Christmas Buffet at Bay Hotel

This Christmas, Bay Hotel Singapore’s STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar is al aglitter with the season’s freshest seafood-studded buffet specialties and festive staples from 24 December 2015 to 2 January 2016.

If you make a reservations early, you can also stand a chance to win GOLDHEART diamond jewellery set worth over $2000!

Decked in dark tones and wood accents, the restaurants interiors is brimming with unpretentious elegance, the perfect dining environment for spreading the holiday cheer over an intimate gathering of family and friends. And by being near to both Vivocity, Sentosa & St James Powerstation, this is the perfect place for anyone that patron these three places to drop by this restaurant for a good buffet dinner.





At the buffet, you can also enjoy executive Chef Ricky, who helms the ‘global flavours with a twist’ kitchen with classic French culinary techniques. From fresh seafood (fresh oysters, alaskan crab claws, bay scallops and blue mussels) to <Salmon Carpaccio with Coriander & Pine Nut Vinaigrette>(image below), <Langoustine Perfumed with Thai Pomelo Salsa>, <Smoked Oyster & Crab Cake> to <Asparagus Barigoule>, <White Fungus & Bay Shrimp>.





Based on how fast the plate got cleared up, I guess everyone’s favourite was the <Smoked Oyster & Crab Cake> because of its extremely crispy texture on the outside while a generous portion of tasty crab meat inside. I am not a very oyster-person so I tend to give oysters a miss but this surprisingly taste quite good and I couldn’t help having two of it myself.

Also, it is mentioned they added a special fruit as topping to this dish! We had so much trouble finding out what it was, so see if your taste bud is sharp enough to recognise it!








Most of us especially J were busy ‘attacking’ the <Black Pepper Alaskan Crab Claws with Gingko Nuts> (shown below). Personally, I have visited quite a fair bit of buffet restaurants and having Alaskan Crab in the menu is a pretty rare sight. The shells have been cut nicely for us thus making feasting on this dish a hassle-free & easy process. The fresh Alaskan Crab meat married to the peppery taste was indeed splendid even when it proved to be quite a feat for those who are not well versed to take on spices. If you are crab lover, be sure to make a beeline for this dish when you are there for the buffet!





Other dishes available includes the <Baked Prawns with Redcurrant and Ginger Compote>, <Crayfish Printanier>, <Seafood Paella> and many more.

The bowl of Seafood Paella was literally overflowing with the plethora of Seafood e.g. Octopus, scallop, prawn, clams etc!

Aren’t they mouth-watering?





Turkey is a definite must when it comes to Christmas, right? So here we are with their version of the Turkey dish: their signature <Tandorri Turkey>(below). It comes with two different types of sauces to compliment this dish. If I was to pick a choice between the two, it would easily be the Cucumber sauce as it  is a more refreshing and unique flavour. Do give them both a try & see if your opinions resonate with mine? ><





And to round up the festive celebration on a sweet note, we ended the buffet with <Crepe Suzette with Mandarin Orange>. I like the texture of the crepe being just right for my liking, not too hard or overly soft. Nonetheless, I found it a tinge too sweet for my liking but for people with BIG sweet tooth like J, it was kinda perfect!

Of course, for the dessert range this is not all! They also have Christmas log cakes, pralines, puddings and many more!





Still having headaches over where to go for this Year’s Christmas dinner celebration? Fret not. Rest assured that you can always fall back on this Buffet @ STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar before making your way to shop @ Vivocity, club @ St James Powerstation or Christmas celebration @ Sentosa!

Festive Buffet Dinner:

24 and 31 Dec 2015 at $68++/adult; $32++/child aged 6-12 years.

25 and 26 Dec 2015, 1 and 2 Jan 2016 at $58++/adult and $28++/child aged 6-12 years.

They are located at Bay Hotel Singapore, 50 Telok Blangah Road Singapore 098828.
Call in to 68186681 for reservations.

FYI, Maybank credit card holders get to dine for free with every 2 paying adults!!

Nostalgic Dim Sum Buffet @ Si Chuan Dou Hua

Does any of these words resonate with you when it comes to the dining table: “Spicy”, “Si Chuan”, “Cantonese”, Bean Curd” & “Dim Sum”? If any of these do, then this chapter on Nostalgic Dim Sum Buffet @ Shi Chuan Dou Hua, PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road is probably the right one for you!

Background of the Restaurant & Si Chuan Cuisine

The Si Chuan Dou Hua comprised of a group of restaurants and is well-known for not just the authenticity but also quality of its Cantonese & Si Chuan cuisines. This one which we had our food tasting at is nestled in the heart of Little India & a mere 3 minutes walk from Farrer Park MRT Station. To be more exact, it is directly opposite City Square Mall.

The restaurant most noticeable with its award-winning interior design accented with shiny gold oriental lattice & beautiful Asian artefacts.

But what is more impressive is its extensive menu which includes a wide array of exquisite handcrafted dim sum delicacies & Si Chuan dishes, making it the ideal dining experience for family & friends. By wide array, I mean they have as many as 50 dishes for you to choose from for this Buffet menu!

Before I start introducing the food proper, let me share an interesting fact which allow you to have a better appreication for the Si Chuan Cuisines. I think most would know that Si Chuan food are challengingly spicy.

But ever wondered why they are made this way?

It is because Si Chuan is part of a mountainous region where there isn’t much sun. Thus, the only way the natives there could keep themselves warm is via infusing spicy chilli and pepper into their delicacies!





With that, let the “heaty” introduction begin with the exterior of the restaurant: Simple & easily noticeable with a friendly attendant always ready to receive you!

One of the key highlights of dining at Si Chuan Dou Hua is the popular Tea performance born from Sichuan and Zhe Jiang, China. While waiting for the main dishes, a skilled Tea Master will first serve the patrons tea through this long-nosed bronze kettles. He was able to deliver it with such grace & precision, I could hardly imagine him missing!





Then came the food…

Double-boiled Cartilage soup. One of the restaurant’s signature dish. A highly-nutritious soup that seeks to awaken your taste buds! Even though the ingredients are simple, but they all combined so perfectly to give rise to this thick,  flavourful yet not overpowering broth! I would say this is one of the MUST TRYs.

Unfortunately, it is so good & treasured that it is one of the two items in the menu that is served ONCE per pax.

*Suggestion: Make every mouthful count for this one!





Warm up time over! Here are some to excite your taste buds & palattes!

Sliced Pork in Garlic & Chilli Sauce – To cater to the rising local demands for healthier food, lean pork is used. As a meat lover, I could not help having quite a few slices of these fragrant & tender meat.





Sea weed with Shredded Carrot & Radish in Chilli Oil





The other MUST TRYs in the house would be this Signature Pork Belly Roll with Yam. In Chinese they called it 那些年烧腩卷 ! What a catchy name!

But what’s even more catchy is the taste of this dish! I would say they made the pork belly so well-infused with the Yam & Mantou that it just melts upon the first bite! As such, the texture is good! And definitely very palatable!





Combination of Soya Chicken, Teow Chew Stewed Duck & BBQ Pork Rib – The other dish which will only be served once! So treasure this one as well!





Pan-fried Beancurd Skin Roll





Fragrant Yam Cake with Waxed meat –  Speaking of Innovative, this dish definitely is on that list! It might look like roasted pork. But the taste is far more unique than that! If you like Yam, this is one not to be missed!





“Siew Mai” with Diced Abalone –  The Siew Mai doesn’t get more exquisite than the one offered here! A Diced Abalone on it!

Wonder if it spoils the taste or probably a weird mix? Not at all! The marriage of abalone to Siew Mai further enhances its crunchiness! Good move, Chef!








Bean Curd in Spicy Minced Meat sauce – How can you have Si Chuan food without ordering its most signature dish! I like the version offered here as it has a heavier soy taste in the bean curd. Also, there is a subtle yet not overpowering tinge of spiciness to this dish! I would think they have made it “friendlier” so as to cater to local taste buds! Would definitely advised to be paired with rice to elicit a more balanced flavour!

*One quick note: All the tofu used in Si Chuan Dou Hua is formulated with a special recipe to give that unique soy taste.








Steamed Yam Paste Bun with Salted Egg Yolk. This is the Dim Sum Maybel loves the most. So much so, she wouldn’t mind thickening her skin to request for an extra serving! Very beautifully made with twirls of purplish Yam!





Concerns for our SG-50 patrons of it being too sweet?

Rest assured! You have more to worry about the cholestrol in that egg yolk than the mild sweetness for this one. In fact, this could just be the best dish to impress your elderly at home! 😉





Braised Pig Shank in Vinegar & Ginger





Pan-fried Carrot cake





The list just runs on and on… We had SOOOoo Much! It is the first time my stomach ever held up a white flag! But I still couldn’t help fueling my stomach further simply because their food is so tasty!

Nonetheless, we still have a draw a full stop to this fantastic(Till Far) dinner

Can’t say till I tried the desserts right?!

Our stomach could take only 2 more at best! So here are the two recommendations from us:

Homemade Bean Curd with Wolfberry. Their Signature dessert. One mouth & you will see for yourself why it is deserving to be called the Signature.

The Beancurd is specially made with their In-house recipe & it is so smoooooooth & soft, it could hardly hold itself within your mouth! The wolfberry added a much-required tinge of sweetness! Moreoever, the dessert is so ‘light’, you almost do not feel the calories pressure from ingesting this one!





Homemade Bean Curd with Sesame Ice-cream. Sesame lover, you will love this one! The milk from the ice-cream smoothen the bean curd further, it creates a whole new level of smoothness!





I could not express enough appreciation to the man behind the scene: Executive Chef- Leung Wing Chung for his dedication to create such wonderful dishes! A very humble person and he is ever so willing to share on his passion on Si Chuan & Cantonese food!


If you like a true blue & authentic Si Chuan & Cantonese experience, I would think Si Chuan Dou Hua is easily one of the best in that field in our local context. Simiarly, if you have a craving for mala dishes that is well fine-tuned to Singaporean taste buds, this is the first & probably only place you should go too!

Current promotion until 31 Dec 2015:

UOB and HSBC Credit Cardholder dines FREE with every 3 accompanying diners.

Monday – Thursday; 1120am to 2pm: Adult $32++, Child $20.80++

Friday – Sunday and Public Holidays: 11.30am to 10pm and 1.30pm to 3pm: Adult $38++, Child $22.80++

Promotion is valid at Si Chuan Dou Hua, PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road.

Contact: 6428 3170

A Devil’s Feast at Holiday Inn Orchard City Centre

A Devil’s feast at Window on the Park; Holiday Inn Orchard City Centre Level 2

Trick or treat! This October, Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre gets you in the right spooky mood for a frightful Halloween celebration as we provide a feast for your eyes and your tummies at Window on the Park and Lobby Lounge & Bar.

Bite into a devilish array of ghoulishly tasty buffet treats at Window on the Park. Be wary of the chilly crustacean at the Seafood Station, hair-raising canapés such as the Severed Finger Cookies, and suckulent meat featuring the Sirloin Beef at the Carving Station and Duck Confit in Wicked Sauce. Add a couple of flesh-cinating desserts like the Voodoo Chocolate Fondue, Edible Deadly Flower Pots and Jack-O’-Lantern Pie to keep you on your toes.

In addition, stand a chance to win five pairs of tickets to the Halloween Horror Nights 5 at Universal Studios SingaporeTM. Bone-appétit!

The selling point of this buffet is not only the cutesy stuffs you can see on the buffet table but also the price point.

There is an on-going promotion of 1 for 1 from 1st to 31st Oct 2015.

Lunch Buffet: 12pm – 2.30pm daily at $55++

Dinner Buffet: 6.30pm to 10pm daily at $65++ (Sunday to Thursday) || $72++ (Friday and Saturday)

Prices are 1 for 1. So yeahhhh, isn’t it cheap????!!!!

If you visit the place on Halloween day itself on the 31st, you will get to see the staffs all dressed up for Halloween and the restaurant will be dimmed. So spooky~~~~~





I do not usually start my buffet at the desserts section but hey, aren’t this table of desserts cute??





What a devilish pie there!





The flowerpots has worms inside them too! Chocolate cakes with gummy worms. Hahaha. This caught my attention for sure.





There were DIY corners too. Like making your own rojak or cooking your own bowl of laksa. I think my favourite dish from the buffet was the laksa because I can add an entire bowl of eggs to the noodles! Hehehe.








There were other choices for cooked food as well like the evil wings, chawanmushi, beef, rice and so much more.





Another dish which we helped ourselves to a second, third and fourth helping was the Chilli Crayfish! I feel hungry at the thought of it.














Pick your own ingredients and the chef will whip out a plate of pasta for you in your choice of Carbonara or Tomato base.





Now for the cold dishes.

The clams and salmons were fresh. For a buffet priced so cheap, I think the cold stations were bonus because seafood can be quite expensive.








The spider eggs are so cute too!! Who would have guess that a Halloween buffet can be this fun?!





After a sumptuous meal, quench your thirst for blood at Lobby Lounge & Bar with a Vampire’s Punch comprising of gin, lime juice, cranberry and grenadine syrup, Devil’s Fiery Shot made with vodka, hot sauce, chilli pepper, tomato juice, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce, Pina Ghoulada, a mix of rum, coconut cream and orange and pineapple juices, and Bleeding Heart Martini which consists of vodka, vermouth and grape punch. Cocktails from S$16++.





For reservations and enquiries, you can reach them at 6733 8333 or email them at fhb.hisinorchard@ihg.com

Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre is located at 11 Cavenagh Road Singapore 229616. They are located near behind cuppage plaza.

Seafood Buffet Galore @ Park Hotel Clarke Quay

Most of you guys would have known that we had a staycation at Park Hotel Clarke Quay lately after seeing our profuse uploading of staycation pictures on IG ! I must say one of the most memorable part of this stay still lingers around my taste buds more than my mind!  And that stems from the ‘Seafood Galore Buffet Dinner’ @ Brizo!

Nestled in a corner of Park Hotel Clarke Quay Lobby, Brizo has always been receiving much media limelight for their Seafood-related Buffets, most renowned for their Signature Crab Buffet!

However, this time around it is more than just Crab alone ! They are introducing a WIDER spread of Seafood dishes with almost every sea creature being laid on their table .

As we make our way to Brizo, this Big Advert greeted our eyes! Basically, M and my eyes picked up very different things. Well, in my defence, my stomach was already growling! Hence my eyes was mainly glued to the top half of the Advert which flashed the picture of the ‘Lobster in the Pan’ – which is the key highlight of this Seafood Buffet Dinner.

Whereas for M, she was intently reading the info that spans the bottom half. In short, this Seafood Buffet spans a period of 3 months from 1st Oct to 27 Dec 2015. It is only available on Thursday to Sunday.

But one thing we both see eye to eye is the fact that ‘If you are a seafood lover or if you are craving for seafood, this is the last thing you would want to miss on Earth!’





Prices are shown in the picture above! And if you are WoW by it, wait till you read further! I promise you the money you splurge on this Buffet would have been recoup by the FIRST TWO dish I will be presenting below!

I am someone that like to cut the chase & go straight to the highlights! For M, it is almost like she reached seafood heaven becuase of the crabs and MORE crabs! She particularly enjoyed the Salted Egg Crabs more than the Chilli Crabs being a big fan of the salted egg sauce. Whereas for me, I preferred the Chilli Paste one being a Spicy food lover!

Regardless which ever side you gonna take, good news is that the Crab is fresh & meaty!





Here is also the reason how your 65++ is recouped immediately: How much does 2 crabs cost nowadays ? Lets just say around 50-60 per kg with maybe 1-2 crabs. Here, you enjoy not 1 kg of Crab but many many Kg in the spirit of FREE FLOW!! This is what I call you can eat till you drop!





This is not enough to convince you to part that blue and red notes in your wallet? No problem! Maybe this next one will!

Key Highlight of this Seafood Buffet : For ever 2 dining pax, you are entitled to receive this cook-to-order dish – ‘Lobster in a Pan’! Yes! One entire Lobster in this Pan inclusive of many other goodies eg. Mussels, clams, Sausages, prawns, corn etc! Portion is good for Two. As the name implies (cook to order), that already signify how fresh the ingredients will be presented in this dish! Indeed, both the prawn & lobster meat were crunchy and had the seafood taste of sweetness further enhanced by the gravy!





We digged into the Buffet earlier and had quite a fair bit of food before this dish came! Like what most people always claim nothing taste that nice anymore when you are full! Still… we gobbled up everything in this Pan even with our almost full stomach!

Craving for some Carbo? Fret not. They have a Pasta customization corner for you to instruct the professional chef your choice of pasta & how you would like it to be done.








Wide variety of ingredients to explore for your Pasta creation! All you do is point, instruct & eye-power! *Viola* Cooking your desired Pasta doesn’t get any easier than this!





Back to Seafood spread, we have the Wok-fried La-la with Superior Stock and Chinese Wine! They say seafood goes well with White wine, I beg to differ after trying it with Chinese Wine! Splendid! The Chinese wine manage to mask part of the La-La scent and bring out its sweetness in an alcholic fashion!





Wok-fried Bean with Spicy Dried Shrimp Sambal





Provencal Seafood Stew. A rojak of Sea Creatures swimming in the big bowl!





That is not the only ‘Rojak’ around the tables as there is also this generous portion of Seafood Paella!





After all the hot cooked food, there are still warm stations with a variety of fried food too. The Baked Crab in a Shell is one of my personal Favourite. Crab meat is creatively minced together & placed back into these small crab shells. All you have to do is simply scoop it into your mouth!








Don’t like gravy nor Fried style? Sure!

You can do it the Indonesian ‘Pangan’ (Grilled) style! The few popular choices for Grill were all present : Prawns, Squid & Fish! This is right next to the Pasta corner which is taken care by a Professional Chef. Hence, these are all freshly prepared as the Chef took turn to cook Pasta and Grill these items wheneven they are swap away by hungry patrons!





Too much Heat? Lets go to the Cold stations!





I won’t say much. Just let the ABUNDANCE in these pictures speak the thousand words for the Cold Seafood spread for this Seafood Buffet Dinner!





The MUST Have of Cold Stations all lined up: Scallops, Oysters, Shellfish & Mussels.





Smoked Salmon..





No better way to conclude the dinner with a good range of Desserts! From colourful puddings with different flavours to…





.. cakes be it chocolate or cheesse flavour! What is missing here is also the good spread of Ice cream choices they have! No pictures becuase I ate them all! Muahaha! Imagine you have FREE FLOW of Conetto & Magnum Ice cream! Who wouldn’t right?! Haha!





If you like a good spread of Seafood Buffet which includes Crabs & Lobsters, we shall see you here at Brizo @ Park Hotel Clarke Quay! 😉 Because we will gladly be back again anytime….


Weekend Staycation at Park Hotel

James and I have been spamming our Instagram (@maybelinesim and @james_awyong) these 2 days because we stayed at Park Hotel Clarke Quay for a staycation! Our stay was at Crystal Club and it was a different check-in as the check-in was not done at level 1.

For Crystal Club, check-in will be done at Level 10.

I like Crystal Club because we felt like VIP and everything is so convenient there.





Guest at Crystal Club will be able to enjoy of the the club services like:
– Late check0out at 1500 (subject to availability)
– Buffet breakfast at Crystal Club Lounge from 7am to 1030am with daily newspaper and magazines instead of traveling all the way down to Level 1 as both the rooms and Club Lounge are located on the same level.
– Complimentary wine at Club Lounge from 5.30pm to 6.30pm
– Light refreshments and non-alcoholic beverages throughout the day
– Free Wifi
– 2 pieces of laundry wash daily
– 20% off dining at hotel’s F&B outlets
– Daily use of meeting room for 1 hour/day

Meeting room:

We did spend 1 hour of our time in there to give 100% concentration on work. Work for his and blog for mine.





Club Lounge for tea time, wine, breakfast:

It is open from 7am to 11pm daily. So do chill out at the Club Lounge if you need a drink or some small bites. They are on the house unless you order alcoholic drinks before 5.30pm and after 7.30pm.








We really went over to the Club Lounge just slightly before 7.30pm to enjoy the wines and finished a movie there. The lady even offered us small bites to accompany us as we watched our movie.





Breakfast with a view. But he was too focused on his newspaper instead.





When asked about the differences between dining in Club Lounge and Level 1, Brizo for the breakfast buffet, the staff told us that there will be more variety at Level 1. But judging from the food served at Level 10, I think it was good enough.

Crispy bacons and potatoes were our starters.





The best thing a hotel can ever include in their breakfast buffet is to include all choices of eggs!

So you can see scramble eggs in this pan but….





If you prefer it in other styles, do request for it too.

For omelette wise, you can choose among some fillings like onions, cheese, ham, tomatoes and more.








Lotus Bao for some who prefers chinese breakfast instead.








Other than the typical breakfast, you can also find Salmon, cheese and salad too.











This is my omelette spread out with cheese and bacon fillings!





Poached egg. It comes with bread but we were too full to finish the bread by then.





Room:





We were welcomed by chocolates and cards. Brought the chocolates down to the pool and indulge in it while we swim!

Our room was facing the swimming pool so we had a fantastic view. We can even see Clarke Quay, Liang Court and more from our room.





The room was very comfy and spacious. As you can see, there are 3 pillows for each pax and the bed was soooooo comfy. The air condition of the room was already on before we check-in so yay, no warm or musky smell.





Even the toilteries are so pretty.





Clean toilet and huge mirror calls for a selfie.








Swimming pool:

I think the idea of having a pool and a jacuzzi together is quite a good idea. James can swim around and then look for me at the Jacuzzi (because I don’t know how to swim) without getting out of the pool.














There is also a bar/restaurant beside the pool so you can order a glass of juices and relax beside the pool.





For tourists, Park Hotel Clarke Quay/Crystal Club is just minutes of walking distance away from Clarke Quay where you can shop, chill and eat till late night.

It is also a 5 minutes bus ride away from Orchard where you can do more shopping there.

For people who are looking at staycation, do try out Crystal Club, pamper yourself the way you should be treated 🙂

Their services is simply top notch in my opinion. I will be back for more staycations soon!

Park Hotel is located opposite UE Square;

 1 Unity St, 237983

‘Battle of the Crab’ Buffet @ PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road – Who will win ultimately?

Regardless how busy we are, there is one food tasting M & I will always make time for: the Crab Buffet. Very much becuase we are both hugh fans of crab, even to the extend of making time to go for a crab feast once every fornightly! As such, our expectaion of the freshness & standard of crabs offered have been set very high.

This time around we were invited to review the ‘Battle of the Crab’ Buffet @ Spice Brasserie (Located PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road which is a stone’s thrown away from Farrer Park MRT Station).

We expected nothing less from the man behind the show: Executive Chef Low Hoe Kiat whom has many years of experience ‘battling’ crabs. In fact, he made quite a name for himself upon the creation of his signature ‘Slow-Braised Pumpkin crab in Claypot’.

So, whether this buffet is gonna be crab or crap, let’s find out now..

This year, the restaurant will be presenting this tantalizing crustacean in 12 different flavours to whet your appetite, ranging from our famous local Singaporean Chilli Crab to Black Pepper Crab. Here are some of the more EXOTIC ones that kept us salivating through the whole night.

What’s special? This is the only one with a crispy hard shell and yet still edible as a whole! Grinder was provided for us to crush the crab into smaller pieces, making it a more Elderly- & Children-friendly dish. The crab itself conveyed a light saltish flavouring which is further enhanced with a careful selection of condiments/ingredients.





For those who like to munch on crispsy chips / crab, this is a combination that is sure to delight you !





Not all the crabs served that night came with a hard shell. One of my personal fav came in the form of a soft shell. This one is going to give you a feeling as though you are eating ‘chicken floss’ with crab meat inside! Very unique & unconventional way of whipping up a soft-shell crab dish. Furthermore, the texture of the soft shell crab tasted right without being too soggy or soft.





Personally as health-conscious individual, I have always been afraid of trying deep fried food as such for the fact that it might be too oily for my liking.

Fortunately, as much as this one appear oily-looking on the surface, it tasted less sinful than it seemed!





Those cooked with a light sauce like this one below gave us an indication of the freshness of the crab used in this restaurants. I am very pleased to share that their crab meat is really fresh and has a naturally-sweet taste to it.





Now to the HERO dish of the night: The Slow-Braised Pumpkin Crab . One which was seemingly the TOP pick among many other food blogges as well for that night.

What I enjoy most about this dish is the creamy & thick pumpkin gravy. It is soooo yummilicious that we finished every bit of it by dipping it with the crab meat and those fried mantou that came along with it! Furthermore, this is not commonly found in many seafood restaurant. Even if you do find it, I am quite sure it’s definitely gonna cost a premium with such a special flavour.

All in all, this is a definite MUST-TRY & we have nothing but admiration for Chef Low’s creativity after trying this one! Cheers!





The restaurant is also very generous with the size of the crabs. Rest assured you wouldn’t be “scammed” to eat tiny mini crabs here! Just look the size of this one here below!





Playing around with ‘Flavours’ is definitely the strength of this restaurant & Chef Low’s forte!

None of the 12 flavours were too ‘offensive’ to our palates even the most spicy one (Stir-Fried Crab with Japapeno)! Every single one was well-complimented to bring your crab-tasting experience to a whole new level!

If you love Korean food, try out this Stewed Kimchi Crab.





My BATTLE with the crabs that night concluded with the Salted Egg Yolk one!

I was happily ‘defeated’ in this BATTLE without a single complaint!





If you think this was all for the buffet, it wasn’t!

Apart from the ‘overpopulated’ crab dishes above,  the Taste of Asia Buffet lunch & dinner also came with a Japanese counter that served a fresh selection of sashimi & sushi. There was also a seafood corner serving fresh prawns, mussels, oysters and many more. Whereas, under the cooked food section, we were greeted with a quite a good variety as well eg Roasted pork, Char Kueh Teow etc.





For desserts, there was also a myraid of choices eg Kueh Lapis in two flavours, Nonya Kuehs, Ice-cream counter & even an Ice-Kacang machine which you can DIY your own ice-kacang!





We had a great night exploring the 12 different crab dishes & their other buffet food.

Now, the Battle of Crab buffet spread @ Spice Brasserie just set a new benchmark for both of us!  It is certainly not gonna be easy to find a good competitor for this one & hence we will always be happy to be back for this crab buffet that will be made available from 17th September 2015 onwards, every Thursday to Saturday evenings.


On going promotion for UOB, DBS and Maybank card holders: $60/adult

Non UOB, DBS or Maybank card holders: $75/adult and $34/child.

Find them at PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road, Lobby level.

A taste of Singapura at Park Hotel

Sponsored

From 1 July to 30 Sept 2015, pay only $58++ per pax to enjoy a nostalgic dinner BUFFET!!! And for non-Singaporeans, you can check out this buffet to have a taste of Singapore because all the dishes there triggers memories.

The first thing we saw was… We were welcomed by a refreshing drink and you can even find bits and pieces of fruits inside.





Of course, I was already very hungry by then. I saw a lot of familiar dishes like Fish Head Curry, Wok-friend La La, Butter Prawns with curry leaves and more when I walked around and my first thought of it was – Wow, my parents would love this buffet for sure and my mom’s birthday is in July. Maybe another idea for her birthday celebration.





They have their favourite Chilli Crabs and Salted Egg Crayfish.

I NEED TO CAPLOCK THIS, THE SALTED EGG CRAYFISH WAS SUPER SUPER SUPER GOOD. I like anything with Salted Egg and I am quite biased but the crayfish was very very fresh as well! The sweetness of the fish plus the creamy salted egg sauce….. yums..





James was singing praises about the curry for this Fish Head Curry because the fish was very fresh and look at the amount of ingredients used. Was generous an understatement?








Baked Sambal Chili Red Snapper was good because most Singaporeans love sambal and it is a need whenever we eat seafood. Don’t we all love Stingray sambal? How about Red Snapper? I think it is healthier and has more flesh inside! YUMS.





Squid in Fragrant Curry Sauce. My mom’s second favourite to crabs. She love BBQ Squid, Fried Squid and anything with squid. I believe she would love this dish for sure!





The fried rice was flavorful and tasty!! But heh, I would save my tummy for the seafood anytime!!!





The prawns were big and fresh. Even though it was cleared out fast, the staffs happily replace the empty woks with a fresh wok of delicacy. Love their prompt service.





There is a DIY corner for you to cook your own curry prawn noodles. I love DIY corners because I can spam my own ingredients! Heh. For me, I love DIY corners more than others because I can be quite fussy with food. For example, this curry prawn noodles is perfect for me because I don’t like bean sprouts and I like more fish cake slices in my noodles. I don’t have to be shy and just add whatever I want. Buffet the right way! Haha.





Deep-fried food are also available and there was actually more than these. Therefore, expect a good variety of food.





If you prefer something light or Japanese, they have salad bar and cold seafood as well.








The salmon we had that night was super fresh and I noticed that the staffs had to top up the dish every hour.








When it comes to good old days, how can we ever miss out the traditional kuehs. I love the colorful kueh and the green one with rice at the bottom. They are like my childhood snacks because my grandma used to buy me those when I stay over during the weekends.








As mentioned, the buffet is available from 1 July to 30 September 2015. Kids under the age of 5 dine for free.

Wednesday to Thursday: Adult $58++ Child $29++

Friday to Sunday: Adult $68++ Child $34++

There is also an ongoing Facebook and Instagram Contest.

Take a photo of yourself or with your family & friends, upload it onto your Facebook/Instagram account and hashtag #BrizoQualityTime and stand a chance to win a weekend staycation at Park Hotel Clarke Quay.

3 winners will be picked in early October for the best photos submitted. James and I stayed there 2 months ago and we don’t even wanna check out of the hotel the next day. It sure was nice to spend our sunday morning in the huge pool. That’s how life should be. Good food and good place.

Brizo Restaurant & Bar is located at 1 Unity Street, Park Hotel Clarke Quay, Singapore 237983.

You can also make a reservation by calling 6593 8855 or email them at brizo.phcq@parkhotelgroup.com 🙂

York Hotel Buffet at only $20+

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Author: James

If you were to ask me where is the MOST affordable buffet offering the MOST decent treasured local flavours without burning a hole in your pocket even if you were to spend on a large gathering, there can ONLY be ONE answer from me!

And that is the buffet at….

 

 

Once again, we were very priviledged to be invited for a buffet food review @ the White Rose Cafe residing in a corner of the hotel’s lobby. I have always been personally delighted to be invited to their event partially because of the very thoughtful and kind MarComs whom never fail to tend to us even at the expense of their own personal evening time with family. Kudos to you guys!

But one thing in common for all four of us, the evening spent at White Rose Cafe having their buffet is always time well spent!

 

 

This time around, I feel sorry for White Rose cafe because its the first food review meal we had after our Bali trip and I must say the meals in Bali set a pretty high benchmark & pose as a tough fight for our local cuisine. Despite the high benchmark set, I did not lose any appetitde over the quality and spread of local food offered from the restaurant!

 

So what did we have that night?

We had some of the 20 mouth-watering selections offered in the menu namely Chicken Masala (A gentle taste of India suitable for even those who doesn’t fancy spicy dishes) ..

 

 

..Black Ink Sotong (the Dark delight for the night which doesn’t stain your teeth)..

 

 

..Deep Fried Curry Drumlet (One of my favourites because of the creative infusing of curry taste within the drumlets)..

 

 

..Onion Omelette (As big as my face)..

 

 

..even Chap Chye found its way to our table!

 

 

Apart from those abovementioned, there is a total of 20 delicious selections namely Curry Sotong, Curry Chicken, Beef Rendang, Black Soya Sauce Chicken, Sambal Eggs, Silver Fish Omelette, Sambal Kang Kong, Curry Cabbage with Beancurd, Fried Bean Sprouts with Salted Fish, Papadum, Achar, Chendol, Ice Kachang, Cheng Tng, Chin Chow with Palm Seeds and others!

 

How much you may ask for ALL these per pax?

Let me thrill you with the price of it all at a mere $22.00* per person. With that price, you get to enjoy unlimited orders of the abovementioned list of local dishes!

*All prices are subject to 10% service charge & prevailing Goods & Services Tax (GST)

 

<Additional Perks>

The deal get EVEN sweeter if you go in a group of 2-3.

Plus one more serving of Signature Fish Head Curry (Half for 2-3 persons and Whole for 4-7 persons) and free flow of Steamed Fragrant Rice.

 

 

Also, you get to Add to your buffet the freshest & biggest Sambal King Prawns @ $3.00 per piece (U.P. $8) and that is not all….

 

 

TOP UP with a Crab Masala @ $10.00 per crab (U.P. $32). Where can you find crabs for just $10?

 

 

If you ask me about choices of Drink, I would say you wouldn’t want to miss out on this thirst-quenching & appetide-stirring Calamansi with Sour Plum! The sweet sourness of the drink pairs perfectly with the strong flavours of the dishes!

 

Availability: April to June 2015
Monday to Friday
12pm to 2.30pm
Price: $22.00 per person (Minimum 2 persons)For enquiries or reservations, please call
White Rose Café at +65 6830 1156

 

In conclusion, this was the second time I had dinner with them and I must say I have already developed a strong bond for the local cuisines offered by them so much so I can put down any important appointments at hand just to attend their food event!

Not just because of the fantastic & palate-satisfying Singaporean delights offered by them, but also very much because of the HOMELY feel it gives to me whenever I dine there! This feeling cannot be explained by mere words but only be testified through your own personal experience with them!

 

This scumptious meal at York Hotel put a TRUE full stop to my Bali Trip and called out to me that I am truly home now!

[Bali] Our Stay In Holiday Inn Express

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You guys know that I just came back from Bali right? I am very very grateful to HolidayInn Express for hosting us during our stay in Bali.

 

We took the 7am flight and camped at the airport since 3am for some Duty Free shopping and breakfast so we were VERY VERY VERY tired when we arrived in Bali at 10am. Nonetheless, that did not dampen any bit of my mood and excitement in visiting Bali! As soon as we hit the plane, only ONE letter came into mind: Zzz.. 2 hours plus later, we reached Bali (Depasar) Airport!

 



We were greeted by the beautiful and peaceful looking interior of the hotel and the check-in process was quick because the friendly staffs were all very experienced. From the lethargic look on our faces coupled with those unavoidable Jia Jia & Kai Kai eyes of ours, I bet they knew how tired we were after the SUPER DUPER early morning flight.


In terms of their front desk customer relation, I must say they deserve 2 thumbs up !! Not only were they prompt in replying our requests, you hardly see a tinge of frustration on their faces despite our interminable requests. They even went the extra mile to help us with some of our hotel planning and recommended us on some of the activities we can do.




My very first photo in Bali!



You don’t find the usual hotel glitteries around Holiday Inn Express. And it is basically because of this, i feel much closer to home with their simple & clean layout.

Don’t expect to see hotels in Bali to those skyscrappers sort like some in Singapore. In fact, this is already one of the tallest around town. You will see why I say that from the roof pictures below.




After checking in, what we did next immediately was to explore the room and the facilities!

First up, the room…




To some people, the word “Express” does lead to some form of skeptism. But to be very frank, the hotel room does not have the likes of an “Express” hotel room. The room is clean with a super comfy king-sized bed!





Room is spacious, definitely enough for two to roam around without knocking into each other!





Our room overlooked nicely into the courtyard which end up being a hugh perk as we could easily check if our tour guide/drivers have arrived at the lobby even before the reception can call us!




Next to the facilities!

We headed straight to the roof and was pleasantly greeted by the pool which J eventually did swim a couple of laps on the last day of our stay! My baby can be quite a clean freak and judging from the fact that he did not even make a noise over the pool water, i guess it passed the cleaniless test! 🙂







A nice little hangout area, particularly useful at night for a group of friends where they chill around and admire the nice starry night in Bali.





After exploring, we went back to take a quick shower and rested for 40 minutes before heading out to explore Bali.


40 minutes of rest and it took less than 30 seconds for this lazy bum to climb into bed! He absoultely have no idea I snapped this!





Shortly, I also joined in to enjoy the comfy bed..




*4o mins passed*


See those REJUVENATED face of ours and all ready to hit the Bali streets!





This brings me to the other benefit of staying in Holiday Inn Express! That is once you get out of the hotel, all the supermarket, malls, art markets so on and so forth are within a stone’s thrown away distance! In fact, you are already at the Heart of Kuta itself!





You will see quite a few familiar brands in Kuta square such as Rip Curl, Havianas, Polo RL etc. Best part is you will find the prices there much cheaper than in Singapore. Take for instances, a Havianas slippers cost easily 15-20% cheaper there!





Apart from shops, you will find many fast food restaurants eg Mac, KFC so rest assured you are never ever gonna starve in Kuta, Bali regardless how picky an eater you are.

Because Kuta Beach was also near, we walked over for a stroll and to dine by the beach for lunch.





Less than 15 minutes walk, we were already at the famous Kuta beach where surfers like to visit!

Not just a good place to surf but also a good place to do #OOTD & #photooftheday!






More OOTDs at the back alley.




Putting the back alley for even better uses apart from OOTD: *Opps!* -> *Ooo La La!*


Tofu eaten!




Rayban fans caught in a candid moment!




Our first day in Bali was pretty much spent combing the streets of Kuta and the beach. Surprisingly, there are so many things to buy and shop there and I spent almost one third of my IDR there!

Apparently, after one day of shopping & exploring, we were all pretty dead beat! We had a quick shower with the well-equipped amenities eg body wash, shampoo, toothbrush etc before heading for bed. Both of us were soon sound asleep without much external disturbances or noises.

Stay tuned for the next post, you will see what the hotel has to offer for breakfast and we we did in Bali!