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  • Review of Marina Seafood Grill (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City)

    Review of Marina Seafood Grill (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City)

    Thanks to Ensogo.ph, we had a reason to wake up super early last Thursday. Mom bought us a voucher that saved us 50% off the actual bill from Marina Seafood Grill. For this promotion, Marina is open to customers from Monday to Thursday, 7AM to 10AM.

    Joined by two long-time family friends, Auntie Chit and Uncle George, we filled our tummies with a heavy authentic Filipino breakfast that was more than enough to have us pass food for lunch and afternoon snack. And for the record, we had experienced eating breakfast buffet on a work day, together!

    Review of Marina Seafood Grill (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    Because it rained the other day, the breeze outside was more inviting than the cool air-conditioning inside. Apart from us, there were more diners who preferred to eat outside facing the bay. The restaurant was clean both in and out.

    Service: ★★☆☆☆

    We arrived with a reservation. Welcoming was quite informal. I handed the printed voucher and immediately we stood by the buffet table and began our food adventure.

    Marina Seafood Grill earns 2/5 stars from me not because of the self-service. Self-service is usually the case for buffet meals anyway. This means that we had to clear plates, get food and silverware and refill drinks on our own. What’s disheartening was that replenishment of every food in the buffet wares took so long. Waiters were not particularly attentive enough to monitor the depletion of food outside; they had to be called before taking action! Perhaps there was no motivation to provide better service since diners (well, most) had already paid in advance through Ensogo as well.

    Another cause of our dismay was that creamer for coffee became out of stock. This indicates that there’s poor restaurant management; they were not able to forecast the right inventory for everyday customers. Their coffee was too thick. Without the creamer, nobody intended to even get coffee anymore.

    Food: ★★★☆☆

    Replete with light food with all kinds, the buffet table was a feast for the eyes. Especially for breakfast, at this time they served garlic rice, plain rice, DIY salad with dressing, fresh fruits (watermelon, mango and papaya), corn soup, beef-base soup with hor fun, scrambled eggs, hotdogs, pork sausages, chicken, pancit, mirliton pear (sayote), bread (pan de sal), pancakes with strawberry jam, butter and honey, dried salted fish (tuyo), pineapple juice, orange juice and DIY coffee.

    On a neutral note, food was mediocre and some were even sub par. There was nothing downright wrong. But there was nothing impressive either. With every chomp, they were all as familiar as our typical home-cooked breakfast dishes. Two words: Just average.

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    Marina Seafood Grill is worth a try to any buffet lovers or mouths in search of good home-cooked breakie. Original price is PHp 169 per person but because of the deal, each of us paid only half of that. There’s no added service charge. Overall, we certainly got a whole lot of good food from our buck here.

    Word of warning though: Don’t come here for breakfast without a discounted meal pass. Price is definitely not worth it. The food isn’t anything to write home about. Most of them are also not worth the calories.

    Marina Seafood Grill has a different menu for regular meals. Maybe that’s where they can be more proud of their Ilonggo dishes.

    Marina Seafood Grill
    SM MOA Branch, 116-117 Veranda North Wing Entertainment Building, SM Mall of Asia JW Diokno Boulevard, Pasay City (near Gerry’s Grill)

  • Review of Banana Leaf Asian Café (Robinsons Place, Manila)

    Review of Banana Leaf Asian Café (Robinsons Place, Manila)

    For two consecutive Sundays, Louie and I had dined in Banana Leaf Asian Café for dinner at Robinson’s Place Manila (Ermita). From its outside appeal, I thought it was a restaurant only serving Filipino dishes (which I don’t like, sorry). But actually, it’s one that has modern Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, and Indonesian (not men) cuisine housed under one roof. On the table lies a small poster promoting Banana Leaf’s several awards year after year.

    While I don’t get the difference between the two outlets Banana Leaf and Banana Leaf Asian Café (aside from the two additional words there), I can attest to the fact that both of them offer really good food. If you’re craving for a mix of Southeast Asian cuisine delights, this is the place for you.

    In this review, I will combine both our dining experiences yesterday and one Sunday past that.

    Review of Banana Leaf Asian Café (Robinsons Place, Manila)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    The interiors–the chairs, tables and wall ornaments–made us feel somewhere like in Malaysia, Singapore or Indonesia. Everything was nice except for the smell of the air in the restaurant (maybe because of the mix of cuisines). You may get used to it, though, and ignore the weird smell after a few minutes. We called out to the waiters to get us plates.

    We laughed as they pointed that the leaves already on our table were the plates. Oh, so this is the part where Banana Leaf stands by its name! The literal leaf plates contribute more to the authenticity of eating Asian. :> You can eat with your hands if you’re comfortable doing it so. The place is spacious and it can be accommodated by large groups.

    Service: ★★★★★

    We were able to snag a table at once. Upon ordering, the food were delivered to our tables even before the promised time. Their menu has diverse entrees cooked in Indian, Singaporean, Thai, Malaysian, Vietnamese and Indonesian Style. You can be rest assured that there is something you will like. Given this, you may be have a hard time choosing for your order (like we had) from the 8-10 categories. Don’t rush and don’t fret. Waiters can patiently wait for you and/or advise food recommendations with their own stamp of approval. After two visits, I can say with confidence that their service is above satisfactory.

    Food: ★★★★★

    It’s a guarantee at every restaurant that there will be at least one dish standing out among all on the food menu. For Banana Leaf, it was the certainly the case of the Malayan Fish Curry. (You can order this Malayan Curry with choice of chicken, beef, seafood, pork chop or fish fillet.) The curry taste made me remember that of authentic Malaysian curry and made me especially miss the curry rice with fish I order every week after church service in Singapore. Banana Leaf Asian Café’s version was just so epic you just have to also try yourself.

    Another noteworthy among all the food options was the Banana Leaf Spring Rolls, which I describe as small, bite-sized lightly fried Shanghai wrapped rolls with a twist–inside got more noodles instead of the usual pork and other tiny ingredients. It came with sweet and sour sauce which fit the rolls succinctly.

    Next, we had Roti Canai Supreme Chili and Spring Onions, one of the staples on almost every customer’s list. This is an Indian-inspired dish, recommended for those looking for a bit of spice with their meal. I used to cook roti (without the chili) at home by heating only the bread with minimal oil on a pan. Banana Leaf’s rendition of the spicy roti canai is a fair appetizer for your palates.

    Also taking the limelight was our main dish in the evening: Thai-style Coconut Gravy with rice. Our choice for the topping was fish fillet; other available options were chicken, beef, pork chop and seafood. The creamy coconut milk/sauce tasted heavenly and fresh. The texture of the fish fillets’ edges was crisp but was soft and tender in its inner core. It wasn’t anything haute cuisine but indeed really was great food.

    Maybe the only entree that I did not like was the Spicy Korean Barbecue Chicken Steak. I only had one bite with its pinkish sauce and I already know it was not for me.

    Last but not least in this review: The waitress introduced to us the Prawn Toast Singaporean Style, which we thought was literally toasted bread with prawn. What came out was like thin toasted kaya bread filled with sesame seeds. Plum sauce was served as dip. The overall unique presentation looked as appetizing as the real thing.

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    Banana Leaf Asian Café has become one of my favorite go-to restaurants whenever I’m in Robinson’s Place. Food is affordable. Prices of most individual dishes don’t go beyond PHp 200, and one dish has ample portions good for two people’s sharing.

    When you don’t have a clue on where to eat and you know your stomach is grumbling for delicious food, try eating here and enjoy varieties of Southeast Asian cuisine.

    Banana Leaf
    G/F, Midtown at Robinson’s Place Manila, Ermita, Manila
    Contact (02) 567-8188
    Other locations

  • 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 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 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