All posts filed under: Reviews

Lifestyle Review: Nilufer Tea – Bringing Nature into your Cup

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If you have been following us for a while, you would know that we enjoy the finer things in life whilst remaining healthy and respectful of the environment. My personal favourite beverage is tea, and I do enjoy unwinding with a good cuppa. So, when we heard of Nilufer Tea, we were excited for the opportunity to work together. Nilufer Tea’s slogan is “Bringing Nature into your cup”, and this is evident as they focus on making quality tea whilst encouraging environmentally friendly practices. They are a social enterprise of sorts as they rely on small, independent farmers throughout Japan for their ingredients; hence, boosting employment opportunities in farming villages while encouraging the demand for sustainable and fair farm practices. Their herbs and flowers remain uncrushed and uncompressed; hence, ensuring that customers get a heightened experience with their blends. Every blend is free from artificial additives, preservatives, and pesticides. It certainly doesn’t hurt that every brew is so Instagram worthy! Each of Nilufer’s Herbal Blends contains different health benefits. The Ginger Rooibos has a spicy …

Review: Singapore’s Luxury Tallship, Royal Albatross

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Docked along the waterfront of Sentosa, the Royal Albatross is a unique luxury tall ship that operates like an old-world ship. Batman fanatics may also be thrilled to know that the Royal Albatross was featured in ‘The Dark Knight’ (2008) as Bruce Wayne’s private yacht. The ship is about a 20-minute walk away from VivoCity if you are walking to Resort World Sentosa via the 700m long Sentosa Boardwalk. Our cruise started with apprehension as it started to rain just as we were pulling away from the docks of Sentosa. The crew were scurrying around to ensure that all passengers on board remained safe and dry despite the rain and heavy wind. But thank God that shortly after our voyage began, the rain came to a halt and the clouds began to clear up. The Royal Albatross was the perfect spot for photo ops, especially with the clear skies and kiss of a golden sunset. Shortly after we set sail, we approached the buffet line. The spread consisted salad, cold cuts, a variety of hot …

Food Review: Trattoria da Mimmo

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In between Bishan and Marymount MRT lies Trattoria Da Mimmo. It is an Italian Restaurant with humble beginnings and traditional classics sandwiched between industrial and residential areas. Its interior is a more homely, family-styled setup with alfresco like decor (but indoors of course). After settling down and ordering the dishes, our appetizers soon came. First up was the Burrata E Parma, (S$32.00) which is essentially Burrata Cheese and Parma Ham. Simple and yet absolutely delicious. The extremely creamy and milky flavours from the cheese paired with the saltiness of the Parma ham was absolutely wonderful. Next up was the Fritto Di Calamari (S$20.50) or also known as Calamari. The batter wasn’t too thick and it was nicely fried – crispy on the outside and chewy inside. It was also nicely seasoned with a dash of salt. The Focaccia Romana E Pomodorini was pizza bread topped with herbs and tomatoes (S$11.50), was served soon after. A very simple dish with subtle sweet and salty flavours. The Rucola R Parma (S$27.50) is a classic parma ham and arugula pizza. …

Food Review: Yakiniku Dining Shimei, Shimada – 成しま島田駅前店

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Nestled in the city of Shimada, Shizuoka prefecture, is a hidden yakiniku gem that sells high quality beef. We were excited to taste how heavenly a Kuroge Wagyu can be. There are four breeds under the Wagyu tree – Kuroge Washu, Kassyoku Washu, Nihon Tankakushu, and Mukaku Washu. Out of the four, Kuroge Washu (Japanese Black) holds the crown and is renowned for its buttery melt-in-your-mouth texture of Grade A5, Japan’s highest possible rating. Upon entering this cosy yakiniku restaurant, my first impression was that they take pride in their beef as we were greeted by a few trophies and certifications upon entering. We were shown to our own private BBQ room with seat warmers. What we liked about the BBQ machine is that the suction smoke exhaust was placed directly above the grill fence, and therefore actually sucks in majority of the smoke. We ordered a portion of beef shoulders, beef tongue, beef loin, pork belly, and of course two sets of Kuroge Wagyu Sirloin. Although the staff could not understand English, they were …

Food Review: Platypus Kitchen

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Platypus Kitchen is located at one of the corners of Bugis Junction. It has a modern, woodish look but its seats were like ‘moving’ booths when we sat on them. As we were around the area during lunch time, we thought it will be a good idea to try their special set menus. Our dining experience turned from average to a disaster….. Their soup of the day was broccoli and spinach. Its taste was better than the dull coloured look. It was nicely seasoned but a bit on the peppery side. Before we even managed to finish our starters, the laksa risotto came. Upon tasting it we felt that the rice was definitely under cooked, as the outside of the rice was soft but the inside was still hard. However, the staff insisted that they cooked the risotto to ‘al dente’. The prawns left much to be desired as they had a very strong frozen taste. Next, the sandwich was served. On the menu it stated, it would come with rye bread but instead it came with …

Food Review: Winestone @ Mercure Singapore on Stevens

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If you’ve been following us for a while, you would know that we love trying different foods and cuisines. So when we learned of Winestone, we were excited to try out their food as they serve a fair selection of Mediterranean dishes. Since opening its doors on the 22nd of January 2018, it has been an up and coming dining spot for couples and families alike. It is one of the many pods in the Oxley cluster surrounding Mercure and Novotel on Stevens. Winestone is aptly named as the name is derived from two prominent factors when dining at the establishment; they have a wide selection of wines and many of their meals are served on stone boards. Housing Mercure’s morning breakfast during the day, Winestone breaks off into an independent dining concept of its own after noon. We ordered a variety of different dishes to be shared amongst everyone on the table. To start, we were served an assortment of bread, such as their dark rye sour khubz and mini ciabatta bread, set above …

Hotel Review: Dougashima Hotel Tenyu – 絶景の宿堂ヶ島ホテル天遊

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Over the past few years, Japan has had growing popularity as a travel destination. They’re known for their culture, food, and sights. One element that plays a big role in the entire Japan experience would be staying in a Ryokan. A Ryokan (旅館) is a type of traditional Japanese inn that has existed since the eighth century A.D., during the Keiun period. They are difficult to find in Tokyo and other large cities because many are more expensive compared to hotels. A main criteria people usually look out for while staying in a Ryokan would be authenticity. Dougashima Hotel Tenyu is situated in a town called Nishi-Izu, under Shizuoka Prefecture. The first impression I had upon arrival was beyond words! The hotel staff were hurrying out to the car park upon seeing our vehicle enter the hotel compound (via CCTV). They welcomed us warmly and offered to valet our car while we proceeded to check-in.   We booked the Japanese Superior Room which is very spacious and big enough to comfortably fit a family of four. The room was also clean and tidy. The view from …