Dim Sum Buffet @ River City Restaurant

I had a dim sum craving, since my National Service days. Due to the shift nature of my vocation. This has prevented me from actually being able to attend any dim sum session. As most Chinese restaurants, hold their dim sum buffet session in the morning.

A friend introduced me River City Restaurant. To my surprise, their are actually related to Dragon Cate Restaurant which is located in Harbor Front. In fact, River City is cheaper at $12.90++ on weekdays and $15.90++ on weekend. However, the River City dim sum is missing 6 dishes compared to Dragon Gate. $2 cheaper for the lost of 6 dim sum items seems a rather waste.

Siew Mai (Steamed Dumpling with Mushrooms)

The chef here infuse the Siew Mai's mince pork meat with mushroom is a good try. However, I feel that the use of mushroom has overpower the sweetness of the mince pork. In addition, the mince meat was rather dry. Perhaps they use too lean meat?

Har Gao (Steamed Shrimp Dumplings)

The Har Gao here is really good. Not the best, but rather tasty too. Shrimps are fat and crunchy. The skin is slightly thicker then what I would like, but still passable. Skin isn't too soft and breaks off when removing from the bamboo baskets. We order many baskets of these.

Siao Long Bao (Steamed Dumplings with Superior Soup)

The bottom of the list of all the dim sum items I tried that day. In fact, its the worst Siao Long Bao I've ever tasted. The skin is totally thick, meat is all mashed up with hardly anything within the dumpling and the soup existence isn't even present. My all time low in the whole dinning session.

Steamed Rice Flour Rolls with Fresh Shrimps

Similar to the Shrimp Dumplings, the skin is silky thin and shrimp plum and succulent. The soy sauce isn't too much and salty. One of the must eats.

Steamed Pork Balls with Water Chestnuts

The meatballs were rather fragrant and the bits of water chestnuts within it added additional texture and crunch to an ordinary meatball. Should try for anyone who haven't.

Steamed Pork Ribs with Soy Bean Sauce

Rather normal nothing to comment.

Steamed Chicken Claws with Chilli Sauce
I don't consume chicken claws. No comments.

Steamed Fish Head with Chilli
Mum complained that fish flesh was sour. A missed.

Steamed Glutinous Rice in Lotus Leaf

The lotus steamed glutinous rice was rather inconsistent. Out of 2 packets, 1 have a nice lotus fragrant and the other had a sourish hint. The rice was to hard and dry, maybe due to overcooking and prolong time in the steamer.

Panfried Meat Dumplings

The Panfried Dumpling were a hit. With the crispy seared base and nicely steam top. Paired with vinger and strings of ginger. One word. Shiok.

Baked Sesame BBQ Pork Pies

The highlight of the whole dim sum trip. I'm beyond words to describe this dish. The crust is butter and flaky. Crumples softly as soon as you place it within your mouth. In which the fragrant sweet BBQ pork erupted into your mouth. Yum. Order 3 per person at least. Trust me.

Deep Fried Beancurd Skin Rolls with Shrimp

Another hit. My second most favorite dish. The bean curd skin wasn't too salty and not too thick and was slightly flaky. Shrimp were plump as usual.

Deep Fried Shrimp Dumplings with Salad Cream

This was also nice too. However, they mash up some of the shrimp paste and chunks of shrimp flesh. Maybe a way to add more flour to make your appetite fill up faster. Order less of these and more of the beancurd skin variety.

Deep Fried Crispy Chicken Wings

Average. Normal chicken wings season with salt and pepper. I'd prefer if they use shrimp paste to marinate it. Still rather crispy.

Grilled Carrot Cake

I love the charred and crisp side of the carrot cake. Adds the wok heat into the carrot cake, adding more fragrant and flavor to it. There are also bits of preserved sausages inside, not overwhelming and complements the carrot cake well.

Deep Fried Vegetarian Spring Roll

Rather thick layers of skins. Avoid unless necessary.

Century Eggs and Lean Pork Congee

River City has a poor retention of the porridge then their Dragon Gate counterpart. The century eggs were literately non-existence and the congee lacks the thick chicken stock that is use to boil and add flavor to it. Congee consistency was slightly too thick.

Soup of the Day

Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple Cubes
More flour and pineapples than pork.

Fried Green Vegetables with Minced Garlic

This is a joy to eat. The spinach was tender and refreshing. Not overly stir fried or oily. I order so much, that I was slurping down spinach as if they were noodles.

Chilled Sweet Mango Pudding, Chilled Chinese Herbal Jelly & Special Dessert of the Day

The Mango Pudding is average. As it lacks chunky bits of mango cubes, but still passable. The Herbal Jelly is the real deal and is really bitter. Be sure to add lots of sugar syrup. The Dessert of the Day was boiled beancurd & barley, good for cooling down after all those fried stuff.

Service is prompt and friendly even though they are under staff. At time they forgot your orders, but a quick reminder and they would dish out your orders asap. Certain orders seem to wait till a "quotation amount" before the chef cooks all at once, thus you would have to wait. Popular dishes like the Steamed Shrimp Dumpling are a bit slow to come, maybe due to their high demand and the restaurant's invisible limitation cap. Personally I'd prefer Dragon Gate, due to the more variety of dim sum and better standard in quality. However, River City is located neared to town. Just know what are the hits and avoid the misses.

Buffet start at 11.30 am and end at 2.30 pm.

River City Restaurant
5 Coleman Street
#04-02 Excelsior Hotel
Singapore 179805
Tel: 6339 9969

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Benten Cafe @ Iluma

Brightly lit place. You can't possibly miss it.

Japanese plastic food models are good enough to eat.
Note the huge jug of parfait at the bottom.
Can make any birthday girl smile.

Interior is very brightly lit and radiates a warmth feeling.

One strong point about Benten Cafe is that the food is priced at a affordable range. With most main dishes being priced at only $10.50 to $13.50, it really is a magnet to pull in the younger crowd. If you are looking for authentic Japanese food, then stay clear of this place. As most of the food there are Japanese westerns. Benten mains offers grill plates, curry rice, pasta and pizzas. Food portions are rather huge and filling.

Teadot is down at the other corner, were giving out some Chives Green Tea.
Rather refreshing. Will try them out soon.

Love their salt and pepper grinder.
Nothing beats freshly grind pepper.

Hamburger Steak & Egg

Salmon & Hamburger Steak

Buttered Toast

Rice

There are many different alternations of their grill plate items ranging from their more common hamburger steak to teriyaki chicken, pork cutlets, salmon and ebi prawns. There are single mains and combo mains to cater to the pea eater and hungry frenzy crowd. All come with sides of broccoli, corn and fries. To add on to the already confusing menu, there is a option of 3 kinds of sauce to go with your meat. They are demi glaze, black pepper and curry. Then there is the final option of bread or rice to go with your grill plate items. I would recommend toast which is rather fragrant though not being garlic toast. Plus all those carbohydrates from the fries should be able to satisfy your starch intake for the day.

I had the hamburger steak & egg. The demi glaze, which is a thick brown reduced meat stock, goes really well with the hamburger steak. Though I feel that they were a little stingy on the sauce. The hamburger though big was a bit too brittle. However, the sweetness of the bits of onion within the patty does make up for its flaws. Still Wakaru has a better retention of the hamburger steak.

Pork Cutlet Curry Rice

Hamburger Curry Rice

Curry rice is not bad. The curry is slightly different compared to the ones that you would get from regular Japanese places. Its slightly hotter and not as thick in flavor. Neverless its still above average. The pork cutlet is huge and goes really well with the curry. Though its a first of me trying Japanese curry with hamburger steak, the brittle steak doesn't complement the curry as well as the pork. Due to the brittle nature of the steak, thus losing out in terms of texture.

Matccha Azuki Parfait

Choco Banana Parfait

Benten Cafe also offers a few parfait at really low prices of $5.80. Though incomparable with desserts from MOF and Azabu Sabo, their parfaits are rather well done. The one above are their regular size ones. They also offer mini parfait at $3+ and a godzilla parfait at $38. Only complain is that, they should at least cut the ugly skin of my honeydew.

Benten Cafe (Iluma)
201 Victoria Street Bugis
#01-14
Singapore 188607
Tel: 6884 7077
Website: http://www.bentendo.com.sg/


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Ice Monster @ Plaza Singapura

Alien Tripod

Similar to the previous visit at their Bencoolen branch, my friend proceeded to order his favorite Fresh Mango Shave Ice with Strawberry Sherbet & Milk. Based on my observation, I'd say that their Bencoolen branch is better. The Bencoolen branch is more generous with the mango puree and the ice is evenly coated with their sugar syrup. More importantly, the ice is more finer and thus easier to spoon evenly with the ingredients. That said, their Plaza Singapura branch isn't that bad. However, I recommend their Bencoolen branch for the ultimate experience.

Ice Monster 冰馆 (Plaza Singapura)
68 Orchard Road
#B2-53 Plaza Singapura

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Ichiban is my Number 1

In terms of Japanese food, Ichiban is indeed value for money and at the same time provides good quality ingredients while maintaining competitive pricing. Though price roughly the same as Sakae Sushi, the quality of food from the two chains are miles different from each other. Ichiban Sushi is able to maintain that authentic Japanese flavor, but at the same time introduces elements that define modern Japanese cooking. Thus making it unique.

Counter Seats are rather good to view the chefs at work, while you wait for your orders.

Tori Nanban Gyoza Wazen

One of my friends and I knew we just had to grab this seasonal promotion set. Price at only $14.90. What you get is chicken katsu with nanban sauce, salmon chilli don, gyoza, chawanmushi, miso soup and fruit. The chicken katsu is simply huge. Though a bit on dry side, the creamy and spicy nanban sauce does make up for it. The katsu is accompanied by greens at the side which are drizzled with garlic oil making it thus more fragrant.

The main reason, I prefer Ichiban to Sakae is their salmon. The salmon is fresher and doesn't carry that "heavy" smell. Taste wise its sweeter and more smooth. Unlike the rubbery texture you get in Sakae. The staff were very helpful too. I'd requested that my salmon don to be without chilli, which they execute my order flawlessly.

The gyoza is rather average, but I'd prefer its teriyyaki sauce in the base of the dish to be less concentrated. Surprisingly there were tiny sprouts of asparagus as garnish, which were rather present to nibble on. The chawanmushi though calm is peace on the surface, is really choke filled with ingredients. Better then any I've eaten thus far.

I'd advice that one should be prepared to wait for seating and slow orders. As this place can be pack at times. However, polite and helpful staff does make up for it. Here are some of the other food which my other friends tried.

Chicken Katsu with Soft Shell Crab

Mini Katsu Don and Soba Set

Ichiban Sushi (Plaza Singapura)
Plaza Singapura
#06-05 /06
68 Orchard Road
Tel: 6837 0113
Website: http://www.res.com.sg/index.php

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Thicken me up Scotty

Carl's Jr is one of the very few fast food chains in Singapore in which I deem worth to be consumed. The previous glory of the BIG THREE namely MacDonalds, KFC and Burger King have long lost their spark and shine. Some like A&W even cease to exist anymore. However, fret not. As new competition have step up to satisfy what has been lost in the years of dominance of the evil empires. We see Carl's Jr, Popeyes Chicken & Biscuit and the soon to arriving Wendy's.

Carl's Jr introduced its Thickburger in Singapore early this year with the un-presidential help of Edison Chen. The new Thickburger boast of using a half pound of 100% Angus Beef for its patty accompanied by two slices of American cheese, pickles, tomatoes, red onions and crisp lettuce; topped with mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard on top of a sesame seed bun. Comes in a box instead of the regular paper wrap.

Though the visual impression isn't at its best.
Trust me on taste wise.

I must give it to Carl's Jr. They have sure winner in this. The Angus Patty is totally different compared to the regular patty that you would get. It is more succulent and juicy and there is a natural sweetness from the ground meat. The mustard and mayonnaise compliments it in perfect harmony, as the greasy juices overwhelms your mouth.

For those who don't consume beef. Carl's Jr also have a variety of Chicken Sandwiches.
Charbroiled Sante Fe Chicken (above)

Fries with potato skin intact.

Compared to the first time I ate in their maiden opening in Marina Square, Carl's has finally change their fries to that with the skin still intact. Some may see as the skin being unclean and expose to pesticides. I beg to differ. Potato skin in fact contains more nutrients than its starchy internal. On top of that, it adds extra texture and taste to the boring starch.

Not to rest on its laurels. Just about a month ago, Carl's Jr introduced the newly Western Bacon Thickburger. For those western bacon burger fans, this is a god send with the best of the two burgers in one. One would think that with the arrival of the Thickburger, this would eliminate the purpose of anyone doubling their burger patties. So....Wrong!

Western Bacon ThickBurger

Double Portobello Mushroom Burger
Two normal patties is roughly equivalent to a single Thickburger Patty.

The impossible. Double Western Bacon Thickburger.
Its so thick that the box can't even close properly.

Comparison between a single and double Thickburger.

My friend is a monster in disguise. Eating a Double Western Bacon Burger together with a Beef Chili Cheese Fries, coming up to $18. The bottomless pit glutton even ate 26 sticks of satay for supper the night before. Insane.

Difference between the normal and western bacon Thickburger. It really depends on you. If you like a more refreshing and crispy crunchy greens, then go with the normal. Else if smoky and greasy goodness is your type of sinful pleasure, then the western bacon.

Beef Chili Cheese Fries sure is messy.

Only item I dislike on Carl's menu is its Beef Chili Cheese Fries. I can't stand the hint of curry power within, taste rather artificial to me. Rather would prefer some hot sauce instead.

Do note that as this outlet is located in the neighborhood, the place can be flooded with kids and students. The sitting is really limited. Stop hogging the seats and studying for your papers. There is a proper place called a "library".

Carl's Jr (Tampines)
10 Tampines Central 1
#B1-05 Tampines 1

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