review Archives - Page 2 of 19

Chen’s Mapo Tofu Opens Second outlet at Star Vista

March 22, 2021maybeline

By Alex

If you are a CBD dweller, the name Chen’s Mapo Tofu shouldn’t be too foreign for you. Established as a fuss-free dining option with an outstanding quality of its unique fusion of Szechwan cuisine with Japanese influences, this Michelin Bib Gourmand eatery 2nd outlet at Star Vista brings a strikingly contemporary cosy ambience with stylish elements of wood and marble meeting Chen’s trademark red and yellow.

The new launch is marked by a return of the brand’s well-loved menu with signature Mapo Tofu and popular favourites such as Dan Dan Mien, Miso, Nasu Don and Kaisen Katayaki. The Kaisen Katayaki is basically elevated ee-mian bathed in savoury seafood sauce and holds fresh seafood. It’s a crunchy flavour bomb definitely worth the carbs.

If you are old enough to recall, Chef Chen Kenichi starred in e Japanese Iron Chef series. With mains starting from $10.80, wats not to love?
Some of my favourites includes the Mapo Don (not as spicy as it looks), Kurozu Buta Don and Spicy Szechuan Dumplings. It goes down with rice very well.

And yes the Szechuan Popcorn chicken. Nothing goes as satisfying well-seasoned and crunchy and these popcorn chicken.

For the latest information on promotions, please visit Mapo Tofu official social media platform at @chensmapotofu.

Chen’s Mapo Tofu
1 Vista Exchange Green, #02-08, S138617
Opening Hours: 11am to 10pm, daily
Facebook and Instagram: @chensmapotofu #ChensStarVista

Lo Hei in Charming Festive Domes @ Capitol Singapore

February 18, 2021maybeline

These air-conditioned bubble domes provide a safe and intimate space for friends and families alike, while serving as the perfect backdrop for photos. To get these domes, simply order any prosperity Yu Sheng set from either The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore, Famouse Treasure or HolyCreab via springfair.capitolsingapore.com to enjoy Lohei @ The Domes in an intimate setup for two hours for free with your family and friends.

Also, with good experience good food must not be forsaken. Pick a wide selection of Lunar New Year dishes and goodies, from traditional Chinese set meals at 15 Stamford by Alvin Leung at The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore, Famous Treasure and HolyCrab to exquisite German-Chinese and Italian-Chinese fusion set menus from Frieda Restaurant and La Scala Ristorante respectively. We have sampled the Bak Kwa Frittata from La Scala Ristorante, Chicken Cheese Sausage Hot Dog Roll from Broadway American Diner, and Pork Belly from Frieda Restaurant. They are simply amazing and so easy to popped into mouth.

For dessert, this Mandarin Orange Choux (an orange Blossom Cream) from Berthold Delikatessen is creamy with a sweet tangy explosion, absolutely a delight.

Capitol Singapore, Outdoor Plaza

Date & Time: 22 Jan – 26 Feb 2021, 12pm – 10pm

Simply order a Yu Sheng set from either The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore, Famous Treasure or HolyCrab and lohei @ The Domes in an intimate setup for 2 hours with family and friends

Reservation: springfair.capitolsingapore.com

Lohei @ The Capitol Singapore

Capitol Singapore, Outdoor Plaza

Date & Time: 22 Jan – 26 Feb 2021, 12pm – 10pm

Simply order a Yu Sheng set from either The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore, Famous Treasure or HolyCrab and lohei @ The Domes in an intimate setup for 2 hours with family and friends

Reservation: springfair.capitolsingapore.com

Hutong Unveils New Menu with Szechuan BBQ Skewers from $1

December 15, 2020maybeline

Here’s something you can share it with 3 other friends, or 4 to make it merrier. Hutong, a restaurant situated at Clarke Quay known to dole out Northern Chinese cuisines, features a brand-new menu with tantalizing Szechuan BBQ skewers. The new menu comprises over 40 varieties of Szechuan appetisers and BBQ skewers, from meat to seafood and vegetables.

One noteworthy mention is that these skewers are marinated with a special inhouse blend consisting of salt, white pepper powder, cooking wine and cumin powder. Then another special blend of spices are sprinkled atop the skwer before serving to give it a very unique, flavourful taste. Oh, and don’t be worried that the skewers might get cold, as they are served over a griller instead of on plates.

Be spoilt for choices with offerings including chicken meat, pig intestine, pig stomach, premium beef cube, mutton leg meat, squid and fresh prawns. While indulging the meat from land and sea, do also remember to temper your palate with vegetables like oyster mushrooms, broccoli and romaine lettuce. I particularly loved the special chili oil and can pepper oil to add another depth of flavour to the grills.

Must try-offerings include the Fresh Oyster and Premium Half Shell Scallops, which are grilled together with the restaurant’s house-made chili paste. Accompany tat with a bowl of rice or the hot and sour rice noodles to further whets the appetite with its interplay of flavours.

One interesting mention is the Mala Xiao Long Xia with Maotai. A generous amount of baby crawfish is stir-fried with a blend of aromatic mala spices. Before serving, a shot of Maotai is drizzled over the dish for a dramatic flambee presentation. I love the juiciness and succulent crawfish, but do remember to wear the plastic gloves and make sure you don’t wear white when eating this! (deshelling might result in collateral damage).

You can enjoy other Katrina Group restaurants along Clarke Quay like the Japanese bar Tomo Izakaya, Thai restaurant RENNThai and Mexican bar Muchos.

Hutong

3D River Valley Road, #01-07 Block D, Singapore 179023 Reservation: 6337 0144 Operating hours: Tue – Sun, 5pm to 11pm | Mon closed

Facebook @hutongrestaurant

hutong.com.sg

Review: Coway Water Purifier

November 24, 2020maybeline

How big is your kitchen? Mine is pretty small so I try to got for compact, slim and sleek kitchen appliances.

Despite my kitchen being small, I wanted a water purifier machine at home so that I can save the hassle of boiling water and enjoy the luxury of having clean water to drink all day long.

I chose Coway CHO-240N in the end because of the sleek design and it’s three in one function. It is also the world’s smallest hot & cold & ambient countertop water purifier.

Main Filter: Nanotrap filter
Extraction: Purified Hot, Cold & Ambient water

Making a cup of instant coffee or noodles has never been easier with this water purifier with its instant heating and eco-friendly compressor cooling system. You can get boiling water within 2 seconds! Rushing for time in the morning? No worries! 2 seconds is all you need to make a cup of coffee.

The machine also comes with a child lock function so if you have kids at home, fret not as the kids will not have access to the hot water when you child-lock it.

Some dlderly may feel that water purifier are difficult to use but this is not the case for the Coway. The machine that I chose is intuitive and easy to use! Just a simple touch and you can get your clean water within seconds!

All in all, this water purifier is suitable for the young, adult and the old.

Among all the benefits, do you know what I love about Coway water purifier most? I do not have to worry about the filter getting dirty or if it is time for a maintenance as the guys from the Mayer team will automatically receive a report and arrange an appointment with you to change the filter!

Watch the video below to find out more about Coway CHP-240N.

Review: Mayer Rice Cooker (Rose Gold)

November 22, 2020maybeline

Do you cook at home? Well, the answer is yes. Not often but yes.

I am the typical Asian who love my carbs – rice and noodles so I need a rice cooker for sure. As my kitchen is quite small (which new property isn’t?!), I prefer to get those rice cookers that comes with more than 1 function.

Even before I shifted in to my current place, I already had my eyes on this Rose Gold Mayer 1.5 Litre Rice Cooker.

The unique colour of this rice cooker stood out the most in my kitchen but boy, I was glad that it did. I don’t want an aunty rice cooker to stand out in my kitchen. LOL.

It is as functional as it looks as it comes with 8 cooking functions: Rice, Baby Food, Congee, Slow Cook, Porridge/Soup, Brown Rice, Reheat & Steam.

Yes, you can prepare meals for your baby with this rice cooker too! Great for families with babies and kids!

There is also a “keep warm” function where I can keep my soup warm for the entire day. Whenever James or I cook soup at home, it means that we will be having the same thing for both lunch and dinner. With this function, we can still enjoy fresh and hot soup 7 hours later!

We also steam man tou or other breakfast items for a quite perk me up in the morning. Super fuss-free!

Some may say that since there is only two of us in the house, this rice cooker may seems too big and it may be a fuss to clean. Nope! It is actually very easy to clean! The cover plate is removable for easy cleaning. The rice cooker has served me well and I think I made the right decision to go with Mayer!

Should you be interested in getting this, you will receive all these items in the box:

1 x Mayer 1.5L Digital Rice Cooker
1 x Steamer
1 x Rice Scoop
1 x Soup Scoop
1 x Measuring Cup

Authentic Peranakan Cuisine by Chef Philip Chia @ The Real Peranakan

October 27, 2020maybeline

Author: Alexius Chua

The Real Peranakan, which opened two outlets on July and August 2020 at Hillcrest and Kim Yam, is likely to attract families longing for this nostalgic taste of Straits Chinese cuisine. Especially those who grew up eating Peranakan dishes and longing for some authentic taste, they will be tastefully persuaded by the culinary of Celebrity Chef Philip Chia – a true blue Peranakan and an indisputable authority on Peranakan Cuisine – who has brought traditional favourites and long-lost recipes back to the table.

The soul-nourishing Hee Peow Soup ($16.80), which consists of fish maw, collagen-rich broth filled with handmade prawn ball, pork ball and fish ball using Chef Philip’s grandma’s age-old recipe. It needs 6 hours of preparation and simmering, so remember to pre-order 3 days in advance to snag this homely, belly-warming soup.

Next dish is the Ayam Buah Keluak ($19.80). For those who don’t take Buah Keluak nut, this might not be appealing to you, but for me the bitter sweetness and creamy earthiness tastes truly unique and special, like eating dark chocolate. It’s an ingredient you shouldn’t cook by yourself because its said to contain hydrogen cyanide that is deadly if not treated properly.

The Sambal Udang Belimbing (seasonal) ($26.80) is my favourite in this menu. Featuring the star fruit ‘Belimbing’ that is used to grow in abundance, its tarty and refreshing flavour complents perfectly with the rich lemak taste of coconut milk and with Chef Philip secret recipe. The prawns are very fresh and comes with a bite too.

The Babi Pong The ($22) is an old recipe passed down 5 gens and which requires 3-4 hours of labour in the kitchen. What resulted is a flavourful melt-in-the-mouth pork slices with added spiciness from the green chili.

For dessert we have a platter of homely kuehs, which is colourful for the eyes and delightful in stomach. It’s a sticky sweet ending to the gastronomic journey, and here’s 1 sweet promotion for you.

Official Opening Special: Get 1 Free Man Course with any Purchase of 4 Main Courses
• Promotion is from 21 Oct to 20 Nov 2020, while stock last
• Available for dine in only, not takeaways allowed
• Availale from 11.30am – 9.30pm (last order0
• Not redeemable with any other discounts or promotions
• Not applicable for breakfast items
• No splitting of bill is allowed
• Not valid on eve of public holidays and public holidays

The Real Peranakan
73 Hillcrest Road, Singapore 288945
Operating hours: Tue-Sun, 7.30am – 10pm (last order 9.30pm)
Facebook: @TheRealPeranakan
Instagram: @TheRealPeranakan
Website: therealperanakan.com

Hot Stones offer Japanese Steakhouse Dining Experience

October 11, 2020maybeline

Author: Alexius Chua

Are you into hot stone cooking? Located at River Valley, Hot Stones is the first restaurant in Singapore to offer cooking over volcanic stone slabs since 1992, and has revamped its dining concept to offer a Japanese steakhouse dining experience. The sizzling Yakiniku hands-on dining experience is indeed a feast for both the eyes and taste buds
But why hot stones? It is said that this cooking method help seal in the natural juices of the meat or seafood, further amp up the flavour and taste.

Combining the best of both worlds, the Surf & Turf for 2 ($108) is a medley of king prawns, salmon, US scallops, Australian wagyu and US striploin. The beef is surprisingly juicy and tender once cooked, and with alluring smell to arrest your senses. For the seafood, it is fresh and tasty but you need abit of handiwork on the prawns. The best part is since this is a DIY cooking concept, you can cook the meat to your preferred doneness and seafood to the preferred charring.

Each set comes with complete with five choices of appetisers, carbs and desserts per diner. The delectable options include cold shrimp tofu, mushroom soup, garlic rice and matcha cheesecake.
It’s perfect for couples on date nights or for small party of friends to catch up and bond over good food.

Apart from the specially curated sets, you can savour appetisers such as the melt in the mouth Aburi Wagyu Beef ($14), which has MS7 to 8 beef topped with sliced onions, wakame, Steamed Shrimp Momotaro ($8), Japanese Curry Mussels ($14), Sake Steamed Mussels ($14), Spicy Garlic Miso Mussels ($14) and Garlic Butter Mussels ($14).

If you like your meat accompanied with carb such as rice, you can look at Hot Stones luxurious bowls of donburi such as the Australia MS7-8 Wagyu Striploin Don ($38), Honey Miso Salmon Don ($28), and Teriyaki Chicken Don ($22). Its very atas looking.

End it off with a intoxicating yet refreshing Cherry Blossom Martini ($16) – a sweet concoction made with vodka, sake and grapefruit juice. Or with the more citrusy Shojito ($16) which is a mix of shochu, lime and mint leaf.

Promotion
Enjoy 50% off its 2nd set menu from 1 – 31 Oct 2020. T&Cs applies.

Hot Stones
3D River Valley Road #01-06 Block D, Singapore 179023
Operating hours: Mondays to Sundays, 12pm to 3pm, 5pm to 10pm
Facebook: @hotstones.sg
Instagram: @creativeeateries
Website: hotstones.com.sg

Fremantle Seafood Market Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Whole Lobsters at 50% off

September 20, 2020maybeline

Author: Alexius Chua

Here’s a place you can make yourself (or your taste buds) feel like dining in Perth seafood harbour without shrinking your wallet too much.
Fremantle Seafood Market celebrates its 10th anniversary this September with an irresistible promotion – live whole lobster at 50% off! From 10 Sep to 11 October 2020, you can enjoy it 2 ways – Whole Lobster Thermidor (U.P. $82) or the Whole Lobster Mornay (U.P. $82). Limited to one redemption per table.
Tried the Thermidor lobster and find the meat is fresh with mushroom creaminess and cheesiness. The 50% off is simply a steal!

Inspired by the vibrant dining scene of Perth’s port city, Fremantle, Fremantle Seafood Market restaurant brings a plethora of seafood dishes from mussels to barramundi, oysters to lobsters, with a waterfront dining to boot.
The feast begins with an Oyster Challenge ($26) – Canadian oysters served with 3 curated sauces – verde, pomelo and Bloody Mary. For me the pomelo and Bloody Mary really enhances the oceanic taste of the oyster with a lingering citrusy sweetness.

Next is the Classic White Wine Clams ($14). From the picture you can tell that the restaurant didn’t go budget with the clams. The yellowish soup is rich and flavourful too. Served with garlic bread as a tasty dip to soak off the creamy soup.

The Signature Fremantle Snow Crab Cakes ($16) is a dish I adore. Its crispy exterior contrasts with the soft and fluffy inner. The amount of whitish crab meat per patty is generous and satisfying to bite into. Served with mixed salad and cayenne aioli.

While fish & chips dish are dime a dozen in Singapore, this Barramundi Fish and Chips ($18) features fish fillet coated with Australia’s Two Birds Brewing sunset ale beer batter, deep-fried to golden perfection. What’s more interesting is the accompanying duck fat fries (+$8 to upgrade from normal French fries to duck fat fries), it gives a subtly nicer, more rounded aroma than normal fries.

The last dish is a show stopper, and a dish to summarize what Fremantle Seafood Market truly is. The Fremantle Hot Seafood Platter ($76) is a glorious medley of crispy soft-shell crab, grilled barramundi fillet, white wine mussels, Rockefeller baked oyster, grilled garlic butter king prawn and baked Chilean scallop.
It got everything that everyone fancies, and its good for 2 to 3 pax. If you want to treat your special guest or a date with loved ones, this might be it.

Fremantle Seafood Market
3E River Valley Road, #01-05, Singapore 179024
Operating hours: Mon-Sun, 12-3pm (last order: 2.45pm), 5-10pm (last order: 9.45pm)
Facebook: @FremantleSeafoodMarket
Instagram: @creativeeateries
Website: fremantleseafoodmarket.com.sg

Butter Bean – modern version of Toast Box, opens 2nd outlet in VivoCity

September 13, 2020maybeline

Author: Alexius Chua

A creative concept by BreadTalk Group that serves contemporary Nanyang coffee-based drinks and opened-face toasts, Butter Beam unveils a 2nd outlet at VivoCity. It boasts a larger space than its Funan store with seating capacity of 70 (50 with current social distancing measure). This includes an alfresco patio that is perfect for a laid-back breezy afternoon.

The coffees are made from Arabica and Robusta beans, coated with a layer of caramelised sugar before roasting (Torrefacto method). They are ground in small batches when required, and brewed to the effect of Kopi-O Kosong Gao for that intense and full-bodied concentrate.
This forms the foundation of all coffee-based beverages at Butter Bean. Theyalso served specialty local and international beverages like hand-shaken teas and fruit drinks – all affordably priced at $3.50 and below.

Some examples are
GM Kopi BBliss (my favourite)
Lychee Orange Tea
BB Rose

The classic toasts are re-imagined at Butter Bean. From $2 onward per toast, each of the 8 options presents a different topping on an inch-thick Butter Bean signature butter loaf, which are baked fresh on the premises daily. The loaf is made with a proprietary recipe with pure New Zealand butter and Japanese flour. The toasts are further toasted on a flat iron grill to give a delightful crisp edge and soft and fluffy interior.

The bread by itself tastes light and milky like those Hokkaido bread. At an additional $3, you can choose your choice of toast as a set that includes two eggs – traditional half-boiled or Hanjuku-style with molten center, and a regular cup of hot Nanyang-brewed Kopi or Tea.
For a satisfying and fuller meal, you can opt for sandwiches, which uses the same milky bread.

Some examples are
PB & J
Say Cheese (my favourite)
Sandwiches
BBF Battered Fried Fish
C.F.C Crispy Fried Chicken (my favourite)

Besides kopi and toasts, Butter Bean also curates four mains to whet your appetite. Top up $2.20 to enjoy the mains as a set, served with choice of iced Kopi or Teh.
Some examples are
Curry On Sunshine (my favourite)
Hey You Hae Mee

Promotions
From 14 – 17 September, receive free metal straw and brush set with purchase of any two specialty drinks. Set will be included with order upon collection of drinks. Limited to the first 50 redemption per day. Specialty drinks include BBrulee Kopi/ Teh Latte, G.M. Kopi/ Teh BBliss, BB Rose, Lychee Orange Tea and Lim Aiyu.

Butter Bean @ VivoCity
1 HarbourFront Walk
#01-207, Singapore 098585
8am to 9pm (Sun – Thu)
8am to 10pm (Fri, Sat and PH)
Facebook/ Instagram: @butterbeansg

AGNES Treatment to Get Rid of Stubborn Acne and Pimples

March 25, 2020maybeline

Author: Alexius Chua

Being a guy used to be easy. Men were known to keep everything to the basics, just one hard soap is enough to scrub from head to toe, without a care in the world, much less on appearance.

But not now.

I’ve got many skin problems, and one that irks me the most is pesky acne and pimples. It is a skin condition triggered by overactive oil glands. When pores are clogged with too much sebum produced by the oil glands, the pimple pops up.

Have tried a million different things – changing different pimple creams and facial wash, and visited polyclinic for that birth control pill prescription twice, with little or temporary success. What results is dry, sensitive skin and scarring on certain areas. I thought that every option to eradicate this problem has been tried and failed, there is nothing I can do except to watch my diet and hope for the best.

But I was wrong. The solution couldn’t be simpler.

Thankfully, Dr Ryan Tan at Aesthetics Central Clinic at Clarke Quay Central is here to the rescue. Dr Ryan suggested AGNES Treatment for my first acne treatment. It is a permanent, non-surgical solution to treat my stubborn acne.

Separated to 2 days, on the first day Dr Ryan will use a special device called AGNES to administer radiofrequency energy precisely on specific problem areas. This tiny burst of electrical energy will cause the affected oil gland to shrink and produce less oil.

On the second day, acne extraction by the beautician.

First, Dr Ryan demarcates the acne areas – an important step as there are 100,000 good, normal functioning pores, and only about 300-500 diseased damaged pores that are always getting inflamed and infected repeatedly. Dr Ryan inspects at every single pores and selectively selects the problem causing ones for treatment.

Next is the numbing shots, which to me felt like ant bites. Okai to be honest there are jabs on certain areas that woke me up from slumber (Yes I am that tired lol), but his assistant used a vibrator-like thingy to numb area while Dr Ryan administer the injection, making it much less painful.

The same 1% of the pores on the face are responsible for causing 90% of the acne

Then comes the AGNES treatment, which felt like a breathe of sunshine as compared to the previous numbing shots. Its amazing considering its a special needles but there’s no feeling at all, perhaps partly thanks to the numbing shot taken earlier. Dr Ryan zaps only 1-2% of the thousands of pores, so good thing is I won’t be experiencing any dry skin or flakiness after the treatment as compared to other solutions!

It is completely pain-free during the AGNES Treatment. Although the machine sound might be somewhat distracting with its constant beeping, it is all in all a pleasant virgin experience for me.

The treatment takes about one and a half hour from arrival to exit, so it is quite fast and, more importantly, painless for me. Although I experience some redness and swelling immediately after the treatment, it doesn’t stop me from going out for dinner. Of course, I must remember to hydrate, moisturize and sunscreen.

One month after the treatment, the redness has subsided and I am quite pleased with the results. The zapped problematic pimple areas have no recurrence so far and there is no drying or sensitivity. My face also felt much less oilier than before. Understand that, depending on person to person, it may require 1 to 3 treatments or more to prevent new acne from forming from existing healthy pores.

And the best thing of all, it is permanent, so no need to compare between harsh pimple creams or taking medication that is not ideal for kidney again!

Aesthetics Central Clinic Address:
8 Eu Tong Sen Street #11-89 The Central Office One, Singapore 059818
For appointment, please call (+65) 6221 8221 or whatsapp (+65) 9726 8856
Email: aestheticscentralclinic@gmail.com
Website: https://www.cosmeticsurgery.sg/