Karmagali Suites (Bali)

Given that we had visited quite a number of attractions in Bali the previous trip, this time we decided to have a short and relaxing trip, so relaxing that we didn't even plan an itinerary beforehand.  We booked Karmagali Suites in Sanur, and it proved to be a good decision. (1) Location  Karmagali Suites is around a half an hour drive from the international airport. By using Grab, we only paid 50,000 Ruppiah (with an additional...

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Gills N Shells

We dropped by Gills N Shells one Saturday evening. The foot traffic was pretty low and I think this place certainly deserves more customers.  We ordered the Hae Bee Hiam Pasta with Soft Shell Crab ($18.90). Sometimes, creating fusion dishes may result in disasters but this was not one of those. The pasta, coated with a generous amount of flavourful and spicy hae bee hiam, was a perfect combination with two relatively large pieces of soft...

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Journey to Infinity: Escher's World of Wonder

When I was in primary school, I used to receive emails from friends on optical illusions and I remember being intrigued by these. So, when I saw a newspaper writeup on the exhibition, Journey to Infinity: Escher's World of Wonder, I decided to visit the exhibition.  There are several exhibition themes: Early Works: Art Nouveau and Nature, Tessellation, Metamorphosis, Commercial Works, Exploring Infinity and Escher Mania.  I wasn't...

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Face to Face Noodle House

Face to Face has a history of over 100 years, when the founder's great grandfather learned the art of making Jook Sing noodles. With over 30 outlets in Malaysia, the Singapore branch is its first overseas foray.  I ordered the value meal because it seemed too good a deal to pass. At $10.90, you get a main, a drink and a side. I ordered the Traditional Sarawak Noodles. Minced pork, char siew and wanton sat on a bed of incredibly springy...

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Chrisostomos (Chania)

When we asked our Airbnb host for food recommendations, without batting an eyelid, he recommended Chrisotomos. Although he said that it has one of the best food around, he also said that its view is one of the worst. By that, he meant that the restaurant was facing a car park, unlike many of the restaurants which were facing the sea. The crowds filled up pretty quickly.  We were first served some delicious and piping hot home made...

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Kki Sweets

The first thought that I had when I stepped into Kki Sweets was, this place is so Muji-esque. Light wood with gentle lighting, so welcoming and warm.  You have to place an order first before they will allocate a seat to you.  I ordered the Little Red Riding Hood ($9.80), which consists of a dark chocolate mousse with a raspberry centre. No doubt, the dessert looked dainty and exquisite (look at that beautiful shine). There was...

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Tempura Kohaku

I seldom spend more than 15 minutes queueing for food because there are so many food places to go, why waste your time queuing?  I have been waiting for the queues at Tendon Ginza Itsuki to die down. But nope, it never did. No matter what time of the day it was, there would always be a queue stretching down the little alley. If I am going to wait, I might as well wait in an air-conditioned place. So, one Sunday night, we decided to go...

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Uncle Chua Ice Cream

Recently, there was a mini hoo-ha in the internet sphere when a Buzzfeed editor included the ice cream bread that Singaporeans love as  one of the "21 of the Absolute Worst Sandwiches that have Ever Happened". His article was blasted and he later edited the article, with an apology, "So it appears that an item originally in this post at #7 (an ice-cream sandwich) is in fact a Singaporean delicacy. In which case, I'm sure it's...

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Lexis Hibiscus (Port Dickson)

The hibiscus is the national flower of Malaysia. Not only is this hotel called Lexis Hibiscus, it is also arranged in the shape of a hibiscus.  A coach was arranged for us from Singapore to Lexis Hibiscus. It took around 6 hours, including a 45 minute lunch break.  1) Room We got an Executive Pool Villa, located at the hibiscus leaf area. To get from the hotel to the rooms at the hibiscus (i.e. at the sea), you can queue...

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Xenonas Iresioni (Arachova)

We wanted to go to Meteora from Athens, but as it was a four hour drive, we thought we would just stay somewhere midway, where we could also visit Delphi. We decided on Xenonas Iresioni.  1) Location  Finding the parking lot was not easy, even with the instructions that were given. We lost our way and driving a manual car down and up the slopes was a nightmare (don't trust google maps either).  It is a 10 minute walk...

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Dellas Boutique Hotel (Meteora)

1) Location  We wanted to visit the Meteora, after hearing from friends how it was an absolute must-do (yes, it is!).  The Dellas Boutique Hotel is located at Kastraki village, next to Kalambaka town. It is no more than a 10 minute drive to the Meteora and is very close to food options.  2) Room The room is clean and spacious. The decor here may feel a little gaudy, due to the red furniture and the general colour...

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The Good Heart (Santorini)

The folks at Villa Maria recommended The Good Heart for a meal and it did not disappoint.  We were first given some complimentary bread with different kinds of spreads and different wines to try. We ordered Mushrooms Stuffed with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Peppers and Cheese (7 Euros). Juicy portabello mushrooms coupled with the sour and appetising sun-dried tomatoes was a promising start to our meal. The Spaghetti With...

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