Saizeriya – Affordable Italian Fare

Posted on November 11, 2011 by P

Although priced ~70% lower than your typical Italian fare, this restaurant is not to be compared to Pasta Mania (or the likes).

Saizeriya is a Japanese chain of casual, low-priced Italian Restaurant offering Italian food to the masses – this menu is not extensive…however, one will be able to find a decent number of all-time favorites ranging from pizza & pasta to steak and even escargot! This concept of affordable and very decent quality Italian Food since 1973 has proven to be a success – to date, there are more than 750 chains worldwide!

Interestingly, my parents were the ones who introduced me to Saizeriya – they brought me to the Liang Court branch last evening where I had my first taste of Saizeriya –


TUNA SALAD ($4.50) – flavors were quite nice but the greens did not appear very fresh


MUSSELS WHITE SAUCE GRILL ($3.90)  – The mussels were surprisingly huge and tasted great with the white sauce. Such quality at this price –  what a steal!


OVEN GRILLED ESCARGOT ($5.80) – another surprise as they served up some pretty good escargot – now I will have to think twice about paying $20 or even more for this dish elsewhere!


[LEFT] CARBONARA ($5.80) – flavors were right and spaghetti was pretty much al dente (maybe just slightly over). Wished there was more bacon though – but for that price…what more should we expect?
[RIGHT] PINEAPPLE & BACON PIZZA ($6.40) – Again, very decent.


TUFFE ICE CREAM ($4.90) – We were forced to choose our second choice as Tiramisu was out. We soon received great consolation as the tartufo of chocolate and vanilla is pretty damn good!

On top of these, the restaurant also serves cheap alcohol – Wine is at $3.20 per glass and Tiger beer at $6.50 for bottle of 640ml.
Prompt service is another area to highlight –  from the seating to ordering and serving of food…everything was like clockwork which is very impressive for a restaurant that seats more than 100. And did I mention there is absolutely no service charge (all prices are Nett)?

So many reasons to go back to Saizeriya again soon!

Saizeriya
Liang Court Branch
Add: 177 River Valley Road, #02-22, Liang Court Shopping Centre Singapore 179030
Tel: 65-63379001
City Square Branch
Add: 180 Kitchener Road, #B2-55/56, City Square Mall Singapore 208539
Tel: 65 68344877
Bukit Timah Branch
Add: 1 Jalan Bukit Anak, #02-24C, Bukit Timah Plaza Singapore 588996
Tel: 65 64675992

Opening Hours (all branches): Daily, 11am – 10pm

Posted in Bukit Timah, Clarke Quay, Farrer Park, Good Lunch Deal, Italian | 2 Comments

[Ho Chi Minh City] Intercontinental Asiana Saigon

Posted on November 8, 2011 by K

My temporary quarters in Vietnam and I we love it! I asked S & Y (who visited me in Saigon) what they liked MOST in the visit and the answer is…..Intercontinental Asiana

It’s a very comfortable hotel in an accessible location. The hotel is located right in the middle of District 1 – near to the beautiful French architecture i.e. Opera House, Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral , the Post Office etc. The hotel is a stone throw away from our office and has direct shuttle buses to our 2 plants (which I’m based in). It is also near to all the “foreigner friendly” places like Dong Khoi, Vin Com, Diamond plaza, Ben Thanh market etc. It is a very easy area to live in.


The hotel displayed plenty of  pretty flowers in the lobby and they often changed them too. I spot a huge brunch of yellow roses in the lobby one morning but I did not manage to snap a quick shot. These lovely flowers in the hotel brightened up my everyday in Saigon.

I chose a twin sharing room since I had visitors almost every week in the last 2 months. The room is spacious and can fit 3 (or even 4) people easily.


Don’t you simply love hotels that offer a pillow menu? The choices here were not as extensive as the others I had been to (Read: Mira Hong Kong) but it’s still a nice gesture.


A comfortable seat in a corner to read a book or watch TV.

My work station – A practical working desk with phone, cable and international plugs (like what you would expect from a 5* hotel).


The toilet has a luxurious tub and a separate shower room completed with a rainfall shower feature. I like.

Food is good in Intercontinental Asiana too. I tried every restaurant (and almost all items in the room service menu) in my 2 months stay – The quality is general above average esp. the buffets in Market 39.

My daily breakfast – I’m an “American breakfast” type of person but there is a wide and quality variety of other cuisines (i.e. Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese etc).

The dinner buffet in Market 39 is a NO MISS.  The seafood spread was fresh & extensive (similar to the top quality hotel in Singapore). However, the dinner with flow flow beer/red wine/white wine costed only ~SGD 50 – Great value for any alcohol and food lover.

Overall, it’s a great 5* hotel to stay in Saigon – a place that I will choose for any future personal trips too.

Intercontinental Asiana Saigon
Add:Corner Hai Ba Trung & Le Duan Blvd, District 1 HCMC Vietnam
Tel: +84 83520999

Read [Ho Chi Minh City] Up Cafe – Up Up and Away
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] L’usine – P.S. I Love You Too
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] Starbucks is going to Saigon!
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] 15 Things to do in Saigon
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] Trung Nguyen Coffee – The Saigon Starbucks
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] Banh Cuon – Delicious Rice Rolls
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] Market 39 – Hello Saigon
Read Itacho Sushi vs. [Ho Chi Minh City] Sushi Bar – The Battle of Sushi
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] A Beautiful Vietnamese Wedding
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] Plant Canteen Food – Reasonably Tasty

Posted in Ho Chi Minh City - Vietnam, Hotel, Restaurant | 6 Comments

Cocotte – Rustic French Food

Posted on November 5, 2011 by P

K & I visited Cocotte during lunch (some time back when K was still based in SG and I was still at my day job). Cocotte is located at the ground level of Wanderlust Hotel.


Casual and rustic, their choice of decor immediately caught our attention, you know – one of those places that intrigued you so much you find yourself checking out every corner including the ceiling to see what they have done to conceal their pipes (which they didn’t).

We went for the 3 course individual set lunches ($29++) – note that Cocotte also serves communal set lunches for up to 4 pax. To us, taking the individual set lunches makes more sense as we wanted to try more without increasing the portions (trust me, the portions are very generous!).

FRIED TRIPE – Pork Intestines cooked tender and then breaded. To us, this was something unique and quite tasty – however, my advice is to limit to just a few pieces as the ‘law of diminishing return’ applies for this dish 😛

ROSETTE – Not a fan of cured meat but according to my lunch companions, this french cured sausage was not bad but nothing impressive.

CHICKEN LIVER MOUSSE – Again, decent but nothing impressive.

PAN SEARED CHILEAN SEA BASS – served with funnel, tomato provencal & zucchini gratin, this dish was such a delight both in texture (cripsy skinned, tender meat) and flavor (well flavored yet the sweet freshness of the fish was highlighted). Frankly, this dish gives quite good reasons for one to return to this restaurant.

BEEF BOURGUIGNON (additional $12 to set lunch price) –  an unimpressive dish.

ROAST PORK COLLAR WITH CREAMY DIJON MUSTARD SAUCE (additional $12 to set lunch price) –  Can’t recall much about this very average dish except that it is very rich and makes one really full.

PASSION TARTE –  The raspberries and vanilla tart was a fine combination. Very pretty looking, too.

BASQUE CAKE – Our first time to try the basque cake. Not our favorite – we found it too tough and dry for our liking.

HOMEMADE APPLE PIE ICE CREAM – A classic example of how “Simple is Beautiful”. One of the best ice creams I have had..I love how there was both sweet and sour, cream and jam – all combined in one ice cream.

To be frank, we were filled to the brim by the time we reached mid-way of the main course. The portions were so huge there it makes very good value for the hungry. Overall, our dinning experience at Cocotte was pretty average as there were some hits and some misses. Will go back if I am craving for affordable rustic french food in a casual, unpretentious setting with quirky decor.

Cocotte
Tel: +65 6298 1188
Add: No. 2 Dickson Road Singapore 209494 (Wanderlust Hotel)
Opening Hours: Closed on Sundays
Lunch – Mondays to Saturdays 12noon – 2.30pm/ Sundays 12noon – 3pm
Dinner – Mondays to Thursdays 6.30pm – 10.30pm/ Fridays to Saturdays 6.30pm – 11pm
Spend:  $29++ per pax for Set Lunch (Additional cost for some main course selections)

Posted in French, Little India | Leave a comment

[Ho Chi Minh City] Trung Nguyen Coffee – The Saigon Starbucks

Posted on October 30, 2011 by K

I’m a caffeine addict (as opposed to the caffeine intolerant P) and getting a cup of starbucks on my way to work was a daily routine in Singapore (I guess having a branch in our workplace lobby helps). I’m having withdrawal symptoms in Saigon as there is no Starbucks here!

Many of my friends recommended Trung Nguyen – a popular coffee chain in Vietnam to help curb my caffeine cravings.


TRADITIONAL COFFEE, HUYEN THOAI/LEGENDEE – The recommended (as well as the most expensive) coffee option in Trung Nguyen . This small cup of coffee costs more than any of the main courses we had below. Legendee is made from the finest Arabica, Robusta and Excelsa coffee beans. It tasted very rich with a fragrant aroma and a distinct taste of cocoa. It reminds me of mocha but amazingly there was no cocoa added at all. Delicious and a great way to start the day!

Trung Nguyen also has a small food selection and we tasted a couple of them.

GIA LAI DRIED NOODLES – Two thumbs up! A nasty mix of bee hoon, shallots, bean sprouts & minced pork with the customary mint leaves (appeared in almost all Vietnamese dishes) and lettuce. The accompanying soup with thin slices of beef tasted full bodied and satisfying. This is a house special in Trung Nguyen and my must order here.

VIETNAMESE SPECIAL FRIED BEEF CUBES with Coffee Sauce – Tender beef cubes in a tangy spicy sauce. It is very tasty but my dining companions and I cannot taste even a hint of coffee.


SUNNY SIDE UP with baguette – Well cooked eggs with runny yolks. A very simple dish but it managed to brighten up our meal. The baguette was decent – warm and crusty.

Overall, Trung Nguyen is a good place for coffee and a simple meal. It is my current favourite coffee place in Saigon (Angel in us coffee is a close second!). Lets see whether it will replace my dearest Starbucks by the end of my Vietnam stint!

Trung Nguyen
Add: Opposite Diamond Plaza (34 Le Duan Street, District 1 Ho Chi Minh City)
Spend: VND 152,000 Per Pax ($9.5 Per Pax)

Read [Ho Chi Minh City] Up Cafe – Up Up and Away
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] L’usine – P.S. I Love You Too
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] Starbucks is going to Saigon!
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] 15 Things to do in Saigon
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] Trung Nguyen Coffee – The Saigon Starbucks
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] Intercontinental Asiana Saigon
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] Banh Cuon – Delicious Rice Rolls
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] Market 39 – Hello Saigon
Read Itacho Sushi vs. [Ho Chi Minh City] Sushi Bar – The Battle of Sushi
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] A Beautiful Vietnamese Wedding
Read [Ho Chi Minh City] Plant Canteen Food – Reasonably Tasty

Posted in All-Day Breakfast, Café, Ho Chi Minh City - Vietnam, Vietnamese | 4 Comments

[Ko Samui] Six Senses Samui

Posted on October 26, 2011 by P

Ever since I started earning my keep – I was blessed with opportunities to experience quite a few beautiful boutique resorts in SEA.
Whenever the going gets tough or when occasion calls for celebration – I find it absolutely therapeutic/enjoyable to escape to a nearby Island like Phuket or Bali for rejuvenation/celebration. In fact, this has since become a routine!

For now, this entry shall document my most recent (and final one, for now) experience at Six Senses Ko Samui.

This guy was waiting at the charming Samui airport for our transfer to the hotel (he left out our names somehow – so I conveniently forgot his, too). Throughout the journey, he was not very helpful – I was disappointed by the overall arrival pick-up experience as it pales in comparison to all my previously experiences and it left me skeptical on what was ahead.

Side tracking alittle….
Before this first experience at the Six Senses Samui, I have heard and read quite a bit on the Six Senses Resorts & Spas. Six Senses Resorts & Spas Group have more than 10 properties worldwide under the Six Senses, Evason & Soneva brand name. I find their core purpose of SLOW LIFE (Sustainable – Local – Organic – Wholesome Learning – Inspiring – Fun – Experiences) quite inspiring and was excited to see with my own eyes Six Sense’s commitment towards the environment. With all that I have heard and read, I was expecting to step right into rustic and unpolished surroundings…

Viola! We were greeted by this handsome straw hut where the Reception is – this hut is indeed a very good prelude to what was ahead…


[Left] Stairway leading to our villa – definitely not a child/elderly-friendly property, take note! Having said that, I noticed quite a few Japanese and European families in the resort.
[Right] Bedroom – Full-length window on all sides of the bedroom, complete with mosquito bed net.


[Top left] Indoor bath tub – love that bamboo ladder – it’s so useful for hanging so many things!
[Top Right] Outdoor show – comes with both rain shower and normal shower head, NICE.
[Bottom] Basin – Super rustic/industrial…very strong in character but not very user-friendly to be honest!


Our in-villa pool facing the sea – perfect spot for chilling out.


[Left] Resort’s private beach – not bad but definitely not the best – sand is not very fine and seabed is quite full of sharp corals. Also, one needs to take about 30 steep steps to walk down to the beach (and up, thereafter!).
[Right] Infinity pool – very good-sized pool and perfect location for a morning tan. I LIKE.


[Left] Poolside refreshments – beautiful gesture by the resort to serve cold refreshing yummies to guests by the pool as well as the beach.
[Right] Library Collection – quite an extensive selection of fiction, non-fiction and travel books free for browsing. One can also do a book swap – swap your title with any title that you fancy!



Breakfast – Absolutely gorgeous selection of breakfast items – made waking up each day so delightful! My favorite was the local noodle stall and extensive tea selection.

As you may have observed, Six Senses offers a very unique experience so close to nature. I can understand why some people will not enjoy the experience as they may find it too “basic” and “unimpressive” for the price paid. However, I welcome the “back to basic” style of this tropical resort and applaud their efforts in conservation and preservation. So many times during the stay, I found myself impressed by the level of detail and attention they pay towards upholding their core purpose. However, one thing to point out is that their spa facilities/amenities did not quite impress us. Being one of the focus area of this Resort Group – I would not hesitate to use the word ‘disappointing’ or ‘lacking’ on my spa experience.

After this experience – I must admit that I prefer alternating between luxury styled resorts with such rustic experiences. I would still name Paresa and Aleenta in Phuket as my all time favorites.

From here, I am going to have to put a stop to visiting such beach resort getaways as I bid goodbye to corporate life (and monthly pay cheque). Till then, I am going to miss waking up to the smell of the sea, the warmth of the sun (I only dare to sun tan privately) and lovely fishes swimming around me as I snorkel in the clear blue sea…

…or maybe not – Bondi Beach, anyone?

Posted in Ko Samui - Thailand | Leave a comment