Food tasting at Grand Mandarina @ New Bridge Road, Singapore

Strategically located straight outside Outram Park MRT, Grand Mandarina (previously known as Grand Mandarin) is an up-and-rising restaurant that specialises in Chinese fine dining. It incorporates traditional Cantonese cuisine alongside a fine balance of contemporary fusions, merging art and food in unison.

The interiors of the double-storey Grand Mandarina are decked with classic furniture and chandeliers, set aside walls of glossy black - pretty much one would expect from a high-end Chinese restaurant. The 160-seater restaurant also features two VIP rooms at the upper floor with minimal purchases. Perhaps, the most intriguing art-piece was the Empurau fish (also known as 忘不了), a sea-creature so elegant and prized. In fact, it is one of the most expensive freshwater fish in the world. Oh, and the reason I used the word "was", because it is for sale, with a hefty prize tag of approximately S$800/kg. Definitely not for a poor undergraduate like yours truly.

Movie Review - Interstellar

What’s beyond earth? Throughout times, humanity is always trying to explore outside this assigned space, and stepping into new boundaries. It might be fantasy, and literally an “out of the world” experience for some, but for me, the concept of space is likened to the unexplored, untouched and undisturbed deep seas, and they are surely as creepy as hell.

Image from: nerdist.com

Nomsaurus gave Interstellar

This review MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.

Directed by Christopher Nolan, better known for his Batman series, Inception (2010) and The Prestige (2006), Interstellar is a sci-fi movie flick that brings audience into extra-terrestrial lands through a team of explorers who seeks to find a new home for humanity amidst the realms of the unknown.

Movie Review - Kungfu Jungle 一个人的武林

I am a huge fan of martial arts and action movies, that's why I take up sports like taekwando and aikido, still in the high hopes that I could be the upcoming Tony Jaa or Donnie Yen. Until then, I will keep on fantasizing while  indulging in films like Kungfu Jungle.

Image from melva.sg

Nomsaurus gave Kungfu Jungle

This review MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.

At the age of 51, Donnie Yen never fails to impress, from his Fist of Fury (1995) to the glorious Ip Man (2008) days, with increasing action, speed and more exciting fighting sequences. This year, he takes on the role of Ha Houmou, a martial art instructor at the Hong Kong Police Academy, who got convicted for an accidental murder. When Fung Yu Sau (Wang Bao Qiang), a vicious killer appears in town hunting down martial art experts, Ha strikes a deal with Inspector Luk Yuen Sum (Charlie Young), offering his service to track down Fung in exchange for an earlier release.

Coffee Valley @ Jalan Trus, Johor Bahru

Like its name literally suggests, Coffee Valley is a quaint cafe located at an (v)alley off Jalan Trus, a stretch of road which inhabits old-fashioned shop-houses and eateries, such as the Faculty of Caffeine. With the aroma of freshly grounded coffee beans whiffing through the air and soft music serenading in the background, it is no wonder why this cafe never fails to attract both regulars and newcomers.

Teadot Cafe @ Westgate, Singapore [CLOSED]

With a whole lot of cafes poppin' out in the West recently, it would be a high order to catch up with this proliferation. You know what, we actually have this whole, long list of cafes to try out and strike it off the list, but it looks like we are adding more than subtracting it. Nevertheless, we got to try out Teadot cafe after deliberating for quite a while, but still decided to head on with it. 

This modern, yet dainty cafe located at Westgate attempts to reinvent the art of tea-tasting, bringing in gourmet tea drinks to people from all walks of life. Tea is the main thing there, and quite obviously, as its name suggested. It was within lunch hour, so we chose to have their lunch special - roasted chicken sandwich and tea, and a salmon rosti to go along with it.

Waffle Slayer @ Kampong Bahru, Singapore

Located in the neighborhoods of Kampong Bahru, Waffle Slayer is an expansion and spin-off from its predecessor, Strangers' Reunion. Likewise for its cozy interior, this trendy cafe is built upon the rustic industrial concept, featuring vintage furniture and an open-kitchen. This cafe specialises nothing else other than its highly acclaimed waffles of assorted flavours, ranging from sweet to savoury delights.

We were there on a weekday afternoon and were surprised to find that the cafe is more than 80% full, mostly with females - maybe they are wired for waffles? God knows. Nevertheless, we got seated in a moment of time albeit the very limited seating.