Bangkok Jam - Misleading Promotion, Unpleasant Staff

Marina Square

Marina Bay, Singapore 

09 February 2015

It was some time since we stepped into the Marina Square mall. Due to the renovation, there were few shoppers. The aircon was freezing cold. Despite the very attractive promotions, many of the shops and restaurants had few visitors.

Feeling a need for steaming hot food after some shopping, we opted for Bangkok Jam. Opened by Creative Eateries, this restaurant is located at the Level 2 dining zone near the Marina Mandarin exit.

This poster was what attracted our attention at dinnertime:

DINNER SPECIAL

50% off second main course

 

Hesitant about such claims, we clarified with the restaurant staff (lady in black uniform with long rebonded hair) that all the items under "Thai Classic Noodles", " Exotic Spaghetti" and "Aromatic Rice" were included. She even ran her finger down the column to indicate the coverage of the promotion.

Agreeable, the order was made. For a review of the food, refer to "Mini Portions, Intense Flavours".

When it came to the payment, we were shocked to discover the promotion was not extended to us. We queried on this, and were told that the items we ordered were not included in the promotion.

We were shocked. The long-haired lady in black was the same one that welcomed us at the entrance and later, took our order. We were positive that she knew that we were ordering based on the promotion. We tried to call her to verify with her, but she ignored us, being more interested to stay behind the bar counter to handle other tasks.

We had no choice but to contend with the cashier (lady in brown with long hair and spects). She did not seem to understand what we were saying and kept repeating that the promotion included only "fried rice" among the "Aromatic Rice" options.

Thinking that we had misread the Terms and Conditions of the promotion, we double checked the poster. These were the exact words:

• "Main Courses applicable to Thai Classic Noodles, Exotic Spaghettis and Aromatic Rice"
  [Yes, we had ordered 2 different Aromatic Rice dishes.]
• "Promotion only available at selected outlets"
  [Yes, this promotion is definitely available at this outlet.]

There was no mention that it was limited to any dishes. Among the list of dishes that the cashier had included as part of the promotion, some were also not featured in the poster. So why is it that the two dishes we ordered were excluded?

As we were leaving the manager came out and said "不好意思" and that she could not do anything, as it was part of company policy.

We are very upset by this experience - the promotion is misleading, the staff are unpleasant and unprofessional, and the food portions are small.

Afternote

Creative Eateries has responded promptly to this incident with an apology and has taken the necessary corrective action, including feedback to the staff at the Marina Square branch. 

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Bangkok Jam - Mini Portions, Intense Flavours

Marina Square

Marina Bay, Singapore 

09 February 2015

Attracted by this poster, we were drawn into the Marina Square outlet of Bangkok Jam.

To know more about the false claims in this poster, 

see "Misleading Promotion, Unpleasant Staff".

Our orders came within 10 minutes.

This was the Basil Rice with Beef option. Part of the "Aromatic Rice" options, it comes with an egg and is priced at $13.90 (excluding GST and service charge).

Infused with small chili padi and a thick sweet sauce, the flavours for this dish were intense, although a tad salty. The beef was tender and not overcooked, resulting in a pleasant palate. However, the egg was dripping with oil and dark at the edges, indicating the use of old oil to fry it.

This was the Green Curry Seafood with Rice, part of the "Aromatic Rice" list. Priced at $11.90 (excluding GST and service charge) for the Chicken version, a top-up of an additional $2 is required for the Seafood version, i.e. $13.90.

The Rice was a regular sized portion, about fist-sized. On the white plate, the pickled vegetables looked really sparse - with a thin strip of cucumber, some cauliflower and a single slice of carrot. The curry was really mini. Here's the size compared to the spoon that was part of the cutlery set provided with the meal.

As it can be seen from this angle, the width of the pot was barely bigger than the small head of cauliflower and could not even accommodate the spoon provided. With a price of $13.90, it was hardly any value for the price.

The curry was thick and aromatic. However, there was a sweet aftertaste, indicating the use of excessive sweetener, which did not taste natural. Despite the small size, the portions of seafood were somewhat adequate with 2-3 pieces each of cuttlefish, shrimps and fish slices.

All-in-all, it was a meal which was not worth its price, especially with the staff's unpleasant responses to the promotion. (See "Misleading Promotion, Unpleasant Staff")

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Insadong Korea Town - One Stop Korean Cuisine

Resorts World Sentosa

South, Singapore

 



 

After a hot and humid day, the Iced Honey Citron Tea is a welcome option. Faintly sour just to give the zest of citron (yuzu), the honey leaves a lingering sweet aftertaste.

 

Adorable face masks and bright colourful drawings adorn the pillars and walls to welcome diners into the friendly and well-lit restaurant...

 

Cosy layout of the eatery...

 

Kimchi Pajeong is a pancake-like Korean dish made from a batter of eggs, wheat flour, rice flour, green onions, and often other additional ingredients depending on the variety. In this case, the kimchi adds a touch of spiciness and removes a little of the normal oil taste.

 



 

For a carbo load, Toppoki rice cakes are a good option, especially when ladled with the typical kimchi-based sauce.

 



 

Insadong adds a local touch to the Korean dish of Ginseng Chicken Soup by adding wolfberries and chili slices. According to the owner, it took her quite a lot of convincing the Korean chefs for this move, but one in which she believes is necessary to acclimatize the dish to local tastes. Kudos!

 

Order kiosks with menus available in a variety of languages...


 

Bossam is marinated steamed pork, served with salad, kimchi, garlic and chili sauce. Due to the unique process of marinades and steaming, there is hardly any pork taste to the steamed meat. Wrap it in the cabbage and kimchi for a nice crunchy roll.

 



 

Traditionally from China, the spread of the Chinese cuisine extended to Korea due to its close proximity with Chinese border towns. In Korea, Xiao Long Baos are served steamed and in the Kimchi Soup fusion version.

 



 

The Pumpkin Spaghetti is cooked with a measure of cream sauce, preventing the excessiveness of the rich pumpkin taste. Definitely a dish that would not be out of place in an Italian restaurant as an antipasti.

 

Collection points at the end of the food hall denoting the type of cuisine for easy collection...

 

Another Italian touch is added with the introduction of the Cheese Baked Rice. With tender beef bulgogi slices, the Korean flavour is distinct and decidedly tasty.

 

A variety of other meats are available on the rotisserie counter...

 

Watermelon Soju is served with scooped out chilled water melon doused with a bottle of soju. Despite the high alcoholic content, the huge portion of watermelon ensures that it's not too heavy for non-drinkers.

 



 

When the Mushroom Beef Bulgogi Hotpot arrived, the ingredients were piled so high on an almost flat pan that it was impossible to stir or cook anything without dropping anything else. Fortunately, with the expertise exhibited by the Korean chef, the delicious dish was cooked just right.

 



 

To end off the meal, opt for a Mixed Fruits Shaved Ice (similar to an Ice Kachang loaded with fresh seasonal fruits) or a fragrant Red Bean Pancake.

 



 

Alternatively, savour the sweetness of a huge JCone ice cream...

 

Pose with one and you're bound to attract looks of envy!



 

Thank you for the Food Tasting!

 

 

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Philips Viva Collection Bread Maker - A Simple Way To Bake Bread

Merlion City
December 2014

Merlion Wayfarer received the Philips Christmas catalogue recently, and decided to try the Viva Collection Bread Maker to experiment with. With the Christmas season coming, it seemed perfect to share the joy of festive baking with one's loved ones.

The Philips Bread Maker has 14 easy-to-use preset programs that bake any bread to perfection, from rich and satisfying whole wheat to gluten free, French and sweet varieties. It also makes specialty breads such as Borodinsky, Easter bread and delicious dough for pasta, even jams too.
  



How Simple It Is

1. A Recipe Booklet is included in every purchase.
    
   
   
       
2. Measure out the ingredients accordingly with the measuring cup (in ml) and measuring spoon (in tbs and tsp) that Philips thoughtfully included with this product. And empty them into the baking tin provided.
     
3. Switch on the power plug and choose your settings.
   -  Bread Type : Choose from the list of 1-14
   -  Loaf Size : 750g or 1000g
   -  Browning Level : Light, Medium, Dark
    
   
     
   
4. And bake.
   There is no need to do any kneading, or baking, or waiting for the yeast to rise.
    
   
5. At the end of the program, just empty the bread out from the tin, remove the paddle, and serve.
    
   

The Initial Attempts

French Bread

 The end result after 3h 55 mins (for Medium) - 

There was a significant amount of flour in one particular corner of the tin...

How the loaf looks like after being emptied onto a plate -

It was extremely easy with the non-stick tin...

The depth of flour in the corner...

Learning Points

• On hindsight, this was hardly the bread to choose for a maiden attempt as a significant amount of time was required (3h 55 mins).
   
  
• It's always good to read the "Notes" and "Tips" in detail especially for a first attempt.
     
  
   
  
• As the bread time was rectangular in shape, the edges were not well mixed. A manual mixing might help. 

White Bread

The choice this time was made for a more straightforward bread.

An additional ingredient - sugar - was required...

 

The smooth brown crust...

The texture was also better with no residue of flour...

Learning Points
   

• The crust was just nice. However the texture was still a bit sticky, and tasted more like steamed cake than bread.
      
  
    
  
• An initial manual stirring of the ingredients within the bread tin helped, especially at the corners of the rectangular tin.



With 2 bread adventures down, Merlion Wayfarer looks set to hone her breadmaking skills to an even higher level - Cheers to the ongoing adventures with the Philips Viva Collection Bread Maker!

Gift your loved ones something special this festive season and

celebrate with Philips Christmas Promo 2014

http://www.philips.com.sg/e/promo/promotions/general/philips-christmas-promo-2014.html

For more on Merlion Wayfarer's adventures with Philips products, click here.

   

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