[Review] The Sushi Bar - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

So I posted about this really AWESOME meal I had several days back on my Facebook and many of you have been waiting for the revelation. 

As promised, here's the answer: -

THE SUSHI BAR

Ok so I am not earning anything from this BUT I JUST HAVE TO post about this because the food was SO UNBELIEVABLY GOOD that I could not believe my mouth. 

So good that I invented a new word immediately known as "Mouthgasm".

The Salmon sashimi was so freaking FRESH and THICK (I repeat, THICK!!) that I literally FROZE in my seat when the first piece reached my taste buds. 

(Can you believe that this whole set cost only $11+++?!)

Other than exclaiming "OH MY GOD" over and over again, I was speechless. Wah!! The taste of full blast freshness and soft, tender salmon just sat comfortably in my mouth and every bite was SIMPLY pure bliss. No doubt about it.

I was reluctant to even swallow it down because I was really enjoying every single minute, second and millisecond of it. Where can you find such high quality shashimi in Singapore, you tell me?! I felt that I could just eat this FOREVER. 

 When I tried their other signature dishes (Miso soup, scallop, etc) as well, I soon developed goosebumps all over my body because the taste was SO awesome that I felt my spirit shot up to the sky in an instant and came back to my body. 

The super duper big bowl of generous serving.
This picture was taken before my spirit shot up to the sky:-

 The miso soup came in large bowl and every slurp made me jealous of myself because it's THAT good. I had to blink a few times to remind myself that I was NOT dreaming. Was this even real? Had I already entered heaven? God, every SINGLE dish I tried was mouth-watering and made me question the fact that such high quality of food indeed exist. I felt dizzy. Dizzy from being overwhelmed by the goodness in my mouth. I JUST CAN'T. What did I do to deserve this high feeling before 2016 ends?

 That's like the BEST food I have ever eaten in my living years. If you are thinking I am exaggerating, then TRY at least once to believe. Their food is superbly of out-of-the-world quality with GENEROUS quantity (can you imagine...THICK sashimi..) and the price is almost half of what other standard Japanese restaurants have to offer. They have got to be kidding but its just true. Do note that if you are eating their food, its NOT just food.  

YOU ARE EATING A PIECE OF FOOD THAT SEEMS TO BE FROM HEAVEN.

 This is one of their signature dishes, Wafu Spaghetti.
 

 Even if tomorrow is the end of the world, you will feel like the happiest person alive. 

 I am so happy now because the food was very rewarding after a hectic schedule, and all thanks to my dear friend Marie Lim who recommended me this place of a gem! I think I may burp from the filling food and I will love the smell of my burp. So GOOOOOOOOOOD. Mouthgasm mouthgasm.

Total damage: $81+ for 2 pax (inclusive of GST and service charge)



**I heard that advance booking is recommended, especially if you are planning to head down during peak hours (such as dinner time, etc).  They have two outlets in Singapore, 1 at Far East Plaza (which was the one that I went to for this review), and another at Ngee Ann City.

As below is the address of The Sushi Bar:-

FAR EAST PLAZA OUTLET:

14 Scotts Road ,Far East Plaza #04-28

Singapore

 NGEE ANN CITY OUTLET:

 391B Orchard Road, #05-34/35, 

Ngee Ann City, Ngee Ann City, 238874

 For reservation please SMS to 88183535 for Ngee Ann City outlet and 96536464 for Far East Plaza outlet. They DO NOT take reservation on weekends, public holiday and eve of public holiday.

Opens at 11:30am 11:30AM - 3:30PM, 5:00PM - 9:45PM

 **Okay, I repeat that this post is completely of my own opinion. Different individual may have different experiences as the taste of food is VERY subjective. I am just recommending what I think that are worth trying!

Birthday Celebration at British Hainan (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED RESTAURANT!!)

When it comes to sourcing for ideal restaurants/cafes for birthday celebrations, I have to admit it isn't an easy task. 

Both Ah Miao and I had something in mind - To surprise our other BFF, Pei Wen, with a self-made video of us writing our own song and singing to her.

Our ideal plan was to have it played on a TV/projector screen in the midst of our dinner in a restaurant so it would take her by surprise.

For weeks, we planned on the song after work and met up for rehearsals .. to eventually recording it. It was our first time doing something like this, so we were keeping our fingers super crossed that everything would turn out smoothly!!

"BUT WHICH RESTAURANT IS WILLING TO HELP US?!" I asked, helpless. 

It was only a 3-person dinner, and we were completely clueless of which restaurant to turn to for such request.

It had been days of online researching and it seemed that there wasn't many positive results.

BUT ONE.

(Picture credit to: http://www.misstamchiak.com/)

I came across photographs of this unique-looking restaurant online and was eventually led to their Facebook page.

They have everything that caught my attention. From the retro theme,style to vintage decorations, it isn't difficult to be attracted. (Since I am such a retro/vintage fan myself!)

In addition, there was quite a number of highly-raved reviews from satisfied customers who posted on their page.

I decided to get in touch with the restaurant owner with my request (Honestly, I did not pin high hopes) , and waited for their reply.

Much to my pleasant surprise, I received a favorable response from the owner the next day - and YES (YES! YES!) he was willing to help us!! I was so excited that I almost cried. (HAHA)

We made arrangements on how I would reach one hour earlier for the preparations, such as burning our video on a disc to be played on their player, etc. (Oh my, it sounds so much like we are planning on a  marriage proposal. HAHA. But hey - It can be a good idea, no?)

When the actual day finally arrived, I prepared the video which I had burned into a CD-ROM

and cabbed down to the restaurant with high anticipation. 

As my cab was approaching the restaurant, I could feel the excitement building up in me.
The restaurant was at Paya Lebar - Being someone who lives in the West part of Singapore, it felt like a mini adventure.

What can I say, the restaurant is such a GEM.
As I did not come with an intention to blog, I did not bring my usual camera with me (I really regretted not doing so!!!) Nonetheless, I made do with my phone camera - so please do pardon the poor quality. At least, I have the courtesy to share with all my readers this rare gem! :)
 If you've never heard about this place, I am sure you will be tempted to visit it after reading my entry.

I was really intrigued by the interior design of the restaurant. It has a retro feel to it , and it was almost like stepping into a time machine!
From what I've heard, there are actually real, vintage collectibles on display. Even if you are not here for the food, I am sure you will be impressed by the ambiance.



The antique on display - I'm completely awed by the wide collection!
Look at those old records!

I met with the restaurant owners and I have to say that they are one of the most friendliest people I've ever came across.

They were hospitable and assisted me with the birthday preparations. (They even gave me a large table for the occasion, which I was really thankful.) 

While waiting for my two dear BFFs to arrive, I was served the menu to look through. OH BOY, did I salivate just by flipping through the pages.

I did a double take when I saw this on their menu:

Braised lamb shank!!!

I have always LOVED, LOVED lamb shanks. And look at how the illustration picture was portrayed!!!

Unfortunately, I did not get to try it on that day as my BFFs were not really hungry (and Ah Miao is a vegetarian) and I was afraid that I would not be able to finish such a large portion myself. (But I will make it a point to come again and try it someday!!!)

We ordered the oven-baked fish instead and I almost fainted when it was served to our table.

Again, I would like to remind you that I have no reason to exaggerate in my entry because I am not paid to advertise for them. It was really so good that I felt it NEEDS to be shared.

The photos simply DO NOT do the food justice. 

*makes it a point to bring my camera along on my next trip*

In case you are wondering, the item wrapped in aluminium foil is actually a potato being cut into 4 slices, and coated with bacon + sauce that will send your taste buds tickling and yearning for more after each bite.

No, I am not exaggerating. It's really THAT good.

I can't even begin to emphasize how well-marinated the fish is. It seemed like the perfect blend of white sauce with the softness of meat. It tasted so good when chewing it, and even better during the after-taste. If I had to rate this, I would give it a 10 out of 10. And mind you - I am someone who is very particular about fish meat.

I KNOW A GOOD FISHY DISH WHEN I EAT ONE. (LOL)

Now, here's another MUST-TRY item:

I've forgotten the exact name of this dish, but I have to say this is one of the best chicken meat I have ever tasted in my entire life. No kidding.

My eyes literally bulged during my first bite.

SO FREAKING TENDER - It's magical.

Let me take a close-up:-

I have no idea how they made it, but the meat was soooo soft that the skin slid off it once I attempted to cut it.

Every bite was tantalizing and I kept exclaiming "OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD". HAHAHA.

The meat was very well-marinated and the taste was on-point.

I told my BFFs that the combination of the chicken meat and sauce is like a "perfect match in heaven". LOL. I had no other words to describe it. 

The fries are similar to Mos Burger fries - and I like it that way!

As an appetizer, we ordered this item on the menu as well - 

BACON WITH CHEESE MELT - Combined with Portobello mushroom
(Just the description is enough to make anyone salivate, pls!)

It's quite small in size, and you will feel like it is not enough! 

It's very rich in taste and I actually like it very much despite the fact that I am not a big fan of such mushrooms.

And the owners were so kind to offer everyone a complimentary mango pudding that was so tasty!

Thank you so much!!

In the midst of our meal, the boss reminded me of the birthday video that was supposed to be played. He was so kind to make a special announcement to all the guests who were present and everyone shared our joy in celebrating Pei Wen's birthday!

Our birthday plan was actually a bit screwed up due to the last minute incompatibility issues between the CD-ROM and the restaurant's player, but thank God Ah Miao brought her laptop along - so we ended up playing the video on the  laptop's screen while the boss helped us to project our audio through the speakers.

Our singing voices filled the whole restaurant as Pei Wen was watching the video. Oh man, we were blushing throughout the 4 minutes! Nonetheless, it was a surprise success!!

I wish I could share the video on here, but sorry - it's meant for our dear friend only... HAHAHA.

Here's a screenshot nonetheless: 

We were so glad to see Pei Wen smiling so happily after watching the video :) All our efforts definitely paid off!

And it wouldn't have been possible without the help from the bosses at British Hainan!

If you are reading this, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for everything from the bottom of my heart.

Like what I told my friends, "Even if I live far away, the food alone is worth the trip."

AND I WILL DEFINITELY BE BACK AGAIN.

As below is their address: - (Don't say I never share hor!)

It's really an ideal place to celebrate birthdays or any other special occasions - I highly recommend this place!

Address:

75 Carpmael Rd

75 Carpmael Rd, Singapore 429812

Official Website: www.british-hainan.com

DRIVE: 

Parking available at Haig Road HDB Carpark Block 1 or 2.

or

MRT:

Alight at Paya Lebar Mrt and take a 12-15 minutes walk down towards Blk 1 Haig Road, look out for Carpmael Road which is at the intersection of Crane Road.

or

BUS:

Catch bus 33 which stops at Joo Chiat Road, or bus 16 which stops at Carpmael Road (near Shell Station).

The Cookie Museum

Before I begin, I would like to emphasize that this is NOT an advertorial - but purely just sharing the interesting stuff I stumbled upon during my recent shopping trip.
(I think I am going to start sharing more good stuff from now on so that everyone can benefit from it too!)

As most of you may (or may not) known by now, there's this interesting store in Singapore called "The Cookie Museum".

Don't be fooled by its name - I thought it was a museum at first, as in those museum with exhibitions.  *laughs*
It turned out to be a store that sells REALLY exquisite cookies. It's a pity that I did not take any pictures of them, but I have googled some images for illustration purposes.

One of the appealing factors about the store : - Its display and interior design (somehow reminds me of a Victorian style)

How their cookies look like in a tin:

But I am not going to talk about their NORMAL cookies here - It was some other flavor that intrigued me.

In view of SG50, they have came up with EXCLUSIVE Singapore flavored cookies that are just.. MINDBLOWING.
I am not exaggerating here.

Have you ever heard of cookies in NASI LEMAK, PRAWN ROLL, LAKSA, GREEN CURRY, CHICKEN RICE, CHILLI CRAB flavors?

Believe me, my first thought was "EEEW... That will be disgusting." It will never be something I thought was possible.

Not until.... I was given the chance to try their sample pieces.
My eyes literally popped when I tried the Nasi Lemak flavored cookies.
DAMN, they actually TASTED like the real thing. The familiar taste of ikan bilis and sambal chilli was so freaking' prominent.

There's even REAL ikan bilis located on top of each piece of cookie.

The cookies come in containers like this:

I was shocked how they are able to come up with cookies with such a  local twist.
I wanted to try the chicken rice version, but was told that it was running low in stocks and they did not have the sample pieces anymore. :(

It turned out that it was one of the hot-selling flavors!! Damn, it must have tasted as good as the Nasi Lemak version.
*grits teeth*

I was so tempted to purchase them, but the prices are way over my budget. Each tin costs approximately over SGD 40 per tin (and it contains only 30 plus cookies).
I guess good things are worth the money, but the prices just do not cut it for me.
It makes an excellent great gift idea for the elderly or overseas friends though - as they are very uniquely Singapore!
Just perfect for the SG50 season!

If you are interested to try their sample pieces too (which is FREE and non-obligatory!), here are their locations:

1) Marina Square Shopping Mall,
#02-280

2) Raffles City Shopping Centre,
#B1-49

3) Takashimaya Shopping Centre,
#B209-3

[REVIEW] Revita Lens

I am sure every contact lens wearer would always remember their first experience, just like I do - in a painstaking way.

From learning how to insert those soft plastics on those poor eyes to the frustration of having to take them out, it sure is a tedious task!

(Imagine that - I actually took more than 3 hours just to learn how to insert those lenses in! I got so fed up that I ended up crying. I guess I learned it the hard way.)

And when I finally did learn the techniques, I became a contact lens addict (I believe it's obvious from almost all of my photos, if you've noticed!)

NOT only that, I became a contact lens cleanliness freak as well. As if I have not watched enough scary videos and heard horror stories of infected eyes already! 

As much as contact lens can bring you better vision and more beautiful eyes, one must not neglect the fact that cleanliness must be maintained, and to handle those lenses with proper care.

And the type of solution that is used to clean your lenses is just as IMPORTANT too.

The very first bottle of solution I used STUNG my eyes to such an extent that I felt my eyes were on fire. I am not exaggerating - it is true and I was just speaking from personal experience.

Initially, I felt that this was just a normal process - until I read from online sources that the main problem lies in the SOLUTION.

I was worried as I still had more than a quarter of the solution left - and I didn't want to waste my money.

As it continued to sting my eyes every single time I used my lenses after cleaning it, I decided this was it.

I threw the bottle away.

(Yes, if the solution actually STINGS your eyes, it is a sign telling you that the solution you are using isn't suitable for you.)

And soon, I was on a quest to find "THE RIGHT ONE" for my eyes.

I tried different brands of solutions to check what worked - and so far only 2 brands worked for me.

With 1 that was recently discovered.

I am sure you would have seen this in departmental stores:

Yes, REVITA LENS!

 The back view of the packaging:

What's inside the trial pack:

-Instruction manual

-Tightly-sealed bottle

-Contact lens case

Gonna open the seal now!

Honestly, I somehow lost trust in other brands after using my previous eye-stinging solution.

I ACTUALLY GOT SO NERVOUS trying out Revita Lens as I wasn't sure if it would have similar negative results.

AND GUESS WHAT??!

IT ACTUALLY WORKS! 

After rubbing and cleaning my contact lens with Revita Lens solution, I finally inserted those 2 soft plastics into my eyes and expected for the burning sensation to come.

VERY much to my pleasant surprise, my eyes felt completely normal and I didn't feel anything at all. 

I felt good and the feeling of having the lenses settle nicely on my eyes provide such a great comfort.

And because of its compact size, I can actually bring it out with me wherever I go! I have seen in departmental stores that they do come in larger sizes as well, but that can wait when I am done with the trial pack. :)

If you are a contact lens wearer like me, you can try this out yourself too if you haven't! 

(Of course, different results vary for different individual. What may be suitable for me may not be suitable for you, or vice versa.)

I am just recommending what IS suitable for me for your reference! 

Always remember that it is ALWAYS IMPORTANT and a CRUCIAL act to take good care of your eyes. Contact lenses may be your best friend and enemy at the same time if you do not shower them with proper care.

(I am sure you wouldn't want those micro-organisms to creep and affect your corneas, which often is a high risk for contact lens wearers, no???)