The Black Swan - Luxurious and Elegant European Fare

Housed in the iconic and historic Art Deco building, The Black Swan stands tall and beautiful exuding a timeless elegance in the heart of Raffles Place. The Black Swan brings to the table a new menu lined with European dishes prepared with traditional methods elevated by light modern touches.

Salt Tapas & Bar’s Brunch Workshop @ Raffles City

I attended a brunch workshop led by Executive Chef Ronald Li of Salt Tapas & Bar at Raffles City and was treated to a privileged sneak peek of their new brunch menu.

(CLOSED) 20F Specialty Coffeehouse @ Foch Road

This is possibly the most ordered dish and the star at 20F. I had my reservations about this dish because I've seen some not so good reviews online. However, I still wanted to try it so badly. I mean, its duck confit and waffles! Two of my favourite things! How could I give that a miss?

The Duck & Waffle ($22) is available daily from 11am-5pm and it exceeded expectations. The waffles had a light crisp, are a little cakey and went really well with the sweet sauce. I felt that the duck leg could have been a tad more tender but the entire combination was a rocking one. The unique addition of a scoop of mixed berries sorbet gave a stark contrast in temperature and a bright tangy touch to the whole symphony. I really enjoyed it. The clever sprinkling of chopped pistachios elevated the visual appeal and I adored the nutty hints.

(CLOSED) Restaurant ANDRE @ Bukit Pasoh Road

Dining at Restaurant ANDRE can be a long wait. They're always fully booked and reservations have to be made three months in advance at times. I'm not one with much patience but I've certainly been dying to dine here since forever. Lucky me, I know the Pastry Chef of Restaurant ANDRE. Matin got me a reservation for lunch on a Friday afternoon and to be very frank, I was counting down the days fervently. Two weeks never felt this long. I must say that the wait was absolutely worth it as I legit had the Meal of the Year here. An experience beyond words.

(CLOSED) Karafuru Desserts @ Jalan Klapa

I visited Karafuru Desserts in August but haven't gotten down to writing a post about it. We went there with high hopes, after seeing so many pictures of the pretty eclairs and the bright and white space.

The Populus Coffee & Food Co. @ Neil Road

By the folks behind Department of Caffeine and 2Degrees North Coffee Co, one can expect a certain level of standard over here at The Populus. I can promise you that this place will be packed in no time. I popped by on a Thursday afternoon at 1 and the entire space was almost at full occupancy. Still in their soft launch phase, but already dishing out delicious fare, Populus is here to impress and here to stay.

The Spring Pancake & Fried Chicken ($21) is a must-order, in my opinion. I love that soft and lightly crisp texture of the pancake, studded with hints of sweetness from the presence of corn. What's even more noteworthy was the fried chicken which was perfectly crisp and wonderfully tender and juicy inside. A flawless combination together with the homemade ranch dressing that will capture your heart. One thing though, the pancake hardens if it's left out for too long so do take note!

Colourblock Nails @ Pretty with Cindy

I got my nails done before attending Maureen's wedding! This is the first time that I've done my nails since my JC prom in 2008. I'm really not too much of a girly girl. And I've never paid any attention to my nails. In fact, I love peeling my nails. I always admire girls with nice pretty nails but I know I can't have them because they will chip all too soon as I'm just generally careless and do not take care of my nails. Plus, I've to wash alot of things at Kaffles. However, Cindy reassured me that the Gelish Nails will last for 4 to 8 weeks and are very hardy. I was initially really skeptical and I know nothing about nails and I didn't want to waste her efforts for giving me beautiful nails when I most probably would ruin them the next minute. But she convinced me to give it a shot!

New Savoury Hot Meals from Pies & Coffee @ Rochester Mall

I was under the impression that Pies & Coffee was just another pie house where they keep the pies in a chiller and they would microwave them upon a customer’s order. When I paid the Rochester Mall outlet a visit, it turned out that I was terribly wrong. Beyond its modern exterior and dining room, Pies & Coffee had a sizeable kitchen with a good number of chefs bustling about preparing meals for customers. The smell of buttery pastry coupled with the fragrance of Asian curries whetted my appetite which made me dive straight into the menu.

Photoshoot for Yomeishu

Did a photoshoot for Yomeishu in July with Edmund Chen and a bunch of really awesomely photogenic people. If you don't know, I'm incredibly awkward and camera shy and it took alot of convincing before I finally decided to try this out. I was so scared and so nervous. It's like you know all the people who do photoshoots are really goodlooking, have rocking good bodies and stuff and I'm none of that. Can't tell you how much I was freaking out omg I still can't believe it happened

Nostalgic Dim Sum buffet @ Si Chuan Dou Hua (PARKROYAL on Kitchener)

Chef Wen Xin Wen is bringing back a taste of the olden days by recreating dimsums that were popular in the past. I wasn't expecting 50 dishes on the buffet menu and I definitely wasn't expecting the buffet to only cost $32- $38 per adult. Needless to say, I was immensely impressed by the selection and quality of the food. If you love yourself a good dimsum spread that is beyond value-for-money, I think you shouldn't miss this one

Bottega Hair & Beauty II

My hair got a new coat of shine recently! Told Dean that I wanted something lighter than my previous shade so he mixed up a Cool Ash Blonde for me!

Spices Cafe’s New Menu @ Concorde Hotel Singapore

Spices Cafe has been known for its scrumptious food and stellar service by both travelers and locals. It has been awarded the Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor, which recognises its dedication to deliver delectable cuisines and great hospitality. The restaurant has, recently, launched a new modern and classically designed menu. Consisting of both local and international cuisines, there is probably something for everyone and anyone.

Le Bistrot du Sommelier - One of the Best French Restaurants

I used to be under the impression that one has to pay through the nose to have good French cuisine in Singapore. Especially for a heavy eater such as myself, I thought French fare, which typically is served in bijou portions, would leave me unsatisfied after my meal. Le Bistrot du Sommelier, however, proved itself as a great exception.

(CLOSED) Sopra Cucina @ Pan Pacific Orchard

(EDIT : SUNDAY BRUNCH HAS OFFICIALLY CEASED DUE TO MANPOWER ISSUES. All dishes featured are available on the Ala Carte menu)

I've walked past Sopra a couple of times but I've never gone in. When I finally stepped in for the first time, I realised what I have been missing out on. Sopra is a huge space beautifully decorated with vintage ornaments and furniture. It exudes a comforting and relaxing vibe and makes it quite the perfect venue for events, dinner and drinks. It is also a popular haunt for Ladies Night and has one of the awesomest happy-hour deals in town but people should really know about their Sunday Brunch. For just $66++, diners can have unlimited servings of Sardinian and Italian dishes. Top up $22 and you can drink your fill of Prosecco and wines. Now, tell me, isn't that a total bang for the buck?

Tomahawk Special @ Long Bar Steakhouse (Raffles Hotel)

This beauty here is the Tomahawk, a massive ribeye steak weighing 1.7kg that is directly airflown from Australian. Simply put, it is a piece of work that will exceed all your expectations. The Angus grain-fed Tomahawk has been specially chosen to be on the menu for for the month of October so be sure not to miss it!

#TrySomethingNew @ Nando's

Nando's has 11 outlets in Singapore and they're always packed during meal times. So if you frequent Nando's or are in love with their PERI PERI sauce, you'll definitely be more than pleased to know that Nando's has launched twenty new items! I visited the two-storey outlet at Junction 8, which is fully furnished with furniture, artwork and crockery from Africa. Great vibes, spacious venue, and a wonderful destination for an after-work gathering.