Hiking at Bukit Timah

Rating:
Compared with MacRitchie Reservoir, Bukit Timah is an easier trek that all ages will enjoy.
***
Inspired by the last exhilirating hike up to the MacRitchie Treetop walk, I took along Zan The Mountain Man and on a fine Saturday morning, we took the bus to Bukit Timah.

I packed a liter of water, a peanut butter sandwich, bananas (for potassium), an apple and extra shirt. The night before, I carbo-loaded a lot of noodles to give me the extra energy for the hike.

The first kilometer was the hardest-- it's an uphill climb of a very, very steep incline. I was huffing and puffing feeling like such an elite athlete but then I looked around and saw...

Aunties.
And Uncles. And lots more elderly folk, some with canes and walkers, leisurely strolling and not even breaking any sweat! Add to that the young kids who were running up and down and you can probably tell how ridiculous I felt with my backpack of food and water!

So to make a long story short, it was definitely a shorter and easier hike compared to MacRitchie and you could probably complete the whole thing in less than 3 hours.

There's not much to see but trees, trees and the ocassional monkey. because of all the trees, I couldn't find a spot where you could have an uninterrupted vista of Singapore so don't count on a beautiful panoramic photo.

CONCLUSION
3.5 pawikan points. bring an extra shirt because it's humid. If you're hiking with a special someone, check out the "South View Hut" which is conducive for an impromptu picnic and a little QT *wink wink*.
***
If you liked this review, you may want to read about my experience hiking up MacRitchie Reservoir.

Hiking at MacRitchie Reservoir Park

Rating:
Yes there are hills and mountains in Singapore and they're easy enough for beginners to climb.
***
Cris and I packed our bags with bottled water, sandwiches, fresh fruit and a huge noodle breakfast (carbo loading!) then we hopped on a bus and got off at Bukit Timah.

Our plan was to check out the view from the Treetop walk. So right about noon, we started our 10km trek starting at Lornie road following route 3 (the blue route on the map)

There wasn't much scenery except for trees, trees, more trees and the occasional monkey. You don't feel the sun's heat because of the tree canopy but you will work up a sweat because it's humid, humid, humid.

It's an easy hike with just a slight incline and you'll be fine if you walk slow. You'll tire not because of the slopes but because it's such a long walk and it's very, very humid.

The treetop walk provides a great psychological boost because it serves as the "peak" and you can then finally say "I've made it!". It's not for the acrophobic and make sure you bring your balls right before you cross because it's a narrow bridge and there's no turning back.

Conclusion
Three and a half pawikan points. Great cardiovascular workout but if you want a shorter walk, start from Venus Drive instead of MacRitchie reservoir park. I won't recommend bringing kids below 10 years old unless you want to carry them.

***
If you liked this review, read my review of Bukit Timah!

North Border, Rochester Park, Singapore

Rating:
A single lane barely enough for one car cuts through this hilly, tree-lined enclave called Rochester Park. A row of bars separated by clumps of trees line one side. I felt like I was walking through a residential village because these restos look like they used to be old colonial mansions.

We skipped sexy looking One Rochester because they don't serve dinner and decided to try dinner al fresco at North Border instead.

The atmosphere is decidedly calm, almost romantic because of the dim lights and candlelit tables. The low throb of the MRT construction outside is muted by the tall trees surrounding the patio where we dined. Comfy net chairs, hushed tones all around and a corny jazz CD playing in the background.

I tried the lamb, the steak and the ribs. Of the three, I recommend the rack of lamb which was tasty and tender. If lamb's not your style, go for the baby back ribs which is big enough for two people to eat. Not exactly the best i've had but it's not too bad. (I was a bit disappointed though because it wasn't very hot anymore... maybe it's so you can eat it with your hands.) I also tried the rib-eye steak with the Jack Daniel's sauce but I dunno the gravy just wasn't working for me.

The night's pièce de résistance came in the form of their chili ice cream! Yummy! It tastes like vanilla but after you swallow a spoonful, you'll feel a glowing hot sensation in your throat. Of course to douse the flames, you eat more of the ice cream and the cycle continues. Yum. Definitely a must try.

Four pawikan points. Extra points for Francis the very entertaining roving mariachi who claims that he can sing in 50 languages. He sang for us in Tagalog (perfect accent!), Turkish and Spanish. Also extra points to the Filipino staff who treated us to complementary chocolate cake. Minus points for their amateurish website. For a classy place such as this, surely they can afford to upgrade their internet presence!

***
To get here, alight at the Buona Vista MRT station, make a right at the MRT exit and walk towards NUS keeping the construction of the circle line station on your right side. You will see the Rochester Park street name after about 800m. Use the stairs at the car park and you'll see North Border on your left.

Samar Arabic Cuisine, Singapore

Rating:3/5
Smoke a shisha (water pipe), soak in the great-for-tourists ambience and stay for the live music during Friday nights but skip the so-so food.
***
Located in the strip of halal restaurants at the Arab Street area is the homely Samar which serves middle-eastern cuisine.

It's a two-storey place that reminds me of those old wooden houses in the Philippines with the wide-open windows that are perfect for harana.

During that Friday night that I went for dinner, I was lucky enough to catch the live middle-eastern jamming session complete with dance number (S$1 cover charge)! The music, carpets and barefoot dining greatly contributed to the whole 'Arabian nights' ambience and took my mind off the fact that I couldn't find a comfortable way to sit on the pillows.

The food is so-so, nothing to rave about and I think are a bit expensive relative to the quality. You get great service if the manager (usually the guy in the long sleeved polo) is the one waiting on you but the rest of the staff could learn a thing or two from him.


Come here for the steady vibe, smoke a flavoured shisha (S$12) and just chillax. Leave your Manolo Blahniks at home and make sure you're wearing nice socks because you have to leave your shoes at the foot of the stairs.

Oh and if you're squeamish, you may not want to drink too much because barefoot + male urinals = yucky.

Three pawikan points. Bonus points for feeling like Aladdin and wanting to sing "A Whole New World". Minus points for getting my feet wet in the restroom with what I hope was just water.
***
To get here, alight at the Bugis MRT. Follow the signs to the Mosque. Samar will be at the corner of Kandahar and Baghdad st. Tell the manager in long sleeves that reviewsbyp sent you and watch his blank reaction.

The Garden Slug, Bright Centre, Singapore

Rating:4/5
Quiet, personal and secluded makes the Garden Slug the perfect place for secret lovers, long dinners and quiet musings.
***
When I got off the bus stop across the Bright Centre, I was hungry, the rain was pouring, the wind was strong, and my black leather shoes were soaked.

Since it was my first time in this area, I couldn't easily figure out where to go because there was no visible signage. I asked a bloke where the garden slug was and he pointed at the grass. Harharhar very funny sir (gago!).

The Vibe
I finally found it and as I stepped inside, it felt a bit Starbucksy because of the blackboard, dessert display, free wifi, couch and unobtrusive lounge music. You could tell that these guys have their priorities straight because on the far wall was a framed poster that said: "Decisions: don't wanna make any today. just wanna eat my cheesecake." (more photos here)

Instead of having just the odd newspaper or two, I was surprised that they've got a whole shelf of books you can actually take home and borrow! (Of course you have to come back to return it which makes it a great advertising gimmick!)

The food
But I didn't come all the way here to read so I grabbed a seat in their dining area, which had a tiled floor that reminded me of Filipino bathroom tiles, and ordered their rib eye steak with Yukon mashed potatoes (SGD$16.90), pasta with roasted pumpkin & plump juicy prawns (SGD$13.90) and a glass of their homebrewed lemongrass iced tea (SGD$3.50).

Their steak was surprisingly tender and it had a distinct flavour that I'm at a loss for words to describe. Was it smoky? pepper-y? I'm not sure but it was definitely tasty. The pasta was so-so and the shrimp was not as plump as I thought they would be. The lemongrass was refreshing but drink it fast because it's best served chilled.

For dessert, try the Pear William (SGD$5.50) which is stewed sweet pears sauteed in white wine and cinnamon topped with gelato. Yummy!

Scary bathroom
I'm tempted to give minus points for the tiny (but clean) bathroom located outside the resto, under a flight of stairs. It's so out of the way that one of the waiters would accompany the ladies to show them where it was. Then again, the scary bathroom could also be a bonus point because you and your special someone could *ehem* get creative here specially when it's raining hard, it's dark and you're both drunk.

Conclusion
Four pawikan points. Bonus points for the personal service that made me feel like I was eating in a friend's house. Heck the location is so isolated that I felt like I was eating in a far-away friend's house!

If restaurants were music, this one would definitely be indie. It reminded me of Manila's Sa Guijo minus the bands but this place definitely has the potential to become one. How about wednesday acoustic nights? On my way out, I also finally got why the resto has such an avant garde name. (hint: it's all in their motto: eat drink don't think!)

***
How to get there
The directions on their website are not helpful at all so use mine instead:
Take bus 155 from the Eunos MRT (it's the bus stop by the street and not in the bus terminal). Alight at the 4th stop from Eunos. Bright Centre's across the street and if you face it, The Garden Slug will be on the left side. To get back to the MRT, take bus 15 to Eunos or 155 to Paya Lebar. Say hi to the slug staff for me and tell them reviewsbyp sent you.

Over the top service at Jumbo Seafood, East Coast Park, Singapore

Rating:4/5
After our hearty Chili crab and oat-prawn meal, I asked the waiter Damien to explain to me why there was a Jumbo seafood staff holding an umbrella over this man who insisted on smoking in the drizzling rain.

Without missing a beat, Damien replies: "we want to give the customer the best service possible."

I don't care if it sounds scripted, I've got a photograph to prove it! Now that's where legends come from.

The fact that the portly gentleman was a bit thick-skinned to allow someone to hold an umbrella over his head is a different matter altogether but it doesn't detract from the fact that heck, here's some crazy, over the top customer service. (Based on my pretty fly experience, No Signboard seafood could learn a thing or two from the Jumbo guys.)

I had half a mind to test if the service only applied to portly, European gentlemen or if it also would work with a brown-skinned and very Asian looking me. But first of all I don't smoke, and secondly I can hold my own umbrella, thank you.

Four pawikan points for Jumbo Seafood, bonus points for the service. I specially like their black pepper crab and barbecued tilapia. My companions enjoyed the chili crab and prawns with oats. Make sure you make reservations or come early because the place is always packed.

A fly in my meal at No Signboard Seafood: Conclusion

Rating:
This is the conclusion. Read how I almost drank a fly in part one of this two-part series.
***
Incredulous looks all around, i think they were going through their own versions of Kubler-Ross when finally finally they decided to take some action--The staff shrugged it off and offered me another beer.

Errr... I wasn't that drunk yet! That fly could have come from anywhere! From the tap dispensing the beer or the kitchen that washed the mug. Heck, if it got into the beer, it could also be in my food! Who knows what deep-fried houseflies could taste like-- would they be crunchy , too? Maybe they could taste like spicy baby squid.

Up to this point, I had heard no apologies yet. Best I got was the explanation that the fly must have fallen from the sky and that they'd replace the beer free of charge. (duh.)

Exasperated, I told the staff (yes, all of them because there was no single point of contact, no one in charge) that I had lost my appetite and that I would not be eating there tonight. I took my bag and walked out into the cool night.

Then I was approached by a waitress and she told me that I still hadn't paid for the appetizer I ordered. I looked at her, did my best dood-are-you-serious look (complete with eyebrow raise) and flat out told her that I'm sorry but I would do no such thing.

At a loss, she turned to the greeter, Ivy, and she told me that I had ordered and that I should pay. I smiled a perplexed and almost tortured smile and told her that if she insisted, I would pay but I would do so under protest.

She gave me this grouchy look, a forced never mind and waved me away.

Conclusion
This would have been the perfect time to demonstrate some great customer service. The staff could have turned this setback into their advantage and showed me what world-class Singaporean service is all about. Here's how I wanted it to play out:

• First of all, instead of acting like headless chicken, there would have been someone in charge.
• This person would have acted embarassed and apologized profusely for this pornographic lapse in food safety.
• I would be given reassurances that this won't happen again; my meal that night would have been free and I would have been given a $500 voucher to come and eat there again.
  
• And on the next day, they'd send me a 'sorry' card and a bottle of wine just to say thank you for remaining a customer.
  

Alas, none of that sort happened. Not even an offer for a free dessert. Ivy even wanted me to pay for the $10 appetizer.

Two and a half pawikan points. I was tempted to give them a zero but I think I would eat here again because this is Agent A's favorite chili crab and they serve the best deep-fried baby squid. I'll just make sure to check my mug before I sip.

A fly in my meal at No Signboard Seafood and they still wanted me to pay! (part 1 of 2)

Rating:2.5/5
There was a fly in my mug of Tiger beer at East Coast Park's branch of No Signboard Seafood. While accidents such as these happen once in a bluemoon (i hope!), the staff's handling of the situation left much to be desired.
***
While waiting for my companions to arrive at No Signboard Seafood's East Coast Park branch, I ordered my favorite spicy and crunchy deep fried baby squid and a mug of ice-cold Tiger beer.

Barely through a quarter of my appetizer, I lifted the chilled mug, brought it to my lips and almost gagged when I saw a very plump and very drunk housefly (musca domestica) floating lazily in the froth.

In a flash, I went through most stages of the Kubler-Ross' model of grief:
1. Denial - Teka, teka... this can't be a fly!
2. Anger - nakanamp.... WTF is a housefly doing in my f#ckn beer!?
3. Depression - i don't want to eat anymore.
and finally...
4. Acceptance - okay there's a fly in my beer. its not the end of the world. deal with it.

(Incidentally, this last time this happened to me was when I discovered a fly in my bulalo soup at the Apollo karinderia, a two-bit road side eatery in some obscure corner of Manila where you sort of expect these things to happen. You definitely don't expect this in a world-class, developed country like Singapore and specially not in tourist-friendly No Signboard with their uniformed servers and fancy walkie-talkies. )

I went up to the lady at the bar and asked if the manager was around. She said that he was away on holiday. I asked if I could speak to a supervisor, she said there was none. She asked me what the problem was and by this time, my friendly waitress had arrived to see what the fuss was all about. I pointed at the mug and asked her to explain why that creature was there.

She just looked at it.
And looked some more.

Then she brought it to the bar counter and had the other waiters look at it, too. Ooohs and aaahs, hushed and rapid Mandarin going all around. Wow perfect timing for a show and tell session. Come friends and look at the floater in the Filipino's foam! (In hindsight maybe I should have charged them a dollar.)

***
Read the conclusion, what the staff did and what I think they should have done in the last part of this series...