Bar Celona @ Robertson Quay

There does not seem to be many Spanish restaurants here. However I managed to find one tucked away in a corner of Roberson Walk. It goes by the appropriate name of Bar Celona. The interior is dimly lit, with a stage for a live band, as well as some tapestries reminiscent of olden days Spain, or Catalonia to be precise.

We ordered Spanish seafood fried rice, beef stew and Sangria. You can never go into a Spanish restaurant and not order Sangria! For reasons unbeknown to me, Spanish food here does not gain any popularity, as compared to Italian, French or Modern European / Mediterranean. Maybe that is why Spanish restaurants here come and go.

The food is not too bad, considering it was the first time I was eating Spanish cuisine. But then again, because it was the first time, I do not have any basis to compare with. It is only a pity I did not manage to eat more since I was still full from the Danish afternoon tea. Maybe next time I go I can order tapas instead!

Cuisine : Spanish
Food : 3.5 out of 5
Ambience : 4 out of 5
Price : 3.5 out of 5

Royal Copenhagen Tea Lounge @ Takashimaya

I have long wanted to find a place for afternoon tea, or rather, English afternoon tea to be exact. Most of the places I have come across serve high tea, or meat tea, buffet style, which tend to be rather filling. My concept of an afternoon tea is where we eat finger food like sandwiches, small cakes and drink tea.

Today I finally have the chance to partake a real afternoon tea. Even though it is not an English afternoon tea, it is a good old western tea, of tea and Danish cookies, at the Royal Copenhagen Tea Lounge. I have long noticed this place whenever I look up into Takashimaya, but never had the chance to go there.

We had some time to kill so went there and try out the tea set. Tea is served in fancy pots and nice teacups, with a platter of Danish cookies. I have always loved Danish cookies, especially those butter cookies that always come in a round blue box. What bliss to spend a Sunday afternoon, drinking tea, eating cookies and absorbing the cosy ambience!

This is one place I will sure go again!

Food : 4 out of 5
Ambience : 4 out of 5
Price : 3 out of 5

Aji Sen Ramen @ Takashimaya

I have mentioned that I do not take kindly to Japanese food here. Somehow I cannot bear to taste Japanese food here after my experience in Japan. But Japanese food seems to be a trend amongst the people here. For some reason, whenever I go out in a group, most of the time someone will suggest Sakae sushi or some other Japanese fast-food place.

So when my friend suggested Aji Sen at Takashimaya for lunch, I went along. I found the spiciest thing in the menu - Volcano Ramen. The note on the menu states four chillies, but I thought how spicy can Japanese food really be?

How wrong I was. The ramen is so spicy that I felt as if I was on fire! I needed lots and lots of water to counter it. The food came served in a big black bowl with a big matching spoon, as how the Japanese normally eat their noodles. The soup base is very salty, as if the chef dumped an entire bottle of MSG in it.

Aji Sen may be as famous as it can be, but I still find it inferior. It is really hard to find good Japanese food here. The ramen tastes like instant noodles, and the soup base, although lives up to its spiciness, is salty and drying. Not a pleasant experience.

Food : 3 out of 5
Ambience : 1 out of 5 (hardly any ambience at all!)
Price : 3.5 out of 5 (it is fast food after all)

The Rice Table @ International Plaza

I have long heard of the Rice Table at International Building and finally have the chance to try it out today. It is an Indonesian restaurant with strong Balinese themes. The furniture is dark wood, the walls are plastered white and there are Balinese paintings hung around the walls. The cuisine itself originates from the Dutch in Indonesia.

We ordered the All You Can Eat set dinner. The meal itself consists of twenty small dishes. There is Soto Ayam, Sate Ayam, Ikan Goreng, Ayam Panggang, Tahu Telor, Rudjak Manis, Sambal Udang, Sayur Lodeh, Achar Ketimun, Otak, Ayam Goreng, Ayam Kalio, Daging Rendang, Kangkong Belachan, Perkedel Jagung, Ikan Bilis, Terong Kecap, Gado Gado, Tahu Kuning, Sotong Asam, and rice of course!

The dishes come in one after another on a long stretch of wood. Rice was served first, then the small dishes come in one by one. Even though the meal looks more suitable for four judging from the number of dishes served, the servings are not that big. In fact, the dishes come in small round bowls, just enough for each person to nibble, not swallow the whole thing.

The food is great! Well-cooked, authentic, just the right about of spice and sauce, and filling! Most importantly, it is value for money! One can never eat so much and so filling for just less than thirty dollars per person! I will highly recommend this place for those who have never been there!

Cuisine : Indonesian
Food : 4.5 out of 5
Ambience : 4 out of 5
Price : 4.5 out of 5

Giraffe @ Istana Park

There is this cosy two-storey glass building opposite Plaza Singapura, with a safari theme called Giraffe. We were there for drinks after a movie. Having had my fill of drinks at Brix, I decided to go easy this time and just ordered Earl Grey tea. Coincidentally, this place serve a mean Earl Grey tea - not too sweet, not too bitter, just the right consistency and the aroma is great!

I was still full from dinner so declined any order of food. The place was jam-packed (what can you expect from a Friday night?) and full of expatriates chilling out, or families enjoying the coolness of the night amidst the trees and jungle theme.

A pity my visit there is so short-lived. I would so want to go back there again!

Brix @ Grand Hyatt

There is this cool chill-out place at the basement of Grand Hyatt called Brix that is a cosy place for Happy Hour. We were there after work, just hanging out and relaxing. The crowd came in around nine in the evening. Normally I would order Singapore Sling but tonight I was in the mood for Long Island Tea. It was a stab in the dark but that turned out to be the best Long Island Tea I have ever taken!

The live band started playing around half-past nine. Apparently the crowd could ask for a song and the band would play, but seems like they did not know how to sing the song I wanted. :-( I ordered another drink - Singapore Sling this time, and buffalo wings.

The food is yummy and the drinks are nice! No wonder the place is so crowded and so many people like it!

Food (and drinks) : 4.5 out of 5
Ambience : 3 out of 5
Price : 3.5 out of 5

Spageddies @ Paragon

I was recommended this restaurant by the friend I was out with. Italian cuisine is big here, as compared to other kinds of food. I find it easier to prepare Italian food than other kinds of cuisine. Having said that, it is not that easy to actually make nice good Italian food.

When we stepped in, it took a long time for someone to serve us even though there was an indication that our presence was felt. We were ushered to a seat and started reading the menu. Again, it took a long time for someone to take our order. It was not as if the restaurant was that packed, the service staff were just walking around not really noticing anyone!

Finally someone took our orders. I had an aglio olio, which tasted too salty. I think the chef must have overdosed on the olive oil! And it was not quite spicy enough. I kept drinking water and running out of water, but whenever I called for water, the service staff just either ignored or could not be bothered! It took a long time for my glass to be filled up!

For such food and such service, I wonder why there are people who actually recommend this place? I for one would never wish to step in again!

Cuisine : Italian
Food : 2 out of 5
Ambience : 3.5 out of 5
Price : 2 out of 5 (not worth it for the kind of food and service standards)
Service : 1.5 out of 5

The Balcony Outside Heeren

Does anyone know of this place with suspension basket-like seats outside the Heeren? It occupies a small alfresco area outside The Heeren. The place is a cosy area for afternoon tea or just chilling out with friends.

I was there with a friend earlier on today. We sat at one of the suspension seats, chatting and drinking tea. It would have been an interesting experience, except the suspension seats make me feel like a cocoon. Now I know how caterpillars feel when they are in the midst of metamorphosis.

I would not recommend this place for food though. The variety of cakes and desserts leave much to be desired. But it is a good place on a cool day to have afternoon tea, as in just drinking tea, not the afternoon tea set. Which reminds me, I must find out where to have the best afternoon tea meals on this island!

Food : (no food, just drinks) 3 out of 5 (the tea is a bit bland)
Ambience : 3.5 out of 5
Price : 3.5 out of 5

Foundation Cake-Making

I went for another baking class today, this time the Foundation Cake-Making workshop. It was an intensive workshop on the basic skills and tips of making a cake, as well as hands-on practice on six types of cakes, namely Vanilla Chiffon Cake, Swiss Roll, Brownies, Butter (Marble) Cake, Banana Cake and the classic Victoria Jam Sandwich.

Just a pity I did not manage to take any photos this time, but at least I picked up very good tips on baking cakes and mixing ingredients. For instance, when the ingredients call for separating the egg whites from the egg yolks, the egg whites must be separated thoroughly from the yolks. No trace of yolks should be in the whites. Further more, the whites should be put in a dry bowl, and whisked with a dry whisk.

The egg should not even be washed under a running tap. If any form of moisture gets into the egg white, the product will not be fluffy after whisking/ The whisked product will remain watery and frothy, instead of white and fluffy, and the cake will sink instead of rise. On the other hand, it does not matter even if a bit of egg white gets into the yolk, as there will not be any reaction whatsoever.

How to determine is the whisked mixture is fine? Besides being white and fluffy, the mixture should not drop out even after we turn the bowl upside down. Our instructor cautioned us from doing that though, as she said if we are not used to baking, better not turn the bowl over as the mixture may just drop out.

What amazes me about baking is that the finished product comes out totally different from what it was before it got sent to the oven. Imagine a mixture of gooey eggs, butter and flour can turn into something so appetising and delicious. Which is why I enjoy baking more than cooking, because in cooking, there is not much difference between the cooked and uncooked product (save that the cooked product can be eaten). In baking, the batter can be eaten too, but the finished product turns out so much better. And in that, I feel a higher sense of achievement.

Cupcake Making

I have always loved baking, ever since my Home Economics class back in school when I baked a birthday cake for a friend. However, I have not baked for a very long time because none of my family members bake, so we do not have the necessary utensils for baking. I do not even have an oven at home, only a microwave.

Then, I came across this website that teaches people how to bake. Since I always wanted to start baking again, what better way to refresh what I know and do what I like at the same time? So I signed up for a Foundation Birthday Cupcakes Workshop earlier today. The workshop includes how to make Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes, Vanilla Cupcakes, Chocolate Cupcakes and the various flavoured frosting, as well as recipes and tips on baking.

I have not done this for a very long time, so I was a bit behind on the technology of baking utensils. Where I used to whisk the batter manually, now there is the high-power electronic whisk that takes only a fraction of the time and makes the batter better. Amazing! I always want my own place in the future to have the best baking utensils and products so I can bake cookies and cake every weekend!

Anyway, after the cupcakes and frosting have been made, we decorated the cupcakes with the frosting and decorative sugar animals and flowers. Here are the final products which I decorated.

Top row, from left : Vanilla Cupcake with Strawberry Frosting, M&Ms and blue sugar bear, Vanilla Cupcake with Chocolate Frosting and pink sugar rose, Chocolate Cupcake with Orange Frosting and Hershey's Chocolate pieces

Middle row, from left : Chocolate Cupcake with Chocolate Frosting, Sugar berries and red sugar rose, Healthy Chocolate Cupcake with Strawberry Frosting, sugar stars and orange sugar bear, Healthy Chocolate Cupcake with Lemon Frosting, M&Ms and lavendar sugar rose

Bottom row, from left : Vanilla Cupcake with Pandan Frosting, M&Ms and red sugar rose, Healthy Chocolate Cupcake with Pandan Frosting, M&Ms and pink sugar rose, Chocolate Cupcake with Chocolate Frosting and orange sugar rose