Singapore - Dinner @ NYDC

We wanted to eat at East Coast Park but we got our haircut and it was getting too late so we tried NYDC (New York Dessert and Coffee) at Tampines One Mall (2nd floor) instead.

I like the interior of this restaurant. Very artsy fartsy. Very colorful and very vibrant! It's like as if you are in a different city! Look at those paintings hanging on the wall. Very unique!

Ok. The uniqueness of this restaurant did not end there though. The staff handed over the menu book to us and look at that, it says : Diners Journal, and it has a small bubble that says : Celebrate Life Big City Style. Enticing! I was blown away with their presentation overall.

I ordered for what they call " Gold Fish ". It has the 'WOW' label on it so it must be good, I thought! As per their menu book, it says, it's a Norwegian salmon coated in golden garlic crumbs, oven baked with fragrant almond pilaf rice and served with seasonal greens ~ wow! they got me just from the description of it! It was actually quite a good meal. But, I don't know, when I finished it, I wanted to eat more ... more but not of the same meal.

Then there was my friend's "Grilled New York Strip" (as what they named it) ~ Marbled sirloin steak grilled to your liking, served with steakhouse fries - that was the description. You guessed it right, it's a steak with fries. :)  ... The steak was really really good and I liked it a lot, but the fries ... I don't know ...

But thank God the dessert came! Their so called 'boo boo' cake ( it's a chocolate cake served with strawberry syrup on the side ) saved them! This cake is something that I really really like. Well, I'm a chocoholic and I love strawberries, for sure, you'll like this too! Look at that 3rd pic! I wanted more!

NYDC is a dessert cafe. dessert cafe. You can try their main dishes but I suggest to not forget to order one of their desserts. After all, again, it's a dessert cafe!

Singapore - dinner @ Pastamania!

I always eat at Pastamania if I am craving for pasta and some cheesesticks... and if I am stressed out. Maybe it's more of a comfort food for me. Pasta, cheese, pizza... definitely!

And today, since I am feeling weak and stressed out, we ate at Pastamania! We ordered the same food we always eat. I like Pastamania because they have a wide selection of Italian food at a very affordable price.

 

Our drinks and this soup were add-on for only SGD 3.70. The mushroom soup was just ok. 

We ordered Chicken Cheese Salsiccia, mine in Spaghetti and my friend's was Linguine at SGD 9.90 each. I LOVE THIS! I really recommend you to try this! 

I love cheese, so I poured 'some' of the cheese served on the table :)

And aside from the pasta above, this really is a must try! Their Cheese stick. I can eat this all day, everyday!

Pastamania is everywhere in Singapore. We visited the one in Tampines Mall. It's not as cozy as the other restaurant but if you want a quick and delicious food, you have to try Pastamania.

As what their banner say : Quick casual dining. Indeed!

Oops, another one, they serve Italy's number one pasta.

Singapore : dinner @ uncle's kitchen in Bugis Junction Mall

First i have to say that i am so glad with Singtel with their iphone 4s launch. I didnt have to queue! When i arrived, i went straight to the counter and got my iphone - pay - go! Thats it! (i am not sure if i have to create an entire post just for iphone 4s. The phone is fantastic!)

After i got my phone, we tried this restaurant in Bugis. It's located at the center of the basement. They dont really have that proper restaurant and they are sharing the place with the other stores. We ate there because we know its cheap! :)

Using my new iphone 4s, here are the photos I've taken :

First, look at that shot from my iphone 4s! ~ my friend tried their Sweet and Sour pork for SGD 7.50

Mine was the Ikan Bilis Fried Rice - I liked it but I wish there was a lot of other ingredients into it. SGD 6.90)

Our drinks. On the left is my Milk Tea with Pearl and my friend had Peach Milk tea (my friend really liked it, mine was just so-so)

My friend was not able to book for an appointment in the Singtel event so we went to the Hello Shop at Bugis. Too crowded. I don't know where people in Singapore put their old phones. It seems that they change it every 3 months.

We really wanted to buy covers and protectors for our iphone 4s and we came across this store inside Iluma mall. They have the cheapest iphone and all other phone brands covers and protectors. My cover was only SGD 8 and the protector was SGD 8.

We rushed going home as we cannot wait to try Siri. The train is not too crowded ( yeah, the train in Singapore gets too crowded during the rush hours)

By the way, I am planning to use my iphone 4s for my future photo and video blogs. Let's see what will happen. Happy Sunday!

Dinner at Astons Specialities - Singapore

Today, at last, we were able to eat at Astons Specialities. We tried their branch in Suntec City Mall. I've been wanting to eat here but there's always a very long queue in any of their store! It was around 5 when we went and that seemed to be the best time.

They offer western cuisine. It was not very pricey at all! That must be the reason for long queues.

It was quite dark inside their restaurant. The music could have saved the mood but they opt to play some fast paced songs and for some reason made us feel sleepy. I don't know why. But I liked those cowboy themed paintings hanging on the wall.

I had steak last week, so tonight I asked for what they call Hickory BBQ Chicken. Then you select 2 side dishes. I requested for potato salad and veggie garden (baby carrots and broccoli). (All for SGD 7.90).

When I first tasted the BBQ chicken, it was very delicious! But as I finished it, it just kind of ordinary, but I still like it. Potato salad and the veggies were really really good too.

My friend opted for the Black Pepper Steak. Too bad, I was not able to taste it, but he said he really liked it! He got the Potato Salad too and Pasta salad (he said it was good too). (All for SGD13.50)

Yeah, it's quite satisfying here especially when you see your bill after you finish your food. But of course, in terms of the service, you will get what you paid for :)

For our drinks, I asked for softdrink (SGD 1.50 - surprisingly cheap!) and root beer (SGD 1.50)for my friend.

I want to come back and eat here next week!

Singapore

I am based in Singapore.

Today, I decided to take some pictures of some of the landmarks here in Singapore. If you are going to visit Singapore, make sure you have your pictures taken with the below iconic structures.

As oppose to what other people are saying, Singapore is not a boring place to visit. There's actually tons of things you can do and see here. My pictures below, for example, these photos are taken only in the town area.

If you are going to visit these places, and you take the MRT, you can alight either on City Hall or Raffles Place station. But I really really recommend that you take the Raffles Place route going there and take City Hall when going back home. Here, you can walk along the Singapore river and pass by many restaurants, statues and the beautiful Fullerton Hotel.

In one single platform (where all the tourists are) you can see these iconic structures :

The Esplanade. It is a performance arts venue. I suggest you take a visit inside to see some art displays. And if you have time, watch world class stage performances (they have stage plays, concerts, etc). Walk around and discover free performances and art exhibition inside. And if you get hungry, they have a lot of restaurants at the lower level too.

The Merlion. Of course, when someone see this icon, they know it's Singapore! It has the head of a lion and the body of a fish. Don't you ever forget having your picture taken with it, else your friends will not believe that you visit Singapore :)

The Singapore Flyer. This is the tallest Ferris Wheel in the world! This is one of the best ways to see all of Singapore in panoramic view. Check out their website : http://www.singaporeflyer.com/ for a full range of services they offer. I heard the services are really really good.

The Marina Bay Sands. I remember when my nephew saw it. He was amazed. The top part was modeled after a big boat. And it's on top of the three towers. Amazing! It is a hotel, a casino and a mall (luxury brands and best restaurants can be found here too!) I like it because it's modern and it's really different from all the other malls/hotels I've been to.

You can see all this in a platform along the Singapore River. All in one place. Be sure to take a visit! I suggest you bring along an umbrella (in Singapore, hot summer day or wet rainy day, the weather is unpredictable), always put on your sunscreen, wear your sunglasses and bring your  handy fan.

And before I end this post, remember I told you when you go home take the City Hall MRT? It will not only allows you to see The Esplanade up close but you might catch some free concert along the way. Lucky me, I did. Just a good way to relax before you head home.

Steak Sunday @ Jack's Place

Although this is a travel and photography blog I thought I'd make a post about my food adventures too. Trying different foods when travelling, I say, is essential for you to experience the real taste of the place you're visiting.

Well, even if we are not travelling, we'd like to try different restaurants. Singapore, even it's just a tiny island, offers a variety of restaurants. From Chinese to Western cuisines, for sure you will find whatever your taste pallet wants.

This week we tried "Jack's Place". This is my 2nd time eating here. I brought my friend because he loves steak and I know that Jack's Place serves one of the best steaks in Singapore.

The one that we visited is located at Century Square Mall in Tampines. They are located at the lower ground floor of the mall. Their place is quite small here. But if you don't like to queue for long hours, I suggest you visit this branch, as their location is somewhat hidden.

Below is the inside of the restaurant. Quite dark, I would say, but I love that the place is not too noisy, so this is a good place for a nice chit chat while enjoying your steak.

I ordered for their specialty which is Jack's Place steak. I had it well done. And they didn't disappointment me, it was a delicious steak. It had veggies (green peas, cabbage and corn) and a baked potato (topped with mayonnaise, bacon and spring onion)

As for my drink, I opted for what they call, Infusion Ice Fruits Tea. It had bits of watermelon, dragon fruits, and other fruits I cannot remember (sorry). It was a nice drink. If you want a tropical drink that's different of what you usually get, this is the good alternative.

In terms of the taste, I would really recommend Jack's Place, but unfortunately I am not quite happy with the service. We waited for about 30 mins for our food to be served. Plus they don't accept Nets so don't forget to bring some cash or your credit card. But it's still worth a try, just bring a whole lot of story while waiting.

Travels that I am looking forward to...

Hopefully, in the coming weeks we will be able to go to Johor Bahru, Malaysia. I am based in Singapore and I know that it is not that far, so some people may not view it as a 'real travel'.

I want to get a massage there. I heard that it's fairly cheap. Massage in Singapore is very expensive, unless you will get a coupon from Groupon that some say is very hard to get an appointment. Yes, I believe if you get it from Groupon you have to call for an appointment first!

I don't really know where exactly in Johor Bahru is the best massage but a friend of mine said that it's at 'Holiday...' something. I guess we will figure it out when we are already there.

In November, I am planning to go back to the Philippines for a short vacation. To visit my family and some friends. I am not sure where to go yet though.

And in December, we are planning to go to Hong Kong. It's going to be my 2nd time in Hong Kong. I really liked it the first time I went there except for the weather. It was summer. Ugh! I think in December it's going to be cold. Which I like.

I am hoping to see the Victoria Peak, Hong Kong Disney Land, and the market (very cheap goods, i like!)

Those are the plans and will keep this blog updated with photos, of course! :)