Sho Teppan @ ION Orchard

Although Sho Teppan has opened on the 1st day of ION Orchard operations, I never really had any desire to try it. Perhaps it looked like another average teppanyaki restaurant with lot's of smoke floating around in the restaurant.

However, we were out of new choices at ION. Hence, we decided to give Sho Teppan a try.



As we entered, we saw diners sitting around counters. Each had an individual metal pot infront of them. And there were lot's of smoke. And the smell lingers on your clothes long after you leave the restaurant. So those who intends to shop around after dinner should be careful while eating here.



The hot pots were warmed with induction cooking. Very easy to use. Just press the On/Off button, then the up and down button to increase or decrease the heat. P1 is the lowest heat while P3 and above is the maximum.



I have no idea why is there an hour glass here. Perhaps for those who ordered rice or grilled meats?



We each had a Sukiyaki set. First 2 pots full of vegetables and soup was placed infront of us. Wait for the soup to boil before adding the meat.



Lot's of crunchy veges such as mushrooms, chinese cabbage, carrots, tofu, leeks etc.



Black Angus beef set (S$14.90). The beef was very tender after cooking in the soup. In fact you can leave the beef in the soup and it won't get tough.



Marbled pork set (S$13.90). The pork was good too, but I prefer the Black Angus beef. By the way, they also had other cuts such as Wagyu beef, layered pork, chicken, scallops and salmon sets too for the Sukiyaki.



Each set came with a bowl of rice, salad and raw egg. Some prefer to dip the cooked meat in the raw egg before eating. But I prefer my egg cooked, so for my case, I will first cook all the meat in the soup, then add the egg inside and eat the egg on its own. A note on the soup. It is quite salty and flavourful. More like a watered down gravy then soup.



Also had a glass of pineapple juice which I almost could not finish.

Overall, I enjoyed the food here. But hope they can improve on the ventilation system because I still smell like a pot of sukiyaki hours after leaving the restaurant.


Sho Teppan
2 Orchard Turn
#B3-19
ION Orchard

Noble House @ UIC Building

I remembered I first went to Noble House at UIC Building along Shenton Way back in the early 90s when I attended a wedding dinner.

My impression of the place, which I believe is the same for many others, is that the interior looks like a themed restaurant with the colourful facades of shophouses acting as walls in the restaurant.



The restaurant underwent a minor renovation not too long ago, but the colourful shophouses wall remains. And if my memory serves me well, another Tung Lok restaurant in East Coast (think Paramount) also has similar designs.

Nowadays on weekend afternoons (which are usually very empty), you will see foreigners (especially from US or Europe) having their lunches here which is part of their package tour to Asia.



It's the Chinese New Year season still. And sliced Bak Kwa was served as appetizer. A mixture of spicy and original Bak Kwa.



I really like this Yellow Wine Chicken Soup with Ginger . Unlike the version at Shin Ye Taiwan restaurant where the taste is skewed more to the bitterness of the yellow wine, the version here still retains the strong taste of the Yellow Wine, but in a less bitter manner. The chicken has already been deboned and only thigh meat are selected to be added again into the soup after processing the chicken. And lot's of sliced ginger inside too.



Ordered an assortment of Dim Sum. Siew Mai (S$4.80 for 4) was my favourite. The prawns and pork were flavourful and crunchy.



The Chee Cheong Fun with Scallops and Asparagus (3 for S$5.50) was a little let down as in the scallops were far and few. And the scallops did not taste sweet.



On the other hand, the Crispy Prawns Dumplings (3 for S$4.80) were good. Especially with the mayo.



The Dried Scallop Seafood Har Kow (3 for S$4.80) was served lukewarm, which I did not fancy.



I find the standards of Char Siew Bao (3 for S$4.80) pretty good and acceptable to me. The char siew paste were not too sweet. And the skin was fluffy and soft.



Still not full, we ordered this Pan fried ribeye beef with noodles (similar to Mee Sua). The beef was tender and flavourful. The noodles which resembles our Mee Sua, was said to be a noodle from Japan. But I had forgotten the Chinese name of the noodles.



Every meal at Tung Lok ends with our special Dessert - Cream puffs + fruit juice.

If you are trying to find a Chinese restaurant in the CBD which is not overly priced I will suggest Noble House. But of course the standards here are good, but not the best.


Noble House
5 Shenton Way
#06-13
UIC Building

Waffletown @ Balmoral Plaza

Due to my course of work, this is my 3rd (or 4th) time visiting Waffletown.



According to media reports, Waffletown was introduced into the secret country of North Korea earlier last year by the owners of the Singapore franchise holder of Waffletown. Apparently, many North Koreans love the fried chicken, burgers and waffles from Waffletown. So much so that a 2nd outlet will be opened this year there in North Korea.



Wanted to have something savoury, so ordered the ham and waffles set. Each set came with a serving of butter and syrup. The ham was nothing to shout about, but I like the waffles. The waffles were crispy on the outside and soft inside.



Pity that they did not serve it with real maple syrup. But this sugar syrup and SCS butter was good enough for me. Was told last time they used REAL maple syrup and lurpak butter. Guess the economic crisis have resulted in the removal of maple syrup to a more economical breakfast syrup.

Saw quite a few people having their fried chicken. I remembered having their fried chicken a few years back, and wasn't impressed by the quality. Not sure if they are now using a special North Korean recipe for their chickens. hehehe


Waffletown
271 Bukit Timah Road
#01-02
Balmoral Plaza

Jang Shou Korean Charcoal BBQ @ Esplanade Mall

Compared to Japanese food, Korean food is still not as popular here in Singapore. Most Singaporeans only know few Korean dishes like Bibimbap, Hot Plate Beef / Chicken / Pork and of course, Korean kimchi noodles soup (which is actually cooked with Nong Shim's instant noodles).



On the eve of Chinese New Year Eve, danieru弁～～V(^o^)V and myself had a reunion of sorts at Jang Shou Korean BBQ at Esplanade before watching the fireworks at the River Hongbao opening. danieru弁～～V(^o^)V had been here before, so I am quite confident the food here is of good quality.

Once you have placed your order, the service staffs (mostly mainland Chinese staffs) will push a trolley to your table and unload all these side dishes. Most were quite nice. I like the coleslaw salad, pasta salad, kimchi, and a few of the vegetable dishes. The kimchi is refillable and refill of the other side dishes is limited to only 1 dish of your choice.



We were also given a huge plate of this onion dish. When queried, the waitress said the sauce base was made of soya sauce and sugar. But I sense there is more to this sauce. It is a wonderfully refreshing dish. The sauce tasted like the Hong Kong steam fish sauce. Together with sliced onions, it went well as a refresherner inbetween all the grilled meat.



We are both beef eaters. Do decided to go for the all beef meal. Had the beef brisket and prime beef ribs.

By default, the waitress will grill the meat infront of you. But if you decide to be adventurous, you can also grill the meat yourself.

The waitress was fast in grilling, and within minutes, we were on our way to the beef heaven. The beef brisket, which was not marinated prior to grilling, had a tender and chewy texture. Dip the sliced meat in the special salt sauce mixture and enjoy the original taste of the grilled meat.



Alternatively, add the meat in between crunchy vegetables and add some chilli paste.



I love their prime beef ribs. I am no beef expert but one look and I know the meat is of excellent quality. The ribs here are without bones, and they have been marinated overnight in a special sauce.



Finally they are done. The ribs are very tender and flavourful. No sauce is needed because of the overnight marination.



Also ordered a pot of kinchi cassarole. Enough to feed 4 diners but good for 2 hungry dudes, we slurped up every drop of the spicy soup. Other than fresh vegetables and mushrooms, there are lots of sliced pork meat and korean rice cakes inside.



The waitress did not mix the soup well. So I got a bowl full of pork slices while danieru弁～～V(^o^)V got a bowl full of Korean rice cakes. Still, there was enough for the 2 of us. Really enjoyed this soup a lot.



After dinner, it is off to the Floating Platform for the long awaited fireworks. After watching fireworks for so many times, the excitement wanes as one gets older. Maybe next time they should do something different such as shooting our dear merlion into space or something.


Jang Shou Korean Charcoal BBQ
8 Raffles Avenue
#01-13B
Esplanade Mall

Izakaya Nijumaru Restaurant @ Cuppage Plaza

Ah... every visit to Izakaya Nijumaru would stir up nostalgic feelings. This was the first ful fledge Japanese restaurant I visited back when I was still a student. Prices have not changed much and I am glad to say that the surroundings and quality of food remain too.



Whenever you want to know whether a Japanese restaurant is authentic or not, see how many Japanese eat there. Here at Izakaya Nikumaru, about 50% of their clients are Japanese. A sign of authenticity.



Oysters are always referred as the "Viagra from the ocean". The oysters served here, while fresh, is nothing to shout about. The oysters are flash-fried in oil after being coated in crispy breadcrumbs.



My favourite Unagi don with additional serving of sashimi. The sashimi was pretty fresh and the crunchy. I like the side dishes but I am sad to say I have no idea what is inside. All I know is there are strings of vegetables which have been soaked in soya sauce. Very refreshing.



Just take a look at the unagi. How shiny and beautiful they look. I can imagine the chef roasting them, then adding unagi sauce onto the unagi and roasting them again and repeating it until they are fully cooked. Do note sometimes there are tiny bones inside. Although the bones can be digested, I will make it a point not to eat them.



The exterior of the restaurant. It is hidden somewhere inside the shops at the 2nd level, so just walk around the 2nd floor and try to spot a shop which has a long brightly lid green signboard.


Izakaya Nijumaru Restaurant
5 Koek Road
#02-10
Cuppage Plaza

Just Buns @ 313 @ Somerset

Those who are in your 20s or above will remember back in the early 90s, there was this "cinnamon bun" craze in Singapore. For hours, Singaporeans will queue at Basement 1 of Raffles City to wait for the freshly baked Cinnamon Buns to be ready.

The craze has disappeared during the late 90s with the closing of the last cinnamon bun specialty shops. But once in a while, I tend to miss the taste of the bun and I was glad to spot this Cinnamon bun shop located at the new Basement 3 food hall of 313 @ Somerset.



Besides the original flavours, customers can also choose from their wide range of cinnamon buns with various savoury and sweet toppings. Shown here are a few such as Cream Cheese and Strawberries, and Cheese and Almond.






There is a small area where customers can see how the buns are made on the spot.



Bought 2 versions of the buns back to office. I like the cream cheese with cranberries. Althought their cheese is pretty mild, but it is decent enough. Like the cranberries with the cinnamon bun.



The banana version is disappointing. Was quite dry and they were quite stingy with the banana slices.


Just Buns
313 Orchard Road
#B3-49,
Food Hall
313 @ Somerset

Paradise Inn @ Funan Digitalife Mall

Although Singaporeans enjoy only 2 days of official public holiday for the annual Chinese New Year, but most Chinese celebrates Lunar New Year during the first 15 days of the 1st Lunar Month.

And it is a period of never ending feasting, drinking and lo-heing. Lo Hei is the action of mixing different oriental vegetables (some preserved and some freshly shredded) in a large plate. Raw sashimi grade salmon belly slices and crispy crackers are then added into the mixture with some fragrant oil and plum sauce together with pepper and cinnamon powder. Then everyone gets their chopsticks ready to toss this unique Chinese salad and we will wish each other good luck and most important of all, good fortune and endless cash coming your way this new year.



So here we are back at our favourite middle-range Chinese restaurant Paradise Inn. We tend to come late after 8pm, so there are lot's of empty seats. The last order here is 9:30pm.



The Yusheng comes with 2 mandarin oranges for prosperity significance.



A close up view of the colourful Yusheng.



Quite disappointed that their salmon was sliced so thinly.



As it was a cold night, we ordered a pot of water-cress with pork ribs soup. Some may not like the taste of water-cress, but it helps to get rid of heatiness due to sleeping late or stress. The soup is clear and has a clean taste to it.



Crispy chicken with honey and ginger (S$10). A must order here at Paradise Inn. The crispy chicken thigh pieces is mixed with a honey sauce and topped with caramel ginger pieces. The honey sauce balanced well with the deep fried chicken.



Salted Egg with Prawns. What I like is how their prawns are already deshelled, and so all we have to do is to simply put the entire prawn inside our mouth without deshelling them. The salted egg prawns here are of top quality. The salted egg is not overly salty, yet the flavour of the egg yolk is intense. Prawns is of the highest standards and everyone love this dish very much.



Pork Vermicelli (S$16) medium serving. Standards still as good as last time. The Vermicelli has totally absorbed the gravy from the braised pork. This is one dish that even the most fussy housewife will love.

Paradise Inn is now located at a few shopping malls. The latest outlet will be the one at Basment 3 of 313 @ Somerset. And if you put a Crystal Jade kitchen and a Paradise Inn side by side, I will gladly walk straight into Paradise Inn without much thoughts.


Paradise Inn
109 North Bridge Road
#02-10/11
Funan Digitalife Mall

Brotzeit @ 313 Somerset

Brotzeit is a familiar German restaurant and pub chain in Singapore. But not many knows that it is opened by the Garibaldi Group which owns the famous Gunther's restaurant.

Brotzeit's latest branch is located at the newly opened Discovery Walk at Level 1 of 313 @ Somerset. The Discovery Walk is also home to a few restaurants too.



Most diners opting for a beer will go for the Original Munchner Lager - Paulaner, the best selling Munich Lager in the world. Clean, hoppy nose with a clear golden colour. It is a favourite among locals as it is refreshing and has a crisp light taste.





What looks like 2 pieces of luncheon meat with egg is actually a German dish called Leberkase (S$24.50) - Grilled pork meat loaf topped with sunny egg side up alongside roasted potatoes and creamed spinich. The meat loaf is nothing like luncheon meat. And the best way to eat it is to dip part of the meat loaf in the egg yolk. The simple side dish of roast potatoes were quite skillfully done.



Naturschnitzel vom Huhn (S$20.50) - Grilled US chicken breast on mashed potatoes served alongside a mixed salad tossed in sour cream and balsamic vinaigrette. Now many people I know avoid chicken breast meat here in Singapore. But Brotzeit does a great version of the breast meat. Still tender, moist and flavourful, it was served in a creamy potato mixture (I believe mixed with cream) and a healthy serving of fresh salad. Something for the health conscious to chew on here at Brotzeit.



No trip to any German pub and restaurant is complete without ordering the world famous Roasted pork knuckle served with Sauerkraut (S$36.00) . So far most of the German restaurants here served good quality pork knuckle. And Brotzeit did not disappoint too. The meat was juicy and tender, while the skin was very crispy. Thanks to the roasting technique, much of the fats have already been drained off during the basting process. Sauerkraut is undisputably the best side to go with the crispy pork knuckle. Portions here are big, so ladies should try to share this dish.



Kalbsrahmgulasch (S$26.50) - Traditional braised veal shank "Goulash" in paprika sauce with buttered spatzle. Brotzeit has mastered the technique of braising well. The meat was very tender. Plus a bed of buttered spatzle waiting to be drizzled with the tangy spicy paprika sauce.


Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant
Discovery Walk
313@Somerset
313 Orchard Road
#01-27