[Review] Online Durian Delivery?! LEGIT OR NOT?!

Attention to all durian lovers out there: RED ALERT. 

Just be warned. This post is not for the faint-hearted.

I am a mega HUGE, HUMUNGOUS, GIGANTIC fan of durians.
(Yes, I am those kind that will wait for durian seasons to enjoy the great taste of durians. I am sure fellow durian lovers can relate to this, right?!)

When I had the opportunity to review durians from Durian Delivery, it got me really excited and hyped.

Initially, I was very surprised - I have been very much of a shopaholic online and would often shop for products ranging from beauty items, houseware, etc .... And never have I imagined that one can even shop for DURIANS now. 

The first thing that caught my attention was their line stated on the website
"Freshly plucked durians delivered straight from the farm"

What impressed me most is the source of their durians.
As stated on their page: (You may feel free to head down to their website to understand more about the origins of their durians, too)

"Our trucks coming from Malaysia are a dedicated durian delivery fleet. These drivers are trained to pick up durians, and speed all the way down from our plantation to our packing area in Singapore with no other stops. While our drivers are driving at maximum speed, safety is of the utmost importance to us."

SOUNDS INTERESTING RIGHT?!?
It's like a direct source from the trees and into your mouth within hours.

(Note to the efficient drivers: But please do be careful on the road, okay?! While delivering fresh durians to customers are important, SAFETY first!!!)


After an arrangement with Durian Delivery, the durians were delivered straight to my doorstep at night.

They really did deliver at the fastest speed!

I was VERY impressed by the tightly-sealed packaging.

It has ZERO smell at all - Literally nothing.
To the extent that you can even place it in your bag safely without any tinge of smell at all.
Not a single worry that you won't be able to take public transport without smelling like a walking durian, too. 

After taking some photos, it's time to reveal the contents...

Once I tore open the seal, the STRONG fragrant scent of durians filled my whole 3-room flat with immediate effect.

Please do take note that ALL of my durian photos are totally UNFILTERED for utmost accuracy.



Here's a close-up:

POWER. POWER. POWER.

I touched the first small piece - The texture was kinda' firm (not soft and slimy type).

Time to take a bite.

(Pardon the bad shadow)

I am not trying to exaggerate here, but I almost SQUEALED with delight. 

I was expecting the durian to be hard, but to my utmost amazement.... It was SUPER (NOTE: SUPER, REALLY SUPPPPERRR!!!) soft, creamy and juicy at the same time once my teeth sank into it. 

I LITERALLY HAD GOOSEBUMPS.

It was an explosion of rich durian taste in my mouth - and I was struggling to find the exact adjective to describe how good it was. Being a durian lover who has tasted countless of durians before, I have to say that this is simply the definition of what a premium durian sensation is like.

The taste: -

I was greeted by a surge of sweetness during my first few bites, and the taste steadily transitioned to a tinge of bitterness, forming a pleasant bittersweet experience - Totally perfect for people like me who enjoy both the sensation of bitter and sweetness in durians.

Honestly, I am not going to see durians the same way again. I have known durians can taste good, but  this has far exceed my expectations by heaps and bounds. 

My dad isn't exactly a durian lover but his first bite took him by surprise, too. His first word was a simple "WAH" and he commented that this isn't the "typical" durian that he tasted before. 

The price may be a bit on the higher side ($27.90 for 400g) , but trust me - If you are a LEGIT durian lover, you will feel that this is really worthy once you've taken your first bite. Just ONE bite and you will have your verdict.

There is NO WAY... NO WAY that durian lovers will dismiss this.

If this isn't premium quality, I don't know what else is. Pardon me if I have to break into Singlish... but HIGH LEVEL THIS ONE AH.

There are many other varieties of durians on their website to suit different individual's taste, too, ranging at different prices!
(such as the normal Mao Shan Wang, Red Prawn, etc)

The ones that I had for this review were TSW durians. (Hand-picked Old Tree MSW durian!) 

You can read more about the durians HERE (I find it really captivating to read!)

You've been warned. 

All it takes is just to try it once for yourself to see the difference between them and the usual durians!

Other than their main website at Durian Delivery , They can be reachable via WhatsApp too at 93874394 or e-mail address at: admin@duriandelivery.com.sg 


THANK YOU, DURIAN DELIVERY! My durian season experience is made awesome because of you! :)

Updates on Chemical Peeling - June 2018

It has been a long time since my last update on my chemical peeling process.



And I am here to debunk some of the myths surrounding chemical peeling.

I've received enquiries about chemical peeling and I thought it would be good to address them here from my perspective! I do hope it will be helpful/useful to many out there who are having doubts of the procedure.



1) How long have you been doing chemical peeling? Are there any side effects?

Answer: I think I have been doing chemical peeling treatment for the past... 4 years?! You may refer to my posts over the years. And yes, I am still with Dr Tyng Tan Aesthetic and Hair Clinic. (Seriously, she has gotta be the most friendliest doctor around!).
As for side effects, there isn't any (based on my own personal opinion). The only "side effects" I've gotten were rosy cheeks right after the procedure with a slight burning sensation, which is completely  normal! (It means that the chemical peeling is working its magic on your skin!) And the sensation only lasted for a good old 10 minutes at most.

2) Is it painful during the procedure? Don't you feel any form of pain, ever?

Answer: No. Like what I've mentioned above, the only feeling I've felt was a slight prickly burning sensation. It is totally bearable for me (I don't have a very high pain threshold, by the way) So, don't worry at all!

3) Did you really experience your skin "falling off" after the procedure?

Answer: Now that sounds funny..  Haha. No, I did not experience any skin peeling after the procedure. I remembered there was once or twice I did see white-colored tiny scabs on my face, but they were so minimal that I was not sure if those were resulted from chemical peeling. Nonetheless, I did not really bother about it. However, results vary for individuals. If you happen to experience skin peeling, just don't touch or peel anything from your face!

4) Does it take a long time for the chemical peeling process?

Answer: No, it's VERY fast. Before you even realise it, you are pretty much done! It will be around 15 - 20 minutes. It won't take up much of your time, which is a bonus point for busy individuals! In addition, they go by appointment basis, so you will be allocated a time slot.

5) Is there anything that you have to avoid after the procedure?

Answer: I guess it's only the sunlight for the time being? But no worries even if you have to go out under the sun. Just apply ample sunblock! The lovely staff at Dr Tyng Tan clinic will put on sunblock for you after the procedure and you can carry on your daily activities.


6) Do your pimples/acne/scars really disappear, like forever???

Answer: In all honesty, nothing is forever. Chemical peeling is effective in keeping your pimple and acne under control. At the same time, it diminishes existing scars (but you may have to go through a few sessions to see the evident results.) I do still experience new breakouts (but that is due to my laziness in removing make-up at times and hormonal changes during menstruation). However, I can definitely vouch that my condition is way better than before. I used to have full of pimples all over my forehead but they are all under control now, except for a few pop-outs here and there sometimes. 

Here was an old pic... You will be amazed.



And this is an after-photo (Pardon the CUI face but I am just trying to show the effects on my forehead!) TOTALLY NO EDITING OR FILTER HOR.



7) Am I suitable for chemical peeling?

Answer: Honestly, this depends on each individual. Dr Tan will be accessing your skin condition during the consultation stage prior to any procedure being carried out. So no worries on that part. Based on her professionalism, she will be able to offer you the best advice as each person has different skin type and condition. You will be in good hands for sure! If you are interested in a consultation, do feel free to refer to the below details. (BONUS: Quote my blog sgcomplainqueen for a waiver of consultation fees!) 

That's basically Part 1 of my answers to FAQs. Should you have any other questions, you can feel free to  e-mail me and I will try my best to answer you if I can! 

Details of the clinic:

Dr. Tyng Tan Aesthetics and Hair Clinic
391B Orchard Road, Ngee Ann City Tower B, #08-04, Singapore 238873
Enquiry Hotline: +65 6235 0010
Website: http://aestheticsandhairclinic.com/

[Product Review] Tico Bricks!

If there's something that can keep me away from spending too much time on the computer and mobile phone, it has to be this.

And I am sure you guys will love this new product as much as I do ; especially after reading this post.

Presenting to you...

*drum rolls*

TICO BRICKS!!!!

If you are wondering what Tico Bricks are, they are actually small bricks (measuring at only 3.9mm x 3.9mm x 4.9mm) that you can build many cute things out of them. They have many series that feature different themes, one of which the latest one is the Amusement Park series!

I was really thrilled when the lovely folks from Play Distribution had kindly sent me a set of Tico Brick from the Amusement Park series over for the review. It took me a long time before finally selecting the Ferris Wheel design because EVERY single one looks so adorable!

Initially, I was not sure if my patience would lead me to complete it as it does seem complicated to build - but hey, I DID and was even so engrossed in it that I did not realise that the time was passing so fast.

I have documented my process to share with you guys, and I do think it's pretty amazing to see the bricks taking form with each step! (Please pardon me if the photos are not very well-taken as I was literally making and taking the photos all by myself at the same time)

What's inside the box: - 

Two packets of small bricks, two bigger square bricks that are meant to be the "grass patch", and one instruction manual (step-by-step)

As the bricks are pretty small, I had to be careful and ensured that I had everything in place inside the box. 

                                 

 Let's begin by connecting the two "grass patch"together!

Every brick here was joined together after referring to the instruction manual (Don't worry, the manual is very clear-cut. All you have to do is follow step by step)

And here was the first step done! Still looking nothing like a Ferris wheel yet...

Slowly... Omg, see the colourful-looking small blocks there? Those were actually meant to be human figures that would soon be admiring a Ferris wheel before them. SO CUTE, RIGHT?!?!

And 4 trees were planted...

Here's a picture of how it looks like from the side view:-

It's slowly taking place.. AT THIS STAGE, MY EXCITEMENT GREW. 

You know the feeling of building something using your own bare hands? I was enjoying every single minute of this.

It's starting to take shape now!! *squeals in delight*

And here came the crucial part of the bricks. I had to build the "rod"first before attaching it to the main parts.

Build 4 of the same "rods" and we have this:

  I would say the MOST difficult part would be putting this set of bricks together to form a circle for the wheel. I spent quite a lot of time on this part as the position of the bricks kept shifting when I accidentally touched it while I was trying to secure them during the process. 

There were 3 layers of bricks here to secure them- and it was pretty good at this stage as the bricks were nicely fitted.

Here's a close-up of how the 3 layers of bricks look like :

After completing the wheel, I placed it aside to build the "carriages".  Each "carriage"is a different shade of colour and there are 14 of them in total. This part would require a bit of time too as the bricks would not be really secure until they have been fitted to the wheel.

 Arrange the "carriages" nicely together and combine it with the wheel that was built earlier..

Ta-da! Here we have it.

Now I've gotta join this part to the first one that I did. Gosh. Gosh. I got so anxious that my hand was trembling in excitement. I JUST COULD NOT WAIT to see the Ferris wheel taking full shape.

Pardon that the wheel was not really looking that round in this picture - I had adjusted it afterwards.

AND TA-DA... PRESENTING TO YOU THE FINAL PRODUCT..  I HAD FINALLY, FINALLY COMPLETED IT. 

I am not trying to exaggerate, but I could feel tears of joy when I saw the full form of the Ferris wheel. Did I... Did I... just build it myself?!

The sense of achievement is too overwhelming.

AND DID I MENTION THAT THE WHEEL IS ACTUALLY MOVABLE??! I know I may have said this a thousand times, but THIS IS TOO CUTE.

(I have posted this in my instastory as a teaser and my friends have been commenting about its cuteness)

This is how the Ferris wheel looks like on the whole. And in order to show you guys in live form, I have done a short video that captured the moments. Enjoy!!


Video here:

 Let me show off a few more photos of the ferris wheel. I am so proud to call it mine!

Enjoy the ride, my little humans!

If you guys are fans of bricks building too, I am 100 PERCENT positive that you will love what Tico Brick have to offer. I admit I got hooked to my first set that I am considering to purchase more.

Here's a happy me with my Ferris wheel.

If you were to ask me what do I love most about it, I would definitely comment on its quality. The bricks are really defined - not those cheap and fragile kind. (I read that the bricks are actually originated and manufactured in Taiwan which are made of toxic-free Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene 

(ABS) plastic. Whoa, chim... but if you feel the material physically, I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised by its quality, too)

Most importantly, the final product will be something that you can be proud of. 

Different series have different level of difficulty - but the completion will certainly give you a sense of achievement. This may sound hilarious, but I admired my Ferris wheel so much that I spent almost  five minutes staring at it in awe.

Here are some of their other awesome designs from the same series - I am sure you can tell
why I had such a difficult time trying to choose one. Every single design is LOVE.

In case you are unaware, the recent Starbucks and Toast Box mini bricks are actually made by TICO, too. These little exclusive cuties can be found in-stores at Starbucks and Toast Box!

Look at their designs - How could anyone NOT love them?!?!

For more information and details on how you can purchase and make your Tico Bricks like I did, do stay tuned.

I can assure you that they will be able to provide you with hours of fun! :)

Cheap KTV in Singapore? It's too good to be true.

If you know me in person (or even if you do not), it is not difficult to guess that I frequent karaoke places quite frequently.

With the uprise of karaoke places, the prices are getting competitive - and I would say many are offering cheap rates for a few hours.

There is this particular KTV which I am sure many karaoke goers may be familiar with - It's so freaking' affordable ($10 for 5 hours session!?) and with the offer of free-flow drinks, what is there not to love about the place, right?!

NOT.

Yes,  I am not going to mask the name here because I feel that everyone ought to know how they have been treating their customers - in such a way that will leave them feeling emotionally scarred. 

To the management of Ten Dollar KTV Club, it was not my initial intention to post about my negative experience but I really felt that the customer service rendered was too outrageous for me to leave it at that.

So what did we get for paying the $10+ price?

- Being accused by your staff

- The receiving of long, cold, hard stares

-Being shoo-ed out even before our last song ended

Let me elaborate on what happened before anyone thinks I am just being unreasonable. Well, you guys can judge for yourselves whether these are acceptable if you were in our shoes.

As Ten Dollar KTV Club claims that there is a free-flow of drinks (in other words, unlimited) , of course we would utilise it, right? (We even did it reasonably by ordering the next drink ONLY after we finished our first)

And the only way for us to order the drinks is through the service button that's provided in the Karaoke system. (It works in such a way that the staff will only come in upon customer's request after activating the button)

The first time I ordered my drink, I just felt odd that there was a weird vibe (which I ignored) from a male staff who came in. He opened the door with a poker face and looked at me.

'I would like one iced honey water'. I gave a polite smile and said my thank you.

Without a word nor acknowledgement , he turned around and went off. 

Alright, that's fine. I was not really bothered about it. 

(He did serve me the drink eventually.)

As we sang our hours away, we had to order more drinks. Afraid that we would trouble the staff too many times, my friend decided to go the extra mile and walk to them instead to place our orders.

Surprisingly, he came back in soon after with a puzzled look.

He was not sure if the staff acknowledged his orders.

"I am not sure.. He did not look at me when I was talking to him and kept playing with his mobile phone," he said.

He attempted to order a second time.

"So you girls want 1 cup of Barley each right?" my friend confirmed again.

Before we could even answer him, the door swung open and in came the male staff.

He did not seem amused. He looked at my friend and started his accusations.

"你跟他們說我沒有理你？我是有聽到！我沒有不理你！" (Translation: You told them that I did not give a hoot about you? I DID HEAR you okay?!)

All of us stared at him as we were taken aback by his sudden outburst.

"Huh?" my friend stared at him blankly.

The staff stared back and began pointing his finger at him.

"You told them that I DID NOT give a hoot about you right?!"

At that moment, I was sure that he had misheard my friend when he said the word "BARLEY" (which sounded like 沒有理妳)

But he did not stop to listen to any explanation and went out.

After a long while, he came in (black-faced) and placed our drinks on the table. 

HE DID NOT EVEN GET MY ORDER RIGHT. 

I ordered barley and he brought in a coke. 

But well, I did not make noise about it so as not to make matters big.

(Seriously, we did not dare the drink them anymore as the male staff looked as though he would've spat into them anytime)

And this was not the end.

When 3 of us made a trip to the toilet, we spotted him sitting on a chair as we walked past him.

After we were done, he had a colleague with him and both of them were giving us LONG, HARD stares as we walked past them - All 3 of us saw and felt the stares ; it was most uncomfortable.

Like erm, hello?? Did we offend you in any way?

But well, again.... This was NOT the end.

When we were finishing the KTV session, we were already at our last song. 

Suddenly, the counter girl came in and started to MANUALLY switch off the electricity. She switched off the TV, etc and said nothing to us. She did NOT even look at us in any direction at all when she did all these.

The message was clear. 

We were totally not welcome and they couldn't wait for us to leave the place.

And all because of? I could think of nothing that we could've offended them. I mean, I would understand if there was anything that we said or did wrongly - but for the whole time, we did not and all I could remember was them giving us a bad attitude right from the beginning.

Yes, I understand that the prices are seriously one of the cheapest in town - but that does not mean that the price I am paying is inclusive of such treatment, making me feel like an unwelcome/unwanted guest.

 I was even very polite throughout the session,  smiling and saying my thank-yous. 

If your staff was losing patience because of the fact that the customers kept requesting for drinks after they had finished theirs, then why on earth would your company offer "FREE-FLOW" drinks and making it compulsory for us to request for service every time we need a refill?

Seriously, get a container and I would not mind refilling my own drinks.

And to the staff who offered such a bad attitude, why on earth are you still working there if you are really THAT unhappy about your job and taking it all out on the customers?

After all, we DID PAY and just wanted a pleasant karaoke experience - Is it that difficult to grant such a simple request? 

Honestly, this was not my first time experiencing black-faced staff from the same place - but I did not pursue previously as I deemed that as a small matter. 

But to the extent of accusing, staring and chasing us out? That is just too much for me to stay silent anymore.

If you guys are planning to head down to Ten Dollar KTV Club, be sure to check out their faces. Almost ALL of them are black-faced (which I have no idea why) - I guess one of the criteria to be able to work there is to have a default black face?

Oh well.

GO AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU WERE WARNED.

[Complaint] Mcdonald's new McFlurry Flavor - Chendol (TOO SWEET AHHH!)

And just weeks ago at the National Day Rally, PM Lee Hsien Loong had addressed the issue on diabetes of how the prevalence of diabetes is rising among the younger generation.

And with the appearance of the McDonald's latest craze - I finally understood what he meant.

Honestly, I am not a fan of sweet stuff - and THIS is totally in contrary to what PM Lee had emphasized on:

Sorry ah, I do not have anything against Mcdonald's. (In fact, I LOVE Mcdonald's and am always on the move to try their new menu items)

Their latest Nasi Lemak burger meal is so freaking awesome. (I believe many of you will agree with me on this, right.. RIGHT?)

Unfortunately, their new Chendol McFlurry is a big no-no for me. 

The first mouthful was great- It was very flavorful and bursting with the taste of Chendol and all, but subsequent mouthfuls almost had me gagging from the sweetness that was on the overboard side.

I wouldn't rate it as the normal type of sweetness - but more of a guarantee diabetes kind of sweetness if one were to have it everyday.

I know Chendol should be sweet and all - but this is just way too much. I did not manage to finish the whole cup as much as I wanted to (Not cheap, leh!).

Don't get me wrong, the McFlurry actually has a great potential - but I just feel it can be better if the sweetness can be reduced to at least 30 - 40 percent.

I am sure there will be a few of you who will not think that it is sweet (if you are one of them, then I guess you must be someone who is too accustomed to sweet/sugary stuff). UHHHH.


Sorry Macdonalds, I love you but I am not going to support the Chendol McFlurry.
I really hope that the sweetness can be further reduced for a healthier option!

P/S: The blog post above only reflects my own opinions and does not represent anyone else. In other words, it is from my own perspective.

New cover released!

I just released a new cover last week! - 告白气球


In all honesty, I did not expect myself to be covering this song (I am not a Jay Chou fan and have never sung a Jay Chou song in my whole life)

Somehow, this song was stuck in my head and people everywhere were humming to it.

So here it is - My version of it. Pardon the imperfection as this was just a casual recording.

I am currently working on more covers! I'll be updating soon on my blog.

[Results Announced] NDP Preview Tickets Giveaway

When I hosted the giveaway for my NDP Preview Tickets, I did not expect that the response will be overwhelming.

I have read every single e-mail from you guys (Thanks to a few of you who even went the extra mile to send me photos that showcase your Singaporean pride!)

Trust me, it was NOT easy for me at all as I felt EVERY single one of you deserve the tickets. So much that I started questioning myself "WHY CAN'T I HAVE MORE TICKETS TO GIVEAWAY?!"

After all, I only have one pair and I could only select one winner out of the lot.

After filtering the entries (Some entries are unfortunately disqualified), I decided to leave the fate to a lucky wheel. 

I had NO idea who would be the winner (No kelong here - I just wanted it to be a fair and square system) so I kept my fingers crossed and started spinning... ...

I wanted to be transparent in how the winner was picked - so here you go, I've used http://wheeldecide.com/

(Only names with valid entries will be accepted. I am sorry to some who took the effort to send in but   due to the fact that they were incomplete entries, I could not place them on the wheel to be fair to the other participants)

Congratulations, Muhammad Sufri!

I've read your entry I sincerely hope both you and your mum will enjoy the show! 

It sucks to know that many of you will be disappointed - but please do not be because I may still be hosting more giveaways in time to come. 

Yes, that may even include next year's NDP tickets when the time comes - So do stay tuned!

A BIG THANK YOU to each and every one of you for taking time in participating my giveaway. It makes me happy knowing that so many of you are proud Singaporeans.

But I can't help feeling sad to know that some of you are even contemplating to purchase tickets from 'gold diggers' just to catch the show. Please DO NOT ever encourage such sellers - The tickets may worth some money, but it is meaningless if you purchase them.

Everyone deserves the chance at ZERO cost - Why put a price to your national pride?

I hope more of you guys will be able to ballot successfully in the upcoming years ahead. Else, there will always be many other giveaways around as well.

Don't give up!

(And don't give up on reading my blog lah... I will be hosting other giveaways for you guys!)

Love you all! Xoxo.

[Giveaway Time] Excuse me, are you selling your NDP tickets?

So I posted about my NDP tickets some time back - requesting for a swap with anyone (for other dates) as I could not make it down for Preview 1.

Within a day, my inbox was bombarded. 

Not from people who wanted to swap with me, but from many who were requesting me to SELL my tickets to them.

Some were even blunt enough to ask me to give them the tickets - in a rude manner.

(Like hello??! I don't even know you and what makes you think I am OBLIGATED to give them to you?)

I was infuriated. Like seriously.

Yes, I know how I could make a quick buck out of the sale of the tickets. I mean, I got them for free and now there are people offering me huge amount of money for them.

I must be stupid enough to reject the opportunity, right?

AND YES - SO BE IT. I AM REJECTING YOU ALL. 

EVEN IF I AM IN NEED OF MONEY AND POOR AF.

Firstly, it is MORALLY wrong for me to sell the tickets. (For those gold diggers who are selling them, shame on you!)

I have been balloting for years myself and I totally understand the feeling of not being able to get them year after year.  

Like myself, there are MANY people out there who are sincerely hoping to get a successful ballot so that we can all experience the live atmosphere for once at the NDP. 

Not everyone is lucky enough to be able to get a successful ballot and it is heartbreaking when gold diggers are the ones who got them.

To you, it may be a money opportunity but to others, it may be a once-in-a-lifetime chance that they have been wishing for.

It is saddening that some Singaporeans fail to see the intention behind NDP. 

I mean, you got them for free in the first place AND in any case that you are unable to attend, I am sure there will be someone that you can give them away to. 

It's a pity that the system is not able to differentiate sincere Singaporeans from gold diggers.

Although it is something beyond my control, I thought I could do a little something for you guys who  are sincerely hoping to get the tickets...

YES, I WILL BE GIVING THEM AWAY TO ONE LUCKY READER.

**Please note that they are tickets to Preview 1 on 22 July 2017, Saturday.

(I am sorry that I have only got 2 on hand at the moment)

And what you guys have to do is to:-

1) LET ME KNOW WHY YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND THE SHOW. IN YOUR E-MAIL, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND CONTACT NUMBER.

(You can send me an e-mail at: catherinejaevans@hotmail.com) 

2) SHARE THIS BLOGPOST ON YOUR FACEBOOK AND TAG A FRIEND WHOM YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND WITH. (Please do set your settings to Public so I will be able to see) HASHTAG: #SGCOMPLAINQUEEN

(You can indicate in your e-mail and provide me your Facebook name)

NO, PLEASE DO NOT E-MAIL ME TO ASK ME TO SELL THEM. YOU CAN'T CONVINCE ME.

Deadline: 18 July 2017

(Results will be announced by 18 July 2017 evening)

I will be meeting my lucky reader to pass the tickets personally to on 21 July 2017. 

Thank you, all! :)

[Media Food Tasting] Machida Shoten - No 1 Lekei Ramen Restaurant in Japan

It's not easy to search for authentic Japanese quality food in Singapore.

And when I do, I share on my blog with my readers to share the joy!

With thanks to Alvin from DessertingBeauty for inviting me to the media tasting, I have one more To-Go Japanese restaurant added to my list.

Located conveniently at Wisma Atria, which is just a stone's throw away from Orchard MRT station - It is not difficult to locate Machida Shoten, especially with its prominent Japanese-style decorations. 

(I was amazed to know that the brand has already opened 45 outlets in Japan!)

They offer a wide variety of appetisers and small bites as well.

Cha-Shu Croquette ($6)

Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, the Cha-Shu Croquette is made with seasoned minced pork that will tease your taste buds into yearning for more. If you were to ask me, I would say it is definitely a good appetiser before the main dishes. Don't worry as the sizes are considered small so the portion will not be taking much of your stomach storage space! Hahaha.

Here's a close-up of the minced pork fillings: - They tasted really fresh and soft! The exterior is really crunchy to a T so do have it while its hot to do justice to it!

Disclaimer: Tempting photos ahead. Not recommended to be seen if you have an empty stomach.

Homemade Shrimp Gyoza ($9.80 / 5 pieces)

The Homemade Shrimp Gyoza features the whole tiger prawn as well as shrimp encased in a crunchy exterior.

When I flipped the gyozas over, their base appeared to look burned or overcooked - but they are actually not because that is where the crispiness was derived from! 

Yes, I really the taste - No complaints about it. The encased tiger prawns were as fresh as they could possibly be, and had a "bouncy" texture to them. Soft and crunchy at the same time, I felt that I could finish all 5 pieces by myself. (But of course I couldn't as I can't be selfish lah)

Garden Salad ($9)

And for people who love salads, Machida Shoten has it too! Temper the meat indulgence with their Garden Salad, it is drenched with homemade curry dressing as well as non-oily ova leave vinegar for a flavourful finish.

Initially, I did not think that curry dressing would even be compatible for any salad (LIKE COME ON, CURRY?!?!)

But it was an unexpected twist for me as I somehow find the taste appealing after tasting one bite of it.

Seasoned Iberico Squareribs ($14)

The Seasoned Iberico Squareribs is an indulgent offering that are first boiled till they are tender, and then seasoned with Machida Shoten's very own original sweet soya sauce. I am one who is quite picky when it comes to pork ribs, but I will give it a A grade its tenderness!

I could literally taste the sweet sauce - The pork ribs are very well-marinated and the sweetness is penetrative to the taste buds.

Spicy Shrimp Fried Rice ($10)

Note: Yes this is quite spicy (Spicy level: 3/5) but spicy enough for my liking!

The portion appears small, but actually it can be VERY filling! Each mouthful exploded with the fragrance of shrimps (Trust me, you will LOVE it if you like the taste of shrimps)

However, do note that it will not be recommended for people who are allergic to prawns/shrimps. 

Shoyu Tonkotsu Ramen ($14)



One of the must-try dishes at Machida Shoten is the chef's recommendation, Shou Tonkotsu. This is the signature Yokohama-style irked ramen, and it serves the perfect combination of soya sauce and pork bone broth. You can enjoy noodles cooked to your desired softness or hardness and even choose from 3 levels of doneness for your noodles! The noodles are then immersed in a tonkotsu and soya sauce broth. There are various add-on ingredients, from seasoned egg to cha-su just by topping up a small amount.

I would say this fares better than many other typical ramen I've eaten at other places. The noodles did not taste "too overly cooked"but in fact, it was just right. It's no wonder this is classified as a chef's recommendation! I will give it a TWO thumbs up. 

Garden Veggie Ramen ($15) *Exclusive to Singapore outlet*

When it was first served to the table, I almost thought it was another plate of salad - but look closely, it's actually ramen! It looks so colourful, right?!

It comprises of 12 different fresh vegetables in a bowl an the broth is made with 7 types of vegetables too. Fried garlic oil is added to enliven the flavour. 

Honestly, I wouldn't say this is my favourite of the lot as the taste was more to the bland side - and I would suggest you to have this first before trying other ramens of stronger flavour. 

Miso Tonkotsu Ramen ($14) *Exclusive to Singapore outlet*

Don't be fooled by the photo - THIS BOWL OF RAMEN HAS AN OVERPOWERING TASTE.

This Miso Tonkotsu Ramen fuses the goodness of miso and tonkotsu soup base, and the miso that the restaurant uses is a blend of red and white miso. The dish is then topped with sweet corn, cabbage and butter for an extra kick.

If you were to have this before the Garden Veggie Ramen, I am sure you would not be able to taste any flavour from the Garden Veggie Ramen at all.

Personally, I feel that this is too strong for me (and I am not a fan of corn); so I wouldn't exactly classify it as a favourite.

One thing that I noticed though - The portion of their ramen seems to be huge; I would recommend sharing with a friend unless you are a big eater. 

Something random -I find this sign kinda cute - it is a guide of different ways to eat your ramen!

My favourite of the lot? I would still pick the Shoyu Tonkotsu Ramen.

And here's the chef behind the scenes - Many were actually going gaga over him as he looks quite cute! A young hunk who can whip up good Japanese dishes... I am not surprised everyone finds him attractive!

I feel like such a stalker. HAHAHA.

Address:

MACHIDA SHOTEN

Wisma Atria Level 4

435 Orchard Rd

Singapore 238877

Opening Hours: Daily 11AM – 11PM

Directions: Alight at Orchard MRT Station (NS22) and exit at Exit D towards Wisma Atria B1 (do not exit to Ion Orchard). 

Take the escalator (after OCBC bank) up until level 4, where the Food Court is located. Walk past it and you will see Japan Food Town. 

At the main entrance, walk further in and Machida Shoten is the second restaurant to your left.