Si Chuan Dou Hua: Serving up nostalgia in the form of charcoal roasted delights

Posted on September 23, 2013 by missuschewy

– Tasting Invite –

Riding on the waves of nostalgia evoked by its popular Nostalgic Dim Sum Buffet Feast (you can read about my experience here) , Si Chuan Dou Hua at PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road once again serves up nostalgia in the form of charcoal-cooked claypot rice (煲仔饭). A rare find in Singapore these days, the dish will be prepared with a traditional charcoal stove at diners’ tables, ensuring guests a memorable dining experience in comfortable interiors. I believe most of us have fond memories of eating claypot rice. For me, the best experience that I love getting out of eating claypot rice is the excitement derived from getting a whiff of that smoky fragrance from the lightly burnt rice.

All of us could not take our eyes off the Barbecued Suckling Pig ($198) when it was first served to our table. It is Si Chuan Dou Hua’s signature and is also a must-order. Expertly prepared under the watchful eyes of Barbecue Chef Zheng Guang Liang (郑广良), the suckling pig was grilled to a perfect finish with crackling skin. The size of the suckling pig is enough to feed a table of 10. From now until 31 December 2013, UOB cardmembers enjoy 50% off their second order of barbecued suckling pig. Catering to smaller groups, the second order of roast suckling pig can be taken away or consumed on the next visit.

The roasted skin is deftly cut up into thin slices and is best enjoyed with crunchy cucumber, onion shoots and a dash of its accompanying brown sweet sauce.

The Double-boiled Deer Tendon Soup with Deer Antler ($18) is a must-have, especially on cold rainy days. The heartwarming bowl of soup is full-bodied, nourishing, and is filled with plenty of extraordinary ingredients!

Helmed by Executive Chef Leung Wing Chung (梁永祥), the culinary team has created six varieties of claypot rice using a wide variety of ingredients. UOB cardmembers will once again get to enjoy 50% off their second order from now till 31 December 2013. The Claypot Rice with Assorted Waxed Meat ($18) is definitely a perennial favorite. Although it contains humble ingredients such as Chinese sausages and other types of waxed meat, the tastes and flavors are far more complex and this dish is truly a delight to indulge in.

The Stewed Fish with Bean Curd Skin and Roasted Pork ($22) is another crowd pleaser, with the ingredients steeped in delicious savory stock and the texture of the stewed fish is similar to that of cod fish.

I’m sure many are familiar with claypot rice with pork or chicken with salted fish. Salted fish is one of my favorite ingredients for claypot. Needless to say, misterchewy and I were impressed by the Claypot Rice with Sliced Pork and Salted Fish ($18). The tender slices of pork and generous chunks of salted fish really blended harmoniously.

If you love sauces, the Braised Spare Ribs in “Wuxi” Style with Pan-fried Vegetable Bun ($26) will not disappoint. The slow-braising method softens tough cuts of meat which results in tender ribs with a chewy layer of fat. The pieces of spare ribs are drenched with a marinade that is thick and has a deep caramelized salty flavor. The pan-fried vegetable buns are filled with chives and taste savory on its own but are tremendously delicious when dipped into the sauce.

Lastly, we had the Claypot Rice with Chicken, Live Frog and Enoki Mushroom ($18) which is somewhat more clean-tasting and lighter in taste as compared to the other four claypot dishes that we had earlier on.

Si Chuan Dou Hua is always full of surprises and this time, it was the Deep-fried Yam coated with Soya Bean Crisps ($18) that left everyone struggling to determine what was the yam being coated with. It was only natural that most of us thought that it had been coated with cereal because of its color and texture. Turns out that the crisps were made from soy bean pulp, which explains its mild fragrance when bitten into.

Another dessert that is not to be missed is Si Chuan Dou Hua’s Homemade Fine Bean Curd with Wolfberry ($3.50). Their beancurd is freshly made in two batches in the kitchen on a daily basis and there is no gelatin added. Very smooth and refreshing!

Don’t miss out on Si Chuan Dou Hua’s barbecued suckling pig and claypot dishes! Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Si Chuan Dou Hua
PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road
181 Kitchener Road
Singapore 208533
Tel: 6428 3170

The Lawn Salad & Grill at Shenton AXA Tower

Posted on September 18, 2013 by missuschewy

– Tasting Invite –

I had previously blogged about The Lawn at Biopolis and the customizable salads with mouth-watering grilled meats saw misterchewy and I revisiting the place again towards the end of last year. This time, Jonathan (one of the owners) invited us to review the menu at their second outlet, The Lawn at Shenton, which is situated within AXA Tower.

The shop space looks significantly larger than its first outlet and the vibe it gives is also different, somewhat more serious I would say. Well, not that it matters.

Hot Chocolate ($5.50)

Latte ($4.50)

Besides the three chef picks which are their top salad combinations, you are feel to create your own salad, which consists of a mesclun salad, 5 toppings and 1 dressing, starting from as low as $9.90. Currently, there are 26 different types of toppings for you to choose from, and my personal favourites are baby potatoes, pasta, egg, cashew nuts and parmesan. As compared to The Lawn at Biopolis, the price does not include grills, so you gotta add an additional $3 for chicken/vegetables, $4 for fish/duck/prawns and $5 for beef. A little pricey but The Lawn’s salads really pack a punch and will give the other salad shops in Singapore a run for their money. On the menu, there are a total of 10 grills. The char-grilled prawns with garlic were still as crunchy as ever and definitely won our hearts. Will talk about the dressings in just a bit!

This was Maureen‘s salad which was made more colourful and cheery with the addition of bright red juicy baby tomatoes. I think that the grilled black pepper duck breast became a bit dry and tough because we took too long to eat it but you can always pour some dressing on it. Still very yummy and flavourful, and in fact it was my favourite grill.

I didn’t get to try their olive rice the previous two occasions that I went. Olive rice, side salad and 1 dressing starts from $8.90, which is a dollar cheaper than the salad. Gotta love the olive rice for its fragrance while the rice grains were full and fluffy. In this photo, you see a beautiful piece of butter-seared pacific dory with parsley rub that was done so wonderfully. I wish The Lawn has more fish grills on their menu but there is only one!

The husband and I love mushrooms. The char-grilled mixed mushrooms were extremely juicy and definitely hit the spot! Super yums!

We also tried 4 other chicken grills namely chicken breast with maple infusion, char-grilled Cajun chicken, grilled teriyaki chicken and chicken breast with fresh herbs. I shall spare you the details but trust me, go for the Cajun and teriyaki. You will not regret!

WOW. The Lawn offers 12 types of dressings. We had SO much fun mixing and matching all the dressings with our grills! My top favourite is still Wasahonie. If you are absolutely clueless about which dressing to go for, the menu gives you an awesome guide on which are some of the dressings that will go well or great with certain grills.

We finally had the chance to try Peggy Chang‘s tiramisu from The Tiramisu Hero ($7.50)! I really love the tiramisu-in-a-jar idea and I think it’s just brilliant. The packaging is also very nice and great for parties or events.

The matcha cake ($7.50) was really good, with bits of azuki beans sandwiched between layers. Not too sweet, spongy and moist. Best enjoyed with a cup of hot tea. Bliss!

Just when we thought the matcha cake was good, the oreo cheesecake ($7.50) totally stole the limelight! Best oreo cheesecake ever! Sweet and savoury with a perfect crumbly base!

If The Lawn Salad & Grill Cafe keeps this up, it’s gonna take Singapore by storm!

Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

The Lawn at Shenton
8 Shenton Way
#B1-11
AXA Tower
Singapore 068811
Tel: 6534 8749

Opening Hours:
Mon to Fri
10.30am – 9pm

SK-II Bridal Glow Set: The Secret to Bridal Beauty in 14 Days

Posted on September 16, 2013 by missuschewy

– Sponsored Post –

Sincere apologies to SK-II for taking like forever to post this up on my blog! As some of you might have noticed, there are slight changes in my blog layout. Hope you guys like it! Annnnnd, the menu navigation bar on top is to allow readers to have easier and convenient access to the different types of blog posts that they want to read 🙂 I have added a Beauty and Skincare column, which is something very new on my blog. Thanks for all your support in the meantime. Ok back to the point! A while ago, I received an invitation to SK-II’s Ultimate Bridal Shower event at The Halia @ Botanic Gardens. It was my first time attending a beauty event and I don’t know that many beauty bloggers, so I grabbed beauty blogger Michelleagy (former finalist of Miss Singapore Universe 2011) along with me!

The setting was really gorgeous! One table was for bloggers and the other was for other guests.

Yes we were served food but I’m not posting any food photos today! Anyway, it was a bit embarrassing. All the other bloggers were using nifty compact cameras while I was the only one handling such a bulky DSLR. I ended up leaving my external flash in my bag. Haha. 😛

There was a video showing Singapore’s top beauty blogger Roseanne Tang as a speaker, a live demonstration and a beauty counselor to explain how SK-II’s Bridal Glow Set can give radiant bridal skin in just 14 days. It was not only insightful but inspiring!

Michelle and I!

Thanks Jacelyn for the pic!

Each of us took home a SK-II Bridal Glow Set which is now retailing at a recommended price of $382 at selected SK-II outlets (Takashimaya, Tangs Orchard, Tangs Vivocity, Metro Paragon, Metro Woodlands, Isetan Scotts, Isetan Tampines, Isetan Serangoon, Isetan Katong, Robinsons Centrepoint, Robinsons Raffles City, BHG Bugis, OG People’s Park) while stocks last!

The set consists of:

1. Facial Treatment Essence 150ml

2. Cellumination Essence EX 30ml

3. Cellumination Deep Surge EX 15g

4. Facial Treatment Clear Lotion 40ml

5. Facial Treatment Mask 2-pcs

6. 3-in-1 Electric Beauty Bath Set

Precious Moments figurine not included.

The SK-II Bridal Glow Set is specially crafted by the beauty experts at SK-II, aiming to empower brides-to-be to achieve the bridal glow, in just 14 days with 5 simple steps!

Step 1 – Facial Treatment Clear Lotion 40ml

This wipe-off clarifying lotion gently removes dirt and dead skin cells and leaves skin clean, lively, and perfectly conditioned.

Step 2 – Facial Treatment Mask 2-pcs

Reviving and relaxing, this intensive moisture-boosting mask leaves skin noticeably radiant, soft and crystal clear.

Step 3 – Facial Treatment Essence 150ml

Containing more than 90% Pitera™ this much loved “miracle water” helps maintain the skin’s natural renewal cycle its optimum condition.

Step 4 – Cellumination Essence Ex 30ml

Cellumination Essence EX improves skin from the cellular level for highly defined, aura bright skin in just 4 weeks.

Step 5 – Cellumination Deep Surge EX 15g

This daily moisturiser works to balance skin tone from within to unleash skin’s translucent aura.

Brides-to-be, you know that planning a wedding is never easy. From choosing the perfect venue to planning your guest list, you may not have the luxury to pamper yourself well before the big day. Why not invest in SK-II’s Bridal Glow Set and let its magic work for you in just 14 days? 😉

Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Mooncakes from Man Fu Yuan, Park Palace and Grand Mercure Roxy

Posted on September 11, 2013 by missuschewy

– Sponsored Post –

This season, InterContinental Singapore’s award-winning signature restaurant Man Fu Yuan unveils a divine collection of handcrafted mooncakes created by Dim Sum Chef Simon Poon and his team. A new range of low sugar white lotus seed paste mooncakes, made with 50 percent less sugar and with all-natural ingredients, complement our traditional baked mooncake collection this year. With a choice of classic salted egg yolk or premium macadamia nuts, the new additions provide a guilt-free indulgence this Mid-Autumn season.

Man Fu Yuan’s perennial favourite baked mooncake collection comes with a variety of fillings to suit different palates, such as Assorted Nuts, White Lotus Seed Paste with Macadamia Nuts, and Red Bean Paste with Melon Seeds.

The ‘Pulot Hitam’ mooncake, inspired by the well-loved Peranakan dessert is their much anticipated new creation. Filled with a creamy centre of black glutinous rice pudding infused with gula melaka, the familiar flavours provide a nostalgic treat with an interesting textural contrast to the delicate snowskin wrap. It’s available as part of the sensational 4-piece collection of Snowskin Mooncake Combination, with other unique snowskin favourites including the aromatic Green Tea Paste with Dragonball Jasmine tea infused snowskin, smooth White Lotus with Macadamia Nuts and rich Sesame Paste with White Sesame Seeds.

Man Fu Yuan mooncakes are available for online purchase at www.facebook.com/ICSingapore; The Teahut, located at the entrance of InterContinental Singapore from Bugis Junction, and selected locations across Singapore, with boxes of 2-piece from $29.80+ and 4-piece from $48.80+.

For the traditionalists at heart, the White Lotus Seed Paste with Single or Double Yolk as well as White Lotus Seed Paste with Macadamia Nuts (Low Sugar) remain hot favorites. Baked to a beautiful deep golden brown, these traditional mooncakes thrill the palate with a dreamily smooth texture and sweet white lotus paste that oozes wholesome goodness.

Back by popular demand to tease and tempt your palates are the fruity flavors of Lychee & Lychee in Snowskin and devilishly decadent Baileys Truffle & Mint in Snowskin. The Black Sesame & White Lotus Paste with Mochi in Snowskin is sprinkled with gold dust and enrobed in a black sesame infused white lotus paste with a specially imported chewy mochi in the centre. Looking pretty in pink, the Sakura Truffle with White Lotus Paste in Snowskin is infused with the aromatic flavors of Sakura.

Prices for baked and snowskin mooncakes start from $50+ for 4 pieces and 8 pieces respectively.

Going against the current trend of weird flavor pairings for the sake of being different, the Chefs at Grand Mercure Roxy have focused on wonderful fresh ingredients that work together to design the perfect dessert at a great price. The range of contemporary flavors including dark ganache with rum; black sesame with winter melon tea; white lotus seeds with macadamia nuts; and raspberry with dark chocolate.

Available at Jia Wei Chinese Restaurant and Jia Wei Express, these delicious treats are perfect for gifting and sharing with your loved ones. Prices range from $48 to $60.

Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road Staycation Blog Review

Posted on August 20, 2013 by missuschewy

– Sponsored Staycation –

In July this year, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) opened the first ever Holiday Inn Express in Singapore, located in the heart of the country’s vibrant shopping district and entertainment hub, Orchard Road.
Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road is the first of two Holiday Inn Express hotels planned for Singapore during the brand’s rapid expansion across South East Asia. With so many hotels concentrated in Orchard, it is needless to say that travellers will inevitably be spoilt for choice.

I was invited to discover the Holiday Inn experience for myself and since misterchewy was working that day, I checked into the hotel on my own that morning. I wasn’t the least bit worried about not being able to locate the place since I had been told that Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road is situated in between The Heeren and Paragon. Talk about prime location!

Upon stepping into the hotel, I was warmly greeted with a smile at the 24-hour reception. Check-in procedure was straightforward, swift and hassle-free.

Our room was on the 15th floor, highest being the 16th. There are 221 queen-bedded and twin-bedded rooms with complimentary in-room wifi. In fact, the hotel offers free and fast Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel, so guests can stay connected all day, every day. In this day and age, not many of us can survive without Internet connectivity!

Holiday Inn Express’ STAY SMART concept revolves around making sure that every valued guest can expect a fuss-free and refreshing stay with guaranteed comfort and convenience at a reasonable price.

A panorama photo of our queen-bedded room taken with my iPhone 5.

All rooms feature high quality bedding with pillow top mattress and duck down duvet.

Interestingly, guests have a choice of soft pillows..

..or firm pillows. We preferred the firm ones!

To my delight, there is also a comfy couch for people like me who abhors lying on the bed before taking a shower. To me, the bed is sacred. I’m not joking. Haha.

There are also 40 inch LCD televisions, ergonomic desk chairs and efficient work stations in every room.

Tea and coffee making facilities

I was quite surprised to find an un-stocked mini bar but honestly, with so many supermarkets and convenience stores around the vicinity, I would rather choose my own selection of drinks and snacks.

In-room safe

En-suite bathroom

Holiday Inn takes pride in its green initiatives and Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium recently received the Singapore Green Hotel Award 2013.

Pleased to find liquid handwash instead of bar soap!

Silly me, I was busy taking photos of the bathroom amenities and then realized in a state of shock that I had not seen the shower area. I was almost ready to believe that there could be another shared bathroom within the hotel.. until I saw the handle of the door! Phew!

Guests can recharge after a long day exploring Orchard Road by utilizing the refreshing power showers in the bathrooms with three-head massage showerhead.

There was a tour around the hotel and the first thing I noticed was “SMART is having your own set of wheels”. So there you have it, Holiday Inn Express provides trolleys for guests to conveniently wheel their luggages into their rooms.

Complimentary internet stations and self-service business centre

Complimentary Express Start breakfast is made available at the Great Room.

There is also a Grab & Go option for guests who do not have the luxury of sitting down to enjoy their breakfast. More on this later.

On the 4th floor of the hotel, a compact meeting facility for 12 persons can be booked, subject to availability.

The self-service laundry and and ironing facilities are also located on the 4th floor.

After the tour, I bought McNuggets’ meal at Cineleisure, which was about a 10-minute walk away, and enjoyed a quiet lunch in the comfort of the hotel room.

Watched a couple of movies while resting on the couch before meeting misterchewy, misstamchiak and her fiancé for dinner. There will be a separate post for this!

Featuring our OOTD! Hehehe.

Breakfast ends at around 10am each day and we made sure that we got there by 9.30am.

Scrambled eggs

Chicken sausages

Fried beehoon

Prawn dumplings

Besides the usual coffee and tea, you can also have hot chocolate. Kids will definitely love this.

This is the Grab & Go breakfast option which consists of a cup of hot beverage, muffin and fruit. Busy guests don’t have an excuse for skipping breakfast. Very thoughtful of the hotel!

Packed our stuff and spent a relaxing moment in the room before checking out at 12pm.

The new Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road is the smart choice for savvy travellers who are looking for the best location combined with the best value. The Smart Stay experience offers value-conscious guests everything they need and nothing they don’t. We personally felt that everything that was provided during our stay was adequate and we were very satisfied!

Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

Click here to check out our list of Singapore staycation reviews!

Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road
20 Bideford Road
Singapore 229921
Tel: +65 6690 3199

Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay Staycation Blog Review

Posted on August 7, 2013 by missuschewy

– Sponsored Staycation –

Happy long weekend chewys! I’m back with a new blog entry! If you have read our previous post, you should have anticipated today’s hotel staycation review ya 🙂 The husband and I enjoyed a one night stay at Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay, a splendid 4 stars hotel situated in the heart of Singapore.

Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay features over 400 rooms which had been recently upgraded, each with a magnificent and amazing view of the Marina Bay, Singapore River, and also the spectacular city skyline of Singapore. We had the luxury of staying in a Premier room on the 22nd floor which is extremely spacious, complete with a balcony which can be accessed upon request for the sliding doors to be unlocked.

One substantial enhancement of the hotel was the discontinuation of queen sized beds such that there were only king sized beds even in Novotel’s smallest rooms.

All rooms have been designed to Novotel’s latest standards offering state of the art amenities. I was busy taking photos while misterchewy entertained himself by browsing channels on the LCD televisions with easy media connectivity panel. Oh did I mention that there is complimentary high-speed WiFi too?

Nespresso coffee machine

Some of the snacks available but are chargeable. FYI, 7-Eleven is conveniently located just downstairs.

iPod docking station. It’s a pity that it’s not compatible with iPhone 5.

The bathroom is also quite spacious. I wish I had my wide angle lens with me 😛

I like the colors that Novotel picked for the packaging of the toiletries.

Photo taken and very heavily edited by misterchewy using his iPhone 5. Hahaha. But the photo sure doesn’t lie that it was a hot and sunny day! Perrrrfect for a swim!

Totally got this resort or holiday feel right? *Sigh*

It was nice having a staycation at Clarke Quay for a change! So many pubs and clubs in the area and you don’t have to worry that much about getting drunk because all you need to do is stagger a little to get back to Novotel. Hahaha.

The night view from our hotel room is also very nice!

We got to enjoy the MBS laser show as well. We could have watched the NDP preview fireworks display too but the husband had already made reservations for dinner. Boohoo.

Premier room guests get to enjoy Premier Floor benefits all day, such as having access to the newly-upgraded Premier Lounge, complimentary American breakfast, WiFi, express check-in / check-out and complimentary use of the boardroom for those all- important business meetings and cocktail hours complete with free flow drinks and canapes every evening. Premier guests have the option of having breakfast at this Premier Lounge or The SQUARE on level 7, or maybe both if you have the stomach for it.

I admit that I was lazy to get out of bed and told misterchewy to eat breakfast on his own 😛 He chose to have breakfast at the Premier Lounge. We had been to The SQUARE for a brunch tasting last year and the husband concluded that the variety was much wider there even though the Premier Lounge was more exclusive.

My simple breakfast from 7-Eleven and The Sunday Times from the hotel! Breakfast in bed for me 😛

It was a great way for us to spend our dating anniversary at Novotel. Stay tuned to our next post as we will be showing you how we did our miniature food clay art as a couple! 🙂 Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy

Click here to check out our list of Singapore staycation reviews!

Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay
177A River Valley Road
Singapore 179031
Tel: +65 63383333
Email: H5993@accor.com

MooJaa, Mookata Thai BBQ Steamboat

Posted on July 19, 2013 by missuschewy

– Tasting Invite –

I believe we are all very familiar with Korean barbeque and Chinese steamboat. Have you ever wondered what would happen if you were to combine these two? You get Mookata, which is Thai BBQ steamboat! Apparently, this can be found everywhere in Bangkok, but for some reason, we did not come across any Mookata places when we went there last year. Thanks to MooJaa Mookata, we had our first ever Mookata experience and it is definitely not the last!

MooJaa Mookata is located at Chinatown and the place is actually quite well-ventilated.

We had a glass of Thai Ice Tea ($2.50) while we waited patiently for our food to be served. It tasted like our local tea with milk except that it was sweeter and so much thicker and creamier!

Shaun shared with us that traditionally Japanese Binchotan white charcoal is used which does not produce soot like black charcoal does and does not cause food to turn acidic.

A piece of pork lard is placed on top of the skillet, which is the dome-shaped metal pan seen in the above. As the pork lard begins to melt and grease up the pan, you can start your BBQ partaaay! At the same time, you can fill the steamboat with ingredients such as vegetables and pork balls when the broth in the trough starts to boil.

The Fish Skin ($6) had been deep fried and it was very crispy. Shaun taught us an interesting way of eating it which was to place it in the broth for a few seconds. The fish skin soaked up the flavorful broth and tasted even better, while still retaining a slight crisp!

If having to decide from the À la carte menu is too much of a hassle for you, there are 4 types of Mookata Sets for you to choose from, inclusive of a $32+/diner buffet. We were given the chance to sample half of Set Moo ($45) and Set Gai ($45), so what you see in the above photo makes one full set (sorry there was significantly more meat but Shaun had already placed them on the pan before I could stop him). Each set can feed 2 people. To make things simple for you, both sets consist of prawns, pork balls, squid, scallops, crab meat, abalone slices, golden mushroom, vermicelli, xiao bai cai and kang kong. The only difference between both sets is that Set Moo has pork collar slices while Set Gai has boneless chicken slices.

The 2-in-1 BBQ and steamboat experience was superb and we were kept busy the entire time! As you can see, there wasn’t much space for us to BBQ the meat and because of its dome shape, the meat slided into our soup on a few occasions when we were not careful.

The trick here is not to keep flipping the meat if not it will crumble into smaller pieces very easily.

As for the steamboat, we loved the broth which was sweet tasting and very flavorful after being brewed for about 5 hours. The scary part? It was when all the oil and grease from the barbequed meats start to trickle down into the soup. It is said to make the soup even tastier which I have to agree but it does sound artery clogging as well!

The Cheese Balls ($8) were not included in the set but they are highly recommended. No you don’t eat them straight like that even though I got too carried away with the barbeque-ing and popped one into my mouth. Zzz.

In order to achieve the hot molten cheese effect, simply allow the cheese balls to boil for a while in the broth. The result was simply marvellous! Shaun told us that he once had a female customer who ordered 31 plates of cheese balls and ate them all by herself. Yes, thirty one. It is THAT good.

We also sampled the Kurobuta Pork Collar Slice ($22) which is an absolute must order if you love kurobuta.

Just look at those beautiful marbled fats!

This bowl of rice was not the main star but it played its supporting role really well. This is not ordinary plain white rice but white rice cooked with vegetable stock. Surprisingly fragrant and tasty!

Not forgetting the dipping condiments too! Spicy BBQ was actually not too spicy and a little sweet. I kinda liked the Sweet Sour Seafood Sauce better which is not something you can easily get elsewhere or replicate. It is made from 30 different ingredients imported from Thailand.

We were really really stuffed by the time we were done eating! Of course, misterchewy and I enjoyed our first Mookata experience 🙂

Bumped into a fellow blogger Ruiting!

In case you are wondering, “MooJaa” is an affectionate term in Thai which translates to “my lovely pig” and it is used when lovers put on weight during the course of their relationship, which is probably accompanied with a bit of belly poking 😛

Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

MooJaa Mookata Thai BBQ Steamboat
25 Keong Saik Road
Singapore 089132
Tel: 6536 4780

Opening hours:
Mon to Sat
11am – 2pm (excluding Sat)
5pm – 6am
Sun
5pm – 11pm

The Ascot @ The Grandstand: Authentic English Gastrogrub

Posted on July 8, 2013 by missuschewy

– Tasting Invite –

Wotcha chewys! Sometime back, misterchewy and I dropped by The Ascot at The Grandstand, formally known as Turf City. It was our first time at The Grandstand but we had been to quite a few of the seafood restaurants with our families when this place was still called Turf City. The change is quite huge and the place is livened up with many eateries and large crowds. Really glad to see that! 🙂

Owner Sylvester Fedor Thang chatted with us for a bit and asked if we know what The Ascot is all about. He previously spent two years studying in the UK and wanted to recreate the very best of the quintessential English pub experience right here in Singapore. Lovingly referred to as a British ‘gastrogrub’ by Sylvester, he wanted to serve authentic British cuisine and Singaporeans would be exposed to a whole lot more than just the usual Fish & Chips.

The Ascot at The Grandstand is named after the Ascot Racecourse, which is located in Berkshire. It seems that Sylvester is determined to share a piece of what he had experienced in UK with his fellow Singaporeans. Not surprisingly, The Ascot is very popular among expats as the food reminds them of home.

I had always wanted to try Toffee Apple Cider because I had such a hard time finding it at various supermarkets. It tasted really sweet and a little bitter. I think I still prefer beer 😛 The husband had a bottle of Pear Cider which was less sweet and more refreshing.

I was initially kinda skeptical of the Strawberry spinach salad with crumbled blue cheese, pistachios, bacon & avocado ($18) but the ~~crazy~~ unusual combination worked surprisingly well! The blue cheese was undoubtedly pungent and had a sharp acidic flavor but the sweetness derived from the strawberry slices and raspberry vinaigrette countered this well.

The husband and I were both surprised by how unique this bowl of Smoked tomato soup ($8) tasted, very full-bodied with a slightly smoked flavor to it. At the same time, it was rich, tangy, and a little sweet tasting. This certainly whetted our appetite for the remaining dishes to come!

The Cold Cut Platter ($18), featuring 3 types of cold cuts served with silver onions, gherkins, scotch egg & homemade bread, is a must order at The Ascot. Obviously, the scotch egg stole the show. It is essentially hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, coated in bread crumbs and baked or deep-fried. Perhaps I should try this in my own kitchen next time!

A bunch of bangers ($20) would definitely serve as a perfect pub grub, or gastro grub in this context. Have I ever told you that misterchewy and I loveeee sausages? I think we would have been on cloud nine if we had ordered beer instead of cider. Sausages + Beer = Heaven. We had two broiled sausages (instead of three because we don’t eat beef) on bubble and squeak drizzled with onion gravy. Bubble and squeak is a British dish made with shallow-fried leftover vegetables. Very interesting and we loved it.

Since this The Ascot is a British gastrogrub, we did not expect the Chicken Tikka Masala ($18) to come into the picture. Tender pieces of chicken were marinated in yoghurt and spices. Bathed in creamy and spicy curry sauce, this dish was very addictive and we couldn’t help dipping pieces of naan into the gravy even though we were quite full by then.

The Roasted chicken served with vegetables & potato lyonnais ($24) was even more tender than the chicken tikka masala. The first few bites were not bad but I soon found that the BBQ-like marination was too thick and sweet for my liking.

The husband and I felt that the desserts wrapped things up really nicely and we were very satisfied. Served warm, the Classic Bread & Butter Pudding ($9) and the vanilla ice cream were a match made in heaven. Moist, fluffy and slightly spongy, we enjoyed this dessert thoroughly!

We saved the best for last, and true enough, the Deep-fried Mars Bars in batter ($8) tasted as awesome as it sounds. Thick, gooey, caramelized goodness enveloped in a light, crispy and savory batter. This was a real sweet treat!

If you have not popped by The Grandstand, The Ascot gives you every reason to do so now! The place is made accessible with free shuttle services from Newton, Botanical Gardens and Toa Payoh mrt stations.
Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

The Ascot @ The Grandstand
200 Turf Club Road
#01-16
Singapore 287994
Tel: 6462 0881

Opening Hours:
Tue
3pm – 11pm
Wed & Thu
12pm – 11pm
Fri
12pm – 1am
Sat
10.30am – 1am
Sun
10.30am – 11pm

MUSEO @ Quayside Isle: A Delightful Gastronomical Experience Where Art Meets Food

Posted on July 4, 2013 by missuschewy

– Tasting Invite –

I was pleasantly surprised upon finding out that MUSEO (pronounced as ‘MOO-ZAY-O’) at the Quayside Isle on Sentosa Island is opened by the brilliant folks behind Arteastiq, which I had previously blogged about before. Even though I had only been there once, I loved the wonderful idea of combining art with food, making it a social painting and tea sipping place.

MUSEO means ‘museum’ in Italian, which brings to mind fine exhibits by world-renowned artists, all displayed in an elegant and refined setting. Incorporating its unique take to the term, MUSEO has translated the concept into gastronomic treats exquisitely presented with a contemporary twist.

Every single detail of its offerings, as well as interior atmosphere, down to its lighting, wall displays and music, are crafted with deliberate care to reflect a fine taste in food and art which all art enthusiasts would appreciate.

MUSEO provides the perfect weekend retreat for all city dwellers, as well as a peaceful sanctuary for working executives craving for a haven to wind down their minds after a long day of work. Sunset dining in the plush and luxurious setting, topped off with the perfect selection of house music and magnificent view of the marina littered with beautiful yachts, creates a paradisiacal holiday for everyone.

The venue is also perfect for a romantic first date between budding lovers. The creative vibe in the air and MUSEO’s integrated social painting studio allows all inspired souls to create their very own masterpiece.

As mentioned in my previous post, we had a staycation at Movenpick Heritage Hotel Sentosa and we took a feeder bus to Quayside Isle which was really convenient.

The drink that I wanted was unavailable and I went along with what was being recommended to me. Thyme and Grapes ($18), a concoction of fresh black grapes, unfiltered sake, vodka and thyme tasted deliciously sweet yet a little potent at the same time. This would definitely make a perfect after-dinner drink for ladies. The husband didn’t like his Berries Galore ($16), which tasted too strongly of vodka.

Among its many new creations, MUSEO is the first to serve food in exquisite glass cups. Simply named ‘Dine-In-A-Cup’, this refreshing concept is a guaranteed hit amongst the young, trendy and sophisticated, who crave intimacy and convenience even when dining more formally.

One of MUSEO’s selling point is its Mezzanine selection, which is named after some of the most eminent and celebrated art pieces in the world. Somehow, this made us appreciate the food that we tried at MUSEO even more and we relished every bite. Smile of Mona Lisa ($12) was truly unforgettable, oozing with yummy molten camembert cheese. It was served with cranberry sauce but we prefered it on its own. Picasso’s Blues ($12), deep fried prawns flavoured with lavender were crunchy but failed to leave a lasting impression.

Our favorite was Joys of Life ($12), the smoked roast pork belly served with hot sauce really hit the spot! It was one of the best roast pork belly that we had ever had. We even dipped it in the cranberry sauce that was supposed to go with the deep fried cheese, and it tasted just as amazing. We enjoyed The Kiss ($12) as well, barbequed squid with chilli and pepper was spicy enough but the sauce was a bit on the watery side. Diners have the flexibility in customising their own unique Mezzanine set by choosing 4 of the 12 Mezzanines available for only $39.

Our mains! Looks quite good right?

We found the Two-Way Lamb ($35) an interesting dish. Besides the roasted marinated lamb rack which was fork tender albeit a bit dry, it was also served with shepard pie which had been baked with lamb. The cherry tomato chutney complemented the lamb rack well and enhanced its flavors.

I can’t remember what misterchewy thought of the Pan Roasted Cod Fillet ($33) but I didn’t quite take to the onion relish which reminded me of Indian cuisine. Not that I have anything against that, in fact, I love Indian food. Perhaps the onion relish was very overpowering and I could not really taste the natural flavors of the cod fillet. The mushroom risotto was also too dry and sticky.

We were looking forward to the Vodka Chocolate Lava Cake ($12) and was surprised by its small serving size. The chocolate cake had a vodka filled molten chocolate centre which was thick and rich. Gelato of choice includes champagne vanilla, chocolate or yuzu.

I never order fruits as desserts but since the Eton Mess ($12) was recommended, we went along with it. Haha. On the overall, it was very sour, with diced strawberry and peach marinated with lemon juice and rum, topped with whipped cream. If your tolerance for sourness is very low, I suggest you don’t try this.

The husband and I were impressed with MUSEO’s Mezzanine range and we certainly don’t mind going back just for that. Maybe we will try to paint something while we are there! Hahaha 😛
Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com.missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy

MUSEO
Quayside Isle (Next to W Hotel)
31 Ocean Way, #01-22
Sentosa Cove
Singapore 098375
Tel: 6734 8066

Opening Hours:
Mon to Thu
2pm – 1am
Fri, Sat & PH Eve
1.30pm – 2am
Sun
1.30pm – 1am

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum

Posted on June 26, 2013 by missuschewy

– Sponsored Review –

Happy hump day, chewys! Today, I’m gonna share this long overdue post (*sheepish*) on Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum with you! The lovely ladies from Elizabeth Arden invited me and a few girls for a luxurious Ceramide facial session, and also at the same time, find out more about the benefits of this product 🙂

Photo credit: Capella Singapore

The event was held at Capella Singapore @ Sentosa which got me excited because I have always wanted to have a staycation here! But it’s really expensive. With that money, I can easily go for a short overseas trip!

Photo credit: Capella Singapore

Homaigawd. Even the swimming pools look so cool right!

Photo credit: Capella Singapore

Elizabeth Arden specially booked a two-bedroom villa for our facial session. Do you know that a night here costs about $2500?!

This was my first time attending a beauty event and I was quite worried because I don’t really know other beauty bloggers. Relieved that Michelle was also invited (I know her through social media) and I met this pretty babe for the very first time! 😀 Photo was taken using Michelle’s phone.

As the facial session took place in a two bedroom villa, up to two bloggers underwent the treatment during each timeslot. I was led to one of the bedrooms and was really thrilled because it looked so cosy! Psst.. And was also a little worried that I might fall asleep and snore 😛

Photo credit: Michelleagy

Wheeee! I got dressed.. I mean undressed.. Ok la partially undressed and was thrilled to be in for a treat! 😀

Photo credit: Michelleagy

My therapist was Joyce and within the first 5 minutes of the session, I knew I was in good hands. The facial treatment involved cleansing, toning, exfoliating, treatment and moisturizing, which lasted for about 45 minutes. It was a very relaxing and therapeutic experience! I definitely felt rejuvenated after the session 🙂

Each of us got to bring home a 30-capsule jar and I started using this two weeks ago. Do you know that as we age, the constant folding of our facial expressions creates deeper lines and and creases in our skin, resulting in loss of firmness? Elizabeth Arden researchers found that the natural production of Ceramides, which comprise 50% of essential lipids found in the skin’s barrier layer, are critical because they help maintain the integrity of skin’s first line of defense against aging signs. This research led Elizabeth Arden to develop bio-engineered, skin identical Ceramides, and create pure, potent single dose capsules to deliver these precious and protective elements to skin.

Elizabeth Arden’s iconic golden capsules are airtight and sealed for effectiveness, eliminating the need for preservatives and emulsifiers. Each single dose capsule delivers a concentrated application of skin-essential ceramide benefits in the most efficient way.

Here are some key benefits derived:
– Visibly improves skin tone and clarity.
– Instantly retexturizes skin for noticeably softer, smoother looking skin.
– Supports natural collagen levels to give skin a firmer more resilient look.
– Works to minimize the appearance of find lines and wrinkles.
– Helps strengthen skin’s natural protective moisture barrier.

Photo credit: misterchewy

I use the capsules twice a week because I only have 30, so each one of them is very precious! LOL. The diameter of the capsule is about the size of my fingernail which makes twisting the capsules open a little tricky but once you get the hang of it, it can be quite fun and easy. For optimal results, warm both palms before massaging the serum onto your face for a minute or so. What I liked about this product is that even though it is an oil serum, it has the amazing ability to be absorbed into my skin really quickly and leaves a mattifying finish instead of a greasy one. Hurray to a youthful look! 🙂

Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum, 60 capsules (SGD 139) is available island-wide at all Elizabeth Arden counters.

Stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy and @misterchewy 🙂

missuschewy

Singapore Lifestyle and Travel Blog

Category Archives: #Media Invite

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MooJaa, Mookata Thai BBQ Steamboat

The Ascot @ The Grandstand: Authentic English Gastrogrub

MUSEO @ Quayside Isle: A Delightful Gastronomical Experience Where Art Meets Food

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum

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