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In Food 3 Mins Read

[Valentine’s Day Giveaway]- 4 Course French Cuisine @ STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar

STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar is Bay Hotel Singapore’s global flavours restaurant that brings diners the best from around the world. It offers a mix of diverse flavours ranging from the Italian, French, and American, to the Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Singaporean!

This coming Valentine’s Day, STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar will be bringing diners all the way to France with their sensational 4 Course French Menu.

[Image Credits to Construction Lit Mag]

STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar Valentine’s Day Menu- A French Affair

Appetizer

Dusted Bluefin Tuna with Fennel Crust With dashi jelly, onion cress and gazpacho vinaigrette
OR
Pan-Seared Norwegian Scallops With tomato jam, daikon and pomegranate confit

Soup

Jerusalem Artichoke Potage With crabmeat quenelle and ginger-scented caramelized apple

Entrée

Lobster Exotique With sweet potato aligot, vegetable noisettes and pineapple sauce
OR
Salmis of Duck With lyonnaise potato, red cabbage, fine bean and foie gras jus
OR
Tournedos Rossini With goose liver, spinach and madeira sauce, lyonnaise potatoes and panache of garden vegetables

Dessert

Cream Cheese Mousse With perfumed fruits and dark chocolate tuiles

The 4 Course French Dinner will cost SGD$140++ Per Couple and it comes with a bottle of sparkling wine to complete the wonderful evening.

If you are thinking of a suitable venue to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your loved ones, you might want to consider STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar, considering its proximity to Sentosa where you can spend some time to stroll after a very fulfilling dinner.

————————————————-

Together with STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar, we are very pleased to organise a special blog contest just for all you readers!

[Image Credits to Boxamurai]

Blog Contest Details

Prize: A Pair of Dining Vouchers [worth SGD$140++] which consist of a 4 Course French Dinner and A Bottle of Sparkling Wine.

[Image Credits to Louis Foong]

How to Win?

1. Like STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar Facebook Page

2. Like A Winsome Life Facebook Page

3. Share With Us The Most Romantic Gesture That You Have Done For Your Significant Other Together With A Photo and Send It To Us @ admin@awinsomelife.org

Terms & Conditions

1. The winner will be selected by A Winsome Life; in consultation with the representatives from STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar.

2. The most creative, original, and romantic caption will win the contest.

3. All decisions made will be final.

4. By participating in the contest, you agree to allow us to use your photograph and caption for our marketing and publicity efforts.

Good Luck!

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In Food 2 Mins Read

[New Restaurant Opening In Singapore]- Lewin Terrace, An Upscale Fine Dining Restaurant That Serves A Fusion Of Japanese-French Cuisine!

The number of Japanese-French fusion restaurants in Singapore are few and rare, and if you are on the lookout for a whole new dining experience of unique Japanese-French cuisine, we are excited to share with you about the upcoming opening of Lewin Terrace!
Featuring French & Japanese techniques and a produce-driven approach, Lewin Terrace is an upscale fine dining restaurant that is slated to open sometime in February. Helmed by a talented team of culinary professionals which includes General Manager and Chief Sommelier, Mr Daisuke Kawai, formerly with the Les Amis group where he won the Top Wines Best Sommelier of the year at the Singapore World Gourmet Series Awards of Excellence 2013, diners can expect that Lewin Terrace will have an elaborate wine list with more than 100 types of wines, of which more than half will be French while the rest will be intricately curated from other parts of the world including Japan.

Lewin Terrace will also offer wine-pairing menus for set lunches and set dinners. Each course will be served with half a glass of wine carefully selected by Chief Sommelier, Mr Daisuke Kawai.

The restaurant is housed in a charming and gorgeous black & white bungalow that used to be the residence of the Chief who headed the Central Fire Station on Hill Street. As Lewin Terrace is perched in the depths of Fort Canning’s greenery and imbued with Japanese entertaining and hospitality savoir-faire, it is expected to become a romantic venue that will draw couples for all sorts of occasions ranging from dinner dates and anniversaries to proposals and even weddings.

Lewin Terrace can accommodate about 78 diners and reservation is highly recommended to avoid disappointment. For an intimate dining experience with your loved ones, you probably might want to consider Lewin Terrace as your next dining destination.

For more information and updates, do check out Lewin Terrace’s Website.

Also, all pictures shown here are artist’s impressions of how Lewin Terrace is going to be. We will be uploading actual photos of the venue and dishes after their opening so do stay tuned!

Address:
21 Lewin Terrace, Singapore 179290

Telephone:
6333-9905

Opening Hours:
Every day; Lunch: 12-2pm [last order] and Dinner: 6-9.30pm [last order for food]

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In Food 3 Mins Read

[Restaurant Feature]- Gallop to STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar and Prosper With “Fortune of Flavours”

Today’s the second day of a brand new year and in 30 days’ time, we will be celebrating Chinese New Year. In recent years, many Chinese families [including ours] have moved away from the tradition of dining at home to dining out for reunion dinners and if you belong to the latter, here’s one alternative you might want to look at.
We were recently invited to a food tasting session at STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar and we had a really great time of bountiful feasting. Just to let you know, the Fortune of Flavours Buffet at STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar fuses the flavours and tastes of both Western and Asian cuisines and this is very unlike the typical Chinese menu you find in a Chinese restaurant.

This special menu is available for 5 days only, from 29th January to 2nd February 2014 and it is priced at $58++ for adults and $28++ kids between 6 and 12 years old. The option of adding on free-flow of alcohol, soft drinks, and juices is also available at an additional cost of $28++. Kids below 6 get to enjoy the Fortune of Flavours buffet for free with every paying adult.

5 Specials Highlights of the Fortune of Flavours Buffet

Smoked Duck & Salmon Yu Sheng

A colourful platter of shredded vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, radish, pomelo, pickled ginger, red and green yam, and coupled together with slices of fresh salmon and succulent slices of smoked duck. Toss it together with the ginger and sour plum sauce for sweeter relationships with your loved ones and you will be in for a refreshing and flavourful time.

Prawn Tartare with Rock Melon and Nuts

Salad prawns layered with sliced Japanese cucumber and rock melon, then dressed in a tangy ginger and Thai mango dressing, this bite-sized appetizer will welcome you with an abundantly blessed year ahead and stimulate your taste buds for the rest of the buffet’s fare.

Curried Chicken in Lychee Tempura

Golden round pillows of Curried Chicken in Lychee Tempura served on a bed of rice crisps burst into a symphony of flavours at each bite. The sweetness of lychee accompanies the chunks of chicken, along with a hint of curry powder. This unique twist of flavour is sure to appeal to all taste buds, especially children.

Lion Head Meatball with Truffle Oil, Wood Ear Fungus & Water Chestnuts

Immersed in a thick gravy of flavour, the Lion Head Meatball with Truffle Oil, Wood Ear Fungus & Water Chestnuts would have you coming back for seconds. This Shanghainese meatball is a combination of minced pork, mushrooms, chestnuts, coriander, Chinese wine and truffle oil.

Banana and Sago Cotta

The smooth creamy cotta is topped with caramelized cubes of banana that has been simmered slowly with gula melaka. Definitely a divine melt-in-the-mouth goodness.

Apart from the 5 special highlights, the Fortune of Flavours Buffet also offers a variety of gourmet dishes such as Salmon Roll with Barley Salad & Wolfberries in Aspic, Drunken Chicken, Chinese Cold Cuts Platter, Chicken Soup with Scallops, Fish Maw & Chinese Zucchini, Wok-Fried Beef with Tri-Pepper, Dried Longan & Fermented Beancurd, Braised Sea Cucumber with Mushroom, Chinese Spinach & Fatt Choy, Egg Noodles with Prawns, Shredded Duck & Yellow Chives, Warm Glutinous Rice with Chinese Sausage & Lotus seeds.

If you are interested in the Fortune of Flavours Buffet, do make your reservations early to avoid disappointment. 🙂

STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar [Located inside Bay Hotel Singapore on the 1st Level]
Address: 50 Telok Blangah Road, Singapore 098828
Contact Number: 6818 6681

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In Pets 4 Mins Read

[Bangkok/Thailand Attraction]- Lucky Bunny Cafe

We had a very delightful experience at Lucky Bunny Café during our recent trip to Bangkok, Thailand; and this is a place we highly recommend if you are looking for some awesome homemade Thai food with some lovely and cute bunnies as your companions.

A distance away from the heart of Bangkok, Lucky Bunny Café is located in a residential area and to get there via public transport, you can take the Bangkok Metro to Lat Phrao Station and thereafter, take a taxi straight to Lucky Bunny Café. Alternatively, if you prefer to take a taxi and head straight to Lucky Bunny Café without the hassle of taking the Bangkok Metro, you can do that too but you might encounter heavy traffic congestion along the way. Make sure the taxi driver charge you by the fare meter and not on an agreed sum; else you would be ripped off during the journey.

When you are near the area [assuming you are using Google Maps to track your location, which we did], do look out for directional signs that will lead you to the doorstep of Lucky Bunny Café.

The entrance to Lucky Bunny Café is very well-decorated and though it is set in a home, don’t hesitate to go in and enjoy the warmth hospitality from the owners of Lucky Bunny Café.

Areas of Lucky Bunny Café which guests can access to are the dining room, the bunnies’ room, and the garden.

Lucky Bunny Café Dining Room

Lucky Bunny Café Bunnies’ Room

Lucky Bunny Café Garden

When we were presented with the food menu by the owner of Lucky Bunny Café, both Jacqueline and I were scratching our heads because they were written in Thai. Thankfully, the owner is extremely conversant in English and we placed our food and drinks order with much ease.

You might also want to take comfort in the knowledge that the drinks and desserts menu are in English.

While waiting for our food and drinks order to be ready, we took a quick look at the garden and admired the really cute figurines. There were definitely tons of opportunities for snapshots, even in the dining room!

The Cute Sheep Figurines in the Garden

Foxy Mehmeh Riding the Vintage Scooter in the Dining Room

Presenting to you the food, drinks, and dessert that we ordered at Lucky Bunny Café.

Tom Yum Soup with Chicken

Spicy Minced Pork with Thai Herbs

Thai-Styled Fried Rice

Chocolate Waffles Served with Bananas and Vanilla Ice-Cream

Italian Kiwi Soda & Italian Lemon Soda

Are you ready for some squealing good time?

After a very satisfying meal, we went to the bunnies’ room and we had a lot of fun cuddling the super adorable bunnies. The best part was, some of the bunnies even showed us a trick or two and they were really funny!

We were also very privileged to have the owner of Lucky Bunny Café with us as we learnt a few tips about keeping bunnies, how to maintain the bunnies, and what kind of food to feed the bunnies.

By the way, some of the bunnies at Lucky Bunny Café are for sale and they are top grade premium bunnies [they even have something like a pedigree certificate too]. The bunnies come from a farm that Lucky Bunny Café works with and trust us, the bunnies are really affordable, healthy and well-maintained; yes, way cheaper and even way better than the bunnies from the pet shops we have here in Singapore.

Now, if you really want to explore Bangkok, Thailand and you are looking for a unique place to dine, Lucky Bunny Café is one place you should include in your itinerary the next time you plan your free and easy trip to Bangkok.

Address: Chiang Mai, Thailand 50290
Operating Hours: Tuesdays to Sundays 1030 hours to 2000 hours, Closed on Mondays
Mode of Payment: Cash Only
Contact Number: 6685-1955465 

Enjoy & Have Fun!

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In Food 2 Mins Read

Foodpanda Delivers Yummy Food to You @ Your Convenience

Busy working on a project and have got no time to fight against the peak-hours lunch crowd at the eateries? Planning a mini office celebration after the successful completion of a project?
Well, with Foodpanda and a few mouse-clicks, you can now save the hassle and have your favourite cuisine delivered straight to your location at your convenience.

From Japanese cuisine to Mediterranean cuisine and even Thai cuisine, Foodpanda has an array of food choices that are available for you to choose. As a matter of fact, we’re really happy that we can order food from some of our favourite restaurants such as PastaMania, Chili’s, Sakae Sushi, and even Mad Jack!

To begin placing your orders with Foodpanda, all you have to do is the following:

Step 1. Log onto Foodpanda

Step 2. Key in your postal code

Step 3. Choose your favourite restaurant. [For us, it’s Pastamania!] You can even filter the search results too!

Step 4. Select your favourite food item

Step 5. Select any additional toppings you would like to have

Step 6. Checkout your food item and do be aware of the delivery time as well so that you can plan way in advance when you would be having your lunch.

Step 7. Fill in your personal details and create a Foodpanda Account

Step 8. Choose your payment option and place your order!

It’s really that easy!

If you have an iPhone or an Android device, you can even place your orders through the Foodpanda App that is available on the App Store & Google Play.

What We Like About Foodpanda:

The user interface is relatively easy to navigate around and it is really simple to use. With a touch of a few mouseclicks, we can now have our favourite food delivered to our office while working on some projects. Furthermore, a wide variety of food choices are available from different restaurants and placing orders is a breeze. The ratings also come in handy as it helps us make a well-informed purchasing decision.

So, the next time you’re stuck in the office or the weather isn’t looking too good to head out for a meal, Foodpanda might probably be your next best friend! Go try it out and let us know what you think!

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In Food 4 Mins Read

Introducing The Manhattan FISH MARKET’s Latest Creation, The Manhattan Star Platter

Last weekend, we were at The Manhattan FISH MARKET to try their latest creation, The Manhattan Star Platter, and our taste buds had a rather tantalising time with five different types of seafood cooked in five different ways!

From now till 31st October 2013, you too can get fresh with the new star creation from The Manhattan FISH MARKET. Whether flamed, baked, poached, fried or grilled; The Manhattan Star Platter has it all and it is the ultimate manifestation of The Manhattan FISH MARKET’s philosophy that there are many great ways of serving fresh seafood with a fun-filled experience.

With five different types of seafood cooked in five different cooking methods, diners will be spoilt for choice as they tuck into the smorgasbord of tastes and flavours to invoke the taste buds.

The Garlic Herb Mussels, one of the restaurant’s favourites, are poached to preserve the moisture, juiciness and flavours so that diners can relish the seafood at its fullest. Served in the restaurant’s signature Garlic Herb sauce, diners will enjoy a side serving of baguette to mop up the sauce to its very last bit.

The Grilled Calamari is chewy and its juiciness is sealed during the grilling process.

The Fried Oysters are coated in batter to give the oysters a crunchy bite on the outside while locking in the juicy tender goodness on the inside.

The restaurant’s signature Manhattan Flaming Prawns undergo a glorious flaming process that is filled with the visual excitement of showmanship where the Sea-cret Agents perform on-the- spot flaming to bring out the caramelized sweetness of the succulent prawns.

The Mediterranean Baked Fish, one of the restaurant’s hot favourite, is essentially a dory fillet that is baked in an irresistible blend of flavourful spices and herbs in a foil. This cooking method helps to seal in the tantalising aroma and flavour that would allow each and every diner to savour the goodness of the fish right up to the very last bite.

The Manhattan Star Platter is fit for two persons and it will cost SGD$47.02 [after including 7% GST and 10% Service Charge]

If you would like to try the best of what The Manhattan FISH MARKET has to offer, the Manhattan Star Platter is one you shouldn’t miss out on. As it is only available till 31st October 2013, hurry over to the nearest The Manhattan FISH MARKET restaurants near you now!

Apart from The Manhattan Star Platter that we had, we also had Tomato Soup and……

The Gummy Bear [left] and Cala Cala [right] Drink

Personally, we found the Tomato Soup to be rather ordinary and there’s really nothing much to rave about. As for the two beverages that we had, we have to say that although the presentation is fantastic, the Gummy Bear is a tad too sweet for our liking. Out of the two beverage that we had, the Cala Cala was the most preferred choice because of its very refreshing taste.

Service at The Manhattan FISH MARKET was slightly lacking and there are definitely rooms for improvements.

In Singapore, The Manhattan FISH MARKET restaurants are located at the following locations:

Bedok Point • Bugis+ • Causeway Point • Century Square • City Square • Changi City Point • JCube • Junction 8 • Marina Square • North Point • Plaza Singapura • Star Vista • United Square • White Sands • Hougang Mall • SUNTEC City

For more information about the upcoming promotions that are available at The Manhattan FISH MARKET, do pop by The Manhattan FISH MARKET’s Facebook Page.

Hope you have a fishing good time with your family members & friends!

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In Restaurants 5 Mins Read

[Attraction Review]- Resorts World Sentosa Adventure Cove Waterpark

This is one long overdue blog post but we reckoned that it would be quite timely to publish this blog entry because its the September School Holidays! So, if you’re wondering where’s the next place to have a little bit of fun in Singapore, why not check out the Adventure Cove Waterpark at Resorts World Sentosa?
A Short Video of Our Day Out @ Adventure Cove Waterpark

Jacqueline and I visited the Resorts World Sentosa Adventure Cove Waterpark sometime ago and we had lots of fun and even had a few close encounters with all kinds of fishes and stingrays too!

Our first stop for the day was Ray Bay and we really want to thank Singapore Polytechnic for giving us a pair of tickets to have a close encounter with stingrays.

The Ray Bay, a place where you can have close encounters with stingrays.

Take a look at those stingrays! In case you’re wondering, the stingrays at Adventure Cove Waterpark are perfectly safe and harmless because their barbs have been removed.

As we were the only ones at Ray Bay, we had all the time in the world to feed the stingrays and touch them. If you’re worried about the stingrays, the trained instructors are present throughout to allay your fears.

Were there any unpleasant moments with the stingrays? Not really except the fact that some stingrays might gently nibble you to ask for food. But really, the stingrays are really friendly.

Tickets to Ray Bay cost SGD$38 per person and they are subjected to availability because each session can accommodate a maximum of 6 guests. Little ones must be at least 5 years old and at least 107cm in height to participate. If your little ones are under the age of 12, they must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian and if you are under the age of 21, your parent/legal guardian must complete and sign the liability form.

After the Ray Bay encounter, we went to check out the rest of the remaining rides and attractions. For the little ones, there are play areas like these that are more mild and not so adventurous.

If you’re more adventurous, you can probably check out the Tidal Twister, Dueling Racer, and a whole lot of other fun rides!

Tidal Twister

A crowd pleaser with mild to wild transitions, Tidal Twister sends you careening down an unpredictable passage of swirls and slaloms, delivering maximum fun at maximum speed.

Dueling Racer

Grab a racer mat and take your friend on a dueling high-speed competitive plunge to the finish line. Clock the fastest time down this steep Dueling Racer and claim victory with the biggest thrill ever.

Pipeline Plunge

It’s like riding a water tornado in the dark! Experience dropping through an elevated chute that sends you careening down banked turns, radical twists and dips before splashing out in a pool of water.

Riptide Rocket

Southeast Asia’s first hydro-magnetic coaster, the Riptide Rocket is probably the most exciting and adventurous ride at Adventure Cove Waterpark. Like an intense rollercoaster on water, it combines all the powerful climbs, plunging drops, terrifying twists and tight turns to set your adrenaline pumping.

If you’re like me and you like to bummer around, you can either take a nap here…

or you can just laze on a tube and take a leisurely ride down Adventure River, floating through 14 stunning habitats including a lush jungle garden, a mysterious grotto and an underwater tunnel with a sea of marine life swimming above and around you.

Say “hello” to Uncle Ray.

Well, even if you don’t purchase tickets to Ray Bay, you can have some not really close encounters with the stingrays from the Adventure River.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to do some snorkelling at the colourful Rainbow Reef where you can enjoy some close encounters with 20,000 friendly fishes! The queue and wait might be long but it is extremely worth it!

Jacqueline posing for a photo while she snorkels away.

Our friendly snorkelling instructor whom splashed the salty cold water at us to get our bodies acclimatised to the temperature of the water at the Rainbow Reef.

Types of fishes you can try to spot at the Rainbow Reef.

A closer look at what’s underwater while snorkelling at the Rainbow Reef. Is that Nemo?

After one long day of water fun, we headed to the souvenir shop to get some souvenirs and boy, were they oh so expensive!

Fancy a Pink Dolphin?

Every time we chance upon a “Press A Penny” machine like this, we can’t help but to get a coin souvenir to keep as a momento.

Anyway, there are official photographers from Adventure Cove Waterpark whom are present to help you take photographs with their professional cameras and we highly suggest that you take as much photos as you want because you can purchase a disc that contains all the soft copies of the photos inside. Then again, the price can be rather steep and you might probably just want to waterproof your camera and snap all you want without forking out too much.

Here are the prices for the entrance tickets to Adventure Cove Waterpark!

[Image Credit to Resorts World Sentosa]

As the food prices at The Bay Restaurant is a tad too expensive and not value for money, we decided to dine at Din Tai Fung which is located outside of Adventure Cove Waterpark but within Resorts World Sentosa.

Pork Cutlet Fried Rice @ Din Tai Fung

Xiao Long Bao @ Din Tai Fung

Lychee-Peach Prawns @ Din Tai Fung

We’ll probably write about Din Tai Fung another day but well, we had a blast at Adventure Cove Waterpark and we will definitely be visiting again!

To go or not to go?

Yes you should, for a day of wet and wild fun in the sun, come and experience it all at Adventure Cove Waterpark!

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In Food 5 Mins Read

Manhattan Fish Market @ The Dining Edition, Marina Square

Last Wednesday, we were very privileged to have been invited to Manhattan Fish Market at The Dining Edition @ Marina Square, for a really sumptuous food-tasting session and to be honest, Manhattan Fish Market is no stranger to us as we often dine there at least once every 2 months. Furthermore, most people [including us] would agree that the food and beverage offering at Manhattan Fish Market is way better than Fish and Co.

Well, after months of absence at Marina Square due to renovations, Manhattan Fish Market recently re-opened its outlet at ‘The Dining Edition’ space in the mall with a totally brand new look which will delight diners.

[Image Credits to Manhattan Fish Market]

Diners will be greeted to a warm and cozy décor as they step into the newly renovated restaurant. As with their other restaurants, diners will always be assured of a friendly, down-to-earth, and vibrant atmosphere as they tuck in to the delicious offerings.

To celebrate this occasion, The Manhattan Fish Market invites everyone to get saucy and dive into a trio of irresistible dipping sauces with purchase of any of its three sharing platters at a special price till August 31st, 2013!

Just as truth be told that a magnificent building rests on a solid foundation block, the folks from Manhattan Fish Market pride themselves with the home-made sauces they serve alongside with most of their dishes, making them insanely yummylicious!

The trio of dipping sauces with exciting flavors to add a kick as accompaniment to the sharing seafood platter include Cajun Honey Mustard, Spicy Seafood Dip and Smoky Chipotle Sauce.

These three platters are served up where there’s nothing like sitting down together with your family and friends over a saucy affair and what’s more, they are extremely value-for-money!

1. Crispy Set at SGD$39.95++ [save SGD$20.80]

  • One Fried Giant Platter – A crunchy combination of fried delights, sure to please and satisfy all at once. Dig into a scrumptious mix of crispy fish fingers, shrimps, calamari and juicy mushrooms.
  • Two Soup of the Day [Regular]
  • Two Ice Lemon Tea
  • Choice of any one dipping sauce [highly recommended to go with the Cajun Honey Mustard]

2. Grilled Set at SGD$39.95++ [save SGD$15.80]

  • One Grilled Gala Platter – Perfect for discerning diners who love a grilled seafood treat. Savor deliciously grilled fish fillet, tiger prawns and calamari grilled to perfection with Manhattan Fish Market’s signature Garlic Herb mussels.
  • Two Soup of the Day [Regular]
  • Two Ice Lemon Tea
  • Choice of any one dipping sauce [highly recommended to go with the Spicy Seafood Dip]

3. Flaming Set at SGD$39.95++ [save SGD$15.80]

  • One Manhattan Flaming Seafood Platter – The indisputable No.1 choice of Manhattan Fish Market’s  fans! This platter serves up generous portions of hand battered fish fillets, oysters and calamari. The highlight will be the Manhattan Flaming Prawns, brought to full flavor when Manhattan Fish Market’s Sea-cret Agents flame them right before your very eyes!
  • Two Soup of the Day [Regular]
  • Two Ice Lemon Tea
  • Choice of any one dipping sauce [highly recommended to go with the Smoky Chipotle Sauce]

Here’s What We Had During The Food-Tasting Session

Starter
Garlic Herb Mussels [SGD$7.95++]

Poached mussels in Manhattan Fish Market’s signature garlic herb sauce and served with baguette. We like this dish a lot and we highly recommend it to people whom are into eating mussels. The garlic herb sauce is flavourful and it complements the mussels pretty well.

Baked Dish
Spicy Baked Fish [SGD$15.95++]

Savor a baked dory fillet in extra spicy marination complemented with garlic herb rice and vegetables that is guaranteed to jumpstart your senses. We highly recommend it to people whom can take spicy food because the Spicy Baked Fish might be too spicy for some people. As for us, we absolutely love it because of its tantalising taste!

Mains
Manhattan Flaming Seafood Platter [SGD$37.95++]

This platter serves up generous portions of hand-battered fish fillets, oysters, and calamari. Given the large portions, we highly recommend the Manhattan Flaming Seafood Platter for big-eaters to satisfy their growling stomachs.

Dessert
Sizzling Brownie with Ice-cream [SGD$9.90++]

Good for sharing, the Sizzling Brownie with Ice Cream is a perfect harmony of elements. Enjoy this warm sizzling brownie, topped with smooth vanilla ice-cream in sweet caramel sauce and nuts. Truly, a perfect way to a sweet ending.

Smoothie
Citrus Mint [SGD$5.50++]

Cool off with the refreshing taste of freshly squeezed lemons and mints! The Citrus Mint is Manhattan Fish Market’s signature drink and it has always been my favourite ever since I first dined at their restaurant.

Mocktail
Gummy Bear [SGD$5.50++]

The exciting flavors of Curacao and tropical fruit mix is guaranteed to liven up your senses. Simply bubbly, it is called Gummy Bear because it tastes like the Gummy Bear candies.

Since the long weekends are here, why not spend some quality family time feasting at Manhattan Fish Market? The platter promotions are valid till 31 August 2013 and if you would like to check out other promotions that Manhattan Fish Market may have, do “like” Manhattan Fish Market’s Facebook Page!

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In Food 8 Mins Read

[Food Review]- Santa Fe Tex-Mex Grill Onboard Stewords Riverboat @ Marina South Pier

Stewords Riverboat is a unique and iconic non-motorised floating lifestyle venue that houses Santa Fe Tex-Mex Grill, a restaurant that serves authentic Tex-Mex cuisine; Breaking Bread, an al-fresco cafe; and a private function hall. The Riverboat was formerly located at Sentosa and it is currently moored and operating at the Marina South Pier.

Two weeks ago, we were extremely privileged to have been invited for a dinner at the Santa Fe Tex-Mex Grill Restaurant onboard the Stewords Riverboat and we really enjoyed the entire dining experience.

When we drove to the Marina South Pier, we observed that there were construction works going on around the vicinity and public transportation were hardly seen. Hence, it would be a better idea for you to drive or take a taxi to the Marina South Pier. However, do take note that the parking rates at the Marina South Pier are outrageously expensive as it cost $2.00/hr for the first 2 hours and $3.00 for the next subsequent hour from 7am to 10.30pm!

A photograph of the Marina South Pier.

At the Marina South Pier, big ships and tankers are a very common sight.

As we walked towards Stewords Riverboat, memories of my National Service days came to mind because I remembered how my platoon mates and I used to dread boarding the Penguin Ferry at the SAF Ferry Terminal.

As Stewords Riverboat is non-motorised, it has to be towed by a larger vessel if it has to move from one location to another location.

When we arrived at Santa Fe, we were warmly greeted by the awesome service crews and were shown to our dining table.

Santa Fe Tex Mex Grill is a casual-dining family restaurant that specialises in serving authentic Tex-Mex cuisine. If you’re wondering what a Tex-Mex cuisine is, it is an Americanised version of Mexican food.

After placing our food and drinks orders, Daryl from Riverboat gave us a short tour around Stewords Riverboat.

This is the private function hall in the upper deck of the Stewords Riverboat and it can accommodate up to 200 guests in a theatre setup. For a long table banquet setup, it can accommodate up to 150 guests. Whether you’re looking for a unique venue to host a private function or a corporate event, the function hall at Stewords Riverboat is an excellent option to consider. Apart from renting the function hall, a wide variety of food and beverage packages are also available to help you plan your event.

The bridge deck is where you can find the al-fresco cafe, Breaking Bread. Breaking Bread is currently open for private events and there are plans in the pipelines to revamp the entire al-fresco area into a BBQ place. When the al-fresco cafe transforms into a BBQ place in a few months time, we’re 100% sure that it will be fully booked for private parties because the al-fresco area offers a beautiful scenic view of the sea. Furthermore, there are arrangements for live band to perform at the al-fresco area and this really calls for a chill-out party!

Guests at the al-fresco cafe can enjoy the scenic view of the sea in the evening.

Ahoy Captain!

Having said so much about the various venues onboard Stewords Riverboat, let us zoom in on Santa Fe Tex-Mex Grill!

The dining ambience of Santa Fe Tex-Mex Grill is extremely cosy and homely. Whether you’re going on a date with your partner or a gathering with a group of friends, Santa Fe Tex-Mex Grill is definitely a unique and special place for dining.

If you wish to do some jamming, there’s a cosy corner that’s available and it even comes complete with a drumset.

The manager’s workspace at Santa Fe Tex-Mex Grill adds a special touch to the dining area and it’s really cool!

Here’s the bar area where drinks and desserts are being prepared!

So how does the food fare?

We ordered quite a number of dishes to share with one another and here are all the food and beverages that we had for the evening.

Fruity Flavoured Margaritas [from left to right- Lime, Kiwi, Mango, Strawberry]

Seriously, what’s a Tex-Mex meal without Margaritas? We absolutely love the flavoured Margaritas that were served and they are a real treat! Taking turns to sip all of the Margaritas, we have to admit that they are really good. The flavour and sweetness are just right and a glass of Margarita is the best way to cool down the heat especially for the hot sunny weather here in Singapore!

Appetizers Combo!

We had Cheese Nachos, Chicken Chimichangas, Turkey Quesadillas, and Buffalo Wings for appetizers and they are oh so yummy! Although I’m not a big fan of cheese, my personal favourite is the Cheese Nachos and the Turkey Quesadillas.

Tex-Mex Grilled Chicken, $23.90

A rather sinful dish, the grilled chicken breast is spread with BBQ sauce and topped with bacon and melted cheese. Served with mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables, the Tex-Mex Grilled Chicken is a satisfying dish for hungry people!

Blackened Salmon Veracruz, $23.90

The Blackened Salmon Veracruz is a very flavourful dish that tantalises the taste buds. Coated topside with crusted black pepper, the salmon fillet is then panfried and served with spicy rice and grilled vegetables with tomato compote. A dish for fish-lovers whom want to enjoy a little bit of spice in their life.

Santa Fe BBQ Ribs, [Half Rack]- $22.90 | [Full Rack]- $29.50

The baby back ribs are grilled to perfection and ladled over with Santa Fe’s signature BBQ sauce. Served with fries and house salad, the Santa Fe BBQ Ribs will definitely not disappoint.

Chicken Fajitas, [Half Pound]- $26.90 | [Full Pound]- $41.50

Santa Fe’s signature fajitas are served sizzling on a skillet, with tortillas by the side for you to self-wrap. A condiment set of shredded lettuce, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and pico de galo accompanies the dish.

Grand Marnier Brownie, $14.90

If you’re a fan of orange liqueur, we highly recommend the Grand Marnier Brownie becuase the warm chocolate brownie that is infused with a little bit of Grand Marnier will send you through the roof. Served with strawberry sauce, slices of mandarin orange, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and a cherry, there is everything to love about the Grand Marnier Brownie. You wouldn’t want to miss this lovely dessert that will complete your meal pretty well.

Walnut Brownie Sundae, $8.90

A real classic, the Walnut Brownie Sundae is a must-order for all chocoholics! Imagine biting into a warm chocolate brownie accompanied with some vanilla ice cream and chocolate fudge that melts in your mouth. The feeling you will get will be one that makes you go oomph with satisfying pleasure!

Truly, we had an enjoyable time dining at Santa Fe that is onboard Stewords Riverboat. Though the pricing may be slightly on the higher-end, the dining experience is one that you will find unique, special, and ideal for that one special moment.

If your partner or friends get seasick easily, they might want to consider popping some seasick pills before going onboard because the occasional waves from the surrounding sea vessels would send the riverboat rocking from side to side. Even for myself, my head was spinning a little when I went onboard but gradually, my body kinda acclimatised to the surroundings [or maybe it was the effects of the magaritas].

To ease your pockets a little, Jacqueline found a really awesome deal on Groupon where you can just pay $20 for $40 worth of food and beverage at Santa Fe Tex-Mex Grill. This deal is currently available for the next 3 days and the voucher is valid till 18 October 2013.

Alternatively, you might want to visit Santa Fe Tex-Mex Grill on Tuesdays because the main courses are going for a special 1-for-1 price!

[Image Credits to Stewords Riverboat Facebook Page]

For more information and promotional updates from Santa Fe Tex-Mex Grill, do “like” Stewords Riverboat Facebook Page!

Last but not the least, we would like to conclude this blog post by taking this opportunity to thank the wonderful and awesome staffs at Stewords Riverboat for hosting us. We would also like to thank Daryl from Stewords Riverboat for showing us around. We are truly humbled by the warm hospitality that we received. If you’re planning a visit any time soon, do take note that the operating hours are from Tuesdays to Sundays [6-10pm]. Reservations are highly recommended and you can drop them a line at 6278-5775.

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The Outrageous McDonald’s Hello Kitty Promotion

To be really honest, I ain’t a fan of Hello Kitty and last year, when McDonald’s launched their McDonaldland Hello Kitty Plushies, the campaign did not really cause as much stir as this year’s Hello Kitty Fairy Tales.

Just how big was the hoo-hah yesterday and today?

It’s really big!

Yesterday, Jacqueline and I were in our car driving from one end of Singapore to the other end and all over the island, there were long queues of people waiting to lay their hands on the Hello Kitty Plushies. When we were at the King Albert Park McDonald’s Outlet; two Police Patrol Cars, 1 Traffic Police [TP] Bike, and 1 Land Transport Authority [LTA] Officer Bike were deployed to manage the chaotic traffic conditions at the drive-thru and this wasn’t the only isolated case that happened. In fact, it occurred at other McDonald’s drive-thru at Kallang, East Coast Park, Ang Mo Kio Park, and many more. The Police were even called in to manage disputes by the customers and that’s only one part of the problem. What happens then if there are emergencies that needs immediate attention and most of the resources have been used to attend to these minor cases?

The other problem is, why did McDonald’s allow customers to purchase 4 Hello Kitty Plushies instead of limiting it to just 1 per person? If the Singing Bone Hello Kitty Plushie is indeed a limited edition, then shouldn’t McDonald’s restrict it to 1 plushie per person so that more people could have the chance of owning it? What exactly is the rationale for allowing customers to purchase 4 Hello Kitty Plushies if it is a limited edition? While I do understand that there will be people buying on behalf of their family members and friends, it would have been better if they could just limit it to 2 plushies per person or even just limit it to 1 plushie per person so that there won’t be people taking advantage of this situation and reselling the plushies.

To McDonald’s Singapore:

All across the island, there were many people queueing up to get the Singing Bone Hello Kitty Plushies and the motives of the people were aplenty. Some of those people queuing up are genuine Hello Kitty fans and some of them could be fathers queueing up to get the plushies for their children; brothers queueing up to get the plushies for their sisters; boyfriends queueing up to get the plushies for their girlfriends; husbands queueing up to get the plushies for their wives; and whatever the motives were, I am very sure that they were doing it just to put a smile on the faces of their children, sisters, girlfriends, wives, or loved ones.

However, it is really saddening to see and hear that there are quite a number of people out there whom are trying to take advantage of the Hello Kitty Fairy Tales Promotion and gain some quick profits from it. Resellers are now selling the Hello Kitty Plushies for an exorbitant price and it is really disgusting how some people try to make a profit out of this seemingly harmless Hello Kitty campaign that you have rolled out. I really believe more could have been done to minimise the damage and it would have been better if you could increase your supplies of the Singing Bone Hello Kitty Plushies. Even though you may have brought in 40% more plushies this year as compared to previous years, the fact that you allowed each customer to purchase 4 plushies per transaction doesn’t help to alleviate the situation.

Together with other genuine Hello Kitty collectors, I am crossing my fingers and hoping that you will have a re-launch of the Singing Bone Hello Kitty plushies so that those who did not have the opportunity to own it will be able to make their collections complete. I sincerely hope that you will look into this matter and consider to re-launch the Singing Bone Hello Kitty Plushies so that it will both be a win-win situation for McDonald’s and genuine Hello Kitty collectors. Afterall, I’m pretty sure Ronald McDonald would want to put a smile on everyone’s face.

To Hello Kitty Fans:

I am not a Hello Kitty Fan but I’m an avid collector of plushies. Like you, my aim was to have a complete set of Hello Kitty Plushies so that I could display it at home but now, it looks like I have to buy it from other sources instead of sitting down at McDonald’s to enjoy a satisfying meal.

I’m hoping that McDonald’s will re-launch the Singing Bone Hello Kitty Plushies so that the rest of us could own it and make our collections complete. While I know how disappointed and upset some of you might be, please don’t be a fool and let those resellers rip you off your hard earned money. Rather, let the craze and buzz die down first and then the price will eventually normalise. From what I see, there are definitely more supplies of the Singing Bone Hello Kitty Plushies than genuine Hello Kitty collectors so if let’s say McDonald’s does indeed have a re-launch, the supplies that the resellers are hoarding onto will definitely drop in value.

Also, if you see resellers selling you the Singing Bone Hello Kitty Plushies for more than $20, please let it go. Right now, what all of us really need is a time-out so that we don’t let our minds be clouded. When the dust has more or less settled down, things will become clearer and you will be able to act rationally and not impulsively.

To add on, some of you might see that the Singing Bone Hello Kitty Plushies have been put up on bidding sites and in case you’re wondering why would anyone bid for the the Singing Bone Hello Kitty Plushies at such a high price, there are people actually rigging the system by having their own friends bidding for it. Hence, please don’t bid or buy the Singing Bone Hello Kitty Plushies for such an exorbitant price.

On a lighter note, there are sources selling the Singing Bone Hello Kitty Plushies for less than $10 but it will take some time for it to arrive in Singapore. Since we are genuine Hello Kitty collectors, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t mind waiting as good stuffs are definitely worth waiting for. So, once you get your Singing Bone Hello Kitty Plushies, all those resellers will have no place to sell the Singing Bone Hello Kitty Plushies and they would have wasted their time, money, energy, and effort for being so greedy and kiasu. When that day comes, its your turn to stand there and laugh at the resellers.

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