First Love Patisserie

Do you like anything Hokkaido? How about Hokkaido Thousand Layer Cake? You won't regret having this cake from ION B4-63. Right, right...ION again..but it's a convenient place with all the nice food and I was looking for a birthday cake for my dad. My dad is a "traditional-cake" man who does not fancy chocolate, and I'm really bored of all the typical sour fruit cakes or fake coffee flavor cakes or super creamy cakes.

Then I came across this First Love Patisserie...it's a humble store that you may overlook when you are too starved to notice and it does not have strong baking smell like Breadtalk, or exaggerating decoration that will attract your attention. Instead, they display 2-3 whole cakes in the shelf and let you try some samples.

The girl gave me a sample poked with toothpick..you must be thinking that the cake has so many layers, the sample should be the same, but no..I think it was only 1/5 of the original cake height. BUT I instantly fell in love with the cake as the authentic and ideally sweet vanilla melted on my tongue and the crepe layers were so thin that you can just squash it with your tongue! I really love the aroma of the crepe that lingered around the back of my throat as I exhaled through my nose. Perfectly baked. I can feel abit of romance (out of nowhere) while tasting it.. Imagine this kind of enjoyment times 5 for the height!

They have 4 flavors: Original, Chocolate, Strawberry and Oreo. I didn't dare to try other flavors because I literally afraid that I might fall in love with all and have to buy them home! Each cake is from $58 - $69 for 0.9kg and 1.3kg..they do sell in slices too. They also do delivery at extra charge by SMS (24hrs) at 9870 0005 or email at info.firstlove.co@gmail.com at least 2 days in advance. Each cake is handmade and no preservatives!

I happily and proudly presented this cake to my dad for his birthday..he was quite speechless to see the ugly sides of the cake..I told him don't judge it by the look, must cut the cake and taste..

You see the layers! See how much effort to handmake just 1 cake?! It is realllllllyyyy gooooood...but I personally suggest that you let the cake thaw for about 5 minutes once you take out from the fridge so that the cream will melt in your mouth and the crepe layers will be soft enough. You can leave the cake in room temperature for maximum 2hrs and leave it in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Seeing all these pictures made me wana eat them again! I shall go and buy the different flavors by slice this time and let you know how they are!

So if you are in love or wana feel like in love, you must try the original flavor with your eyes closed and slowly savour...

Next,  Itacho Sushi. Yes, it is at ION also and always has long queue!

xoxo

4Fingers Crispy Chicken

Now! Have you wandered in ION basement thinking of what to eat and saw a long long queue at a humble shop called 4Fingers Crispy Chicken? Wondering if it worth the patience? Let me tell you later..

Well, I frequent the Provence bakery quite often at ION and 4Fingers is just next to it so I can't help but I promised myself that I must try at least once. I mean, why are all these people queuing for just fried chicken, we have KFC and Texas Chicken right that are conveniently located near residents?? One thing about 4Fingers, it is Korean style fried chicken. NO WONDER so many people.............I only knew that after I'd finished my food and free enough to read the flyer on my tray about the history.

 You see the queue..I took this picture from where I was queuing..about 10mins of wait.

 While queuing, I was deciding on what to order as it's my first time. I heard couple said "I must have the crispy chicken", some people said "I want the calamari"..

 See the pickup counter signboard? Yes, self service. You have to queue to order, you have to wait to collect.

 The tables are quite closely placed so if you are lucky, you get the table to yourself. Otherwise you have to share table with other people, like me.

 After I'd ordered my food, I was given this (above image) "pager" that will beep me once my food is ready for collection. *whisper* I saw some couple shake and press this pager thinking that it must be spoiled and that's why the long waiting time.

 The drinks came with the pager, so I get to drink and not whining about the noises and music.

 Boys, do you remember this army tin that you use to cook your food? Now we are using it outside of the camp too!

 2 piece drumsticks rice box came with a drink ($8.95)

I ordered this because I get to try the famous chicken and there was rice to fill up my stomach. I requested for Soy Garlic sauce for this..not that bad. The rice can be more and the drumsticks can be bigger though..the skin was indeed crispy but I'm a freak who will feel guilty eating too much skin so I took a bite only. The meat can be juicier like Texas chicken.

 Crispy calamari combo came with a drink and fries ($9.95)

I tell you, I didn't regret ordering calamari, but I regretted ordering it with Hot sauce. I thought I got my chicken in Soy Garlic, then I should try the other sauce (which is Hot) on my calamari. How spicy could it be right? I regretted it to the max. It was so hot, my eyes were tearing and I could only take 2 calamari and leave the rest behind. I'm a person who can eat chilli padi with rice, but I cannot tolerate this spicy sauce. I ended up buying cold canned drinks from the mama shop at the corner of basement. I didn't get to enjoy the calamari and my stomach gave me war after the meal :( So people, beware! 

One more thing, there is no basin for you to wash your hands, so try to make full use of the plastic utensils and tissue.

 

So here are my views:

Ambience 2.5/5
Food 2.5/5
Service 2.5/5 (No service except for taking my order.)
Price Affordable
Toilet Availability 0/5 (please use ION's toilets)
Check out their website at http://www.gimme4fingers.com/crispy/main.html if you are keen to know more. They got their own song also..hahaha..seriously, I thought this was some fried chicken from New York because of the shop decor and there was zero hint about Korea!

xoxo

ShabuSAI

Causeway Point at Woodlands has finally finished renovation! Not sure since when it was done but it has become really shopping friendly already, unlike last time when they were still work in progress, even the waitresses were grumpy and I didn't enjoy a simple pasta from Pastamania there. Now it has good air ventilation, cool air-con and spacious walking area..not difficult at all to locate any shop you want, as long as you know which floor it is at.

After my driving lesson at Bukit Batok Driving Centre, my darling dated me to catch up over dinner at Causeway Point. We wanted to dine at Paradise Dynasty but we were sooo hungry we could eat a cow, so we decided to eat steamboat buffet! Japanese Style.

 

The restaurant is quite big for just steamboat and it was almost full house! They have 5 soup bases (which only 2 appeals to us), we chose Terkiyaki and Spicy. The Teriyaki soup base was too sweet for us, so we ended up attacking the Spicy one..actually after 1-2hrs of dipping meat and veg into the spicy base, it started to taste abit odd too..

This is their veg bar, there are different kind of mushrooms, veg, minced meat in bamboo, crab sticks, fish balls...I didn't see clams and seafood though. Opposite this veg bar is sauce bar..they got all kind of japanese sauce, rice and miso soup.

 This is the drink bar and ice cream machine. 

Meats are free flow but you can't grab them yourselves over the counter, you have to tell the waitress to bring specific meat to you. This is chicken slices..soo thin you can almost see the tray, fast cooking and smooth texture.

 Pork facing you, beef slices behind. The first 2 trays of meat were nice and thin, the trays after that not as good..but still edible la..

So that's it, healthy japanese steamboat! We had alooooot of veg, really filled our stomach up so quickly.. It is really a good place for gathering and lovey dovey to knock chopsticks in the pot.

Here are my views:

Ambience 2.5/5
Food 2.5/5 (cook yourself so I don't see there is any skill from chefs needed except for the soup)
Service 2.5/5 (serve yourself at the counter unless you need the meat)
Price Affordable ($14.99++ to 24.99++)
Toilet Availability 0/5 (please use Causeway Point's toilets)

Address:

#05-14.15 Causeway Point 1 Woodlands Square, Singapore, Singapore 738099

Telephone: 6462 1557

Opening hours: Mon - Sun: 11:30 am - 10:00 pm  
 

Check out their facebook fanpage at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shabusai-Singapore/264011333721833

Next, is 4Fingers crispy chicken really that nice that you need to queue for 15 minutes?! Staytuned.

xoxo 

River Safari

Finally, I've waited long enough for the soft opening of River Safari, Asia's first and only river theme wildlife park..it is just next to the Singapore Zoo, very convenient. Just take Mrt to Ang Mo Kio station, go to bus interchange to take bus 138 and it will send you to the doorstep in comfort.

I feel like I'm growing with the zoo, just that she is growing better and I'm growing older..haha..I fell in love with the zoo when I was 4 since the day my dad brought me to ride a white horse that was 3 times my height..now kids ride pony instead of horse in the zoo, and the last time I saw my white horse was 5-6 years ago in Children's World before they renovated..my white horse was sooo old and weak then, felt sad to part with him soon..why do I had to study so long to get to work and then could afford to go to zoo more often to see him?sigh...

Anyway, I'm glad that Singapore Zoo has delivered her new baby, River Safari. Although it was a soft launch and a lot of exhibits will not be ready, I went on the very first day it opened, 3rd of April 2013. I tried my best to reach there by 9am opening time but I overslept :p I read that River Safari gave 5 of those visitors who waited for the gate to open a River Safari membership..I was half hour late for it..so disappointed..I think I deserve the membership because I'm a true fan of Singapore Zoo! I visit the zoo at least 3 times a year! I can tour the zoo without a map at all!

River Safari consists of animals that live in and along the following rivers:

• Mississippi River
• Congo River
• River Nile
• Ganges River
• Murray River
• Mekong River
• Yangtze River

I was sooo excited to see the famous Mekong River where they have many legendary huge catfish! I always watch Jeremy Wade's River Monster in Animal Planet, he caught all giants of the rivers like tigerfish, alligator gar, catfish, piranha, sting ray....

So here we go! To the River Safari!

"Your journey starts here"

 There are fishes on the floor!

There are fishes on the ceiling!

Colourful map. Sad to say, the boat ride is not ready until later this year, which means most exhibitions on the top right are not opened :(

Alligator snapping turtle, my favourite fierce turtle..look like prehistorical creature..

Mississippi Paddlefish..it opens its mouth wide to suck up all the food like whale shark.

Ferocious tiger fish..this is like a baby, you should see the one Jeremy Wade caught..

Big right?! 

Alligator gar

Mekong fish tank! Nice and big, full of catfish!

Cute cute alligator..smiling face

Pandastic! I'm here again! But the cashier told me Jia Jia is abit stressed out and shy so she will not behave normally..

Who so fluffy playing behind the tree?

Red pandas! So cute!!!!!!!!!

They keep chasing each other around the woods..you see the tail, so fluffy I can die!!

Naughty face

Jia Jia sleeping..I hope she's ok..

Kai Kai as usual, not shy and loves to poise..the National Geographic channel will show the breeding project of Kai Kai and Jia Jia this Sunday at 9pm called "Panda's Wild Move"! Do catch if you are free.

One thing I love about the zoo is they never forget to let visitors to enjoy the scenery while walking around the place or when taking a rest..

Cute cute squirrel monkey..they used to be outside of Fragile Forest in the zoo. Love their yellow socks

Then there is another air-con place with tanks again! So exciting! What are there this time?!

Cute otter! I remember there is one called Pedro which used to be the mascot of zoo for awhile..

So this is the tank full of Dugong (Manetee) in Amazon flooded forest. There are actually also Piranha tank, electric eel etc but I hate to take pictures of fast swimmers in dark tank..

Finally, it's the end of the River Safari so far..not many things, I didn't get to see Beavers, Jaguar, Anteater, Tapir etc..I will come back again when they have "hard opening" :) I'm still loyal to the zoo one...please give me free membership leh....

Ok, it was sooooo warm and humid, I can't help but to spend a bit to drink in their River Safari Tea House just at the entrance/exit. What would be the theme of the tea house?

Chinese theme! 

When I entered, the place was playing chinese orchestra music from Wong Fei Hong's movie..so cute.

I ordered ice kopi at $4.80..super big cup and sweet...ohhhh..love it..

And we tried their Hainanese Curry Chicken at $11.90. Great taste too, we finished the gravy until the last drop...

Overall for this soft opening, I enjoyed the less crowded atmosphere, although there are school children visiting at the same time which was super noisy and annoying, they should be educated to love animals and protect the nature. I hope they did learn something there. 

Just a suggestion, I hope River Safari can put more fans to cool down visitors and maybe more sitting areas and vending machines. It's getting really warm..

Can't wait for River Safari to open officially! Keep up the good work!

Check out their beautiful website at http://riversafari.com.sg/

I previously also blogged about Singapore Zoo with Panda, in case you have missed it.

Yours faithful fan who hope to get a free zoo/night safari/river safari membership.

xoxo