Takashimaya at Ngee Ann City had revamped their basement Japanese food court. The current space is bigger and it has more Japanese eateries – like Baikohken, Nakajima Suisan, Romankan Yokohama, Tsuru Koshi Udon, and Yonehachi – which serve cheap and good Japanese food.

So if you haven’t been there for a while, maybe it’s time to check it out when you are looking for a place to eat in Orchard.

Baikohken

Tucked in a corner of the Japanese Food Hall, Baikohken has always been known for serving generous portions of ramen. Prices start from $13.5 upwards for a bowl of regular ramen.

391A Orchard Road #B2-01-04
Takashimaya Food Hall Ngee Ann City
Tel: +65 6235 3483

Nakajima Suisan Grilled Fish

The menu is Nakajima Suisan is rather limited, but there are more than enough options for fish lovers. The cheapest item on the menu, Saba Set is only $7.5.

There are also Salmon Teriyaki Set ($12), Gindara Terryaki Set ($14.5), and Hokke Hiraki Set ($10) to choose from. Each set comes with miso soup, white rice, pickles, and salad (ala carte items are $2 cheaper).

391 Orchard Road
Takashimaya Shopping Centre Food Hall

Romankan Yokohama

When you mention Tonkatsu, most people will think of Japanese restaurants like Tampopo, Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin, or Tonkichi. But the problem is a tonkatsu set there can easily cost $20 or more.

This is where Romankan Yokohama – a tonkatsu speciality eatery – comes into play. It has been a fixture at Takashimaya’s food hall for some time, and although the tonkatsu ($13) isn’t spectacular, you can’t really complain for that kind of price.

391 Orchard Road #B2-04
Takashimaya Food Hall Ngee Ann City
Tel: +65 6738 2505

Tsuru Koshi Udon

My friend is a big fan of Tsuru Koshi Udon at Takashimaya Basement Japanese Food Court. He’d go so far as to that it is the best Udon he had in Singapore.

After having it, I thought it was okay, nothing special really. That said, I can see myself coming back when I’m craving for Udon because they have affordable prices.

Udons range from the basic Kake Udon ($6.5) to the more fanciful Curry Udon ($9). I had the Ebi Tempura Udon ($9) and Niku Udon ($9) and they were fairly decent. Add $5 to get a set meal with Mini Soboro Don or Mini Kakiage Don.

391 Orchard Road
Takashimaya Shopping Centre Food Hall

Yonehachi

If you are looking for a light and simple meal, try the healthy Okowa rice meals at Yonehachi. It serves simple Okowa sets which include the famous sticky rice, miso soup and pickles; and cost between $6.80 and $7.80. They come in different flavours – red beans (original), chestnuts, salmon, Hijiki seaweed and sansai (vegetable).

For something more substantial, they have Grill/Fry Okowa sets like Shio Saba, Chicken Teriyaki and Unagi. Prices range from $11.80 to $14.80 depending on the Okowa.

391 Orchard Road #B2-04-1/2
Takashimaya Food Hall Ngee Ann City
Tel: +65 6333 8227

Non-Japanese options:

Ambush Pasta Bar

Serves simple and (relatively) cheap western food like pasta and sausages. Pastas are available for $11, and you can add on $3.9 to upgrade to a set.

391 Orchard Road #B2-04
Takashimaya Food Hall Ngee Ann City
Tel: +65 6726 8303

Fisherios Fish N Chips

The kiosk specialises in fish and chips, which starts from $6.

391A Orchard Road
#B204-4-2 Ngee Ann City

Mignon’s Steak

Besides affordable steaks ($19.9 for Ribeye Steak), Migon’s also has a comprehensive menu which includes appetisers (below $10) like Mushroom Soup, Mussels, and Escargot. The casual steakhouse is worth a try for those on a budget.

391 Orchard Road #B2-04-3
Takashimaya Shopping Centre Food Hall
Tel: +65 6737 3556

For more recommendations, please read my list of Japanese Restaurants in Singapore

I am sure you know that I am on a quest to try all the dim sum places in Singapore. My latest adventure brings me to Imperial Treasure Nan Bai at Ngee Ann City.

I have been wanting to go there for a while, but never had the chance until recently. Judging from the crowd on the weekend, Imperial Treasure Nan Bei seems to be extremely popular, especially with families.

Even though I am quite adventurous with food, I like to keep it safe when it comes to dim sum. I will always order the standard items like Har Gau, Siew Mai, as well as my favourite Custard Bun, Char Siew Sou and Egg Tart.

That’s exactly what we had at Imperial Treasure Nan Bei.

We started with the Char Siew Sou ($3.6), Steamed Rice Roll with Shrimp ($5.5), Steamed Prawn Dumpling ($4.8), Steamed Pork Dumpling ($4.4), and Xiao Long Bao ($4.4). Most of them were not too bad, but definitely not life-changing. I did however, think that the Char Siew Sou, was the best tasting among the five items.

The Custard Bun at Imperial Treasure Nan Bei was decent, but in no way comparable to the really good ones that I’ve had before.

Without a doubt, the far and away winner for that day was the Baked Egg Tarts ($3). It was just damn good! I’d come back to Imperial Treasure just for this.

While everything that arrived at our table was well-executed, they didn’t have the wow factor to make it memorable for me. I wouldn’t mind coming back if my friends want to try, but I wouldn’t suggest it on my own.

That said, Imperial Treasure Nan Bei at Ngee Ann City is always full on the weekends, so they must be doing something right. It is impossible to get a table without reservations, so make sure you call well in advance to book a date.

After trying Imperial Treasure Noodle and Congee House, and Imperial Treasure Nan Bei, my next stop will be Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck at Paragon!

Singapore Food Blog Review
Imperial Treasure Nan Bai
391 Orchard Road
#05-12 Ngee Ann City
Tel: +65 6738 1238
Daily: 11.30am – 10.30pm

10 Tampines Central 1
#02-04 Tampines 1
Tel: +65 6484 3323
Daily: 11am – 10pm

For more recommendations, please read my list of Dim Sum Places in Singapore

Ippudo is one of Japan’s top ramen shops and there was a hype when it opened in 2009. Even till today, there are often long queues during lunch and dinner.

The founder of Ippudo, Shigemi Kawahara, is known as the Ramen King after three consecutive first place wins on a nationwide ramen-making competition where the top ramen chefs compete to create the best ramen.

Does Ippudo ramen at Mandarin Gallery live up to the hype?

Ciki and I were there for dinner on a weekday, and it was fortunate that we went early as there was a long queue waiting outside shortly after. Upon entering Ippudo, I was pleasantly surprised by the interior. Unlike the usual ramen places, the dimly lit restaurant at Mandarin Gallery, Orchard road has a modern and classy vibe.

Besides ramen, Ippudo’s menu also has other side dishes like Agedashi Tofu ($10), Gyoza ($6), Chashu Hotplate ($8) and Tonkotsu Croquette ($12). After a quick glance at the menu, we ordered the classic Shiromaru Motoaji ($15) – original recipe tonkatsu soup served with Hakata-style thin noodles, rosu chashu, cabbage and spring onion; and Karaka-Men ($17) – Ippudo pork broth with special spicy miso and ground pork.

The chashu, oh the chashu.

At Ippudo, the Shiromaru Motoaji ($15) comes with a gorgeous piece of rosu chashu (pork loin). The Hakata-style noodles are springy and delightful, while the broth is refreshing and very addictive.

It is one of those moments where you find it hard to explain how something so simple can taste so delicious.

The Karaka-Men ($17), on the other hand, has a spicy kick to it and is no less addictive than the Shiromaru.

Like other ramen shops, Ippudo has its own regulars who swear by it and visit on a regular basis to satisfy their ramen cravings. While there are also others who felt that it is overrated and not as good as the one in Japan.

I think it all boils down to knowing how to manage your expectations. Ippudo has always been known as one of the best ramen shops in Japan, and this probably explains why some people go there with ridiculously high expectations and end up being disappointed.

For me, there is no doubt that Ippudo at Mandarin Gallery is one of the best ramen restaurants in Singapore. The question is, are you willing to queue up for it?

Singapore Food Blog Review
Ippudo Ramen
333A Orchard Road
#04-02/03/04 Mandarin Gallery
Tel: +65 6235 2797
Mon to Sat: 11am – 11pm
Sun: 11am – 10pm

East Ocean Teochew Restaurant at Shaw Centre has always been known as one of the top restaurants in Singapore serving Hong Kong style Teochew cuisine. It is the place that most people mention when you ask them what their favourite Teochew restaurant is.

Besides serving traditional Teochew favourites, they are also very popular for their dim sum. For several months, friends have been telling me that I simply have to go there during weekend for dim sum.

I finally made a trip there recently, and the nostalgic atmosphere really reminded me of Red Star Chinese restaurant. If you are still thinking of where to go for dim sum brunch this weekend, why not check out East Ocean?

Weekends are meant for dim sum.

On weekdays, East Ocean restaurant has an ala carte menu to order from. But come weekends, staff will bring out trays of dim sum to every table for customers to choose from.

They have a good variety of dim sum, and prices range from $4.8 for a basket of siew mai, to $5.8 for the baked BBQ pork pie.

The Po Luo Bun was very good. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that it is one of the best Po Luo Buns in Singapore.

Like many dim sum restaurants, East Ocean has three different kinds of Cheong Fun – char siew, prawn, and scallop. We had the char siew one; it was decent but not something that I’d stop to notice.

And of course, the famous Custard bun ($4.8) that everyone is talking about. East Ocean’s rendition was pretty good, but I don’t think that it is the best custard bun that I’ve had.

The other dim sum that we had include: Mini Crispy Egg Tarts ($5.8), Scallop Tofu ($5.8), Pan-fried carrot cake ($4.8), Steamed BBQ Pork Bun ($3.5) and Deep-fried Crispy Prawn Dumping ($5.8).

The dim sum at East Ocean Teochew Restaurant is not particularly outstanding. Moreover, prices are about the same as some of my favourite dim sum restaurants like Royal China, Paradise Pavilion and Yan Ting.

Having said that, East Ocean has a nostalgic feel, and this probably explains why it is so popular. It is quite fun to order directly from the dim sum trays going around. But like Red Star restaurant, the queue is really long during weekends. I won’t go back just for the dim sum, but I think it is a nice place to bring your friends for the dim sum trolley experience.

Singapore Food Blog Review
East Ocean Teochew Restaurant
1 Scotts Road #02-18 Shaw Centre
Tel: +65 6235 9088
Weekday: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm
Weekend & PH: 10.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm

For more recommendations, read my list of the best dim sum restaurants in Singapore

One of the French Restaurants that I’ve always wanted to try, but have not gotten the chance to visit until recently is Bistro Du Vin at Shaw Centre.

Bistro Du Vin by the Les Amis Group has been making a name for itself since opening in 2009. My friends have always raved about the classical French Food that they serve. I went there for lunch a while back and I have to say that the set lunch is absolutely a steal at $30++/pax.

What I like about the three-course set lunch at Bistro Du Vin is the variety that they offer. It has six items each for appetisers, main courses and desserts.

I am still saving up for the air ticket to Paris, so for now I can only satisfy my French food craving by eating at a French Bistro in Orchard road.

After taking a glance at the menu, I immediately knew that there was no way I could resist the Pan-fried Foie Gras with prune compote (supplement of $6). I took a bite and I could feel happiness entering my body. The Foie Gras was good, but the scrambled eggs were even better.

There is only one word to describe the Scrambled Eggs with mushroom & chorizo – scrumptious! I’d come back just for this (hopefully they don’t take it off the set lunch menu).

Other appetisers include: Tuna and Lemon Pasta, Duck Rillette, Foie Gras Terrine, Escargot, and Tomato Soup.

When we were there for lunch, the six main courses on the set menu were Chicken Leg, Roasted Pork Chop, French Duck Confit, Pan-fried fish of the day, Braised Oxtail, and Char-grilled US Angus Ribeye. There was also “blackboard specials” like the Roasted Spring Chicken, Braised Duck Leg, and Char-grilled Striploin.

My dining companions had the Roasted Spring Chicken wrapped with ham and Fish of the day. Both were not too bad, but it was the French Fries ($3 side order) which stole the show. There was no truffle oil, or any secret ingredients – just really good French Fries.

I had a hard time trying to decide between Char-grilled US Angus Ribeye (supplement of $10) and the French Duck Leg Confit. I eventually went for the latter. It was one of the better Duck Confits that I’ve had, and the portion was just right for a not-so-heavy lunch.

For desserts, there was Creme Caramel, Dark Chocolate Mousse, Coconut and Passionfruit Sorbet, Warm Pear Tart, Profiteroles and selected cheese on the set lunch menu. We used the elimination method and chose three desserts.

My favourite was the lovely Pear Tart with vanilla ice cream, while my friends found the pairing of Coconut and Passionfruit sorbet intriguing.

All in all, Bistro du vin by the Les Amis group serves a value for money 3-course set lunch at $30++. I will definitely come back again to try some of the classical French food like the Coq Au Vin and Pot Au Feu on the ala carte menu.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Bistro du vin
1 Scotts Road
#02-12 Shaw Centre
Tel: +65 6733 7763
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10pm

For more recommendations, read my list of best French Restaurants in Singapore

Besides Marmalade Toast at Takashimaya, another place that I like to go whenever I am in town is Pique Nique American Cafe by Chef Pang Kok Keong.

I am a huge fan of Chef Pang. I’ve tried almost all his desserts while he was at Canele Patisserie (under the Les Amis group). Boy was I excited when I heard that he left the group late last year to set up his own company, the Sugar Daddy Group.

Pique Nique is located at the basement of Takashimaya where McDonald’s used to be. It serves favourite American comfort food like mac & cheese ($12-16), hot dogs ($8.5-11), burgers ($10-13), all day breakfast ($7.5-13.5), whoopie pies ($2) and desserts ($4-8).

Both Pique Nique and Anoinette (a French bistro-patisserie) are conceptualised by Chef Pang in his attempt to take over the dessert world in Singapore. I’ve been to both dessert places a few times so far, but more on Anoinette another day.

Among the desserts at Pique Nique, there are cupcakes with flavours like banana spilt, chocolate caramel, peanut butter, and carrot; cheesecakes like triple chocolate, American, oreo and strawberry; and an assortment of whoopie pies like maple walnut, caramel pecan, and peanut butter & jelly.

So far, I’ve tried the Lemon Meringue cupcake, Red Velvet Cupcake, Vanilla Cupcake ($4.8), Blackout Chocolate Cake ($8) and Oreo Cream Cheese Bar ($4.8) and Whoopie Pies ($2.15). While I don’t think they are fantastic enough to be listed as one of the  top 10 cakes in Singapore, I like that most of them are classic comfort desserts – ideal for afternoon tea.

… And oh my god, WHOOPIE PIES!!!

Whoopie pie, for the uninitiated, is an American baked good that may be considered either a cookie, pie, or cake. I’d like to think of it as an American version of macarons, but that probably isn’t the best way to describe it since it is very different.

While macarons often come with a shatteringly crisp shell, whoopie pies have a chewier and denser texture; they are more like a pie/cake than a cookie.

Some even go as far to say that Whoopie Pies are the new cupcakes. Are they really that good? Will they set a new food trend? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure, Pique Nique is probably one of the few places where you can get whoopie pies in Singapore.

Pique Nique at Ngee Ann City is also one of the few places that serve all day breakfast in Orchard road. The American Favourite breakfast with two eggs served with homemade English muffins or white toast starts at $7.5, and there is also the popular eggs benedict that comes with Pique Nique’s special fries at $12. They also have French toast ($7.5), buttermilk pancakes ($7.5) and waffles ($13.5) on the brunch menu.

Like other dessert places, Pique Nique has hits and misses. Service is slightly slow, and so far, I’ve heard quite a few bad reviews about their food. I think people are being too demanding, though. It is difficult to find a nice cafe in Orchard road that serves decent food at a reasonable price. In that sense, I think Pique Nique has done a good job to fill the gap.

I don’t think the desserts are life-changing, but most of them are reasonably priced and I will definitely go there when I want a light snack in between meal times.

Even though I’ve been to the American Cafe a few times, I haven’t gotten a chance to try their savoury food like Mac & Cheese, burgers and hot dogs, so I will probably try them the next time.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Pique Nique by Chef Pang Kok Keong
#B1-01 Takashimaya Shopping Centre
Ngee Ann City Tower A
391A Orchard Road
Tel: +65 6238 6705
Daily: 10am – 9.30pm

“Which is your favourite cafe in Singapore?”

There are some places like Prive Bakery Cafe and PS Cafe that I love for their ambience; other places like Oriole cafe and Epicurious for the affordability; and Artichoke, Spruce and Barracks for the food. But when it comes to a cafe that I go all the time, Marmalade Toast is definitely the place.

Marmalade Toast Cafe is a hidden gem in Orchard Road. It has been around for very long, but even up till now, I’m surprised that not many people know about them. Located at a corner of Ngee Ann City, the cafe is a simplified version of Marmalade Pantry restaurant. They have a pretty straightforward menu of salads, wraps, sandwiches and desserts – everything priced reasonably under $10.

The best thing about Marmalade Toast, aside from it being a hidden gem in Orchard Road, is that the prices are affordable. It serves the same desserts as Marmalade Pantry, but at a lower price.

I can’t remember exactly when they changed the interior, but the decor is now different. It has a yellow theme but it doesn’t matter since I don’t go there for the “ambience” anyway.

I’ve always maintained that Marmalade Pantry has one of the best cupcakes in Singapore. Among the cupcakes ($4.5) there, my favourite is definitely the lemon cupcake. It is that good. I also like the William pear chocolate cupcake and strawberry cupcake. Some of the flavors like nutella, peanut butter and red velvet are too dry for my liking.

For cakes, the chocolate truffle cake ($5.5) is good, but it is extremely dense, making it impossible to finish unless you share it with someone. The carrot cake ($5.5) is also one of the better ones that I’ve had before. The blueberry cheesecake ($5.5), as well as the pear tart, are some of the items that I always order. If you are a fan of lemon desserts, you must try the lemon meringue sponge cake and lemon tart.

Marmalade Toast is my favourite cafe in Orchard road. It is the place that I go when I want a quiet space for a quick bite. Life is good when you enjoy a cup of tea, read a book and have desserts for a leisure afternoon high tea.

Here’s the direction if you are wondering where it is: from level two of Takashimaya department store, walk towards the kinokuniya direction and look out for a “secret” pathway between Christiam Louboutin and Marc Jacobs. Have fun!

Singapore Food Blog Review
Marmalade Toast
Unit 02-11 Ngee Ann City
391 Orchard Road
Tel: +65 6733 8489

Weekday: 8am – 7pm
Sat: 9am – 7pm
Sun: 10am – 6pm

For more recommendations, read my list of best cafes in Singapore

If I had a dollar every time someone asked me to recommend a cheap and good buffet, I’d be a millionaire by now. There are many buffet restaurants in Singapore, but most of them are only average, while the really good buffets usually come with a relatively hefty price tag.

So listen up guys, I’m just going to say it once. The buffet lunch at Basilico restaurant is one of the best, if not the best, in the $40-50 category.

Bascilico at level 2 of The Regent Singapore is a huge restaurant. It can easily accommodate up to 200 guests indoor and 30 by the poolside. I lurve (read: not love, but lurveee) the centrepiece of the Italian restaurant, a gorgeous space which houses the antipasti counter. To the left and right of the antipasti counter, you have the hot and dessert kitchens.

I eat desserts first.

People always stare at me whenever I start the buffet with desserts. I don’t know about you, but I think it makes sense to start a meal with something that you like.

Basilico restaurant has a decent array of authentic Italian desserts and a very good selection of homemade gelato.

The Antipasti counter, at the middle of the restaurant, serves an assortment of antipasti.

The appetisers like prosciutto, cold cuts, salads, cheeses and seafood were fantastic. If you ask me the formula for love while I’m eating at the restaurant, I’d reply: parma ham and rock melon.

Cheese. Lots of cheeses. Cheeeeseeee!

From freshly made pizzas to pastas, grilled meat and fish items, the Hot station offers not just Italian food, but also a small local spread.

Obviously, you will not expect good Italian pasta and pizza like the ones you get from the best Italian restaurants in Singapore, but hey, you are paying just $42++ for free flow of everything your heart desires. It is a good deal.

It’s somewhat strange to see that the Italian buffet actually has a corner dedicated to local food like chilli crabs and roasted duck, but I guess it caters to those who want something familiar. I wouldn’t waste any space on that, though.

I like the buffet lunch at Basilico Italian restaurant. Though the buffet spread is slightly limited, the restaurant more than makes up for it with the quality of the food. The antipasti counter, in particular, has fantastic choices.

On Saturday, Basilico has a full Italian buffet (without local spread) for $46++/pax, $56 (free flow juices & soft drinks) and $98++ (free flow prosecco & wine). And on Sunday, they have a Champagne Brunch at $139++ for free flow of champagne and wine. During dinner, it is a semi buffet where you can enjoy the same antipasti & desserts buffet with the choice of 1 main course at $69++. And one more thing, reservations are absolutely necessary.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Basilico Restaurant
1 Cuscaden Road
Level 2 The Regent Singapore
Tel: +65 6725 3232
Weekday Lunch Buffet $42++
Saturday Lunch Buffet $46++
Sunday Brunch Buffet $69++
Daily Semi Buffet Dinner $69++

Note: This was an invited media tasting.

For more recommendations, read my list of the best buffets in Singapore

While I love going to fancy restaurants, it is impossible to spend so much on food all the time. That’s why I am always on the lookout for cafes that serve decent food at affordable prices.

Tea Cosy at Plaza Singapura is one of them. It serves a pretty decent afternoon high tea at $29.95 for two, from 2.30pm to 6pm daily.

The Tea Cosy Supreme High Tea Set ($29.95 for two, $19.95 for one) comes with seafood or non-seafood items, sweets (choice of  two English Scones or three Miniature Cakes) and a beverage (English Breakfast Tea, Coffee or Lemonade).

If there are two of you having the high tea set, you can opt for both the seafood and non-seafood items, which will give you Grilled Prawn Cocktail, Foie Gras Taster, Turkey Ham Crostini, Smoked Salmon Crostini, Parmesan Toast, Baked Mushroom, and Crispy Duck Crostini; and for desserts, two English Scones and three Miniature Cakes.

It sounds like a lot of food, but it is actually manageable as they are served in bite-sized portions.

If the high tea set doesn’t appeal to you, Tea Cosy has an ala carte menu which starts at appetisers like Tea Cosy Decadent Salad ($16.95) and Baked Mushrooms ($9.95); through sandwiches like Smoked Salmon Toasts ($13.95) and Beef Steak Burger ($13.95); then up to pastas and main courses like Braised Duck Pasta ($14.95) and Miso Dory ($18.95); and end off with desserts like Cupcakes ($3.85) and English Scones ($6.95).

The food is nothing special, but for a nice, quiet and relatively affordable afternoon tea in Orchard road, Tea Cosy at level five of Plaza Singapura is the place to go.

For more recommendations, read my list of afternoon high tea places in Singapore

Singapore Food Blog Review
Tea Cosy
68 Orchard Road
#05-10 Plaza Singapura
Tel: +65 6341 9318

Update: Taira Izakaya is now closed

Izakaya is a casual Japanese bar where you can enjoy food with drinks. It reminds me of Spanish Tapas Bars, and one of the best things about such dining concepts is that you get to try so many different food.

Located at Holiday inn Singapore Orchard City Centre in Cavenagh Road, Taira Izakaya is the perfect place to go after a long day of work for some light snacks and drinks.

The Japanese drinking bar has a pretty comprehensive menu and the items are reasonably priced. You can find sashimi ($15-20 for 5 pcs), sushi ($3-12/pc), maki ($5-12 for 6 sushi roll), grill items ($5-25), skewers ($$2.5-5/stick), and tempura ($5-12).

Izakaya food is slightly more substantial than tapas, and they are meant to be shared. It is probably a good idea to go with a group of friends so that you can try more food.

We started with the California Roll ($10). The gorgeous sushi roll was utterly delicious, and we finished it very quickly. Needless to say, we were tempted to order a second helping, but we decided to try the Spicy Tuna Maki ($12) instead.

While waiting for the Maki to come, we had the Salted Grilled Unagi ($16), Yakitori ($2.5) and Enoki Bacon ($2.5). My dining companion is a big unagi fan and she thought that the one that we had was nothing special. Given that there are so many yummy choices like teriyaki grill cod, grill kurobuta and miso grill king prawn amongst the Yakimono selection, we probably wouldn’t order the Unagi again.

I thoroughly enjoyed Taira Izakaya’s bacon wrapped mushroom – it was extremely juicy and tender. The Chicken Skewer, on the other hand, was run-of-the-mill.

And of course, the must-have Salmon Sashimi ($15 for 5 pcs). What can I say? 5 pieces are definitely not enough. The Karashi Tuna Roll came last, and it had a spicy kick. Both of us agreed that the California roll was better (or at least we liked it more), and I definitely want to try the Chopped fatty tuna roll ($12) next time.

All in all, Taira Izakaya offers simple and delicious Japanese food. It is worth mentioning that we were the only locals there that night. If you have been to Taira Izakaya before, do check out Izakaya Nijumaru at Cuppage Plaza, Orchard Road.

Tell me, which is your favourite Izakaya in Singapore?

Singapore Food Blog Review
Taira Izakaya
11 Cavenagh Road #01-16
Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre
Tel: +65 6836 5298

For more recommendations, read my list of Japanese Restaurants in Singapore

Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant (formerly known as Pine Court Chinese Restaurant) has undergone a revamp, with Chef Sunny Kong taking over the helm of the kitchen.

Nestled at the top of Mandarin Orchard Singapore (previously Meritus Mandarin) on the 35th level, the Chinese restaurant has a good view of the town area. It is currently one of my new favourite dim sum places in Singapore.

The weekday ala carte dim sum menu has over 20 items, with average prices between $5 to $5.7 per basket. Stand-out dishes include Steamed Pumpkin Dumpling, Crisp-fried Thousand Filo, Steamed Shark’s Fin dumpling, and Chinese Pancake with Bacon & Pork Floss. Since it was our first time to Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant, we proceeded to order the popular (but safe) choices.

The Baked Barbecued Pork Pie ($5.7) was quite different from the ones that I’ve had before, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Anyway, they were not out-of-this-world good, but they were tasty, and that was enough.

At $12 for a basket of four, Mandarin Court’s custard buns are not cheap. I was quite hesitant to pay $3 for a bun, but the waitress convinced me that they are well worth the price.

Looks-wise, I’m very sure that this basket of custard bun would win any dim sum pageant. Taste-wise, I thought that it would be perfect if it had a stronger salted egg yolk flavour.

I thought that the Steamed Crystal Prawn Dumplings ($5.7) were average; the translucent skin was slightly torn before we had it.

Given that most places charge around $5-6 for Steamed Cheong Fun, I thought that Mandarin Court Restaurant’s rendition was overpriced at $8. The rice rolls were slightly too thick, and I would probably skip it next time.

Also on Mandarin Court’s dim sum menu, the Steamed Barbecued Pork Bun ($5.70) – sweet savoury char siew fillings within fluffy buns; Steamed Shanghainese Pork Dumpling ($5.70) – piping hot dumplings that were perfect with shredded ginger and Chinese black vinegar; and Steamed Siew Mai (5.70) – the ever reliable dim sum topped with pretty fish roe.

For those of you who want to indulge in a feast, Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant has a new Weekend Dim Sum Brunch Buffet which comes with 120 items, at $68++/pax.

I feel that Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant is one of the most underrated restaurants in Singapore. I’d definitely recommend coming here if you are looking for a restaurant in Orchard Road to have lunch.

For more recommendations, please read my list of dim sum restaurants in Singapore

Singapore Food Blog Review
Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant
333 Orchard Road Level 35
Orchard Wing Mandarin Orchard Singapore
Tel: +65 6831 6262

Operating Hours:
Weekday Lunch: 12pm – 2.30pm
Daily Dinner: 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Weekend Dim Sum Brunch: 11am – 12.30pm, 1pm – 3pm

Located on level 4 of Mandarin Gallery, Arteastiq Tea Lounge has a terrific view overlooking Orchard road. The cafe is hidden behind Marxx, a boutique that sells uniquely-designed furniture, and it is known for its wide selection of fanciful tea.

However, my visit to Arteastiq Tea Lounge by Marxx was disappointing. I don’t think I will go back any time soon. There are so many afternoon high tea places in Singapore that I have yet to try.

Even though the cafe was not very crowded that day, the drinks took a long time to come. The Green Tea Chocolate Lava Cake was over-baked, yet the staff insisted that the dessert was supposed to be that way. Furthermore, there was a layer of dust on our table.

It is a shame as the cafe has a very pretty interior and a nice view of Orchard Road. In any case, Arteastiq Tea Lounge is a nice place to enjoy your afternoon tea if you just want a place to sit down and have a cup of tea.

If you ever go to Arteastiq Tea Lounge for afternoon high tea, they have a $48/2pax set which includes smoked salmon, smoked turkey ham, spicy jumbo top shell, crabmeat salad, crispy wrap and choice of apple/orange cake.

Since we are talking about food in Mandarin Gallery, I’d like to highlight some of the restaurants in the shopping mall. By now, I am sure everyone knows about Wild Honey restaurant, Jones the grocer and Ippudo ramen at Mandarin Gallery.

Tonkatsu lovers must definitely check out the new Tonkatsu by Ma Maison at Mandarin Gallery. For those of you who have a sweet tooth, go to Sweets by Garibaldi for some cakes. Antoinette, a new patisserie by Chef Pang (formerly from Canele Patisserie) will also be opening in June.

Which Mandarin Gallery Restaurants do you always go to?

Read my list of Afternoon High Tea Places in Singapore | Best Cafes in Singapore

Singapore Food Blog Review
Arteastiq Tea Lounge by Marxx
333A Orchard Road
#04-14/15 Mandarin Gallery Singapore
Tel: +65 6235 8705

I can’t think of other ways to say this, so I shall go straight to the point: Salt Grill & Sky Bar at Ion Orchard is a very sexy restaurant. It is the place to go if you want to impress your date, or celebrate a special occasion with your loved ones.

Perched at the top of Ion Orchard, Salt Grill Restaurant by Luke Mangan is all about the complete dining experience. From the journey through the mysterious lift to the amazing view when you step inside the restaurant – there is only one word to describe it – wow(!!)

Of course, eating at a fine dining restaurant comes with a price. Salt Grill has two degustation menu at $140 and $200, otherwise you can always order ala carte from its main menu. Prices range from $16 to $36 for entrée, $29 to $90 for main courses, and $12 to $18 for desserts. For a more affordable option, go for their executive set lunch menu at $40++/pax (available from Monday to Friday, 11.30am to 2pm).

Australian Yellowtail Kingfish sashimi, ginger, eschallot and goats feta

We were at Salt Grill & Sky Bar for lunch during Restaurant Week. With the exception of the Yellowtail Kingfish sashimi ($27 on ala carte menu) the other items that we had are available on their normal executive lunch set.

Before starting with the entrée, we were served a selection of bread with Luke Mangan olive oil and dukkah. The signature Australian Yellowtail Kingfish sashimi arrived shortly after, and it was gone in two mouthfuls.

Salt Salad – Seasonal baby vegetables, slow poached egg, buffalo mozzarella, walnuts.

Oh my oh my. How do we start eating this? The Salt Salad ($28 on ala carte menu) was not only beautiful for the visual senses, but also refreshing for the palate.

The other entrées on Salt Grill’s set lunch are the iconic ‘glass’ Sydney crab omelette and Petuna ocean trout rillettes.

Barramundi Fillet 160g, miso mayonnaise

Slightly crisp on the edges, the Barramundi Fillet ($29 on ala carte menu) was perfectly cooked with the miso mayonnaise sauce complimenting the fish.

Pan-fried potato gnocchi, sweet corn, zucchini, asparagus, parmesan, truffled verjuice

To be honest, the Pan-fried potato gnocchi ($36 on ala carte menu) felt more like an entrée than main course. It was tasty, but not exactly very filling. If you are there for the set lunch, go for the other main course: Australian Berkshine Kurobuta ($39 on ala carte menu).

Salt Grill restaurant set lunch also comes with petite four.

Luke Mangan is a big name in the culinary world. His other restaurants include: Glass Brasserie in Sydney’s Hilton Hotel, Salt and World Wine Bar in Tokyo, Salt Grill onboard P&O’s Pacific Jewel & Pacific Dawn, and The Palace by Luke Mangan in South Melbourne.

Amongst the Celebrity Chef Restaurants in Singapore, Salt Grill & Sky Bar stood out with the magnificent view, classy setting, excellent service and relatively good food. It has the complete dining experience. Service was impeccable at Salt Grill & Sky Bar. The staff were knowledgeable and polite without being too intrusive. Furthermore, the prices here are not as mind boggling as the other Celebrity Chef Restaurants.

This is definitely one of the most romantic restaurants in Singapore.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Salt Grill & Sky Bar
2 Orchard Turn Level 55 & 56
ION Orchard Singapore
Tel: +65 6592 5118
Daily: 11.30am – 2pm, 6pm – 10pm

Housed within the stunning Fort Canning Hotel, Gattopardo Italian Grill & Pizza Bar serves contemporary Italian and Mediterranean cuisine with a charcoal grill and wood-fired oven for baking gourmet pizzas. The Italian restaurant is under the Garibaldi Group of restaurants, who is also behind Gunther’s, Ricciotti Italian restaurant and Brotzeit.

Having heard so much about the good Italian food from my friends who ate at Gattopardo before, misstamchiak and I went there for lunch during Restaurant Week.

Restaurant Week is a good way to try out the fine dining restaurants that you always want to go. If it is a positive dining experience, you can visit the restaurant again to try their usual offerings.

Considering the fact that such fine dining restaurants usually charge $30-$50 for a main course, it is quite a steal to pay just $25++ (lunch) and $35++ (dinner) for the restaurant week’s menu.

For restaurant week, Gattopardo Italian Restaurant had two main course options: the Pan Seared Chicken Breast and Home-made Tagliatelle.

Filled with Scamorza cheese and mushrooms, the Pan Seared chicken breast was pretty decent; it was nice to find that the meat was not too dry, with the sauce a good compliment to it.

The Tagliatelle al Pesto di Trapani was slightly overcooked, but somehow managed to retain the flavour from cherry tomato, basil, Pecorino cheese and almond Pesto.

The whole point of having desserts is to end the meal on a sweet note. Unfortunately, the Creme Brulee was very disappointing and we did not finish it.

Overall, Gattopardo Italian restaurant’s restaurant week menu was not impressive, but I am still keen to come back again to check out their dinner offerings.

I took a look at their normal ala carte menu (note: they do not have a set lunch menu), and I thought that the prices are pretty reasonable for good Italian restaurants. Expect to pay around $15-$25 for antipasti, $20-$30 for pasta, $16-$30 for pizza, $30-$40 for main course and $14 for dessert.

The location at Fort Canning Hotel is rather inaccessible if you are not driving. It is probably a good idea to cab in, have a good dinner and take a romantic stroll to Orchard road to burn off the calories.

// Read my list of Italian restaurants in Singapore for more options.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Gattopardo Italian Grill & Pizza Bar
11 Canning Walk Fort Canning Park
Fort Canning Hotel Singapore
Tel: +65 6338 5498

Operating Hours:
Daily: 12pm – 3pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm

I finally went to PS Café! I’ve been meaning to try out PS Café for the longest time, but somehow I did not get the chance to.

PS Café has four branches in Singapore (Ann Siang Hill, Dempsey Hill, Paragon and Palais), and each of them gives a different vibe. For the PS Cafe Palais Renaissance outlet, the interior is chic and classy with dim romantic lighting. It also has a lovely white-tiled terrace dining area if you prefer to dine outside.

There are many nice Cafes in Singapore, what exactly makes PS Cafe so popular?

PS Cafe serves mainly western dishes like soup, salad, sandwiches, burger, pasta and main courses. Prices range from $25-$40 for a main course whilst desserts are mostly between $10-$15. I have to agree that prices are not exactly cheap, but then again, you are paying for the ambiance.

Nothing beats having a drink before dinner. Bagaholicboy highly recommended the Sangrias at PS Cafe and we had a glass each to start with the Grilled Prawn Salad. Nothing fanciful, just nicely grilled prawns and greens with a creamy dressing.

In terms of portion, PS Café’s truffle fries were mightily impressive.

However, it is probably not advisable to order it unless you are in a big group. As you can well imagine, we only managed to finish half of the huge stack of fries.

I am not a big fan of truffle fries. To me, I think it is kind of silly to pay a premium for fries that are merely tossed with truffle oil. The smokey gasoline aftertaste, which everyone seems to love, does not really appeal to me.

If you are looking for an appetiser or a main course that is not too filling, go for the Crab Tart. Drizzled with prawn bisque cream, the crab meat within the crisp tart was actually quite decent. I’d prefer the usual dessert tart to this savoury tart though.

Ps Cafe is the perfect place for a lazy weekend breakfast, the place for a nice afternoon tea, the place for a romantic dinner with your date, the place for a girls night out – the place to go when you want to dine in a nice restaurant with your favourite people.

Whilst there are some who argue that Project Shop Cafe serves overpriced food and the place is often crowded and noisy, I can still see myself returning for brunch and desserts.

PS Cafe may not have the best food, but it does not really matter since people come here for the ambiance. Service though, is a little lacking, as it was quite difficult for us to get the attention of the waitress. But then again, this could be due to the positioning of our table at a corner of the restaurant.

I will probably head to PS Café Ann Siang Hill or Harding Road for brunch next! Which is your favourite PS Café outlet?

Singapore Food Blog
PS Cafe
390 Orchard Road
#02-09A Palais Renaissance Singapore
Tel: +65 6887 2207

28B Harding Road
Tanglin Village (Dempsey Road) Singapore
Tel: +65 6479 3343

290 Orchard Road
#03-41/44 The Paragon Singapore
Tel: +65 6735 6765

45 Ann Siang Road (ASH)
#02-02 Singapore
Tel: +65 6222 3143

Amongst the Crystal Jade Fine Dining restaurants, there are Crystal Jade Golden Palace at Paragon (contemporary Cantonese & Teochew cuisine), Crystal Jade Dining In at Vivocity (modern Cantonese cuisine) and the flagship Crystal Jade Palace at Ngee Ann City.

There are 35 items on Crystal Jade Palace’s dim sum menu, with the usual suspects like rice roll cheong fun, deep-fried shrimp dumpling, baked egg tart, siew mai, har gau, and steamed pork ribs. The prices are very reasonable for a Chinese fine dining restaurant, with most of the dim sum ranging from $3.60 to $5 per basket.

The Char Siew Sou ($4) had buttery and flaky pastry, and I love the sweet yet savoury char siew fillings. I’d think that Crystal Jade Palace’s char siew sou is on par with the ones that I’ve had at Taste Paradise and Yanting restaurant.

There were so many different types of steamed dumplings on the dim sum menu and we were spoilt for choices. Since it was our first time to Crystal Jade Palace, we took the safe option and went for the ubiquitous Steamed Prawn Dumplings ($5). It was fairly decent, the translucent skin was not too thick, and came with fresh crunchy shrimp.

Similarly, the Steamed Pork Dumplings with mushroom ($4.8) were not out-of-this-world good, but they were tasty and that was enough.

And what’s dim sum lunch without Steamed Rice Roll cheong fun ($4.8)? We easily finished it and only decided against ordering another portion as we had other dim sum coming.

When broken with a pair of chopsticks, the Xiaolongbao ($3.9) released the tasty stock into the spoon. Paired with vinegar and ginger, it was satisfying to swallow the whole pork dumpling.

My friend was feeling a little health conscious that day so we went for the Steamed Carrot Cake instead of the pan-fried one. It would not win a food photography competition, but the steamed carrot cake definitely tastes good.

* * *

With the fairly good dim sum at reasonable prices and its convenient location at Orchard road, Crystal Jade Palace has joined my ranks of my favourite dim sum restaurants in Singapore. If you don’t feel like having dim sum, there’s always Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant as well as the more affordable Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao at level four of Takashimaya.

The fine dining restaurant was packed when we went there on a weekend, reservations are highly recommended.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Crystal Jade Palace Restaurant
391 Orchard Road #04-19
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 6735 2388

Operating Hours: Daily 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm

By now, I am sure you’d have seen the colourful xiaolongbao from Paradise Dynasty on advertising billboards along Orchard Road as well as the other Singapore Food Blogs that have written about it before.

Paradise Dynasty is one of their newer ventures, and it is conveniently located alongside Taste Paradise on Ion Orchard level four. The question on everyone’s mind: are the colourful creations from Paradise Dynasty the best Xiao Long Bao in Singapore?

The Paradise group of restaurants has been growing rapidly in recent years and they are definitely giving the other Chinese restaurant chains like Crystal Jade, Imperial Treasure, Din Tai Fung a run for their money.

I don’t know about you, but the colourful xiaolongbao with exotic ingredients sound like a marketing gimmick to me. In any case, I decided to drop by and see what the fuss is all about.

Okay maybe It is not exactly fair to compare restaurants directly, but to give you a better picture, Paradise Dynasty is the equivalent of Crystal Jade’s La Mian & Xiaolongbao.

Stepping inside Paradise Dynasty through the narrow entrance, the restaurant interior is not what you’d expect from a causal dining restaurant. And given the fact that most of the items on Paradise Dynasty’s menu are priced reasonably, it is not difficult to understand why they have been doing quite well.

We were here for the colourful xiaolongbao of course. Okay, maybe I need to stop calling them colourful xiaolongbao, let me try again. Paradise Dynasty has 8 signature xiaolongbao flavours: Original, Garlic, Ginseng, Foie Gras, Black Truffle, Cheese, Crab Roe, and Szechuan.

The original starts from $9.8 for a basket of 10, while the exotic premium xiao long bao like the black truffle, foie gras and ginseng are $19.80 for a basket of 10. Since it was our first time here, we went for the sampling basket ($13.80 for the 8 flavours). There were hits and misses. I thought that the Crab Roe and Cheese were surprisingly good, while the Ginseng and Foie Gras were rather bland and I couldn’t really taste anything. The other flavours were decent, but not rock-your-socks-off good.

Besides the steamed pork dumplings, we also had the la mian from Paradise Dynasty.

Why is Japanese ramen more popular than Chinese La Mian?

This question has been on my mind for some time, and I honestly don’t get it. Japanese food is a very popular cuisine, and there are so many Japanese ramen restaurants in Singapore. But when it comes to Chinese La Mian, we do not have many choices, and most people seem to prefer having ramen anyway.

The irony is Japanese ramen originates from Chinese La Mian, yet it is often more expensive. A bowl of ramen is at least $12-$15, while La Mian on the other hand, is usually priced below $10 at most Chinese restaurants.

Anyway I digressed. What I wanted to tell you is the La Mian with braised pork belly ($10.80) from Paradise Dynasty. The broth was rich and flavourful, the noodle springy and the pork belly sublime – in short, it was pretty fantastic. I definitely feel that this bowl of La Mian will not lose out to any ramen.

It is not easy to find a restaurant in Orchard road that serves decent food at affordable prices. Paradise Dynasty fits in very nicely in the local food scene, and I like the fact that the Paradise Group is keeping the other Chinese restaurant chains on their toes.

Paradise Dynasty is definitely a good option if you want to have Chinese food in Orchard road. It is a plus that they are an all day dining restaurant, which means that you can even go there during mid afternoon to have dim sum for high tea. But are the colourful xiao long baos with premium fillings really better than the original one?

I am not convinced.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Paradise Dynasty
2 Orchard Turn, #04-12A
ION Orchard Singapore
Tel: +65 6509 9118

Operating Hours:
Weekdays 11am to 10pm
Weekends 10am to 10pm

I was impressed during a recent visit to Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant at Takashimaya. They have pretty good Korean food at affordable prices and it currently ranks highly on my list of Korean Restaurants in Singapore.

I have to admit that I wasn’t a fan of Crystal Jade restaurants initially as I didn’t like restaurant chains. But after several visits to the different Crystal Jade restaurants, it’s not too difficult to understand why they are popular.

First, the prices at most of the Crystal Jade Restaurants are affordable. Second, the food is consistent, it’s quite unlikely that you will have a bad meal at any of the Crystal Jade restaurants. Most people are not very adventurous when it comes to food (I used to be like that too before starting my food blog), so I can understand the appeal of reliable restaurants like Crystal Jade.

Third, most of the Crystal Jade Restaurants are conveniently located in town, it’s quite difficult to find good yet affordable food in Orchard, plus they have different restaurants catering for everyone.

My friends were craving for Korean BBQ, and we decided to try Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant since we were meeting in town. Now you know why Crystal Jade is so popular!

Crystal Jade Korean BBQ is much more affordable than I thought. The five of us ordered two servings of pork and chicken ($18 each), Grilled Fish ($22), Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup ($25), Kim Chi Pancakes ($14), and we paid about $23 per person. Obviously, it helps to have a group of friends so that we can order more food to share.

It was so much fun to BBQ the meat on the sizzling grill, and even better to put the slightly charred meat into my mouth. Thankfully, the air ventilation of the restaurant was good, and we didn’t leave the place smelling like barbecue.

The Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup was fantastic, the chicken was delicious and the stock was rich and flavourful. My companions agreed with me that Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant’s rendition was much better than the one that we had at Togi Korean Restaurant.

Along with the six complimentary side dishes, we also ordered the Kimchi Pancakes as appetisers. It was not too bad, but personally I would prefer Seafood pancakes over that.

Here’s a quick guide for those of you who have no idea which restaurants to go for Korean food in Singapore: I will go to Kko Kko Nara Korean Restaurant at Tras Street for the excellent Korean Fried Chicken, and if location is not an issue, Kim’s Family Restaurant is definitely my favourite Korean Restaurant in Singapore.

Most of us usually meet our friends in Orchard since it is convenient for everyone, if that’s the case, Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant at Ngee Ann City is definitely the place to satisfy your craving for Korean BBQ and Ginseng Chicken.

Singapore Food Restaurants Review
Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant
391 Orchard Road #04-20
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 6733 3229

176 Orchard Road #04-13
Centrepoint Singapore
Tel: +65 6737 3282

I have been wanting to try Japanese Buffet for very long. After doing my research, most people seemed to agree that Ikoi Japanese Restaurant at Hotel Miramar, Irodori Japanese restaurant at River View Hotel and Senki Japanese Restaurant at Killiney road are amongst the best Japanese Buffets in Singapore.

As my friends have been to Ikoi and Irodori Japanese restaurant before, we ended up at Senki Japanese Restaurant for the buffet dinner.

With over 100 items on the Japanese buffet menu, it’s probably a good idea to skip lunch if you are going there for dinner. Most importantly, come with a group of friends so that you can order more things to share.

Under normal circumstances, it is a sin to order so much food. But since we were already at Senki restaurant for their Japanese buffet, we would be fools if we didn’t eat to our hearts’ content. I could imagine the number of rounds that I have to run the next day just to burn off the calories — oh whatever, the diet can wait.

Amongst the Sushi/maki available on Senki’s menu, we tried the Floss Karashi and Mango California. The former was surpsingly good, the tasty chicken floss had a slightly spicy sauce. While the latter was not too bad, it came with the appetising mango topping on top of the typical California maki.

We were proceeding on a rather slow pace. Mindful of the fact that there were many items that we wanted to try, we only had a hand roll each. Senki Japanese Restaurant has quite a selection of different hand rolls: California, ebi tempura, salmon skin, chopped tuna, tamago, tuna, salmon.

My friends’ eyes were glittering when the Sashimi platter arrived. This is probably the highlight of the Japanese buffet since you can eat as much sashimi as you want. Tuna, sword fish, salmon, yellow tail sashimi were devoured in an instant. We kept asking for salmon sashimi throughout the night – free flow sashimi is joy.

From the appetisers, we had chawanmushi, and goma tofu. We continued to fill our stomachs with the grilled dishes: sticks of Yakitori which were so-so, the seemingly healthy grilled shiitake, the Saba Shioyaki, and the delicious Jagaimo Mentai cheese yaki (potato with fish roe and cheese).

Deep-fried food always tastes good. Needless to say, we had an assortment of tempura (prawn and vegetables). Another favourite was the Agedashi Tofu, fried beancurd that was crispy outside and soft inside.

Forget about Senki Restaurant’s tonkatsu, it is not worth the calories. If you like deep-fried food, go for the Tori Karaage – juicy chunks of fried chicken that were good and sinful.

I cannot remember how many items we tried out of the 138 selection on Senki’s Buffet menu, but we definitely ordered at least a few dishes from each category.

For those of you who are keen on the Japanese buffet, the different selections include: appetiser, salad, sashimi, maki, nigiri sushi, hand roll, Itamemono (pan fried dishes), Owan Mono (soup), Agemono (deep fried dishes), Yakimono (grilled dishes), Menrui (noodle), and Gohan (rice).

Between bites, we stoned for a few moments, and stared at the empty plates on the table. We ate, and ate, and ordered some more. We chatted, and took toilet breaks to rest our stomach for even more food. It felt as though we were feasting for three days long.

The Japanese Buffet at Senki Japanese Restaurant is $30++ for lunch, and $33++ for dinner. Prices are the same for weekday and weekend. For eve/public holidays, it is $39++ for the buffet dinner.

Which is your favourite place for Japanese Buffet in Singapore?

Singapore Food Restaurant Review
Senki Japanese Restaurant
109 Killiney Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6734 5565

// Royal Copenhagen Tea Lounge is now closed

After having lunch at Paradise Dynasty, we wandered around Orchard in search for an afternoon tea place. I don’t fancy the new Marmalade Pantry at Ion Orchard, the space is too open and you can’t even hold a private conversation there. In any case, it was full (on a weekday afternoon), and so was TWG Tea Salon which had a queue outside.

We ended up at Royal Copenhagen Tea Lounge at Takashimaya – and yes, the place was also packed. Don’t people need to work on weekdays?

“Eh, how many cakes should we get?”
“There’s 3 of us, so we should get 4 cakes!”

I know it doesn’t make any sense, but who cares? In the name of research to try the best cakes from Royal Copenhagen Tea Lounge, we decided to share four cakes for high tea. Sounds like a plan, no?

Amongst the ones that we had, my favourite was the Key Lime tart. Both Tai-tai and I had our eyes on it, and the melt-in-your-mouth-tart was gone in an instant. If you go to Royal Copenhagen for afternoon high tea, it is a must to order both the blueberry cheesecake and key lime tart.

The layer of caramel ganache in the middle made the difference for the Chocolate Earl Grey Mousse & Caramel Ganache Cake. The extremely rich and sweet cake was the right dessert to give us a sugar-high.

In order to satisfy the Diva’s lust fondness of green desserts, we had Royal Copenhagen’s Matcha Tiramisu and Green Tea & Morello Cherry. It was actually my first time having a green tea rendition of the tiramisu, and thankfully it didn’t disappoint.

The Green Tea and Morello Cherry Cake was moist and dense, but not too heavy — an ideal snack for a leisure afternoon with a cup of tea.

* * *

Royal Copenhagen Tea Lounge at Ngee Ann City is narrow and it can get quite noisy when it is crowded during afternoon tea time. But they have lovely cakes (ranging from $5 – $6 per slice) which are more affordable than dessert places like Canele Patisserie.

If you prefer somewhere quieter for high tea, go to The Regent Tea Lounge, or Jewel Artisan Chocolate.

Singapore Food Restaurant Review
Royal Copenhagen Tea Lounge
391 Orchard Road #02-391A
Ngee Ann City Tower A Singapore
Tel: +65 6735 6833