A lot of you have been asking about our honeymoon and all. So here you go! In total, we spent about $8,500 for this trip (excluding our own shopping and food). So is the trip worth every penny we spent on this trip? Read more below!
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To be honest, I have never been on a packaged tour since the age of 7. Sadly, I cannot really recall those before I turned 7.
Like what James always say: “We should enjoy hard after we have worked hard enough!”. Thus, we went straight for a good looooong holiday! This round, we took up a 13-Day, 11-Night Italy, Switzerland, Paris, Germany + 2-Night Dubai Trip with euHolidays.
I was initially very worried & scared but at the same time, excited. Worried & scared because I am more of a conservative person. I kept having thoughts like “What if there are delays”, “What if I get robbed or pickpocketed?” and just many “What ifs”! All these concerns were real because they were shared to me by close friends and relatives around me.
Having been to Europe a couple of years ago, the pickpocket issues there were very real. I went there with my university mates and some of them got ‘preyed’ upon! I almost experienced it first hand when one of my uni mates who was sitting right next to me got preyed upon by them…. I have to admit that I just developed “Euro-phobia” since then. Therefore, this is also simply the reason why we decided to go with a tour group. As much as you would think “bigger group means bigger prey”, it meant more peace of mind for us especially if you have a good mama-san there!
Thankfully, we had a great mama-san during this trip. She is actually the tour manager, Susan. Being a conservative person, she kept reminding and keeping a lookout for us. Must say that the trip wouldn’t have been the same without her!
We flew in with a stop over at Dubai airport. Fortunately, we only have to wait for a short one hour during the stopover; thankfully not much time was wasted during the flying portion! Our first stop was Italy – Rome. We visited the Colosseum and the price of the ticket was included in the trip so we did not have to top up for the entrance.
It was very hard to get a good shot there as the place is crazily packed! Still, this is not to be missed by first timers to Rome! Having been there for countless times, Susan knows where and which angle so she helped us with some photo-taking there! I was even guilty to say she took even better photos than we did! Haha! That was not the only merit of her; Susan is definitely very well read as she knows every location inside out from its rich history, heritage, local practices and so on. For James, this is definitely a plus point as he really love to know a place inside out! He always say that is the point of travelling!
For this, another plus point for euHolidays!
Picture taken in Rome
We also visited St. Peter’s Basilica, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and even visited our first Christmas Market at Piazza Novona! We were very lucky because it was the Christmas season so we had a lot of Christmas markets to shop and experience. Even more lucky as we met the Pope himself! That very day we visited the St Peter’s Cathedral, he was giving his blessing to the visitors! What else can I say, we are blessed to be on this trip LITERALLY!
Personally, I love Siena the most when we were in Italy. I love the peace and the structures of the building! They have the oldest building in whole of Italy. If you know their artistic history, that was the gothic period. From structures to food, everything is good! Even a simple pizza there taste super good! According to Susan, Siena is not somewhere easily accessible without a coach. You can make a day trip there but it will cost you a few hundred bucks to book a cab to and fro.
Picture taken in Siena
Next up, we went to Florence and Venice. Needless to say, they are very beautiful too!! Beautiful in a different way. Venice was so pretty that I look as though I was photoshopped in all the photos! We also saw how figurines were made by their masters using murano glass there. We wanted to buy wine glasses back but they were so expensive. 2 for SGD300-400 (I can’t remember the exact price)? Nonetheless, we still manage to get a glass horse which is now part of the accessories at James’ drinking corner in the house!
Fun Fact: Do you know that there are no land transport in Venice? You will have to take a water taxi to reach Venice and also when travelling within all the small winding channels of Venice.
Picture taken in Venice
Picture taken in Venice
Of course, I love my outlet shopping at The Mall in Italy too 😛 I bought a Gucci and Prada bag there! We were only given 2 hours to shop. I wished we had more time though. Queueing to enter the different boutiques took up 1/3 of the time already 🙁 I also regretted not getting the YSL bag that I saw. It was only $1,800 at the outlet mall and that was nearly 40% off the retail price!!!
The bags were so affordable that I find everything in Milan expensive when we were there 😛
For Germany, it was a 1-Day trip and we only visited the famous Black Forest so not much photos were taken there. It certainly is nice to know that the stuffs at Germany are really cheap. Cheapest in fact, as compared to the other parts of Europe. We bought winter beanies for 5 euros each!
Probably our most favourite activity – ‘Sledding’ in Switzerland. Sledding at Wetterhorn Mountain is only exclusively available to euHolidays so if you are keen to slede there, I would suggest you to give euHoliday a try!
Picture taken in Switzerland
P/S: Traveling up to the mountain is very expensive. The Cogwheel Mountain Train cost us more than SGD$300-400 (if I didn’t remember wrongly). Do note that the tickets are not included in the package. You will have to top up for this as an optional tour.
If it is your first visit to Switzerland, I would strongly suggest you to go for it. I enjoyed the beautiful view of the mountains and Alps but I wouldn’t spend the money again if I were there for a second visit.
Picture taken in Switzerland
Sledding was so tedious but fun though!! We did like some training before the actual 2 rounds of sledging. It was freezing like crazy because it was a mad -16 degree celsius. Our ears, fingers and toes almost broke!!! I would still pick the cold than the weather we have right now though! I love layerings!! Good for a different type of OOTD though! Haha!
Picture taken in Switzerland, Wetterhorn
Food and transportation are VERY VERY expensive in Switzerland. But if you are a Rolex fan, do shop for one here! James was definitely looking out for his sports range Rolex during this trip. They have slightly more designs available in Switzerland but…. not the biggest range. Read on to find out more about Rolex shopping.
Picture taken in I-Forgot-Where because we were having too much fun
It was my second visit to Paris and I had a very different experience. I was not on a packaged tour so I focused more on shopping the previous round. I felt that my trip to Paris this time round was more thorough – they covered the place with a city tour (We roamed around the city in a coach and in a boat ride). We had a day of free day so we roamed around the places that were introduced to us.
I met another 2 couples in the group who were there for Honeymoon as well so the 6 of us traveled together all the way. We visited Louvre Museum and died after that because we literally walked a few stations and combed the city by foot. These people here are so nice to travel with and I am so glad to have them with us!!
Picture taken in Paris
P/S: We attempted to take a night train to Zurich when we were in Switzerland, Horgen (where we stayed there for a night). We succeeded but it took us 40 minutes to get our train tickets because we couldn’t understand the language. Nonetheless, thanks to the friendly locals, we still made it! We came to a conclusion why we took up a tour package for our honeymoon. LOL!!
We topped up some euros and took a boat ride around Paris too. The view was fantastic but again, we were freezing like crazy.
Picture taken in Paris
Picture taken in Paris
We had a free day in Paris and the entire tour group decided to spend that free day at the outlet mall so all of us chipped in and paid extra for the coach and Susan’s arrangement. As compared to Italy, Paris outlet mall has more brands but lesser variety in a brand. I would pick Italy, The Mall anytime!
After spending 13 Days and 11 Nights in Europe, we flew to Dubai for a 3 Days 2 Nights trip. The change in weather was drastic. Imagine going from a -16 to 34 degree celsius in 2 days. OMG! And you can imagine our luggages, we had to pack both Winter & Summer clothing!
We took a water boat taxi to the Gold Market which they called it a Souk. Not Zouk ok! It was a very different experience and it felt as though I have been to the place before because of the show Running Man where they would played games in the show. The places looked exactly the same!
As we did not comb Dubai thoroughly, I do not have much to share except the Desert Safari Tour, which the 6 of us booked privately. It was a good experience and if you are planning to travel to Dubai, do head over for an experience too. It is not expensive. We booked the tickets online for $59/2 pax, inclusive of transportation to and from your hotel.
Like our Garden by the bay, Dubai has their own Miracle Garden too. The Dubai trip was pretty much free and easy except for a half day tour with Susan and the local tour guide. It was very cute in there but the sun was seriously too hot for us to enjoy 🙁
To our surprise, Dubai has a lot of Rolex models that are always out of stock in Singapore. We went to a few shops in Switzerland and were told that the few models were always out of stock too. The price of the watches (after tax rebate, exchange rate and credit card charges) are almost comparable to the retail prices in Singapore boutiques. Only difference is that you still get a chance to buy a two tone sports model there whereas in Singapore, you could be waiting for a lifetime to get a new one! If you are keen to get a sports model, do visit the biggest mall in the world, Dubai Mall. They have a three storey Rolex there!
We flew back to Singapore after Dubai and there were a lot of hiccups with the airline. Families with kids were separated and so were James and I. My seat was repeated. Another guy and I got the same seat number and the staff at the airport refused to help us rectify it; neither did they accept our request to put us together.
Luckily, Susan was there to manage the situation for us; otherwise, flying back would have been a disaster! I can’t imagine the kids sitting by themselves without their parents :O
All in all, I had a wonderful honeymoon all thanks to euHolidays; there is minimal conflict of interest as we paid for the trip but the trip did meet our expectations and it met our objective of “we just want to relax this honeymoon so let’s leave the itinerary planning to someone else”. For the places that were touched-and-go, we will certainly be back to experience them now that we have a good idea of what to do and where to explore now.
singapore
Heralding Year of Pig with The Butcher’s Kitchen’s CNY Creations
Author: Alex Chua
Pig out this New Year at Butcher’s Kitchen to welcome the Year of the Pig. Known for using fresh, safe and healthy ingredients, Butcher’s Kitchen team of experienced chefs unveiled their latest CNY menu for all to ogle, salivate and go oink oink. The restaurant’s latest cutesy 3 Treasures Porky Yusheng comes in the shape of a pig, fashioned with roast pork belly, pork lard and char siew. The Instagram-able lo hei is generously lashed with a tangy house-made plum sauce to toss for a sweet new year. Also, freshly-made chips – Butcher’s Kitchen very own creation – is topped on the pig as the alternative to the traditional golden crackers. The generous portion of the yusheng is suitable for 8 to 10 pax.
Besides the yusheng, The Butcher’s Kitchen has also introduced two pork-based pasta – Char Siew Pasta with Truffle, and Mala Pasta with Roast Pork Belly. I particularly fancy the Mala Pasta Pork Belly dish, which has that savoury roast pork belly with perfect meat-to-fat ratio which I can easily over-indulged! The crunchy crackling is not too hard with a heavenly mouthfeel to it.
But for my personal favourite is the Herbi Hiam Pizza. Cormprising of cheese, fried crispy pork lard marinated with prawn chili, and heaped with snow of dried sambal prawn, it is sinful beyond the nth degree yet understandably delicious. To give that powerful spicy punch, prawn chili is drizzled on top. Great for dinner with friends or for supper, which I am still mesmerizing it as I was typing about it.
Beyond the pork dishes, the restaurant has also launched the Original Fresh Chips. Fried daily, these all-natural, freshly made and highly addictive chips come in beautiful designed bottles for you to share and gift the goodies to your loved ones for a perfect CNY crunch. Better keep this away from me or else my new year resolution dissolves in bubbles.
The Butcher’s Kitchen
#02-472 Suntec City, North Wing, 3 Temasek Boulevard
Operating Hour: Tuesday to February 19, 10am to 10pm daily. Closed from February 4 to 6
Seating Capacity: 120 pax
YOTEL unveils unique dining experience with chic drinks, KOMYUNITI
Author: Alex Chua
Tucked on the 10th floor of YOTEL is KOMYUNITI, a venue where people connect over nice food and drinks. It is a bar, restaurant, alfresco terrace and a co-working space combined together. KOMYUNITI means ‘community’ and this is evident in the furnishings and layout that invites guests to network, socialise, co-work, eat and drink. Helmed by Head Chef Mark Tai and F&B Manager, As’ad Isnin, expect yummy modern Jap creations crafted via their very own culinary and mixologist experiences and interpretations.
Being just recently launched on 1st November, I love the feel of having mod-Jap cuisines in these sleek, stunning surrounds.
To start, we had the Salmon Poke – marinated cubes of salmon served with crispy fried onion crackers on the side. Very Hawaiian-vibe, very refreshing with a hint of spiciness (house-made Chili Sauce), the salmon has to be really fresh to be served as poke.
Next, we had the Curry Corn Soup and Mama’s Tomato Soup. I particularly love the cream of corn, with its curry spices for a surprising touch without being too overwhelming. Comes in plate of 3 cups, these small plates are perfect for those having a small intimate gathering.
It is so easy to pop this plate of Buttermilk Fried Chicken. I love the mouthfeels when bite into the cornmeal crusted skin, it is not oily at all yet so juicy and tender. Would be good if the sweet potato mash can be a heap too!
Obviously, the high-quality proteins take the lead here. The pinkish Slow Roasted Duck Breast packs that meaty, flavourful punch even though they are thinly sliced, while the Roasted Pork Belly possessed a full-bodied taste, it is thankfully not salty but savoury. The meat-fat ratio is evenly distributed and the crispy crackling skin is a clear winner.
If you don’t drink you haven’t been to KOMYUNITI. Just kidding, but the bar does mix pretty interesting cocktails that suits the style of refined, contemporary Jap. KOMpliment, KOMYUNITI’s signature cocktail, is fruity and fragrant, and made with butterfly pea flower-infused gin for that delicate touch of iridescent purple. We’ve also tried tropical cocktails like the vanilla-infused gin Tiki Chin Chin, sours like vodka-based Chaussettes, and bittersweet Benjamin Button. The one kicker for me is Fat Roger. Perhaps I overindulged so the fat-washed bourbon suits that occasion. To drink you will need to first roll the smoked ham with dried cranberries, eat it and then wash it down with whisky.
To sum up, KOMYUNITI hosts quite an extensive selection of delectable dishes and fancy cocktails with a welcoming, feel-good environment.
KOMYUNITI
Level 10, 366 Orchard Road, Singapore 238904
Breakfast 6:30am – 10:30am (11am on Sat, Sun, Public Holidays)
Lunch & Dinner: 12pm – 12am (1am on Fri, Sat, Eve of Public Holidays)
Celebrate Chinese New Year at ParkRoyal on Beach Road
Author: Alex Chua
Pig out this Chinese New Year at Ginger, Park Royal on Beach Road as Executive Chef Vincent Aw serves up extensive auspicious culinary delights. The all-day dining restaurant features an array of delicious dishes up for kiap-ping like Braised Pig Ear Terrine with Chinese Herbs at the Salad station, Baby Lobster with Abalone Sauce, Abalone Fried Rice, and Braised Dried Oyster with Sea Moss on the Hot Food isle. What is special is the D.I.Y Yu Sheng station. Perhaps the first in Singapore, you can create your own Prosperity Yu Sheng at the Yu Sheng counter to toss up a good fortune.
Here are a few dishes that I’ve kiap-ed (or grabbed) and enjoyed thoroughly, so if you’re here for the CNY buffet you can go straight to hog these yummies out.
As an unrepentant carnivore more often than not I will just fly towards the meat station, but the pot of Broccoli with Dried Oyster is just visually desirable. The green broccoli possessed that nice crunch, soaked in a rich oyster broth to give off that distinct umami taste; very flavorful and back of my mind patting myself for being a healthy picker for a change.
Priding themselves on serving consistently good quality crabs throughout the year, this Baby Lobster with Rich Abalone Broth is a dish I will indulge over again and again. Cooked a la minute at the live station, the lobster meat is fresh with a good springy bite, and pretty easy to peel off the fresh from the shell. Just remember to drink it hot as the taste will be slightly off when it’s cold.
Other Chinese favorites I raved includes the very tender, very juicy Braised Pig Trotters, Abalone Fried Rice (wok-hei power strong in this one), as well as the Pineapple Salad with Sliced Bak Kwa and Braised Pig Ear Terrine with Chinese Herbs at the Salad station.
Besides these yummy CNY specials, also available at the hot isle are the surefire hit Baked Salmon topped with deep-fried fish skin – a good source of protein and omega 3 which I have many helpings.
Chinese New Year is never complete without stuffing yourself aplenty with decadent treats and delicacies. Make Ginger the go-to restaurant for your CNY indulgence and book today!
Park Royal on Beach Road – Ginger Resataurant
7500 Beach Rd, Singapore 199591
Available from 21 January to 19 February 2019
Lunch: 12pm to 2.30pm, from $48 – $68 (for adults) | from $22 – $34 (for child)
Dinner: 6pm to 10pm, from $68 – $108 (for adults) | from $34 – $54 (for child)
Dining reservations at Ginger can be made at dining.prsin@parkroyalhotels.com or call at +65 6505 5710
Herald in CNY with Delicious Feast at Park Hotel Clarke Quay
Author: Alex Chua
Christmas and the new year celeb (hello 2019!) just zoom us by and before you know it its CNY again. If you’re totally unprepared or just wanting to amp up the festivity with gastronomic delight, then you might want to book Park Hotel Clark Quay’s 6-course Harmony Menu ($378++ per table of 4-5 pax) or 8-course Ultimate Success Menu ($658++ per table of 9-10 pax). You won’t regret it. Here’s a glimpse of what you will be getting.
Yu Sheng – the only dish that requires us to bottoms up and splatter around with chopsticks while chanting auspicious words. The Auspicious Abundance Yu Sheng contains flown-in yabbies (lobsters) which are easy to pop into the mouth. The dry-cured Jinhua ham is something not to be wasted after the rowdy tossing because, besides the appealing ruby color, it’s just so tasty.
When this dish is presented someone murmured ‘oh this is the Fa Guo Piao Xiang ah’. Usually I don’t take Yam Ring due to personal preference but this one I would. Encased within the Stir-fried Seafood with XO Sauce in Crispy Yam Basket contains succulent ocean delicacies such as squid, scallop and prawn. But what’s amazing is the yam basket – so crispy its like munching into nicely just-fried chips. Quite a memorable dish I must say.
While the fish head is a little bit daunting to look at, I wouldn’t want to skip this Steamed Red Garoupa with Jinhua Ham. The precious ham are inserted into each evenly sliced section of the fish meat, giving it an extra oomph. Who knew fish and pork go so well together.
If you want to huat (be prosperous) for the new year you must eat this. My favourite dish in the menu, the Money Bag contains generous amount of tender Jinhua ham full of juiciness which explodes into your mouth. The broccoli, which are soaked in the delicious broth, are distinctively crunchy and inviting. I adore the mouthfeels.
The feast ended with Chilled Coconut Pudding for dessert. Deceptively plain and simple, this light, cooling dish balances different level of sweetness pretty artfully. Yes I am bias because I love anything coconut.
Overall, Chef James Wong does an excellent job serving dish after dish of memorable deliciousness. While the spotlight falls onto the Jinhua ham (half of the dishes contain this savoury wonder from Zhejiang), it weaves in and accentuates the dishes without being overwhelming.
Park Hotel Clarke Quay
1 Unity Street, Singapore 237983
Fine 8-course CNY Epicurean Experience at Shisen Hanten
Author: Alex Chua
Have a luxurious start to the year with Chef Chen Kentaro at Shisen Hanten – the highest Michelin-rated Chinese restaurant in Singapore for three 3 years in a row. Located on the 35th floor at Mandarin Orchard Hotel, this elegant restaurant, with its opulent chandeliers and dramatic flowers arrangement, is set to impress diners and guests alike. For the year of the pig the acclaimed Szechuan restaurant features seven auspiciously-themed set menus – from the eight-course Prosperity menu at $538++ for four persons, to the Splendour menu that features Braised Four-head Australian Abalone among its courses, at $2,588++ for 10 persons.
If you’re mesmerized by the 90’s original hit Jap TV show Iron Chef since young like me, be delighted to know that this swanky restaurant is started by the ‘Father of SzeChuan Cuision’ Iron Chef Chinese Chen Kenmin. You wouldn’t want to give this place a miss now would you?
The signature Foie Gras Chawanmushi with Crab Roe Soup is simply seductive and excellent. What is noteworthy about this is the subtle foie gras aftertaste which paired so well with the hot fresh crab roe chawanmushi soup. It is also a refreshing change from the double boiled shark’s fin soup that we see on so many menus nowadays. The Deep Fried Prawn Balls with Yuzu Sauce is executed superbly, crispy with a burst of mellow citrusy. You could definitely tell how fresh the prawn is from the first bite.
The ultimate gastronomic experience I have is the sizzling Sichuan delicacy Wok-fried East-spotted Grouper with Shishito Pepper. The succulent flavors are accented by accents of Shishito Pepper and while mildly spicy it wasn’t overwhelming so. Bathed in golden broth that numbs the tongue and satiate the senses, this fiery signature is not to be missed.
Have the best of both worlds with a duo of Braised Baby Abalone and Black Moss with Beancurd. A CNY must-have, the tender baby abalone is perfectly braised and the beancurd soaked up that rich umami broth. When eaten together with the black moss there’s a nice contrast of textures from the tender abalone, the slightly drenched moss and soft beancurd. Flavors well-balanced, this dish is purely a match-make in food heaven.
What I am anticipating most is perhaps the Stir-Fried Iberico Pork with Spicy Sweet and Sour Sauce. The prized iberico pork slices are layered on one end of the plate, the sauce and accompany veg placed on another end. While the presentation of this dish has a touch of western interpretation, the taste of the savory pork is very much Szechuan.
Ending the sumptuous 8-course dinner is the visually pleasing Double-Boiled Hashima with Yam Paste served in Young Coconut: a delight to look at, a delight to spoon it up and enjoy. I expect something light but the taste is much stronger. Nevertheless, to me anything coconut and creamy is addictive.
Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro
333 Orchard Road, Level 35, Orchard Wing, Mandarin Orchard Singapore, Singapore 238867
Hong Kong Sheng Kee: Scrumptious HK Food with a Contemporary, Truffle-licious Twist
Author: Alex Chua
The wallet-friendly Hong Kong Sheng Kee adds a contemporary touch to its tasty range of Hong Kong cuisines with the launch Truffle Wanton Noodle. Available from 7 Nov onwards, the new Truffle Wanton Noodle is a refreshing new touch to bring an already perfected dish to an elevated gastronomic treat. Helmed by the experienced Senior Executive Chef, Mr Chan Wing Kin, he had skillfully fused all the well-like qualities of the original HK Wanton Noodle with a contemporary ingredient in which Truffle-phile would surely approve.
The Truffle Wanton Noodle uses fresh egg noodle which is springy and tastes quite eggy. Made with 8 ingredients including old hen, pork bone and sole fish, the Jinhua Ham Broth is both savory and refreshing. What I really love about this dish is the wanton – the hand-beaten meat is mixed with fresh prawns, premium tender kurobuta pork air-flown from Japan, and black truffle oil. Meaty yet with a tender bite, the wanton truly elevates this dish to a wanton-ful level!
Besides staples like noodles and rice, Hong Kong Sheng Kee Dessert also offers many other delicious HK grub, including a Dim Sum menu featuring Fried Dumplings, Glutinous Rice Dumpling, Mini Yolky Custard Pau and Siew Mai. Affordably priced and not lowering the ingredient quality, the dim sum here is a decent treat for those who suddenly has got an urged to have a dim sum affair.
Not to forget their desserts. First off I am biased towards their desserts as I am a regular diner there. But with the correct pricing, the numerous accessible location and the delightful desserts who wouldn’t? The SK Mango Pomelo Sago is one refreshing bowl in which I come time and time again. The mango taste is real, not artificial sweet, and the plating is simple, almost zen-like. My other go-to desserts include the Rice ball in Paste, Almond Paste and Yuan Yang Paste.
To get more bang on the buck, from 24 Oct to 30 Nov, diners get to enjoy $2 off HK Wanton Noodle or Truffle Wanton Noodle on the Plus app!
Hong Kong Sheng Kee Dessert @ The Centrepoint
The Centrepoint #B1-14
Timing: 11am to 10pm (Last Order 9pm)
Perk Up Your Palate this CNY @ Song Garden
Author: Alex Chua
Known for its dim sum and mouth-watering egg tarts, Song Garden has been a favourite for many families. Located on level 2 of Mercure Singapore Bugis Hotel where Bugis Street meets Bras Basah in one of Singapore’s more authentic areas, Song Garden offers a trove of auspicious modern Cantonese dishes to user in a prosperous Year of the Pig. Reunion feast anyone?
What can be more celebratory than a toss of Yu Sheng? The Prosperity Salmon and Fresh Fruit Yu Sheng has all the tried-and-tested essentials of Yu Sheng inside the giant bowl of auspicious red. The wooden chopsticks are much longer than usual to accommodate such a big bowl.
The simmering Lobster with Pumpkin Puree served in Hot Stone Pot with Bacon Scallion Pencil is popular with the diners. The delectable pumpkin puree is now enhanced with generous amount of lobster meat. It was so delicious that I slurped up every last drop. Careful don’t touch the rim because it is scalding hot.
Nothing shouts more CNY than Pen Cai. The Song Garden Supreme Fortune Pot is braised full of delectable delicacies like 8-head Abalone, Roast Duck, Crispy Pork Belly, Dried Oysters, Sea Cucumber, and the naturally sweet Scallop – which I fell in love with. One sip of the thick gravy will bring you to taste bud heaven.
Don’t leave without giving the Golden Pillow White Pepper Pork Ribs Bun a try. An absolute crowd-pleaser, this savoury peppery pork ribs suits perfectly with the white bun custodian of pillowy texture. Brought back childhood memories of my great-aunt’s version of this irresistible dish.
For those with a sweet tooth, a great end to the meal is the Double-boiled Peach Resin with Fungus and Red Dates. Cooling and refreshing, this traditional dessert screams Cantone-sia. You’ll find it hard to stop at just one sip.
Song Garden @ Mercure Singapore Bugis
122 Middle Road Singapore 188973
Weekdays
Lunch: 11.30am to 2.30pm
Dinner: 6pm to 10pm
Weekends/ Public Holiday
Lunch: 11am to 3pm
Dinner: 6pm to 10pm
Woosa Mattress & Pillows For Our New Home
We are almost done with our new nest and we are ready to move in anytime soon! The latest addition to the house is the mattress from Woosa.
This brand is very new to us as we have never heard of it but after reading the reviews online, we have decided to give it a try!
We ordered a King sized mattress and were very surprised to see that it was wrapped into a box. Look at the picture below; it came up by the lift! Not the stairs yo!!
The mattress was vacuumed packed and wrapped up into the box and unboxing this giant mattress was quite fun! We watched it “grow” to its full size within minutes.
The 100% made in Belgium mattress is a 9.5 inch full foam mattress – which was pretty surprising and the first thing that came to our mind was ” Can we can get used to it?” as we were too used to spring mattress. The answer is…. we had such a good sleep!!
Woosa mattress is made from scratch with extremely high quality latex Foam and PU foam and it comes with a 100 night free trial and a 10-year warranty. If you find the mattress unsuitable, they will pick it up and issue a full refund with no questions asked.
Don’t worry because returned mattresses are donated to charitable organization. They will not repack it and sell it again.
Also, 100 night free trial? Seriously? YUP! You can test it for 3 full months! And how many brands actually give you a 10 year warranty? Do you know that your bed will start to wear and tear after 5 years? I would say that the 10-year warranty is a bonus bonus plus point to note!
Woosa also carries pillows. The combination of Woosa Mattress + Woosa Pillows? Heaven!
Both James and I prefer mattress that are medium-firm and Woosa hit that spot. It was neither too soft nor too hard. The high quality latex foam and cushions kind of tweaked itself to meet our overall preferences for the maximum comfort and support. So no matter your sleeping position – side, frontal or back, or even the body shape, the mattress is bound to work for you.
We have already slept on it and I must say that we had such a good sleep and getting this mattress was such a right decision.
There was no pushy salesmen too 😛
Don’t be too shock when I share the price with you guys. The King-sized mattress only cost $1,699! We did a lot of mattress window-shopping and a good King-sized mattress can easily cost us $3,500 and above. If you think King is a little too big for you, you can check out the four different sizes on their website.
If you are keen to give them a try, head over to woosa.sg to find out more.
Ash & Char – Relaunched & Revamped into a Chic & Modern Gastrobar
Author: Alex Chua
Ash & Char is a chic gastrobar located at McCallum Street, just diagonally opposite Amoy Street Food Centre. It is situated in a busy CBD area where the PMEs flocked around in daytime and chill at night. Specializing in Modern Asian cuisine, since its revamp this cosy gastrobar now features an Instagram-worthy interior along with handcrafted cocktails and comforting fusion good food!
Formally a café, Ash & Char transformation adds a breath of fresh air to the premise. With 2 large lightbulbs ‘chandaliers’ mounted on the ceiling as centerpieces, laminating the tuxedo black tables that are matched with sleek black, gold and silver high stools, Ash & Char eases between a cosy venue for lunch during day time and a chill out place as the sun sets. It is so cosy I can literally hop onto one of the high chair with the refreshingly fruity Mixed Berry Bramble and people-watch.
With a name derived from the techniques applied to the cooking (mostly charring and grilling), the owner obviously takes pride on the food and you can expect the food to be good. The Signature Char Siu is one of the many dishes in the menu we’ve sampled and simply love it. The honey and soy glaze is easy on the palate. The meat slices with charred edges are extra delicious and easily melt away in the mouth.
The Creamy Smoked Duck Pasta is pleasing to slurp down. The duck slice is flavorful and got a bite to it, though I would prefer it to be thicker. Just remember to watch your waistline!
One of the mainstays in the menu, the tangy and fiery Tom Yum Seafood Pasta is obviously a popular favorite among the patrons here as it caters to the local preference of spicy and sour taste. The seafood-tom Yum Gong pairing is succulent and authentically Thai, reminding of the time I had a similar bowl in an upscale Bar at Asiatique, Bangkok.
A standard bar dish, the Fish & Chips here are quite different among other establishments is the herbs embedded within the batter that seasons the fish naturally. A lover of this English national pride, I can woof this fried goodies down with a good drink (alcohol preferred) anytime.
Speaking of drinks, Ash & Char has got a new fruity alcoholic drink that would make you instantaneously fall in love like starring into a Birkin – the Santa Cruz de Alpera Blue Frizzante. Mid-night blue in color, this is an easy to drink wine with tropical notes which makes it suitable for an afternoon lazy tipper. Taste somewhat like the dessert wines (think Moscato), the bubbles touch just makes it a refreshing sensation in this sweet wine.
Ash & Char
Address: 21 McCallum Street #01-03/04 Singapore 069047
Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday, 11am to 12am | Friday, 11am to 1am | Saturday, 5pm to 1am | Closed on Sundays
Contact Number: +65 8341 1951