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Showing posts from June, 2012

Paradise Inn, Suntec City Mall

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There are a couple of shop spaces at the Suntec fountain circle that seem to have the worst fengshui, i.e. the restaurants that occupy it never seem to last past a year or so. Even new openings, despite the hullabaloo of their respective grand openings, are treated with trepidation and always seem to be barely occupied. Like the one space previously occupied by NYDC, and the one spot now housing Paradise Inn. When this casual dining arm of the Paradise Group first opened a few months ago in the sprawling premises (which was only minimally renovated from when Tian Dian Wang was occupying the spot), I did notice that it was barely filled every time I was there to takeaway from Crystal Jade Kitchen. I was thinking how unusual it was for any Paradise Group restaurant to be doing such poor business, especially since the rest of their restaurants are always overflowing with capacity. Little wonder Paradise Inn recently rolled out very value-for-money set meals, where the daily soup, 3 m

Jerry's BBQ & Grill, Club Street

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I've noticed a recent resurgence of activity along Club Street. Just a couple of years ago, the entire conservation shophouse-lined street used to be so quiet. Save for a few notable restaurants littering the once-hyper street,  it was a relatively peaceful spot for a nice, quiet meal. There's now a whole lotta watering holes, which contributes to the current buzz and hive of activity. Happy campers spill out onto the roads from the numerous bars and pubs, with their rambunctious toasts and loud cheers. Parking is consequently a nightmare, so cab or carpool there if possible. Jerry's BBQ & Grill can be considered an old-timer amongst the gleaming new bars and restaurants. It's been a Club Street stalwart since 2003 and held steady amidst the high turnover of restaurants here. While there are a lot of people sitting outdoors along the corridor enjoying the alfresco heat and humidity, we much prefer the indoor air-conditioning. It's a much more comfortable way

Cocobolo Poolside Bar & Grill, Park Hotel Clarke Quay

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As it turns out, I don't actually have a breather. What I thought was a little breathing space turned out to be additional work within the same limited time constrains. And it doesn't help that my firm had a company trip to Phuket, which was such a disruption to my timelines. I'm actually regretting ( a little ) that I extended the trip by a couple of days (coz I've got so much work), but free wifi is a lifesaver. I got to do work all the way from Phuket. Ah well, working by the pool in the sun is infinitely better than slogging in the office. I think, everyone should have this option of working every once a while. It's awesome. We attended a good friend's birthday party at Cocobolo Poolside Bar & Grill at Park Hotel  recently. A tip is to wear anything breezy, light and thin, Singapore's humidity is just not great for any alfresco meals. Also, go there only an hour after sunset so the heat has time to dissipate from the ground. The barbecue buffet (

Chili's Grill & Bar, Tanglin Mall

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Sorry for the hiatus. The adage is totally true, that when it rains, it pours. It's been a pretty crazy couple of weeks at work, and I've finally gotten a breather. One of our favourite go-to restaurants for Tex-Mex cuisine, or good 'ol American fare is Chili's . It first opened to great fanfare (and consequently not-so-great crowds) when it arrived back on our sunny shores in 2009. 3 years on, 2 new branches, and I'm glad to report that while the crowd has dwindled, the standard of their food and service haven't slacked off. I'm constantly recommending Chili's to my friends, because portions are huge, quality is consistently good and delicious and service is always affable and super efficient. I swear the wait staff at Chili's are running on pure sugar, they're like a hybrid of Speedy Gonzales and Tweety Bird! I love Chili's fajitas, minus the flour tortillas. The Fajita Trio ($35) is strictly for people that can't make up their fic

Hyang-To-Gol Korean Restaurant

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It's been a while since we last ate Korean food. Although I'm not particularly fond of Korean food, the Hubs is susceptible to the occasional craving for Korean cuisine, or as he calls it, "the food of his motherland". Well, he did grow up eating Korean food on a daily basis afterall. Anyways, the Hubs had been hankering for some kimchi jjigae, his favourite childhood comfort food, so we headed to the only place in Singapore that he considers authentic enough to satisfy his craving for Korean food, Hyang-To-Gol at Amara Hotel .  This time, we brought Kang along as well, because he's about the only person who shares the same love for beef with the Hubs. We were surprised to find that the quality of the food seemed to have gone down, and the overall experience was just a little blah. The food's still above average, but we just didn't get the "oomph" feeling that we did the previous time . Maybe they do better during dinners. It didn't help