Haagen's Chocolate Tree Sundae

I claimed my Free-Sundae voucher at its very last moment of validity. A two-scoop takeaway meticulously embellished with whipped cream, strawberries, chocolate sticks and a fudge drizzle (bonus from a 2-pint purchase through some Fairprice promotions). I picked Summer Berries & Cream to go with that Dark Chocolate flavour... which turned out splendid compared to the intensively sweet former. No more summer berries for me next time.

Sizzle & Bulk up

Being confined to the north area (in convenience to pick grandma from her eye clinic) for dinner, Dad suggested Sizzler at Toa Payoh central. This place works with a complimentary-saladbar-with-every-order system, or you could opt for just the salads ($16.99) like Sis if you are in no capacity to tackle any main courses.


Cream of Mushroom Soup

We would never miss this sizzler classic, especially sis. Although there were no sign of real mushrooms blended in the soup base itself, they scored well with a relatively rich creamy broth with huge funghi slices.


Garlic Toasts


Assorted Salads

Salad, by principle the highlight here. I never fail to pile my plate with heaps of blanched broccoli, mixed greens and especially their green papaya thai salad! Fine shreds of crunchy papaya tossed with a spicy dressing and chopped peanuts. Asianly good.

Other items offered included nachos, cajun potatoes, fruits, icecream, singaporean fried noodles, and linguine with tomato sauce. Try practising your creativity and you create some fun concoctions- just like how i topped cream soup over linguine to substitute the tomato puree.


Mushroom Cream Linguine


The Sirloin ($25.99)

For mains, Dad had steak while Mum and i picked the salmon. His medium-well done steak (headed with a yellow indicator) comes with a baked potato which went to sis, who topped it off with spring onions and corn from the bar.


Grilled Salmon ($24.49)

I'm afraid my previously crowning of the "best salmon steak" shook. This time it the crisp surface failed to impress and the flesh was dry. Thankfully, the yakitori sauce and tasty buttered rice remained.


Vanilla Softserve

I cannot leave without having fresh fruits (huge cuts of papaya) and their softserve. 2 servings of self-dispensed swirls in a cone, not too creamy in texture but made a passable calcium boost.

Sizzler
Blk 190 Toa Payoh Lor 6
#02-516 (Above the KFC)

The CaffeBar 4

Back to the CaffeBar for lunch again- the unfailingly enjoyable place for afternoon sessions. Because Dad had loaned out his privilege card, i thought it was more worth having the sets since they were non-applicable for discount.


Cuppuccino


Vegetable Soup with Walnut Bread

This clear broth swimming with a few chunks of carrots and onions is on the salty side so i still prefer their cream soups. Those walnut bread as soup dippers are part of our norm and a must-have.


Linguine Vongole ($18.80)

Dad finally had a chance to try their vongole. On our previous visit he met with an unsuccessful attempt as they refused to serve the unfresh clams on hand. Quality control enforced. Not bad but not the best, he says.


Panfried Seabass Arrabiatta ($19.80)

I decided to take a short break from salmon and hit on a different fish this time. Two slabs of tender seabass, soft to the bite and submerged in a spicy brothy stock. The arrabiatta sauce could get choky sometimes but the buttered fennels were a good touch- sip it with english breakfast and it becomes more cleansing. Quite a palatable dish.

Dad left the meal before i could finish mine so i took my time to rummage all the pieces of bread and lastly called for bill. Another happy lunch (:

O ChaCha

O ChaCha, the matcha latte people.

It is amusing how these words contradicted in nature; that hilarious-sounding name seriously needed some professional subtitle to back up. Yes one of a brand new face emerging admidst the Raffles City extension, to my delight, is a bold venture into japanese green tea and its relative associates.



Somehow i got enlightened; O-Cha means green tea in Japanese and Cha is tea in Chinese. So the coming together of the two cultures marries tradition and creativity into a matcha latte story to win the heart of tea lovers. Like me & dad.

One weekend we sat in for doses of matcha goodness, beverage concoctions and a couple of tea-based desserts. The service staff were friendly in recommending the various drinks, doing much help for my fickle character.


Matcha Latte ($4.80)

The hot version i had (i feel better than Dad's iced one) was something out of the ordinary. Taste premium with this soothing green hue infused with creamy milk froth. Not hard to lap up at all.


Matcha Sesame Cake ($4)

The next wonder found beared much ooh-ing factor. A delicious assemble of fluffy sponge, rich cream and a hint of candied red beans were well-alternated were and matched cohesively in the mouth. Not oversweet too.


Matcha Financier ($1.80)

Dad picked a less enticing dessert which he personally enjoyed. It looked like a slab of dense flat cake but was served warm with a touch of whipped cream and almond flakes by the side.

We were won over. This specialisation is worth a try and probably a revisit.

OChaCha
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-44F Raffles City

Seah Street Deli

Excellent service guaranteed. Nowhere else can be better, really. First, the indian waiter recognised us and offered our previous seat (which we politely declined because it was too cramped), then i had an automatic refill of HOT water, without any request needed. Food was up to mark and we had 50% off with Dad's Feed at Raffles card.

What can beat all that?


Lox, Stock & Bagel ($14.95)

Again i got the bagel changed to grilled rye bread, lightly toasted on one side and still difficult to cut and chew. The taste was oddly sourish but filled with quality ingredients... fresh wide rolls of smoked salmon, onion rings, caper seeds, tomatoes & butterhead lettuce.

What a fine dish of those things i love. Beside it were cubes of cream cheese and my choice of coleslaw.


Pork Burger ($16.95)

Dad's burger arrived in two deconstructed halves, one side topped with veggie inserts while the other highlighted with a patty, cheese and bacon strips. That round meaty clump looked reddish but cooked just right and juicy with hot fried served aside.

He also ordered an Earl Grey tea ($6) of a fine-tasting brand he happened to encounter in Prague. Good quality food, good service & good value all under one roof.

Ramen Santouka

Ramen fans out there now have another reason to be happy.

This new hotspot in The Central have been creating a buzz with significant origin from Hokkaido. A small blooming business, hidden around the corner of Grains, proved success with its true blue Nipponya-speaking lady manager and bowls of ramen so.. satisfying.

You know, those which gets you patting your tummy after the meal and exclaiming "i'm so satisfied!" or "more soup please!".


Miso Ramen ($12)

The latter applies for my sister.

Both of us made a coincidental grab of the same thing- a delectable broth properly controlled in sodium yet not holding back in any necessary flavour of miso. The roasted white sesame seeds also lifted much fragrance. Mind you, this is addictive (sis slurped it to the very last bit).

Apart from the soup, the other aspects bearly displayed any mind-blowing factors. Those pale curly noodles, neither too smooth nor springy, were far from the Miharu's whilst the Charsiu had alternate layers of meat and fat so cohesively difficult to handle.


Shio Ramen ($12)

Dad went for "salt-ramen", where the whitish soup beared a distinct salt flavour. Our extra egg orders came in small petite dishplates with sauce; cooked to the semi-soft standard but lousily seasoned.


Tamago ($1)


Gyoza ($5)

The main plus factor of their gyozas was the absolute non-greasyness. While the skin came soft and tender, the juicy meat fillings were overwhelmed with chives there seemed to be nothing crisp about them at all.

All in all, this is a good ramen find. Just be prepared for queueing.

It is quite a wonder to see a sudden influx of Ramen outlets sprouting out all over our little island, if you had noticed. And it is pleasing to know that Singaporeans have somehow picked the nippon ramen culture to keep those stalls running. Now whenever Miharu becomes too overwhelming for my tastebuds, i can easily opt for Santouka, Ichiban Tei, or even Baikohken. And with such flavoursome ramen found everywhere, why would the bland chinese La Mian retain its charm anymore?

Give me a bowl of Ramen over La Mian anytime, even if it comes at the expense of cultural roots erosion.

Ramen Santouka
6 Eu Tong Sen Street
#02-76 The Central

-FAST FORWARD-

Due to a lack in time to cover all the previous posts, i shall bring the updates forward to the recent ones. will continue to upload the past entries whenever i have the time (:

cheers,
elaine