Donut In Cosy Setting

Dunkin Donuts
Changi Airport T3
East, Singapore
October 2012

Although there were a wide variety of donuts to choose from on the menu, those on the display shelf were a lot fewer. Service was ok at the counter but a little slow in the clearing of tables after customers left.

Merlion Wayfarer opted for a sugar-coated donut. The bread is soft and the apple filling is ample. Definitely worth the S$1.60 price tag. Paired with a latte in a cosy setting, it's a good buy for a short break from the hectic lifestyle.

---

More photos are available on Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa at :

Food - Fast Food

---

Read More

Going To Pieces Over Sushi

Itacho Sushi
Changi Airport T3
East, Singapore
October 2012

Merlion Wayfarer thought that she finally found an Itacho sushi outlet that is not crowded, no queue at all, to be exact. When she ordered her food there, she found out why.

Sushi platter consisting of Smoked Salmon, Botan Shrimp, Roast Duck. The price of each ranges from S$1.20 to S$2.

Merlion Wayfarer was surprised to see her sushi disintegrate when she picked it up. It is really very bad skill for nigiri sushi to disintegrate even before it is being picked up.

In addition, as she was sitting near the counter, she heard about sushi being returned. Luckily, she survived diarrhoea-less this round!

---

The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Food - Local)

---

Read More

Not-So-Kraze Taste

Kraze Burgers

Marina Bay Sands
South, Singapore
September 2012

Kraze Burger is a casual burger joint that originated from Korea. Kraze Burger was originally spelled this way to elicit a 'craze' for their burgers.

Hmmm, let's see how this turns out...

After a short ten minutes wait, the orders arrived. For the price, the burgers were served plain, with only a macaroni side which tasted somewhat "clinical" with the plain white sauce. It made the big white plate seem empty.

K.B Original Burger (S$11)

The K.B Original burger was served with a standard bun, and as the menu suggests, sandwiched between them were a beef patty, cheese, homemade pickles, lettuce, tomato slices, onions, and the Kraze Sauce (which hardly differed from the usual tomato sauce). The ingredients looked fresh, particularly the lettuce, while the meat patty was tender and juicy. Overall, it was a well-flavoured, and much better than some of the average fastfood joint burgers. Then again, you are paying more than ten dollars for just a burger.

K. Onion Burger (S$14)

The K. Onion Burger came in the wheat bun, which was a "healthier option". This burger had more ingredients within than the Original - crispy onion rings, bacon, honey barbeque sauce, and cream cheese sauce. The bacon made the taste more fragrant, especially with the onion rings.



Service was fairly prompt and professional, but which also depended on which waiter that came by - There were some that were a bit "shortsighted". OK for the experience, but for tastier burgers, Merlion Wayfarer recommends the generic yellow-and-red fastfood brand.

---

More photos are available on Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa at :
Food - Fusion

---

Read More

Nothing Beyond Spiciness

Lucky Surabaya Ayam Penyet

Far East Plaza

Orchard, Singapore

August 2012

Merlion Wayfarer found this outlet next to its famous competitor in Far East Plaza. Zero queue and yet serving the same famous dish. Worth trying?

Rice 

Rice was warm and fluffy and served warm. Very good. Only that it was served way before anything arrived. It was only 15 minutes later that the food arrived. Not very good serving etiquette. Fortunately, the wait staff took back the rice upon request.

Ayam Penyet (S$6)

Ayam Penyet Surabaya is prepared the authentic way as it is over at Surabaya, Indonesia’s second largest city. The price is lower compared to $6.50 at Ayam Penyet Ria, with the size of the chicken is a little smaller too. The smashed fried chicken (Small!) is served on a banana leaf with lots of crispy crumbs (So few!), a slice of fried soyabean (Salty!) and a piece of fried beancurd (Cold!). It is accompanied by their potent homemade chili sauce and a slice of cucumber to cool the palate.



BBQ Squid

Like the Ayam Penyet, the BBQ Squid is served on a banana leaf. The squid is laden with very potent Indonesian-style chili. The portion here is small too, and the squid is overcooked and tough. There is no taste other than the spiciness. Another totally disappointing experience.

 





---

The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Food - South East Asian)

---

Read More

Sauna-Baked Coffee

Old Town White Coffee

Far East Plaza

Orchard, Singapore

August 2012

The air in this outlet was stifling and they had to use many fans to supplement the airflow. So picking a table with a fan beside or above was absolutely crucial...

Oh yah, add that to a table with comfortable seats (coz there were several types of seats, from cushioned seats to wooden stools), and tables that were still dusted with bread crumbs from previous diners.

Old Town White Coffee (S$2.20)

This was served thick and frothy. It was a bit too bitter. But that was easily rectified as more condensed milk could be added.

Kaya & Butter Toast (S$2.20 for 2 slices)

More disappointing was the state of the kaya and butter toast. They arrived cold. Merlion Wayfarer absolutely detests going to an airconditioned place, paying a premium for the food, and then be served COLD BREAD. Thankfully, they were crispy and thin enough for some crunch effect.

Once again, Merlion Wayfarer was disappointed by her experience. But usually a fix within Singapore is a lot less time consuming and effortless than the 3h queue at the Causeway to go to the Old Town at JB where there is prompter service and half-priced products (same price as Singapore, but in Malaysian Ringgit).

---

The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Food - Local)

---

Read More

Juicily BBQ-d

BBQ Chicken, Greenwich V Mall

Seletar, North, Singapore

August 2012

 

Grilled Chicken Omelette Rice (S$13.90)

BBQ Chicken's signature olive rice is wrapped in a specially-prepared omelette and then served in a grilled boneless chicken thigh. The sauce is generous, and tinged with some mushroom flavour. Omelette tasted a bit plastic, being less fluffy than the others.

 

 

Char Grilled Smoked Duck (S$17.90)

This dish consisted of two huge chunks of duck the size of two fat tubes of ham. The skin was layered with a huge lining of fat but grilled to a crispy golden brown colour. When bitten, the juice of the succulent meat simply oozed out. Absolutely the most delicious duck ever!

 

 

---

The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Food - Korean)

---

Read More

Egg Simi?

Hatched
Evans Lodge, Evans Road
Bukit Timah, Singapore
September 2012

 

Merlion Wayfarer had been wanting to try Hatched for some time eversince seeing a TV program on it.So it was finally, on one cloudy day that she ended up in Hatched after a visit to the nearby Botanical Gardens.

 

Being someone who usually simplifies her egg decisions with just stirfried eggs or hardboiled eggs, she was confounded by the number of names for different styles of cooking eggs. Egg simi?

 

So she ordered a simpler Egg Benedict - one with ham and one with smoked salmon. The choices are bit pricey at S$12 for one egg and S$18 for two eggs.

 

When the eggs came, they look sooo cute! Fluffy whites atop a bright yellow oval yolk. With the "homemade mash" and the salad, it certainly feels good eating a healthy wholesome breakfast! In fact, the mash was so good that Merlion Wayfarer had hoped to have seconds, but the "Do Two" option only applies to the muffin with the selected topping and another egg.

 

Egg Benedict with Smoked Salmon...

Egg Benedict with Ham...

Good finish with a cup of frothy latte...

 

---

The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Food - Cafes)

---

Read More

More Vinegar Anyone?

Chia Bee Lor Mee (正味卤麵), Mei Ying Restaurant
Block 10, North Bridge Road
Bugis, Singapore
October 2012

 

This kopitiam is so full of signboards that at one go, it's hard to tell which sign is for which stall, and which sign is for the kopitiam. Other than a sign above each stall, there can be multiple signs at each stall, with stallholders' signs as big as that of the kopitiam, and with signs on the walls facing the corridor and main road.
 

  

The food in this kopitiam is nondescript - rice, Indian-Muslim fare, and Chia Bee. Served by a Taiwanese lady who zips around in her busyness, what is surprising about this place is the Lor Mee is THE MAIN DISH in this kopitiam. There is a soya sauce and vinegar container at EVERY table.
 

 

The noodles tasted quite ordinary, until the vinegar is added. Not a connosieur of this dish, Merlion Wayfarer enjoyed adding the condiments to taste.
 

 

 

---

The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Food - Local)

---

 

Read More

Niigata Ishikawa Fair At Isetan Scotts

Niigata Ishikawa (新潟石川) Fair
Isetan Scotts
Orchard, Singapore
19-28 October 2012

 

Merlion Wayfarer was an early bird on the first day of the Niigata Ishikawa (新潟石川) Fair. As most of the Japanese stallholders had just arrived, they were very enthusiastic and full of rah-rah when promoting their wares. There was an absence of cheesecake and milk products this round. Instead, there were many other exotic products...

(Source : Isetan)

Adorable decorated mini-pumpkins at S$6.90 each....

 

 Long-legged crabs accompanied with a "I Love Crab" cartoon notice...

 

"Gold Pork Cutlet Curry" and "Gold Omelet Curry" at S$16.50 and S$14.50 respectively. Nothing discernibly "gold" though...

 

The most popular stall there with a queue for bar seats at for ramen...

 

---

The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Food - Japanese)

---

Read More

Not-Romantic Katsu

Romankan Yokohama (浪漫館横滨) Cafe
Takashimaya Food Court, Ngee Ann City
Orchard, Singapore
September 2012

 



There was a limited choice of bentos to choose from - Fillet Katsu Bento (S$13) and Ebi Fry Bento (S$16.50) are displayed here, together with add-ons like Fillet Katsu (S$3.40), Ebi Katsu (S$4.20), and Rose Katsu (S$6.70).

 

Merlion Wayfarer chose the Fillet Katsu Bento. The batter was not as flaky as she preferred, and the dish came with fries and rice - too filling for most. A little touch of seaweed or sesame sprinkled atop the rice will be nice.  

---

The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Food - Japanese)

---

 

Read More

Seen & Heard - The Red Baron In Singapore!

Ngee Ann City
Orchard
Central, Singapore
September 2012

 

Merlion Wayfarer spotted the Red Baron in Singapore!

 

The Red Baron referred Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, a German fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service during World War I. He is considered the top ace of that war, being officially credited with 80 air combat victories, more than any other pilot at that time. His title of nobility, combined with the fact that he had his aircraft painted red, led to Richthofen being called "The Red Baron" both inside and outside Germany.

 

And guess who was riding in that fire engine red aircraft?

 

Another adorable display spotted...

 

 

---

More photos are available on Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa at :
Seen & Heard

---

   

 

Read More

Spoilt By MSG

Hao Xiang Seafood Garden
Punggol Plaza, Punggol Field
Singapore
October 2012
 

Merlion Wayfarer settled for a zichar dinner recently. She was at Punggol Plaza's Hao Xiang. Choosing simple fare, she ordered a hor fun. Now, hor fun is a basic dish that is very hard to go wrong. And she was glad that Hao Xiang's version tasted just right.

 

In the mood for soup in this cold weather, she also ordered a Fish Maw Soup. For those who are not used to this delicacy, fish maw or the swim/gas/air bladder is an internal gas-filled organ that contributes to the ability of a fish to control its buoyancy, and thus to stay at the current water depth without having to waste energy in swimming.

 

 

Sounds kinda gross, but the soup served on her table was surprisingly sweet and surprisingly delicious. There were huge chunks of fish slices and a few token slices of fish maw. It was only after a few unbelievably tasty spoonfuls that it dawned on Merlion Wayfarer that the sweetness could have come from MSG lacing. And yeah, she was right. Soon after her meal, she was gulping down mouthfuls of water to quench her thirst.

 

Sigh, no more soups from zichar stalls...

---

The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Food - Local)

---

Read More

A Herculean Task To Shift The River

Singapore River
River Valley, Singapore
October 2012

 

 



On a KLKK (walk here walk there) trip, Merlion Wayfarer was surprised to find a big part of the river near Liang Court and Riverside Point cordoned off. The entire pedestrian path at Ord Bridge, which lies between the two buildings was diverted, and part of the walkway towards Robertson Quay was closed. What is happening?

 

A bit of research revealed that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Korean builder GS Engineering & Construction were digging a bow-shaped canal to divert the river so that a part of the river can be drained.
 

 

The drained portion will then be cleared and filled with stabilising material. Two train tunnels will be bored under it. These tunnels, which will form the new Fort Canning Station, which is part of Downtown Line 3, will be just 4m below the river bed and close to the Central Expressway.  Costing $255 million, the original path of the waterway will be reinstated after the tunnels are completed. Oh wow...
 

(Source : Public Utilities Board, Singapore)

---

The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Places - Singapore River)

---

Sources

• "Notices - Singapore River Diversion Works" (26 September 2012), Public Utilities Board, Singapore. Retrieved from http://www.pub.gov.sg/marina/AllAnnouncements/Pages/SingaporeRiverDiversionWorks.aspx
  (Expired as of 2014).
   
• "Singapore River to be diverted for MRT tunnels" by (28 April 2012) by Paul Lim, AsiaOneMotoring. Retrieved from http://motoring.asiaone.com/Motoring/News/Transport/Story/A1Story20120428-342609.html (Expired as of 2014).
   

 

Read More

Seen & Heard - Walking Wooden Dinosaurs

Liang Court
River Valley
South, Singapore
October 2012
 

Merlion Wayfarer was surprised to chance upon these series of DIY assembly kits for dinosaurs by Tamiya. With pre-cut wooden parts and pre-built gear box, this kit is said to be easy-to-assemble and a great way to view the workings of a crank-arm gear box. The special link rod makes realistic movement of the legs, head and tail possible.

 

Apparently, there is a Japanese version of the T-Rex retailing at $45.90, and an American (GeniuSeries) version at S$39.90. Sounds fun!

---

More photos are available on Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa at :
Seen & Heard

---

 

 

Read More

Pecori's Original Omu Rice

Pecori (ﾍﾟｺﾘのオム)

Medi-Ya Food Court, Liang Court

River Valley, Singapore

October 2012

Merlion Wayfarer chanced upon this big poster as she was entering the supermarket and decided to venture within.

 

Pecori is a newly-opened stall in Medi-Ya Food Court. Located in the basement of Liang Court within the supermarket compound, it is opened by a Japanese gentleman with two Japanese helpers.

Comfortable seating in quiet surroundings, even on a Saturday night...

 

She opted for the Original Omu Rice at S$7.80. It was served with a huge amount of tomato sauce and some mashed potato mixd with cucumber. Initially thought to be a steal, Merlion Wayfarer was disappointed to find out that "Original" meant just plain tomato rice in an omelette. And with the excessive amount of tomato sauce, it was a bit hard to palate. Especially since the price tag meant that she could have gotten a don at a neighbouring stall with more ingredients.



 

This was the complimentary cake that came with any rice order as part of the opening promotion. It was a light custard cake on a fragrant pie crust.

 

Hmmm... If Merlion Wayfarer were asked to return for seconds for the rice, likely no, unless she tries the other Omu Rice options. But for the cake... Hey it was certainly worth considering!

---

The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Food - Japanese)

---

Read More

The Contrast Between Two Outlets

Trung Ngyuen Coffee, Liang Court
River Valley, Singapore
October 2012

 

Tucked in a little corner on the second floor, Trung Nguyen Coffee is a quiet place to chill out. In stark contrast to neighbouring (and noisy) Clarke Quay, the outlet here has cosy seats and fewer patrons.

 

Merlion Wayfarer ordered Creative 2. The service staff, a lady, was polite and professional, and served the order without questions.

 

This was unlike the experience Merlion Wayfarer experienced at the Katong 112 outlet. That outlet was also manned by a single lady staff. Merlion Wayfarer reached the outlet just before 2100 hours, and the staff insisted that the coffee be served in a paper cup. When Merlion Wayfarer said she preferred a porcelain cup (Who ever heard of a paper cup being used in a dine-in setting?), the staff ventured to ask further if she could serve it without the drip container. What audacity to dilute the product this way! Anyway, the version at Katong was too watery...

 

This was the cup that was served at Liang Court. Of course, the dripping took time, but that was all the fun in drinking a cup of Viet Coffee. When Merlion Wayfarer found the coffee too thick, she provided ice and extra condensed milk without question. Merlion Wayfarer certainly enjoyed the undisturbed and professional experience at Liang Court - where one small cup of thick hot coffee was enough to fill a huge mug with ice, and more...

 

 



---

The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Food - South East Asian)

---

Read More

Big Enough For Two

Tian Tian Xiang Claypot Rice (天天香砂锅饭)
Aljunied 119 Food House
Aljunied Avenue 2
East, Singapore
August 2012

At $5 for the "small" portion, Merlion Wayfarer thought that this claypot rice was too expensive, especially since it was in kopitiam setting in a HDB neighbourhood.

 

When it arrived, she got a shock... The BIG pot that she saw at a neighbouring table was actually just the "small" size.

 

The whole depth of the pot was filled with rice. Merlion Wayfarer would have preferred that much more chicken and a little longer cooking time, as the taste of the chicekn and sausages was not fully-absorbed by the rice. Other than that, it was certainly a portion for two!

 



---

The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Food - Local)

---

Read More

Tender & Fragrant Heartland BBQ Stix

Huan Le Yuan (欢乐园) BBQ
Aljunied 119 Food House
Aljunied Avenue 2
East, Singapore
August 2012

 

Huan Le Yuan (欢乐园) BBQ serves one of the most fragrant satay that Merlion Wayfarer ever had for a long time! The 50c per stick satay served is succulent and juicy, being well-marinated to tenderness. Unlike many other stalls, there is no excessive amount of fat within the meat. Roasted to a light crisp, part of the exterior is fragrant. With a generous amount of onions and cucumber (Yeah, the owner does not stinge on those!), add a thick, peanut-laced satay sauce, and voila, an absolutely tasty satay dish!

 

---

The full album is available at:
Merlion Wayfarer's Picasa (Food - Local)

---

Read More