New York Pizza

Talk about pizza in Singapore and the first name to jump at you will be Pizza Hut. However, there are quite a variety of other offerings out there yet to be noticed or even recommended. Most are targeted at niche markets instead of the usual crowd and honestly, i think Pizza Hut is charging a little too much these days. In comes New York Pizza, more casual and easy going then Pizza Hut, and also decidedly Halal so it can be enjoyed by even more people. Lets have a bite and find out if its a contender shall we?

Location: Century Square #01-38B

Contact: 62600060

Price range: $7 - 12 per head

The Storefront

Simple and gets the job done. The location is alfresco and thats about all there is to it. I wasn't very happy that i'd have to stay in the sun and get all comfy with it and the fact that there's a noticeable waiting time of about 10 minutes after you order makes it look less palatable.

The container

Do not let the picture fool you. This is not a small piece of pizza at all. To put it in perspective, think about the length of pizza huts biggest pizza and you get the idea of how long this is.

Queens Meal = Pepperoni Pizza + Chicken Wing + Pepsi ($6.90)

Queens meal, nice name though it belies the actual fact that its quite simply a big piece of pepperoni pizza with green pepper, pepperoni and bits of beef. The pizza itself is pretty big and can be split into 4 further pieces for consumption. Its crust is reasonable but very crunchy and crispy which is a refreshing change from pizza huts rather flour filled pizzas. The toppings weren't much to shout about however and i soon got sick of the same taste it offered. The chicken wing was strangely fragrant and sweet, not to mention piping hot.

Hawaiian Pizza Meal ($6.90)

Its crust is alike with the pepperoni version which i suppose is the determining factor and difference it is bringing to the scene. Crunchy but a little overdone such that you could see the charred portions from over baking. The Hawaiian pizza is a little too sweet and easily overwhelmed after more then 3 bites into it. The ingredients used were also a little miserly when compared to other pizza places i got to try.

Bill

The lunch came up to $13.80 which can't be considered expensive. We did get very sick of the pizza after our 2 helpings so i don't think i will be returning.

Overall Score: 5.5/10

Last Word:

I actually tried the place a long time ago when it first started. During that time i had the fish and chips and also tried its pizza burger. Both were pretty good and the fish and chips in particular had a wonderful fresh taste to it. During this visit, the machine was spoiled and thats why we settled for its less then optimal pizzas. Well, i wouldn't know if the fish and chips are any good now since i probably won't try it again. If anyone else tries, let me know if it tastes good alright? Cheers!

Phin's Beerhaus and Grill

Phin's beerhaus and grille is an unassuming, open concept eating place set on the 4th floor of Tampines mall. First looks did not impress and honestly, i've passed by this place so many times but never had the urge to try it till today. An offshoot of its bigger upmarket cousin, Phin's steakhouse, how does this lone restaurant fare? Read on.

Location: Tampines Mall #04-23/24

Contact: 65871911

Price range: $30 per head

Phin's

Ice Cream Corner

The first thing i need to say about this restaurant is the service. We were served by a waiter jovial and professional waiter who required nothing to jote down our orders while being able to tell us exactly what they had and did not have for the day. He was also kind enough to introduce a different cut of meat which turned out rather well in my opinion. If only waiters in other establishments could be as good as him, i'd gladly pay service charges. (La Noce is another place where the service staff is simply excellent.)

Australian Grain Fed Tenderloin ($28.90)

Cross Section

As recommended by the waiter, i took the Australian grain fed tenderloin which was a time limited offer. According to him, the meat is superior, better marbled and contains less fat as compared to the normal offerings. I don't presume myself an expert on this matter, but i must say the meat was pretty good. Done medium rare, slightly charred on the edges with a small lump of butter sizzling atop, this reminds me of the good days when Jack's place was still making good food. That said, the meat was juicy and the butter added much to the already succulent and tasty steak. Pity about the portion size which i felt was rather small (even though it took me 15 minutes to finish.)

Soup of the Day, Garlic Bread and Salad ($19.90 set meal)

My gf's set meal, which means i got to try everything a little again, no prizes for guessing if my girth is increasing. The salad was fresh, sweet and crunchy while the garlic bread fragrant and went well with the accompanying creamy mushroom soup. A good starter.

Seafood Pesto Carbonara

Another Look

This came as a surprise. The serving was quite generous with 2 huge scallops, 1 pan fried dory fillet and half slipper lobster set atop a bed of fettucinne cooked with pesto carbonara and mushrooms. The serving alone is worth commending and this is further accented by the fact that it tasted pretty good. It was quite spicy and tasted simple at the same time, allowing for an appetizing feeling without being overwhelming. The ingredients used were also equally fresh and everything tasted juicy and sweet. Nicely done.

Brownie Surprise ($8.90)

The brownie surprise really did come as a surprise because i saw more ice cream on the dish then brownies which were actually cut into small pieces and served as an accompaniment rather then the main draw. The ice cream was creamy and and smooth. The flavors served were cookies and cream, mocha and one which i can't quite make out. The brownie was rather dry but the melting ice cream made up for that oversight.

Dessert of the day (Mango Pudding with sugar icing)

The final part to the set meal was this mango pudding. Light, refreshing and sweet, this was a good ending for the meal.

Bill

The final bill came up to $67.90 for 2 people, its not cheap but the service and food quality made up for it.

Overall Score: 7/10

Last Word:
I'm really quite surprised with how good this place is. I went in with very little expectations and was pleasantly surprised with the service and quality of food given its unassuming and rather small outlet. The lack of customers was also a plus for me since i dislike jostling with people when i dine, and that is difficult in a place like Tampines mall. Nonetheless, i'd recommend a try for people in the vicinity. Try it once to see if you like the place. (Though i'll say it first, the place definitely needs a cosmetic makeover and location change. *winks*)

Changing Appetites (Marina Square)

Changing Appetites. I remember a time long ago when their tag line was: "Japanese and Western fusion for the masses." but its been some time since that particular portion of history and now, the new tag line is: "The all American and Dessert Cafe" which is still mildly inaccurate due to the infusion of Mexican influenced items since early 2007.

Location: Marina Square #01-204 (Next to Carl's Junior)

Contact: 63397670

Price Range: $35 per head

Side View

Front View

Dessert Counter

Waffles anyone? Reserved for late owls only though

Menu

Magarita Counter

Relaxed, huge and cold would most probably pop into your minds when you see this place. Located along a stretch of food joints such as Carl's Junior, Cafe Cartel and Swenson's, it wouldn't be exaggerating to say that competition is stiff. It still managed to grab my attention over the more generic outlets available due to its bright colors and reasonable prices. And because it was one of the first places i brought my gf for a meal when we started out. Nostalgia abound.

Strawberry Frozen Magaritas ($10.90)

Big, that was the first thought when i saw this drink. I know places that charge higher prices but serve miserly portions of the drink. Strawberry bits were readily apparent from the outset but i'm not sure if concentrate was used instead of actual strawberries. However, i do know that it is not sweet enough so i'm guessing they used real strawberries in blending this concoction. The white outer layer is salt and believe me, you'll need it because the alcohol is pretty strong and generous as well. A good item if it was just a wee bit sweeter.

Boneless Shanghai Chicken ($8.90)

An appetizer i ordered out of curiousity which i was soon to rejoice because its very well done. Deep fried crispy chicken tossed with pineapple-citrus sauce and topped with sesame seeds. Its basically a cross between 3 different culinary disciplines since even wasabi mayo sauce is used for its dip. The result is a tender, crispy, sweet, sour, spicy and yet light tasting chicken which tastes better when everything is mixed together. Do try this.

Chicken And Mushroom ($16.90)

Another look with Tortillas

This dish came looking less glamorous then its menu picture showed which kinda turned my gf off a bit. Her request for more cheese also fell on deaf ears with our extremely forgetful waiter who seems unable to remember anything longer then 4 words. Taste wise, the chicken was rather bland and the cheese was not as strong as it could have been. However, wrap it in the flour tortillas, add a little sour cream and fill it up with onions, bell pepper, chicken and sauteed mushrooms and take another bite for a refreshed feeling of this item. Although not good enough to elevate it to a status where i would say it is delicious, it is at least better then when the items were taken individually. Not that i would order it again on my own though.

The Barbarian Burger ($20.90)

2x 200gm beef patties, dory fish fillet and sweet and spicy grilled chicken

An inside look at the juicy patties.

This is the main reason i keep returning to Changing Appetites. Despite being raised by $1 since my last few visits, this is still value for money regardless of how you slice it. 2 200gms of well marinated and totally compressed beef patties which even my gf said tasted good when she's not a beef lover, 1 dory fish fillet which is actually really small but tasty nonetheless and 1 spicy grilled chicken patty nestled within 2 slices of brown cereal bread, tomatoes, lettuce and onions. And finally, served with a huge serving of piping hot fries. I have personally tried to finish this item 4 times, with and without other items beforehand, and sad to say, i've never been able to finish it. The beef patty is where it is all at, marinated minced beef meat without further additions make it compact, tender, juicy and absolutely bursting with taste. Still one of the better patties i've had, at a rather hefty price i must admit but i say its still worth it. Do challenge yourself with it and let me know if you actually finish everything on your plate.

Cookie Monster Mudpie ($7.90)

Dessert was a cookie monster mudpie. Cookies and cream ice cream decked in hot chocolate fudge and sprinkled with oreo cookie crumbs. Sweet, sinful, slightly bitter and very tasty. The mudpie is as i remember it to be, smooth in texture, hard but easily cut away and melt-in-your-mouth tasty. Though i have to say, the best tasting mudpie i had was the complimentary watermelon mudpie i had during my previous visit. A shame it wasn't on the menu though.

Bill

To my surprise, a meal for 2 came up to $77. Which is quite a hefty sum for a total of 5 items. Although of course, whatever we had could have easily fed 3 young adults but i do miss the support of UOB promotions in this joint. *hint hint*

Score:

Ambiance: 7/10
Relaxed, easy to sink into but remember to bring a jacket as it is really cold in here.

Food : 8/10

The Barbarian burger is still the best item but the shanghai chicken is a close second right now. I'm pretty unhappy they took away the entire big eaters section from the menu as there were many items i have yet to try.

Value for Money: 7/10
A little pricier then before but still, the portions are generous and items of respectable quality.

Service : 6/10
Courteous staff but this particular staff simply kept forgetting our instructions, even our bill had to take more then 15 mins to come to us because he forgot. He also forgot our iced water, knife and fork, bill and request for more cheese. Retraining needed.

Portion Size: 7.5/10
For once, a place that gives generously and have good food to boot.

Overall: 7.1/10

Last word:
Not many places serve burgers as big as this place packing the same amount of taste. For a fusion restaurant, there are bound to be a few hits and misses in their items and honestly, i've seen my friend strike out in their fish and chips, my gf in their chicken and mushroom and her previous order of something associated with chicken as well. So i'd say their not all good but have certain good calls that are bound to please. Do give it a chance.