Wahiro

Was running some errands in the Marine Parade area and decided to drop by Wahiro for dinner. Tucked away in a quiet corner of Roxy Square, the restaurant was fairly empty when we walked in. I liked the feel of the place immediately, with its wooden furnishing and cozy lighting. 

We settled into a table in the corner and started studying the menu which has an impressive variety of dishes. However, it did not take me long to realize that something was wrong - the air-conditioning was down. The place was actually really warm and stuffy and nothing much was done to alleviate the problem. It might have been better if they had left the front door open for some ventilation.

We ordered a plate of Salmon Sashimi to share and I had a bowl of Nabeyaki Udon. The salmon sashimi was average. It lacked the sweet juicy texture of fresh salmon sashimi, but was still acceptable nonetheless. Quite a pity though, as I was craving for salmon sashimi and this plate did not satisfy my craving at all.

My Nabeyaki Udon came in a claypot and was quite good. The soup base was sweet and clear, and the udon had soaked up the essence of the soup. The portion was just right too; just enough to keep me full but not bloated.

The service was lacking though. After ushering us in, the waitresses gathered in the corner and started chatting away and we had much difficulty trying to get their attention when placing our order. We had the same problem when we wanted to call for the bill as well. Basically, they were just efficient in getting you to your seats, serving your food, and clearing the bowls away. Anything on top of that proved to be quite a hassle. 

I doubt I would return. For the same price, I could have a more than decent meal at Wasabi Tei.

#01-01 Roxy Square

Loysel's Toy

I've been wanting to drop by Loysel's Toy for brunch since forever but being the person that I am, I've been procrastinating for as long. No reason for the procrastination though since it's so close to my home and I can probably walk here if I wanted. I didn't try that the weekend I came by of course, since the weather is so unpredictable these days.

Loysel's Toy is tucked away in a secluded building along the Kallang River. Simply alight at Lavender MRT Station, exit at the Immigration Building, and walk towards the river. When you reach the river, cross the bridge and walk towards the grey building on the other side. You should be able to spot Loysel's Toy on the first floor.

There is an outdoor sitting area outside the cafe but if you prefer air-conditioned comfort, there are tables inside the cafe as well. You can rent bicycles from the cafe to cycle along the Kallang River but I have to say, the rental rates are expensive.

It's very nice and cozy inside the cafe with a small counter and tables lined up on the other side. It was not very crowded when we arrived and we managed to grab a table by the door. The menus are placed right in front of the cash register and we helped ourselves to them excitedly. You can also take a look at the cakes and tarts placed in the glass display before placing your order.

We ordered two sets of Egg Benedict. You can have it with smoked salmon, bacon or both. I chose to have both and that's $1 more. Quite reasonable pricing actually, and the portions were decent. After placing your order, the waitress would hand you a paper cup with a number on it and a small stone inside. What a creative way to number your order!

Recent addition to my breakfast - Orange juice. I used to avoid having cold drinks in the morning as it feels good to start the day with a warm belly. But working in the office means I should definitely start building up my immune system and consuming more vitamin c. 

The Egg Benedict tasted pretty good! It was not mind blowing, but it was good. The bacon was crispy, tasty, and went well with the eggs. The smoked salmon was salty, the way I like it, and was a good combination with the eggs too. 

We sat around and had a nice chat before ordering a lemon tart to share. The best friend had a cup of coffee, which came with pretty latte art! The lemon tart was really good! I like how the crust was nice and hard with the soft lemon custard within. It was sufficiently sour and sweet at the same time. I loved it!

I ordered some takeaways for my parents, including the muffins and cakes. They were pretty all right, but nothing to rave about.

Drop by if you would like to have a nice quiet brunch along the Kallang River over a lazy weekend!

66 Kampong Bugis
#01-01

Bangkok Day 3 - Grand Palace Tour with Absolute Bangkok Tour and Asiatique

We woke up bright and early on Day 3 as we had arranged for a land tour with Absolute Bangkok Tours. We chose the package AB 1 + AB 2 which took us to Wat Trimit, Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha and Wat Pho. It was a very hot day and we were thankful our tour included our own mini van, cold water and wet towels. 

First stop was to Wat Trimit with the Golden Buddha. The buddha statue was initially made of plaster and it was only when they were moving it and the plaster cracked did people realize that it was made of pure solid gold. 

The Grand Palace was next. There was virtually no shade at all in the Grand Palace and we were sweating buckets. But look at the glorious architecture! So detailed and elaborate.

Wat Pho was the last stop and the Reclining Buddha was amazingly beautiful. The statue is really impressive and fits exactly into the temple because the temple was built after placing the Buddha within.

Our guide is Fon from Absolute Bangkok Tours and she is bubbly cheerful and very friendly. She speaks fluent English and describes every little thing in detail so that you would have a better understanding of the Thai culture and architecture. Absolute Bangkok Tours may not be the cheapest around but they definitely provide the best service with your own private mini van, cold water and wet towels. The tour really allows you to explore fully in comfort and learn more about the place. Will definitely recommend people to take up tours with them.

After lunch at Chinatown (which was such a rip-off, I swear), we decided to go back to the hotel to rest before heading out at night for Asiatique. Asiatique is the new riverfront night market accessible from Saphan Taksin BTS station via ferry. There is a free shuttle ferry to Asiatique from the BTS station. When you exit at Saphan Taksin simply follow the signs to the pier and join the queue. Each ferry comes in 15 minutes interval so the wait was not too long but the crowd was pretty scary. We almost gave up queuing!

Glad we did not. Asiatique was really interesting albeit a bit touristy. The place used to be a warehouse and was newly converted into a night market. The lights, live band in the central area and general bustling crowd gave this place a very festive vibe.

We had dinner at Kacha Kacha which serves fabulous teppanyaki dishes and yakitori. The food is really awesome, I love it so much. Be sure to order their teppanyaki and yakitori because those are the gems in the shop!

As for shopping in Asiatique, the prices are not super competitive but you can find pretty nice local designer clothes there as well. Oh and snacks. I was so happy stumbling into the snack shop, I bought so many rows of spicy cuttlefish which happened to taste awesome with beer. My brother bought some t-shirts at a small shop selling funky shirts and that was about it. But the food made the trip really worth while.

We took the shuttle ferry back to hotel and had a good rest!

Read about Day 1 and Day 2 in Bangkok!

Bangkok Day 2 - Chatuchak, Union Mall, Terminal 21

We started the second day in Bangkok with the highly recommended Wanton Mee in Pratunam which happens to be located right beside Glow Pratunam Hotel. Lovely, I love hotels surrounded by good food. The wanton mee stall is right opposite Platinum Shopping Mall. Just cross the overhead bridge, walk towards McDonalds, and when you see Macs, turn right into Soi 19. It is a relatively busy and bustling side street and you will see the Wanton Mee stall pretty soon. You probably wouldn't notice the stall right away so keep a lookout for the board that looks like this:

I have to warn you first that the portions are really very small and I have to eat 2 bowls for breakfast before getting enough energy to be on my feet for the rest of the day. However, for 50 baht a bowl, I have to say that the pricing was rather reasonable. The essence of this wanton mee lies in the large amount of lard used. The wanton itself was bland and pretty forgettable but the noodles soaked in lard was absolutely yummy. You have to be a fan of lard to like this, though. If not, go elsewhere or eat Macs for breakfast.

We had our Starbucks fix subsequently. I've weaned off my caffeine addiction during pupilage and am less reliant on caffeine these days so I usually refuse to have coffee but ah, Starbucks is my weak spot. The pricing in Bangkok is slightly cheaper than SG due to the currency conversion and I love the service here. Was also great to relax in an empty Starbucks before hitting the shops.

After filling our bellies, we took the BTS to Mo Chit for the Chatuchak Weekend Market. When you alight at Mo Chit just follow the crowd, cross the bridge and continue walking in the general direction where the crowds are. I expected it to be crowded and hot so I wore as little as possible. Shopping at Chatuchak is great but bargaining is such a chore and I am always bad at haggling. Anyway I bought a whole bag full of beer singlets for the boyfriend, tshirts and slippers for myself and my mum snagged a toy ukulele for my little cousin. 

Eventually it became so hot and unbearable, we decided to leave and head to Union Mall instead. Union Mall is at the Chatuchak area but we did not want to walk, so we took the underground subway from Chatuchak Park to Phahon Yothin instead which is one stop away. It is easy to spot the Chatuchak Park subway station. The entrance is just right beside the bridge, opposite Mo Chit BTS station. When you alight at Phahon Yothin, follow the signs to Union Mall and when you exit you will see a bright yellow building.

Union Mall is a good place to shop for young college kids and working adults, which makes it a suitable place for my brother and I. My brother managed to snag a couple of goods buys while I bought a sweet cardigan here. There is a good mix of shops selling clothes for guys and girls, unlike Platinum Mall where the guys just stand around getting bored while we girls go crazy. Prices are very reasonable as well and the quality is good. The food options here are rather limited though, so we settled for Pizza Company where I made the wrong choice in ordering some seafood spaghetti tossed in thai spices. It was so hot, my stomach was rumbling after the meal.

After Union Mall, we took the underground subway to Sukhumvit where Terminal 21 is. You can reach Terminal 21 by BTS as well and alight at Asok BTS Station. Terminal 21 is a very interesting mall for every floor is decorated in the theme of a particular city so there is Rome, San Francisco, Tokyo, Paris, London and many others. The exquisite decorations make this place so charming! Oh and when you are in the mall, do make it a point to visit the washroom. Even the washroom is well-designed to suit the theme at every level!

The clothes here are quite expensive and come from various local designers. The quality is definitely way better than the goods at Platinum Mall and Union Mall and the design much more attractive. I succumbed to three dresses at Terminal 21, bit the bullet and shelled out quite a bit of money for them. But no regrets, since they cost probably as much as dresses back in SG.

Dinner was at MIX where we had our first Thai food after arriving at Bangkok. Ordered a spread and were all so happily contended after the meal. The tom yom goong was really creamy though, probably too much coconut milk was added. But it tasted good all the same. And check out the ultra big river prawn!

We each ordered a drink too, since SGD 4 cocktails were so hard to resist.

After the awesome meal, we took the BTS back to Glow Pratunam and retired for the night.

Day 3 next! And read about Day 1 in Bangkok here. 

Bangkok Day 1 - Glow Pratunam Hotel, Chicken Rice at Pratunam and Siam shopping

Reached Bangkok's airport in the late morning and made the wrong decision to grab a cab to Glow Pratunam Hotel. We were stuck in a (typical) massive jam in the heart of downtown Bangkok for a really long while and by the time we reached our hotel, it was close to 1pm.

The lobby of Glow Pratunam is situated on the 7th floor of Shibuya mall, directly opposite Platinum Shopping Centre. The location of the hotel is definitely one big plus! It's so close to the shopping haven which is Platinum and within walking distance to Siam Paragon, Central World and Siam Square. It is also right beside the Pratunam market if you are interested in some roadside shopping. The only downside has to be the slightly longer walk to the nearest BTS which is Ratchathewi station, but even that did not take us too long.

We reached earlier than the allocated check-in time (2pm) but the staff was so accommodating and allowed us to check in early. But first they ushered us to the lounge for our welcome drink!

Nice cool refreshing purple drink with some lime bits inside.

For the price we paid, I was completely blown away by the room! It was spacious, very clean and with all the tiny details to make your stay more comfortable. For example, there is a dock on the counter for you to plug in your iphone or ipod and play your own music while you rest after a long day shopping. There is a comfortable reclining chair beside the window for you to watch the view below while you wait for your hair to dry. Oh and the wardrobe opens both ways, and you can get your clothes from the bathroom as well so you don't have to pack your clothes to bathe!

After settling down, we walked over to the famous Chicken Rice at Pratunam. We read about it in the papers last month and our taxi driver strongly recommended it when we went past the shop on our way to the hotel. If you want to try the famous chicken rice at Pratunam, you can walk over from Platinum. It is just opposite Novotel, on the same side of the road as Platinum. I suppose the shop name should be Kuang Heng?

The chicken is really soft and tender. The taste is totally different from the Hainanese Chicken Rice we are used to in Singapore and the rice is less oily. I love the sauce that accompanies the chicken rice! It's sweet and salty all at the same time. Awesome dip for the lean tender pieces of chicken.

After the chicken rice, we turned down the road and walked to Central World to begin our shopping journey! After some shopping at Central World and Siam Paragon, where we KIV-ed a whole bunch of stuff (and eventually returned to purchase them on the last day), we decided to head over to MBK. But not before grabbing dinner at a squat little building housing Ootoya!

I ordered the set with scallop steamed rice and fried chicken in boiled sauce. I remember trying this dish in Singapore's Ootoya as well and this one in Bangkok levels up in terms of standard. Was a very satisfying first meal in Bangkok! And nope, we didn't have thai food until the second day ;)

Day 2 coming up next!

Swee Choon - Dim sum at night

I usually have dim sum for brunch with my family and more often than not, restaurants stop serving dim sum after lunch. So I was pleasantly surprised to hear about Swee Choon and the modest little restaurant that sells dim sum at night!

I dropped by for dinner after work one day and after much Google map navigation I managed to walk over from Farrer Park MRT station. Basically you just have to exit the MRT station and walk towards Jalan Besar, go by Komala and continue walking straight till you reach a junction. Then turn right, continue on your way and you should be able to see Swee Choon.

The restaurant takes up about 4 shop spaces, if I am not wrong, and the crowd was large considering that it was a weekday night. We went in and settled into one of the nearby booths. These little booths remind me of Hong Kong where all the cha chan tengs have little built-in booths and tiled floors. Swee Choon even have one of those old-school bells whereby you ring to get the waiter's attention. Not a need for the night though, since they were pretty well-staffed.

Picked up a paper menu from the side and started to tick away happily. The prices surprised me! A bowl of la mian was less than $6! To think I was spending so much more at places like Crystal Jade.

I ordered the Sour spicy la mian. The la mian was hand-made by a chef working hard at the back of the restaurant pulling dough and his hard work certainly did pay off. The la mian was springy and taut, soaking up the flavours of the spicy and sour soup. I love the soup too, it was comforting to eat something hot on a cold rainy day.

The dimsum we ordered include siew mai, har gao (shrimp dumpling), steamed pork ribs, fried prawn rolls and custard buns. Of these I would strongly recommend the fried prawn rolls, steamed pork ribs and custard buns. The fried prawn rolls were filled with fresh juicy prawns and the fried beancurd skin was just so crispy! The steam pork ribs were really tender and delicious. The custard buns were awesome, full of tasty salty egg yolk within.

The xiao long bao was average. I found the skin a bit too thick, which made it hard to enjoy the soup and meat inside.

If you have a craving for dim sum at night, do drop by Swee Choon for some cheap and delicious dim sum!

191 Jalan Besar