Breakthrough Cafe

It is my second time here and I will say it again: This place has good and cheap food + good service! 

The Prawn Rice Roll (Chee Cheong Fun) ($3) had bouncy and small prawns in each segment of the rice roll. 

The Char Siew Pau's (90 cents) skin was a little dry but the filling was okay.

The Glutinous Rice ($2) was good. Tonnes of juicy mushroom covering the flavourful rice (with dried prawns).

The Har Gow (Prawn Dumpling) ($3.20) had a juicy, big and fresh prawn in every dumpling. The prawn practically takes up every void space there is between the skin and the prawn. Wished the skin could be a tad thinner though!

The Siew Mai ($2.50) was not bad although I think it has been steamed for a little too long, resulting in it being a little dry.

As you can see, there are plenty of servers, so the food came really quickly. Service was good with all of them being very friendly.

Our total bill for two worked out to $11.60 (No service charge). I think the above is a sufficient reason for you to visit even with the very slight misses in the food (mostly it being a little too dry). But if you need one more reason, it's because this cafe gives reformed drug addicts a chance at employment. Their service attitudes are a lot better than many others in the big restaurants, which makes it a joy to dine here.

Breakthrough Cafe

People's Park Centre
101 Upper Cross Street
#01-02
Tel: +65 6533 5977

Opening Hours
Mon–Fri: 7am – 5pm
Sat: 7am – 3pm (Closed on Sun/PH)

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Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum

Every Chinese New Year, I pass by a building with lots of beautiful red lanterns. I just assumed it was a normal building but I found out only yesterday that it was the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum. This place is famous for housing the Sacred Buddha Tooth Relic. 

Whether you are a devotee, a tourist or a local (regardless of religion), you are free to enter the place. There are no admission charges. Pictures are allowed on certain floors but definitely not allowed on the floor which houses the tooth  relic. Footwear is required at all places but not allowed when viewing the tooth relic.

There are also prayer sessions within the temple.

At the roof level, it is very serene with lots of orchids known as the Dendrobium Buddha Tooth orchid plants. There is also the Vairocana Buddha Prayer Wheel which was originally a book shelf for the sutras. It has a central shaft so that it can rotate, making it easier to search for sutras.

Dress code to be observed is no shorts/mini skirts or sleeveless. But even if you do wear those in, there are sarongs and shawls provided so just put them on to show respect.

This place is no doubt beautiful, peaceful with greenery at the rooftop and adorned with gold at the fourth floor. At the third floor, there is also a museum if you are interested in knowing more about Buddhism. But if you would like to visit a temple where many Singaporeans go to, it is the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple located in Bugis.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum
288 South Bridge Road
Singapore 058840
Tel No: 6 220 0220 

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Singapore City Gallery (URA Centre)

It's my third time at the URA Centre Singapore City Gallery. Twice I came of my own accord and once because it was a school trip. 

There are some exhibits at the first floor. Currently, there's an exhibition titled Perspectives from the Ideal City.

The third floor is where the bulk of the exhibits are. You get to see the progression of Singapore, the use of space in Singapore with different themes such as sustainability and urban design. Truth to be told, a lot of it sounds like national education where it's repeatedly emphasised that urban planners can't make everybody happy but they try their best. (They didn't say it in that crude a manner but that's basically it.)

The cool thing about this gallery is that there are a lot of interactive things, including games. If you are one who likes prodding at screens or playing Sims City, get yourself here!

I'll round off this post with this picture, a gigantic model of Singapore. On your way to the exhibits, you actually see a room where they do the models. Cool stuff. 

There is no admission fee here. For people like me who are not that interested in urban planning, this place might be a little boring. But for those who love to know how our city has been planned and transformed over the decades, or simply if you like a place bursting with interaction and information, this is for you!

Singapore City Gallery
The URA Centre

45 Maxwell Road
Singapore 069118

Tel: (65) 6321 8321

Monday to Saturday: 9am to 5pm
Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays

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Ah Loy Thai

We were here a few Sundays back only to realise that Ah Loy Thai was closed on Sundays. But were we deterred by that? Obviously not! So, we were back last Saturday. We thought we had to wait since it was lunchtime but we were in, in around 5 minutes. 

Note: No GST and service charge. 

Their shop was partitioned. This is one of the two spaces, with another to its left. By the way, I don't like the plastic chairs. They look stylo mylo but they don't feel good at all for balancing.

We ordered the classic Pineapple Fried Rice ($7). It wasn't too overwhelming but just right, with the wok hei fragrance. I suppose it's not cooked with the usual yellow curry paste which normally gives pineapple rice its distinct yellow colour.

You ain't at a Thai restaurant if you don't order Tom Yum. The Tom Yum Seafood ($7.50) had prawns and squids in it, and was not too spicy.

I think the Thai Pandan Chicken ($10) totally stood out! Four big chunks of chicken, marinated in delicious condiments, accompanied by dipping sauces at the side. All the moisture locked within the chicken. Only "bad" thing was that it was a little oily.

I didn't really fancy Thai Green Curry ($7.50) but that's a matter of personal preference because I don't like the milky taste to stand out too much. Otherwise, there are many pieces of tender chicken and fishballs in it.

The Thai Fried Tofu ($6.90) had the signature Thai sweet and spicy chilli sauce drizzled over it. Good, but nothing out of the ordinary.

We also ordered the Thai Mango Crispy Chicken ($8.50) which was basically deep fried chicken with sauce over it. The sauce didn't have a very strong mango taste and we felt that this dish was not worth it.

Besides the mango crispy chicken, we were satisfied with the rest of the food. Coupled with 6 drinks, it added up to $60+ for 6 people. Sure, the service isn't outstanding. But remember, no service charge? Totally worth your buck if you are in a big group and can share the food!

Ah Loy Thai 

Shaw Tower
100 Beach Road
#01-39/40
Tel: +65 9165 1543
(Closed on Sundays) 

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Bangkok Express

Many think of Newton Food Centre as a chopping board for tourists. Complaints of how the food is overpriced and not that great are rife. But you'll be surprised that there are actually many stalls selling good and affordable food. One such stall is Bangkok Express. 

The Pad Thai ($4.50) had a generous portion of peanut and was not oily. The prawns were also fresh. 

I had the Tom Yum Soup with Noodles ($5). Spicy and sour, every slurp of the noodles was tasty! Furthermore, they don't skimp on their ingredients.

Four or five prawns, together with lots of sotong and mushrooms make this a truly delightful tom yam!

The standard of Bangkok Express doesn't lose out to the run-of-the-mill Thai restaurants in Singapore. The difference is that the portion might be a little smaller, although the money you save compared to eating in a restaurant is probably rather significant!

Bangkok Express

Newton Food Centre
500 Clemenceau Ave North
#01-004

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Kim Dae Mun

Tired of eating at Plaza Singapura, I googled for food around the area. We ended up at Kim Dae Mun, located in the food court of Concorde Hotel. When we reached around 610pm, we were the first in the queue. By the time we finished at around 645pm, there was already a queue formed. The good thing about the food court in the evening is that it's very easy to find a seat. 

To view the variety of dishes, please click on the photos above and below to view their enlarged forms. 

I ordered the Spicy Shredded Chicken Set ($6.50). You could choose a side dish (kimchi, anchovies or cucumbers). I got the anchovies. There is a very generous portion of chicken on the hotplate and they make it an effort to inform you that they use water and not oil on the hotplate. The chicken is very tender. Below that mountain of chicken is some veggies to soothe your guilt of eating so much meat. I like the sweet and mildy spicy sauce and it goes great with rice. The anchovies were also very appetising. 

Yes, the food here is not bad. But I have tasted similar Korean food at some food places at similar prices. But if you are in the area and craving budget Korean food, you can drop by!

Kim Dae Mun Korean Cuisine

Concorde Hotel 
100 Orchard Road
Food Court at Level 1

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The Glass Castle

Just from the title of the book, The Glass Castle, you probably couldn't guess why it is titled so. This is the memoir of Jeannette Walls' which is so incredulous, sometimes you wonder how much of it is fact and how much of it is fiction. The thing about memoirs is that memories may get a little hazy due to the passage of time, or simply that, some things can look very different from different perspectives. 

(photo credit: The Turning Page) 

To many, Walls seems to have grown up in a highly dysfunctional family- an alcoholic father who is somewhat treated like an idol by Jeannette, a mother who only bothers about her lofty artistic dreams, two other sisters and a brother. The way the kids grew up was a little unimaginable- so unimaginable that it's actually surprising that the children are thriving today. Having to rummage through the dustbin during their breaks, having their mum steal the food when they already have that little, having over flowing trash in their yard because they couldn't afford garbage removal services, having their money saved up to go New York stolen by their father etc. 

And here's why it is titled Glass Castle. Jeannette's father always promised to build a glass castle for the children and he was a very powerful storyteller. Telling Jeannette and her brother that they had to dig a hole so that they could lay the foundation for the glass castle, only to have the hole later filled by trash, could be telling of why it is called a Glass Castle. Filling up dreams with lies and impracticality is probably what her Dad does best. 

A good read although being skeptical, I wonder how much of it is real because too many episodes happened when she really young. Despite this, overall I think it's a well-written book that will capture the heart of the reader. 

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Oversea Restaurant 海外天 (Singapore)

The first time I ate at Oversea Restaurant was in Kuala Lumpur. (Click here for a review of Restoran Oversea in KL). I'm not sure what took me so long to realise that it had a branch in Singapore, but better late than never. According to their website, it was set up in 2010. 

It was pretty empty on a Sunday afternoon with only a few tables occupied.

The BBQ Mixed (Char Siew and Roasted Pork) ($20) was a definite order as this is what they are known for. I'm going to quote word for word from my post in KL relating to this char siew and roast pork because the standard is consistent- consistently good. 

"Anyway, so the char siew here was both of the above traits mentioned- fatty and charred. I think people who enjoy eating the char siew here enjoy it precisely for the fats. The marinate was pretty good, but think clearly whether you are/are not a fat eater. That should be your sole determination as to whether you'd like to come here to have a meal. The 烧肉 here was VERY crispy. and i do mean VERY. So it crunches in your mouth and go KIAK KIAK KIAK. A little salty though, that's the trade off for crispy skin. But not bad overall."

The Fish Maw with Egg ($20) was an interesting combination that I haven't tried before. Wrapped together with the lettuce, it actually feels like a refreshing appetiser. The fish maw had a chewy texture.

This was the special of the day which is not on the menu. It was $12 and I actually have no idea what I was eating except for the fact that it was chicken. My least favourite dish that day although some of us said that they actually liked it and it tasted like rojak sauce (I choose to differ). The sauce tasted weird to me.

This is the dried shrimp with beancurd ($12). The sauce was a little salty but that's fine as long as it goes along with rice. The dried shrimp was deep fried and extremely crunchy. A plain dish, it may seem, but plenty of flavour (might be a little too salty for some).

Together with a Pan fried kai lan ($13), it worked out to $109.36 for six people. Tea was $2.20 per cup and rice was two dollars a bowl. No service charge. I think it's decently priced although I have to say that perhaps the only thing that you die-die-have-to-try is the char siew and roasted pork since it's well known in Kuala Lumpur for that.


Oversea Restaurant 海外天 (Singapore) 
Shaw Towers
Shaw Leisure Gallery

100 Beach Road
#01-27
Tel: +65 6294 2638

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Tom's Palette Ice Cream

We happened to chance upon Tom's Palette Ice Cream after lunch at Oversea Restaurant in the same building. Sure glad we did. 

Look at all the recommendations made by magazines, newspapers etc. They also had an ice cream making workshop which we unfortunately missed.

The nice thing about this place is the price. But just because it is cheaper than everywhere else, doesn't mean it's not good. For one small cup ($3.20), you can actually mix up to two flavours in it. How many ice cream shops allow you to do that? For 80 cents more at $4, you get a medium size cup and it goes on. No cones though.

There is a good variety of flavours and you are free to try the different flavours. I didn't like the lychee flavour (sample) too much because the milk taste was too strong.

Furthermore, if you belong to any of these schools, you enjoy 10% off. Not like it wasn't a good price to begin with!

We shared a yuzu flavour plus chocolate sorbet. The yuzu flavour was very refreshing and light, sour and appetising. But a call out to dark chocolate lovers- you will LOVE the chocolate sorbet. The intensity of the bitterness is at a pretty mind boggling level. Sour + Bitter = Win.

I think there's every reason for you to come here. Cheap ice cream, good flavours and wide variety of exchange. Plus the girls at the counter are very pleasant and friendly!

Tom's Palette Ice Cream

Shaw Leisure Gallery
100 Beach Road
#01-25
Tel: +65 6296 5239

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Food for Thought (Botanic Gardens)

I went to Food For Thought twice in less than 3 days (different branches though). But this time round, I went there for proper food as opposed to desserts. Located in Botanic Gardens, make sure you find the location first because you may be at the other side of the Botanic Gardens. The nice thing about this branch is that you get to walk through all that lush greenery (cross your fingers that it isn't sweltering hot).

Beautiful interior. Little pots of greenery on your table. Now, how cool's that. You have to go to the cashier to order and they will serve it to you afterwards. 

We ordered burgers because they were the cheapest mains on the menu. 

The Grilled Portobello Burger ($8) had lettuce and tomato complete with some Pineapple Sage Vinaigrette. The mushroom was grilled well and was juicy, but was lacking a little in taste. But this is perhaps because the vinaigrette was a good complement to the mushroom. Not very impressed by its presentation but its the taste that matters. The bread for the burger was okay, although it would probably have tasted better with a little butter toasted on the bread caps.

I'm very particular when it comes to pulled pork burgers. The Cuban and Ham Pulled Pork Burger ($12) had homemade BBQ sauce, Kaffir Lime Mayo, pineapple, tomato and lettuce. The pulled pork was well shredded, although it would have been better if it were more tender. The BBQ sauce was just right- not too salty, not too sweet and not too much. I think this is what makes or ruins a BBQ sauce dish.

I really liked the ambience here, perhaps because it was not too crowded and there was plenty of space and we were amidst greenery. Food was no frills and quite worth it for the price. However, if you are going to order the burgers, depending on your appetite, it may not be enough. It's kind of self-service and there's no service charge. GST is reflected in the prices.

Food For Thought (Botanic Gardens)
Singapore Botanic Gardens
1 Cluny Road
#B1-00
Tel: +65 6338 4848

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Astons Specialties (Changi)

I think Astons at Katong beats Astons at Changi hands down. Despite the pretty facade, the food and a particular waiter's service weren't good. The only good thing that came out of it was that I had a very good meetup with a very good friend. My previous experience here was actually okay but after this time, I think I would give this branch a miss.

The thing I like about Astons is that their food is very affordable. For a main dish with two sides, it's only around $8-10. Plus if you wanted to any anything to your order, it comes at a cheap price tag too.

The horror story begins. The waiter arrives with our order. But instead of my order which consisted of black pepper fish + onion rings + corn ($8.50), he came with a grilled fish. And my friend got the black pepper fish when she ordered grilled fish. Then, he asked as though it was not his problem that they got the wrong order, "Do you want me to change the food?" To which I replied, "Yes please." Seriously, were you waiting for me to switch the fish around? It's not that we were lazy but because there was all kinds of sauce (black pepper sauce, tomato sauce etc) it just didn't make sense to make our food taste like a coagulated mess.

The picture below is what I got. When I scraped the pepper sauce off my fish, there was a layer of white stuff, seemingly like sauce from the grilled fish (the mixed up order). I think it's absolutely horrible that I have to deal with such bad attitude and laziness from that particular guy.

If it were just the service, maybe I would go back for the food. But the food was horrible. I seldom use the word horrible because the food is normally edible. But I actually had to spit out portions of my food because I just couldn't swallow them. There were super charred pieces of the fish at the bottom which made it very bitter. I have eaten this countless times at the Katong outlet and they definitely did not have this problem. The corn was bad as well. Normally you could chew and feel the bounciness of the corn. But I was just eating mush. I wonder how old the corn is.

The only saving grace is that we actually could spent 2 hours chit chatting without feeling pressured to leave. But the food and that particular guy's service needs a lot more work. I'm not sure if it was because we went at 245 pm which meant that they were tired after the lunch crowd, but honestly, that's just a very lousy excuse I cooked up for them.

Astons Specialities (Changi Airport T1) 
Changi Airport Terminal 1
Viewing Mall Central
80 Airport Boulevard
#03-18
Tel: +65 6542 4709

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Cannery Row

Actually, I didn't intend to read this book. But fate had it such that when I was combing the shelves of the library for another book, I saw the words staring at me: Cannery Row. Wasn't that the book that the tour guide repeatedly mentioned on the tour in San Francisco?

This book is thin. That's nice to know. Exceedingly thick books give me a headache. 

Before I continue, the following quote is the one I like most in the book. I actually memorised the page number so that I could retrieve the quote (instead of folding dog ears or writing in the book in pencil- this is library property).

“It has always seemed strange to me...The things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling, are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest, are the traits of success. And while men admire the quality of the first they love the produce of the second.”

This book has a mish mash of characters: Lee Chong (a Chinese grocer), Doc (a marine biologist), Mack and friends (a bunch of guys of laze around), Dora (who owns a brothel) and other random characters. Unlike other books which resolve unknown questions along the way, this book doesn't. It leaves your imagination open by intentionally leaving the plot loose.

Elements of fact and fiction are aplenty. Many of the places described in the book are actually real places in Cannery Row, such as Lee Chong's Grocery which is Wing Chong Market and Doc's laboratory which was Steinbeck's good friend's (Ricketts) laboratory.

I won't elaborate further because the internet has tonnes of sites analysing this book, the characters in it, and how the circumstances in that period of time led him to write this book. But if you are feeling like you need a book that will allow you to question without necessarily giving you an answer, this is it. 

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Watami (Raffles City Shopping Centre)

Raffles City's basement is a maze such that I'm pretty sure I would not bump into another person who's in the same building and same floor. Figuring our way through the maze using the store directory, we found our way to Watami. We had to wait for around 10-15 minutes for a table for 6 around 1.15 pm.

Their lunch menu set is affordable. As you can see, for $8.80, you can get yourself a black pepper beef with rice set, salad and a drink. There are many sets for you to choose from and I'm sure you can find something you like. Click here for the lunch set menu and to browse other available menus.

I had the Hire Katsu Tamago Toji Teishoku Set ($10.80). At first the waiter put an egg into a plate and I thought I had to crack it myself. But a waitress later came, took the egg away and came back with a plate of an egg which was cracked with onions mixed in it. The food was piping hot and the egg which was poured over the deep fried pork cutlet slowly cooked. I didn't really like the rice because I felt like it was a little hard and too sticky. Otherwise, it's actually fun to watch the egg cook. The accompaniment to this dish included miso soup, a salad and a drink (I ordered ice lemon tea).

Their service is pretty good and they asked us to fill in a customer's feedback form near the end of the meal which I thought was a good sign in wanting to improve different aspects of their restaurant. The only small glitch we had was asking for the bill three times before it finally came. While the food on the menu may not be authentic, but at least it tastes quite good, fills you up and at an affordable price too.

Watami (Raffles City) 
Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-06/07
Tel No: +65 6336 2425

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