Maccha House 抹茶館 @ Orchard Central

Traditional Maccha

Ok it went like this. May and I went to The Japanese Cultural Society (near Bugis) to register to sit for JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test) this coming July. Supposed to have dinner with Boon Kiat, Mei Ling and Shermin at Somerset's Sushi Express, I invited May along and we arrived really late, felt sorry for making the 3 of them queue for so long (well, there was already a queue in front of the restaurant anyway :D).

Maccha House 抹茶館 is where we had our post dinner desserts, at Orchard Central which is a few steps away from 313 @ Somerset. Didn't know there's such a cozy place at Orchard, and I love the green seats which blend so well with the theme.

Plenty of seats, a quiet, humble, cool and obscure chit chat place



Maccha Latte @ $4.40　　　　　　　Maccha Latte Float @ $5.40


Maccha Latte with Brown Sugar Syrup @ $5.40　　　　Maccha Chocolate Latte @ $5.40


Traditional Maccha @ $3.90

This traditional thingy was ordered by Boon Kiat, and having had a little knowledge about the Japanese tea ceremony, May and I actually shared with him how the tea is prepared and consumed (eg. placing the bowl on the left palm and turning the bowl twice in the clockwise direction).

I actually remember watching one of the episodes of 日本人の知らない日本語 (Nihonjin no shiranai Nihongo) (2010) which features the Japanese tea ceremony. It's a very awesome educational comedy drama where you'll be watching a number of foreign Japanese language learners speaking fluent Japanese.




You'll find this place a great chilling tea house after a long walk along Orchard Road.


181 Orchard Road
#B1-40 Orchard Central
Singapore 238896
Tel: (65) 6636 5830

Hifumi Japanese Restaurant @ Plaza Singapura

Hifumi

The last few hours of my 25th birthday was spent on a dinner with Chu Luei, preceded by my birthday lunch with Yumi at Shokudo Japanese Coffee House @ Cathay Cineleisure Orchard earlier that afternoon.

Unexpectedly, after browsing through the restaurants, our dinner was gonna be Japanese cuisine again! But I'm cool, never get bored eating Japanese food.

It's Hifumi, an unfamiliarly sounding name of a Japanese restaurant (don't think they even have a website) at Plaza Singapura.
It's accessible via the escalator nearest to Starbucks Coffee and the main entrance of Plaza Singapura along Orchard Road (not the one along Handy Road).

Check out their swesome set menus! Every set meal includes unlimited appetizers (12 choices) at the all-you-can-eat appetizer bar (chawanmushi is one of those).

Besides, by topping up another $2.99, you get free flow drinks, where you help yourself at the drinks bar (like those in Marina Bay Sands Casino).

The appetizer bar


Free flow of Chawanmushi FTW!!


Appetizers


Chicken Curry Soup @ $13.99


Chicken Namban @ $12.99

Not filling? Well, you can always be a cheapo by continuing spamming at the appetizer bar! XD


#04-68, Plaza Singapura
68 Orchard Road
Tel: (65) 6338 4712

Shokudo Japanese Coffee House @ Cathay Cineleisure Orchard

Iced Cafe Latte & Iced Yuzu Tea

It's exactly 100 years since the first International Women's Day held on 8 March which was observed in Germany, and more importantly, it's my quarter-century-old young birthday!!

I had lunch followed by a karaoke session with Yumi, prior to her departure to Perth right before the next dawn breaking. Planlessly straying around Orchard, from Mandarin Gallery to *SCAPE, our stomachs were growling for immediate rescue and we settled down at Shokudo Japanese Coffee House at Cathay Cineleisure Orchard.

It was another random choice of restaurant, but the memorability comes from my birthday and her farewell lunch. Thanks for your company Yumi, and wish you a pleasant flight back to Perth.

Kinoko Pork Chop 茸ポークチョップ @ $15.80
Some grilled pork chop with mushroom sauce which is pretty much par of the course.


Shokudo Wasabi Chicken Chop しょくどうチキンチョップ山葵マヨ @ $15.80
Wasabi mayonnaise is indeed something extraordinary, but wasabi isn't my cup of tea so...


Cathay Cineleisure Orchard
8 Grange Road, #02-06A/B
Tel: (65) 6736 0971

Saveur @ Far East Plaza

It's the last Friday of the month of October, neither have I turned up at any Halloween party nor attended the Oktoberfest. Oh well, very unrelated huh... I asked Clarissa out for dinner, and having known that she's in favor of European cuisine (I hope I'm not wrong), I sourced this French restaurant - Saveur.

The French word saveur means savor/taste/flavor. I believe the restaurant has got something to do with Christianity - there's bible scripture on its website and on the wall above the waiting seats. Besides, on the receipt I found the phrases "God Bless! Taste and See that the Lord is good!" at the bottom.

Duck confit @ $12.90
I shamelessly turned my head, checked out what were on the tables around me and noticed most people ordered this dish. As read from other blogs, it's their signature dish, which one can easily tell from their trademark - a duck looking to its right.
It's Clarissa's order, I took a small piece of it and I think together with the mashed potato it tastes pretty pleasant.


Sea bass @ $14.90
This was my order, and I have to say that the cubic saute potatoes somehow looked like scallops to me. I know right, how on earth can I get so many scallops for only $14.90.
I personally like the crispy and salty skin a lot, which Clarissa doesn't.


Crème brûlée @ $6.90
My appetite was instantly whetted at the moment I broke the top layer of hard caramel while scooping a teaspoonful of custard underneath.

If you're looking for a 'saveury' and relatively affordable French cuisine, please really do visit Saveur.

Try to be really early. We walked in 15 minutes after the restaurant was opened for dinner and half an hour later, the restaurant was almost full, and no reservation can be made, according to their website.

Bon appétit!

14 Scotts Road
Far East Plaza #01-07B
Singapore 228213

Javier's Rotisserie & Salad @ Cathay Cineleisure Orchard

This is my 2nd post about Javier's Rotisserie & Salad, click here for my first post with more detailed review.

It's a brunch for Joling and me after collection of my Sweden Residence Permit card at TripleOne Somerset.

This time it's even thriftier - we ordered 1/4 Javier's Roast Chicken with side dishes, and you know what? We couldn't finish and we didn't even really fully fill the plate with side dishes.

1/4 Javier's Roast Chicken with mushroom sauce ($11.90)
Indeed, the chicken was of quarter on the plate.

I felt so sorry to fail to finish the meal, leaving with 6 pieces of hash browns and some other side dishes.

I hope the African kids won't see this.

Lessons:
• Never overfill your plate if you don't think you can finish
• Even for this portion, one should ask more than two persons for "help"
• It is FREAKING WORTH YOUR MONEY!!

Javier’s Rotisserie & Salad Bar
#B1-03/04/05, Cathay Cineleisure Orchard
8 Grange Rd, Singapore 239695

Javier's Rotisserie & Salad @ Cathay Cineleisure Orchard

A dinner outside for Sunday, keep workaholic's stresses way.

On one of the Sundays, Emilia and I somehow decided to go Orchard for dinner to spend her Fruit Frolic 54% discount voucher and my Frolick 1 for 1 voucher. Of course those are not dinner, just some appetizers and desserts.

While walking around at Cathay Cineleisure Orchard, we found this.

Javier's Rotisserie & Salad

At first we din't understand what does "Fil-é-Plate" mean. After we decided to share (we are not rich) on a 1/2 chicken set, we realized, the idea is "Fill the rest of your plate with salad and hot sides". Therefore, skillful people outside, this would be a plus to all of you, worth dining here.

I let Emilia do the filling job and I filled the cream soup to 101% full. Muakaka...

1/2 Javier's Roast Chicken with black pepper sauce ($18.90)
With Broccolis, Button mushrooms, Coleslaw, Corns, Garlic breads, Hash browns, Mashed potato, Onion rings, Pasta, Potato salad, Potato wedges



I think the side dishes have taken all the fame. Poor chicken.

Actually... we felt quite full even for sharing. So, it's definitely an affordable and recommendable dinner.

Javier’s Rotisserie & Salad Bar
#B1-03/04/05, Cathay Cineleisure Orchard
8 Grange Rd, Singapore 239695