Hong Kong’s speciality coffee scene has been growing steadily, with new indie cafes and coffee joints popping up every month. These days, it is a lot easier to find a good cup of coffee in the city. Here is a roundup of the best coffee shops in Hong Kong.
Paris is always a good idea. There is something magical about the City of Love; an irresistible charm, an inexplicable beauty. Every turn is a surprise, and every corner is picturesque. Taking a trip to Paris is akin to picking up an international best-selling novel – with every chapter, you get sucked in even more, and you never want to put the book down; you only want to read on. It is like a never-ending quest to reach the ends of the city, and the only wish is for time to stand still so that you can be lost in this awe-inspiring spot on the globe.
Exploring Paris was an exhilarating experience for us, and apart from the language barrier that had us stuck in several situations and left us to communicate via sign languages, our week at Paris was nothing short of fulfilling. For first timers to the city, here are some of the things that you can do and see when you have 48 hours in Paris.
What’s better than Italian food? An Italian Sunday brunch with free flow of wine and prosecco, of course! One of the oldest Italian restaurants in Singapore, Pete’s Place at Grand Hyatt Singapore presents its Sunday Italian Prosecco Brunch (S$58++ with selected juices and coffee/tea, S$82++ for free flow of house red/white wine, prosecco, Tiger draft beer and Campari cocktails).
As soon as we stepped in to the charming restaurant located at the basement of Grand Hyatt Singapore, we knew it was going to be a good meal. Checkered table cloth, brick walls, wine cellars, and an impressive buffet spread welcomed us. It did not take us long to fall in love with this hidden gem in town that radiates an undeniable rustic enchantment.
Your feast begins at the fresh seafood section – dig in to crabs, mussels, prawns, scallops and freshly shucked oysters. Equally enticing was the cold cuts station, where we indulged in salamis, ham and endless servings of freshly shaved prosciutto with rock melon. The mains include chickan cacciatore, deep fried calamari, braised beef cheeks, and the very addictive squid ink gnocchi. Pasta lovers who cannot do without your first course will also be treated to freshly prepared pasta-of-the-day.
Wait, we haven’t mentioned that there are also freshly baked pizzas from the wood-fired oven, have we? But save some tummy space for the carving station where roasted beef sirloin and lamb leg await us. For something less heavy, there is also an oven baked whole barramundi.
We were also blown away by the dessert offerings at Pete’s Place. Chocolate pistachio cake, black forest cake, cheese cake, almond biscotti, mango mousse; Viva la dolce vita! But the tiramisu completely stole the show. It was one of the better tiramisu that we have had in Singapore, and we would come back to Pete’s Place just for this. The rocky road was also exceptional. The Sunday brunch also comes with a selection of quality homemade Italian gelato – quite the perfect ending to a marvellous Sunday.
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Pete’s Place
Grand Hyatt Singapore
10 Scotts Road
Tel: +65 6416 7322
Daily: 12pm – 4.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Sunday: 11.30am – 2.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
This post is brought to you by Grand Hyatt Singapore.
After taking a hiatus from Singapore’s hotel scene for a few years, The Westin has returned and this time round, sparkles amid the fanfare. Perched on a high ground and occupying levels 32 to 46 of Asia Square Tower Two at Marina View, The Westin Singapore is highly grand – literally. Besides the Westin Heavenly Bed, a stunning infinity pool, the Westin Workout fitness studio, and a luxe hotel decor, what we are really excited about is Seasonal Tastes – The Westin Singapore’s signature restaurant with interactive kitchens and featuring an impressive buffet line up that have already rocketed to our list of top favourites.
We love Seasonal Tastes’ buffet (S$45++/pax for buffet lunch, S$65++/pax for buffet dinner) for many reasons. Besides selling you the view of the Marina and how each and every chef is dedicated to whipping up their bests and delivering only the finest selections daily, we are truly excited to share about how this new addition is fast becoming a destination for the people of Singapore when they want to recharge their souls with good food.
For one, it is a top quality five-star buffet sans the exorbitant price tag, and everything that we sampled was cooked to high standards. Being located on level 32 of The Westin Singapore, Seasonal Tastes boasts a splendidly unobstructed view of Marina Bay and the south coast of Singapore. And because the location is very convenient, executives in the vicinity can now claim this spot as your favourite hangout; count on Seasonal Tastes whenever you crave a timeout from work. And if you are planning a family gathering on the weekends, parking is easy and affordable (S$3/entry).
Here are some of the highlights of Seasonal Tastes’ buffet.
We have been to Hong Kong many times, but frankly, we never considered staying in Causeway Bay. We usually prefer to stay in other areas like Central, Tsim Sha Tsui, Mongkok, Kowloon, Wanchai where our favourite restaurants and shops are located. Somehow, Causeway just did not appeal to us previously. However, a recent stay at Lanson Place Hotel on Leighton Road changed all that.
A premium hospitality brand, Lanson Place is a familiar name to discerning travellers. It has many luxury serviced apartments and residences across Asia. Lanson Place Hotel, Hong Kong, however, is a full-fledged hotel and it is a warm and welcoming respite within the city.
Korean BBQ, Kimchi jjigae (stew), ginseng chicken soup, bulgogi, kimchi pancake, Korean-style fried chicken, bibimbap… Korean cuisine revolves around rice, kimchi, and lots of meat. The Koreans love their BBQ, but food in Korea is more than that. There are restaurants and local eateries along every street, each specialising in their respective dishes.
Here is a guide on where to eat in Seoul, featuring a few of our favourite Korean BBQ restaurants, a traditional Korean restaurant that serves 30 classic banchans, the most popular ginseng chicken soup restaurant, and several outstanding cafes with brilliant concepts.
A lovely weekday afternoon, a quiet day to unwind and relax, a trip to W39 Bistro and Bakery in West Coast. We’ve heard a fair bit about this neighbourhood gem in the West, and a recent trip made us understand why it is well-loved for many reasons.
For frequent travellers like us, Singapore Changi Airport feels like our second home. But even though we head there on a monthly basis, we were somewhat astonished by how little we knew about our beloved airport – until a recent life-changing tour that had us falling in love with our world class airport on a whole new level.
From catching a free movie at the airport’s theatre, to taking a stroll at the Sunflower Garden and the Butterfly Garden – there are so many things to do, see and eat at Changi Airport before catching your flight. The next time you go on a holiday, be sure to arrive early at the airport because your holiday truly begins at Singapore Changi Airport.
Here are 12 things you never knew about Changi Airport.