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Showing posts from 2024

SIN: SERVUS German Burger Grill

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Not wow-ed by its beef burgers though... Born in Germany, Hans im Glück (lit. Hans in Luck) is a burger chain named after a fairytale recorded by the Brothers Grimm. Known for its forest-inspired decor, the outlets create a cozy, rustic atmosphere. Here in Singapore, it's been rebranded as SERVUS German Burger Grill and it can be found at VivoCity.
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SIN: Yan Restaurant

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Cantonese cuisine not quite as outstanding as expected... Housed within the National Gallery in the Civic District of Singapore, Yan blends classic Cantonese recipes with modern culinary innovation. Its menu showcases a balance of tradition and creativity, from roasted meat to hand-crafted dim sum . The restaurant is part of the AMEX Love Dining programme.
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SIN: Kith Café

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The best espresso jelly I've ever had! Starting as a humble shop by the river at Robertson Quay in 2009. Kith Café has since expanded to no less than ten outlets across the island. The founder is a firm believer in feng shui (Chinese geomancy), seen in the cafe's logo with auspicious elements: 18 black and 18 yellow spaces arranged in an octagonal shape, symbolising prosperity and success.
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SIN: Flipper's

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Pancake x  soufflé originated from Tokyo! Hailing from Japan, Flipper's is a chain café renowned for its fluffy, jiggly soufflé pancakes. While I've never had the chance to try the pancakes in its country of origin, I was excited to finally experience them at the Westgate branch here in Singapore, which has been drawing long lines of eager patrons.
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SIN: Yoshinoya

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Trying it again in Singapore after years! Yoshinoya is the second largest chain of gyudon (lit. beef bowl) restaurants in Japan. Although its first shop opened in Tokyo, the name of the chain actually pays homage to the former town of Yoshino in Osaka Prefecture where its founder hailed from. After years of giving Yoshinoya in Singapore a miss, I recently found myself revisiting one of its branches at Bugis Junction.
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SIN: L'Entrecôte

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Are you a fan of their rich specialty sauce? Entrecôte  is a French term that refers to a premium boneless cut of beef from the rib area, which is typically used for steaks and roasts. L'Entrecôte, a restaurant dedicated to this cut, features it as the one and only main course. One of the branches is located at Customs House, which was among the earliest public buildings in modern Singapore.
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TRY: Turkish Airlines TK208 (Economy)

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Surprisingly rich chocolate mousse! Here's the last post to wrap up the travel to the Americas. After travelling in the Business Class cabin from Panama City, it was time to head to the back of the plane for the next leg of the journey from Istanbul, Turkey to Singapore. Despite the more modest comfort, the food wasn't too shabby.
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TRY: Turkish Airlines TK800 (Business) (Part 2)

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Not the best experience, but I love the  strawberry smoothie ! Following the brief stop at Panama City, my BFF and I continued our journey on Turkish Airlines TK800 to Istanbul, Turkey. The flight, lasting just over half a day, included two meal services - dinner and breakfast. One thing I completely forgot to do was to check the galley to see if there were any snacks available. 
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TRY: Turkish Airlines TK800 (Business) (Part 1)

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Trio of snacks to kickstart your appetite! Turkish Airlines TK800 operates from Bogota, Colombia, to Istanbul, Turkey with a brief stop at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City. In this first segment, let’s take a look at the light refreshment served during the short hop to Panama City, which lasted approximately an hour and 40 minutes.
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COL: Avianca Lounge @ El Dorado International Airport

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Hearty pumpkin soup, but no Colombian food... My BFF and I'd be flying back to Singapore via Istanbul, Turkey with Turkish Airlines. As the first leg of our journey would be in Business Class, we enjoyed access to the flagship lounge of Avianca, the flag carrier of Colombia, at the principal international gateway of Bogota. Who could resist a glass of Baileys before a flight?
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SIN: Mid-Autumn 2024 Mooncakes @ Luna

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'Tie guan yin' and lychee are besties! Welcome to this year's edition of our Mid-Autumn mooncake post! With just a week to go until Mid-Autumn Festival 2024, let's take a look at some pretty duo-tone snowskin mooncakes offered by Luna, a proud local patisserie that made its debut at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
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COL: Brasas Del Llano

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Colourful national dish of Colombia! The full-day tour to Lake Guatavita and Zipaquira that my BFF and I signed up for included a lunch stop at Brasas Del Llano, a well-known restaurant celebrated for its traditional cuisine with an emphasis on grilled meat. Situated in the heart of the town, the restaurant offers a lively atmosphere with live performance.
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COL: La Dora Restaurante Campestre

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Something that reminded me of sea coconut~ On one of the days during our trip, my BFF and I booked a half-day tour to marvel at Tequendama Falls and visit a coffee farm outside of Bogota. It concluded with lunch at La Dora, a humble eatery in the city of Fusagasuga located southwest of the capital city, which offers a pleasant view of the countryside.
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COL: Restaurante Casa Santa Clara

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'Ajiaco', a popular soup dish in Bogota, is a must! Perched atop the sacred Monserrate, a mountain towering over 3,000-metre above the city centre of Bogota, Restaurante Casa Santa Clara is a charming restaurant that showcases traditional cuisine from across Colombia. Despite not making a reservation at this popular venue, my BFF and I were fortunate to secure a table after waiting for 20 minutes or so.
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COL: Origen Bistro

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Cassava and cheese croquettes, anyone? Opened in 2018, Origen Bistro in Bogota, Colombia may be a relatively young restaurant, but it's quickly risen to fame for its delectable blend of traditional Colombian flavours and contemporary gastronomy. The restaurant also exudes charm through its architecture, featuring Spanish colonial style with Andalusian influences.
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COL: Andres Carne de Res

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Possibly Bogota's wildest restaurant-cum-bar! An iconic nightlife destination in Bogota, Andrés Carne de Res is truly a feast for the senses. Prior to my trip to Colombia, never had I been to such an eclectic establishment spread across five stories with 11 distinct dining areas, over 500 staff members and the capacity to accommodate up to 3,300 customers at once!
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COL: Juan Valdez Café

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Chillin' with ice-blended coffee infused with 'arequipe'! Juan Valdez Café is a coffee chain founded by the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia in 2002. It takes its name from a fictional character: a coffee farmer that's been portrayed in advertisements by the federation since 1958. While not as well-known as other global coffee chains, it's successfully expanded its reach to locations as distant as Malaysia.
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COL: Wok

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Indulging in delicious Chinese noodle with 'wok hei'! You might think I'd dive straight into local food upon reaching Bogota, the capital city of Colombia. However, the very first thing that I had was actually Asian cuisine. Since 1998, Wok has taken pride in introducing a diverse range of Southeast and East Asian dishes, from the bold flavours of Indonesia to the refined delicacies of Japan.
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SIN: Ohayo Mama San

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Frequent offer: 50% off Japanese high tea! Describing itself as a gastrobar, Ohayo Mama San at 313@Somerset serves a delightful array Japanese and fusion dishes in a brightly lit setting with predominantly blue and orange tones. While I'd been there twice for dinner, particularly intrigued by its cocktail selections, I recently decided to try its Japanese high tea offering with a friend.
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PAN: Sabroso Panama

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Panamanian style risotto with pigeon peas and smoked meat, anyone? Literally meaning 'delicious', Sabroso promises to tantalise your taste buds with the authentic flavours of "100% Panamanian cuisine" in a vibrant, colourful setting. Located on Perico Island at the southern end of Panama City, the restaurant has a terrace area that offers a beautiful view of Panama Bay.
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PAN: Restaurante El Trapiche

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Have you tried a dish called 'old clothes'? Established in 1983, Restaurante El Trapiche is well-known for celebrating the rich flavours of Panamanian cuisine, attracting both locals and tourists alike to its five branches across Panama City. My BFF and I visited the outlet at Albrook Mall, which is the second largest shopping mall in the American continent as of 2022.
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PAN: Lumaca

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Geisha coffee beans were sold above a thousand bucks back in 2017! Not related to Japanese culture at all, Panamanian Geisha coffee is renowned for its distinctive flavour profile. Intrigued by this unique coffee that's among the most expensive globally, my BFF and I decided to drop by one of the highly rated café in Casco Viejo, a historic district of Panama City, to have a taste of it.
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PAN: Café Coca-Cola

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Is it weird not to drink Coca-Cola at Café Coca-Cola? Here's a trivia: did you know that Panama and Cuba were among the first few countries to operate Coca-Cola bottling plants outside of North America in 1906? Café Coca-Cola isn't only the oldest café in Panama City, but also is the one and only in the world to be endorsed by the Coca-Cola Company. 
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MEX: Guacamole Grill

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Trying out two unfamiliar Mexican dishes! From Canada, we shall move on to Cancun, Mexico. Despite our initial intent to spend some leisurely time along the beach, unforeseen circumstances forced my BFF and me to scramble our travel plan. Nevertheless, we made the most of our very limited time indulging in some Mexican cuisine at the airport branch of Guacamole Grill before boarding our flight to Panama.
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CAN: The Niagara Brewing Company

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"Some may say it’s crazy to build Niagara’s newest craft brewery on the street of fun..." Located in the heart of Clifton Hill, one of the main tourist hubs in Niagara Falls, The Niagara Brewing Company has been crafting batches after batches of beer since 2015. Whether you're a beer aficionado or simply looking to unwind with friends, the place offers a welcoming environment to sip, savour and enjoy the best of the local brews.
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CAN: AG Inspired Cuisine

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"A true farm-to-table experience!" A culinary gem in the heart of the Niagara Falls area, AG Inspired Cuisine is proudly named one of Canada's top fine-dining restaurants. Helmed by Executive Chef Cory Linkson, the menu celebrates contemporary Canadian cuisine that highlights the freshness of seasonal ingredients. My BFF and I went for the Three Course Menu priced at  C$99.00 (~S$97.90)  per person.
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CAN: Beavertails

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No beavers are harmed in the making! Fancy some deep-fried dough pastries that are individually hand-stretched to resemble the tails of beavers? BeaverTails is a Canadian chain that originated in Killaloe in 1978, and established its first permanent store in Ottawa in 1981. Since then, it's expanded to six countries, including the USA, the UAE, Mexico, France and Japan at the point of writing.
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CAN: St. Lawrence Market

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Where you can find the "world famous peameal bacon on a bun"! Originally opened in 1902, St. Lawrence Market is an iconic public market in Toronto, Canada, a culinary hotspot showcasing more than 120 merchants. The current building incorporates one that was once home to the first permanent city hall and jailhouse that operated from 1845 to 1899. During our visit, my BFF and I sampled some delights for breakfast.
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CAN: The Keg Steakhouse + Bar

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Prime rib: the prime choice for a rib-sticking meal! The Keg, a Canadian-owned chain of steakhouse restaurants and bars, has humble origins dating back to 1971 when it was founded in Vancouver as The Keg and Cleaver. Since its inception, the brand has grown exponentially, expanding to over 160 locations across Canada and the USA. It continues to be a beloved destination for steak enthusiasts.
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CAN: Radisson Blu Toronto Downtown [Breakfast]

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How does French toast coated with cornflakes sound? During my inaugural visit to Toronto, Canada, I had the opportunity to explore the area for a few days. Radisson Blu Toronto Downtown (4*) provided a pleasant stay. For the first morning, my BFF and I decided to try the breakfast items at The View Restaurant and Bar within the hotel premises. 
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TWN: EVA Air BR36 (Economy)

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Porridge to warm the body and soul onboard! Following a brief layover of less than two hours at Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan, it was time to continue our journey with EVA Air BR36 bound for Toronto, Canada. Please excuse the slightly odd colors in the photos below as I did my best to reduce the extreme yellow hue using my rudimentary skills in Adobe Photoshop.
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TWN: EVA Air BR226 (Economy)

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How about indulging in some tea-infused menu onboard? Let's start our trip to the Americas with an exploration of the in-flight food and beverages onboard EVA Air BR226 from Singapore to Taipei, Taiwan. Photos in the coming posts remain in a square format because, as mentioned earlier, I lost most of my photos and the only ones I've got left are those I've shared on my Instagram.
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SIN: Restaurant PeraMakan

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Let's 'makan' (lit. eat) at PeraMakan! A play on the word Peranakan, Restaurant PeraMakan near Farrer Park MRT station takes diners on a culinary journey through fusion dishes born from the intermingling of Chinese, Malay and Indonesian cultures. The brand was founded in 2004 by Kathryn Ho, a fourth generation Nyonya of Malacca and Penang parentage.
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SIN: GOPIZZA

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Yummy pizza, but too sweet a spaghetti dish... Born as a food truck store in Seoul's Yeouido Night Goblin Market in 2016, GOPIZZA rapidly expanded to 30 pop-up stores at top department stores across South Korea within half a year. Today, it has surpassed 100 outlets in four countries. I found myself compelled to try its offerings when I was at Suntec City Mall.
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SIN: Biseryu {CLOSED}

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Legit 'gyukatsu' in Singapore! UPDATE (11/01/2024):  The restaurant has closed down. I'd consider Biseryu in Far East Plaza at Orchard a hidden gem, a small restaurant showcasing dishes curated from eight distinct concept restaurants in Japan, such as ox tongue from Senri and fried chicken from Karamasa. What draws me to the establishment, however, is the premium gyukatsu : beef cutlet that's not so commonly found in Singapore.
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SIN: McDonald's {Chinese New Year 2024}

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Are you Team Chicken or Team Beef for Prosperity Burger? In a blink of an eye, we find ourselves approaching the end of the Lunar New Year period. Have you indulged in McDonald's  Prosperity Burger yet this year? Did you know that 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of this beloved burger, which is also available in other regions, such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Hong Kong?
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MAS: Malaysia Airlines MH53 (Economy)

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Lovely 'ayam kalio' for brunch! We've finally come to the last post regarding my family trip to the Kansai region of Japan. We boarded Malaysia Airlines MH53 from Osaka, Japan to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and subsequently connecting to Singapore. For the 7-hour flight in Economy Class, we were treated to brunch and refreshment.
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JPN: Kadoya Shokudo (かどや食堂)

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Sublime experience with 'shirasu don'! Welcome to Yuasa City in Wakayama Prefecture, the birthplace of shoyu (Japanese soy sauce). A culinary delight not to be missed in this region is shirasu (Japanese whitebait), which I previously saw in a travel show onboard a flight in the past that made my mouth water. Kadoya Shokudo is well-known for its fresh shirasu since its establishment in 1946.
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JPN: Kuroshio Market (黒潮市場)

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The best orange juice I've ever had in my life! Located on the man-made island of Wakayama Marina City, Kuroshio Market is a bustling seaside seafood market featuring an array of freshly caught treasures from the sea. There's a food court with a few stalls at the market from which my family and I got our lunch. Despite the absence of English menu, there are images for the dishes at each stall.
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JPN: Sarashina (更科)

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Totally wasn't expecting the jumbo-sized 'tonkatsu'! As I stepped into yet another prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan, my very first meal in Wakayama was nothing short of delightful. The humble flagship store of Sarashina, a family-run establishment located not far from Wakayama station, was a truly serendipitous find that afternoon.
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JPN: Mikasa Ryokan (三笠旅館) [Breakfast]

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Does anybody know the exact name of the roasted rice congee dish? Following a sumptuous dinner, a restful night's sleep and a thoroughly enjoyable soak in the hot bath the following morning, the anticipation for breakfast at Mikasa Ryokan in Nara heightened. I've always enjoyed Japanese breakfast, where the symphony of rice, soup, protein and vegetables provides a nutritious and satisfying start to the day.
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JPN: Mikasa Ryokan (三笠旅館) [Dinner]

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Take your pick: beef or seafood? After spending a night at Henn-na Hotel Nara , my family and I moved on to the slopes of Mount Wakakusa, finding solace and culinary delight at Mikasa Ryokan. Opting for a half-board plan, we had a memorable dinner where each dish was meticulously prepared and served with the grace of traditional Japanese hospitality.
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JPN: Henn-na Hotel Nara (変なホテル奈良) [Breakfast]

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Not Japanese, but simple French dishes for breakfast~ Happy New Year, folks! Ever since I heard about the world's first hotel run by robots in 2015, I'd always wanted to stay at Henn-na Hotel. The opportunity eventually materialised during my second visit to Nara with my family. For breakfast, each guest gets to choose one dish with free-flowing drinks.
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SIN: Singapore Airlines SQ392 (Premium Economy)

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Delicious Indonesian 'nasi uduk' with chili prawns! The middle of this year saw me doing a long-haul flight in the Premium Economy Class cabin of Singapore Airlines' Airbus 350-900 aircraft for the first time. In fact, it was also my first time flying directly to Istanbul, Turkey from Singapore. In general, I enjoyed the two meal services: supper and breakfast.
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SIN: SERVUS German Burger Grill

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Not wow-ed by its beef burgers though... Born in Germany, Hans im Glück (lit. Hans in Luck) is a burger chain named after a fairytale recorded by the Brothers Grimm. Known for its forest-inspired decor, the outlets create a cozy, rustic atmosphere. Here in Singapore, it's been rebranded as SERVUS German Burger Grill and it can be found at VivoCity.
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MAS: Malaysia Airlines MH52 (Economy)

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Tasty beef lasagna by Brahim's Food Services, but no more... After so long, I finally managed to have a family trip again in December 2022 with Japan as the destination. Unfortunately, just like the last part of my Azerbaijan travel series, I've lost all photos during this trip, save for the ones that I managed to post to my Instagram feed. Let's take a look at what I had onboard Malaysia Airlines MH52 from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Osaka, Japan.
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