Masizzim at 313 Orchard and Club 55 MBS

Dinner with Stef for her birthday. Belated of course, we are never on time. Or rather, I am never on time and this post comes even later than the belated celebration (oops). Bad habit, I know. But hey, I firmly believe in the concept of better late than never. I can only hope my family and friends have that mindset as well!

Decided to have dinner at Masizzim in 313 Orchard before drinks at Club 55 in Marina Bay Sands. 

Ordered the Tomato Cheese Kimchi Pancake ($13) and it tasted like thin-crust pizza with kimchi! Very interesting combination to have cheese on the korean pancake and totally unlike the usual korean pancakes in traditional korean restaurants. 

This was the highlight for me - the pork stew with glass noodles! Omg the pork was so well-marinated and it was just so soft that it fell off the bone easily with a small tug. 

This was the interesting part about Masizzim that I heard about even before I visited the restaurant. You put on gloves, mix the rice, squish the rice mixed with the ingredients into small balls and stuff them into your mouth. Sounds easy but it was just way too much work for me. My balls were not packed closely enough and fell apart quickly. Eventually, I ended up eating spoonfuls because I just wanted to eat and not make rice balls. I'm a lazy bum. 

Come for the pork stew! I would highly recommend that! Anyway, I tried to make a reservation but I don't think they take reservations for weekends so we were left to queue. Thankfully we were seated quickly.

We headed to Club 55 at Marina Bay Sands after our dinner. Club 55 is located on Level 55 of MBS' Tower 2 and offers a perfect view of the CBD area on one side and Gardens by the Bay on the other. I never knew that Gardens by the Bay looked so lovely at night from the top! The night view in this part of town always amazes me. I loved it so much when I was drinking at New Asia Bar and I love it even more here at Club 55. Despite being named a club, Club 55 is not really the partying sort of club (i.e. not the Zouk type). Instead, it is very much like a lounge where you can indulge in some chocolate and cheese if you wish, or a bottle of wine (like us).

Masizzim

#B3-02 313 Orchard Road

65095808

Club 55

Marina Bay Sands Hotel Tower 2 Level 55

Wang Dae Bak Korean BBQ Restaurant, China Square and Ding Dong, Ann Siang

Stef and I were heading out for my birthday dinner and our initial plan was to feast on some good old seafood at Market Grill. However, we were greeted by sheets of rain pouring down on us when we met up at our favourite bus stop in front of the Supreme Court. We were still trying to be gung ho about it and convinced ourselves that we would be able to reach Market Grill in that downpour. We took the bus down to Telok Ayer but eventually chickened out from the long walk because we were SO wet and cold. We were near China Square by then so we picked the next best alternative - hot cozy korean BBQ at Wang Dae Bak.

We ordered Pork Belly and Chicken Wings for the barbecue and a kimchi soup. They served us the raw meat quickly but were not very conscientious about barbecuing the meats for us. Eventually we took to barbecuing the meats by ourselves which resulted in slightly charred pork belly and chicken wings as seen in the photos below.

They poured egg around the grill which cooked quickly and was really delicious! The marinated pork belly was good too. Well-marinated, tasty, with fats that melted in my mouth. The cuts were rather thin and while I would prefer thick juicy cuts of pork belly, the thin cuts of pork belly at Wang Dae Bak did keep me warm and happy in that cold night.

The chicken wings were delicious. Fresh and extremely tender, the chicken fell off the bone easily and I love the crispy chicken skin. We asked for more egg because it was really yummy.

The kimchi soup was delicious and the hot soup filled my belly with warmth. On that cold rainy night, with wet feet and clothes, I was very grateful for the hot food on the table, the grill with sizzling meats on top, and the spicy soup that spread warmth in my belly. 

When we were done eating and our hair and clothes were finally dry, we left Wang Dae Bak happily and headed for drinks at Ding Dong along Ann Siang. Thank you Stef for the birthday dinner at Wang Dae Bak and the drinks at Ding Dong! Nothing can beat eating sizzling grilled meats with a good old friend on a cold rainy night :)

Ding Dong was housed in a shop house along Ann Siang with a curved staircase leading up to the main dining area and bar upstairs. I ordered Fujiyama which was yoghurt sake, elderflower liqueur, fresh strawberries and yuzu liqueur. Stef ordered Tommy Moves East which was Don Julio Anejo, yuzu liqueur, agave, and bitters. My drink was sweet and fruity, with a distinct taste of yoghurt. Stef's drink tasted strongly of alcohol and perhaps not much else. I would recommend the Fujiyama if you visit Ding Dong because it is a lighter drink.

But then again, I would not recommend visiting Ding Dong at all because the service sucks. To be fair, the kitchen crew downstairs was friendly and nice (they greeted everybody who went by with enthusiasm) but the waiter on the second floor was so disinterested, I was affronted. Or perhaps, I should say we were discriminated. He clearly placed more emphasis on the Caucasian customers sitting around us and left us to rot in our little corner. First, we took a long while to get his attention to place our orders. When I asked him to refill our glasses of water, he picked up the glasses, poured water in, and slammed the glasses back down on the table. When we asked for the bill, he nodded in our direction and proceeded to fuss around the other customers, chatting with them, having a laugh, went back to the bar to collect their drinks, served their drinks, continued the chat, went to take orders at another table (also filled with Caucasian customers), returned to the bar to place their orders, and then served their drinks. I got his attention again and asked for the bill the SECOND time. Once again, he gave me yet another cursory nod and went to the bar. I thought he was going to get our bill but guess what? He proceeded to chat with the customers (also Caucasian) at the bar! What on earth is going on?! Eventually I got our bill from his female colleague who brought the bill to us promptly. Brownie points to you girl!

I sincerely apologize for not being aware that Ding Dong did not welcome locals. Now that I am aware, I hope everyone is as well.

Wang Dae Bak
#01-64 China Square Central 22 Cross Street
62252646
Mon - Sat: 11:30 - 14:30
Mon - Sat: 17:30 - 22:30
Closed on Sunday

Ding Dong
Somewhere in Ann Siang Hill which you need not know because hey, you can spend those bucks somewhere else and get much better treatment. Just go next door. Or next next door. Anywhere but here.

Wine Mansion, Keong Saik Road

This post is long overdue and I can't believe I missed blogging about Wine Mansion. It was probably one of the best discoveries for someone who loves to eat and drink. 

Situated along the happening Keong Saik Road, Wine Mansion is a quiet little wine place tucked along the busy street. We called to make a reservation and were thankful that we did because the place was crowded through the night. It was a Wednesday so we indulged in Ladies Night with free flow red, white and sparking wines at $25++. Best deal ever. The Wine Mansion was dim and quaint, very suitable for a nice romantic date with your other half. 

The menu was extensive and we were so spoiled for choice because everything sounded good. We eventually settled for Hummus ($8), Sauteed Mushrooms ($5) and Crispy Pork Knuckle ($28).

Hummus was all right but sadly not one of the best I've tried before. Even though the hummus was smooth and creamy, there was a weird aftertaste in it. The sauteed mushrooms were awesome! Tossed in garlic and herbs, the mushrooms were fragrant and juicy. Perfect. 

The Crispy Pork Knuckle was good but too big for two ladies with dwindling appetites. It was indeed crispy and tasty but we had trouble trying to saw through the entire big knuckle. 

After all the food and several glasses of wine each, we decided we should have something sweet and chose the Molten Lava Cake with vanilla ice cream. Pretty good end to the meal and the chocolate did flow out steadily like lava in the cake.

I would recommend this place for those who love their wines. It is a good place for a nice date because it is quiet and you can have a decent conversation with your partner. Service was a bit patchy as there was only one guy running around the whole night trying to serve all the tables in Wine Mansion. He did try his best though and was attentive when there were less people later in the night.

Update: I went back to Wine Mansion for drinks and snacks because I had dinner at Muchachos next door. We ordered the truffle fries, sauteed mushrooms (because I am dead in love with their sauteed mushrooms), and a bottle of Muscato. Truffle fries were good, crispy and thick, and the sauteed mushrooms were awesome as usual. I have to say the service was fantastic that night. The guy who was running around alone previously was now assisted by a young lady. Evidently, two serving staff was much better than one and service was very good that night!

20 Keong Saik Road

62254468
Monday to Friday: 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Monday to Thursday: 4:00 pm to 12:00 am
Friday, Saturday, Eve of PH: 4:00 pm to 1:00 am

The Wine Company, Sentosa Boardwalk

Met the boyfriend for a nice cozy meal at Wasabi Tei on Valentine's Day because we were wise enough not to join the long queue for an exorbitant dinner on Valentine's Day itself. We decided to celebrate on the Saturday after Valentine's Day instead.

As we were both really busy the week before and were unable to secure a reservation at most places, we decided to walk into The Wine Company along Sentosa Boardwalk and try our luck. I really wanted to try this place the last time we strolled past because the ambience seemed really awesome. And it was.

We came early at about 6 pm so the restaurant was quite empty except for a few tables at the back. The restaurant became steadily more crowded as the hours ticked by into the night. We managed to catch a glimpse of the setting sun between the thick clouds before it slipped out of sight.

We could sit in the alfresco area or indoors. It would have been awesome sitting in the alfresco area, watching the sun set with a glass of wine in hand and a balmy breeze in the air. However, there were dark clouds gathering in the sky and we were afraid it would rain soon so we choose the table indoors instead. 

After studying the menu for awhile, we decided to go for the set dinner. The set dinner ($32.80) comes with apperitif (a glass of bubbly, coke, or sprite); starter (soup of the day or cheese and fruit); main (prawn linguine or fish and chips); dessert (ice cream with a choice of chocolate, vanilla, or green tea); and coffee or tea. We wanted to open a bottle of red wine to celebrate Valentine's Day but decided against it since the boyfriend is driving. 

We chose bubbly and soup. The soup of the day was cream of mushroom. I like it. It was thick and creamy with bits of mushroom in the broth.

I picked the Prawn Linguine while the boyfriend had Fish and Chips. The Prawn Linguine was quite good. The linguine was not done al dente; it was slightly overcooked. However, it was tossed with olive oil and fragrant spices that made the dish quite tasty. The prawns were juicy and fresh, and I love the sweet cherry tomatoes.

The boyfriend's Fish and Chips were good! I like the fried fish with its light batter and soft tender fish fillet within. The boyfriend commented that it was a little too salty but I felt that it tasted just fine.

Ended the meal with a green tea ice cream each and some tea and coffee. It was dark outside by then and the Wine Company started to glow with small candles placed on each table. The dim lights in the restaurant coupled with the colorful glass at the back and glowing red candles made me want to sit back, close my eyes and just... breathe.

Happy Valentine's Day! Nothing beats spending quality time with the boyfriend over awesome food and drinks!

To reach The Wine Company at Sentosa Boardwalk, just take the MRT to Harbourfont and exit at Vivocity. Walk towards JPOT on Level 1 and exit. Continue walking towards Sentosa and you will reach the Sentosa Boardwalk. The Wine Company is along the Sentosa Boardwalk.

6 Sentosa Gateway, #01-08

Tanuki Raw, by the Standing Sushi Bar, Orchard Central

The same people behind the Standing Sushi Bar introduced Tanuki Raw at the Orchard Central. Tanuki Raw's daily Happy Hour is definitely one of the best Happy Hours I've ever been to. From 5pm to 8pm everyday, you could enjoy $10 martini, $2 for freshly shucked raw oysters (limited to 6 oysters per drink), and $5 for 5 slices of salmon sashimi (limited to 1 portion per drink). My friend made the extra effort to come by Tanuki Raw by 6 pm on a Friday to snag a table for us. Once everybody reached by 7pm, we began feasting on raw oysters and salmon sashimi.

The oysters were so fresh! They were extremely delicious with lemon and tobasco. The sweet freshness oozing out of the juicy oysters was just so awesome.

The salmon sashimi slices were thick and juicy. They were also very fresh and sweet. Both the oysters and salmon sashimi went very well with the martini that I ordered.

My friend told us that Tanuki Raw's main courses were pretty average so we left after finishing our drinks, oysters, and salmon sashimi. They were awesome appetizers at very reasonable prices and I would definitely be back for Tanuki Raw's happy hours!

#02-03 Orchard Central

Gem Bar, Club Street

We wanted to end 2013 with an appropriate bang. Stef and I had other plans on the last day of 2013 so we decided to meet on 30 Dec for dinner at Club Street. Most buses at the bus stop in front of Supreme Court go to Ann Siang Hill where we alighted and took a short stroll to Club Street.

This was my first time at Club Street and I was amazed to find rows of shop houses lining both sides of a gentle slope. The area reminded me of Lan Kwai Fong in Hong Kong where people streamed out of bars and restaurants onto the street. It was a Monday night and some bars were closed so we picked what seemed like the most happening place and settled in for the night. 

Gem Bar is located at the junction where two lanes merged at the top of the slope. Music was quite good and there was a healthy crowd inside so we decided it was a good place to spend the night. Drinks were at half-price ($14 for two house pours) every Monday and their food menu was quite extensive for a bar. You could take your pick between the usual bar bites or Asian food (like Fried Rice).

We ordered a couple of drinks, a plate of Popcorn Chicken, Seafood Baked Rice, and Laksa Spaghetti. 

The Popcorn Chicken was all right. Tasted pretty much like KFC Popcorn Chicken.

The Seafood Baked Rice came with a very generous amount of seafood. However the dish was bland and tasteless. The rice did not absorb the sweetness of the seafood and the cheese was not very tasty either. 

The Laksa Spaghetti was interesting. It came with an overload of pesto, tasted slightly spicy, but everything was masked by how salty the whole dish was. The spaghetti was done al dente but it was so salty, I ended up gulping down my drink with each mouthful of spaghetti. The prawns were fresh though.

Food was definitely a miss at Gem Bar. I have not tasted bar bites which were so completely off the mark before Gem Bar. However the drinks more than made up for it. The large glasses of house pours at $7 were extremely value for money. They did not dilute the drinks just because they were half-priced. 

The owner was a pretty interesting guy as well but he was also the reason why we ended our night early. I might return for the drinks after dinner at another restaurant in the area. 

10 Ann Siang Hill

Cajun Kings and Wimbly Lu

This whole week has been particularly queer; I've been going to sleep really late but somehow I just drift awake before 6am when the sky is still dark. I proceed to toss and turn for like another hour trying to catch some much-needed rest but I simply just cannot. This is bad, I don't think I'm sufficiently recharged everyday for the past week.

Anyway so I finally got to try Cajun Kings! I've been wanting to try it for ages but it's really so out of the way and other than having dinner and drinks, there really isn't any other activity in the area. Am actually really happy that I finally got to try it (much thanks!). Despite the inconvenient location, Cajun Kings was really crowded and I was thankful we made a reservation. 

I wished I had taken a picture of the interior design of the restaurant and the shopfront, but it sort of just slipped my mind. I was just too... hungry. The place has a rustic feel to it - wooden paneling, wooden tables and chairs, large mahjong paper spread out over every table. 

The menu was pretty simple and we ordered Bamboo Clams, Pork Belly Cracking and baguette.

The first thing I noticed was, where is the cutlery? But I quickly realised that we were supposed to eat with our hands. That was the first thing that made me want to swallow a laugh, especially when I decided that it wasn't really necessary to wash my hands before I dig in. HAHA, I know I know, don't judge.

The second thing that made me want to swallow a laugh was when they served the bamboo clams in a plastic bag! My immediate remark was Uh this isn't going to look too good in pictures. The baguette dipped in the sauce with the bamboo clams was amazing. We took Level 2 for the spice level and it was super nice and spicy. The bamboo clams were so fresh, sweet and juicy!

I didn't take a picture of the pork belly crackings because, well, my fingers were all yummy from the bamboo clams and I didn't want to make my way to the back to wash my hands just so I could dig my phone out of my purse and snap a picture. The pork belly crackings were basically like deep fried roasted pork. It was so very tasty, so crispy with bits of fat that melted in my mouth. While I was eating it, I couldn't stop remarking about how unhealthy it is but ahhhhh, maybe its true that food can only be tasty, cheap or healthy.

After our meal at Cajun Kings, I wanted to have friday drinks but I also wanted desserts. So Wimbly Lu was a good option because they serve desserts and beer! 

Was a choice between Rocky Road and chocolate ice cream on waffles. I chose chocolate ice cream on waffle (I cannot remember why), but I kind of regretted my choice after that. Should have taken Rocky Road instead! The chocolate ice cream wasn't mind-blowing but the waffle was good. And oh yes, I still love Little Creatures Pale Ale after all these years.

15-1 Jalan Riang

Yayoiken

Another place that is within walking distance from my office. It is really fantastic that there are so many places to hang out after work! The best friend recommended this place, and I was all for trying it, so we came by after work one day. 

Located at the basement of Liang Court, it is right beside Meidi-Ya supermarket, and was relatively empty even though it was around dinner time when we reached. We were quickly ushered in and ordered immediately. We were trying to decide between the Tori Katsu Set and Chicken Namban Set. Eventually she decided to have the Tori Katsu Set while I ate the Chicken Namban Set. 

Oh my, the Chicken Namban Set was heavenly. I loved the fried chicken with tar tar sauce. The fried chicken was nicely pan fried on the outside, and so tender within, drenched in a sweet delicious sauce. The tar tar sauce came with bits of eggs, and was so unique together with the fried chicken! I loved it. The salad with its sesame dressing was good too. The set at $12.90 was very reasonably priced and we were so full after the meal.

She had the Tori Katsu Set. The chicken cutlet was so juicy! Okay maybe it wasn't the healthiest food on earth, but it was so sinfully delicious. The breaded exterior was super crispy and when you bite into the chicken cutlet, the meat inside was just so juicy!

We ended the night with some drinks. Walked around Clarke Quay for a bit before finally deciding to settle down at Fern and Kiwi because it was relatively quieter and we could chat. It came as a big surprise to us when we sat down and a waitress informed us that there was free cider for ladies as it was ladies night! Oh wow, so we had free drinks that night and the cider was good!

Yayoiken is at #B1-50 Liang Court
Fern and Kiwi is located behind the taxi stand, facing the main road.