The Sushi Bar, Far East Plaza

I discovered The Sushi Bar at Far East Plaza when I was wandering around Far East Plaza while the boyfriend went for a hair cut. The snaking queue started from the door of the Sushi Bar and extended to the corridor. I made a mental note to come back one day when I was ready to queue for what promised to be awesome sushi.

The day came when I fixed a date with the best friend for our sushi night. I managed to reach slightly after 7 pm and rushed to The Sushi Bar so that I could join the queue quickly. It was a weekday night and there were approximately 20 people ahead of me in the queue. 

The best friend made a quick trip to Old Chang Kee and bought us some snacks so that we could chew on something during the wait. It took us approximately 20 minutes before we were led into the restaurant. Be prepared to wait even longer if you are coming with a large party.

The Sushi Bar was a small, cozy, no frills restaurant. Plastic tables and chairs were arranged in neat rows in one room, while the kitchen was in another room. We ordered quickly because we were just so famished.

The Basic Chirashi Don came with cubes of salmon, tuna, and hamachi sashimi as well as fish roe. The waitress informed us that the sashimi in the Basic Chirashi Don would be in cubes instead of slices and we agreed. Go for the more expensive chirashi don if you fancy slices of sashimi instead of cubes. 

Our Basic Chirashi Don was delicious. The sashimi was very fresh and juicy. The sushi rice was tangy and light. I have to admit that I am used to sashimi slices in my chirashi don instead of cubes but it was a nice change. The portion was also very generous. 

The Salmon Aburi Roll was terrific. Seared salmon wrapped neatly around sushi rice and cucumber. It was delicious! The Salmon Aburi Roll tasted light, fresh, and very tasty. It was not as heavy as the Shiok Maki at Koh Grill and Sushi Bar.

The Hotate Mentaiyaki was another winner. Fresh scallops were lightly seared with mentaiyaki on top. The scallops were so juicy and sweet! I would definitely have this again when I return.

The Sushi Bar serves good sushi and fresh sashimi. Service is sufficient and efficient, but not overwhelmingly fantastic. There is not much ambience to speak of and everything in The Sushi Bar is simple and plain. But if you are here solely for the food, I am certain you will not be disappointed.

#03-89 Far East Plaza
14 Scotts Road
Mon - Sun 11:30 - 21:30

When your nerves are frayed

Sometimes you wonder if any of this would amount to anything at all. The hours, the days, the weeks, the months, and eventually the years. It is a constant whirl of activities; nothing ever stops. The speed increases day by day, and before you know it, everything is flashing by at the speed of light. You wonder when you started running that fast. Or were you ever running? Perhaps things, memories, stories were running past you, disappearing into the night while you were motionless. You were rooted to the ground by forces beyond your control. You tricked yourself into believing that you were moving with time, but you were not. Time was slipping by unknowingly while you struggled to rein it in. You could not, you never can, but you were delusional.

You watched as others put in half the effort and you wonder where their conscience went. Perhaps they never had one. A man was drowning in the water and two people were pulling the rope at the same time to haul him out of the water. One person dropped the rope unexpectedly and the other fell into the water from the sudden force. Why did you drop the rope? he yelled as he went down. Why did you drop the rope? the one in the water yelled.

I did it to save myself.

Such a seemingly innocuous and innocent answer, such a clear and frank response. You wonder if the truth will haunt the one who survived. Perhaps not, because remember, he did not have a conscience. 

Day 6 South Korea, Seoul, Ewha Women's University, Myeongdong

Day 6 was our Free and Easy day! I would strongly recommend choosing a tour package which allows you at least one Free and Easy day in the city so that you could walk around by yourself and feel the city outside the usual tourist destinations. I enjoyed being part of the tour as we were conveniently carted around South Korea in a warm bus and I never had to worry about missing a flight or losing my way. However, the free and easy day was precious and enjoyable too. I really wanted to see the city without throngs of tourists pushing against me or hard selling talks in enclosed rooms. We were also glad for the opportunity to sleep in a bit more after 5 days of early morning calls.

Our first stop was Ewha Women's University and the shopping district around the university. We took the subway to Ewha Women's University Station (Line 2, Exit 2 or 3) and emerged along a narrow street lined with bare trees and small shops on both sides. We walked down the street towards the crowd and found the University at the end of the narrow street. The shopping district began at the University and spilled along the streets and into the alleys in all directions.

Shopping was amazing here. Prices were very reasonable, the quality was decent, and the variety was amazing. I had so much fun walking down the many side alleys, entering small shops along the streets, browsing through dresses that cost 10,000 won. I bought a backpack for myself and the boyfriend here as well as a couple of tank tops.

There were numerous street stalls dotting the landscape in this area as well and we decided to try the Herb Chicken. It was essentially a cup full of fried chicken and rice cake tossed in a sweet tangy chili sauce. I was really in love with this street snack! Would highly recommend it if you are in the area. The stall was beneath Pizza Hut.

We headed to Myeongdong after our little shopping spree at Ewha. Our initial plan was to head to Myeongdong Station which necessitated a transfer to Line 4. After some research, we found out that we could take the subway to Euljiro Il-ga Station (Line 2, Exit 5) which will take us to the other side of Myeongdong. When we exited the subway station, we found ourselves at Lotte Mall where we took a quick browse. Myeongdong shopping district was directly across the road and the crowd thickened considerably in the evening when the street stalls appeared. If you are ever lost in this area, just head towards the colourful lights and bustling crowd. 

Shopping at Myeongdong was interesting. We were always eating the street snacks because there were just so many stalls selling so many delicious-looking snacks. There were numerous shops selling the usual Korean skincare products and an assortment of small boutiques and CD shops. We came across the ABC Mart which stocked a wide variety of shoes, especially sneakers and found a pair of glittery Vans sneakers on discount. I bought them immediately without a second thought. Definitely one of my favourite purchases in Korea!

The Myeongdong area has a couple of underground shopping centres as well. They were not as interesting as the shopping district above ground but some shops sold pretty unique products. My brother found a limited edition CD at one of the tacky-looking underground shops! Worth a visit if you are bored of the swanky shopping centres at Myeongdong.

Read about Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, and Day 5.

Tian Fu Hong Kong Style Steamboat

One of us had a craving for steamboat buffet when the weather was cooler at the start of the year. We are quickly entering the hot season in Singapore and the sweltering heat is making it highly undesirable to indulge in some steamboat now. But steamboat is definitely a good option in the cool and rainy months. Nothing beats sitting around a boiling pot of delicious soup with your good friends, catching up on juicy stories, watching the world around us dissolve in puddles of rain.

Tian Fu Hong Kong Steamboat is situated along Tanjong Katong, which is easily accessible for all of us Easties. We chose to sit outside under the canopy because a nice breeze accompanied the light rain that night. The price of the buffet was reasonable ($20.80+ for Monday to Thursday) so we decided to go for the buffet. 

As it was a buffet, we decided to ignore the fact that we were all on the wrong side of 25 and were all beginning to find the tide of time turning against us. Personally, I could definitely feel my metabolism slowing down despite a consistent exercise regime since forever. Buffets are always so tempting because they seem like such a good deal yet I am always tricked to eat more than I can stomach and definitely more calories than my body can burn.

We chose the tom yum and chicken soup bases. The tom yum soup base was awesome; sufficiently spicy and sour yet not overpowering. The food items soaked up the tom yum soup base and released the soup when I bit into them. It was delicious.

However, as a whole, I find that Tian Fu Steamboat is pretty good. It is nice comfort food in the cooling night, and I would come back if I am in the area and I crave for steamboat. However, it is not a steamboat restaurant that I would travel a considerable distance for. Actually, I don't think I would travel a considerable distance for any particular steam boat unless I have a craving for it.

Tian Fu Steamboat is located in one of the shop houses lining the road across from Tanjong Katong Girls' School.

214 Tanjong Katong Road

Saveur, Purvis Street

Saveur has two outlets, one at Purvis Street and the other at Far East. I have always wanted to try Saveur but the large crowds at both outlets succeeded in justifying my procrastination. It was not until my friend and ex-colleague from HDB suggested we meet up at Saveur did I finally make my way down. 

The outlet at Purvis Street (across the road from Bugis Junction, a short walk from Raffles Hotel) was situated near my office so I managed to reach shortly after 7 pm. My friends snagged a table at the back so I could head in and sit down immediately. I was told that Saveur used to have only one shop space along Purvis Street but had since expanded. Thank goodness for the expansion! 

We ordered a Saveur's Pasta, a Salmon Confit, and Mushroom Cappuccino as starters to share.

The Saveur's Pasta was pasta tossed with chilli oil, fine-chopped Japanese konbu, sakura ebi, with minced pork sauce. The pasta was done al dente, springy and delicious. The Saveur's Pasta may look simple and unimpressive, but it was definitely a winner. 

The Salmon Confit was equally good. The slice of salmon was sweet and tender, and went perfectly well with the lemon vinaigrette.

The Mushroom Cappuccino was my friend's favourite item but I found it pretty ordinary. Granted, it was served like a cup of cappuccino with foam on top but it tasted like a watered down version of mushroom soup.

We each had a Duck Confit as our main dish. The duck leg confit sat on a bed of home made mashed potato, and sauteed shitake mushroom. The duck leg was done very well. It was crispy on the outside and really tender within. I was especially fond of the shitake mushrooms which were so soft and well-marinated!

We ordered a Salted Caramel Lava Cake for dessert. It was so delicious! Warm salted caramel spilled out of the cake when I sliced it, going perfectly well with the soft moist cake. It was sweet and salty all at once. The cake was a wondrous end to a fantastic meal at Saveur. I will definitely be back. 

If you are walking over from Bugis MRT Station, exit near the Intercontinental Hotel and cross the road. Head towards Purvis Street. Turn into Purvis Street and Saveur will be on your left.

#01-04 Purvis Street

Day 5 South Korea, Seoul, Bukchon Hanok Village, Dongdaemun, Hongdae, Stanford Seoul Hotel

After breakfast at the Welli Hilli Ski Resort, we packed up and headed back to Seoul. We were brought to a duty free shop selling cosmetic and beauty products from various Korea brands including The Face Shop. My tour guide strongly recommended Odbo so I bought some paper masks (which I am still too lazy to try). I also bought this liquid foundation applicator which vibrates and spreads the foundation evenly across your face and prevents patchy spots from accumulating. Most of the beauty products can be found in the respective standalone shops in Myeongdong except Odbo. I failed to spot Odbo anywhere else in Seoul except in that little duty free shop we were brought to.

The next stop was the Bukchon Hanok village which was a small residential area with traditional houses. These houses, with their wooden front doors, black traditional eaves, and tall brick walls, were preserved since the Joseon Dynasty and remained an important part of Korean cultural heritage. I was told that these houses were incredibly expensive to maintain. It baffles me as to why anyone would spend large amounts of money to live in a traditional house with hardly any peace nor privacy in the area. When I was there around noon, the Bukchon Hanok village was flooded with tourists, most speaking excitedly at the top of their voices. 

I desperately needed to use the washroom while we were in Bukchon Hanok Village so I slipped into this quaint little cafe along one of the streets and purchased a caramel macchiato. While the pretty lady behind the counter prepared my drink, I went to the washroom and snapped several pictures of the cafe. Seoul is dotted with numerous little cafes, each with its own distinctive character. The books and wooden shelves appealed to those into vintage designs and I would definitely have enjoyed nursing my caramel macchiato over a book if I were not in a rush.

Korean barbecued pork for lunch! Yums. I am always in love with barbecued pork and the restaurant we were brought to served pretty decent ones. It was definitely not spectacular but the marination was good, the pork was tender, and the side dishes were nice.

Dongdaemun next and I have to say I was very excited to reach this famous shopping district finally. Dongdaemun is separated into two districts, one catering mainly for wholesale purchasers (Section 2), and the other for retail customers (Section 1). The main road and the large Dongdaemun Stadium separated both sections. If you are a retail customer, Section 1 with Doosan Tower, Migliore, and Hello apm, would be a better choice. Clothes at Doota (Doosan Tower) were the most expensive but they also had the best designs and quality. If you are into more reasonably priced clothes and not too fussy about design and quality, head to Migliore and Hello apm. That said, I was still quoted a whooping 250,000 won for a faux leather jacket at Migliore which stunned me into silence. I stood rooted to the ground in the store, holding the leather jacket, my mouth wide open in disbelief. I forgot what happened next but I probably dropped the jacket and exited immediately. I did manage to buy a sweet navy blue wool skirt with red polka dots for 20,000 won. Not exactly the cheapest but still a good buy nonetheless. 

I am, however, deeply in love with the street snacks at Dongdaemun. There are two little carts between Migliore and Hello apm, one selling the best yoghurt macaroons ever, and the other hawking honey pancakes. Both were delicious. The honey pancakes were exceptionally unforgettable. I bit into the pancakes and hot honey oozed out, filling my mouth with its sweetness. It was such a happy moment in the cold. We also had the usual Korean street snacks like the corn dog which was pretty yummy too. 

Dinner was stewed chicken at a restaurant in Dongdaemun. The stew was way too oily but I have to admit that it was quite yummy. Being a fan of mushrooms, I had a great time fishing out bunches of golden mushroom soaked in delicious oily stew. 

We checked into Stanford Seoul Hotel. The hotel provides free shuttle service to and from the nearest subway station (Digital Media City) which was a very useful service, considering the fact that the hotel was literally in the middle of nowhere. We were surrounded by media companies with nothing much to shop or see in the near vicinity. There is a convenience shop across the road though. Exit from the hotel, turn left and cross the road. You will see a small lonely convenience shop in the darkness. The rooms at Stanford Seoul Hotel are really small and you can hardly navigate around the room after placing your luggage in the narrow walkway. 

As it was relatively early when we returned, we decided to check out Hongdae since it was Friday night. Hongdae is a university town, famous for its nightlife and some shopping. Alight at Hongik University Station (Line 2, Exit 9) and you will be greeted by colourful lights, an electrifying crowd, and lots of youngsters stumbling around in an alcohol-induced haze. There were small shops lining the streets and lots of makeshift carts along the road as well. I bought a leather jacket at Hongdae for 65,000 won, a fraction of the cost in Dongdaemun. 

For some reason, everyone was telling me about the Hello Kitty Cafe in Hongdae. I am not a fan of Hello Kitty but could not resist taking a photo in front of the cafe just for the sake of it. 

A crazy crowd in front of what must be the hottest club in Hongdae. Pounding music wafted out through the doors and the bouncers were busy trying to get everyone into a decent line. The ladies were immaculately dressed, wearing surprisingly little for a cold winter night. The temperature was definitely below zero yet I saw beautiful ladies clad in short tight dresses, stockings, and a normal jacket. I guess a large volume of alcohol does help to keep you warm. I was almost freezing after 2 hours out in the cold though. 

Read about Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4 and Day 6!

Professor Brawn Cafe, Circular Road

I have been working near Circular Road for more than a year but it was not until recently that I visited Professor Brawn Cafe. Professor Brawn Cafe is a social enterprise providing employment and integration for persons with disabilities. The cafe was quaint, with wooden bookshelves at the back, displaying small items you could purchase. 

I came for ice cream one night after having Thai steamboat nearby. I returned a couple of weeks later for their set lunch. The set lunch came with a soup, drink and main course. I wanted the rosti but rosti was unavailable that day so I had Spaghetti with Chicken Balls instead. 

I chose orange juice and it came in a tall glass shaped like an hour-glass. The soup was quite ordinary.

The awesome part of the meal was the Spaghetti with Chicken Balls. The spaghetti was really awesome. It soaked up the thick tomato sauce, and the taste was so robust and delicious. The chicken balls were splendid too. Melted cheese burst out when I bit into the chicken ball and I was pleasantly surprised. This was one great spaghetti dish. 

While we were chatting over our drinks, we were asked to move to another table so that they could sit a table of four together. We were more than happy to do so. As a token of appreciation, we were offered a cup of free ice cream each! Such a sweet gesture. We were so surprised that they offered and it took us awhile to recover from the surprise and place our orders. 

I would definitely recommend Professor Brawn Cafe if you work in Raffles Place or City Hall. This place is worth a visit.

10 Circular Road