last year with a galore of sweet treats such as chocolate-dipped strawberries and rose-scented macarons. Since then, the set of snacks and pastries would be changed every few months — and they are always a joy to look at.

tcc High Tea

For the month of February 2011, the high tea set includes a variety of goodies with a running theme to celebrate both Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day.

High tea set
S$18.80++

Available from 2-6pm daily until February 28, 2011 at all outlets except Marina at Keppel Bay

Presented on a long white platter are pink heart-shaped raspberry macaron tarts, tiramisu topped with a heart-shaped chocolate crisp, chopped abalone on toasted bread, heart-shaped chicken sandwich, and a duo of scones with strawberry jam and cream. You may notice that the price is higher than that of tea sets from other months, likely due to the inclusion of abalone that brings a touch of luxury.

To wash down these bite-sized delights, the set also comes with a choice of tcc premium blend or tea of the day.

Drink of the Month

Sweet Sensation
S$7.20++

Available until February 28, 2011 at all outlets

Looking for a little romance? Sweet Sensation may just do the trick. This cold beverage is a lovely blend of rose syrup and chocolate, topped with a crown of milk froth. Do these spell romance? I think they do!

Have Your Say!

What is your favourite food and drink at Valentine’s Day? Share with us in the comments!

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http://sparklette.net/food/tcc-high-tea-valentine/ | 2 comments

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tcc – Holiday Coffee Drinks That Warm Your Heart

Veron Ang — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 04:53:59 +0000

I have been a fan of tcc, The Connoisseur Concerto ever since the café chain first opened. The diverse menu offerings that range from chocolate desserts to pastas and cosy ambience make it a popular gathering place amongst my friends.

On special occasions like Valentine’s Day and Halloween, you can enjoy creative drinks concoctions. And at Christmas, these festive-themed drinks become extra pretty.

Nutte Winter
S$7++
Rating:

Try the Nutte Winter, one of the two festive drinks offered for Christmas 2010. This is coffee latte with a tasty tinge of hazelnut. With a dash of red and green, the decorative Christmas colours sure evoke a festive feel! Mostly, I find the chocolate smiling gingerbread man most intriguing; he seemingly dissolves into the coffee within the first minute.

At 7 bucks, this is a rather pricey cup of latte. But if you’re in the mood for a holiday drink that would warm your heart, this drink is perfection.

Have a look at their pretty festive beverages like Berry Oreo and eggnog over the past Christmases.

Have Your Say!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Have you indulged in any Christmas-themed food and drinks this holiday season? Share with us in the comments!

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/tcc-christmas-latte/ | 6 comments

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tcc – Mooncake Concerto

Veron Ang — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 03:00:43 +0000

Boutique café chain tcc, which quietly changed its name from “the coffee connoisseur” to “the connoisseur concerto” recently, has launched their first ever mooncakes this Mid-Autumn Festival. The selection includes the classic mooncake, mango mooncake and yes, a coffee-themed treat. Colour me excited!

Unboxing the mooncakes

The mooncakes are encased in a long gift box decorated with colourful blossoms, then packed in a reusable shopping bag with a matching design.

The packaging is frills-free but stylish. The inner cover is printed with some information on the three types of mooncakes.

Swirly patterns adorn each mooncake, surrounding the familiar logo at the centre.

Classic mooncakes

White lotus paste with egg yolk
S$38+ for a box of 4
Rating:

Let’s start with the old favourite. The Mid-Autumn Festival just isn’t the same without the traditional mooncake, which makes an appearance here as the white lotus paste with egg yolk mooncake.

For a maiden attempt, tcc’s classic mooncake is extremely well-executed. I am impressed! The brown outer skin is thin and moist, enveloping a velvety lotus paste filling that is delightfully soft and of just the right level of sweetness. The salted yolk provides a nice contrast in taste and texture, and has been thoughtfully flattened across to ensure that every slice gets an even share. Have you had any other mooncake that has the egg yolk spread out this way too?

Mini snowskin mooncakes

Royal Mango mini snowskin mooncake
S$36+ for a box of 8
Rating:

Mango is a popular flavour this mooncake season, with Crystal Jade, Emicakes, Goodwood Park and Mandarin Orchard offering their own renditions of the zesty delicacy.

For tcc’s Royal Mango mini mooncake, the smell and taste of the fruit is very faint until you get to the truffle core, which oozes out mango puree in a burst of flavour. It would certainly be a more complete experience if the snowskin had a refreshing mango scent to hint at what is on the inside.

Cappuccino Concerto mini snowskin mooncake
S$36+ for a box of 8
Rating:

To please coffee fans, the Cappuccino Concerto would do the trick. Bite into a slice of this caffeinated treat and you would taste the coffee-flavoured lotus paste and a coffee cream truffle. While the coffee taste is quite robust, it would fare even better if it was slightly less sweet, with a hint of bitterness even.

What better to wash down these mooncakes than with a piping hot drink? When dining in at any of the cafés, you can pair a snowskin mooncake with a coffee or tea at S$8.50++. Speaking of which, what is your favourite drink at tcc?

For a first attempt at mooncake making, tcc has done a marvellous job especially with the traditional mooncake. The snowskin ones are commendable, and would do even better with refinement. This underdog sure has turned out to be the biggest surprise this season!

Have Your Say!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

What do you think of pairing mooncakes with coffee? Have you had any other coffee mooncakes this year? Share with us in the comments!

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/tcc-mooncakes/ | 8 comments

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tcc – Perfect Ten High Tea Set

Veron Ang — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:18:24 +0000

Local café chain, tcc the connoisseur concerto, has rolled out a special Perfect Ten high tea set to celebrate Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day. This comes with 10 bite-sized desserts and treats that are guaranteed to please, plus a tea or coffee to warm the heart.

Perfect Ten high tea set
S$13.80++
Rating:

What really impresses is how beautifully everything is presented. From the sandwich with bak kwa (chicken instead of pork jerky) to the chocolate-dipped strawberries (sprinkled with chocolate rice), every morsel simply looks so dainty! As a chocolate fan, my favourite is easily the little chocolate mousse cake. Rich and velvety smooth chocolate. Yum!

Have you seen the flyer for this promotion? What you see is really what you’ll get. Heck, even the placement of the individual items is accurate to the T!

The canapé comprises a plump juicy prawn, a slice of sweet mango, tomato and lettuce. Very colourful and totally yummy!

The prettiest of them all has to be pink rose-scented macaron, with strawberry slices doused in whipped cream. Ooh la la!

If you love desserts, you definitely want to check this out. Better still, bring along a friend or a partner. Everything in the set, except for the drink, comes in twos. Perfect for sharing!

Valid from 2-6pm daily. Promotion ends February 28, 2010.

tcc
- ION Orchard
- PoMo
- Wisma Atria
- International Building
- Suntec City
- Anchorpoint
- Central
- Changi Airport T3 Arrival Hall
- Changi Airport T3 Departure
- No. 4 Robinson Road
- Samsung Hub
- German Centre
- Novena Square
- Centrepoint
- Bugis Junction (Atrium)
- The Pier @ Robertson
- Funan DigitaLife Mall
- The Atrium @ Orchard
- Isetan Scotts
- Singapore Management University
- Citylink Mall
- Raffles Xchange
- Great World City
- Peranakan Place
- Bugis Junction (Main Boutique)
- NTUC Building @ One Marina Boulevard
- Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)
- Millenia Walk
- Clarke Quay
- Circular Road
- Beach Centre
Website

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http://sparklette.net/food/tcc-high-tea/ | 18 comments

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Sofra Turkish Cafe & Restaurant – A Slice of Turkey? Coming Right Up!

Veron Ang — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:21:24 +0000

So I was in the mood for some exotic food just the other day. Something Middle Eastern. That’s pretty exotic, right? Sofra Turkish Café & Restaurant swiftly comes to mind. I have been seeing that place through its glass-clad exterior for years and figured, why not?

Here’s the thing: I wouldn’t know authentic Turkish cuisine if it bit me in the you-know-where. Here’s the other thing: You don’t have to know much to dig the food. That is the attitude I carry to every restaurant I visit.

I really like the ambience of this place. Roomy, ample seats, large, almost full-length windows that offer a view of the surrounding Beach Road area. It is elegant and chic enough for a romantic date, yet homely enough for casual dining.

If you like meat, you will feel quite at home over here. The mixed grill combo is great for those that love their meat but can’t quite decide what to get.

Jumbo Kebap Combo
S$34.50++
Rating:

The meat is served to you on skewers hot off the grill. When it arrives, our jaws drop. Sword, candle, flowers, all the works. It certainly has that wow factor doesn’t it?

This Jumbo combo comes with various kinds of kebab, or kebap in Turkish, including shish and döner. While the menu advertises this as being a platter for two, the generous portion makes it large enough to feed three adults.

Tasting a little smoky from the grill, the meats include lamb, chicken and beef that are minced, sliced or cut in chunks, all of them succulent and flavourful.

Turkey, which literally holds the bridge between East and West, offers one of the most colourful and exotic cuisines in the world. Digging in, I notice some Greek and Lebanese influences.

Döner kebab is meat that is slowly roasted, then sliced off from a vertical rotating spit.

Almost too much food!

The salad comes in little “bowls” that are beautifully crafted from onions. Notice that the food sits on top of a bed of warm, fluffy pide bread.

Sofra Kebap
S$15.50++
Rating:

Well, we have no inkling that the Jumbo combo would really be that, well, jumbo-sized, and have already ordered a side of the Sofra kebap. This is basically sesame-adorned bread filled with meat, walnut, eggplant, tomato and cheese. You have a choice between mixed beef and lamb or chicken.

The whole myriad of sweet, salty and peppery flavours tastes so good that I wolf it down in seconds!

Even while we are feeling as stuffed as a turkey at Thanksgiving, we can’t resist having a small dessert at the end. After all, it’s not everyday that you get to dine at a nice Mediterranean restaurant in Singapore that serves authentic Turkish food (not that I have been to Turkey myself).

Their dessert menu offers a few options. Frankly, we have no idea what Baklava is while the Turkish rice pudding makes me feel full just by thinking it. So we pick the chocolate pudding with marshmallows because that seems the most appealing on paper.

Turkish chocolate pudding
S$4.70++
Rating:

And it really is! The chocolate is rich enough to satisfy yet not so thick and sweet that it gets tiresome. Plus, the bits of marshmallow adds a bit of fun!

Oh, we would have gone for that Turkish coffee, too, but we’ve really had too much. Perhaps someone would let me know if it’s good?

Have Your Say!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

What is your favourite Middle Eastern cuisine? Turkish, Lebanese, Moroccan or others? Share with us in the comments!

Sofra Turkish Café & Restaurant ( )
Shaw Tower
100 Beach Road #02-42/43/44
Shaw Leisure Gallery
Singapore 189702
Tel: +65 6291 1433 | Website | Menu
Service:

Bus services: 100, 107, 57, 961
Nearest MRT: Bugis

Opening hours: 12noon – 2:30pm, 6 – 9:30pm daily

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http://sparklette.net/food/sofra-turkish-restaurant/ | 23 comments

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Seah Street Deli at Raffles Hotel – New York, New York

Veron Ang — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:03:52 +0000

Start spreading the news, I’m leaving today
I want to be a part of it — New York, New York
These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it — New York, New York

5th Avenue, Mulberry Street, Broadway. These are a few of the famous streets in New York. But when you dine at Raffles Hotel’s Seah Street Deli, they take on a whole new meaning altogether.

At this delicatessen, 5th Avenue, Mulberry Street and Broadway refer to salad, mushroom spaghetti and pork ribs respectively. Isn’t that fun? Other than the food, the restaurant décor, and even the staff take on a distinctly American theme. Where else would you find waiters dressed like baseball players?

What catches my eye (and ear) most is the large retro jukebox. The coin-operated machine makes an interesting centrepiece; we hardly get to see it these days! One downside is that diners sitting near it may find the blaring music a tad loud.

As we settle down, the waitress hands us each a thin newspaper with the same brightly-coloured jukebox proudly featured on its cover. This “newspaper” opens up to a menu. Pretty neat huh? It’s one design trend that other restaurants have adopted for their newsletter, too.

Radio City
S$14.50++
Rating:

Ready to start on our all-American meal, we go for the buffalo wings. The waitress obligingly offers to bring us chilli sauce or ketchup with a smile, a nice reminder of the fact that we’re dining at a posh hotel.

The food is actually rather ordinary. A half dozen fried wings served with sour cream and coleslaw. The wings are more like winglets, with a touch of spice in the marinating. Certainly nothing like Jerry’s huge fiery monsters that fill your stomach and help you work out a sweat at the same time.

Fish & chips
S$19.80++
Rating:

The fish and chips, thankfully, comprises a much more ample cheese crusted john dory fillet and French fries. The rich and creamy tartar sauce comes in what appears to be a muffin cup! Cute :)

Served piping hot and fresh with a nice taste, the fish manages to impress us. It may not necessarily be the best, but it is certainly one of the better ones we’ve had.

Broadway
S$22.55++
Rating:

While the fish is good, what I’m really craving for is more chicken after those tiny buffalo wings. So when I spot a set named “Broadway” that promises roasted chicken and baby pork ribs, I jump at it immediately.

For a quarter chicken, you sure get a lot of meat! I find myself enjoying the ribs in the magnificent barbecue sauce, too. How I wish there is more of it to go around!

Accompanying the meats are a pile of potato wedges and vegetables. This is a very satisfying and complete platter that can last two meals.

Is it just me or does the furniture remind you of a Singapore coffee shop in the 60s? There are those nostalgic marble-top tables and wooden chairs. Hehe :)

Click to enlarge: Menu page 1 | Menu page 2

Amongst the various restaurants at Raffles Hotel, Seah Street Deli is probably the most affordable one, relatively speaking. If you’re considering heading there, you may refer to the menu above for the pricing.

Seah Street Deli
Raffles Hotel
1 Beach Road
Singapore 189673
Tel: +65 6412 1816 | Website
Service:

Bus services: 7, 32, 51, 61, 63, 80, 145, 175, 197, 851
Nearest MRT: City Hall

Opening hours:
11am – 10pm (Sun – Thur)
11am – 11pm (Fri, Sat, Eve of PH)

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/raffles-hotel-seah-street-deli/ | 7 comments

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Qi Ji – Quick Bites

Veron Ang — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:51:31 +0000

When you get a craving for nasi lemak, where do you normally go? I usually head to Qi Ji, which has ten locations scattered across Singapore.

The no-frills eatery first became popular for its popiah (spring rolls). Nowadays, it has diversified with a much larger offering of local dishes that include laksa, mee Siam, and of course, nasi lemak.

The halal eatery is operated like a fast food restaurant. Queue up, order, pay, and collect your food immediately. The process is pretty much quick and fuss-free. In true fast food style, the nasi lemak even comes in eight “sets” comprising different selections of ingredients!

Nasi Lemak (rice cooked in coconut milk)
S$4 / 4.90
Rating:

All sets come with the staple accompaniments of ikan bilis (dried anchovies), fried peanuts, cucumber slices, egg and sweet sambal chilli. The coconut rice bears a slight greenish tinge, and has a nice fragrance. For more oomph, always ask for extra sambal! In my opinion, the chilli is at the perfect spice level — mouth-tingling hot but not to the nostril-flaring extent.

My favourite nasi lemak set is the one that comes with otah (spicy fish paste), an omelette slice and a fried chicken wing that I love. On the occasions when my tummy calls for a fuller meal, the chicken cutlet set does the trick.

For a nasi lemak with even more pizazz, go for grandma’s!

Mee Rebus
S$3.30
Rating:

Also worth a mention is the mee rebus. The garnishes include a hard boiled egg, fried tofu, fried shallots, green chilli and beansprouts. It may not be the best, but the tasty sweet potato gravy is good enough for me.

Homemade drinks
S$1.30-1.50

To neutralise the spiciness of the food, Qi Ji offers a range of homemade drinks with cooling effects. There’s barley, chrysanthemum, grass jelly, and many more. Speaking of which, does anyone know how frequently these “homemade” beverages are replenished? I tend to stay away from them because, frankly, they don’t look very fresh!

Having visited the branches at Marina Square, Tiong Bahru Plaza and Century Square, I find that the outlet that serves consistently yummy food is the last one.

Have Your Say!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Where do you go for your favourite nasi lemak? Share with us in the comments!

Qi Ji ( )
- Bugis Village
- Century Square
- Changi General Hospital #01-09/10/11 (24 hours)
- Funan DigitaLife Mall #01-17
- Heartland Mall #01-133/135
- Hougang Mall #01-41
- ICA Building #01-B-3
- Marina Square #01-06
- NEX Mall #03-10 Nex
- Shaw Towers #01-01
- Suntec City Mall #01-181/183
- Tiong Bahru Plaza #02-11
Website

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Raffles Hotel Mooncakes 2009 – Have You Ordered Yours Yet?

Veron Ang — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:30:16 +0000

Every Mid-Autumn Festival, I look forward to two things. One is the sight of children carrying lanterns and lighting candles at night. That innocent scene always brings back fond childhood memories.

The other is the Raffles Hotel mooncakes. More specifically, the legendary snow-skin mooncakes with champagne truffle and ganache. It’s a big hit with the fans.

The online orders for 2009 are already open. Have you ordered yours yet? Take note of the early bird, credit card and bulk order discounts!

This year, the mooncakes are packaged in a gorgeous lilac-coloured box. I love it! The box colour changes yearly and has become quite the collector’s item! However this is the first time they are reusing the same box from the previous year’s.

Snow-skin mooncake with champagne truffle & Ganache
S$52 for a box of 8
Rating:

That’s the aforementioned champagne truffle and ganache mooncake. Read my detailed review on why this delectable nosh is the best-seller year after year.

Click to enlarge

A new addition to the 2009 menu is the snow-skin apricot mooncake with popping candy. It’s an innovative creation with pieces of crackling candy tucked within the truffle.

The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on October 3 this year. Get yours fast!

Raffles Hotel
(North Bridge Road Entrance)
1 Beach Road
Singapore 189673
Tel: +65 6412 1122
www.raffleshotelmooncakes.com

Bus services: 7, 32, 51, 61, 63, 80, 145, 175, 197, 851
Nearest MRT: City Hall

Opening hours: 11am – 8pm daily
Online orders: August 1 – October 3
Direct purchase from counter: August 28 – October 3

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tcc – Pasta with Benefits

Veron Ang — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:30:19 +0000

Do you live to eat or eat to live?

For me, any food that doesn’t taste good just isn’t worth having. satay, grilled stingray, or a good curry. These are the kind of food that would keep me happy for a long time, but they are also undeniably sinful. Are scrumptious food always this unhealthful?

That brings me to the point of this post. Although it may be rare (to me anyway), healthful food CAN taste wonderful, too. And I’ve decided that each time I come across something that fits the bill I would highlight it here, along with its health benefits!

Here are a couple of picks from the pasta menu at tcc, starting with my personal favourite, the mentaiko (spicy cod roe) pasta. Salmon lovers, this one’s for you.

Mentaiko (spicy cod roe) spaghetti with salmon tataki
S$19++
Rating:

When it comes to salmon the tcc chefs never go wrong. Just look at those huge slices! I love how the pinks, the yellows and the greens work together to form one colourful and appealing dish.

The fish has been quickly seared on the sides so the centre is still quite raw and pinkish. It’s melt-in-your-mouth tender and velvety smooth! Served with a sunny side up.

The spaghetti is coated with mentaiko. Yummy yummy. According to the food trivia printed on the menu, cod roe is rich in zinc, which is essential to our sense of taste, smell and sight. It aids in wound-healing, too!

Health benefits aside, this pasta is super savoury as well. You know when you eat something so delicious, you just don’t wanna stop? That’s exactly how I felt as I gobbled down the pasta, pausing only a couple of times to catch my breath. Yes, it’s that good. I’m not ashamed to admit that I also lapped up all the remaining sauce. *slurp* wouldn’t want any of it to go to waste!

Seafood Aglio Olio
S$18.80++
Rating:

Being one of the three key pasta sauces along with cream sauce and tomato sauce, aglio olio is a popular choice amongst pasta fans. aglio is garlic and olio is olive.

As such, eating seafood aglio olio also means you are reaping the health benefits from the two spices. Olive oil, in particular, is rich in potent antioxidants that promote heart health and reduce cancer risks.

Cooked al dente, the spaghetti is well-tossed with minced garlic and red hot chilli pepper flakes. It’s too bad they don’t put in enough ingredients. The lone 3 prawns and 1 scallop, while nice and plump, aren’t exactly what you’d call an ample serving.

As you can see, healthy eating can be enjoyable! Here’s another place where you can feast on delectable, guilt-free food!

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tcc – Christmas Eggnog

Veron Ang — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:57:09 +0000

Festive occasions are always extra special at tcc, my favourite café chain. I love the fact that they always come up with their own holiday specials, especially during Halloween and Christmas. This time last year, I was drinking it up with their Christmas edition beverage. Boy, how time flies!

This Christmas, they have rolled out yet another two beverage specials — snowy choco and eggnog desire. I have to admit, I ordered the latter mainly due to its pretty presentation.

Look, how cute! I heart the chocolate tree, the gold star, the red and green sprinkles, and the little snowflakes! Picture perfect!

Eggnog Desire
S$13.80++

Available only in the month of December 2008

This frothy eggnog comes with a twist — it has liquor in it! (I should probably add an alcoholic icon above.) what’s an even bigger twist is that it tastes more like liqueur coffee than eggnog! Anyone knows where I can find a decent eggnog to drink at Christmas (short of making it myself)?

On paper, the chocolatey-and-almond snowy choco would appeal to me more. But the alcoholic eggnog works wonders in warming me up during the cold December weather. Plus, the snowy choco looks quite similar to last Christmas’ berry oreo and I really wanted something different!

So what are you waiting for? Have a Christmas eggnog at your nearest tcc now!

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tcc – Have a Berry Merry Christmas

Veron Ang — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:48:06 +0000

I have been a long-standing fan of local café chain tcc ever since its first boutique opened in 2003. The large range of gourmet coffee and consistently good service make it my number one choice whenever I want to chill at a nice and casual café. For a place that specialises in coffee, the food is surprisingly good. Same goes for the desserts.

Each month, they concoct new items that are not found in their regular food and drinks menus. This being the month of Christmas, they have rolled out a series of Christmas specials!

I’m gonna skip right to the Christmas beverages since I fell in love with these at first sight — they totally had me at those colourful stars!

Whether it’s chocolate or coffee, I tend to like it hot. This time round I decided to bend the rule a little and try out the icy berry oreo. (if you like it irish, you can go for the frosty bailey — a chocolate frappé with a touch of bailey’s and rum.)

Berry Oreo
S$7.50++

Available only in the month of December 2007

The berry oreo is quite literally a combination of raspberry and oreo. On paper it sure looks like a rather odd match. But the fruitiness is very refreshing, and at the same time you get the deliciously sweet taste of oreo. It doesn’t taste vile or funny like I thought it might. Phew!

I really admire the way they have creatively made this drink both look and taste Christmasy. Tucked into the whipped cream is a slim piece of chocolate. It has been stenciled into the shape of a Christmas tree and even has an edible shiny gold star on top! Detail, people, detail. (for the frosty bailey, it is a chocolate snowman instead.)

Little colourful stars have either been sprinkled onto the whipped cream or mixed within the drink. These are just plain cute and make drinking a fun affair! Oh, they are mint-flavoured too.

Deep down within, I’m still a traditional coffee kind of girl, preferring the likes of Ya Kun and toast box. The aroma from a cup of freshly made traditional coffee just perks me up immediately. But every now and then I do enjoy a refreshing change, especially if it’s one of the creative coffee concoctions at tcc.

Have a berry merry Christmas everyone!

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Raffles Hotel: Snow-skin Mooncake with Champagne Truffle & Ganache

Veron Ang — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 15:33:17 +0000

The Mid-Autumn Festival, or Moon Festival if you prefer, is here again! Of course, what’s Moon Festival without mooncakes right? Therefore over the next 3 days, I would be featuring some unique and yummilicious mooncakes.

We’ll start off with my most favourite mooncakes of all — champagne truffle and ganache snow-skin mooncakes from Raffles Hotel! Now, that’s a real mouthful ain’t it? And trust me, it really is.

Credit

The Raffles Hotel mooncakes are easily the most sinful and best-tasting mooncakes I’ve ever had! They sell out really quickly too!

These mooncakes come in boxes of 8. At more than $5 apiece, they certainly don’t come cheap. (but they are worth every penny because they’re so good!)

The tin box containing these cute mooncakes is decorated with a Shanghai-style artwork surrounded by swirls and florals. What is really unusual is the unconventional colour used for the box — a very beautiful baby blue! How pretty!

The white snow-skin exterior looks innocently plain, but obviously, the best part of the mooncake lies at its chocolatey centre…

Credit

The champagne truffle! Once you bite into the white chocolate shell, the inside is the soft and delicious ganache that fills your mouth. Ahhh… Pure bliss! It’s very, very satisfying too so eating just one at a time is already enough!

If this isn’t the most delectable mooncake dessert, I don’t know what is. What makes it even more sought after is that you can only have it just once in a year!

Credit

And that’s for this year. Every year, Raffles Hotel sells a different flavour of mooncakes, packed in a different-coloured tin box. This year, it’s the baby blue one. I’m so looking forward to next year’s! (Update: it’s light purple!)

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Plaza Brasserie at Parkroyal – Simple Fares, Unpretentious Food

Veron Ang — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 15:58:07 +0000

This plate of colourful agar-agar is part of the Asian buffet at Plaza Brasserie at Parkroyal.

Best of Asia Buffet
Lunch (Daily): Adult S$35++ / Child S$21++
Dinner (Mon – Thu): Adult S$42++ / Child S$25++
Dinner (Fri – Sun): Adult S$45++ / Child S$27++

Just as colourful as the agar-agar is the stained glass ceiling at Plaza Brasserie at Parkroyal! It was a half-filled restaurant on a weekday evening. The buffet spread wasn’t as large as I had anticipated.

Kung pao chicken is a staple in any Asian buffet. It is always cooked in a nice dark sauce with dried chilli. A good kung pao chicken dish should also have cashew nuts. The kung pao dish at plaza brasserie had both chilli and cashews. But guess what? It didn’t have chicken! It had Turkey instead! Wow, I had never seen kung pao Turkey before. It was good, although chicken would work better.

My favourite dish of the night was the soft shell crab tempura. It was light, nicely fried, and tasted of yumminess when dipped into mayonnaise.

At the Indian food station, roti prata (indian flatbread) was made in assorted flavours. There was the usual egg and plain prata, as well as sardine and banana prata. But the best one had to be this:

Chocolate prata! I’ve never had roti prata in chocolate flavour before!

I thought it might taste a little odd because chocolate and roti prata didn’t seem to mesh. But the combination was surprisingly yummilicious! And utterly sinful too!

Desserts in cute little shot-glasses. There was tiramisu, blueberry and a range of other fruity flavours available.

Still, I would have liked to see more desserts available, such as some of those bite-sized cakes in different flavours. But I’m glad they had a chocolate fountain. It kind of saved the day!

It was a five-tier fountain similar to the one at Cafébiz in Traders Hotel. I tend to judge the quality of a buffet by whether it has a chocolate fountain. And I’m glad Plaza Brasserie had one, along with marshmallow dippers and hard biscuits. Yay!

Sadly, I wouldn’t return for another buffet. The price is decent but the buffet spread is simply too small and not very satisfying.

Plaza Brasserie
Parkroyal on Beach Road
7500A Beach Road
Singapore 199591
Tel: +65 6505 5666 | Website
Service:

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tcc – Salmon Surprise!

Veron Ang — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 10:56:31 +0000

When you want a good cup of joe, tcc is a nice and affordable place to check out. But did you know that they also serve up a mean dish of salmon?

Teriyaki Sabayon Salmon
S$15.80++
Rating:

The coffee chain has a few decent items on their main course menu. There’s the usual oven-baked marinated chicken as well as the more unique kahlúa salmon which, as its name suggests, is served with coffee sauce! Now that’s a novelty!

But being slightly less adventurous than usual, I decided to try out the relatively tame teriyaki sabayon salmon. The salmon is served with mashed potato and garden vegetables arranged neatly by its sides. Topped with asparagus and drizzled in a minute amount of teriyaki sauce, the salmon was firm and delicious. One thing to note is that unlike those instant mixes served in many places, the creamy mashed potato is actually made from scratch.

Cappuccino Italiano
S$5.60++
Rating:

Of course, no trip to tcc is complete without a nice cup of coffee. I had a warm cup of cappuccino to end my meal.

Each time I visit tcc I would wonder how the management train their staff. Every waiter and waitress is so attentive, polite and helpful. They seem to really take pride in what they do and enjoy their work very much. I find that highly commendable — a rarity in most dining establishments here.

News updates

February 3, 2007: My list of Best (& Worst) Restaurants in Singapore for 2006
- Winner of “Best Café”

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tcc – Also the Chocolate Connoisseur

Veron Ang — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 05:21:06 +0000

There are several reasons why I love tcc. Being a coffee lover, I am very particular about coffee. Among the more common café chains here, I find that tcc serves the best coffee. They have the largest coffee menu that would cater to the most diverse taste buds, including brews, coolers, lattes, frappuccinos, affagattos, and liqueur coffee that is served flambé. The Blue Mountain brew is my most favourite.

Besides coffee, tcc also has a wide range of food items to tantalise your taste buds. My Mom and I got to try two of their desserts recently.

Dark Devotion
S$9.90++
Rating:

First off, the dark devotion was heavenly. Topped with chocolate ice cream, it was served warm on the outside and cold on the inside. When I pierced the chocolate cake with a fork, warm chocolate lava came oozing out! It was everything a good chocolate dessert should be — rich, heavy, and absolutely satisfying.

The tiny dollops of berry compote at the side helped ensure that the richness of the chocolate didn’t get too cloying after a while. I left the sesame tuille alone though; it was too hard for my liking.

Chocolaty Meteor Delight
S$9.50++
Rating:

I have to admit I ordered the chocolatey meteor delight mostly due to its dreamy sounding name. Ever since I was a little girl, I have had this thing for stars and astronomy. Here, the strawberries and syrup streaks had been arranged prettily to resemble meteors. It was practically art on a plate!

Not only was the dessert pleasing to the eye, the milk chocolate mousse was smooth and creamy too. Thankfully it wasn’t too sweet at the same time.

Overall we were charmed by both desserts. They gave new meaning to the phrase “delicious sin”! I shudder to think of the calorie count though. Oh they also have this bunch of little booklets on every table. I took one home with me, thought it would make a nice mini coffee table book.

It is a tiny square booklet that looks rather fancy, with full colour pages along with photographs, coffee facts and personality profiles. There is even a coffee astrology section! Here’s the profile of a leo coffee drinker:

Trendy Leo is the first to try and learn everything about popular espresso based drinks. Lions have espresso machines at home and are ferocious about perfecting their crema and frothing techniques. Tcc’s gourmet espresso selection like the Azuki Coffee and the Citrus Avalon are a definite hit with the Leos.

Interesting eh?

Other than the great coffee and awesome desserts, the service at tcc is also consistently excellent, a rarity in Singapore. When I visit a café I want to be able to sit down and relax over a cuppa joe. Helpful and well-mannered waitstaff certainly help. Over here, they treat every guest with courtesy and respect whether you’re spending 10 bucks or 100 bucks.

Every tcc café is also artfully designed and unique from one another, with nice ambience and soothing music. Personally I would prefer some place quiet like the branch at Great World City, where the crowd is smaller and makes for a more relaxed experience.

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Wild Bamboo – Not Too Wild

Veron Ang — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 04:47:44 +0000

At the distinctive Concourse Shopping Mall along Beach Road lies a comparatively nondescript restaurant, Wild Bamboo.

I noticed its outdoor advertisement when I was passing by one evening. As advertised, S$15.50 buys you the chef’s special of grilled teriyaki chicken thigh, soup, coffee (or tea), and dessert. This great deal was practically screaming out at me. I simply HAD to go in!

Faithful to its name, Wild Bamboo is decked out in refreshing hues of green, emanating a very soothing ambience. I felt very relaxed! It occupies a small and cozy space, with both indoor as well as alfresco dining. Service was quick; dishes were served fast, plates were cleared the moment I was done.

Pumpkin Soup
Rating:

Soup of the day was pumpkin broth. On first sight it looked thick and creamy. I was disappointed when it turned out thin, bland and ordinary. It didn’t do much to tantalise my tastebuds and definitely did not give me a high expectation of what was to come.

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thigh
Rating:

The main course of grilled teriyaki chicken thigh came piping hot. Topped with delicious teriyaki sauce and accompanied by petite portions of carrot and broccoli, the chicken thigh was tender and grilled to perfection; it tasted better than it looked. My only gripe is the small mound of rice — too little!

Crepe with Ice Cream & Fruit Cocktail
Rating:

After a delightful main course, the dessert crepe turned out to be rather mediocre. I found the crepe rather stiff, and would have liked it if it was freshly made and served warm. Although I’m fine with vanilla ice cream, I am sure other customers would prefer the option of choosing their favourite ice cream flavour.

Wild Bamboo is a wallet-friendly place; you don’t have to dip too deep into your pockets to enjoy decent food. GST and service taxes are not charged here. A good recommendation for people working in the vicinity. Extra cookie points go to the young waitresses, who are ever so attentive towards their customer.

Wild Bamboo
The Concourse
298 Beach Road #01-48/49
Singapore 199555
Tel: +65 6299 1728
Service:

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