OYHZ (Hui Zi): friends

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25 July 2015

Velvet Confectionery - Cake Tasting / Review

Had chance to meet up with the ladies (Mia, Janel, and Andrea) for cakes few weekends back! We were hosted by Velvet Confectionery, located Robertson Quay, Watermark Condominium. The previous time I visited, it was Bridger’s Cafe.

Now that Velvet Confectionery has took over the shop front, this space remains unpretentious with both indoor, and alfresco seating by the river.

credits: molly-mia

Let’s start with our favourite of the lot!

Nutella Cheesecake

credits: molly-mia

Not sure if it’s psychological, but I find the cake tasting more like Ferrero rocher than Nutella, haha! The cheesecake is perfectly soft and creamy, complemented well by a crusty cookie base that hints of caramel. This was the favourite of ALL of us!

Carrot Cake

I don’t usually crave for carrot cakes for desserts because just like Mia, I tend to imagine them as savoury treats too. Lol. But the carrot cake at Velvet Confectionery is definitely far from being savoury! Being one of their best sellers, the carrot cake is pretty moist and loaded with crunchy goodies such as raisins, walnuts, and of cos, carrot bits. The cinnamon flavour is minimal, which is a good thing for me personally.

Red Velvet Swirl Brownie

credits: molly-mia

Fudge brownie, topped with an equally thick layer of cream cheese. Certainly for the sweet tooth.

Lemon Olive Oil Yoghurt Loaf

This cake is made without butter, but with olive oil instead. Hence the texture tends to be more crumbly. The taste is pretty light overall, with just a slight hint of lemon.

Devilish Chocolate Cupcake

credits: molly-mia

The cake itself is quite soft and fluffy, with just the right amount of chocolate flavour. With the creamy chocolate icing on it, it is the perfect one to with your afternoon tea.

Blue Velvet Cupcake

credits: molly-mia

If you have tried various red velvet cakes already, why not order a blue velvet for a change? :)

***

For the month of July, Velvet Confectionery is having a promotion. All you have to do is to follow them on Instagram (@velvetconfectionery) and quote "MollyMia" to enjoy your choice of cake with a cup of hot coffee (latte or cappuccino) or hot tea for just $10 on weekdays.

credits: molly-mia

Velvet Confectionery

Watermark @ Robertson Quay

7 Rodyk Street #01-30

Operating Hours

10.30am til 6.30pm Daily

Closed on Tuesdays

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/velvetconfectionery

Instagram

@velvetconfectionery

21 July 2015

Swensen's SG50 dishes (Jul-Sep 2015) and revamped menu

Time again for Swensen's quarterly SG50 menu in celebration of the nation's 50th birthday, with three new dishes that pay homage to the melting pot of Singaporean flavors

The year long SG50 Menu at Swensen’s has excited local diners with its array of inventive, fusion dishes that changes every month. This quarter, Singapore’s representative family restaurant introduces another bold line-up of three dishes that bear testament to the uniquely Singaporean brand of flavor. Diners can look forward to interesting combinations that pack a punch, as Swensen’s adds a personal twist on some of their classic dishes.

The three featured dishes running from July 2015 to September 2015 respectively are the Kicap Manis, Glazed Grey Mullet, You Had Me At Laksa Penne, and popular favorite Banana Chicken Makes a Comeback. Between 1 to 10 August, customers will be available to pick from two dishes instead of one for the first time ever, as both the Kicap Manis Glazed Grey Mullet and You Had Me At Laksa Penne will be made available concurrently in the days leading up to SG50.

These pocket-friendly offerings will be sure to satiate the appetite of any true blue patriot hankering
for a Singaporean dining experience.

1 July – 10 August 2015

Kicap Manis Glazed Grey Mullet ($15.90)

In conjunction with Singapore Restaurant Month, Swensen’s is proud to be part of the 50 restaurant
brands presenting a newly created dish using only fresh local produce. The mullet is gently seasoned
and grilled to preserve its freshness, and comes served over a bed of savory buttered rice for the
full works. I love the rice indeed!
Not only that, for chilli lovers, accompany every bite with Swensen’s homemade garlic chili kicap manis for an oriental twist of flavor!

Augusts 2015

You Had Me At Laksa Penne ($14.90)

Happy Birthday Singapore! Celebrate 50 years of independence by digging into a delectable Laksa
with a western twist. Hearty whole meal penne tossed in authentic Singaporean Laksa gravy with
an abundance of fresh ingredients – rich blue mussels, scallops from the North Sea, juicy prawns and dry beancurd.

September 2015

Banana Chicken Makes a Comeback ($14.90)

The dish that swept Singapore in its earlier years makes a glorious comeback. Lightly battered marinated chicken chunks are wrapped around a juicy banana and deep fried golden brown. Dip into the light curry cream sauce for an explosion of flavors. Served with our hot U.S. Fries and Mesclun Salad, this blast from the past is definitely Swensen’s best kept secret! Our favourite out of the Quarter SG50 menu for the tender chicken and popular goreng pisang ;)

***

Not just the SG50 menu, this July, Swensen’s delivers chockfull of flavor and a slew of new additions to their menu for an improved dining experience at Singapore’s favorite family
restaurant.

Heartwarming newcomers like the Farm Roast Chicken with Mustard Onion Sauce and crowd-favorite Slipper Lobster Roll vie for your attention with their classic flavor profiles, while innovative dishes like the Oriental Chili Fish Pasta and Milo Dinosaur Sundae Dirt Pot offer an element of surprise and keep diners on their toes.

Swensen’s fans will also be delighted to know that the Breakfast Menu has expanded to include Salted Egg n Honey Toasties, and other kid-friendly dishes to reward everyone for a well-deserved family treat. Can't wait to try this over the weekend soon!

Chose to try my favourite scallops in the new menu during the media tasting.

Golden Breaded Scallops ($9.80)

Whet your appetite with these succulent scallops fresh from the ocean. Lightly battered with bread crumbs and served with creamy tartar sauce for an umami mix of flavors. And the scallops really come golden brown at Swensen's! (unlike some places where the oil used has been recycled too much resulting in dark-coloured fry :/)

Slipper Lobster Roll ($17.90)

Another of my favourite at Swensen's ever since trying their seasonal Boston lobster roll previously! Now it's finally in their regular menu, yay! This dish is a symphony of sweet slipper lobster dressed with special honey lime dressing. Nestled in a pillow soft grilled bun that is buttery and crisp on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Topped with a touch of butter oil for an unforgettable taste in every bite.

Another seasonal dish that made a comeback is the Firecracker Soft Shell Shrimps ($8.50)
Had tried it during the previous swensen's media food tasting.

These flavor bombs are coated with a tasty blend of spices and fried for that perfect crunch. Outrageously addictive, these lightly battered morsels are served with Swensen’s very own pineapple BBQ sauce.

Farm Roast Chicken with Mustard Onion Sauce ($15.60)

Go back to the basics with this classic delight! Tender, juicy quarter chicken elegantly seasoned with a heavenly blend of spices, roasted to tender perfection and served with Swensen’s rich savoury
mustard onion sauce.

Oriental Chili Fish Pasta ($16.90)

Satisfy your appetite with this smorgasbord of fulfilling flavors. Tender dory fillet lightly coated with homemade batter, fried to a crisp golden brown and slathered with Swensen’s house signature
spicy oriental sauce. Served on a bed of spaghetti with a hint of fragrant garlic.

Milo Dinosaur Sundae Dirt Pot ($10.50)

Been wanting to try a potted dessert since last year but somehow the idea had been abandoned several times for many, many reasons. So YAY, certainly pleased that we could finally try one yesterday! Swensen’s Milo Dinosaur Sundae Dirt Pot uses well, milo powder instead of the usual oreo specks and the main bulk of it is Swensen’s milo ice cream of cos! 🍦The ice cream is presented with a cute gummy worm (*this is a worm that never dies..*), passion fruit and parsley. Also, not forgetting the miniature shovel which you can use to unearth the “soil” to reveal many treasures underneath! I shall not spoil the surprise, try it yourself to know what lies beneath ;)

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

21 April 2015

Alfero Artisan Gelato – Singapore

6 Raffles Boulevard 02-226A/B

Marina Square Singapore 039594.

Tel:

+65 6338 5828

Opening Hours:

Monday to Sunday 12:00 to 22:00

Cafes have been popping up all over Singapore in recent years; but we all have heard a number of cafes closing down at the same time – due to lack of flavor (both the food and concept). Setting up a F&B business is never easy, what’s more with required constant efforts in maintaining the fundamental gist of the business – the food. Nonetheless, as much as competitive is still tough, Alfero Artisan Gelato proved itself with quality gelato and steadfastly expanding over these years. Other than that, gelato is also much less sinful than their ice-cream counterpart!

Alfero Artisan Gelato believes that everyone deserves to enjoy a great Italian gelato made as it should be.

“This is not just a business, but also a lifestyle philosophy - offering and rediscovering the taste of authentic Italian products such as gelato, without sacrificing quality. Alfero Artisan Gelato conforms to a philosophy based on taste and an unforgettable customer experience. We consider that "what we put inside our body" is far more important of what some people think, and that taste and quality matters!”

Ex-colleagues and I used to pop by their gelato outlet at Marina Square for a convenient lunchtime perk-me-up ;) However, we usually have the common safe choices such as mango or lime flavours. The recent tasting session (with Mia, Finaldust, Hazel and Janel) allowed us to indulge in more flavours and also got to know Marco Alfero, the originator of the gelato from Italy. We hear stories of how he became “localized”, coming in touch with ingredients in one of their rawest forms (read, Gula Melaka cubes?) to formulate new gelato flavours and met him personally relishing his own creation in the cafe with his family and friends on that weekend. When a chef appreciates his own food so much, you can be sure he had placed his 100% in cooking it – and this applies the same to a gelato artiste.

“Alfero Artisan Gelato aims to bring to Singapore the real experience of homemade Italian gelato produced with the best quality of imported ingredients and freshness and taste guaranteed. It is designed and catered to the market with a whole unique taste of authentic Italian products with quality assured.”

*credits Molly-Mia

The 11 flavours from top right, in clockwise direction:

(Cup-left) Bacio, (Cup-right) Dark Chocolate, (Cup-back) Yuzu, (Cup-front) Strawberry Milk, (Cup-left) Walnut, (Cup-right) Pistachio, Mango, Durian, Avocado, Passionfruit, Lemon.

My personal favourite out of the lot is still mango ;) There is not even a microscopic hint of any artificial mango flavourings unlike most other mango ice-creams or gelato. I also enjoyed other fruit flavours for alike reasons i.e. the durian, avocado, and yuzu. The tangy zest of the yuzu refreshes your mood instantly.

If you’re looking for something more “filling”, try the durian or avocado which is denser, smoother and more velvety in texture. The durian one actually contains real fruit flesh! Again, no trace of artificial flavourings at all.

If you would prefer something over the sorbets, try the Bianco! It is chocolate with hazelnuts – similar to other gelato brands’ “Tartufo” or “Ferrero Rocher” flavour. That should be an easy choice to make for the kids especially. For adults, you will not go wrong with pistachio is you would like a more unique flavour. The pistachio gelato is so surprisingly fragrant that the few of us finished that flavour very soon!

Chendol Gelato Waffles

This innovative flavour is specially created by Marco Alfero to cater to the locals. The gelato only has a slight hint of Chendol, which personally I would have prefer it to be stronger. The waffle is pretty soft and fluffy.

Brownie with Snow White Gelato

One of the perfect food combination in the world - brownie with ice-cream.

Snow White is Alfero's milk flavoured gelato and its smooth, velvety texture complements the dry, crumbly brownie flawlessly.

For those looking for afternoon tea, Alfero Artisan Gelato also offers a small selection of coffees and teas. Do check out the menu or enquire with the staff when you’re there :)

❤ ❤ ❤

4 December 2014

Trick Eye Museum (Singapore) @ RWS

Okay, I'm not exactly the most creative person in the world. In fact, I'm nowhere near.

(Try guessing what my occupation is and you'll understand, haha!)

However still, I was most excited to receive an invitation to the Trick Eye Museum!
Read on for tips on visiting the museum and reference of some of the most creative shots by the people who attended that day :)

Trick Eye is short for ‘Trick of the eye’, which refers to an art technique that turns two-dimensional paintings into three-dimensional images through the use of optical illusions. With that, 2D paintings on the museum walls, floors and ceilings appear to pop out of the surface and come to life. Visitors are more than welcome to explore the various themed galleries with their eyes, hands and even cameras. Step inside the paintings to complete a visual narrative with your creative poses, and watch a “tricky” story unfold before your camera. At Trick Eye Museum, you’ll be creating unforgettable memories with friends and family amid fun and laughter, with a dash of educational and cultural enrichment.

***

TIPS

Example of photo point:

(http://www.tsetsk.com)

Stand ON the footprint label!

✖ example
(me not standing and covering the footprint point!)

✓ example
(stand and cover the footprint label)

Follow the illustrations when you're unsure.

(http://www.tsetsk.com)

Otherwise, you'll end up doing awkward things like this:

(climbing into the monster's mouth?? O.o lmao!)

This is much better.

Wear comfy attire.
Shorts/pants/berms/rompers would be good! As there will be a lot of climbing up & down, lying on the ground and what's not.
Paired with flats/slippers that is comfortable to walk/climb in and easy to remove :)

My ootd for the event: