Cliff(y) Goes Dining

Semi-buffet breakfast with friendly staff! UPDATE (12/04/2017):  The hotel has been rebranded to Ritz Boutique Hotel and has since moved to 23 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem. Jasmine Garden Hotel (3*) is strategically situated within a short walking distance from Hoan Kiem Lake. "The friendliest hotel in Hanoi" can be seen as the tagline in the hotel website. I'm not too sure if that's really true, but I truly appreciated the hospitality that wasn't at all clinical, unlike that in some hotels done for the sake of formality. The breakfast is semi-buffet style, where main course has to be ordered from one of the staff.

Dining with a beautiful view of Hoan Kiem Lake in the evening! Located on the topmost floor of Elegance Diamond Hotel that is situated in the maze of the old quarter of the capital city of Vietnam, The Gourmet Corner Restaurant has been known to pamper its customers with a medley of Vietnamese and Western food, as well as the panoramic view of Hoan Kiem Lake.

Serving Vietnamese food, from northern to southern! After a long day of visiting most of the attractions and landmarks in the old quarter of Hanoi, Vietnam, we were determined to find a particular vegetarian restaurant in the region. Alas, the effort turned out to be futile. However, keeping our chins up, we made a detour, walking further down to discover another famous restaurant that serves a huge array of authentic Vietnamese food.

An interesting array of Vietnamese appetiser dishes! The weather in Hanoi, Vietnam was pleasant that time with an average daily temperature of around 25 °C. However, the haze was really getting on my nerves, ruining my mood to a great extent as I really wanted to go around mostly by foot. Not far from the Temple of Literature, one of the major attractions in the city, is a restaurant run by KOTO (Know One, Teach One), an Australian-Vietnamese charity for underprivileged youth.

Ever tried deep-fried minced pork cake with rice field snails? Welcome to the first review of a restaurant in Hanoi, Vietnam! I've finally managed to add yet another country tag to this blog. It was my very first time travelling to the country, not really knowing what to expect. On the very first day, I had dinner at a well-known restaurant, which is also known as The Old Quarter Corner Restaurant in English. 

Curly fries? Root beer float? Waffles?  Take your pick! Having migrated to Singapore for more than ten years, I suppose I do have this common 'A&W syndrome' every now and then. Its departure from the country in 2003 was a pity indeed. Before we took the coach back home, we decided to go back to Dataran Pahlawan once again for that extra boost of calories.

Tasty spring rolls and chicken briyani! Situated within the historical area of Melaka, Malaysia, Midcity Hotel Melaka (3.5*) is within easy walking distance to Dataran Pahlawan, the largest shopping complex in the region. Besides providing buffet breakfast, the hotel also houses a bar which is promised to offer a panoramic view of the city.

Stir-fried squid that reminded me of home~ Prior to the trip, I had been searching day and night for a restaurant that serves good and authentic Peranakan cuisine. Listed as one of the original Peranakan restaurants in town, Ole Sayang was the place of choice for dinner during our 2D1N trip. One of the reasons is its close proximity to Midcity Hotel Melaka where we were staying in.

Decadent rum and raisin  mille crêpe! Probably the most famous cakery chains in Melaka, Malaysia, Nadeje has been in operation since 2006. It's well-known for its intriguing variety of mille crêpe (French cake made of many layers).

The best 'asam laksa' I've ever had in my life! After our late lunch at Kedai Kopi Chung Wah , we walked down the crowded Jalan Hang Jebat, which is also commonly known as Jonker Street. Every Friday and Saturday evening. it turns into a bustling night market. Our aim was to find an eatery that's well-known for its tasty Peranakan dishes.

Haphazardly chopped chicken, but enjoyable rice balls! As promised earlier, we're going to bring you on a gourmet trip to Melaka, Malaysia! The moment we hopped off our bus, we immediately rushed to one of the most famous Hainanese chicken rice ball eatery in the area. A trip to Melaka won't be complete without trying the signature chicken rice balls, they say.