Ippudo (Mandarin Gallery) Review

A week more to

TAIWAN!

Am so excited about it (: 

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Sorry for the hiatus! Been really busy with school, work and I fell sick for the nth time this year. 

Awhile back, the boyf. and I went to try Ippudo at Mandarin Gallery. I really love the setting and they had long tables (which I was served to) where different groups of dinners sit together when the individual tables are taken up. So it gets kinda awkward because if your partner chooses to sit in front of you, then someone else could be sitting next to you. Get it? Like a long canteen table! 

Love how they had different sizes and patterns of bowls up on a board as deco.

 This was the long table I was seated at. 

 So after settling down, looking at the menu, we decided on :

2 mains, a gyoza and a calpis drink (my fav!). 

First up, they served the Calpis. Very tasty like diluted yalkut! 

Then came the Gyoza - Ippudo Orginal Gyoza, which was pretty small in size but very juicy!

Alil different from what you normally get at the China la mian stalls.

Then the mains arrived. This was Shiromaru Tamago (ie. Flavoured egg!)

Decided on trying something really simple and boy I love the soup. 

Nearly finish it all up but was refrain by the boyf. Then again, he finished his share of soup -.-

My first tamago experience and I saved it for the last! Hahaha. 

Lovely texture from the yolk and the egg was pretty chewy. Likes!

Here's my 'medium' style noodle (choose hard, medium or soft for noodles texture).

I don't know what the bowl was made up of but the soup was still pretty warm even half way down eating.

The boyf's Shiromaru Chashu. Love the pork belly! 

 See the ratio 1: 1 of fats and meat? I 'sup' it up - even the fats!

Super love this but the boyf felt that it was a tad salty. Wasn't to me. 

That is all. You must be wandering why I didn't order the popular pork bun. I forgot! (shoot me!) :(
In any case, it was a wah-wah experience and I don't understand the hype of it but I guess their service is really good and the food is to my liking.

There was this diner who was probably trying Ippudo for the first time and had trouble with the menu, so he asked for help and the server was very patience, explained what's the difference in certain ramen dish and all. He even stoop down to the level of the diner when talking - eye contact is very impt!. Thumbs up for that! I mean some server will just stand and explain with you looking up to him/her. Found that lil gesture very comforting! Jap culture v Sg culture. tsk.

Anyways, I would love to try out other ramen and may return to Ippudo soon - for the pork bun. The boyf isn't very keen to this though. He says there isn't a big diff between this and Ramen Play! -.-

Have you tried it? What's your verdict?

The Line @ Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

Hi there

it's assignment week at school and i fell sick on monday! Boo, Had a running fever of 38.2 degree. FML! Was so touched by my friends (not even close friends) concern at school and of course, other friends who knew I was sick. (:

Anyhoos, had a dinner treat to The Line at Shangri-La hotel. Wasn't very fantastic IMHO. I would rather visit Buffet Town at Raffles Shopping Mall or Vienna Buffet at United Sq. Cheaper, and more varieties. I guess at The Line, it's more on the ambiance, the seafood - oysters, scallops, prawns etc - and the desserts. Oh, the laksa is also pretty good!

Okay, I'll show you some pictures. But the image quality isn't very good. Pardon me.
First, OOTD!

This is where the Teh-Tarik counter was. Read reviews that e teh tarik was good so I took one and yes, it really was! :D (See the lighting? isn't very good cause The Line theme is white and orange. So half of the area was in such lighting)

Pork Belly in fermented prawn paste, I think. Not bad but the meat was a tad tough.

 I went to the desserts section next. Hohoho! 

I saw a durian cake and was like MUST TRY! But when I went back, it was gone and they didn't replenish it anymore! :'(

This was what I took (clock wise direction): Some hazelnut, dark chocolate dessert (will have fever instantly), Opera cake which was pretty good, Mango shortcake (okay..) and Coffee Creme Brulee (very nice!)

Another shot of whatever cake this was.

This is the roti prata, naan section. Wasn't fantastic! I rather have my naan at the stretch of prata stalls opposite Beauty World

Took satay (Beef, lamb and chicken) - chicken was my fav that night - 

lamb, chicken and naan. 

  Pasta section. Taste like any other pizza. 

  Salad section which was not very popular even though it was so colourful and inviting to try.

This was my plate when I started taking the dish. Pork belly in fermented prawn paste, Brinjal (nice!), Cha soba - Ichiban serves better ones - and a sauteed potato which was omg!

Dim Sum section. Har Gao was pretty good! The other 2 which I couldn't make up what it was, was passable. 

 Laksa which was shiok! Had quail egg and a huge prawn! Gravy was very smooth and creamy. Likes! I didn't even put any chilli! Heard the satay beehoon was also pretty awesome. They had other cooked chinese dish like wanton mee and prawn noodle as well.

Sorry there wasn't any oyster pictures because I don't take oysters. But the boy was grabbing for the oysters and said it was really good. I tried the cold prawns though! Fresh and juicy! So the seafood is pretty good as well.

Anyway, they gave us a birthday cake to take home because it was the boyf's sis bday celebration and she was the one treating so, service was still pretty good I must say. (: Well, I heard each person was about $80? and I just didn't feel it was worth it. It's a free meal so what else can I ask for right?


That's all folks! Gotta go for a class in a few hours time! Have a jolly weekend! :D

Lost & Found

10 years ago (give and take), my family used to patronise a particular duck stall at Sin Ming Rd. It was in the coffeeshop where Aston's is at Thomson Prata House & Salted Caramel.

Whenever my dad buys a roasted duck back, he'll tell the uncle to leave the drumstick alone because it will be mine. I love having my duck rice with drumstick using hands! Yes, like a glutton! :D Sadly, the uncle shifted.

My dad's a cabby so you know how cabby knows all the good food around Singapore. So he FOUND that duck stall! It's now at Stirling Rd, at a very old school coffeeshop.

 This wanton mee stall also looks good! Order a bowl of wanton and oh boy! the soup was so delicious! According to the father, alot of people will queue for the wanton mee during lunch!

Anyway, this is the duck stall (opposite end of the wanton mee's). Soya Chicken and Roast Duck.
We ordered half a duck, braised beancurd and roast pork, for 5 pax. Uncle gave us a big bowl of soup too! (:

The only roast pork I eat. Crispy skin, equal distribution of fats! Pork was alil salted which was very appetizing  Sedap!

Roast duck! Sauce wasn't too overwhelming nor jelak and the skin, oh goshh. Pls kill me! I ate all the skin! 

Close up of the meat! 

I was a very satisfied kid at the end of the meal! Oh, did I mention that the chilli sauce the Uncle has is also very good? Complements the duck meat! Always, always have it with the chilli sauce! I had 2 servings of it. 

Really glad my dad found this duck rice stall and I'm very sure, we'll be back for more duck meat (I always prefer duck to chicken!). 

Nandos @ Tampines Mall Review

Went to try the branch at Tampines since Bugis was a tad far for a last min dinner appt and Bugis service isn't exactly all good and friendly.


Tampines Mall #01-46

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Went in during dinner time but we had the whole place to ourselves till about 7-ish before other diners started filling the place. It was just my friend and I, so we ordered 2 mains and 2 drinks!Bill came up to about $42/+-

1) Chicken breast fillet wrap w 1 side $11.90 (w/ Hot peri-peri level)
Side: Corn on the cob

 wrap was a lil on the crispy side which was not what I expected it to be. I like my wrap just slightly warmed enough.

 Lots of veg in the wrap: Lettuce, tomato, cucumber and their special mayo

 Looook at the chunk of chicken breast! :9

2) 1/4 Chicken w 2 sides of your choice $13.90 (w/ Lemon & Herb peri-peri level)
Sides: Spinach and Sweet potato mash 

Sweet potato mash was really good - some spices taste to it.
Spinach was a lil  :/ Not to my liking.

3) Rosa Fresca $4.90

Fusion of pomegranate, mint syrups, lime juice & Sprite

 4) Sparkling Apple $4.90
Didn't take a photo of it because the food arrived and I forgot -.-
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If you feel that the marinated peri-peri sauce in the chicken is not enough, you can always grab a bottle from the counter to add on! We choose the Hot Peri-peri sauce. My friend don't take spicy food so this level was already a sizzling-hot-gonna-have-sausage-lips-soon level for her.

 The 1/4 chicken was a huge portion and it smelt so mouth-watering with the Lemon & Herb marination. Would love to try it the next time I dine at Nandos. I came across a table, a plate full of Lemon & herb chicken, gosh did it smell like heaven! So please do give it a try and if you're a spicy eater, just grab the sauce bottle use it like a chilli sauce! :)

The wrap would be perfect for a small eater and besides the wrap, you can also opt for Portuguese Roll or a Toasted Pita. I enjoyed having the Corn as my side - Juicy!


The service at Tampines' Nandos is ALOT better than that of Bugis. Servers were all smiles and ready for recommendation and the ambience of the place was slightly brighter than bugis' outlet. A great place for big groups to dine and have a catch up session!