Gardens by the Bay: Photo Journal

If you have not check out my review on Gardens by the Bay, please do so here (opens up in new window).

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit one of Singapore's newest and greenest attraction once again, this time with the company of my dear aunt and grandmother, who was so adorably afraid to step on the 6-storey high platforms at the Cloud Forest. Besides that, she did enjoy the vibrantly-coloured flowers to a great extent, as well as aunt and myself did. 

Look, I am not going to make this photo journal look like a blog post describing our journey to the gardens, so without furthur I present to you some of the wonders of God (aye, Christian here), which includes some of the very beautiful flowers and cacti (mostly nestled at the Flower Dome.) And obviously, these are not all of the sceneries you could expect!

Marine Life Park: S.E.A Aquarium @ Singapore

Instead of doing the weekend routine, which probably differs no less than watching movies, shopping or even staying at home, why not make a trip down to Sentosa's newest attraction to experience the world's largest aquarium. Home to more than 100,000 marine animals of over 800 species in a whopping 45 million liters of water, some of its residents include the majestic manta rays, moray eels, hammerhead sharks and the controversial Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, and yes, animal rights activists has made quite a big fuss on this particular issue.

Canele Patisserie Chocolaterie @ Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

Les Amis Group is one of the food & beverage giants that has the finest restaurants locally, with award winning concepts. ranging from high end Japanese restaurants to fine dining French cuisine including Aoki, Peperoni Pizzeria and Au Jardin. Besides raising the curtains of Casa Verde, a casual Italian restaurant at the Gardens by the Bay, Canele Patisserie Chocolaterie is introduced to the gastronomic scene of Singapore's newest attraction as well.

With a colorful collection of signature macarons lining the front shelves and savoury bites fresh from the kitchen, dessert lovers are in for a pleasant surprise when they visit the French-inspired chocolate boutique at Gardens by the Bay. Tea and coffee connoseiurs are also treated with an exquisite selection of finely brewed English tea, as well as artisanal coffees - a good cup of Cappucinno (S$6.00) never fails to make my day. Canele's baristas definitely know just how to hit the right spot that is longing for caffeine.

Flowers of the Sea (S$12.00) was my choice for sweet crepes, partially because it rhymes with Gardens by the Bay and has the most unique name, when I visited Canele recently, and boy, what a beauty it was. The nutella-filled crepe with chocolate ice cream, filo pastry (which reminded me of tissue prata), whipped cream and blueberries was drizzled with a good deal of salty caramel sauce and powdered sugar - and yes, it tastes as good as it looks.

Besides desserts, Canele is known for its savoury main courses and sides as well, such as gourmet breakfasts, Big Bang Turkey crepes and, Smoked Salmon Wrap (S$8.00) - Premium smoked salmon over dill cream cheese with shallots, cucumber, Romaine lettuce, capers, and wrapped in a tortilla skin. It comes complete with fresh garden salad.

Being very much satisfied after the visit, I will definitely be back to savour other treats Canele has to offer, for starters, their gourmet breakfast sets and other sweet crepes sure look tempting enough!

 

Canele Patisserie Chocolaterie

Tel: 6604 7277

Opening Hours

Daily: 07:30 - 22:00

18 Marina Gardens Drive

#01-04

Gardens by the Bay

Pizzeria Mozza @ Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

If you are a fan of the world-renowned iron chef Mario Batali, Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza are the places you should head to. Mozza, Batali's (together with Nancy Silverton and Joe Bastianich) first venture into Asia is exactly similar as they are in California, hosting two top notch restaurants under one roof.

Recommended by one of my buddies, I decided to give a little surprise by bringing my significant other, Peiyi to Pizzeria Mozza for her 22nd birthday dinner after a pampering pedicure and manicure at Marina Square (with a surprise cake from her friends).

Different from their classy counterpart Osteria, Pizzeria Mozza has a more vibrant and noisy ambience. Asked by the reception staff whether we mind getting the counter seats else we had to wait, we decided to go for the counter, where a full view of the pizza chefs working their magic unfold before us. Since most of the items on their awesomely-designed menu are foreign to me, I requested one of the friendly service staff to recommend some food items.

We had their insalate (salad), Nancy's Chopped Salad (S$20.00) - a creation by one of the founders, Nancy Silverton who was also awarded the prestigious Pastry Chef of the Year by the James Beard Foundation. The salad consists of basic greens, red onions,  cherry tomatoes, garbanzo beans, drizzled with oregano vinaigrette. It has an interesting combination of flavours and textures, but overall, the salad is a tad too sour for my liking. Another downside is the price, usually I do not order salad as their cost price is less than a few bucks, moreover twenty is definitely overpriced.

Pizzeria Mozza's Wednesday Special: Pesce al Forno (S$34.00) is wrapped in radicchio and salsa verde. It has a slight sourness which complements the sweet taste of the fish. Meat is soft and tender, no less flavourful. Definitely one of the must tries here.

Pizzeria Mozza is well-known for its pizza prepared and cooked using the traditional oven. And of course we had to order one of their speciality pizzas - Nettles, egg, Salame Gentile & Caciocavallo (S$30.00). People, especially kiasu Singaporeans love thin-crusted pizzas, because it comes with more toppings. But unlike any of your usual pizzas, this has a greater crust to ingredients ratio. Turning you off already? Let me tell you, that the pastry used is created by the celebrity chefs that founded Mozza, this thick crust is tasteful and so crispy, yet fluffy on the interior. Matched with the crunchy and nettles (I have officially fallen in love for these almighty leaves), salami, top-grade cheese and finished with a runny sunny-side up, three words - Best Pizza Ever.

It is needless to think whether I am re-visiting Pizzeria Mozza again, but I would really love to try out the classy Osteria Mozza. In total, it is a well-spent S$100 out of my pocket. Definitely will be back for other speciaility pizzas!

Pizzeria Mozza

Tel: +65 6688 8522

Opening Hours

Fri–Sun: 12pm – 2pm
Mon–Sun: 5pm – 11pm

2 Bayfront Ave
#B1-42/46
The Shoppes @ Marina Bay Sands

Malaysian Food Street @ Resort World Sentosa, Singapore

Mother Kook was born and raised in Selangor, Malaysia. She is forever raving about her favourite roadside hokkien mee stall. Therefore when the Malaysian Food Street announced its opening in RWS, there was little need to travel hundreds of miles to Malaysia just to savour the street food. I knew I had to tag my mother along.

Officially opened on January 2012, this nostalgically designed (from the 1970s) food street with 17 stalls offering authentic Malaysian favourites, which includes the famous Jalan Alor Hokkien Mee, Huen Kee Claypot Rice, Fung Wong Confectionary, KL Kampong Chicken etc. Do you know? - The 17 stalls in this food street are specially hand-picked by RWS after trials and rounds of selection.

We ordered a large Huen Kee Claypot Rice w/ salted fish (S$12.00 + S$3.00 for salted fish). It is cooked using the traditional way of using charcoal stove, with charcoal placed below and on top of the claypot. Unique, isn't it? Apparently it is use to lock the flavours, resulting in a pot of fragrant rice coated with black soy sauce and well-marinated chicken. There is a slight tasteful crunch to the rice and the chicken meat is soft and tender. The overpriced salted fish did add some additional flavours which complemented the claypot rice, but it is totally fine without it. 

And obviously, we had the highly anticipated Jalan Alor Hokkien Mee (S$6.00) - noodles cooked with dark and light soya sauce, which comes with homemade belachan sauce. The Hokkien Mee has a slight chewy texture, imagine Japanese udon. Although this dish is delicious overall, Mother Kook commented that this is nothing from the original, authentic ones she had back then.

We also had the KL Wanton Soup (S$4.00 for 8pc), which was pretty decent. Each wanton is wrapped with just the right amount of ingredients, which includes juicy minced pork and shrimps. Well actually, we ordered it as an alternative to the overpriced drinks. 

Overall, Malaysian Food Street is one place to have a decent and affordable meal whilst you're at RWS. Although definitely not a substitute for the real deal back in Malaysia, it offers a quick fix for anyone who misses the taste of iconic Malaysian dishes.

Malaysia Food Street

Opening Hours
Mon, Tue, Thurs 11am - 10pm
Wed Closed
Fri, Sat 9am - 11pm
Sun 9am - 10pm

8 Sentosa Gateway
Resort World Sentosa

Casa Verde @ Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

One might thought that Gardens by the Bay is just about the iconic Flower Dome and Cloud Forest, which features hundreds and thousands of flowery attractions, or even the 22-metres high OCBC Skywalk, but let me tell you that if you haven't been to the "third dome" - Supertree Dining, you are missing a whole lot of gastronomic fun.

View my review on Gardens by the Bay here!

Supertree Dining features five uniquely different dining concepts and food under one humongous roof. With a panoramic view (thanks to the high ceilings), diners can truly enjoy their meal amongst the greens.

This food hub currently houses the following eateries:

• Hill Street Coffee Shop
• Peach Garden Noodle House
• Canele Patisserie Chocolaterie
• Casa Verde
• Texas Chicken

Casa Verde, which means "green house" in italian, is a darn suitable name, given that the other branch in Botanic Garden is admist the green as well. Opened by the well-known Les Amis Group, which has the finest restaurants locally, my girl and I decided to give Casa Verde a try last Friday night.

We ordered the Carbonara (S$15.00), the ingredients were nothing more than usual, but this dish was cooked so beautifully. The pasta was al-dente, drenched with the carbonara sauce, a perfect harmony of elements. Their bacon strips had the right amount of fats. This is no doubt one of the better carbonaras I had.

We also had their Pizzeria Rustica (S$17.00) - thick strips of bacon, lined with crunchy asparagus topped with a runny sunny-side up on a bed of mozzarella-filled crust. Talking about the crust, I totally "dig it" when it is thin and fresh from a wood-fired oven. Yes, Casa Verde use one of those traditional ovens. The taste is so distinctly different from the usuals.

There is a slight dent on the yolk, as Peiyi was having fun poking it.

Just look at the cheesy goodness.

As for drinks, we shared a Passion Fruit italian Soda (S$5.50) - a refreshing drink topped with a glace red cherry.

Price-wise, we spent S$44.15 (including taxes and service charge), not exactly cheap, but the pizza was totally worth the bucks. Overall, it was a wonderful experience in Casa Verde, therefore there's absolutely no reason not to visit again, but maybe I shall head to their other "green house" at Botanic Gardens.




Casa Verde

Tel: +65 6604 7377

Opening Hours
Daily - 8.00am to 10.00pm

Supertree Dining

Gardens by the Bay

18 Marina Gardens Drive

Queen & Mangosteen @ Vivocity, Singapore

This British-influenced pub surely has an unique name - queen and mangosteen, you might ponder what is the link between those two. There is a rumour that the mangosteen was reputedly Queen Victoria's favourite fruit, and apparently she allegedly offered a reward to anyone who can bring this purple fruit to her. Hence, the clever name, but do not be mistaken for they do not sell any mangosteens (or queens) here.

Located within Vivocity with a spectacular paronomic view of the scenic waterfront and Sentosa, Queen & Mangosteen has one of the best ambience among the lesser atas restaurants. Upon entering, you'll be greeted by huge chalkboards with today's specials and promotions, plush couches, high tables and bench seatings which creates the contemporary British pub setting. It is half air-conditioned and half al-fresco, completed with an ornate island bar that overlooks the beautiful waterfront.

Without futhur ado, we ordered their signature Fresh Mesclun Salad (S$12.00), paired with roasted Roma tomatoes, pear and walnuts, Stilton Blue Cheese and drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette. I thought that this refreshing appetizer was texture-rich, the sweet crunch of pear and walnuts, the bright crisp of the greens, the sour chewiness from the tomato and cheese, and not to mention that the elements complemented each other as a whole.

Next up, I had Sirloin Steak (S$32.00) completed with thick cut chips, Yorkshire pudding, garden vegetables and served with mushroom pepper sauce. Like always, I had my steak's doneness at medium. It was firm and chewy, but I was disappointed as the meat was drier than expected. (I had to eat with lots of mushroom sauce.) The pudding was slightly crispy with a tad of grease on the exterior and soft inside, it tasted so good.

Peiyi had one of their most acclaimed pub grub, Fish & Chips (S$16.00) served with homemade curry tartare sauce. The fish fillets used were fresh and coated in a light crispy batter, however their tartare sauce was of mediocre standard only. The potato chips were thicker than the usual and has a nice crunch to it.

Queen & Mangosteen also serve quite an extensive menu of alcoholic beverages here, one might want to order some pub grubs to go along with your drink. Perfect for drink buddies.

Overall, the food standard is above average, thumbs-down for value wise, but it definitely scores big on it's picturesque ambience.

Queen & Mangosteen

Tel: +65 6376 9380

Opening Hours

Sun–Thu: 11am – Midnight
Fri–Sat & PH Eve: 11.30am – 1am

1 Harbourfront Walk
#01-106/107
Vivocity

Barcelos Flame Grilled Chicken @ Vivocity, Singapore

Barcelos Flame Grilled Chicken was another dining place where we passed-by so many times without trying. Donned with the huge rooster signage, one can hardly missed it. So on last Saturday, while Bromance buddies (Brother Tim and ZR) and I were hesitating between Xi Men Ding and this fast-food chain, we decided to go for some chickens (no pun intended) instead.

Boasting their signature marinade recipe and the finest quality chicken, they are marinated the traditional Portugese way for 24 hours, 100% flamed grilled and seasoned to perfection. To see whether they proved their point, we ordered their chicken, all marinated with their Supa Peri sauce.

Note: It comes with four different level of spiciness, in the following order: Tangy Lemon, Mild Peri, Veri Peri, Supa Peri.

I can't make up my mind on what to eat, so I went for their Twin Mixed Skewers (S$14.95) - one skewer of chicken and another of beef, which also comes with salad and one regular side dish. The beef was well-seasoned and juicy, but the chicken counterpart was over-cooked. I love the garden salad - fresh and crisp. I tried adding their peri peri sauce on it, and it tasted uniquely amazing.



Brother Tim and ZR had their 1/4 Chicken Meal (S$14.95), which comes together with either two sides or one side with a drink. Unlike my chicken skewer, their meat was very well-marinated, juicy and tender. Both chickens were nicely charred, which adds to its' distinctive smoky taste.

The potato sides (especially their wedges and fries) are lightly salted and crisp, dipped in their Supa Peri sauce - one of the nicest I had.

This is definitely not the last visit, but to be honest, I prefer Nandos though.

Barcelos Flame Grilled Chicken

Tel: +65 6376 9534

Opening Hours

Daily: 10am – 10pm

1 Harbourfront Walk

#02-91

Vivocity

Seventh Heaven @ Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

A piece of heaven between our visit to the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. The people were complaining how thirsty and hungry we are, hence we decided to have ice cream to quench our thirst.

Famed for their "adult ice-cream" (with alcohol) and more than 30 handcrafted signatures to choose from, including Lychee Martini and Sea Salt Caramel, one would be spoilt for choice. They also features floral flavours exclusive to this outlet only.

Skipping all their alcholic and floral flavours, we go for their signatures instead - Butterscotch & Pecan and Rocky Road. Smooth and creamy. Their best seller, Butterscotch & Pecan did not appeal to me much, but the latter is good.

We also had the Hazelnut & Brownie and Sea Salt Caramel. The salty counterpart tasted pretty unique, it is like eating popcorn in ice-cream form, whereas the Hazelnut & Brownie is rich and chocolatey, but it can definitely do with more brownie chunks.

Generous scoops of ice-cream!

Seventh Heaven is definitely a pit-stop if you want to re-charge yourself between the different attractions in Gardens by the Bay. But still, Baskin Robbins and Udders remained as my personal favourite.

Seventh Heaven

Opening Hours

Daily: 10am  – 10pm

18 Marina Bay Drive

Gardens by the Bay

Shin Kushiya @ Vivocity, Singapore

A dear aunt of mine introduced me to Shin Kushiya when it opened not long ago, I have frequented this Japanese restaurant quite a bit since then and till now, it has remained as one of my definite favourites.

Shin Kushiya is well-known for their authentic Kushiyaki, or skewers grilled with Bincho charcoal (aka King of White Charcoal) imported from Japan. One can truly taste the quality of the fresh ingredients used and the distinct smoky flavour. Paired with their homemade tare sauce, Kushiyaki is definitely a must-try. Perfect for quite bites before main course and sharing. Prices ranged from S$2.00 onwards per skewer.



Platters of mouth-watering Kushiyaki

Still craving for more small bites before your main? Why not try out their softshell crab temaki (S$3.40) or a plate of crispy, tasty whole crab for sharing? 

We ordered the Sanshoku Don (S$17.80), a delicious combination of fresh salmon, maguro and kaki on top of a bed of soft Japanese rice. Ever heard of sashimi melting in your mouth? This is it. Sanshoku (三色) actually means toppings with three different colours. They are not only limited to sashimi, but also to other ingredients (i.e. dango, eggs, vegetables) as well.

  

Their Pork Cutlet (S$16.80) is crispy on the outside and tender inside. Dipped in their spicy tare sauce and paired with the crunchy fresh salad, I bet you'll be begging for seconds.

Good and authentic Japanese food, without burning your wallet. Shin Kushiya is the place to head to.




Shin Kushiya

Tel: +65 6275 8766

Opening Hours

Mon – Thu: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Fri – Sun: 11.30am – 11.30pm

1 Harbourfront Walk
#02-120
 Vivocity

White Dog Cafe @ Vivocity, Singapore

Last Friday, Peiyi and yours truly headed to Vivocity with not a single idea what to eat. Although I frequent this mall oftenly, I wanted to try something I never had. It is when we stumbled upon Barcelos Chicken and White Dogs Cafe, I had quite a hard time deciding, before we settled for the latter. After approximately 15 minutes of waiting, we were ushered to a table near the entrance, not what I hoped I'd get because I would really like a table with a Sentosa view.

I ordered their Seafood Marinara (S$14.00) - the linguine pasta is cooked al-dente, but the sauce can do with a little more salt. Their portion of seafood is larger than usual, with a generous serving of succulent prawns, mussels and squid rings. However, I thought that the overall appearance can be improved. (Currently, it looks like the chef dumped the whole chunk of seafood-mixed pasta on the plate.)

Peiyi had their special set menu, which includes Grilled Half Chicken, Soup of the day (which you can upgrade to premium for S$1) and a glass of drink. The upgraded appetizer tasted lumpy, which is already a huge down point. But at least the garlic bread tastes crispy and fragrant. 

For the Grilled Half Chicken, we substituted the french fries with a really bowl of mashed potatos. It also comes with coleslaw salad and their signature peri-peri sauce. The chicken is soft and tender, with the flavour of the seasoning fully absorbed. I highly recommend eating together with the spicy sauce.

White Dog Cafe is one of the restaurants that I will visit again, but not in the near future. The next time I visit, I'll definitely book earlier to get a table with the panoramic scenery and of course, to save myself the waiting time.



  

White Dog Cafe

Tel: +65 6376 9970

Opening Hours

Daily: 11.30am – 9.45pm

1 Harbourfront Walk

#02-131/132

Vivocity

Gardens by the Bay @ Singapore

Amongst the tall architectures and skyscrapers in Singapore's central business district, gigantic futuristic-looking supertrees and two huge glass houses sprung up from the 101 hectares Gardens by the Bay. Last Saturday afternoon, we finally have the chance to check out this newly-built attraction.

Contrary to original greenhouses, the two iconic-shell shape conservatories are fully air-conditioned, offering an escape from the tropical heat in Singapore. The Flower Dome replicates cool dry conditions, featuring rare and exotic plants found in the Mediterranean and semi-arid tropical regions, whereas the Cloud Forest which replicates tropical mountain regions between 1,000m and 3,000m above sea levels. It also features the "Cloud Mountain" and a stunning 35m waterfall.

Below are some pictures taken during the visit (please do click to enlarge the images):

 Some of my favourites in the Flower Dome (above)

The 1.2 hectares Flower Dome is divided into several different regions, featuring some of the most threatened species in the world. In addition to the permanent flower displays, there will be a seasonal change of floral displays as well. While having a flowery feast with your eyes, why not go closer and take in a breath of nature's scent, rejuvenating not only your body, but your mind and soul too.

 Peiyi and my bestie's girlfriend, Pamela imitating the statue

The night falls before we know it, after having a dessert break at Seventh Heaven, we continued our journey at the Cloud Forest. Upon entering and not far from the entrance, we already felt gushes of chilly wind coming from the waterfall.

 

 Some of my favourites in the Cloud Forest (above) 



Be sure not to miss out the different exhibitions at the "Cloud Mountain". Most of them are pretty educational, so it is good for children too.

How majestic the supertrees looked at night

Gardens by the Bay is a few minutes walk from Bayfront station. Additionally, the link-bridge from Marina Bay Sands(MBS) provides greater accessibility and convinience for the visitors. Although one cannot fully describe his experience in one blog post, I guarantee that Gardens by the Bay is definitely a not-to-be-missed attraction in Singapore.

For pricing matters, opening hours or any enquiries, please visit their official website at the link below.

http://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/home.html

Gardens by the Bay

18 Marina Gardens Drive