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A Trip to PasarBella @ The Grandstand [formerly Turf City]

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It was my virgin trip to PasarBella and it was Jacqueline’s second time.
Having saw the awesome photographs that were taken by Jacqueline during her first trip to PasarBella, I told her that I must check it out for myself and try some of the food over there!

So, when we were there, my first mission was to conquer Oceans of Seafood and guess what I had over there?

Yes, you probably got it right! Oysters!

Oceans of Seafood was selling two types of oysters; the Canadian Fanny Bay Oysters and the Australian Coffin Bay Oysters. Both types of oysters were selling at $16 for half a dozen and $32 for a dozen. So, to get the best of both worlds, I requested for half a dozen of oysters where I had 3 Canadian Fanny Bay Oysters and 3 Australian Coffin Bay Oysters.

Canadian Fanny Bay Oysters

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

Australian Coffin Bay Oysters

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

The oysters were really fresh and I found the Australian Coffin Bay Oysters to be rather creamy. But that doesn’t mean the Canadian Fanny Bay Oysters weren’t good. In fact, I kinda like both of them so much that I wanted to order half a dozen more but was stopped by Jacqueline.

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

Since Jacqueline ain’t a fan of oysters, she opted for a more safer option by going for the prawns which were served with baby carrots, sweet corn, and smoke salmon with mayonnaise sauce.

Can you see that the prawns formed a nice heart shape?

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

Have a prawn on me!

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

Personally, I really like Oceans of Seafood for their fresh seafood and when I need to have my cravings for oysters fixed, you probably will know where to find me.

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

Following which, we went to check out Merchants at PasarBella and we had the pleasure of meeting Ainslie, whom is the General Manager.

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

Merchants offers an exciting and diverse range of award winning wines produced by small, boutique winemakers whom are mainly from Australia.

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

To top it off, the interesting collection of wines from Merchants are usually not found in other wine stores and they are shipped directly from the vineyards to Singapore. Since there’s no middlemen involved, you can be rest assured that you’re getting premium quality wines at rock bottom prices.

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

Searching for a particular bottle of wine at Merchants is really a breeze because the wines have all been neatly organised by their grape types. This certainly reminded me of the time I’ve spent at Shatec Institutes where we learnt about wine and had to take on the role of a wine sommelier.

Bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

Bottles of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

I even had the opportunity to taste a glass of wine and I really enjoyed the fruitiness and smoothness of the wine.

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

Sharing a light-hearted moment with Ainslie.

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

If you’re at PasarBella and you just want a nice place to sip a glass of wine and chill-out, Merchants even has got a small little cosy corner prepared just for you.

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

To find out more about Merchants and their latest wine-tasting workshops, do check out Merchants’ Facebook Page and join their Wine Club as well! In fact, some of Merchants’ winemakers will fly halfway around the world to host regular ‘pop-up’ cellar doors at PasarBella!

For some light desserts, we headed to Bonheur Patisserie to get some macarons and we bought the salted caramel macaron and the strawberry macaron.

Salted Caramel Macaron

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

Strawberry Macaron

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

Personally, I really like the macarons from Bonheur Patisserie because they are not overly sweet as what some stores are selling and the portion/serving size is just right for taking small savoury bites.

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

While hunting around for some unique and awesome stuffs at PasarBella, we chanced upon Dottinghill and we were so in loved with their temporary tattoos! They had all sorts of interesting designs and the quality is really superb. For myself, I gotten a fierce-looking wolf tattoo for only $6 and it looks extremely real! I even saw a Father and Son getting the wolf tattoo and it’s really so cool!

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

If you’re into body art and you prefer not to permanently ink yourself, the temporary tattoos from Dottinghill is something that you must check out! To see more designs that Dottinghill has, you can visit Dottinghill’s Website or Dottinghill’s Facebook Page!

Our last stop at PasarBella was Le Patio and it’s rustic simplicity and homely fare is a guaranteed sensory explosion of taste, sight and smell.

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

Want to make a guess what is underneath the aluminium foil?

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

Ta-dah! It’s Le Patio’s very own Seafood Paella

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

It wasn’t our first time having Paella and it was first introduced to us by our Church friend, Jacqueline [yes, another Jacqueline whom shares the same name as Jacqueline, my Fiancée]. As our first experience with Paella was a pleasant one, we just had to give Le Patio’s Seafood Paella a try.

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

Truly, Le Patio’s Seafood Paella is really tasty and we highly recommend it if you’re dropping by PasarBella. In case you’re wondering, a portion/box of Seafood Paella like this cost $11.90 and it’s really worth it! And if you don’t know what Paella is, it is a Valencian rice dish that originated in its modern form in the mid-19th century near lake Albufera, a lagoon in Valencia, on the east coast of Spain.

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

We also had the French crepes from Le Patio and it was equally yummy as we had it spread with Nutella.

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

A closer look at Le Patio’s menu.

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

For more information and updates about Le Patio, do check out and like Le Patio’s Facebook Page!

Well, it was overall an enjoyable time at PasarBella and we will definitely make it a point to drop by more often as there are many things that we have yet to uncover and try.

Till then, here’s us signing off but before we end, we have an announcement to make!

Our Lifestyle Blog- A Winsome Life, is currently one of the top 10 finalists for Best Lifestyle Blog in the Singapore Blog Awards 2013. As we don’t really like to canvass for votes due to the really tiresome process, may we make a small little request that you vote for us so that we can stand a chance to grab the Best Lifestyle Blog Award?

Every voter can vote at least once a day till the 23rd of June 2013 and to reward you for voting, you might stand a chance to be one of the 5 lucky winners to walk away with either the JBL Charge Stereo Speaker worth $249 or the JBL Flip Stereo Speaker worth $195, all of which are kindly sponsored by JBL.

The competition is really stiff and every vote counts. We at A Winsome Life are counting on you to help us realise our dream of becoming Singapore’s Best Lifestyle Blog! Help us make it happen! 😀

To vote for us, simply register yourself as a voter via the following link: http://sgblogawards.omy.sg/2013/register/

After which, click on Categories followed by Nanyang Optical Best Lifestyle Blog and then vote for us!

From PasarBella 2013- Part 2

It’s really simple and when you have voted for us, please drop us a note on our Facebook Page or comment on this blog post so that we can get in touch with you and personally thank you for supporting us! Cheers!

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Pasarbella- The First Multi-Sensory Grocery Shopping Destination in Singapore

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When I was a young boy, shopping for groceries at the wet market with my mum was a rather dreaded affair and I dislike the weird fishy and meaty smell at the wet market. Now, with supermarkets and hypermarkets springing up like nobody’s business, the wet market is slowly becoming extinct and groceries shopping at the supermarkets/hypermarkets has become somewhat a robotic and systematic process that there’s hardly any form of enjoyment.
I have to say this, though I dislike the wet market, I do miss those times that I spent with my mum at the wet market just looking, touching, and smelling, the vegetables, fish, meat, and fruits. The produce at the wet market are definitely the freshest and honestly, you don’t really know how fresh the produce at the supermarkets/hypermarkets are because for all you know, they might have been on the shelves for days and moreover, those with cheap price tags are usually the ones that are near the expiration date.

Well, if you share similar sentiments, here’s some good news.

Just last week, Jacqueline took some time off with her family to visit PasarBella, the first multi-sensory grocery shopping destination in Singapore and it sure looks exciting after seeing the more than 300+ photos that she took.

With over 30,000 square feet of market space housing more than 30 unique stalls from around the world, PasarBella is the embodiment of its namesake, which is derived from the local term for ‘market’, and the Italian term ‘beautiful’.

From Parsabella 2013

PasarBella was conceived by the founders’ dreams to provide a one-stop food and lifestyle experience, all under the same roof and it was inspired by the sights, scents, and vibes of other global markets that the founders sought to offer a similar experience here in Singapore.

Housed within a warm community-based environment, PasarBella encompasses a seafood market, meat, dairy, fresh produce, wines and craft beers, global cuisines and personal services.

From Parsabella 2013

Because there are more than 30 over unique stalls at PasarBella, we are only going to introduce 10 stores that you absolutely must visit when you’re there.

1). Oceans of Seafood

From Parsabella 2013

Oceans of Seafood pride themselves in providing seafood of the highest quality at affordable prices and it is especially evident from the photos that Jacqueline took.

Fresh Seafood from Oceans of Seafood

From Parsabella 2013
From Parsabella 2013

Yummy Fresh Oysters!

From Parsabella 2013

A Gigantic Fish Head Selling at Oceans of Seafood

From Parsabella 2013

Oceans of Seafood has two restaurants at PasarBella and they serve Japanese and Western cuisine. From fresh sashimi to boiled lobster in butter sauce, Oceans of Seafood is no doubt the best place for high quality and value-for-money seafood. For more information about Oceans of Seafood, do check out their Facebook Page.

2). Charly T’s

Famous for their “Best in the City” signature rotisserie chicken and wallet-friendly prices, Charly T’s serves comfort food from around the world that are prepared with the freshest local ingredients.

From Parsabella 2013

The secret behind their rotisserie chicken, which is crisp on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside – lies in the freshness of the ingredients used, along with a signature preparation method. You might be surprised to know that all Charly T’s chickens are marinated for 13 hours, before being slow-cooked rotisserie-style. Seriously, their rotisserie chicken is a MUST TRY!

From Parsabella 2013

For more information and updates about Charly T’s, do check out their Facebook Page.

3). The Cheese Ark

What is so special about The Cheese Ark is that they gather rare cheese from cheesemakers who belong to the Slow Food Presidia that protects unique regions and ecosystems, and recovers traditional methods that are at risk of disappearing.

From Parsabella 2013

I know this sounds cheesy but these are more than just artisanal cheese, these are cheese that are about to be extinct.

From Parsabella 2013

If you’re a cheese-lover and you’re passionate about cheese, head down to The Cheese Ark and have a taste of the rare authentic cheese they offer. For more information and updates about The Cheese Ark, do check out their Facebook Page.

4). Bella Bakery

Get away from the stress of urban living and step into a little space of your own where you can enjoy a comforting and simple meal with an authentic European ambience with Bella Bakery.

From Parsabella 2013

Along with the rustic and laidback stall ambience, Bella Bakery offers a wide variety of freshly baked loaves, muffins and croissants in the traditional European style. Unfortunately, we don’t have much information about Bella Bakery but if there’s anything you must try, it has got to be their croissants!

From Parsabella 2013
From Parsabella 2013
From Parsabella 2013

5). The Great Beer Experiment

The Great Beer Experiment is not just another craft beer venue but it is also a playground which promises to “Tickle, Test and Tempt” all palates and preferences.

From Parsabella 2013

At The Great Beer Experiment, you can tickle and tempt your palate with new and limited-edition craft beers from around the world or partake in the Food & Beer Pairing Trails which takes you across the market.

From Parsabella 2013

Check out the different kinds of beers The Great Beer Experiment has!

From Parsabella 2013
From Parsabella 2013
From Parsabella 2013
From Parsabella 2013

Personally, I really like The Great Beer Experiment because it’s a really nice place for chilling out and furthermore, an assortment of beers from all over the world is available here. I’m pretty sure beer lovers would love this place as much as I do. For more information and updates about The Great Beer Experiment, do check out their Facebook Page!

6). Little Provence

From Parsabella 2013

Little Provence specializes in importing, distributing, and retailing Singapore gourmet products and wines from Provence, a place well known for its quality of life, savoury food, and wine. In case you’re wondering where Provence is, it is located in southeastern France and with Little Provence at PasarBella, you don’t have to buy a ticket and fly 14 hours to France just to have a slice of Provence!

The food product range from Little Provence encompasses a wide choice of tapenades, olive oils, vinegars, truffles, artisanal jams, chocolates, and lavender products.

From Parsabella 2013
From Parsabella 2013
From Parsabella 2013

To taste, experience, understand, and enjoy the wonderful products and the spirit of the Provence way of life, head down to Little Provence at PasarBella! For more information about what Little Provence has to offer, do check out their website.

7). Tangy Tangerines

From Parsabella 2013

Tangy Tangerines combines the highest quality fresh fruits with personalised service that has always been offered by their family grocers of yesteryear. At Tangy Tangerines, you can get the widest range of hand-picked fruits that are reasonably priced. Whether it is tropical fruits or seasonal fruits, you definitely can find it at Tangy Tangerines.

For more information and updates about Tangy Tangerines, do check out their Facebook Page.

From Parsabella 2013

8). The Organic Grocer

From Parsabella 2013

The Organic Grocer has a wide variety of organic and natural products ranging from fresh organic produce and meats, wild caught seafood, to dairy products and cooking essentials. For all things organic, The Organic Grocer is the place!

From Parsabella 2013
From Parsabella 2013
From Parsabella 2013

They even have organic cotton bodysuit for babies!

From Parsabella 2013

With over 1000 products to offer, pick up a basket and start shopping at The Organic Grocer!

For more information, do check out The Organic Grocer’s Website for more details.

9). The 1872 Clipper Tea Co.

From Parsabella 2013

The 1872 Clipper Tea Co. was started with the original intention of elevating tea beyond a standard beverage to a special gift item meant for loved ones. They have an interesting selection of gift teas and tea accessories that will definitely delight your tea-loving friends.

From Parsabella 2013
From Parsabella 2013

The 1872 Clipper Tea Co. also has a “Tea Indulgence Corner” where you can sample and experience the flavours and freshness of The 1872 Clipper Teas.

From Parsabella 2013

If you’re a tea-lover or you’re planning to get gifts for a tea-loving friend, you might want to check out The 1872 Clipper Tea Co. at PasarBella. For more information, you can check out The 1872 Clipper Tea Co. Website for more details.

10). Bonheur Patisserie

From Parsabella 2013

Bonheur [bo-nur; Fr. baw-nœr] in French means Happiness and Patisserie [puh-tis-uh-ree; Fr. pah-teesuh-ree] in French means a Confectionery. At PasarBella, Bonheur Patisserie presents 30 different macaron flavours ranging from Classical, Asian and Fusion flavours.

From Parsabella 2013
From Parsabella 2013

Here are some really tempting-licious cakes by Bonheur Patisserie

From Parsabella 2013
From Parsabella 2013

What is interesting to note is that Bonheur Patisserie has a pastry cafe at 70 Duxton Road and they also specialise in customized orders for special occasions such as weddings, engagement parties, birthdays, or anniversaries.

For more information, do check out Bonheur Patisserie’s Website.

——————–

So, there you go! We have shortlisted 10 unique stores at PasarBella for you to check out and if you’re wondering how you can get there and what are the operating hours, do read on!

Operating Hours:

Rain or shine, PasarBella’s doors are open for business seven days a week, every week except on selected public holidays. Although some stalls will stay open till 10pm, it is better to call and check because the stalls have the autonomy to set their own operating hours.

With that being said, 9:30am to 7:00pm would be the general operating hours.

How to Get There:

From Parsabella 2013

PasarBella is located at The Grandstand (formerly Turf City), which sits right in the heart of Bukit Timah. Easily accessible by car or public transport, there is also the added convenience of FREE PARKING on-site.

If you’re travelling by Bus:
You can take the following bus services number: 66, 67, 74, 151, 154, 157, 170, 171 and 174. You will then alight at the bus stop opposite Sixth Avenue Centre or the bus stop after Swiss Club Road.

If you’re travelling by MRT:
The nearest MRT stations are Farrer Road, Holland Village and Botanic Gardens.

If you’re planning to take the shuttle bus:
You can take the FREE shuttle bus services that are available daily at designated bus stops such as Newton MRT (B40181), Botanic Gardens MRT (B41021), and Toa Payoh MRT (B52189).

If you’re travelling by car, key the following address into your GPS System:
200 Turf Club Road Singapore 287994

If you have any questions pertaining to PasarBella, you can contact their general hotline number at +65 6887 0077

Groceries shopping has never been so fun and entertaining, so bring your family members and friends down to PasarBella for a happy and fun time of groceries shopping! Cheers!

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