July 19, 2004
Hua Ting Restaurant, Orchard Hotel, Singapore
Had lunch with XQ at Hua Ting Restaurant (442 Orchard Road, Singapore 238879) yesterday. We ordered some dim sum and steamed cod. The dim sum is quite good, but the BBQ pork (charsiew) puff is a little too sweet. The ambience is good and service friendly and efficient.
July 17, 2004
Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant, Singapore
Had dinner with family tonight at Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant (#01-18 One Fullerton, Singapore). This is a branch that opened only recently. We had the duck trio, mini abalone in yam ring, asparagus with Japanese mushrooms, almond prawns, and fried noodles. The duck trio is a duck done in three ways: roasted, honey garlic, and spicy. I find the honey garlic portion of it too salty. Otherwise, the rest of the food is pretty good. We had a table by the sea, so it was rather nice.
Note Added The Morning After: 3 out of 5 in my family had stomach upset!
Inagiku, Raffles The Plaza, Singapore
Had dinner with XQ on Wednesday night at Inagiku (Raffles The Plaza, 80 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189560). This is Japanese restaurant serving sushi, tempura and teppanyaki. We had a california roll, a futomaki, kajiki (swordfish) sashimi and miso cod, all of which turned out to be very fresh and exquisitely presented. Service is prompt. The ambience is also very nice, but be prepared to pay a price for it!
Ichiban Boshi Japanese Restaurant, Singapore
Had lunch with XQ at Ichiban Boshi Japanese Restaurant (238 Thomson Road, #02-13/14 Novena Square, Singapore 307683) last Thursday. This restaurant belongs to the R E & S Enterprises group, which also owns Kuriya and Fiesta chains. We had a teriyaki cod, salmon sashimi, kajiki (swordfish) sashimi, and california temaki (handrolls). The cod is ok, but the sashimi was sliced way too thin. I rather they charge a little more but serve thicker slices. The staff can be rather inattentive.
Steword’s Riverboat, Sentosa, Singapore
Had dinner with family at Steword's Riverboat (Sentosa, Singapore) last Saturday. This restaurant is housed in a stationary riverboat, near the bridge connecting Sentosa Island to Singapore mainland. The restaurant serves Tex-Mex cuisine. We had fajita, enchilada, pork chop, and BBQ ribs. I find the food here much better compared to Cha Cha Cha.
Lemongrass Thai Restaurant, Singapore
Had dinner with XQ at Lemongrass Thai Restaurant (899 East Coast Road, Singapore, 459102) last Sunday. We had the honey chicken, prawn cakes, stir-fried asparagus, and pineapple rice. We also had the red rubies (which are water chestnuts coated with a layer of glutinous rice flour) for dessert. The food and the ambience is average and not worth further comments. But I enjoyed the dinner tremendously because of the presence of XQ, validating the age-old expression that "it's the company that matters"!
July 11, 2004
Summerfield's Cafe, Trans Asia Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Summerfield's Cafe (Trans Asia Hotel, 15 Sir Chittampalam A Gardiner Mawatha, Colombo 02, Sri Lanka) is a buffet restaurant. I took my breakfast there every morning while staying at the Trans Asia Hotel. The spread is typical American breakfast, with eggs done to your order, bacon, ham, fruits, cereal, juices and some local items that changes from day to day. At about 1,000 Sri Lankan Rupees (approximately US$10), it is rather costly. But my room rate includes breakfast.
Beira Lounge, Trans Asia Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Had coffee with E at Beira Lounge (Trans Asia Hotel, 15 Sir Chittampalam A Gardiner Mawatha, Colombo 02, Sri Lanka). This lounge is named after the nearby Beira Lake. The lounge is not as plush as it should be for a five-star hotel and performance by the band is also lacking.
Goodies & t-Bar, Trans Asia Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Had tea with YH at the Goodies & t-Bar (Trans Asia Hotel, 15 Sir Chittampalam A Gardiner Mawatha, Colombo 02, Sri Lanka). This is a small cafe at the basement of the Trans Asia Hotel that serves a variety of cakes, pastries, sandwiches, and a rather good selection of Ceylon teas. I had a French butter cake and a pot of Prince of Kandy tea. The cake was nothing to shout about, but the Prince of Kandy is aromatic and stress-relieving.
La Terrasse, Trans Asia Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Had dinner with YH at La Terrasse (Trans Asia Hotel, 15 Sir Chittampalam A Gardiner Mawatha, Colombo 02, Sri Lanka). La Terrasse is an outdoor restaurant serving Sri Lankan and other Asian fair. I was not feeling hungry that night, so I had two appetizers and no main course. I ordered a tuna tartar and a lobster and avocado cocktail. Surprisingly, both turned out to be outstanding. The tuna tartar is fresh with hints of citrus marinade. The lobster is done just right and not overcooked. The lobster tail is sliced cross-section wised and arranged in an oversized martini glass with avocado and mango slices. Together with the nice garden surrounding, a fulfilling dinner indeed!
Long Feng, Trans Asia Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Had dinner with YH at Long Feng (Trans Asia Hotel, 15 Sir Chittampalam A Gardiner Mawatha, Colombo 02, Sri Lanka). Long Feng is a Chinese restaurant. We had the corn and crab soup, honey baked ribs, prawns in spicy salt, and fried rice. The dishes are ordinary and rather pricey. Service is very prompt and friendly though. The environment is also quiet and relaxing.
July 07, 2004
Trans Asia Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Stayed at the
Trans Asia Hotel (15, Sir Chittampalam A Gardiner Mawatha, Colombo 02, Sri Lanka) on my one-week trip to Colombo. This is a five-star hotel in the business district of Colombo. It is located directly opposite the Sri Lankan Air Force HQ. The hotel rooms are nicely appointed and the hotel is well landscaped with lush greens. Hotel staff are friendly and helpful. The Indian Ocean is within walking distance of the hotel (about a brisk 10-15 minute walk).
July 02, 2004
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Just got back from Colombo, Sri Lanka early this week. Colombo has about one million residents out of the 18 million in the whole of Sri Lanka. Situated on the west coast of Sri Lanka, right beside the Indian Ocean, Colombo exudes its own charm. Certain part of Colombo is reminescent of Europe. People are generally very friendly and helpful. Places are easily accessible via trishaws (taxis in the form of four-wheel cars are only available in hotels, so don't bother looking out for them on the streets).
The locals told me that Colombo is not representative of Sri Lanka. Greater scenary and experiences await in the northern provinces!