http://sparklette.net/food/stacked-dim-sum-bar/ http://sparklette.net/food/stacked-dim-sum-bar/#comments Tue, 27 Sep 2011 03:00:16 +0000 Melissa Koh http://sparklette.net/?p=1225

Love dim sum? You need not be restricted to having dim sum only in the day. At Stacked, you can have dim sum all day till 1am!

Located along The Quayside at Robertson Quay, Stacked is a dim sum bar that offers a good variety ranging from the traditional classics to inventive creations. Following the stacked theme, the dim sum is served in a novel way — stacked in uniquely designed bamboo steamer baskets.

With its close proximity to many tourist spots, you can expect to see many expatriates and tourists amongst the diners. This is an ideal spot for pre-party goers as well, with popular clubs within walking distance. For the football fanatics, there are two TV screens broadcasting live games.

The interior is prepossessing; the blending of rustic elements with a modern twist creates an urban-industrial feel, with subdued lighting to complete the look. This hidden gem of a restaurant is set in a laid-back atmosphere — a good spot for after-work relaxation.

Although there is no air-conditioning, the indoor area is well-ventilated by a huge fan. You can also opt for outdoor seating by the riverside to enjoy the cooling breeze.

Drinks

Forget the traditional yum cha etiquette of pairing dim sum with tea. At Stacked, you can pair dim sum with alcohol! The drinks menu is extensive, with wines and beers, along with signature cocktails. Do take advantage of the 1-for-1 promotion on all house pours, beers and wine by the glass everyday before 9pm.

Asian mojito
S$16++

The beautifully garnished Asian mojito is a blend of lime juice, ginger, lemongrass and chilli padi. The distinct taste of the lime juice is overwhelming and somewhat obscures the rest of the ingredients. Having said that, it still makes a refreshing aperitif.

Honeydew melon beer
S$12++

The fruity beers are a must-try! These sweet-scented beers aren’t too intoxicating with just 4% alcohol. A popular choice amongst the ladies, the beers are available in two flavours: honeydew melon and lychee.

North Taiwan lychee beer
S$12++

The North Taiwan lychee beer is more favourable in terms of taste; the lychee and beer are harmoniously blended with a sweet fruity fragrance. For those who dislike the taste of beer, this potation may just convert you!

Lychee martini
S$12++

The lychee martini is decked out with a mountain of crushed ice. While it adds much visual appeal, the large amount of ice restricts sipping. When it melts, you’ll not be enticed with a bland mixture. Still, props for a tasty martini — mild, mellow and nicely sweet!

Stacked Singapore Sling
S$16++

Upon the first sip of the Stacked Singapore Sling, you will taste the sweet nectarous blend before the potent alcohol kicks in. Topped with cubes of nata de coco, you have something to munch on while enjoying this intoxicating drink!

Bloody Mary
S$12++

The Bloody Mary is a sure-fire hangover cure, consisting of a blend of spices, vodka and mainly tomato juice, garnished with a carrot stick and lemon. The diversity of ingredients is reflected in its taste — you either love it or hate it!

Bloody Mary fans, you can look forward to Stack’s Bloody Sunday promotion where the 1-for-1 deal on Bloody Mary lasts till 3pm.

Dim Sum

Get started with the dim sum classics, before venturing into the more creative options.

Steamed har kau (shrimp dumpling)
S$5.90++

Wrapped in a thin translucent skin, the pouch-shaped steamed har kau (shrimp dumplings) boast plump, springy prawns that are nicely seasoned.

Steamed creamy custard pau
S$5.90++

The steamed creamy custard pau has a soft bread texture — neither too dry nor tough, with a sweet and savoury egg yolk core.

The custard filling has a very enjoyable creaminess, although the texture is slightly sandy, probably due to the salted egg.

Cold tofu with citrus sauce
S$4.50++

The cold tofu with citrus sauce is quite forgettable. As interesting as the citrus sauce may sound, it does nothing to save the cold tofu from its blandness. You should leave stomach-space for better dishes.

Mildly spicy salted egg squid
S$12++

The mildly spicy salted egg squid is one of the highlights. Lightly battered and crispy, the well-seasoned squid is neither tough nor chewy — an addictive treat that should be enjoyed immediately upon being served.

Margherita dumplings
S$8.90++

The Italian-inspired Margherita dumplings are generously stuffed with mozzarella cubes, shredded basil and finely diced tomatoes in a crispy skin (albeit a little thick). The various ingredients add texture and provide well-balanced flavours.

Pesto scallop dumpling
S$8.90++

Crispy on the outside, starchy and redolent on the inside; the pesto scallop dumpling is served with mayonnaise, although it is quite delicious on its own. The bite-sized dumplings are so palatable you will find it hard to resist another serving!

Shredded duck dumpling
S$8.90++

The pan-fried shredded duck dumpling is lightly browned to a slight crisp, its skin yielding to a well-marinated filling. It is paired with a specially concocted hoi sin dip, a slightly sweet sauce that provides extra zing. Definitely a must-try!

Steamed chilli crab pau
S$8.90++

The steamed chilli crab pau has a fluffy and moist exterior with a delicious chilli crab filling. The flavours are robust and not too spicy, just enough to stimulate your appetite. Honestly, this is one of the tastiest chilli crab pau fillings I’ve tasted to date!

All the pau on the menu are available as steamed or fried options (and somehow everything tastes better fried!). The fried chilli crab pau is another hit.

Fried chilli crab pau
S$8.90++

The crab filling is identical, while the bun has been fried to a smooth golden brown crust. Take a bite of the chilli crab pau and you will be instantly reminded of the chilli crabs served with deep fried mantou at seafood restaurants. Only that this time round, you have all the elements in one single bun! How convenient is that?

Char siew pastry
S$5.90++

The char siew pastry has a sweet, tender and flavourful filling encased in a fragrant flaky skin.

Sichuan grouper fish dumpling
S$8.50++ for a basket of 5

On first glance, the layer of chilli oil on the Sichuan grouper fish dumpling may turn off health junkies. But given a try, the taste will win you over. Eating this proves to be an effortless affair; the dumplings are so soft, you barely have to chew at all.

Prawn cake asparagus
S$10.50++ for 3 pieces

The salted prawn cake asparagus is fried to golden brown, with a texture similar to that of fish cakes.

Stir-fried XO carrot cake
S$8.50++

For something more substantial, you can try the stir-fried XO carrot cake, albeit with a barely-there XO flavour. The fragrant carrot cake is evenly fried, each cube having a crispy crust and soft interior. Tossed with bean sprouts and eggs, this simple dish is slightly spicy and gratifying.

Stewed black sauce pork belly (served with steamed white bun)
S$9.50++

The stewed black sauce pork belly here is legit, with pork belly stewed to melt-in-the-mouth tenderness. Undeniably satisfying, this hearty classic will bring back nostalgic memories of grandma’s home-cooked meals.

Desserts

Sweet potato with red bean paste
S$7.90++

The sweet potato with red bean paste dessert has a mixture of the two ingredients encompassed in a golden crust. It is a little too oily but undoubtedly tasty. Worth a try, but anything more than a couple may leave you feeling jelat.

Mango sago with vodka
S$7.90++

Although the mango sago with vodka dessert is delicious by itself, you can choose to have it added with vodka. The drink is rich and made with actual real fruit, with the sago adding a touch of chewy fun.

With each order of the set platters, you also receive a complimentary pair of Stacked oriental fans.

As friendly as the waitstaff are, service is a little slow at times. Food-wise, it is certainly comparable to reputable dim sum restaurants. Stacked is an all-around good destination for a casual bite and a round of drinks by the Singapore River, where you can enjoy the breeze and people-watch in a squeaky clean environment.

Have Your Say!

Where can you enjoy the best dim sum in Singapore? Share with us in the comments!

Stacked Dim Sum Bar
60 Robertson Quay #01-13
Singapore 238252
Tel: +65 6836 4052 | Website

Opening hours:
Mon – Thu: 3:30pm – 11:30pm
Fri: 3:30pm – 1am
Sat: 1pm – 1am
Sun: 1pm – 11:30pm

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http://sparklette.net/food/the-better-burger/ http://sparklette.net/food/the-better-burger/#comments Mon, 29 Aug 2011 03:00:05 +0000 Melissa Koh http://sparklette.net/?p=1213

Burger fanatics would be pleased to know that a new burger joint, The Better Burger, has recently opened in Mohamed Sultan. Located in a district popular amongst clubbers, The Foundry — consisting of The Better Burger, Pizza Memoirs, Tiffin North Indian and Baan Khun Nai Authentic Thai Cuisine — caters to a wide audience.

The crowd gets livelier towards the evening, made up mostly of expatriates and party-goers who are keen to grab a quick bite before hitting the clubs. The laid-back setting also makes it a great location for family and friends to hang out and catch the live telecast of football matches on the large projector screen.

Being entirely alfresco, the open-air concept allows you to dine under the stars. On rainy days, the uniquely-designed awning will shelter you from the weather. The sound of raindrops even adds to the relaxed chill-out ambience!

While the burger menu is not extensive, with a choice of 8 beef burgers and 3 chicken burgers, you may still have a hard time picking one out from the enticing options.

Choose from options like the classic burger (S$11), the exotic Mexican Burger (S$13) or the Pesterella burger (beef S$13, chicken S$12). Every burger comes with lettuce and tomato, individualised by different ingredients and relish.

Heighten your burger with various top-ups: egg (S$1), cheddar (S$1), bacon (S$1.50) and premium portobello (S$3).

The sides available are TBB fries (S$5), calamari (S$10), cheesy chicken bites (S$8), buffalo wings (S$10 for 6 pieces) and the Better Basket (S$15) consisting of all the sides.

The Mexican burger comprises of Habanero spicy kidney bean salsa, sour cream, mayonnaise, iceberg lettuce and tomato; the fresh ingredients certainly score points!

Cheese bacon beef
S$13

Cheese lovers can have the cheese bacon beef, made up of cheddar, bacon, iceberg lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, gherkin and barbecue sauce, teamed with a nest of fries. The star of this burger is definitely the tender and juicy patty, made from air-flown Australian beef that is pounded daily. Every bite feels incredibly satisfying as delicious juices ooze out from the quality beef.

I must add that the buns are also outstanding! Toasted upon order, the fresh bun has a slightly crunchy crust that surrounds a light, airy and mildly sweet bread. The bacon, however, isn’t crispy like I anticipated, although it is tasty and adds another dimension to the burger. The fresh tomato is sliced thickly which improves the overall texture of the burger. The crispy fries are well seasoned and definitely worth raving about. They remain crispy even after sitting on the table for some time.

Although cutlery is provided, the best way to enjoy a burger is still with one’s hands! The portion is sufficient but not intimidatingly huge, although you will still need to work those jaw muscles.

Avocado bacon chicken burger
S$13

A healthier choice will be the avocado bacon chicken burger, comprising avocado purée, bacon, iceberg lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, chicken dressing, and slices of beetroot. A version with beef is also available on the menu for S$14.

The lightly battered chicken patty is made from skinless chicken breast, whose lower fat content will appeal to the health conscious. Even though a juicy chicken thigh would sound more appealing, the breast meat doesn’t lack in taste and isn’t as dry and tough as I have expected.

My favourite part is the avocado purée, which is not just nutritious, but also rich and tasty at the same time. The crunchy beetroot adds texture and colour that stains the mayonnaise beautifully. All the flavours compliment each other well.

To wash down those burgers, you can choose from a small selection of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla shakes (S$5 each), as well as an extensive list of alcoholic drinks.

The service is impeccable. One perk is that no GST charge is added to the menu prices.

With its namesake, you should expect nothing short of great burgers at The Better Burger. It is still new to the market, but given a few more years, you may be patronising one of the best burger joints in town.

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

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]]> http://sparklette.net/food/the-better-burger/feed/ 0 http://sparklette.net/food/pizza-memoirs/ http://sparklette.net/food/pizza-memoirs/#comments Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:00:11 +0000 Melissa Koh http://sparklette.net/?p=1197

Pizza Memoirs, situated along Mohamed Sultan Road, specialises in creative pizzas with unique themes.

Under The Foundry, an open-air concept that houses four different restaurants — The Better Burger, Tiffin North Indian, Tomatillos Mexican and Pizza Memoirs — you can enjoy western, Indian, Mexican and Italian cuisines all under one roof. Its entirely alfresco seating allows you to wind down and relax after being cooped up in the office all day.

What better place to enjoy good food coupled with live telecast of football games? A nice cold beer in one hand, and a slice of pizza in the other is just the perfect way to chill out with great company.

Other than the three specialty pizzas, Pizza Memoirs offer a selection of classic pizzas (S$15, S$20 and S$35 for 9-inch, 12-inch and 21-inch respectively), pastas (S$10-15), salads and soups (S$4-10).

You cannot leave this place without trying the specialty pizzas. They only come in the regular 9-inch size, but you may request for extra toppings for an additional S$3. With such creative names — Sweet Dreams, Taboo and Nightmare — they sure pique one’s curiosity!

For those who enjoy bolder flavours, Taboo and Nightmare would suit your taste buds. But for those with a lighter palate, you would enjoy the healthier option, Sweet Dreams.

Sweet Dreams pizza
S$22

Fresh from the oven, the humble looking Sweet Dreams resembles the classic Hawaiian pizza, comprising fish bak kwa (fish jerky) and sweet pineapples on a special miso mayo sauce base, topped with caramelised onions and mozzarella.

The dough is made from scratch daily with extra virgin oil, ensuring a fragrant and firm but light pizza base. There is a good contrast between the texture and sweetness from the crunchy pineapples and the savoury fish bak kwa.

You may be pleasantly surprised by the texture of the bak kwa. Unlike the typical bak kwa, its texture is more similar to otah.

Even though Sweet Dreams is the best seller among the three pizzas, I am slightly underwhelmed, possibly due to the high expectations I had. Perhaps the simplicity of this dish is meant to showcase the restaurant’s specialty product, the fish bak kwa, without overwhelming the entire pizza with other ingredients. It is definitely still worth a try.

Taboo pizza
S$18

The Taboo pizza comprises masala curry sauce, curry chicken, red chilli, mozzarella, sprinkled with fresh coriander and drizzled with fresh yogurt. The spice-loaded fragrance is temptation in itself, and the presentation very much appeals to my visual appetite.

Upon the first bite, I enjoy the crispiness of the crust, the intensity of the flavours followed by the creaminess of the cheese. Unlike other curry flavoured pizzas I’ve tasted in the past that are pretty dry, Taboo is moist with tender slices of chicken that did not dry out during the baking process. Tamed by the fresh yogurt, the heat is just right without being overly spicy.

The thickness of the pizza base is ideal. Although indicated as a medium crust, it is thin enough that I can still fill my stomach with more. I love how the crust remains crispy despite sitting on our table for some time.

Nightmare pizza
S$20

Do not be startled by the blackness of the Nightmare pizza. It is not burnt; the colour comes from squid ink! Nightmare comprises of squid rings, red chilli, a special black pepper sauce and mozzarella over a squid ink dough, sprinkled with fresh coriander.

Every bite is a burst of exotic and delicious flavours. The squid rings are tender; for those who tend to avoid squids due to their chewy texture, this would probably ignite your love for squids. The black pepper sauce ups the oomph factor, and the fragrance from the coriander makes the pizza so appetising.

This is one well-executed dish that I strongly urge you to try. A nightmare it certainly is not!

While the seats here may not be the most comfortable, the food and ambience is definitely good enough to keep you staying here till nightfall. It is a great dining experience and I am looking forward to more intriguing pizza creations.

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

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If this sounds familiar, that’s because its sister, Roast at One Rochester, first introduced this dining concept where parties of two or more can share a lovely meal together.

Apart from an indoor dining area, 1 Twenty Six is mostly a restaurant without walls. That means no air-conditioning, but you do get a nice sea breeze blowing in.

We love the tent canopy pavilion at One Rochester, and are pleased to see it here, too. With the surrounding foliage, outdoor pavilions and the sea nearby, this place boasts a resort-like ambience that makes a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Communal dining

The menu comprises entree platters, main courses, salads and desserts/cheeses.

Nibble Platter
Rating:

The Nibble Platter is an assortment of clams, cod brandade, soft shell crab, potato skins and Crudites (raw fresh vegetables).

The baby potato skins come with sour cream and ocean trout caviar. These are delightful!

The seafood items are even better. The soft shell crab is light and crispy, and goes perfectly with the chilli mayo dip. These steamed Vongole clams come with an interesting garlic and herb crumb. It’s the first time I have seen clams prepared this way, and they taste slightly sweet and delicious.

Grilled cod fillet
Rating:

To tie in with the seaside location, all the main courses are seafood. The grilled cod fillet is accompanied by a fresh fennel and blood orange salad. The boneless fillet tastes good drizzled with the sweet Beaujolais sauce, but is rather forgettable.

Spiced lamb shank
Rating:

For our other main course, the waitress allows us to go for the spiced lamb shank which is not on the communal dining menu. The meat is very tender and falls off the bone easily. The generous portion and the nice sauce makes this an extremely satisfying dish for meat lovers.

French fries, Broccolini and herb leaf salad
Rating:

Next comes the trio of French fries, Broccolini and herb leaf salad. These are not much to shout about, and kinda make me miss the cauliflower cheese gratin from One Rochester.

Artisan cheeses
Rating:

In the mood for some rich and moist cheese? End the meal with a platter of artisan cheeses served with muscat grapes. Alternatively, you can opt for the Grande Assiette, which is a selection of petite-sized desserts.

Fancy a drink or two?

There is a nice selection of wines here. Ladies would like the Jabolet rosé wine that has a nice shade of salmon pink and tastes of berries.

For the TWG Tea, they are served in single cups rather than pots, which seems to contradict the whole idea of communal dining.

What do you think of coastal dining? Are there other restaurants you would recommend for dining by the sea? Share with us in the comments!

1 TwentySix
Playground @ Big Splash
902 East Coast Parkway #01-26
Singapore 449874
Tel: +65 6348 2126 | Website
Service:

Opening hours: 6:30 – 11pm daily, 10am – 3pm (Sunday brunch)

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Just across the street from these two hotels lies the charming Nostalgia Hotel. With a name like that and its location in this historical neighbourhood, it would surely appeal to history buffs!

At the hotel lobby, you would find Potion, a restaurant-bar with alfresco dining and live bands on certain nights. This is one of those places that have caught my eye many times before. One fine afternoon, we hop in for a drink and seek quick reprieve from the sun.

With the beautiful ornate mirrors on the wall and the classic wooden furniture, there looks to be some sort of a 1930s Shanghai vibe going on here, don’t you think?

Check out the line of antiques on display, no doubt to tie in with the nostalgia theme. I love the blue tiffin carrier with its pretty floral design (tiffin is an old English word for a light lunch).

An old radio jukebox. Radio Ga Ga!

At the bar, black and white floral murals adorn the walls.

With the plush seats and cushions, the lounge area is perfect for a relaxing chit-chat session with girl friends over a couple of drinks.

Love the ambience and the old-fashioned nostalgia. Next time round we’ll be back to check out the food.

If you are a history buff yourself, another place that offers a similar vibe is the Singapore Heritage Restaurant in Chinatown.

Do you know more of such places? Share with us in the comments!

Potion
Nostalgia Hotel
77 Tiong Bahru Road
Singapore 168727
Tel: +65 6808 1818 | Website
Service:

Bus services: 5, 16, 33, 63, 75, 123, 175, 195, 851, 970, NR5, 195A
Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru

Opening hours: 11:30am – 3pm, 6-11pm

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   Matches shown: 7:30pm, 10pm and selected 2:30am matches
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    Tel: +65 6339 4290
    * There are more establishments at CHIJMES showing the matches. See the full listing of tenants and call to check if your favourite bar is broadcasting the games.
23. Malted Milk
    Matches shown: All
    Studio M Hotel, 3 Nanson Road Singapore 238910
    Tel: +65 6808 8888
24. Mana Mana East Coast | Website
    Matches shown: All
    1212 East Coast Parkway Singapore 449886
    Tel: +65 6339 8878
25. Modesto’s Restaurant | Website
    Matches shown: All
    - Orchard Parade Hotel, 1 Tanglin Road #01-09/10 Singapore 247905 | Tel: +65 6235 7808
    - The Elizabeth Hotel, 24 Mount Elizabeth #01-05 Singapore 228518 | Tel: +65 6736 2808
26. Muddy Murphy’s | Website
    Matches shown: All
    Orchard Hotel #B1-04, 442 Orchard Road Singapore 238879
    Tel: +65 6735 0400
27. Mulligan’s Irish Pub & Restaurant
    Matches shown: Check with staff
    Clarke Quay, 3C River Valley Road The Cannery #01-02A Singapore 179022
    Tel: +65 6305 6726
28. Overeasy | Website
    Matches shown: Schedule
    1 Fullerton Road Singapore 049213
    Tel: +65 6423 0701
29. The Penny Black | Website
    Matches shown: Schedule
    26/27 Boat Quay Singapore 049817
    Tel: +65 6538 2300
30. Per Se Bar & Kitchen | Website
    Matches shown: All
    Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Boulevard #01-06/07/08 Singapore 038596
    Tel: +65 6337 6300
31. Post Bar at The Fullerton | Website
    Matches shown: Schedule
    The Fullerton Hotel, 1 Fullerton Square Singapore 049178
    Tel: +65 6877 8135
32. Potion at Nostalgia Hotel | Website | Our review
    Matches shown: Check with staff
    77 Tiong Bahru Road Singapore 168727
    Tel: +65 6808 1818
33. Prego at Fairmont Singapore | Website
    Matches shown: 7:30pm and 10pm matches
    80 Bras Basah Road Singapore 189560
    Tel: +65 6431 6156
34. Re!Wine at Hotel Re! | Website
    Matches shown: All
    175A Chin Swee Road Singapore 169879
    Tel: +65 6827 8288 / +65 6827 8234
35. Sapore Italiano | Our review
    Matches shown: Schedule
    Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road #01-15 Singapore 179103
    Tel: +65 6333 4236
36. Scruffy Murphy’s | Website
    Matches shown: Schedule
    Marine Cove, 1000 East Coast Parkway B7 Singapore 449876
    Tel: +65 6449 7717
37. Smokey’s BBQ
    Matches shown: 7:30pm and 10pm matches
    73 Joo Chiat Place Singapore 427790
    Tel: +65 6345 6914
38. St. James Power Station | Website
    Matches shown: Check with staff
    3 Sentosa Gateway Singapore 098544
    Tel: +65 6270 7676
39. tcc | Website | Our reviews here, here and here
    Matches shown: Check with staff
    - 51 Circular Road Singapore 049406 | Tel: +65 6533 9033
    - Great World City, 1 Kim Seng Promenade #01-29 Singapore 237994 | Tel: +65 6737 3317
    - PoMo, 1 Selegie Road #01-02 & #02-25 Singapore 188306 | Tel: +65 6338 0520
40. Trattoria
    Matches shown: Schedule
    313@Somerset, 313 Orchard Road #01-16/17/18 Singapore 238895
    Tel: +65 6834 4833
41. Treetops
    Matches shown: Check with staff
    The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia, 7 Raffles Avenue Singapore 039799
    Tel: +65 6434 5288
42. Wala Wala Cafe Bar
    Matches shown: World Cup matches that start before 1am
    Holland Village, 31 Lorong Mambong Singapore 277689
    Tel: +65 6462 4288
43. Wine BOS | Website
    Matches shown: All
    17 Jalan Klapa Singapore 199329
    Tel: +65 6538 7886
44. Oriole Cafe & Bar | Website | Our review
    Matches shown: Schedule
    Pan Pacific Serviced Suites, 96 Somerset Road #01-01 Singapore 238163
    Tel: +65 6238 8348

Coffee art at Oriole Cafe & Bar

Mini Theaters

Screening Room

1. The Screening Room | Website
   Matches shown: Check with staff
   12 Ann Siang Road Singapore 069692
   Tel: +65 6221 1694
2. Resorts World Sentosa | Website | Our review
   Matches shown: Schedule
   8 Sentosa Gateway Singapore 098269
   Tel: +65 6221 1694
   A 300-seat viewing theatre with a giant screen as well as 72 television sets all over the resort are broadcasting the matches live.

Resorts World Sentosa

McDonald’s

Over 30 McDonald’s restaurants are open 24 hours and screening all the matches live. Find out if there’s one in your location!

1. Northpoint Shopping Centre
   930 Yishun Avenue 2 #01-02 Singapore 769098
2. Sun Plaza
   30 Sembawang Drive #01-19 Singapore 757713
3. Fajar Neighbourhood Shopping Centre
   445 Fajar Road #01-520 Singapore 670445
4. Ang Mo Kio Ave 3
   Big Mac Centre, 51 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 #01-04 Singapore 569922
5. Ang Mo Kio Ave 10
   448 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 #01-1693 Singapore 560448
6. Ang Mo Kio Ave 4
   163 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 #01-438 Singapore 560163
7. Bendemeer
   22 Boon Keng Road #01-01 Singapore 330022
8. Hougang
   208 Hougang Street 21 #01-318 Singapore 530208
9. Hougang Ave 8
   684 Hougang Avenue 8 #01-999 Singapore 530684
10. Sengkang Rivervale
    118 Rivervale Drive #01-32 Singapore 540118
11. Serangoon Ave 3
    267 Serangoon Avenue 3 #01-37 Singapore 550267
12. Toa Payoh Central
    600 Toa Payoh Lorong 4 #01-02 Singapore 319515
13. Toa Payoh Lorong 1
    109 Toa Payoh Lorong 1 #01-318 Singapore 310109
14. Queensway
    Ridout Tea Garden, 580 Queensway #01-580 Singapore 149066
15. Shaw Centre
    1 Scotts Road #01-03 / 08 Singapore 228208
16. Bedok Interchange
    Princess And Rajah Twin Cinema, 445 Bedok North Street 1 Singapore 469661
17. Bedok North
    539 Bedok North Street 3 #01-643 Singapore 460539
18. Bedok Reservoir
    632 Bedok Reservoir Road #01-850 Singapore 470632
19. Downtown East
    1 Pasir Ris Close #01-28A Singapore 519599
20. East Coast Parkway
    Marine Cove, Block A 1000 East Coast Parkway #2/4 Singapore 449876
21. Geylang East Central
    113 Aljunied Ave 2 #01-01 Singapore 380113
22. Kallang
    200 Stadium Boulevard Singapore 397801
23. Tampines Interchange
    513 Tampines Central 1 #01-150 Singapore 520513
24. Tampines Mart
    5 Tampines Street 32 #01-01 Singapore 529284
25. Tampines West Community Club
    5 Tampines Avenue 3 #01-07 Singapore 529705
26. Bukit Batok
    632 Bukit Batok Central #01-138 / 140 / 142 Singapore 650632
27. Chua Chu Kang Community Club
    35 Teck Whye Avenue #01-01 Singapore 688892
28. Farrer Road
    Serene Centre, 10 Jalan Serene #01-01 Singapore 258748
29. Superbowl Jurong
    1 Yuan Ching Road Singapore 618640
30. Jurong East
    256 Jurong East Street 24 #01-381 Singapore 600256
31. Pioneer Mall
    638A Jurong West Street 61 #01-01/02 Singapore 641638
32. West Coast Park
    71 West Coast Highway Singapore 126844

Community Clubs

Choa Chu Kang Community Club

Apart from the many neighbourhood coffee shops that would no doubt be screening the World Cup, here are 16 community clubs where you can watch the football matches. All the clubs can admit more than 100 people each, except Braddell Heights and Fengshan, which have smaller capacities of 80 and 90, respectively.

Most of these places sport two to three 42-inch television sets while the larger ones — Telok Ayer Hong Lim Green, Chua Chu Kang and Chong Pang can take 500 fans each — have installed large projector screens.

Also check out the list of match screenings at the various clubs.

1. Braddell Heights Community Club
   50 Serangoon Ave 2 #01-01 Singapore 556129
   Tel: +65 6288 1258
2. Cheng San Community Club
   6 Ang Mo Kio Street 53 Singapore 569205
   Tel: +65 6458 8222
3. Chong Pang Community Club
   21 Yishun Ring Road Singapore 768677
   Tel: +65 6758 8258
4. Choa Chu Kang Community Club
   35 Teck Whye Avenue Singapore 688892
   Tel: +65 6769 1694
5. Clementi Community Centre
   220 Clementi Ave 4 Singapore 129880
   Tel: +65 6778 1950
6. Eunos Community Club
   180 Bedok Reservoir Road Singapore 479220
   Tel: +65 6448 6971
7. Fengshan Community Club
   20 Bedok North Street 2 Singapore 469644
   Tel: +65 6449 5136
8. Gek Poh Ville Community Club
   1 Jurong West Street 74 Singapore 649149
   Tel: +65 6792 0095
9. Jurong Spring Community Club
   6 Jurong West Ave 1 Singapore 649520
   Tel: +65 6567 1374
10. Mountbatten Community Club
    35 Jalan Satu Singapore 399479
    Tel: +65 6344 7387
11. Sengkang Community Club
    2 Sengkang Square, #01-01 Sengkang Community Hub Singapore 545025
    Tel: +65 6312 5400
12. Tampines Central Community Club
    866A Tampines Street 83 #02-01 Singapore 521866
    Tel: +65 6785 8292
13. Telok Ayer Hong Lim Green Community Centre
    20 Upper Pickering Street Singapore 058284
    Tel: +65 6533 3260
14. Toa Payoh East Community Club
    160 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh Singapore 319380
    Tel: +65 6256 7601
15. Woodlands Community Club
    1 Woodlands Street 81 Singapore 738526
    Tel: +65 6368 9938
16. Zhenghua Community Club
    1 Segar Road Singapore 677738
    Tel: +65 6310 6702

SAFRA Clubs

1. Mount Faber Club
   2 Telok Blangah Way Singapore 098803
   Tel: +65 6278 6011
2. Jurong Club
   333 Boon Lay Way Singapore 649848
   Tel: +65 6686 4333
3. Toa Payoh Club
   293 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh Singapore 319387
   Tel: +65 6259 4000
4. Tampines Club
   1 Tampines Street 92 Singapore 528882
   Tel: +65 6785 8800
5. Yishun Club
   60 Yishun Avenue 4 Singapore 769027
   Tel: +65 6852 8200

Which team would you be rooting for in the World Cup 2010? Where would you be catching the matches? If we have missed any good venues, let us know in the comments!

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The up-and-coming C.Nai Hong Kong Cafe offer a few very attractive perks that help differentiate itself from the rest:

• Live band that plays Mandarin pop songs
• Live telecast of English football
• No service charges

Sound good? We think so, too! East Coast Park is fast becoming our favourite place to unwind (who doesn’t like the sun, the sand and the sea?) so we check out their outlet at Marine Cove. The restaurant is huge! Getting a table here poses no problem at all even during the evening chow hours.

Like Eighteen Chefs, making an order is fuss-free by means of jotting down the item numbers on the order sheet.

Fried carrot cake with XO sauce
S$5.50+
Rating:

The fried carrot cake looks and sounds super tempting on paper, especially when words like “secret recipe” and “XO sauce” are thrown in the mix. Gimmicky, but it works.

The carrot cake arrives as a stack of neatly cut cubes speckled with chilli pepper flakes. Contrary to most renditions of this dish that leave you feeling heavy and stuffed, this one is really light and tasty! Yup, this simple little snack has instantly won us over.

C.Nai Gold Medal Macau baked rice/spaghetti
S$13.80+
Rating:

For the baked pasta dishes, you can choose between spaghetti or rice. Ignoring its cheesy name, I go for the 3-in-1 baked spaghetti, which comprises (clockwise from top left):

- Pork chop with tomato sauce
- Seafood with cream mushroom sauce
- Portuguese chicken chop

I love baked pasta, but to be brutally honest, this is nowhere near as delicious as it sounds. The best part is the pork chop, whereas the seafood is too chewy and the chicken chop is bland. Let’s just say I’ve had better Portuguese chicken. It does come with a lot of cheese, which is great.

Then of course, there’s the mandatory Hong Kong-style milk tea for washing everything down.

“Si Mud” tea
S$2.30+
Rating:

This isn’t any regular milk tea, but one that is made by specially filtering tealeaves through a pantyhose or stocking! Before anyone goes “ew!”, the filter merely resembles a stocking and gives a tea a smoother texture. It’s the same way with which Ya Kun makes their coffee with a sock. That doesn’t sound so bad now, is it?

Sure enough, the tea is more thinned down, but no less fragrant, with a wonderful milky taste.

Iced milk tea float
S$3.90+
Rating:

For something more indulgent, go for the milk tea float with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Are you a fan of these casual Hong Kong cafés or do you prefer the more traditional dim sum teahouses? Which is your favourite? Share with us in the comments!

C.Nai Hong Kong Cafe Xpress East Coast Park

Marine Cove
1000 East Coast Parkway
Singapore 449876
Tel: +65 6444 0123
Service:

Bus services: 13, 16, 196, 401
Nearest MRT: Eunos

Opening hours: 11:30am – 12midnight (Sun-Thur), 11:30am – 3am (Fri & Sat)

C.Nai Hong Kong Cafe Xpress East Coast Road

C.Nai Hong Kong Cafe Far East Plaza

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With a name like Chili’s, you can be sure that the food is sizzling hot and packed with flavour!

Chili’s Grill and Bar, the casual dining restaurant chain originating from Dallas opened in Singapore in 2009, its 200th restaurant worldwide. It brings to town an expansive and diverse menu so diners can chow down on their signature fajitas, American favourites such as ribs and burgers, and Tex-Mex cuisine, while sipping on one of their margaritas.

The decor is Southwestern-America style and the atmosphere is vibrant and lively, with ample booth seats, a bar and flat screen TVs showing sports. As part of its tradition, every Chili’s restaurant also sports a single upside down photo. We try to eye-hunt it down whilst waiting for our food, but once the piping hot dishes arrive, we dive in and give up on the photo hunting. If you do find it, let us know!

Margarita grilled chicken
S$14.90++
Rating:

I am particularly excited to try the margarita grilled chicken, because it looks every bit like one of those colourful Tex-Mex dishes with refried beans and Pico de gallo I fell in love with during my last trip to Dallas. I have been trying to locate decent Mexican or Tex-Mex food in Singapore ever since and haven’t found any. Swensen’s did try once but flopped.

The slab of chicken breast is seasoned with margarita mix and grilled. This is served atop rice with crispy tortilla strips on a bed of black beans, and topped with Pico de gallo. I think there is supposed to be tequila in it but I haven’t tasted any.

A Mexican expatriate once told me there is no such thing as good Mexican or Tex-Mex food in Singapore. For a long time I had to agree with him. Well, Chili’s does not disappoint and this is by far the best taste I’ve had of Tex-Mex cuisine in a long while.

Chicken Crispers
S$19.90++
Rating:

Right off the chicken menu comes the Crispers. These are chunky strips of hand-battered chicken, served with sweet corn on the cob, a large portion of fries, and honey-mustard dressing. The chicken is tender, but pretty plain on its own. So do make full use of the dip, which is delicious and adds a lot of flavour.

For extra crispy and spicy Crispers, go for the honey-chipotle variety that is tossed in a spicy sauce.

The chocolate molten cake is highly recommended. This is similar to my favourite dessert, the chocolate lava cake. It is warm chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice cream, with a core of warm chocolate fudge filling.

On a return visit, I am definitely having a fajita and a margarita!

Chili’s
Tanglin Mall
163 Tanglin Road #02-23
Singapore 247933
Tel: +65 6733 3317 | Website
Service:

Bus services: 7, 75, 77, 105, 106, 111, 123, 132, 174, NR8, 174E
Nearest MRT: Orchard

Opening hours:
11am – 10pm (Sun – Thurs)
11am – 11pm (Fri – Sat)

View menu

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]]> http://sparklette.net/food/chilis/feed/ 18 http://sparklette.net/food/sapore-italiano/ http://sparklette.net/food/sapore-italiano/#comments Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:25:02 +0000 Veron Ang http://sparklette.net/?p=894 Sapore Italiano has opened on our island with style. Whether it’s espresso coffee in the morning, a pizza for lunch, or a nice after-work aperitivo (with a free buffet spread!), you can enjoy gourmet food all day long at the Raffles City Shopping Centre caffé-bar. Welcome to gourmet paradise!

Update on November 15, 2010: Sapore Italiano has moved to the National University Of Singapore along Bukit Timah Road.

With over 20 outlets worldwide, their goal is to spread Italian culture and provide diners with a true Italian experience. There are specially imported Italian beverages and authentic Italian food. Many of the staff are Italian. Even the flat-screen TV screens show Serie A football!

A meal here comprising various gourmet food reveals that this is so much more than just a bar.

Pizza

Order pizza! That is my first advice to any customer here. You can’t go wrong with the house specialty of Pizza SI SI, which is the squid ink pizza.

Pizza SI SI
S$22++

I’ve had black pasta before. As for black pizza, that’s definitely a first.

The pizza is smothered in a succulent tomato gravy with a good spread of seafood such as octopus, squid and prawn. The marvellous seafood flavour that fills the mouth bite after bite easily makes this the most enjoyable pizza I’ve ever had. Mmm… And that’s not all.

Check out how thin the crust is! Minimal carbs! Yes, you can indulge in this pizza without taking a guilt trip or ditching that Atkins diet.

Pasta

Tagliatelle Dello Chef
S$19++

The chef’s special pasta of tagliatelle with a mild-flavoured sauce comes with slices of chicken breast meat. The accompanying cheese wafer is crispy and delightful, and adds much taste to the dish.

Soup

Asparagus soup
S$12++

The chilly days ahead are the perfect occasion to warm up to some cream soup. The zuppa di asparagi is good comfort food. Instead of the usual bowl, it’s served in a tall glass! While the texture is mostly creamy smooth, some small chunks of asparagus remain intact, providing that characteristically tender chewiness.

Next, we sample the house brand coffee and specially imported cocoa, as well as the designer gelati.

Coffee

“Your cappuccino with one litre of milk and a bit of coffee — this is not cappuccino, it’s café latte,” says founder Pietro Mazza.

Well, I have to agree. I can’t really tell the difference between the cappuccino and café latte we get at most coffee chains. Can you?

Here, coffee addicts enjoy a wide range of fresh coffee from the house brand.

Marocchino
S$6++

The marocchino, not available elsewhere in Singapore, comes in a delicate glass cup. This is basically a shot of espresso coffee garnished with frothed milk and a light sprinkle of cocoa powder on top. The fresh coffee aroma certainly makes this a nice morning pick-me-up!

Gourmet Chocolate

For cocoa connoisseurs, a wide range of gourmet chocolate beverages from the Italian gourmet chocolate brand Cioccoliamo is available.

Gourmet chocolate
S$7-9++

There, cocoa in a cup! These come in 12 exquisite flavours including White Chocolate, Gianduja Chocolate and even Chocolate with Chili Pepper!

Gelati

Aside from the pizza, what I find most impressive on the menu is definitely the gelati that are made in-house. It’s not only the common gelato scoops that you can get here, but entire sculptures of culinary arts! Adorned with fruit slices or rocher, these look more like elaborate floral displays!

Chock-full with low-fat gelato and assorted fruits like kiwi, orange and strawberry, this is certainly more healthful than your typical ice cream dessert. Perfect for sharing with someone close!

Coppa Della Casa
S$20++

If you look closely, the pink gelato in this bowl of colourful delights has been shaped to resemble spaghetti. It reminds me of the spaghetti with meatball ice cream at Icekimo!

For more gelato art, check out these restaurant menu designs:

If we aren’t already stuffed, we would have gone for the Coppa Rocher, too. Filled with Rocher candies, it is every chocolate lover’s dream!

Aren’t these awesome? Every one of these gelato sundaes is so huge and impressive!

Abbondio soda drinks

Have you ever seen these cool soda drinks? They are from the Abbondio Vintage range, with soda labels featuring beautiful pin-up girls.

Colourful! And totally appealing to at least half the population in the world.

Aperitivo

One huge draw of Sapore Italiano is the free buffet spread of appetisers and finger food at Happy Hour (6-8pm daily). Feast on mini pizza, raviolis and fruit cocktails for free with any purchase of an alcoholic drink.

Now you know where to go for an authentic Italian experience!

Sapore Italiano
National University Of Singapore (NUS)
Li Ka Shing Building
469B Bukit Timah Road
Singapore 259771
Service:

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Recently I purchased the Harry’s card happily. It is perfect for the regulars (and for people that don’t really care which bar they go as long as it is a bar). The moment I handed over a crisp 50 dollar note, I got these:

1. A stylish card with $60 stored value. that means you get an instant extra 20 percent cash value to spend! It is a great deal for people that already patronise the bar.

Hot wings (8-piece)
S$15++
Rating:

2. A free side dish. we can choose from fries, wedges, hot wings, satay or nachos.

I recommend the 8-piece hot wings. They are lightly spiced and come with a super shiok sambal chilli. I’m impressed that a Western bar can whip up such a delicious sambal, a feat more commonly achieved by hawker stalls and nasi lemak eateries!

3. A free bottle of Harry’s premium lager — made in New Zealand. By default I’m a fan of Stella Artois or Hoegaarden. This is my first experience with Harry’s house brand and I’m surprised to find that I actually like it! The taste is a little sweet and sour, and not bitter. Apparently it is also low in calories and carbohydrates.

Normally I shun all kinds of clubs and membership cards that try to lock you in to their business. But in this case I am already a regular patron of Harry’s Bar. With or without the card I am still a paying customer. Now, each time I top up the card I get an extra 20 percent cash value. Ie. Pay $10 and get $12 to spend. Not bad a deal eh?

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Banana Leaf at Pub Street, Siem Reap, Cambodia

This new season I am looking out for interesting places to watch soccer. Maybe even compile a list that fellow EPL enthusiasts would find useful!

If you have any to share, please leave a comment with the following:

1. What is your favourite team?
2. Where do you watch soccer?

I look forward to your responses!

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Along the way we passed through long stretches of forested areas and grasslands with cows a-grazing, interrupted only by the occasional small clusters of houses and stalls.

The hour-long journey provided a window into the everyday life in this poorer side of the town. The man resting in his hammock. The mother, draped in only a towel, calling for her children. Cows that were so skinny, their ribs protruded through their skin.

Then there were the children bathing in the river, and in one heartwarming moment waved to us jubilantly as our tuk-tuk whizzed past. The life here may not be lavish, but it sure is idyllic, simple and carefree.

Arriving at Banteay Srei, we were surprised at how small it was. Until then, all the temples we had seen were huge; they made Banteay Srei appear tiny in comparison.

But what allows it to shine among the sea of Angkorian giants is its colours and the exquisite beauty of its wall carvings.

Literally every available surface has been carved with intricate details. How remarkable!

Banteay srei was constructed in 967 A.D., which means it is one of the oldest standing temples in the ruins of Angkor!

The temple is built with red sandstone that gives it its beautiful pinkish hues. The name “citadel of beauty” is indeed well-coined! In my opinion, this is the prettiest temple we’ve seen in Angkor.

Our next stop was Ta Som, a 12th century temple that appeared to be falling apart at the seams. Wooden beams had to be propped up against the walls to lend support.

The temple also offers very classic photo opportunities that more than make up for its small size. It didn’t take long before we found them.

One of the entrance gates is carved with four faces, similar to those we saw at the bayon. But the most exciting part is actually this:

A whole ficus tree growing on the roof, with roots cradling the temple before finally reaching the ground! How long would it last before the temple collapses under the weight of that massive tree? It serves as a grim reminder that we can only borrow from the earth for so long. Eventually, everything returns to earth.

Here’s a rather shoddy video that I took of this incredible sight, too. It’s a little bumpy as I was trying not to stumble over the rocks.

Following in the shadow of two amazing temples, neak pean, our next stop, appeared dull in comparison.

Vehicles were not allowed to be driven in. We had to walk a long way on foot before finally arriving at this dreary sight:

The small temple was built on a round artificial island, surrounded by four connected ponds representing earth, water, fire and wind. Unfortunately the ponds had all dried up.

Unless those pools are filled with water, this is one place I wouldn’t recommend visiting. There really isn’t much to see! Our time would be better spent at the next temple — the nearby preah khan.

Preah khan is one mega-temple that is super big, and with much to see!

Surrounded by a moat, the way into the temple grounds is via a causeway, lined by naga-carrying deities on either side.

Preah khan, whose name means “sacred sword”, was built in 1191 A.D.. The king jayavarman VII dedicated it to his father. (he also dedicated a great temple to his mother. And we visited it once we’re done with this one.)

During the reconstruction of his permanent home in Angkor Thom, the king lived in preah khan briefly.

The temple also functioned as a Buddhist university. In its heyday, there were 97,840 attendants and servants, including 1000 dancers and 1000 teachers!

Back then, this wealthy institution must have been a marvellous sight. Sadly, it’s overrun with vegetation today. Now, what is it with all these trees growing in odd places?

Our precious last hour in Angkor had been reserved for Ta Prohm, famously known as the Tomb Raider temple. Yes, that’s the Angelina Jolie movie :)

The king founded the temple in 1186 A.D. And dedicated it to his mother. Like preah khan, this was a site of vast riches.

According to inscriptions, more than 12,500 people, including 18 high priests and 615 dancers, lived here.

When the Khmer empire collapsed in the 15th century, Ta Prohm was left in a state of abandonment for centuries. CENTURIES! I wonder how the person, whoever he was, felt when he discovered it after so long.

Roots of tall silk-cotton trees can be seen snaking through the ruins and hugging different parts of the temple.

I didn’t notice any sign that Tomb Raider was ever filmed here. Well, I don’t actually know what I was looking for. But with so much of it in a collapsed state, it’s hard to believe that this place had once been the filming location of a big hollywood movie.

(I’ll recap in my final Siem Reap post on which temples are the must-visits. This is one of them.)

With that, we said our last goodbyes to the ancient city of Angkor. It’s time for some r&r at Pub Street!

The night before, we had already set our eyes on banana leaf pub. We were attracted by the alfresco dining, and their big projector screen that screen live soccer matches!

The waiters were friendly and super attentive. We were handed wet towels, and cute little skewers of chicken balls to snack on! Don’t they look like the Japanese’s dango?

That totally set us in the mood for meat skewers.

Meat skewers
Rating:

The first thing we went for were the assorted meat skewers. While the restaurant boasts exotic crocodile meat, we made sure our skewers were the conventional chicken and beef types. They were great! The accompaniment of the mayonnaise was a tad weird though.

Chicken wings
Rating:

When catching a live game, it should be enjoyed with drinks and bar-type food like chips and, of course, chicken wings! I like that the meat had been “pushed upward” so that they went off the bones easily. They may look less pretty, but I’m all for hassle-free dining.

Fried spring rolls
Rating:

The fried spring rolls were very nice too.

At the sign of the first raindrops, the waiters hurriedly extended the roof so that we wouldn’t get wet. By the time it started pouring, we were kept completely dry, and thanked our lucky stars that it didn’t rain while we were traipsing through the ruins.

Chocolate mousse
Rating:

So finally, and I mean FINALLY, the match ended and the Premier League 2008/09 champion was decided! Glory glory man united! We celebrated with some chocolate mousse! Life’s great!

Banana Leaf
Pub Street
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Tel: +855 063 964 813
Service:
www.angkorw.com

Opening hours: 10am ’til late

With all of that and the chocolate and the wine, it was a wonderful way of ending a fantastic day, and trip overall. We were due to fly home in the early morning.

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Being the thrifty travellers that we were, we commuted on the skytrain and MRT (two separate lines) or walked whenever possible. At times we did wander around like lost souls, and depended on the helpful locals to point us in the right direction. While trying to locate Chokchai Prime Steak House, a place I came across online, we even mistakenly combed Soi Cowboy, a red-light district area!

Once we found Prasanmit Plaza, identifying the steakhouse with its prominent rock exterior was a breeze. The waiters wore suits, although the restaurant did not appear to be particularly posh. There was even a wild wild west theme in place.

Carnivores can indulge in stuff like buffalo wings and various kinds of meats. We were rather disappointed by the sight of the plain wings that arrived at our table.

I guess not everyone can do wings like Jerry’s! This was considered a main course rather than a side dish, and came with fries.

On their own, the wings tasted every bit as bland as they looked. But the two different spicy dips served alongside totally saved the day! One was the traditional sweet Thai chilli sauce. The other was a thick sourish chilli paste. The Thais really know their spices, and we love to eat them just as much!

The beef steaks came in either the usual plain slabs or cooked in a sauce, like the hot and spicy one we had. It’s pretty good, and was beautifully garnished and served with rice, strangely.

There’s even a whole page on the menu that gives diners a crash course on the various types of steak and the pros and cons of each. Perfect for a steak idiot like me!

I’m not sure about the other meats, but the beef here actually came from their very own farm, Farm Chokchai! It’s pretty cool — you can go there for a farm stay and learn to make ice cream, presumably with milk from their cows! That’s going straight into the itinerary for my next Bangkok trip!

As I was nursing a sore throat at that time, I ordered a chicken steak with honey. The portion was ample and the chicken was just okay, mostly because I’m no big fan of honey. The checkered pattern on it was a nice touch though :) and that’s that for our meal at Chokchai Steakhouse.

Chokchai Prime Steak House
Prasanmit Plaza
45 Sukhumvit Soi 23
Bangkok 10110
Thailand
Tel: +66 0 2259 9596
Service:
www.farmchokchai.com

Our next stop was the new Manchester United Restaurant and Bar in Bangkok. (There’s one in Singapore, too.) We are both die-hard fans. So when we first knew of this restaurant, we couldn’t wait to check it out. It would be so, so awesome to catch a game there!

The place is located on the ground floor of the President Palace Hotel. As the hotel has yet to open for now, some taxi drivers may not know the place. A good tip is to print out the address, preferably have it in Thai script as well, and show that to the driver. We adopted this practice for all the not-so-famous places that we wanted to go.

The restaurant is rather big, decked out in the club colours of red and black.

Near the entrance is where you’ll find the merchandise section. There are jerseys, t-shirts, bags, caps and scarves. Some other items such as glasses, coasters and cushions that are in use within the restaurant are sold here too. We bought a t-shirt with a silver crest that we had never seen in Singapore! I would have gotten a tote bag too if it wasn’t so darn expensive.

The ceiling at the bar counter has the club’s name in changing colours.

On one side of the wall fans can admire the black and white photos of players from past to present.

I also spotted a couple of signed jerseys that were framed and displayed proudly. One was of David Beckham, the other, Ruud van Nistelrooy, both who were once great united players.

Wish I had gotten a picture of the Rooney jersey too!

The private VIP room can accommodate larger groups, with karaoke facilities and its own washroom.

In that washroom I spy this framed montage picture of the four great #7′s — George Best, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo! In the past four decades, has there ever been a united player that wore the #7 jersey and wasn’t spectacular?

The menu consists of a variety of Asian and Western dishes. There’s even nasi lemak! That’s probably because the owner is Singaporean.

We ordered crab and lobster bisque, quesadillas and a couple of pasta dishes. With the exception of the seafood bisque, the food was pretty much abysmal (a word I first learned from playing Championship Manager football).

But that’s okay. We weren’t there for the food anyway. But it definitely was a delight to use the fancy United napkins and coasters, and serviettes in red and white!

Besides the giant projector screen in the alfresco dining area, the restaurant also has multiple LCD screens. And when the game started, that’s when our (and many other fans’) nightmare began.

We soon realised that despite the many screens available, only a handful of these were hooked up to show live matches. The rest were simply replaying past matches. That’s not a big issue, although it sure would be nice if all the screens were tuned in to the game.

But here comes the real nightmare. The live feed is streamed directly from the — get this — internet! For a place that claims to be an official sports bar of Manchester United, can’t they at least subscribe to a decent cable channel?

Imagine watching a stretched and disproportionate youtube video on a large widescreen LCD. That’s exactly what it’s like. The video was so horribly pixelated that you can’t even see the jersey numbers, and the right portion was cropped off. The worst thing is that the streaming lagged horrendously, paused frequently and even stopped for MINUTES at certain points. When Ronaldo took his direct free kick, the video stopped at the precise moment where his foot touched the ball! We never got to see how that played out. You could hear all the boos in the room.

We left barely 20 minutes into the game. It was an utter disappointment and calling this place a disgrace to Manchester United wouldn’t be too harsh a word. The feeling of being in a United-themed restaurant was nice. But the experience of catching the game there completely sucked.

Manchester United Restaurant and Bar
President Palace Hotel
Sukhumvit Soi 11
Bangkok 10110
Thailand
Tel: +66 0 2651 2933
Service:
www.mufbthai.com

Has any of you been to the United bar in Singapore? I would love to hear your feedback!

We did find some funny moments in the taxi ride on our way back to our hotel. This sign was pasted prominently at the back of the two front seats. It’s so in your face you can’t even ignore it! Is it just us or does it really mean “no farting”? Lol!

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Of late, our favourite watering hole for catching live telecasts is harry’s bar. what’s yours?

Special Jumbo Platter
S$26++
Rating:

We love Harry’s Bar for the friendly service, and the fact that it’s not perpetually crowded like most bars, so it’s pretty easy to find seats with a good view of the television. That’s the whole point right? As a bonus point, we also love the great bar food, most specifically the special jumbo platter filled with all the calorific deep-fried goodness that adds to the overall enjoyment of watching a game.

Finger food platters are typically not what you would consider “good food”. Whether we’d admit it or not, we would all love to indulge in deep-fried food once in a while. Even in the arena of junk food, there is still the “good” and the “bad”. And in this case, this is definitely 5-star (or on Sparklette’s meter, 5-drumstick) junk food. Haha am I making sense so far?

Calamari Rings
Rating:

Breaded calamari rings are my favourite appetiser. Having had my fair share of tiny rings in other places, I find the ones here gigantic! Each one is a 3-inch diametre easy! (although it certainly isn’t easy fitting each one into my mouth.) the texture isn’t chewy like rubber. It also helps that the mayonnaise sauce tastes good.

Samosas
Rating:

A surprise find on the platter is the samosa. As a fan of Indian food, I certainly have no complaints! It is crispy and not too oily. Just don’t expect to have it with chutney over here though!

Fish Fingers
Rating:

Oh I love the fish fingers! You get nice smooth fish flesh underneath the light, crispy breading, and — best of all — none of the stale fishy stench! Enjoy it with the delicious dip of Thai sweet chilli sauce and you’re all set :)

Prawn Wantons
Rating:

Another surprise find is the prawn wantons. Biting into a wanton (each one encased in a thin translucent skin) reveals a plump and juicy prawn. Wow! Like I mentioned above, this is good-quality stuff.

Chicken Wings
Rating:

The chicken wings are average, but no decent bar food platter would be complete without it. Something else you would find on the platter are the fluffy potato wedges. None of the cheap French fries, mind you.

Now imagine having all this with a nice cold beer while catching a live telecast of a soccer game. Ain’t that a perfect way to chill out on a weekend evening?

Update: for more value, get the harry’s card.

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