Captain America : The First Avenger

Everything just seems less silly in comic books. Be it wearing your undies on the outside of a tight fitting brightly colored suit or wearing a flag around or you know, masquerading as an animal.

The first of the Avengers, yet ironically the last of the Avengers to arrive on the silver screen. I guess it is indeed hard to come up with a proper Cap'n movie as they are so many elements that they can screw up with. The suit, the symbol it stands for and of course, the right actor to portray the character. For the sharp non-geek movie lovers who finds the protagonist highly familiar in a super hero setting, your hunch is right, he is the very same guy who is the hot(literally) Human Torch/Johnny Storm from the Fantastic Four movies. Forget about the existence of that group or any marvel superhero/es movies for Marvel is now trying to create a single universe where different super heroes from different stories might bump into each other in the supermarket. 

All doubts of Chris not fitting into the role well by becoming Captain Torch or Human American is out when I am rooting for tiny scrawny Steve Rogers, created wonderfully with the wonders of technology. Tiny Steve really steals the show and makes audiences support this scrawny underdog with a good heart.

Not too subtle about his future weapon of choice

The only time it comes close to the aforementioned to that is during this scene(or any scenes involving fire). But nope, he never really caught on fire.

Scrawny Steve is seen working really hard while holding on to his principles of never giving up and being a true blue( and red and white) patriot. 

His weakling days are over when he is injected with the Super-Soldier serum and becomes......

a delicious piece of man-meat which ladies now would wanna sink their teeth into.


There are many things that the studio did things right in this movie without making it feel unnatural and weird.


First, it tries to incorporate multiple storyline elements from Thor and Iron Man into the movie without feeling too forced. Set in the 1940s, you do not see much of the war nor vintage stuff, yet the movie still manage to (somehow) remind you that it's set in the 1940s despite the high tech machinery and soldiers. 

One of the "believables", nah~

Second, the love between Steve and the lovely Peggy Carters (Haley Atwell) is not sudden adoration that makes no sense. 

It's not you, it's me

Third, the all reliable and ever menacing-looking Hugo Weaving as the main antagonist. He is always a safe choice as a villain or any character that have the word 'fierce' in their description. Even his smile might make me children scared.

 Finally~ I solved my Rubik's Cube

Of course, the suit. Marvel really succeeded in creating a Captain America suit without looking too silly and fitting in it's backdrop. Great. 

Overall, as a superhero film, it is really high enjoyable. Nevermind some of the underdeveloped supporting characters(save for Tommy Lee Jones delivering some of the best laughs in the film), the main star is the guy wearing and throwing the star.

Score: 3.75/5.0

Ok, they do force you to do one thing, and that is to watch the ending credits to see a short clip of the build up to "The Avengers" and also, the trailer for it.

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Taste Paradise

Do you often go beyond ground level for ion orchard? As far as I know, not many do that. Taste paradise is on the fourth floor of ion orchard, and many people(like me) will actually think that unless they have quite a fair bit of extra moolah, they will not really go up.

Taste paradise offers Chinese cuisines including dim sum, this time round I'm here for the dim sum lunch. Dim sum ordering is ala carte, so I asked the manager what are the noteworthy items. To my surprise, he said ordering  dim sum is common sense(What?), and then went ahead and ticked a few items on the menu that are frequently ordered. I decided to show some uncommon sense by choosing a few which he did not ticked. He could have meant that all of them are pretty tasty, but he could have used some better words.






Enough about that, the interior of the restaurant is very very dim, and lucky me was brought to a room with a large glass window overlooking Shaw Lido building and . The dining furnitures are classy Chinese looking (duh) chairs which does not compromise on comfort.

Ordered


Nothing

The appetisers are these sticks of yellow crunchy and gleefully sour veggie/fruit. Upon asking, I found out that it is actually pickled white carrot/radish. This radish whets your appetite up just fine and is quite refreshing. Beware of the chili, it is VERY HOT.

Char Siew Soh  (aka Baked BBQ Honey Pork Pastry)

Oo~la la~

These little triangles, are SUPER delicious. This is arguably one of the best Char Siew Soh I've ate. Fragrant and light pastry that does not leave an oily taste in your mouth, together with juicy char siew and the sauce flowing out from each of them. If you're only going to order one dim sum here, this is it.

Score: 4.5/5.0



Baked BBQ Honey Pork Bun aka Purple Wheat Snowy Mountain Bun

Wow, what a flamboyant name. Asked the manager what exactly is it, and he told me that it is like Char Siew Soh, difference in that this is baked ( so is the Char Siew Soh) making the surface crispy(so is the Char Siew Soh :S)

aka Polo Bun look-alike

-.-" He could have said it's like Polo bun and I would understand. His description is apt, but, I was expecting something different. The innards is the same as the Char Siew Soh. But the top is crunchy with a light hint and taste of milk.

It still pales in comparison to the char siew soh. So people, unless you love mino polo bun, take the Char Siew Soh instead.

Score: 4.0/5.0   

Char Siew Cheong Fun

This is the final chapter of my char siew trilogy. And I'm sorely disappointed. The light and sweet soy sauce is paired with a soggy skin and average char siew(which weirdly tastes super nice in the above 2 items) Further spoiling it, the tiny bits of parsley inside turns the taste of the whole thing topsy turvy.

Score: 3.0/5.0

Cheong Fan with prawns

Same disappointing skin, I am expecting a firmer skin but this is just too soggy for my liking.

The prawn variant fares slightly better than the other with full prawns inside that is fresh. Seems like Chee Cheong Fan is not Taste Paradise's forte.

Score: 3.25/5.0

Steamed Glutinous Rice with Chicken Wrapped in Lotus Leaf

This is a dish you can rarely screw up and screw up they did not. Soft glutinous rice with juicy bits of chicken chunks, prawn bits and mushrooms.

You can still see the sauce separated from the rice and sticking on the chicken, and there is no overpowering mushroom smell from this but a nice fusion of the ingredients. Each order comes with 2 wrapped servings, so order 1 or more basket/tray if it's a shared session to prevent any fallout between family and friends.

Score: 4.25/5.0

Siew Mai

One of the poster boy of Dim Sum, this siew mai is a tightly bundled ball of pork, shrimps and mushrooms. This is one of the best siew mai that I ate. Sprinkled on top of the siew mais are crunchy crunchy fish roe. Absolutely delightful.

Score : 4.5/5.0

Custard Bun

Soft little steamed buns with sweet and salty custard filling makes for a wonderful treat. 

Cute ain't it?

The custard oozes out of the bun after I tear it, and it does "swealty" just right, deliciously sweet with a light hint of saltiness.
The custard buns here will definitely be acceptable for those who can't handle sweet stuff. The texture is akin to that of a salted egg yolk. The custard bun is another must have if you do come here. I'm thinking of having them again as I'm typing this.

Score : 4.5/5.0

Overall

One weird thing is that you cannot choose to have some of your items later (eg: custard bun) when I asked for it. So if you choose 10 items, they'll try and overcrowd your table with all 10. This is something I cannot fathom, and I believe it's got nothing to do with common sense. Aside from some misses, the hits hit hard. For 2 pax, it comes up to $20-25 each. Of course this number goes up for those who got a hearty appetite. Highly recommended.

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Revamp of Review System

I've thought about it long and hard, from now on the review scoring system will be done and rounded up/down to the nearest quarter. ( I will retroactively change the previous postings)


This is done in a bid to make the scoring easier somehow. Feel free to drop a comment if you have any better suggestion.

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Al-ameen Eating House

I was told about this eatery located around Kentridge Terminal and well within walking distance from NUS arts. Me, having not much of a sense of direction will definitely take quite some time to find it if not for my partner knowing the way to it.


The decor of the place looks like your regular Indian eating house with a main emphasis on the color yellow and green. They serve a number of food from the traditional Indian food like the all time Singaporean favorites pratas, murtabak, mee goreng to their own take on western food.


Ordered


Naan ( Plain & Garlic )


I remember I told an Indian friend of mine once (from India) that I like Naan, and he said " once you see how it's made you wouldn't want to eat it" From what I know is Naan is flatbread baked in an oven, or rather on (the insides) the oven. Maybe that's what he finds disgusting, or maybe his oven back home is dirty?


Before any of you start shooting me, I kinda group prata and naan together. They are pretty similar of sorts, with Naan showing lesser visible oil, it just soothes my mind that its the healthier alternative (I think...).

On the menu, there's a variety of Naans to choose from, making my decision a bit "难".(nan= difficult in chinese). To gauge how it tastes like, I chose the plain naan($1) and the garlic($2) for variety. It came to me in a little basket, all nicely cut up, great for sharing and for those who can't use a knife.


The garlic naan is brushed with garlic butter with pieces of garlic while the plain naan is... plain. The naan by itself is soft and chewy. For a $1 naan, its value and portions makes it quite worthwhile. Using my stomach as a gauge, 1-1.5 naan should fill you right up.


Honestly, I don't see much difference in taste between the garlic naan and the plain one despite the generous showering of garlic over it. As most people(I assume) will eat it with a saucy dish, the plain naan is a better buy instead.


Score : 3.25/5.0


Butter Chicken

This is my first time having Butter Chicken. I've always wondered why is 'Butter Chicken' called 'Butter Chicken', with name like this, I'd imagined it to be yellowish and not red. Turns out Butter Chicken does have butter in its sauce, and I am assuming the white sauce on the sauce is butter sauce as well. It sauce is a savory mix of spices that is not hot (again, I assume and generally equate red=hot). Chicken chunks are plentiful, but some of them are a little tough but none like some mistreated chicken breast that's dry and tough. Paired with the naan, it is quite the delightful and affordable lunch.

Score: 3.25/5.0


Overall


A single serving of Butter Chicken($7) with 2-3 pieces of naan can fill 2-3. Unless you over order, meals here can be pretty affordable. This is in consideration that generally Naan usually cost more than prata. This is an excellent place for a group lunch for students with its varied menu and low price, They have 5 outlets all over Singapore, from the east to the north to the west, so I believe there should be an outlet that isn't too far for you.


Al-Ameen Eating House


Outlets & Website 

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Marks & Spencer's Triple Chocolate Crunch

Introducing


Triple Chocolate Crunch from Marks & Spencer

Box

Wholesome clusters of granola and oat with milk chocolate chunks and white & dark chocolate rolls. 

This is cereal crack that is totally sinful and heavenly. I will let the pictures do the explanation for me.

You need not necessarily eat this with milk, this cereal is nice even by itself. The high chocolate:granola ratio certainly doesn't help in keeping my hands away from the pack. 
Just be sure to keep the remainder in a fridge for the chocolate might melt easily.


Score: Awesome~

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L'Operetta

Are you looking for a romantic place to impress your date? Look no further than L'Operetta, based in Boat Quay, L'Operetta tries its very best to impress you with their elegant and polished interior and of course, their delectable choice of fine italian food which is subtle and light. Once you step forward, you will be greeted by one of their friendly staff at the entrance, assisting you to your seats.

Yup that's my shoulder :P

See the huge oven inside?

Ordered


Free flow bread/s of the day

While waiting for my food to arrive, the waiter came along and placed some butter and some olive oil with vinegar. After that, another came with a basket of freshly baked bread. I took a slice of the 3 different kinds. Unfortunately, the waiter have no idea what kind of bread is being served to me. Among the 3, there is a sundried tomato bread which is exceptionally tasty. The other 2, unidentified but definitely infused with some olive oil are fresh and delicious but the sundried tomato bread is just the awesomest of the bunch. One common trait among them is that these Italian breads are soft, spongy and chewy and is good on its own.


Score : 4.25/5.0

Complementary Salad with Vinaigrette Dressing

Nope, I did not order this, but the manager, after learning about my little celebration in the restaurant today, gave us 2 salads complementary from the chef. 


Score : 4.0/5.0

Oven Baked Hokkaido Scallops flavoured with Aromatized Butter

Do I need to describe any more? Do I? The name says it all. While reading the name of the dish, I am already reacting like pavlov's dog to the bell. Sitted and baked in an adorable little pot, the scallops comes to my mouth piping hot off the oven. It is definitely fresh with this subtle taste of the butter. Ups!

The table behind me was a bunch of Japanese ladies who were incidentally having the same dish and exclaiming " Oishii!" repeatedly.

Score: 4.0/5.0

"Catch of the day" Grilled and Garnished with Vegetable stew

A slice of fish( not too sure what catch is it) that is lightly seared on a pan to a nice crispy crust on the skin, garnished with thinly sliced mushrooms and sitting on top of a mixed vegetable stew. This is a really light-tasting fish that is tasty and simple. If you are one who likes your food flavorful, you might be a little disappointed. But if you like it light, this is just your dish.

Score : 4.0/5.0

Sea Urchin Pasta

Pasta cooked to a nice al dente bite as how I like, with bits of sea urchin tossed in and broccoli for  the greens. The serving is a tad small, and the taste of the Sea Urchin is slightly masked by the broccoli. The taste of the pasta do get better with every bite, so I guess it is an acquired taste. Fans of sea urchin have raved about this dish. If the portion were to be a bit more, I might have grown to love it by then?

Score: 3.75/5.0

Bismarc (Pizza)

The restaurant has its own Vera wood-fired pizza oven which you can see through the glass wall of the kitchen, where the chefs and his assistants are busy chopping and preparing their food, ramping up the excitement for those who can't wait to dig in. Its authentic pizzas are baked in this oven and immediately served.

Tomato sauce, Mozzarella, Prosciutto(ham), Rucola, Parmesan and Poached egg. My partner chose this immediately due to the poached egg. 

As you can see, the cheese if not like the pizzas we've(locals) come to know. It is littered over the crust in spots and left to melt in the oven. Fear not if you think you might get a slice that is is deprived of cheese as the 'cheesing' is pretty generous. You can almost taste the tomatoes in the base and the crust is thin and chewy. However, the pizza is a tad wet probably due to the poached egg. My favorite out of the bunch.

Score: 4.25/5.0

Dessert

To round up the delightful meal is a plate of assorted dessert that is decided according to the chef's idea of what to make for that day. It was not described for me so I shall, to the best I can, describe what it is. 

From the back : 

Tiramisu

Dark Chocolate fudge cake

Pineapple Sorbet

Though I enjoy coffee, those who do not enjoy coffee might be put off with its strong coffee aroma which the lady fingers(sponge cake, not the veggies) are soaked in. The cream is freshly made with cocoa dust sprinkled over it. Authentic Tiramisu this is.


The dark chocolate cake is rich and thick with crushed pistachios. It doesn't leave a really strong impression on me though.

Out of the three, the pineapple sorbet is the most refreshing and tasty dessert that really ended my meal on a good note. Initially I could not discern what is that familiar fruity zingy taste is, till I called the waitress and asked her. She had no idea until she went to the kitchen to get the answer from the chef, and that is when I found out that the awesome icy wonder is pineapple sorbet. It is really one of the best sorbet I'd ever tried.

Score : 4.0/5.0

Overall

If you are looking for a fine place to dine, do consider this pleasant restaurant that will be sure to please you with its interior, food and wonderful, attentive service. Have I said their service is awesome? Yeah I did, yup, 2 thumbs up for their service and an overall good experience.

L'Operetta

78, 79 Boat Quay, Singapore 049866 

Tel: 6438 2482

Website

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Ramen Champion 2011

The picture says it all. This year's Ramen Champion is in Singapore, and the venue is in Iluma Bugis Level 4. Excited much? I sure am!


For more info go to the Ramen Champion 2011 Facebook page
*Picture taken from Ramen Champion 2011 Facebook page*


*Update*

The Ultimate Ramen Champion Part I - Menya Iroha & Tai Sho Ken

The Ultimate Ramen Champion Part II - Bario Ramen and Hakata Ikkousha

The Ultimate Ramen Champion Part III - Gantetsu and Tetsu

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Baskin Robbins

Another premium Ice Cream franchise is hitting Singapore (one more time). Baskin Robbin decides to set up shop in the newly opened mall in the heartlands - Clementi Mall (and Novena Square too). How is it going to differentiate itself from it's (slightly lower) priced competitors?

It is available in 2 scoop sizes, Junior and Value at 2.5 and 4.0 ounce. It is going for $4 and $5 per scoop respectively. Ice cream Cakes are also available, and will require 3 days to bake(?). The Service staff is very friendly and will gladly give you a tiny taste of the flavors with a smile. Thumbs up for the service. 

Ordered 3x 2.5 oz scoops

Flavor : Praline N Cream (top)

Ice cream with caramel and big chunks of candied praline covered pecan and caramel ribbon(what?). The highlight of this flavor is in it's carefully toasted pralined-pecans that have me and my partner hunting for it. The staff is smart enough to tempt me with one piece of it in the tiny sample. The overall sweetness might be too much for those who can't take sweet stuff.

Flavor : Old Fashion Butter Pecan ( Bottom Left)

Fragrant butter pecan ice cream with tiny bits of butter roasted pecans mixed in. Tastes just like what you'd expect. A simple light taste.

Flavor : World Class Chocolate (bottom right)

A tempting mix of both white and dark chocolate ice cream. I can't taste the white chocolate in the ice cream, but the chocolate ice cream is alright.

Praline Pecan - The highlight

Overall

Wait where's the score? Baskin Robbins forgot to add in "with generous amounts of ice crystals" in their ice cream description. All three flavors had bits of ice crystals in every few scoops and felt really "airy". This is nothing short of unacceptable for a "premium" ice cream and the higher price(than its competitors) it commands. Even my paddle pop can do better in the ice crystal department at about 1/10th the price. Overall I think Baskin Robbins really lives up to their name, robbin' me.

I can only but hope it do some serious QC or that it's a one off event as crushing these ice crystals is gonna do the same to their brand name as well.

Score : 2.75/5.0 
(score is inclusive of the great service)


Baskin Robbins Singapore
Velocity@Novena Square     
&
Clementi Mall

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