Christmas Log Cake

Cakes, cakes, cakes. Who can ever get enough of these soft, sweet tasting delicacies that come in a rich variety of flavors and mixed with different mediums? I for one, never feels a cake is enough. This post is a little late of course but hey, better late then never yeah?

Location: Four Leaves Compass Point

Price range: $38

A worthy label to remember

After scouring for cakes for Christmas for a long time, and seeing the obscene prices each cake is being touted by in almost all the shops we visited, me and my gf finally settled on something very familiar and almost guaranteed to satisfy. The choice is none other than the Four Leaves cakes that we pretty much swear by for any occasion. Does it disappoint though?

Looks nice no?

Front view with happy little Santa

Cross Section

Christmas, a season of giving and sharing. And also a season of eating, partying and generally getting fatter. Well, my success in that field is pretty much legendary i suppose. Back to the cake at hand.

Despite the rather cute appearance, the cake has its roots from an old favorite of mine. The much revered Cocoa Exotica. The main difference is on the icing and cream which adorns the outer layer and a distinctly smaller inner layer in terms of the usage of cream and chocolate. Nonetheless, the cake itself simply melts in your mouth, and the hazelnut cookie layer gives it much needed fragrance and taste. Do not be mislead by the thick icing and cream you see, it never gets overwhelming nor unpleasant as the icing itself is just a tad sweet and is strangely soft that it is easily taken in. I like this cake as much as the Cocoa Exotica, enough said.

Overall Score: 8/10

Last Word:
So far, in terms of cakes, i haven't had a particularly disappointing experience with Four Leaves yet. And if they keep up the good work, this is one of the better cake shops out there despite its abundance in malls.

Choc a Bloc

Fancy cakes with a strong chocolate twist? Tired of old and run-of-the-mill cakes available everywhere else? Want something reasonably affordable and yet packing in the taste department? Well, welcome to choc-a-bloc. Coincidentally, the word "bloc" actually means blissfully luscious orgasmic chocolate as is positioned on their website. I wouldn't go that far to say their cakes are the best but i do second the fact that they are less common then the rest thus far.

Location: Blk 86 Bedok North St 4 #01-179

Contact: 64466096

Price: $30 per 800 GM

Self explainatory

Its my girl's birthday

Smooth and rich dark chocolate fudge

This is a customized version of the "Mom's coco fudge cake". One thing about the cake is that its generously big (though of course you have to pay for it to be big.) The cake is surprisingly simple and expensive. 2 layers of chocolate and 3 layers of sponge cake is pretty much all you get for the price and yet. It feels surprisingly worthwhile. For one thing, the dark chocolate used is tastefully chosen. Being just the right balance of sweetness and bitterness which it balances very well. So much so that despite the big portion, i had no difficulty in finishing the cake at all. Being a fudge cake, it is also nicely soft and filling. One of the simplest and better tasting cakes i've had actually. I have to say its pretty much on par with the renditions even in Secret Recipe and some french gourmet cakes i've had. (Maybe i just have not eaten enough cakes to have a cake that has a higher standard yet but i'm getting there.)

Overall Score: 7.5/10

Last word:
I'm interested in having more actually but i do feel the pricing is abit steep and seems to have increased. Anyone who has tried better cakes out there, do let me know so i can try others yeah?

Vien Thai

Vien Thai, it doesn't get clearer then this i suppose. Vietnam and Thailand cuisine together in the same restaurant. For the love of me, i have no idea what differentiates normal cuisine from Vietnamese cuisine, all i know is the Thai cuisine are generally a combination of sweet, sour and spicy all in one. The location of this place isn't much to shout about either.

Location: Tampines Mall Basement (Right in front of Genki Sushi)

Price Range: $15 per head

Crispy Beancurd

Forgive me if i seem to be simply belching out names on this post. It just so happened that all information i had of this place has been lost. Still not going to stop me from writing a post however. The beancurd skin was very thick and hard while the beancurd itself lack much taste. The only saving grace turned out to be the sweet and sour Thai garnishing and sauce that made it at least palatable. Overall, save yourself the trouble on this dish.

Clear Tom Yam Seafood Soup

The Tom Yam soup was barely passable. Not in the least spicy but not the least bit lacking in the sour department. The ingredients were generous as you can see but i wouldn't recommend trying it as well.

Vietnamese Beef Vermicelli

The only item that brought a refreshing taste. A little sour, a little spicy and very fresh. The beef turned out a little too tough for my liking. The vermicelli when mixed with everything ended up tasting significantly pleasant and refreshing. Thats not saying alot however, because the material for comparison are sub par items.

Overall Score: 5/10

Last Word:
Simple and overly pricey sums up the experience and offerings here. For some reason, i couldn't taste much difference between what is offered here and similar offerings elsewhere. It could have been better of course. Much better.

Manhatten Fish Market Pt 3

I believe the place needs no introduction. Its already the third time i've visited this place so basically its just a different location with a different crew. Does it uphold the tradition though?

Location: 6 Eu Tong Seng Street, #02-79/90 The Central

Contact: 6534 7903

Price Range: $25 per head

Yep, we're back here again

Interior

The View

Well, what can i say? The balcony seats overlook the river with all its hustle and bustles going on below it. Low buildings and little tourist boats cramp the location, giving it an otherworldly feeling that is very relaxing. Service wise, i did get the impression that the people there didn't really want to be there however.

Burning Action

Some people call it showy, others say unnecessary, but i still find the whole process very interesting however. And most importantly, it gives the rice and prawn a wonderfully fragrant and interesting taste.

Soup of the day ($3.90)

Since its already the third time i'm having everything (fourth actually), i'll leave you to check out the older posts for comments on the soup. Nothing much has changed on that front.

Garlic Lemon Mussel ($8.90)

Complimentary Bread

The bread and mussels are supposed to go well with each other and to the better of the experience, they do. The white sauce that the mussels were swimming in is the same as the sauce that comes with the mushrooms below and the oysters after. According to my dear friend, Andrew, the sauce is the best thing about the restaurant. I'm inclined to agree on that since it does add to the taste quite a bit. However, i must say the mussels are not one of the better items here and i would advice against having it.

Fried Country Mushrooms ($9.90)

I've had these mushrooms as many times as i've come to this restaurant. It is definitely one of the better things to have and still one i can heartily recommend.

Deep Fried Oysters ($11.90)

Essentially, this is the same cooking method as the mushrooms above. And sad to say, it tastes the same as well. The oysters themselves were reasonably fresh and sweet but i prefer the mushrooms as they are healthier.

Fisherman's Platter ($36.90)

A Closer Look

We asked to switch one of the side items for the flaming prawns so the final deal we had consists of calamari, chips, mushrooms, prawns and fish. The best thing about this? It fed 4 people to the brim. The downside, health issues abound if you take this for protracted periods of time. The rice when added with sauce is still the best thing for me, personally of course. Everything else is as it should be, meaning its good but not necessarily impression making since i've had it this many times. Overall, this platter is good for big eaters and up to 3 people.

Tiramisu ($5)

The waiter heartily told us that we qualified for a $5 dessert special which we took without much thought. Tiramisu is a dessert that has been done to death and their rendition is interesting. Cocoa powder adorns the top while a small layer of cake fills the bottom. Cream and rum filled the rest. Its overwhelming actually and somehow, i didn't like it too much in the end. Not recommended.

Bill

The bill turned out to be $98 for 4 people. Lots of food and a full tummy later, reflection on the process doesn't bring much to mind since i paid for it in full. My treat to my friends and i'm happy for giving.

Overall Score: 6.75/10

Last Word:
They say "too much of a good thing makes it bad". Well, in this case, its starting to sound pretty true. I've heard much about the branch in Central and somehow, there are parts that are true and some parts which are not. I found the normal service staff helpful and generally good but the supervisor level however, disappointed me when i asked what the sauce was. Maybe its a trade secret but repeating the same rubbish when i asked twice isn't my idea of good service. Food is simple and non elegant but gets the job done. All said, the mushrooms are still something i would pine for. If you have not had it before, it warrants a try at the least.

Ministry of Food @ My Izakaya

Izakaya literally means 'pub' in Japanese. My first impressions of the place was one of arrogance and a little over indulgence for actually calling themselves the "Ministry of Food" which meant they were the authority in food offerings and hence, had left me with nothing but high expectations before i even stepped into the place. Then i understood the word 'Izakaya' which meant pub, which in term meant relaxation. Its a little contradicting to say the least, but enough ramblings, on to the food!

Location: 200 Victoria Street #02-45 Bugis Junction

Contact: 63386466

Website: http://www.ministryoffood.com.sg

Price Range: $30 - 35 per head

Interior

Menu

The interior features red carpeted floors, white tables and chairs for different sections and a balcony seat overlooking the throng of shoppers below. Simple and nothing out of the ordinary. The front counter is adorned with Hokkaido ice cream and a board which showcases all the celebrities who have visited the place, with a few visiting the place more then 3 times (!!!).

Tip cards for eating salads

Something that did amuse me somewhat was the presence of tip cards which are given freely when you eat certain dishes. In this case, our wasabi seafood salad.

Wasabi Seafood Salad ($3.30)

I prefer starting my meals with a salad then a soup these days, so its another healthy day for me. The seafood salad consists of tossed squid, scallops, crab meat, cucumbers, nuts, tomatoes and even a little salmon. The dressing is made of their own homemade wasabi mayonnaise which seems extremely popular these days but hey, i'm not complaining. The ingredients tasted fresh and honestly, the wasabi did overwhelm a little but thats what i like about it. A recommended try for wasabi lovers.

Unagi Tofu ($4.80)

As Alvin always says: "Unagi! Anything with Unagi is good!!" or something along those lines when it comes to Japanese food. This time, however, he was wrong. The tofu had an unmistakable taste of being refrigeration which i detest but thats just one expect i dislike. The unagi itself tasted sweet and soft but strangely, i found a bone in it (!!!). And don't be fooled by the picture, the serving is really small.

Tip card for Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu

Sukiyaki Beef set ($19.80)

The whole set with Egg

Japanese Hotpot With Mirin and Sake Wine

And once again, i picked beef hotpot japanese style for my meal. No doubt its no longer a surprise to anyone. The entire set came with a generous serving of raw sliced New Zealand beef (sukiyaki), an egg which to my dismay, was still in its shell, a hotpot boiling with beancurd, cabbages, carrots, mushrooms, vermicelli and scallops. The soup turned out a little too sweet for my liking but i can't deny they ingredients generous and filling. The rice was traditional japanese rice albeit a little dry compared to others but still good. The beef itself, tasted sweet due to the stock and easily came apart as long as it isn't overcooked. Overall, this is a mixed bag of offerings which turned out average at best. One major gripe was that the egg came with its shell, which is a major no no for people like me, time to improve i believe.

Seafood Toji Set ($18.80)

Close up of the hotpot

Chicken Katsu

My gf had the seafood toji set which is essentially mixed seafood in a hotpot with egg sauce. The set has yet again, a generous helping of seafood from prawns, squid, scallops. fish and beancurd. She commented that it was also a little too sweet for her liking and after trying, i second her opinion. The chicken katsu was average and the seafood in question, though plenty, was not quite up to par due to the overly sweet stock. One thing we noticed of the place was that the miso soup simply tasted bland. In contrast, Yoshinoya had a better tasting miso soup but maybe its just a lack of appreciation on our part.

Complimentary Coffee

Well, its normal coffee to me from as far as i can taste. The body and acidity is average with the aroma barely making the mark. Apart from presentation which came with the usual swirls and the presence of ground roast bits from careless filtering, there really isn't much as to say.

Tips for Kakigori

Macha Kakigori ($6.50)

Mango Kakigori ($6.50)

Despite the price shown, the actual price we paid was $3 for each kakigori as it was part of a set promotion and what would a meal be without a nice dessert to end it? My choice was the Macha Kakigori which is the chef's choice on the menu. I have to say, i liked it. The macha, which is essentially, green tea extract would not have tasted well itself, but mixed with vanilla ice cream, crushed ice and some Hokkaido red bean and you got a winner. I was skeptical about the whole imported read bean business but i have to say, it does taste different. Bigger then usual and definitely sweeter as well, its difficult not to like this dessert (unless you don't like the vanilla ice cream of course). My gf had the mango version which came with actual, sweet mango slices and homemade mango sauce. Everything felt balances and tasted well together but the Macha version was still better. Oh, both versions were HUGE so it might be a good idea to just share the dessert instead of getting one each.

Bill

This interesting meal for 2 came up to $63.91 which is quite expensive for the misses which turned out to be the main course.

Overall Score: 6/10

Last Word:

I like the desserts and the salad but was disappointed with the main meals. Waraku had better wazen items when compared to MOF but this restaurant has some strengths in being simple and serving decent food as well. Maybe we just didn't order the correct items. Still, i'd return for the Macha Kakigori if i was in the vicinity. :)

Ju Shin Jung East

Korean food appeals to me in many ways when done right. For starters, they have an inexhaustible side dish tradition that i wish every cuisine should follow. Secondly, their main items contain more greens then meat, perfect for the health conscious and finally, the food remains on the edge of spicy and sweet. Making it an appetising and healthy experience...when done right. So where else would we have this except for one opened and run by none other then a Korean boss? Ju Shin Jung is one such place i visited one lazy weekday night and here's how i think it fared.

Location: 1018 East Coast Parkway #02-01

Contact: 6447-9279

Price Range: $30 - 35 per head

Right next to Waraku and Burger King

What's it mean?

The Interior

The interior deserves a write up simply because its huge. I didn't expect it that way but when i entered the place, i had the same feeling Neo had in the movie 'The Matrix' when he looked at the buildings he had to jump. "Woah!" Its not that the place is lavish or anything, its just really spacious and really big. Even so, there were private function rooms available should you so require. There are about 4 to 5 tables in a row and each is serviced by one attendant. My observation is that most attendants are Chinese Nationals and apart from the usual hard sell attendant, the little lady servicing our table was very good at her job. Introducing the dishes and teaching us how best to enjoy the meal. The only complaint was the aforementioned order taker who definitely wasn't listening when we spoke and pushed the more expensive items for us to order, otherwise, service is generally excellent.

Menu

Side Dishes

More Side Dishes

Yep, all these side dishes are totally and utterly free! It comes when you order 2 meats for your meal which is exactly what we did. Do not let anyone tell you that having 1 meat and side dishes are not enough for 2 people. They are just trying to coax you into buying more food....which is exactly what we did. For the dishes, there was lettuce with mayonnaise, kimchi, tofu, steamed eggs, more preserved vegetables and a whole lot of greens i can't quite name. And most of it was good. As told by our attendant, everything was air flown and hand picked by the boss and i have to say, it definitely shows here. We over ordered but i did not regret it one bit and thats saying alot.

Pork Ribs ($22)

Chicken ($20)

I'll just comment on both meats together. Eating them is a joy. Fresh, tender and sweet with a dash of spice, its just really easy to stomach. The trick to eating them is to ensure you use the greens provided above to wrap the meat before eating. The meat are also both barbecued right in front of you which means its kept hot and ready to eat when you are ready to eat. No complaints here, just good meat and good vegetables together for a winning combination. If i had to be picky, i'd say the meat can get overcooked sometimes and there serving isn't exactly big. Still, it did stuff 2 stomachs to the brim.

Bibimbap ($13)

Another Look

Bibimbap beef. Yep, no visit would be complete without it. Actually, we tried to cancel the dish after seeing the side dishes but was told it was already made and couldn't be refunded. Despite the huge bowl it came in, after mixing, it only filled 2 small bowls. Upon tasting, i was pleasantly surprised yet again. The rice itself is interestingly 'full' tasting. You can taste the sweet and spicy sauce on each big grain of rice and the mixture of meat, egg, carrots, mushrooms, beansprouts and vegetables balances everything nicely. I could go for seconds of this anytime.

Korean Ginger Tea and watermelon

Complimentary dessert. You get a choice of watermelon juice or korean ginger tea. We got both. The ginger tea is the same one i remembered when i had Korean cuisine in Shanghai. Its exceedingly sweet but i was told that it had 'cooling' capabilities after our rather 'heaty' meal. Nevertheless, its not something i like at the moment but might be an acquired taste.

Bill

An over ordered yet very satisfying meal cost me only $67.09. I was pleasantly surprised actually because everything seemed so much more expensive on the menu.

Overall Score: 7.75/10

Last word:
With the exception of one lady i didn't quite like as she was trying to sucker us into ordering lots of items. Everything else in the restaurant was pretty well done. Good service, good food and good price, I don't see a reason not to return. Give it a try, judge for yourself. (Note: As the service staff are mostly Chinese Nationals, please take note that the preferred language is actually mandarin instead of English. I tried conversing in English but my message didn't quite get through, thus i switched to mandarin which yielded much better results.)