Lunch at Kotobuki Japanese Restaurant @ One Raffles Place

1 Raffles Place #04-48, One Raffles Singapore 048616

Tel: 6536 9488

Website: http://www.kotobuki.com.sg

I finally got to catch up with *N after so long, and ironically we went to a Japanese Restaurant (for the first time) near my workplace only to discover that they have a branch near our places of residence as well. Anyway, the selected venue was Kotobuki Japanese Restaurant, furnished in good old Japanese fashion.

I started with a Hot Yuzu Tea (SGD$5.00), something that is an all-time favorite.

For mains, a bowl of Miso Soup is served alongside the noodle or rice dish, a good start to cleanse and prep the palate.

*N chose the Yaki Udon (SGD$14.00), also known as pan-fried udon noodles, laden with shrimps and omelet; fried in good texture so that the udon noodles remained springy and well-oiled yet not greasy. Flavour was absolute, hence bringing surprise to the fact that such a deceptively-looking dish could be that tasty. No wonder the Japanese lady sitting beside *N also ordered the same item.

I decided to go for the Sashimi Don (SGD$24.00), assorted raw fish in rice bowl.  I love the bouncy, juicy and chewy thick slices of seafood here. Nothing perks my day more than a good mix of sashimi that retains its textures and entices the eater with its pristine flavour.  The serving was generous and I appreciated that as well.

Lunch at Mediterranean Thai Restaurant @ Paya Lebar Square

60 Paya Lebar Road #02-13 / 14 Paya Lebar Square, Singapore 409051

Tel: 6341 6924

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paya-Lebar-Square-Mediterranean-Thai/420390908114992

It was time for group lunch with some of the sweetest people I know; they gathered up within short notice, and we decided to head for Mediterranean Thai Restaurant, which also ironically serves Western cuisine such as pasta, as well as Viet dishes - so I would think of it as a fusion restaurant.

There were 8 of us, so we ordered some dishes to share. One of the starters was the Vietnamese Spring Rolls or Rice Paper Rolls, filled with crabmeat in lieu of shrimps, and vegetables, carrots, radish etc. It was quite tasty, especially when dipped into the chilli sauce on the side.

Next, the Thai Mango Salad - slivers of thinly-cut raw mango cooked in a delicious spicy gravy, complementing its sour flavor deliciously, definitely a good starter to "open up" the gastric.

We also had the Clear Tomyum Soup, served in a hotpot so it was kept piping hot. The soup was spicy and resplendent of tomyum's tarty hints. Accumulated flavours from the mushrooms and seafood made this soup dish extremely good.

Deep-fried battered Ipomoea Aquatica (or better known as "kangkong") was served after that. It's a light, crispy dish that that teeth finds delightful but tastebuds find bland. Worry not - the dip on the side does wonder at flavours-enhancement.

Following that, we had Deep Fried Spring Rolls, crispy on the outside with a lovely interior filled with minced pork meat. This dish was sumptuous on its own even without the dips.

Curry Chicken with good-textured gravy (not too thick or watery) made up the next dish, strong taste and aroma of curry, as well as tender pieces of chicken meat. It was one of the favorite dishes among us that day.

The final savoury dish we had was the Fried Glass Noodles - one of those dishes that looks deceptively plain but surprises the palate with its tasty-ness.  There were vegetables, tomatoes, beansprouts, egg and a little chicken meat amongst this fried dish, forming mouthfuls of delicacy for the eaters.

Dessert time was up. We had the Red Ruby - cubes of sweetened sugared cubes with coconut milk, a cold and refreshing finale to a heavier-flavoured meal.

Finally, Mango Sticky Rice dessert - very tiny portion of glutinous rice beneath the fresh juicy mangoes, adding some bites to the soft, sweet fruits slathered with coconut milk.

Overall, it was a hearty and satisfying meal. Eight of us spent around SGD$112.00, making this meal utterly affordable.

Dr. Young Skincare Reviews and Giveaways

Dr. Young is an award-winning Korean skincare brand with a wide range of products for all skin types, targeted at cleansing, moisturizing to treating problem or aging skin. I bought one of their hydrating gel creams from Sasa before - a refreshing, cooling gel with light texture - hence I am rather familar with their products (at least that one).

Hence, during an event and giveaways session at Raffles Place, I was quite excited to try their other ranges of products. There were 3 samples being given to us.

If you would like to win 3 FREE Dr. Young products, simply post "Before" and "After" photos on your Instagram account, with the tags #DrYoungPTS and #DrYoungSG.

The next giveaway is equally simple - just write reviews of the products on Dr. Young's Facebook page (here) and stand to win full-sized products - simple as that.

The samples of the day comprised of  Dr. Young's  Camellia's Deep Cleansing Form, Pore Tightening Serum and Triple Action BB Cream.

REVIEW ON DR. YOUNG'S CAMELLIA DEEP CLEANSING FOAM

Formulated with organic lemon balm, rose Vitamin C and flower complex, this bubbly-foamy cleanser helps to exfoliate the old tissues, refreshing skin and letting it appear pure & bright.

The cleanser is cooling on the palms, feeling a little like clay in texture but smoother. When lathered and applied to the face, one could immediately feel the "cleansed" difference - no residue left, no grease, but a sparkling clean feel. I don't know how to describe it, one has to try it to understand the feeling. It leaves face feeling well-cleansed and fresh.

At SGD$30.90 for a 150ml tube, I am definitely going to get the full-sized tube.

REVIEW ON DR. YOUNG'S PORE TIGHTENING SERUM

Comprising of biobenefity, marine collagen, rosewater, Phyto-Astringent and Betaine, this pore care serum is supposed to offer all the benefits of tightening pores, keeping skin moisturised and supplying elasticity to the skin.  The full-sized product goes for SGD$40.90 for 40ml.

The texture is light, like gel cream, and goes on silkily over the face. I did feel a little penetration of hydration, but there wasn't any visible or feel-able tightness. In fact, I received comments that my skin looked dry on the days I wore this, so I guess it is not suitable for me.

REVIEW ON TRIPLE ACTION BB CREAM

Incorporating ingredients such as arbutin, licorice extract, adenosine and white flower complex,  this BB cream is formulated to provide whitening, coverage, anti-wrinkle and resolve damaged skin. It is alcohol-free, unscented and comes with SPF 33 for extra protection. At SGD$30.90 for a 30ml of full-sized tube, this product is inexpensive.

The texture is a tad too rich in my humble opinion, creamy and runs the risk of cakey-ness if not careful with application. It coats the skin (can be felt rather distinctively), so please use a thin layer first. After smoothening over with loose powder, it does look good - skin looks ever so slightly plumped and radiant.

For more information on their products and ingredients, please visit Dr. Young's website here.

Dinner at Osahime Sushi Bar & Restaurant

50 Market Street #01-25 / 26 Golden Shoe Market, Singapore 048940

Tel: 6227 0331

Website: http://www.osahime.com.sg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Osahime-Japanese-Restaurant/161628180540337

It was the week I was scheduled to have at least one Japanese meal a day, making me a very happy person. Tonight’s venue was Osahime Sushi Bar and Restaurant.

It is one of those restaurants that I always passed by but never stepped in till tonight, suggested by *Edwin.  So, dinner comprised of him, and a long-lost buddy *Chris.   While the daytime crowd was overwhelming, the nighttime crowd was pathetic, with barely more than 5 tables occupied at any point in time.

They used to serve a good ala carte buffet for dinner, which was why we had gathered here, but it turned out that their website has not been updated for a while. Since we were here, we decided to just stick with the place.

Between choosing a bento set each and ordering different items for sharing, we went for the latter. Mercifully,  all three of us are Jap-food lovers and we eat almost everything, so it was easy when it came to ordering.

The first item that was served was the Enoki (golden mushroom) that was cooked in a very rich broth that had a buttery flavor with a slight hint of garlic. The mushroom was cooked soft but still chewy; and drenched in the gravy it was squishy the moment the teeth clamped down on it, so it was a splendid starter.

The next starter was Buta Kakuni (pork belly) – the fatty layers were buoyant in a delicious way, melting readily upon contact with the palate; the flesh was utterly tender in texture. When eaten together, the combination of the two different textures came together in a lovely gastro-symphony that lingered in the mind long after the dish has been devoured.

Soft Shell Crab tempura – deep fried battered crab – was up next. Fresh crab and light batter always make a difference to this dish, and the soft shell crab tempura here definitely possessed these two qualities. Every bite was light and crisp, a delight to be had.

Following that, the Deluxe Sashimi Platter (SGD$100.00) that was being served on a tray shaped like a boat, comprising of salmon sashimi, tuna belly sashimi, shrimp sashimi, swordfish sashimi etc. The sashimi slices were all thick and bouncy, showing off their freshness and relying on their natural freshness for flavor.  This was incredibly good, especially the shrimp that dissolved in the mouth seductively.

Fish Head came next, a very sizable one at that!  As expected, the cheeks area were utterly tender and smooth, sailing through the palate like a dream. The fish was fresh and sweet of fish's natural flavor; the flesh was abundant amidst the large pieces of bones which was rather surprising.

Finally, a Teriyaki Chicken dish, where the skin still bears the very hint of crisp and chicken meat is fine and succulent. The sauce was superb, infusing into the meat deliciously, making this the perfect finale for the meal.

There was also free-flow of Japanese Green Tea and my Umeshu (SGD$8.00) that accompanied us throughout lovely dinner and catching up session.

The total bill for three of us was a mere SGD$177.00, because there is a 20% discount for dinner here. It is very reasonable, bearing in mind that our sashimi platter alone already cost SGD$100.00, and I had 2 Umeshu drinks.   I would definitely love to come back here to eat, especially when it is so serene at night and my workplace is in the vicinity.

Dark Room, Golden Drapes, Stifling Silence

Entering the doors only to catch the last glimpse of the setting sun, before the night was plunged into utter darkness. The orange-pink streaks across the skies now look like angry scars across the sky's darkening skin, draped over the world robbing it of all colours. The memories are invading my personal space, parting through the deafening silence to penetrate my being ever so gently....

Photosource: http://www.remodelista.com/posts/a-glamorous-hollywood-dressing-room-from-the-desk-of-lola

And I clutch the golden silk drapes across the open windows,
Palms and fists holding the smooth, cool drapes tightly,
Clutching them as though it were my very own heart -

Can't breathe, the pain of missing what's no longer around,
Can't think, as the darkness looms heavily over me,
Can't feel, as the warm tears sweep across pale skin.

The room that we used to spin around on moods that were light,
The hall that hurtful words and debris of vases filled on other nights,
The antique clock that never failed to chime every sixty minutes.

The moon has risen to watch over me, to watch this tragedy,
Slowly unfolding with the final strains of our favourite songs;
Mayhaps the night is silently mocking me, mocking us -

On this night so dramatic, terrifying; making the world so huge,
Magnifying the lines that hold the earth intact,
Pushing back the boundaries of the lonely planet -

Making it frightening to even miss you, or the memories,
Every deep breath hits my chest painfully,
This is not the night to think of those who no longer reside here...

And just as I'd imagined, your footsteps were heavy and steady on the wood-panelled floorboards, walking towards me, coming in my direction. The breezes part the golden drapes to let in more moonlight, painting a part of the dark world colourful; and then the footfalls stopped. I did not even know when they'd stopped, or why, but the house, vast as it is, seems to close in on me now - the walls are inching in closer, my breath is coming in shorter and faster gasps -

In the distance, the full moon looks on through the open windows, my golden silken drapes fluttering on its sides, like the beautiful face of a lady with golden tresses; it was almost mesmerizing.

Then it all became black....

copyright © thearcticstar 2015. All Rights Reserved

Inspired by the song "One More Time" by Laura Pausini 

Lunch at Yan Ting Restaurant @ St. Regis

29 Tanglin Road, Level 1U,  The St. Regis Singapore, Singapore 247911

Tel:  6506 6887

Website: http://www.yantingrestaurant.com

Been wanting to dine at The St. Regis for a while, but the plans were forgotten because too many newer eateries have popped up. Recently, a friend mentioned her dimsum lunch at Yan Ting Restaurant, reminding me that yes, I still have this restaurant pending on the gastronomical bucket list. So what better time to dine here than my birthday lunch with the family?

Located at such a luxurious hotel, one could not help but anticipate dining here in these plush settings. But first, we were all attracted to the display of takeaway desserts situated at the main entrance of Yan Ting Restaurant - the honeycomb cakes and water chestnut cakes looked very tempting.

The interior decor was all gilt and mirrors, with some frosted glass panels and fine paintings adorning the walls. There was nothing short of a touch of class and sophistication with the drapes and muted but tasteful tones of the restaurant.

Yan Ting Restaurant serves Chinese fine dining cuisine strongly inspired by the authentic Ming Dynasty, when authentic Chinese culinary art flourished. They have an exquisite menu specially designed and crafted by their new Executive Chinese Chef, Tony Wun.  It was Easter Sunday but the restaurant was packed with diners.

We came for their Dimsum, so our first item was their Crispy BBQ Pork Buns (SGD$6.00 for 3) - there were 5 of us and we ordered 3 to start. We liked it enough to order another set of these crispy pork buns with crusty skin that melted in the mouth; the honeyed BBQ pork were tender and sweet, filling up these crusty shells deliciously.

Next, Radish Pastry (SGD$7.00 for 3 rolls) were one of our favorites as well, so we had a second order for this as well. Imagine flakey skin with softly sweet flavor melting away to refreshing bites of radish slivers, no less or more sweeter than its lovely crusts.

Then we had the Glutinous Rice in Leaves aka Rice Dumplings (SGD$18.00 for 3) - which was the exactly the latter in form and printed on the receipt, even though I was sure I'd ordered the former from the menu. Anyway, it did not disappoint at all - the rice was well cooked so that it was soft but still chewy in texture, and the simple ingredients of salted egg yolk, dried shrimps and meat made the tiny dumplings ridiculously tasty.

Following that, we were served the Cheong Fun (SGD$10.00) with BBQ Pork - you can have the choice of scallops, shrimps and something else I cannot recall. The rice rolls were relatively smooth and the bbq pork quite succulent, but sorry to say that I have had better chee cheong fun at other places.

Moving on, we had Meat Dumplings with Abalone (SGD$9.00 for 3), or better known as "Siew Mai". The abalone was steamed soft and tender, very easy to bite - even the mom approves. The shrimp within the dumpling was very fresh and bouncy, however I did not like the meat. Instead of the usual minced meat, the meat in the siew mai here seemed to be in pieces, and were hard, with a distinctive porky taste that was not pleasant in my opinion.

The next item we had was the Spare Ribs (SGD$6.00) with a decidedly light-flavored sauce. The portion was rather generous but the meat was taut rather than tender.

Then came the Shrimp Dumplings (SGD$9.00 for 3) - juicy prawns with buoyancy in texture once the teeth bites through the thin veil of the dumpling skin. This was definitely a palate pleaser.

After that, we got to enjoy some really good Egg Yolk Buns (SGD$6.00 for 3), more commonly known as "Liu Sha Bao" - small little darlings oozing perfectly warm and delicious salted egg yolk like golden syrup, a unique blend of sweet-saltiness draping luxiously across the tongue like a dream.

The next item another remarkable favorite of mine - the Goose Liver Spring Rolls (SGD$14.00 for 3) - crackling on the exterior and scrumptious on the inside. If you love foie gras, this is just the thing for you - goose liver amongst slivers of vegetables, perfectly paired in texture and flavours.

Following on the heels of the spring rolls were the Chicken Claws (SGD$6.00 for 3) - one could never get enough of plump, juicy chicken feet that are cooked with thick bean paste gravy.

Next up, the Pan Fried Radish Cake with XO Sauce (SGD$10.00) - these deceptively-simple looking cubes were ridiculously palatable and very rich in taste, not sure if it is due to the infusion of XO sauce or the fact that radish was used in lieu of the usual carrots. Every cube was soft, with distinctive taste of radish, dark soy sauce and XO hints - full as we were, we still fought for these irresistable delicacies.

Finally, the one item we managed to squeeze space in our abdomens for - Red Bean Cakes (SGD$8.00 for 3), or known as "3-layers cakes" as recommended by the service crew. The first layer is Osmanthus, then Coconut in the middle, sitting atop Red Bean which is the bottommost layer - the cooling and refreshing dessert was utterly endearing. They were not too sweet, adding just the right touch of soothe to the palate after an engaging savoury meal (yes, the dimsum managed to engage the senses overall).

The only tiny little complaint we had about the place is that our pot of Pu-Er tea was SGD$20.00 in total, but then again this is St. Regis, and I believe they use quality tea (hopefully).

We left the beautiful place suitably pleased - the dimsum items were dainty in size so we could try more variety, some of the items were rather exotic and sumptuous, and the service was excellent. The price was very reasonable as well- SGD$150.00 (after 15% Starwood Group membership discount) for 5 of us.  Here are some ending shots of the sleek settings.