Fabulous Value Lunches at Palais Renaissance

Mention Palais Renaissance and you'd probably picture "tai-tai central" or a place for the well-heeled. Well, it does have its premium brands and exclusive shops, but what's interesting for me is the revival going on in terms of restaurants there. As I found out, there are lovely lunches which are not only good for your gullet but won't put a dent in your wallet.

We sussed out five eateries, new and old. There are more to come, with the basement becoming the hub for food. A pity Antoinette au Jardin is gone from there, but we have at least three new exciting restaurants near where it used to be.

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2015 New Menu Highlights at Yan Ting, St Regis Singapore

Yan Ting at St Regis Singapore has been a bastion of fabulous Cantonese cuisine to its faithful regulars. Executive Chef Tony Wun Shun Kong who joined the hotel last December has refreshed the menu, and here are some highlights.

I'm starting with my favourite dish (photo above is individual sampling portion) - Pan-fried Chicken with Morel in Superior Soy (S$48) - silky bitesize chicken fillets with the distinctive flavour and tender crunch of morel mushrooms, coated with savoury premium soy sauce...it's absolute love!

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1-For-1 Spa Treatments with the Entertainer App

Good spa treatments are such a luxurious treat. Don't you wish you could enjoy it twice at the same price? Or bring a friend for free? You can, with the Entertainer app.

You've seen how to get 1-for-1 deals at the Top 10 Best Tapas and Drinks Bars in the Entertainer app. There's dining, travel and other services available in the app - over 250 merchants, in fact. If you want to know more, I covered in detail how the app works in a previous post.

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Get Free Rides (up to RM30) with UBER in Johor Bahru! Promo Code UBERCAMEMBERU for New Users

Going to JB to go shopping or to find good food? It can be harrowing even if you do drive - what with the toll and VEP charges, and then worrying about your car. Here's an easier way to get around: UBER! I loved UBER when I first tried it in San Francisco, and we sorely need this in JB where public transport and taxis are hard to get.

Use Uber to take you around JB with 2 Free Rides up to RM30. 

Download the Uber app and enter promocode: UBERCAMEMBERU for new users.

Sorry that you guys finally have to learn how to spell my blog name!

For ideas on where to go in JB, your best source is Tony's Johorkaki blog! Have fun in JB!

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I love the Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer no.2!

Wow I have chills and tingles watching the second trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, ever since I saw it last Friday. The sight of the crashed Imperial Star Destroyer (which now has people trying to sell it on Craigslist!), Vader's burnt mask, BB-8 peeking out, the Millennium Falcon flying through the Super Star Destroyer, and a chrome stormtrooper? Awesome! There are the new characters but our heroes of the original trilogy are back. Luke is narrating. Is Leia getting her own lightsaber? I don't see Yoda or C-3PO but Han and Chewie (gosh, that dude never ages, haha) really brought it all home at the end!




Can't wait for Christmas 2015.

If you want a more detailed breakdown of the trailer:
http://www.firstshowing.net/2015/lets-break-down-the-new-trailer-for-star-wars-the-force-awakens/

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9Goubuli (狗不理): Famed Tianjin Baozi Chain Now at Marina Bay Sands

Goubuli Baozi (狗不理包子) has come to Singapore! The time-honoured Tianjin steamed buns have been sought out by travellers to China and served to visiting diplomats and celebrities, but have never had an overseas branch until now.

The delicate handmade steamed buns are are made with half-leavened dough, pleated with 18 folds or wrinkles (like xiaolongbao) and contain soupy meat fillings (like xiaolongbao too).

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Village Hotel Katong: Peranakan Family Experience Staycation with Kim Choo Session

Have you been to the Village Hotel Katong (VHK)? The Far East Hospitality group has done a nice job completely refurbishing the old Paramount Hotel. Well, it is a S$30m facelift! Launched Nov 2013, the cosy Peranakan-inspired hotel has 229 smoke-free rooms in the quaint Katong district.

I love the bright colours and contemporary Asian motifs. Look how the glossy mirrored ceiling adds depth and height to the lobby.

VHK recently introduced a pleasantly affordable holiday experience for local families (S$285++, Family room) and couples (S$195++, Deluxe room) interested in getting to know more about Peranakan culture.

Peranakan Family Experience (S$285++ for a family of four)
• One night’s accommodation in Family Room
• Unlimited WiFi access
• Buffet breakfast for 2 adults, 2 children at Katong Kitchen
• FREE 2-hour Peranakan experience at Kim Choo
• Late check-out at 3pm (subject to availability)

The Kim Choo session includes a rice dumpling wrapping demo, with a short sharing of the Peranakan culture/history and also a sampling of the Peranakan kuehs and snacks. You might think you already know lots about Peranakan culture as a local, but trust me, they will regale you with so many interesting tidbits, you'll come away completely charmed.

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World Street Food Congress 2015: Jamboree Highlights

Wow, where do we even begin? The World Street Food Congress (8-12 April) got off to a roaring start today, bringing 24 of the world's best street food wonders in one place. Let's take a look at the Jamboree, the really fun part - feasting!

The Hoy Tord Chao Lay folks from Thailand is back by popular demand, making many of us do a fist pump of joy. It is fabulously crisp and savoury, just a superb way to inhale your seafood.

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Catch Me on "Food Wars Asia" Premiering 8pm Tonight 7 April on Food Network Asia

Food Wars! Some of you may have seen the US show on Food Network, which pits two rival eateries against each other in a taste test to see who is better. Now we have Food Wars Asia, with familiar local foods up for scrutiny. Who's got the best burger, fishball noodles and Hainanese satay in Singapore? And in Malaysia, who's got the best nasi lemak, banana leaf rice and food truck?





Food Wars Asia premiers tonight at 8pm SGT (7pm JKT/TH) on Food Network Asia

I am one of the two resident judges for the Singapore episodes, along with Chef Eric Neo. We have a rotating celebrity judge too, plus one of the eateries' biggest fans each. All five judges are all blindfolded so we can't tell where each dish is from. Or can we? The show is hosted by Michele Lean, a Malaysian with Tahitian lineage (how exotic)!




Come and see Fat Boys vs Omakase Burgers duke it out tonight. Episode 2 airs 14 April and has Kwong Satay vs Wu Ke Shu, while Episode 3 on 21 April will see Fishball Story vs Ru Ji.

More info on the website - http://www.foodnetworkasia.com/food-wars-asia/










All images from the website

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Lazada: South East Asia's Largest Online Shopping Mall

I know y'all love shopping, so if you haven't heard of Lazada (http://www.lazada.sg/), this humongous online shopping mall - South East Asia's largest, in fact - you probably should take a look at the 100,000+ products they have. Everything from fashion to wines, electronics to home decor...it's absolutely mind-boggling!

Right now there are discounts going on storewide, plus free shipping, so I bought a few things.



What I really need is a WD My Passport 1TB drive for backing up my photos, videos and documents. Am curious about the LZD house brand shoes too, so I went for a pair of mules (only S$7.90 on sale at 74% off)! I also need a new weighing machine, and this 5-in-1 Digital Trainer Scale / Weight Hydration Fat Bone and Muscle Analyzer Weighing Machine / Weighing Scale from SOL tells you more than just a a number. And lastly, an aromatherapy diffuser humidifier (looks like the MUJI ones!) to relax with in the evenings.









This is such a huge marketplace; Lazada is like the local Amazon, except they don't have books (pity about that). But they do have Kindles for sale! YAY!!! Gosh, I am eyeing the 7th Gen Kindle Touch. My old Kindle 5 is wonderful; I love the e Ink paper look, but the non-touchscreen button navigation is a pain.

There are various other things I found which I would love to get:
- the Philips Sonicare (BEST toothbrush you will ever have, seriously) for my kids
- Philips AirFryer accessories like the grill pan
- an inflatable spa bathtub??? It looks like a toy (probably is), but I believe in hydrotherapy benefits!
- hilarious aprons (sexy babes and superheroes)
- amazing metal Himeji Castle 3D puzzle

There are also a ton of mobile phones available, including iPhone, Samsung and Xiaomi. I don't know prices well, but there seem to be deep discounts going on for some. Perfumes are going for as much as 71% off.

They have a huge selection of kitchen and dining items. Stuff like pots and pans, storage containers and bakeware tend to be bulky and tedious to shop for physically, especially when you have to fight crowds, lines at the cashier, and either battle for parking space or taxis. Same too for home appliances. Getting it with free delivery just sounds smarter (once you've done your research on what to buy).

The Philips AirFryer and Magic Bullet are among the top 10 bestsellers.


And what if you aren't happy with the product? You can return it for a refund, provided it meets the returns criteria (e.g. damaged, defective, does not fit).

All items sold on Lazada Singapore are covered under the "Lazada Buyer Protection Program" and/or "100% Satisfaction Guarantee". So you can shop with greater peace of mind.





You'll also get S$10 off when you sign up for the e-newsletter.

But best of all...their 3rd anniversary sale is coming! Mark the dates 7-9 April for three days of hot deals! Download their app too, for the private sale.

This post is brought to you by Lazada.

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