Monthly Archives: August 2013

(Staycation) Hotel Grand Mercure Roxy Singapore

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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Hotel Grand Mercure Roxy Singapore is conveniently located in the heart of Katong, a historical area on the East Coast of Singapore, just opposite Parkway Parade Shopping Centre.

Guests have easy access to authentic local cuisine, shopping and recreation, such as Marine Parade and East Coast Food Centres, Katong and Joo Chiat Area, and East Coast Park, within walking distance.

This four-star hotel offers a home-away-from-home experience with 576 family-friendly and spacious guestrooms, lavishly designed with room types ranging from superior and deluxe rooms to various suites. Continue reading →

E!GHT Korean BBQ at The Central

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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Articles featuring Korean restaurants have painted innumerable media columns in the past year itself, and adding to the slew of Korean dining options in Singapore is E!GHT Korean BBQ, which made its debut at The Central at Clarke Quay. What sets E!GHT Korean BBQ apart from the other Korean BBQ joints is its incredibly elaborate effort in modernising the Korean BBQ concept. Continue reading →

(National Day Celebration) NDP Picnic Party at SAFRA Jurong

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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Happy birthday Singapore! 9 August marks the independence of Singapore. This annual affair never fails to unite Singaporeans with the impactful and heart-warming atmosphere. The elaborate celebration includes marching contingents, military bands, dance performances, choirs, the flypast of military aircrafts, fireworks and more.

One of the highlights for me would be the goodie-bag! It is always filled with delightful surprises and treats. This year, the NDP 2013 Funpack is designed by a group of 10 students from Nanyang Polytechnic. Incorporating selected ideas submitted by some 200 students, it is a simple and functional design that can easily be converted from a sling bag into a backpack. The funpack also includes a collapsible light stick that can be extended to a 75cm light sabre.

The patriotic aura is present, whether one is watching National Day Parade at the lively venue itself, or in the comforts of their own home. I had the privilege of joining the crowd at SAFRA Jurong to enjoy the live broadcast of the National Day Parade, while nibbling on the picnic treats that we prepared. Continue reading →

(Mid-Autumn Festival 2013) Mooncakes from Park Hotel Group

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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This Mid-Autumn Festival, experience the marriage of flamboyance, flavours and traditions as Park Hotel Group offers a myriad of eleven baked and snowskin mooncake creations.

What’s your favourite kind of mooncake? Do you prefer the traditional baked ones with several yolks, or the unconventional flavours encased in snowskin? Whichever pleases your palate best, Park Hotel Group has got it covered.

Mooncakes are elegantly encased in gold pearlescent gift boxes that are hot-stamped with butterflies and blooming peonies to represent life, hope, luck and riches.

With a minimum order of 500 boxes of four mooncakes, consumers can personalise the mooncake box with their company logos on the complimentary clear magnetic acrylic.

Making its appearance for the first time ever is Park Palace’s Golden Jade with Duo Nuts (vegetarian), Black Sesame & White Lotus Paste with Mochi in Snowskin, and Sakura Truffle with White Lotus Paste in Snowskin.

A perfect choice for vegetarians, the Golden Jade with Duo Nuts Mooncake ($55 per box of 4) makes for a lighter and healthier alternative without losing the essence of traditions. Pandan flavours are infused into the white lotus paste that’s mixed in with crunchy pine and melon seeds. Continue reading →

Eyebrow Embroidery experience at Allure Beauty

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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Allure Beauty’s latest outlet at City Square Mall marks its 3rd outlet to date, boasting a more luxurious and elegant feel. Its 1,345 square feet space encompasses ten luxurious bed couches in a spa-like ambience.

Allure Beauty specialises in eyebrow embroidery.

Ms Angela Tnee, founder of Allure Beauty, believes that a person’s looks can only be transformed instantly with the correct shape of the eyebrows without the need of invasive surgical procedures.

Eyebrows are very important facial features, as they provide a natural frame for the face. The state of one’s eyebrows can engender a major impact on one’s appearance.

The Golden Ratio was widely used by renowned artists such as Leonardo Da Vinci and architects to achieve proportional perfection in their masterpieces. Continue reading →

Sunday Brunch at 21 on Rajah, Days Hotel Singapore at Zhongshan Park

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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Days Hotel Singapore at Zhongshan Park launched a staycation package at an affordable price of $198++ for a night’s stay at the hotel’s Days City view room (for stays until 31 December 2013), which includes complimentary Sunday brunch for two (worth $38++ per adult) at 21 on Rajah and a guaranteed late check-out at 3pm.

Enjoy the Sunday brunch buffet at only $38++ for adults and $19++ for children, which comes with free flow of chilled juices and Sangria selection at the Bar.

The chic yet cordial environment makes for a great venue to spend an afternoon of fun-filled activities with your family.

The buffet spread is decent with ample variety, which gives good value for money, but I have to say the food can’t match up to the superb selection from the a la carte menu. Read my review here: https://melicacy.com/?p=5339

You can expect an array of Western and Mediterranean-inspired comfort food, and amongst them are fresh seafood on ice and a live meat carving station to keep seafood and meat lovers occupied. Continue reading →

(Mid-Autumn Festival 2013) Ice Cream Mooncakes from Swensen’s

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A household name in Singapore, Swensen’s is synonymous with sweet memories of good times spent with loved ones. This Mid-Autumn Festival, Swensen’s is fixated on creating wonderful memories with ‘Jewels of the Moon’ –an updated ice cream mooncake collection of 6 flavours, comprising new additions and old favourites.

Their yearly offering of ice cream mooncakes have always been well received by consumers of all ages. This year, new contenders include the Chempedak Bliss, Cappuccino Cookies Crunch and Hazelnut Almond Delight. Continue reading →

Dining at Earle Swensen’s

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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I’m slightly embarrassed to say that I’ve never stepped foot into Earle Swensen’s before. It is the fancier and refined version of the ever-so-popular Swensen’s, which of course comes with a slighter bigger price tag. Finally, an opportunity arose, and I headed down to VivoCity’s outlet to give it a try.

As part of their ode to give diners a complete dining experience, all mains at Earle Swensen’s now come with complimentary access to their salad buffet bar (also available a la carte at $13.90).

The all-you-can-eat salad bar features a mix of fresh fruits, compound salads, and a variety of crisp greens.

The salad offerings are refreshed thematically according to seasonal availability.


Salmon Fish & Chips ($24.90)

Sumptuous mains starring quality beef include the Smoky BBQ Beef Short Ribs, Charbroiled Black Angus Ribeye Steak, and The Ultimate Wagyu Burger. Continue reading →

The Latin Quarter – Latin American Buffet Lunch at just $13.90 nett

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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Singapore Science Park –a geeky spot where the IT parks, industrial parks, business parks, science parks are stationed. Diverging from the geeky state amidst monotonous blocks of concrete building is The Latin Quarter, a humbly seductive 60-seater offering authentically Latin American buffet lunch at a stunningly attractive price. For just $13.90 nett, diners are granted the liberty to gorge themselves silly.


Mixed Salad – Tomato, Red Onion and Cucumber Salad with Yogurt and Chipotle Dressing

The buffet spread of 9-12 selections includes soup, salads, several side dishes, rice, fish, pork, chicken and a dessert. Its menu changes weekly and rotates every two to three months –hence the ravenous can visit The Latin Quarter on a regular basis without getting bored of it.


Ginger Picadillo Corn Soup with Coriander and Ginger Picadillo

The buffet is available only from Mondays to Fridays, 12pm to 3pm. Despite its obscure and not-easily-accessible location, this value-for-money buffet is worth traveling the distance for. I can pretty much picture the smirks on the faces of those working/studying/living close by.


Fresh Salad – Garbanzo Beans, Fresh Cucumber, Tomato and Avocado

Beans is a staple food in Latin cooking, and this fact is palpable in the dishes offered at The Latin Quarter –be it in a simple salad or a hearty stew.


Egg and Potato Tortilla


Foreground: Fish Stew, Egg & Potato Tortilla, Yuca Fritas (Deep-fried Yellow Potato)

My top picks for that day’s menu go to the Fish Stew, Egg & Potato Tortilla, Yuca Fritas, Tomato Rice and Stewed Chicken in Coconut Milk. Continue reading →

(Mid-Autumn Festival 2013) Mooncakes from Jiang-Nan Chun, Four Seasons Hotel Singapore

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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Chef Alan Chan from Jiang-Nan Chun, Four Seasons Hotel Singapore, is best known for his creative enthusiasm in tandem with drawing on traditional roots.

This Mid-Autumn Festival, expect bold and inventive flavours in Chef Chan’s new range of mini snow skin mooncakes, yet traditionalists can still seek comfort in familiar favourites. Continue reading →

Prego – an Italian Trattoria at Fairmont Singapore

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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Prego manifests itself as an Italian Trattoria, in every possible aspect of the restaurant –from the service style and communal dining to its rustic décor dominated by wood and marble.

It’s new menu, launched in July 2013, stars Chef Antonio Facchinetti’s creative take on traditional Italian fare, which combines age-old culinary methods and techniques with fine seasonal ingredients.

An assortment of breads, baked in-house, is served to the table with accompanying dips, beginning to whet our appetites before our meal commences.

Continue reading →

(Mid-Autumn Festival Recipe) Flaky Pastry with Organic Golden Sweet Potatoes by Feng Shui Inn, Resorts World Sentosa

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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Mid-Autumn Festival is around the corner. Have you made your mooncake orders, or are you planning to get your hands (and kitchen) dirty and bake some from scratch? If you’re planning on the latter, you’re in luck! The recipe in this post, (tried, tested and triumphant), is nothing like the usual ones stamped out of squarish ornate moulds.

I had the privilege of attending a mooncake-making media workshop held at Resorts World Sentosa’s elegant and luxurious Chinese restaurant, Feng Shui Inn. Emphasising hugely on healthy eating, Feng Shui Inn introduces the baked flaky pastry for the first time, which encases organic golden sweet potatoes for a healthier alternative. It is lower in calories, fat and sugar content.

They have generously provided the recipe so everyone could give them a try. This version is a twist from the traditional Teochew mooncakes that have purple yam as fillings. Continue reading →

(Travel Feature) What to do in Boracay

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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So you’ve seen the breath-taking possibilities of Boracay, and taken down notes on where to stay. Finally, it’s time for some itinerary planning. Here’s a list of activities you can consider filling your days and nights in Boracay with, on land and at sea.

The tempting crystal-blue waters surrounding the island beckons for a relaxing dip Continue reading →

FURBY BOOM; Hatching a New Generation of FURBLINGs

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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A global sensation following its 1998 debut that drew overwhelming attention over the years is back with a modernised edition!

FURBY, the animatronic electronic pet, has yet again revolutionised digitally integrated play with the introduction of the state-of-the-art FURBY BOOM.

The new generation of FURBY, by branded play company Hasbro, returns with funky colours, featuring all the ‘magic’ and personality of its predecessor plus twice the content, boasting electronic features and app-interactivity, raising interactive fun to a whole new level by combining physical and digital play. Continue reading →

(Mid-Autumn Festival 2013) Mooncakes from Regent Singapore

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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Regent’s Snowskin Collection (1 piece per flavour; $59+)

This Mid-Autumn Festival, Regent Singapore presents the best of both worlds – the award-winning Chinese culinary masters from Summer Palace and the team of ingenious Italian chefs from Basilico – hence the birth of six new inventive snowskin flavours.

Adding a touch of luxury to the celebration, the elegant gift box – decked out in golden graphic patterns, and embellished with velvet-textured cut-out motifs illustrating silhouettes of phoenix, floral and fauna, and butterflies – heralds the joy of family reunions as well as the abundance and renewal of the harvest season.


Il Dolcetto ($59+ for 8 pcs)

New to the medley of handcrafted mini snowskin mooncakes, the Il Dolcetto by Executive Sous Chef Angelo Ciccone showcases the finest of Italy in the coffee and chocolate department. The aromatic fragrance of roasted illy coffee beans further enhances the subtle sweetness of the premium Amedei chocolate centre. This is a must-try! Continue reading →