Swensen's SG50 menu (Jan-Mar 2015)

Was invited to food tasting at Swensen's for their upcoming SG50 menu.

Not only that, we tried the special christmas menu available in December as well!

My favourite was the Velvety Christmas Cheer ($6.90) that is a rich blend of red velvet chocolate, milk and milo, crowned with fluffy whipped cream and marshmallows. The perfect drink to get warm and cosy in this festive season :)

Pop Goes the Caramel ($11.50)

This joyously delicious combination just got better! Generous scoops of Salted Caramel ice cream topped with crunchy caramel popcorn and drizzled with luxuriously smooth caramel, this is one magical treat you can't miss.

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As a local staple family restaurant, Swensen’s has grown and progressed alongside Singapore every step of the way for the past few decades. In conjunction with the momentous SG50 island-wide celebration, Swensen’s presents an inventive menu that pays homage to the nation’s signature flair of Singaporean flavors by reintroducing all-time favourite dishes infused with the essence of local specialties. 

For the whole year of 2015, diners can expect an intriguing dish every month at Swensen’s as part of an ongoing joyous celebration for the nation’s 50 year milestone. These limited edition offerings are bound to please your palettes with their rich, comforting flavors, all at a pocket-friendly price point. 

SG50 Menu: January 2015 – March 2015 

The three entrées will be launched successively in the first quarter of the year, and would satiate any appetite looking to devour savoury dishes with a spicy kick.

January 2015

Laksa Aglio Olio with King Prawns ($14.90)

A Swensen’s original back by popular demand! Putting a local twist on the classic Aglio Olio, this

indulgent creation features succulent king prawns poached in a flavorful Court-Bouillion and tossed in tantalizing Laksa pesto and fragrant Laksa leaves. 

The laksa flavour was pretty much undetectable, but the fragrance of the laksa leaves were definitely heavenly. However, if you're on a first date, do take note of the laksa leaves getting stuck between the teeth :p The Aglio Olio is surprisingly not spicy at all, hence we would recommend having a 'spicy' version for real aglio olio lovers :)

February 2015

Grilled Chicken with Spicy Satay Sauce ($14.90)

One of Singapore’s most enduring dishes with a Swensen’s makeover! This main course features

juicy chicken marinated with chef’s special blend of spices and grilled to tender perfection, accompanied with a delicious homemade satay gravy, which is DA-BOMB if you're craving for satay and don't wanna spend time queueing/waiting for those at food stalls that will eventually come chao-tar, like 90% of the time :/ I can't wait for February to come~!

Complementing the dish perfectly is a side of fragrant pineapple butter rice and refreshing mixed

salad, and crackers.

March 2015

Beef Rendang Baked Rice ($13.90)

Dig into tender beef slices wonderfully basted in delectable homemade spicy Rendang sauce, served

over a bed of aromatic savory rice. The dish is then baked to golden brown perfection with a layer of

delicious melted cheese, and crowned with crispy prawn crackers for that crunchy finish.

I personally find this main course a little too spicy for my taste buds, but wouldn't deny that it is the most flavourful out of the three dishes we sampled.

The SG50 Menu launches in Swensen’s restaurants island-wide from 1st January 2015, and will run till 31st December 2015. Each dish will only be there for a month, so do check them out while available!

Below are addresses of the Swensen's outlets :)

Ang Mo Kio Hub

53 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3

#B1-25/26

Bedok Mall

311 New Upper Changi Road

#01-77

Bukit Panjang Plaza

1 Jelebu Road

#03-04

Causeway Point

1 Woodlands Square

#02-08/09

Centrepoint

176 Orchard Road

#02-52/53/54

Compass Point

1 Sengkang Square

#B1-28/29

City Square Mall

180 Kitchener Road

#03-37/38

Clementi Mall

3155 Commonwealth Ave

West #05-31/32/33

E! Hub @ Downtown East

1 Pasir Ris Close #02-121/122

IMM

2 Jurong East Street 21

#01-111

ION Orchard

2 Orchard Turn

#B1-31

Junction 8

9 Bishan Place

#01-39

Jurong Point

63 Jurong West Central 3

#B1-64

Marina Square

6 Raffles Boulevard

#01-206/207

Nex Mall

23 Serangoon Central

#02-07/08

North Point

930 Yishun Avenue 2

#01-16/17

Parkway Parade

80 Marine Parade Road

#B1-33/34

Plaza Singapura

68 Orchard Road

#03-23

Tampines Mall

4 Tampines Central 5

#03-30

The Seletar Mall *NEW*

33 Sengkang Avenue

#02-11/12

Thomson Plaza

301 Upper Thompson Road

#03-23

West Mall

1 Bukit Batok Central Link

#02-05

24 hours Swensen's Outlet

Changi Airport Terminal 2

Mezzanine Level, Arrival Meeting Hall North

Southwest Tavern Singapore

Got to know of a cowboy theme restaurant located in the west side of Singapore at TradeHub 21, hugeee thanks to Vincent!

Southwest Tavern

8 Boon Lay Way #01-33 Tradehub 21

Singapore 609964

Tel: 6515 4303

Mon - Fri: 11:00 - 00:00

Sat - Sun: 15:00 - 00:00

PH: 17:00 - 00:00

TradeHub 21 has free parking for the first hour. Plus free parking on weekdays after 7, weekends and PH!

Nearest Bus Stop

Bus 52, 99, 105, 105B, 188 and NR5

Nearest MRT station

Jurong East MRT (NS1/EW24)

Take bus 105 for 7 stops

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The restaurant-and-bar-in-one in a neighborhood location has its furnishings vastly influenced by the Texas ‘cowboy’ culture and effortlessly radiates a warm, casual and intimate atmosphere that would appeal to even the most discerning diner.

Despite the restaurant nestled amidst offices and the train tracks, it gives out the vibe of a sub-urban rustic, relaxing scene that invites bar goers to unwind absolutely at the bar with a refreshing smooth pint of beer or cocktail of their choice. Stocked with a staggering variety of beer, wine and other spirits, and classic cocktails, Southwest Tavern would confidently be able to cater to every taste.
 

 

We were there on a weekend evening and the crowd started streaming in around 7pm. Be sure to make reservations if you're visiting on a weekend night :)

 

 

Peach soda and lychee milkshake ice-blended.
 

Topped with a lychee, cute!
 

Southwest Tavern serves many authentic American tavern dishes and a variety of beers. Popular for their yummy steaks, interesting beer butt chickens and famous suicide wings, we had to try at least one of them on our first visit!

Hence we decided on the Meat Lover platter so that we can sample their steak plus two other meat dishes :p

Meat Lover $68

Australia Marbled Sirloin, Lamb Shank and Pork Ribs

(We requested for the lamb shank to be changed to grilled Norwegian Salmon instead)

 

This platter is good to be shared with two or more people. The sirloin steak was indeed marbled well and evenly, as pictured in the menu. We requested for it to be done medium well, and the steak came slightly blackened with bits of crisp on the exterior but still quite pink and juicy inside. Importantly, it was done (medium-well) perfectly without much of the bloodiness yay! This red meat is so succulent that it is good to go even without the steak sauce.
 

With home-made mash potatoes where you can still bite into chunks of real, soft potatoes, and salad with such fresh, crunchy greens, the sides were no less amazing than the mains. Those sides were an joyful discovery for us, proving that the whole platter was done with so much love and effort right down to the details.
 

I’d mentioned in other post that I’m not exactly a fan of pork. However, the pork ribs served at Southwest Tavern is so tender and mouth-watering that I finished most of the dish on my own!
 

 

Mocktail (tequila sunrise) as an after-drink.
 

Specially-created chilli for their famous suicide wings!
 

On a whole, Southwest Tavern recreates an unforgettable experience with value-for-money beers and authentic American Tavern dishes. It is a great hangout venue in alfresco setting, especially for those staying or working near the West.

I can’t wait to visit again for the beer-butt chicken with a larger group of friends!

***

A note on their upcoming event:
 

Oktoberfest @ Southwest tavern

04/10/2014 from 7.00pm - 10.00pm

By reservation only! Call 65154303 to book now :)

Quote: "I got the info from Facebook" so Southwest Tavern can bring you more deals through Facebook.

S$50.00++ per pax

Free flow, draught beer

Erdinger and Heineken

Buffet style

- potato gratin / potato wedges with demi glaze brown sauce

- garden salad with lemon vinaigrette

- pork knuckle

- pork roulade

- german pork bratwurst

- chicken bratwurst

- veal bratwurst

- bbq pork ribs

https://www.facebook.com/swtavern

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Swensen's U.S. Southern Barbecue Menu from 1st September 2014 to 31st October 2014.

SWENSEN’S TURNS UP THE HEAT WITH U.S. SOUTHERN BARBECUE FAVORITES

Savor five new tantalizing seasonal additions with a Cajun twist that are big on flavors.

This season, Swensen’s flames up its grill and dishes up a menu inspired by the bold flavor palates unique to the Southern USA. Barbecuing is an all-American cooking technique that 

has resounding popularity today, with its roots firmly entrenched in good, ‘ol Southern comfort. So lasso up, and take heart in traditional country favourites cooked over hot, seasoned grills and slathered with rich, creamy sauces that deliver bangs of flavor.

Serving up rustic, wholesome dishes fit for any cowboy, Swensen’s pays its homage to Southern fare with tantalizing entrees like Swensen’s Cajun Chicken with Creamy Ranch Sauce, Grilled Snapper with Seafood Creole Sauce, Jalapeno BBQ Burger and a spicy appetizer in the novel Firecracker Soft Shell Prawns. For the complete Southern experience, finish up your meal with the zesty Key Lime Soda as inspired by the classic, American Key Lime Pie. 

Saddle up and dig in, as the limited edition menu is available only from 1st September 2014 to 31st October 2014.

Firecracker Soft Shell Prawns ($8.90)

These lightly battered morsels are coated with a unique blend of spices. Pop one of these for a 

party in your mouth! Served together with Swensen’s signature U.S. Fries and fresh veggie sticks with pineapple BBQ and Tartar sauce dips on the side.

Swensen’s Cajun Chicken with Creamy Ranch Sauce ($15.90)

A half chicken slow cooked with cajun herbs and spices, perfectly balanced by homemade creamy ranch sauce. Accompanied with mixed wild rice, mesclun salad and BBQ beans. Definitely a serving generous enough for the hungry cowboy!

Grilled Snapper with Seafood Creole Sauce ($17.90)

Using the finest and freshest ingredients, Swensen’s brings you this specially caught 

saltwater snapper on a platter! Tenderly grilled and generously drizzled with chef’s own special creamy creole sauce, it comes with buttered vegetables and mixed wild rice to complete the meal.

Jalapeno BBQ Burger ($16.90)

It’s getting hot in here! This Southern burger is stacked high with a juicy beef patty, flavorful jalapeno chunks and onion rings to serve up an excellent gourmet burger experience. Served with steak cut fries lightly seasoned in cajun spices and mesclun salad.

Key Lime Soda ($5.80)

Swensen’s version of the classic American Key Lime pie, made into a drink! Creamy, zesty, sharp, sweet and delicious. Take a sip, close your eyes and be transported to the Florida Keys…

Feeling thirsty now? Order up any U.S. BBQ main course with the Firecracker Soft Shell Prawns and enjoy the refreshing Key Lime Soda at a discounted price of $2! 

To cool down, we had our special ice cream creation from the ice cream buffet bar that's only available at Swensen's Ion Orchard outlet :)

This limited time only (U.S. Southern Barbecue) menu will be available at all Swensen’s outlets from 1st September 2014 to 31st October 2014.

Give them a try while you can! :)

Taipei Day 2 - Wufenpu & Raohe Night Market

Wufenpu 五分埔

110, Taiwan, 台北市信義區

Opening hours:
Mon - Sat 12pm - 12am
Sun 12pm - 9pm

Nearest MRT station is Houshanpi station.
Take a MRT train to Houshanpi Station and exit by 'Exit 1' - Wufenpu Commercial Zone. From there, (you may wanna use your GPS or phone map apps or simply ask a local) walk north along Jhongpo North Road to the intersection of Jhongpo North Road and Yongji Road.

Best to go around late afternoon/evening so that you can simply follow any batches of school students alighting at Houshanpi station. They seem to be mostly going towards Wufenpu.

Also, you can shop til evening and hop over to Raohe Night Market nearby!

Tip: Try not to visit on a Monday as the day is mainly reserved for wholesalers and thus the store keepers may not have energy to entertain tourists/random buyers.



Wufenpu is the largest commercial zone focusing on clothing in Taiwan. There are around 1,000 shops selling different types of clothes, as well as shoes, bags and jewelry in part of them, in a tiny area close to half of CKS memorial hall in size.
Plan a systematic manner of shopping up & down the rows of shops if you intend to comb through each and every one. Otherwise, it'd be so easy to get lost in this shopping maze!

Prices are hiked up for buyers to bargain unfortunately.
Most of the stores do give a slight discount ("wholesale price") if you buy a minimum of 3 pieces, which can be of the same or different designs - criteria varies for different stores.
On top of that, if you have a flair for bargaining, you will be able to get a better deal.

I must say, save your (bargaining) efforts if you really like the item. JUST BUY. lol. Though the prices aren't the most attractive I noticed, they're still mostly cheaper than in Singapore.
A gauge of the price range:
Female dresses - TWD300 - TWD700
Female flats/heels - Usual 2 for TWD500 - TWD700
Male casual shirts - TWD700 - TWD1,200

The designs of female clothings didn't catch my attention though. But if you do see anything you like, save the time (bargaining) for more important stuff like, combing through more stores :p

Raohe Night Market 饒河街觀光夜市

105, Taiwan, 台北市松山區

Raohe night market is a mere 10 mins walk from wufenpu. Use your GPS or screenshot the map before setting off!

The Raohe Street Night Market is one of the oldest and most popular night markets in the Songshan District.

It is about 600 meters long, with Ciyou Temple is at one end of the market. We followed our GPS from Wufenpu and found the temple (/night market) in no time!

Smacked right at the entrance of the night market is the famous 胡椒餅 (black pepper biscuit)!

Needless to say, we joined in the queue without thinking much *cue kiasu Singaporeans* :D

胡椒餅 (black pepper biscuit) is a Chinese snack composed of meat marinated with sugar, soy sauce, black pepper, and scallions encased in a large, flaky biscuit-like bread; this wrapping is not leavened with yeast.

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this snack cos of the strong porky taste T.T So much for waiting almost 20 mins in the queue :(

Thankfully the next street snack SAVED ma life!

(Literally cos I was so hungry by that time!!)

Just slightly further up from the pepper crispy bun stall, there is the 鸟蛋虾球 (quail egg with prawn) going at only TWD55 for 10 balls! Less than SGD2.50 for such a combination is quite something, cos in SG, anything with prawns, for instance, tako balls with prawn fillings will set you back at least $3 for merely 5 balls?

Most important thing is, it is SUPER DELICIOUS.

Definitely a must-try please!

There are so many flavours to choose from, namely classic, japanese wasabi, thai sweet & sour, honey mustard, lemon pepper and so on!

The best sellers are the classic and thai sweet & sour flavours.

We chose the classic! ^^

Anyone knows where to find this snack in Singapore? I almost psycho M to buy the tako ball machine/maker so that we can make it at home ourselves lol.

Had some winter melon tea to dispel the "heatiness" from so much street food.

Our next favourite would be 玉子焼!

I don't know what it should be translated to in English but practically, this snack is of thick, dense but moist eggs with milk, salt and your selection of ingredients like abalone, pineapples, scallops, crab, lobster, black pepper, prawns, etc, topped with thin bonito flakes ^^

We had the choice of lobster fillings for this, and it was amazing!

Queue was very long though, around 30 mins :( Be sure to grab something else to munch on while waiting!

3 Slinkys in a basket haha.

They were the stall owner's doggies and she kept them in the basket to prevent them from running around in the crowd while she's tending to her stall.

So many cutie doggies at the night market ^^

After satisfying our tummies, we went to try our luck at the catching machines.

M caught 3 lovely dolphins at one go! So li hai! And they were one of each of the colors available some more!

(Actually there's green, but none of us likes green so we didn't go for a fourth try, lol,)

Bought two pairs of sneakers from the night market for trekking the next morning.

One in a lovely shade of pink, and another pair in blue canvas :)

Here's one of them. Only TWD350 (SGD15)!

To go back to Ximending, simply walk to Songshan Railway Station and take a train to Taipei Main Station. From there, switch to the MRT to get to where you need, in our case, we took the MRT to Ximending which was just another stop away.

Take note they should look like this, and not like the usual MRT trains!

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Taipei Day 1 - Kuo Kuang Express Bus & InHouse Hotel

Taipei Day 1 - Ding Tai Fung, Taipei 101, Ximending & Modern Toilet

Taipei Day 2 - National Palace Museum, Taiwan Soka Center, Jay Chou Deja Vu Restaurant

Taipei Day 2 - Wufenpu & Raohe Night Market