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Showing posts from 2018

SIN: Liao Fan Hawker Chan [Delivery]

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Too lazy to queue at Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle~ Is everyone ready for 2019? To end off this year, I shall write about Hawker Chan, which is listed under the Bib Gourmand category of the 2018 Michelin Guide. Its original stall at the nearby Chinatown Food Complex has been awarded One Michelin Star since 2016.

SIN: Blue Jasmine

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Blue rice, sticky rice, mocktail and everything nice! Blue Jasmine is a Halal -certified restaurant at Park Hotel Farrer Park that serves dishes from Southern Thailand and the Esarn region, making use of spices imported directly from the country. I've got to know about the restaurant from corporate offer e-mail messages that I've been receiving lately.

SIN: Typhoon Café

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Interested to try a miso-flavoured soufflé dessert? Typhoon Café is a modern Taiwanese eatery at Plaza Singapura, born out of the "obsession for artisan fruit teas and larger-than-life desserts". In Chinese, the name of the café is 台風 (lit. typhoon), which is actually a blending of the words 台灣 (lit. Taiwan) and 風味 (lit. flavour).

SIN: Harry's

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Surprisingly delicious curried lamb shank! Harry's started as an intimate jazz bar in Boat Quay back in August 1992. Over the years, it has transformed into a neighbourhood bar. It prides itself in being Singapore's largest chain of bars with 20 branches, along with a few others in Myanmar and India at the point of writing.

SIN: Jew Kit

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Serving delicious Hainanese chicken rice since 1992! Welcome back! Today's review is on Jew Kit, a brand founded by Mr Teo Jew Kit from Hainan, China. From its humble beginning in 1992, it has grown to four restaurants and three stalls serving at the point of writing. I had lunch at one of its branches at Far East Plaza.

FIN: Finnair AY131 (Economy)

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Row, row, row your potato boat again~ We've finally reached the last post of my overseas food adventure last June. While my BFF and I flew to Helsinki, Finland in the Business Class cabin of Finnair AY132 , we flew back to Singapore in the Economy Class cabin with the same aircraft. Read further to find out about the supper and the light meal that we had onboard.

FIN: Ravintola Zetor

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Taking pride in being a "110% Finnish restaurant"~ Before leaving Helsinki, Finland, my BFF and I had our last dinner at Ravintola Zetor near Helsinki Central Station. Serving classic Finnish dishes, the restaurant was declared open on the country's 74th anniversary on 6 December 1991. I suspect it's the only restaurant in the world with its menu written in 21 different languages.

FIN: Hotel Anna [Breakfast]

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My taste buds were jolted by preserved strawberries! Hotel Anna (3*) was the last hotel that my BFF and I stayed at during our June trip. When the hotel first began its operation in 1985, breakfast used to be served in a small room on the 5th floor. As business began picking up, it had to dedicate a bigger space for guests to enjoy their buffet breakfast.

FIN: Ravintola Sea Horse

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Delicious herring steak, but salty Scandinavian hash... Ravintola Sea Horse is a well-known restaurant in Helsinki, Finland that has been in operation since 1934. Famous for its Baltic herring steak and other traditional dishes, the restaurant is colloquially known as  Sikala (lit. The Pigsty), though I'm not sure why is that so.

EST: Kuldse Notsu Korts

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Does elk meat taste different from reindeer meat? A day trip to Tallinn, Estonia from Helsinki, Finland proved to be rewarding. For lunch, we'd wanted to dine at the highly popular Rataskaevu 16. However, since it was way too crowded, we decided to head to another famous restaurant that serves Estonian cuisine called Kuldse Notsu Korts (lit. Golden Piglet Inn).

FIN: Mumin Kaffe

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Have some snacks and drinks with your favourite Moomin characters! I was so sad when I got to know that Moomin Café at Harbour City in HK closed down. During our visit to Helsinki, Finland, my BFF and I made it a point to drop by one of such establishments. It turned out that we went to the original branch, which isn't that far from Kaisaniemi Botanical Garden and Helsinki Cathedral.

FIN: Ravintola Kuu Kuu

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'Twas my very first experience with reindeer meat! Situated not far from the famous Temppeliaukio Church that was built directly into solid rock, Ravintola Kuu Kuu serves classic and modern local dishes in a relaxed setting. It has been around since 1990. BTW, ravintola is the local word for 'restaurant'.

FIN: Ingman Ice Cream Kiosk

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A scoop of something quintessentially Finnish! Pardon me for not being as active in updating my food blog these days as I've been quite busy recently, not to mention that I was sick for a few days. I've also been trying to churn out more posts to catch up on my  travel blog . Anyway, let's take a look at two flavours of Ingman ice cream from a kiosk at Kauppatori (lit. Market Square) in Helsinki, Finland.

FIN: Hilton Helsinki Airport [Breakfast]

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Free flow pickled herring really made my day! Back in Helsinki, Finland, my BFF and I decided to stay at Hilton Helsinki Airport (5*) for one night as we landed at around 10.40pm and we didn't want to rush to go to town. It was certainly a pity that our stay was short, but we truly enjoyed quality buffet breakfast the next day.

BGM: Diamond Lounge @ Brussels Airport (Schengen Area)

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Thumbs up only for the cream soup in a lion head bowl~ At last, we'd be heading to our last holiday destination: Helsinki, Finland. We weren't hungry while waiting for our flight that'd depart at 7.20pm from Brussels Airport. However, scared that our stomachs would grumble later before going to bed, we decided to use our Priority Pass membership to check out Diamond Lounge at the Schengen Area.

BGM: Brasserie de la Ville

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Any difference between Belgian and French onion soup? Situated near the bustling Grand Place is Brasserie de la Ville, a rather quiet, unassuming restaurant serving local cuisine that may not stand out compared to some others in the area. My BFF and I decided to head to the restaurant after reading many good reviews online.

BGM: Le Bistro

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Virgin experience with rabbit meat stewed with beer! Located within a stone's throw away from Porte De Hal, a medieval fortified city gate of Brussels, Belgium, is a popular restaurant that goes by a nondescript name of Le Bistro. Upon hearing where my BFF and I came from, one of the servers told us that the restaurant receives many people from Singapore every year.

BGM: Friterie Tabora

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'Andalouse' and 'Samourai' have nothing to do with Andalusia and Japan! :P For the uninitiated, the origin of the so-called French fries has been traced back to Belgium, not France. Considering a few famous fries shops in Brussels, my BFF and I decided to patronise Friteria Tabora that's located near the central square called Grand Place.

BGM: Maison Dandoy

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"Spectaculoos speculoos" and waffle! Don't leave Belgium without indulging in its waffles. That's what everyone says, right? Apart from those that my BFF and I got from small kiosks as we were wandering about Brussels, we also tried one at Maison Dandoy that has been around since 1829, operating a total of ten branches at the point of writing.

BGM: Floris Arlequin Grand Place Hotel [Breakfast]

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Two chocolate danish a day wouldn't harm! I recall having a bit of a hard time trying to decide on which value-for-money hotel to go for in the old town area of Brussels, Belgium. My BFF and I ended up in Floris Arlequin Grand Place Hotel (3*), which offers a splendid view of the town from its breakfast area on the topmost floor.

BGM: Chez Leon

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Serving mussels all the way since 1893! Here's another city to add to the list: Brussels, Belgium! As we hadn't had a proper lunch earlier, we decided to have an early dinner at Chez Leon, a well-known restaurant that has stood the test of time near Floris Arlequin Grand Place Hotel where we were staying at.

FRA: Air France AF1340 (Economy)

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Why stop at only one crispy croissant? After reaching Paris, France safe and sound from Sint Maarten in the Caribbean by AF209, my BFF and I continued our journey to the Amsterdam, the Netherlands by AF1340. I had previously flown short sectors from Paris to Lyon and vice versa, but that was my first intra-Schengen cross border flight with Air France.

FRA: Air France AF209 (Economy)

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Two meal services: a full-course early dinner and a simple breakfast~ After a rather brief layover at Sint Maarten, my BFF and I bade farewell to the Caribbean. We flew back to Europe, transiting at Paris, France with Air France before continuing our journey. Let's take a look at the food and beverage service during the flight with a scheduled duration of 8 hours and 20 minutes.

SXM: Sunset Bar and Grill

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Virgin experience with Johnny cakes, though probably not the usual ones! After leaving South America, my BFF and I were back in the Caribbean. We had a few hours of layover at Sint Maarten, a Dutch overseas territory that's famous for its Maho Beach that's very close to the runway of Princess Juliana International Airport. We had brunch at Sunset Bar and Grill.

GUY: Cara Lodge Restaurant

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Chicken thigh topped with a generous amount of chunky mango sauce! Cara Lodge Hotel is a historical building in Georgetown, Guyana. Built in the 1840s, it was known as Woodbine House when it housed the first Lord Mayor of Georgetown. My BFF and I dropped by the restaurant in hope of trying its well-known pepperpot dish. Alas, we were told that it'd only be available on Sundays during breakfast hours.

GUY: New Thriving

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Legit Chinese dishes in Guyana, save for one... The Chinese community has been playing a pivotal role in Guyana since it was occupied by the British. In fact, the first president after its independence, Arthur Chung, was a Chinese. There are quite a number of Chinese restaurants in Georgetown, one of which is the more upscale New Thriving located at Main Street.

SIN: So Pho [Delivery]

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First time having 'cha cha la vong' here in Singapore! Before I continue with more posts on eateries in Georgetown, Guyana, allow me to do a quick review of yesterday's Vietnamese dinner at home. I was too hungry that I didn't take out my trusty notebook to jot things down, so I shall do this post before I forget. At the point of writing, there are 16 branches of So Pho islandwide. 

SIN: Mid-Autumn 2018 Mooncakes @ Marina Bay Sands

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Strawberry + yogurt + champagne = LOVE! It's Pikachu's birthday today! I think I've shared with you before that his birthday is the same as mine. As can be seen in the picture below, he couldn't wait to try the snowskin mooncakes of four different flavours from Marina Bay Sands for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

GUY: Brandsville Hotel [Breakfast]

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Fish and chips without fries, but something else! My BFF and I stayed at Brandsville Hotel (3*) in Georgetown, Guyana, which is located in a somewhat quiet neighbourhood that's quite a distance away from the downtown area. The restaurant serves semi-buffet breakfast that, if not included in the room rate, isn't really worth paying for.

GUY: Starbuds

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Huge main courses with two carbohydrates to keep you full! How many of you read the title as Starbucks? To be frank, I've been to Starbucks less than ten times in my life thus far. Anyway, today's post on a very filling lunch at Starbuds in Georgetown, Guyana, especially when I didn't do anything much between breakfast and lunch due to heavy rain that day. 

GUY: Maharaja Palace

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The best restaurant in Georgetown, Guyana? Prior to booking a room at Brandsville Hotel , little did I know that the #1 restaurant on TripAdvisor, at the point of writing, is within walking distance from the said accommodation. Maharaja Palace is located on the third floor of a building named Annjees that's colourfully lit in the evening.

GUY: Oasis Café

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Lovely cassava cake with nutmeg and cinnamon! Let's move on from Suriname to its neighbouring country, which is Guyana. On the first day in its capital city, Georgetown, my BFF and I had an early dinner at 5.00pm at Oasis Café. The eatery, which is quite highly-rated online, is two blocks away from one of the famous landmarks in town: St. George's Anglican Cathedral.

SUR: Eco Resort Inn [Breakfast]

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A taste of a local dish made of a plant called 'pomtajer'! In Paramaribo, Suriname, my BFF and I stayed at Eco Resort Inn (3*). Buffet breakfast is served daily at its Riverside Hut, which is sort of a misnomer as it's located in the middle of the hotel grounds. The hotel's Riverview Terrace and Bar, on the other hand, is the one that allows patrons to have a view of Suriname River.

SUR: Eetcafé de Gadri

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Have you heard of 'moksi alesi' before? Eetcafé de Gadri is a no-frills eatery situated near Fort Zeelandia in the capital city of Suriname, serving local cuisine. While the menu is only written in Dutch, the staff can speak English. One of them translated some of the dishes that my BFF and I couldn't recognise.

SUR: Mirosso Indonesian Restaurant

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An Indonesian restaurant that has won the Fernand de Rooy certificate! The historical links between Suriname and Indonesia can be traced back to the days of the Dutch East Indies in the 19th century, where many Javanese were sent to Suriname to work in plantations. My BFF and I went all the way to Mirosso Indonesian Restaurant to see how the cuisine has developed there over the years.

SUR: Roti Shop Joosje

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A delight to chew the handmade 'roti'! Suriname is a melting pot of cultures. For our first lunch in the capital city called Paramaribo, my BFF and I went to sample its Indian cuisine at a well-known eatery that has been around since 1942. Roti Shop Joosje provides no-frills dining with affordable prices.

SUR: Fly Allways 8W602 (Economy)

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No typical orange juice or apple juice onboard, but instead... My journey to South America began with an uneventful flight with Fly Allways, a Surinamese airline that began operations in January 2016. Today's post is a short one featuring the snack and beverages offered for the short-haul flight of 2 hours and 30 minutes from Willemstad, Curaçao to Paramaribo, Suriname.

CUR: Ronde Markt

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Delightfully thick, slimy ladyfinger soup with salted beef! Before leaving for the airport, my BFF and I made it a point to go to a traditional indoor market called Ronde Markt to savour humble local cuisine. There are many food stalls to choose from on the second floor of the building, so we randomly chose to order from one of them.

CUR: Gouverneur de Rouville

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Delectably sweet and savoury Cuban banana soup! Named after Abraham Mathieu de Rouville, a respectable ex-governor of Curaçao, Gouverneur de Rouville is a bar-cum-restaurant with a beautiful architecture. Sitting at the balcony area allows you to enjoy your meal and/or drink with a magnificent view of the colourful Handelskade across the river.

CUR: Zambezi Restaurant

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A slice of Africa in Curaçao~ My BFF and I had the opportunity to visit Curaçao Ostrich Farm, which is one of the biggest of such farms outside of Africa. At the end of the tour, we had lunch at the on-site restaurant named after one of the longest river in Africa. Have you ever had ostrich meat before?

CUR: Curaçao Suites Hotel [Breakfast]

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Simple breakfast with a nice view of Willemstad! Curaçao Suites Hotel (3*) is located in Otrobanda, one of the quarters of Willemstad, the capital city of Curaçao. My BFF and I chose to book a room at this particular hotel as we found the price of the room, inclusive of simple buffet breakfast, to be truly affordable.

CUR: Rozendaels

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Caribbean main courses with colourful side dishes! It's my pleasure to share with you the very first post on Curaçao, one of the Dutch overseas territories in the Caribbean. This is also a virgin post on Caribbean dishes, which were prepared by Rozendaels, a popular restaurant that's quite a distance away from the centre of Willemstad.

NLD: KLM KL735 (Economy)

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Creamy vegetarian pasta for lunch! Given that I've previously written a post on KLM's long-haul meal service onboard KL836 from Singapore to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, I was wondering whether to write another one, though on a different route. I guess I should. Let's take a look at the offerings enroute from Amsterdam to Willemstad, Curaçao in the Caribbean.

NLD: Moeders

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Bring birthday mums to this restaurant for a surprise! Literally meaning 'mothers', Moeders is a restaurant that's well-loved by locals and tourists alike. For more than 25 years, it's been serving local dishes based on what they claim to be tried-and-tested mothers' and grandmothers' recipes. The menu isn't particularly big though.

NLD: Frens Haringhandel

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Enjoying delicious pickled herring near the canal~ Are you a fan of pickled herring? I definitely am, which many of you would've probably guessed from my previous posts. At Frens Haringhandel, a kiosk not far from Bloemenmarkt (lit. Flower Market), you can enjoy more than just that. The family-owned business has been around for more than 25 years.

NLD: Pancakes Amsterdam

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Sweet or savoury Dutch pancakes for you? Pancakes Amsterdam serves not only traditional Dutch pancakes with a little twist, but also American pancakes for those who prefer something thicker. Founded in 2007, the brand has grown into four branches in the capital city. My BFF and I visited the branch at Amsterdam Centraal.

NLD: Original Stroopwafels

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Do you like your 'stroopwafel' with or without chocolate? There's one thing I absolutely can't afford to miss whenever in the Netherlands. I recall how I was over the moon when I tried stroopwafel (Dutch thin waffle filled with caramel syrup) for the first time in my life. When you're in Amsterdam, simply head to Albert Cuyp Market for a taste of freshly baked ones.

NLD: Café AMOI

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The most expensive 'lemper' I've ever had in my life! :P I'd always been wanting to try Indonesian cuisine in the Netherlands. There are so many restaurants to choose from in Amsterdam, but I eventually decided on Café AMOI. It's a trendy eatery that serves not only authentic Indonesian food, but also an array of interesting beverages.

NLD: De Blauwe Hollander

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'Stamppot' with a huge meatball! It felt good to be back in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. For lunch, my BFF and I were headed to De Blauwe Hollander (lit. The Blue Dutchman) that has been around since 1979. The name of the restaurant refers to the marines in blue uniforms who were sent to Indonesia and Suriname as permanent representatives of the country.

POL: Specjaly Regionalne

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How does fermented rye sound to you? Situated along the bustling Nowy Swiat Street lined with restaurants, bars and high-end shops is Specjaly Regionalne, a restaurant that prides itself in whipping up a variety of traditional dishes from different parts of Poland. My BFF and I made my way there to have our last dinner before flying off early in the morning the next day.

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