Cliff(y) Goes Dining

Quick Mexican fare with free tortilla chips! Today's review shall be the last one of the month, and cheers for the fact that it's the first review with the label 'Mexican'! A fast casual chain of Tex-Mex restaurants, Baja Fresh was founded in California in 1990, currently having branches in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Singapore as well. 

Enjoying chrysanthemum sorbet with a splendid view of the city! UPDATE (26/11/2017):  The restaurant has closed down. Still on Marina Bay Sands, I decided to have dinner against a panoramic view on the 57th floor in a restaurant helmed by chef Justin Quek. Sky on 57 features a selection of modern interpretation of Franco-Asian cuisine, and it seems like Maine lobster is one of its specialties as it is featured in a few dishes offered. 

Private room with a pleasant curry aroma... :P Proudly advertising itself as "the most spectacular hotel in Singapore", Marina Bay Sands (5*) is indeed one of the most sought-after hotel accommodations, especially due to its stunning infinity swimming pool on the 57th floor.

Honey toast with ice cream and red bean paste from Hokkaido! Craving for contemporary Japanese cuisine infused with Western elements in Chinatown Point? Look no further than Wa Café, a relatively new eatery offering value-for-money lunch sets that come with a cup of soup. Boasting its selection of food using ingredients flown directly from Japan, the café is a hit among Japanese expatriates.

"Four iconic Singapore favourites in one satisfying platter!" UPDATE (12/07/2017):  The restaurant has closed down. Above is the description of the dish which really captured my attention when I was trying to look for a place to dine after roaming around Sentosa Island. Tastes of Asia boasts an enticing menu from Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, but to give some examples.

Craving for baked rice and hotplate items? Drop by HK Kim Gary! UPDATE (11/10/2019):  The restaurant has closed down. A popular HK café in VivoCity, its history dates back to 1992 at Sham Shui Po district in its country of origin. Its continuous effort and reform has led to the expansion of its business to Malaysia and Singapore, serving typical Cantonese snacks to dishes which has evolved under the British influence in the past.

A splendid array of cold appetiser items! When I had the time to go back to Jakarta, Indonesia a few weeks ago, the ritual of going to Bakmi GM was done as usual. However, not only that, I also took the chance to bring my family to Sentral Restaurant, one of the restaurants which has forever evoked childhood memories within me. Founded in 1979, it has stood the test of time, and is popular among many.

Virgin experience with the unique burgers! I had intended to write about one of my favourite restaurants in Jakarta, Indonesia which I finally patronised again after so long. However, in view of Ramadan 2014 and the fact that the pasar malam (lit. night market) at Geylang Serai isn't going to stay for long, I shall write about the perennially favourite Ramly Burger which hails from Malaysia. To be honest, last week was the first time I tried it.

Fantastic baked pork chop rice! The Lei Garden Restaurant Group, having established Michelin Star worthy restaurants across the country, has also ventured into casual restaurants serving quality healthy dishes at affordable prices. It is claimed that "in order to maintain equilibrium between enjoyment and health, [Lei Bistro's] menu [puts] more emphasis on steamed, braised and stewed dishes and less deep-fried items."

Renowned wife cake from the original store in Yuen Long! No trip to Yuen Long would be complete without lao po bing (lit. wife cake). I purposely hunted the original Hang Heung Bakery down. The suffocating heat of summer in HK was no joke. Despite my T-shirt soaked with perspiration, the journey was worth it.

Famous five spices whole chicken! On the fourth day, we finally went to Yuen Long, a remote district in HK that probably isn't that well-known yet by many tourists. Before we embarked on the quest of finding wife cakes, we had had lunch at Tai Wing Wah Restaurant, which is listed under the Bib Gourmand category of the 2014 Michelin Guide. If you're looking for simple, unpretentious Chinese cuisine, I bet you won't regret dining there. Take note that they've got no English menu, so I'm going to provide a very simple English translation to each dish we tried.