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Category: Food Reviews

  • Review of Xin Wang Hongkong Café (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Review of Xin Wang Hongkong Café (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Last time we were in MOA food hunting, we were ensnared by the design and colors of Xin Wang Hongkong Café. Apparently, it’s now Manila’s finest Hong Kong-style café. While I thought that Xin Wang originally came from Hong Kong as hinted by its name, I was wrong. It gained its roots from Singapore! Here is the link to its branch locations in Singapore.

    I have been around all these places. But how come I have not noticed this super nice café-restaurant before when I was living there? I guess I was too busy looking for pure vegetarian restaurants or those serving local dishes…

    Anyway, moving on, I have learned this branch in SM Mall of Asia is its first in the Philippines. Website reviews say that if you can’t fly all the way to the different Asian countries, “Xin Wang is the next best thing to take a food trip down to Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai and Singapore.”

    Review of Xin Wang Hongkong Café (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    The walls, decorations, lights, fixtures and everything else were feisty. When we were inside, we somewhat felt like we were really dining in Hongkong, Macau, Shanghai or Singapore. Every table was filled with guest diners, and waiters were literally running their way to serve customers with satisfaction. Xin Wang is a busy restaurant with minimalist, friendly and alluring ambiance, far from the ones we frequent in Chinatown.

    Service: ★★★★☆

    The security guard and not the waiter opened for us, and he also was the one who asked for the count of each group diners. As said, waiters were too busy attending to hunger calls of everyone that their job of receiving guests fell to the guard’s post instead. This is okay, as long as we were entertained well. The displeasing factor was when Mom ordered a glass of house water three to four times before it was given.

    Food: ★★★★☆

    Because we are authentic Chinese, we go to Chinese restaurants almost all the time since we were little. Mom and the rest of the clan cooks Chinese food, and the same Chinese food is devoured whenever we have family celebrations and gatherings. So unless there’s really something special to the restaurant dishing up oriental-inspired food, we’d be too tired to give Chinese cuisine a try.

    Xin Wang Hongkong Café proudly showcases the flavors of Hong Kong’s diverse cuisine. Its pictures on the menu are so nice and vibrant that we can’t just let the food pass without sampling them. There are Asian culinary delights, of course, such as dimsum, traditional curries, stews and succulent viands with rice. But there are also Western cravings with plates of sizzling chicken and pork chops slathered with gravy some French Fries and fried egg, as well as thick pillow-soft French toasts.

    We ordered cheese baked rice with fish fillet, prawn and egg with hor fun, HK steamed mushroom chicken bamboo rice, and one plain rice. The crispy fish fillet came together as one with the mozzarella cheese and the baked rice tasted great. However, I prefer Swensen’s version of the same dish. The prawn and egg hor fun is a wet noodle dish that tasted just the same as the familiar seafood hor fun we have in our palates. The difference was that it was overflowing too much in a delectable sauce that comes nowhere close to the usual wet stir-fry rice noodles we have.

    Next was the steamed mushroom chicken bamboo rice, one of their house specialties. I saw many other customers order the same. It contained only little bits of chicken and more of mushrooms and vegetables. I did not taste the bamboo flavor as I expected, but every morsel was overall okay. Mom mixed the sauce from the hor fun dish to the bamboo rice and it became even more fantastic.

    For the drinks, we had iced HK ying yong (combination of coffee and milk tea) and iced grass jelly with lychee and nata de coco. Mom had especially researched on the ratings of these two drinks on the web. Ying yong is a signature drink that café regulars are raving about. I have to say that it’s REALLY good! The other one was also a likeable treat, but it has nothing unique taste-wise. The glass was just nice to hold because it was in the shape of a vase.

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    Prices of our ordered dishes ranged from PHp 195 to PHp 225. Drink was PHp 75 each. Total food bill amounted to PHp 417 only when original price without the discount was PHp 817. (Mommy bought us a voucher from Ensogo that gave us a discount of PHp 200.)

    Without the Ensogo voucher, I would have to rate this three over five stars because clearly the dishes are relatively expensive considering the serving size. Still, Xin Wang Hongkong Café is a commendable and recommendable restaurant for hanging out with friends and family for any meal and any occasion. There are still more unique dishes to try out so we’ll have to give it another visit next time. :-p

  • Review of Gumbo (Robinsons Place, Manila)

    Review of Gumbo (Robinsons Place, Manila)

    Last Sunday after lunch, Mom, my sister and I went to Robinsons Place – Manila for shopping. It has been quite a while since the three of us did — because of our hectic schedules. We decided to go there to check out the newest Korean shop named CNA (Culture, Nature and Arts) along Pedro Gil in Malate. Another reason was that I intended to claim my free regular milk tea from Serenitea (BDO credit card promo).

    For dinner, we walked around the entire mall, scouting for new restaurants to try. Then I realized I have been to almost every one (except for those with real meaty food options), thanks to Louie (haha). Mom suddenly thought of dining in Gumbo, which now is having a promotion tied up with American Express (AmEx) credit card: Diners can get a plate of Calamari Friti that’s worth PHp 395 for free.

    The catch? At least PHp 500 should be spent. Going through the dizzying list of food on the menu, Mom was elated. So we took a table and prepared to be full with a taste of New Orleans.

    Review of Gumbo (Robinsons Place, Manila)

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    Gumbo is a sister-restaurant of Burgoo. It is no wonder that their interiors are lovely in the same way. I once thought they were members of a multinational chain. But no, they are proudly Filipino-owned companies! In Gumbo, waiters and waitresses all don uniform colorful headdresses and beaded necklaces.

    These accessories are inspired by the women collecting multicolored beads during the New Orlean’s Mardi Gras. The chefs in the open kitchen shout “Ahh Seafood Jambalaya” as they serve the star dish to their customers. I have dined in Gumbo-SM Megamall branch before with Louie and friends.

    Comparing my observations with regard to ambiance, I can say that their facade, theme and interiors are seamless — very promising and inviting to the eyes.

    Service: ★★★★★

    The place was pretty jammed. But this did not stop the service men to attend to our requests. From the handing out of menu, taking our orders, refilling our glasses with water, taking our picture and giving us food on time to handing out the bill and packing the leftover, their service was excellent.

    Food: ★★★★☆

    First, we were given complementary bread with olive oil and a chopped clove of garlic as appetizer while waiting for our actual orders. It was like any ordinary bread but good enough to ease my hunger.

    Second, the free calamari platter was served. The squid was super tender and juicy inside and nicely coated with special bread crumbs outside. It was insanely nice, just the best calamari I ever had so far!

    Third was the petite (10 inches) smoked salmon pizza, a gourmet dish out of traditional pizza with toppings to die for. I recommend seafood lovers to try this pizza as they’ll never regret it.

    Lastly, we had the belly-busting creamy seafood lasagna served hot. I must say that it cannot be part of my “favorite food list” in any way. One can’t have too much cheese unless he/she is a cheese-asaur. Melted cheese was all over this lasagna and it tasted too salty for me. I had to accompany every bite with a slice of bread or the pizza’s crust to even out the strong milk-like taste.

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    The pizza and the lasagna were at the same price of PHp 395. There was a service charge of 10% * the total food cost in the bill. I give four stars out of five for this category because we got one free meal; if not, I’d take out a star.

    I must say three people eating Gumbo food for PHp 869 is reasonable already. I thought we don’t need to travel far to America’s most authentic city, the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana to sample delicious New Orleans recipes! 😀

  • Review of Yanagi Japanese Restaurant (Midas Hotel, Pasay)

    Review of Yanagi Japanese Restaurant (Midas Hotel, Pasay)

    Months ago, I bought three coupons through MetroDeal that got us dining into this cosmopolitan Japanese restaurant inside Midas Hotel at the heart of Pasay along Roxas Boulevard. Mom, my sister and I met at SM Mall of Asia, then we took one quick jeep ride and arrived on time at 8PM. Mom was actually the one who saw the online deal. Very fond of buffets and Japanese food, she wanted us to try Yanagi Japanese Restaurant to satisfy all her extraordinary cravings in one swoop. Had the buffet hunter in her found a good catch? Let’s find out in this review.

    Pictures of the interiors of the newly renovated Midas Hotel:

    Review of Yanagi Japanese Restaurant (Midas Hotel, Pasay)

    Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

    Located at the Mezzanine floor of the hotel, Yanagi has a conservative vibe with its dim lights, soothing wall colors and ornaments, organized plate set designs, etc. One thing that turned me off though was the loudness of the volume and bass of the live bands’ performing onstage in the lower ground. Moreover, it was as if we were in a speaking contest as everybody could hear everybody’s rambled words. Hence, I got a furrowed brow and had to repeat what I said with a louder voice for the sake of my sister and mom’s reduced hearing capacity. The place was confined with many people (both waiters and customers) walking around.

    Service: ★★★★★

    We got most of the food on our own from the buffet table, but we had to order tempura, tea and miso soup from the waiters and the waitresses. Their responses were fast in action. Everything was just orderly. Enough said.

    Food: ★★★☆☆

    It was not gourmet heaven and there was also not a lot of choices. We were LIMITED to the following: kurage (jellyfish) salad, sushi, prawn tempura, potato and sweet potato tempura, miso soup, beef sukiyaki, wakame tofu and assorted fruits for desserts. Simply, they were common Japanese food with common taste. Still, Mom’s love for Japanese food hasn’t left her off.

    Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

    We were drowned in fullness as we stayed there for two hours. I paid PHp 399 per person instead of the normal price, PHp 999. The experience can fairly be worth the price, considering that we were dining in a five-star hotel-restaurant, but the food certainly couldn’t convince me any further to come back for a second round.

  • Review of Soi Thai Fine Cuisine (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Review of Soi Thai Fine Cuisine (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Last Monday, our friend Anton flew to Manila so we invited everyone in DLSU Pride (our group’s name) for dinner. Originally, the plan was to have it in Kangaroo Jack, but since it’s not existing in SM Mall of Asia, we went for a Thai restaurant introduced by my current work colleagues.

    Some of us have seen its branches in Robinson’s Place Manila and Greenhills, but it was all our first time to dine in this restaurant (in the Mall of Asia). And this is my first time to review food / restaurant in this blog with my friends. I’ll also try to post my evaluations from selected backlogs of our other past dining escapades soon, to uncover more selection of food entrees. Without further ado, here goes SOI for now.

    Review of Soi Thai Fine Cuisine (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    The interior was designed with modern sensibilities, a minimalist, clean and streamlined look I like. With the little accommodating space, it had the wall mirrors that gave the illusion of an expansion and consistent colors, violet and brown, which presented a comforting vibe.

    In addition, Thai chandeliers, machuca tiles, wooden fan and furniture finished with wenge (dark wood) added a touch of elegance to dining in. Music background’s volume was soft — not so loud but one that still enabled us to hear our normal conversations. Each table had a [fake] flower and a ready set of condiments.

    Service: ★★★★★

    The upbeat and lively waiters wearing black polo shirts are said to be one of the pillars of SOI. True enough, they were very attentive to customers. As we entered, we were offered a space and they arranged the chairs and tables to fit nine people. They gave us one menu each and a small dish consisting of spicy nuts and crackers (?) and a glass of iced water.

    We were told that orders will come 10 to 15 minutes after, but they came sooner than expected — about 8 minutes tops, in average. In between, they refilled our glasses with water even when they were still half full. Best of all? There was no mandatory service charge. Khob kun kha! 😀

    Food: ★★★★☆

    This casual Thai restaurant has broad line of more than 70 quality Thai food in its menu ranging from a variety of noodles, rice dishes, salad, soup, curry dishes, grills, specialties and desserts. They claim that their ingredients are freshly imported from Thailand and carefully selected for quality and flavor.

    For appetizers, we had (1) Fresh Spring Rolls and (2) Pomelo Salad with Prawns, both of which I didn’t quite like. I thought I can also make these dishes on my own as they looked very easy to prepare. The taste of the fresh spring roll was bland (but undeniably fresh) and did not well complemented with the soy sauce that came with it. The salad, on the other hand, was nothing exquisite and special but a mix of ordinary chunks of pomelo and prawns sauteed in onions and some Thai sauce. They were light to the stomach, so they can be your best choices if you’re on a diet, maybe.

    For our main courses, we had (3) Pad Thai Chicken, (5) Pad Thai Vegetarian, (6) Chicken Satay, (7) Red Curry Fish and (8) Fried Spring Rolls with Carrot Sauce. Now this is where SOI lives to its slogan “eat thai, love thai” as we really loved their authentic Thai flavors.The pad thais and the red curry fish, particularly, were impeccable, having flavors with eminent semblance to ones in Thailand. The pad thais were not too sweet with a tangy aftertaste. The texture of the noodles was firm to the bite with some parts mushy. The bean sprouts were slightly half-cooked, I thought, but still were crunchy. There was not that much scrambled eggs in the dish compared to other restaurants’ versions, however it didn’t affect the overall quality of the dish.

    I can’t say anything about the chicken satay because I did not try it! Haha. Anyway, it must have been delicious for they ordered another one after the first. Moving on, the red curry was too spicy; on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the hottest, the score is 11 or 12. But it’s perfectly manageable with rice. The slices of fish fillet in it were moist and juicy. If you have not tried Thai food or if you haven’t gotten the real essence of their cuisine, their curries are the real deal to start with. They are super highly recommended. As a matter of fact, as the red curry fish lingered to my delight, I went back to SOI last Friday to buy my family this same treat for dinner amidst the heavy rains.

    Lastly, the fried spring rolls were done well but otherwise not remarkable. To me, they were just like plain Shanghai rolls in a much thinner form. Dip a piece in carrot sauce and it can get to about three levels higher of splendor. I also tried the different sauces in Picture (4): vinegar, unidentified white sauce assumed to be coconut milk, red chilli and soy sauce with toothsome green pepper. Nevertheless, they did not seem to lift up the tastefulness in any way.

    Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

    Food prices were high, with portions scanty. The Pomelo Salad costs PHp 258; Pad Thai Veg, PHp 188; Fresh Sprill Rolls, PHp 148; Red Curry Fish, PHp 288; Fried Spring Rolls, PHp 296; Chicken Satay, PHp 170; Pad Thai Chicken, PHp 288. They also ordered Jasmine Rice each small bowl costing PHp 38; and Garlic Rice, PHp 48. Well, I guess it’s okay to splurge this much sometimes — and when you’re with a group of great friends. ✌

    Soi Thai Fine Cuisine
    Ground Floor SM Mall of Asia, Central Business Park Bay Blvd., Bay City, Pasay City (adjacent to McDonald’s near Hypermarket)

  • Review of Holy Cow Steak Ranch and American Grill (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Review of Holy Cow Steak Ranch and American Grill (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Starting this July, I commit to reviewing one restaurant every month, to suppress my curiosity on food tastes and enjoy even a small percentage of my earnings from my part-time job. 🙂 So last Friday, after work hours, I planned to have dinner in Patio Guernia (MOA) with my mother. We’re excited to try Spanish cuisine, but the flurry of excitement was slashed out when we learned that the restaurant had already closed its branch in SM Mall of Asia over a year ago, according to one of the roving security guards. That explains why it’s not listed anymore in the mall directory.

    This left us hanging in a blindfold moment to jump into other never-tried-before restaurants. We strode along the long alley of restaurants in the ground floor of the South Parking Building. Faced with about 20 choices there, I turned to the basic: the elimination method: I’m not into Filipino food. I’ve had too much of Chinese and Singaporean food. We’ll be having a Japanese meal (buffet) soon. I have just tried Mediterranean.

    There we were left with American. The poster of value meals on Holy Cow’s glass walls looked yummy. The plus side? They’re affordable. So we entered, had a quick skim through their menu and finally ordered the Beer Battered Rodeo Fish Fillet, the Cowboy Ranch Style Burger Steak, and the Clam Chowder Soup.

    Review of Holy Cow Steak Ranch and American Grill (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    The entire rectangular space was designed with a consistent cowboy-ranch theme, from the tables and chairs, lighting, decorations on the wall, rest room, cashier area and just about everything else. The waiters were also clad in cowboy-style uniforms. While this brings into the positive side of the ambiance, the offsetting factor was the poor air conditioning of the place.

    Inside got nearly sauna-hot temperature, and there was only one medium-sized electric fan available used by a group of customers in one table. When they left, Mom asked the waiter to have it face us and the fan rotating also for the benefit of other diners. It was a pretty quiet place, lit by yellow spotlights.

    Service: ★★★★☆

    As soon as we arrived, the attendant led us to comfortable seating and handed us the menu. Our orders were repeated for confirmation. The waiter gladly gave Mom her requested additional mushroom gravy for the sizzling platter for free. When called to take our picture, he also willingly did it. Everything was okay except checkout. Their point-of-sale (POS) terminal for processing credit cards broke down and could not register Visa and MasterCard card transactions. Good thing we also have cash, so we just paid in cash.

    Food: ★★★★★

    Their gut-busting specialties are their slabs of steak, signature burgers seared to perfection and other meaty dishes that will sting your lips and numb the tongue. Already, Mom was assured her order, the burger steak, will taste delicious.

    Contrariwise, I opted for the seafood alternative with a twist — Just how eminent would the beer’s tang be in the beer-battered fish? Mom is game to try food which she does not know how to cook, so she additionally ordered a bowl of clam chowder soup shared by the both of us.

    After 15 minutes, we were amazed as the plates with HUGE portions of scrumptious food were served with rice and mixed vegetables on the side. The fish had a tinge of beer taste and smell. Cooked to my likeness, it’s crispy on the outside and soft inside. I also tried a spoonful of Mom’s order and it was as well delicious. The clam chowder soup was thick and creamy; it’s a classic soup made to please anyone.

    We were so full, we just could not finish everything so we packed the leftovers home. I especially felt my stomach bulging after, but in reality, it was still as flat as it normally should. Thank Heavens!

    Price for Value: ★★★★★

    Our food bill summed up to PHp 440 (prices of food inclusive of tax and there was no service charge). For the casual dining vibe, great food and satisfactory service, I say the price is worth paying for. If you’re planning to dine in here, really expect big servings and unbuckle your belt or simply wear a loose bottom.

  • Review of Han’s Cafe (Clarke Quay, Singapore)

    Review of Han’s Cafe (Clarke Quay, Singapore)

    We were supposed to have lunch in the Boat Quay district but found that all the restaurants in Upper Circular Road were closed. This may be because today is Sunday and they’re only open to customers in the weekdays primarily targeting the workers in the nearby offices. So we scouted for places to eat until we reached Chinatown and had lunch in Han’s, alternatively.

    A Hainanese family-owned business, Han’s started from a small food counter that has grown into one of the most recognized fast food chains here in Singapore today.

    Check out Han Cafe’s website for the franchise locations. It was my first time to eat in this cafe, despite that I’ve passed by its outlets countless of times before. It’s not a pure vegetarian restaurant but is vegetarian-friendly, having more than 10 [Western] vegetarian dishes on the menu.

    Pictures:

     

    The Experience:

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    Usually, Han’s is always busy and crowded but this time, we were greeted with an airy sense of space and not so much of people. The restaurant was like divided into two sections: the bakery part selling cakes, bread and pastries and the ordering counter of set meals and à la carte fast food.

    With playful combinations of red, orange and yellow, the place had an artsy interior. With dim lights everywhere, the venue was relaxing and sophisticated. We had a wide selection of seats; there were low sofas matched with round low coffee tables, long benches with rectangular tables and standard dining sets. Large ovens and the process of shaping their pastries from dough can be seen, as their live kitchen was transparent to the diners.

    Service: ★★★★☆

    The lady cashier on the counter knows their food well and she could recommend and describe the dishes well, remembering the favorites of the regulars. The crew served the food immediately after we ordered from the counter and sat down. When we were done, she also took our plates fast.

    Food: ★★★★☆

    I ordered a plate of spinach pine nuts pesto. The pasta was swimming in creamy pesto sauce made from a nice kick of well-blended spinach, crushed basil leaves, garlic, Parmesan cheese and olive oil. Served with toasted pine nuts on top, it also contained green and red bell peppers for more crunchiness. It tasted too “spinachy,” which was commendable but not so much tasty.

    Price for value:  ★★★☆☆

    I thought food there in general are high-priced. The spinach pine nuts pesto costs S$9.80, excluding the 10-percent service charge. Water, whether in the form of ice cubes, tap form, or simply refill for tea, has a separate charge—which I hate.

  • Review of Chennai Dosa (Little India, Singapore)

    Review of Chennai Dosa (Little India, Singapore)

    I am not cutting my umbilical cord to Chinese food, but with impressive succulent surfeit of spices, some Indian vegetarian cuisine are also good. Sauntering around Little India, I’ve come across this humble food house, a quiet enclave perpendicular to the busy Serangoon road, while in active pursuit of pure vegetarian restaurants yesterday.

    Their menu lists Indian snacks having different flavors of pratta, rava, uthappam, dosa and other sweets. I’m not well-versed with any of these but I felt the urge to try masala dosa (because it sounds good), a staple food in the South Indian region.

    Address: 5 Hindoo Road, #01-01 Singapore

    Contact Number: 63417552

    Opening Hours: 11:30am–3:30pm, 5:30pm–11pm daily

    Nearest MRT: Little India

    How to Go: From the MRT, walk past Tekka Centre and straight ahead you’ll have your nearest landmark: Broadway Hotel. Cross the street and there’ll you find the restaurant on your left.

    Food I Ordered: Masala Dosa

    Pictures:

     

    The Experience:

    Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

    Chennai Dosa can be like a resting / chill-out place. Why’d I say? The person on the table opposite me never ordered any food from the time I came in until I left. He talked to somebody on the phone, hanged the mobile phone up, waited for a while, drank [free] water and just sat, waited there and acted like he had time aplenty to be stashed away. Oh, well, the other two people seated next to me also just talked relentlessly without ordering anything. The waiter did not bother them at all.

    Service: ★★★★★

    The waiter was very friendly and productive. Though it was like a one man show for him (he was the one preparing the food, taking the orders and payments in the restaurant that can accommodate 40 people), he was able to present good service, powered probably by his passion to create something outstanding for the guests. When I asked him to pack the leftover food, he asked with a smile, “Why? Unable to eat?” I was embarrassed because he might think that I didn’t like their food but the truth was that I was full to the max. I gave out my honest reason and he said okay. 

    Food: ★★★☆☆

    Dosa is a fermented crepe or pancake made from pureed rice batter and black lentils. In India, it is a common breakfast dish and street food. It’s rich in carbohydrates, with no salt, sugar, saturated fats and gluten content. The crust was crispy and the filling was stuffed with mashed potatoes which are bland in taste. I had to dip portions of it to the sauces: coconut chutney, curry and muddha pappu. Overall, the dish was decent and satisfactory but by no means transcendental. Because of its novelty, their masala dosa can be a good starter course for those who want to try Indian food.

    A little bit of trivia: Masala dosa was listed at number 49 on the World’s 50 most delicious food compiled by CNN Go in 2011.

    Price for Value: ★★★★★

    I paid S$2.60 without service charge. The meal was more than adequate for my stomach to contain for a snack, so I give this full marks. My instinct was right when I decided to go into their restaurant all along.

  • Review of Nature Vegetarian Delights (Serangoon, Singapore)

    Review of Nature Vegetarian Delights (Serangoon, Singapore)

    I only wanted to try one of Nature Vegetarian Delights’ dishes because over the Internet, many bloggers have reviewed the restaurant and found it to be one of the best. Here’s the list of places you can find the same restaurant name Nature Vegetarian Delights or 大自然素食 in Chinese, although I’m not sure if these branches constitute to the same food chain and if they still are open:

    • No. 37, Teck Chye Terrace, Singapore 545734
    • Blk 356, Hougang Ave 7, #01-803, Singapore 530356
    • Blk 112, Bukit Purmei Rd, #01-201, Singapore 090112
    • No. 24, Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 59000

    I went to the branch in Serangoon because it’s nearest to our place:

    Address: 756 Upper Serangoon Road, #04-26 Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre, Singapore
    Contact Number: 62868028
    Opening Hours: 9am-9pm daily except Tuesdays
    Nearest MRT: Serangoon
    How to Go: From Serangoon Central, walk north east and go straight to Upper Serangoon Road. When you see the Paya Lebar Methodist Church, cross the road and straight ahead is the shopping center. All these walking might take you about 10-15 minutes.
    Food I Ordered: Claypot Trotters Rice
    Pictures:

    The Experience:

    Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

    Situated in a rather old building, I first thought that it was closed when I saw the signboard on the glass in the first floor. I read further and saw another banner in Chinese pointing to their new location–to the fourth floor. Upon entering, I felt a strong Buddhist vibe because of the paintings, sayings and statuettes of Buddha and His teachings mounted on the wall. The restaurant was spacious, designed with thorough simplicity and practicality.

    Service: ★★★★☆

    The waitress ushered me to a table and gave me the menu at once. I took pictures of the area first before reading their laminated book-style food menu. What is she, a reporter? she might be thinking deep inside her head. The food came promptly and she asked me if I wanted any dessert or drink. When I said “not this time,” she just left the menu on my table for any chances of following through.

    Food: ★☆☆☆☆

    For the record, this claypot trotters rice was my least favorite item among all vegetarian food I ever tasted. Walau-eh! Full of ginger (as you can see in the pictures above) more than the actual mock trotter pieces, it had a punch of medicinal herbs with plenty of vinegar, dark soy sauce and a smack of sugary sweetness. I could not take all but I didn’t want to put it to waste and I already put out the effort of purposely going to Serangoon for it so I had to carry on. I looked at the menu again to see if there’s anything I could add on to balance out my dissatisfaction and redeem my impression on the restaurant. But no, I was full. Let’s leave it at that. The tofu, mushrooms and the mock meat were fine anyway.

    Price for Value: ★☆☆☆☆

    The meal was one of the most expensive in the list under the “Rice” category. I paid S$5.80 for it, and on a scale of 1-10, my satisfaction rate can only go as far as 1. Sorry.  On a positive note, I have tried yet another special delicacy and I could share about it. ٩(-̮̮̃-̃)۶