Paradise Pavilion - Some things are just worth waking up for

Located in the heart of Marina Bay Financial Centre, Paradise Pavilion serves up lip-smackingly good dim sums at prices that are justifiable the moment you sink your teeth into em. Just finding this place from Raffles Place MRT is enough to work up an appetite as the endless labyrinth of underground walkways to get to tower 2 is enough to make you hangry (hungry + angry if you're wondering). Being the kiasu Singaporeans that we are, we made a reservation for 2 at 1130am on a Sunday just to be sure as this place has been getting a constant stream of good reviews online and from friends.

The Fried Carrot Cake in XO Sauce ($8.80) was definitely one of the highlights for me. My mouth watered just looking at that dish, and it sure didn't disappoint. The chunks of carrot cake having nice crispy bits on the outside, yet pillowly soft on the inside. It was complemented with the bean sprouts and yummy chunks of egg scatted around. We polished up this dish as it was so easy to eat, and not greasy on the palate like what you find at our hawkers.

The baked Snow Bun with BBQ pork ($5.60) should be on your to order list if you have a sweet tooth. That crisp, yet flaky exterior giving way to a heap of lean BBQ pork in the middle. I would personally love a bit more fats and perhaps some charring as the second bun just got a bit way too sweet and monotone for me.

Next up were the Crackling Pork Belly ($12.80) and Siew Mai Skewers ($5.80). One bite of the pork belly would send you to heaven. That thin crisp skin on the top gives way to an explosion of fats and meat underneath that has been lovingly cooked over time. None of that tough cuts you get elsewhere. The English mustard on the side just gives that extra kick at the end if you find this too rich for your liking. I would have happily finished up this portion by myself but unfortunately I had to share...

The skewers veered towards the fusion side of things. The fillings of meat and juicy ass prawns was bursting with juices while being encased in skin that's glazed over by a terriyaki like sauce. This gave the outside a sweet, yet smoky taste that held firm and wasn't mushy at all.

Unfortunately this picture was from my partner as I had to start licking my fingers after she took this. The Steamed Custard Bun ($5.50 for 3) is something you should not miss. That supple skin easily breaks away, showing you it's glorious sweet and salty insides for you to lick up while having that stupid grin on your face.

If you're in the mood for something a little more upmarket you can always check our their ala-carte menu but be prepared for their eye-watering prices. Or come with a few friends and try their apple wood roasted peking duck. This place fills up quick with the crowds, and the hustle and bustle takes you away from the fact that this is chi-chi establishment. While this place is priced above your regular dim sum places it's definitely worth what you pay for, and more.

Paradise Pavilion 
8A Marina Boulevard
#02-01 Marina Bay Financial Centre 
Tower 2 (018984)
Tel: 6509 9308
Nearest MRT stations Downtown, Raffles Place and Marina Bay

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[The Entertainer app] Roosevelt's Diner and Bar

Located at the corner or Dorsett Residences in Tanjong Pagar, Roosevelt's has been attracting a pretty decent crowd with their casual dining at friendly prices and swanky decor. I was here a couple days back with my partner and was utterly blown away by the burgers and hence decided to come back again. Oh, did I mention they have 1 for 1 drinks from 5-8pm too?

I ordered the Southern Fried Chicken $18, and for that price I've got to say it's worth it. The chicken came out nice and crisp and was seasoned well to boot. Cut into the skin and you're welcomed with that *crrrack* sound followed by the juices runneth over. Thank god they didn't use the breast meat. If you're starving, order something else as well in addition to this dish.

My partner had the Mushroom Cheddar Beef Burger $22 which I actually ordered a couple days back and raved about it non stop. Unfortunately... inconsistencies have come to bite them back. The mushrooms lacked seasoning and was waaaaaay undercooked... The pattie had mad decent flavors and charring as before , but was overcooked. (Our table ordered 3 burgers and all came out with different done-ness and one of em even complained hers was bloody dry). We were told by the waitstaff that the kitchen changed and were not requesting for the done-ness of the patties anymore much to our disappointment. Chips were definitely cooked and left out a long time as every bite I took just made me cringe even more. Their house-made brioche bum was top notch tough. It had a nice density and buttery tinge to it, and easily soaked up the juices from the meat and didn't break apart.

With the epic waffle craze storming through our nation, we thought it was a good idea to share a Churros Waffle $12 with cinnamon sugar, mocha sauce and a huge dollop of ice cream. Their waffle came out nice and hot, and was crisp even after 4 people took a zillion shots of it before tucking it. Now me not being a waffle connoisseur, I actually enjoyed this as it was part fluffy, part chewy. BUT.... the ice cream totally and utterly destroyed it for me. It was probably a $3 tub from Giant supermarket as every bite just sent more ice shards into my mouth leaving me grumpy and nursing my pint instead.

After all that's been said and done, I'll actually head back again to try their other dishes. (their truffle fish pie looks amazing...)

Roosevelt's Diner&Bar
331 New Bridge Road
#01-02 Dorsett Residences (088764)
Right above Outram Park MRT

Now if you've read through this and was wondering what the heck is the entertainer app... do let me explain. You basically get access to all 770+ buy one get one free offers at some of the hottest restaurants, nightspots, spas and activities. Especially useful if you're a foodie too, since each merchant provides more than 3 vouchers; meaning that you can visit participating restaurants more than once! 

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Cha-Char-Ch叉r: Pork belly that melts in your mouth!

There's been a lot of buzz surrounding Char ever since it opened its doors a few months ago, so a couple of friends and I decided to go see what the fuss is about.

We arrived on a Tuesday night at 7:30pm to a packed restaurant, but luckily, we made a reservation. Before going to Char, not only do you have to reserve a table, you have to reserve your portions of meats as they sell out very quickly. We saw people walk-in hoping they could get a table but were told to come back later!

We shared the Chicken & Salted Fish Fried Rice ($11), garlic spinach ($10) and three types of meat (I'll get to it later) between three of us. The fried rice had that umami flavour, thanks to the salted fish. I'm still not over how tasty it was. The spinach, however, was nothing to shout about. It's just a regular garlic stir fried spinach that your mum cooks at home. It's not worth $10 and we'd have skipped that if not for the need to balance our meat feast with some veggies.

Look at the glistening signature Special Char Siew ($15 for 300g), obviously is the star of the table. I'm not sure what spices they use to marinate the pork, but there was a perfect balance of smoky, sweet and savoury. The meat was generously thick and melt-in-your-mouth soft, with a strip of fat running down the middle. I've never been a fan of char siew because of the lean, tough, red coloured paper-thin slices of char siew we get from hawker stalls and I still won't eat it, unless I'm at Char.

The Double Roast ($18 for 100g of roast pork and 100g of roast duck) wasn't as outstanding as the char siew. While the flavour wasn't that different from the Chinese roasts anywhere else, the crackling on the pork was crispy, and there was a mustard dip to go with the meat. The skin of the duck was also roasted to crisp perfection, but its flavour, just like the roast pork, was forgettable.

If you need something to quench your thirst, they serve a few different soups of the day, beers, soft drinks, and juices. 

This restaurant brands itself as Cantonese Casual Dining and that's exactly what it is. It's pricier than the roast meats we get from hawker stalls, but less harsh on the wallet than upscale Chinese restaurants. The decor isn't try-hard hipster, nor is it trying to appeal to a younger, westernised crowd. Apart from some art hanging on the wall, the interior is pretty non-descript. We saw families of three generations enjoying a meal. One thing great about their menu - apart from the offerings - is that there are Chinese words - probably for the older generation who can't read English - which I felt was a thoughtful touch. I'll be bringing my parents there next time!

Ch叉r
393 Guillemard Road, Singapore 399790
Tel: 6842 7759
Email: info@char.com.sg

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Ramen champion Singapore - Arrival of 2 new competitors at Bugis+

For those who are not familiar with the Ramen Champion concept at Bugis+ will be in for a treat. 6 different ramen flavors and recipes from the different regions of Japan are brought together in this 'stadium' setting to compete against each other for a year. The winner will be invited to set-up a restaurant in Singapore while the losers get booted out.

Two appetisers I would recommend are the Tebasaki fried chicken ($6.90) from Shodai Koji and the Deep fried gyoza $5 from Buta God. The chicken was cooked to a crisp while still maintaining moisture on the inside and the lemon wedge provided helps cut through the oil if you're having this dish all by yourself. The deep fried gyoza should only be ordered if you prefer vegetables it barely contained any meat.

The Triple Charshu Ramen ($16.80) by Shodai Koji (Yokohama) was the first new competitor that popped up onto our table to the collective ooohs and ahhhs. Coming from a country that loves gooey eggs, everyone attacked them first before tucking into the other parts of the dish. And it was sad to say.. disappointing. Just from the picture alone tells you it was overcooked bar the middle. The rich and flavorful tonkotsu broth is cooked for over 8 hours but was on the lighter side of things, which helped because the noodles were of a medium thickness. Thankfully they were cooked well and had a bite to it. The 3 types meat given were chicken thigh, pork belly and pork collar, and they were cooked to perfection.

The second ramen isn't a new competitor, but their Bugis+ outlet is their second and hence warranted a mention. The Special Power Riki Ramen ($16.50) by Tokyo Riki Ramen is totally unlike what you normally find in Singapore. Their milky white broth and amazingly cooked egg are where the similarity ends. They use thick cut noodles like udon AND heavily top it with bean sprouts before heaping a generous amount of garlic in. Before serving, the pork is given a gentle licking by a blowtorch which gives it a nice smokey taste and aroma. The excessive amount of bean sprouts helped to cut through that very heavy soup base and thick noodles but unfortunately I wouldn't go for this and I am no fan of garlic.

The second new ramen served was the Menya Ryu Special Miso ($15.80) from Sopporo, Hokkaido. The chef retains the original flavors by using 3 kinds of Miso (red,white & black). This was the only ramen we've tested on the night that used thinner curly yellow noodles. Sadly it was a tad overcooked, but that was the only fault I could find in that dish. Their soup base is a mix of tonkotsu and chicken, and was a clear winner of the 3 tested. The corn and bamboo shoots helped to counter the overall saltiness of the dish while the spring onion and radish gave a texture variance in the mouth with each bite. I got a feeling this is going to be pretty popular with the local palate and might be a winner.

My only gripe with Ramen champion is with 6 stores to choose from, you might pick something you dislike. It's best if you do your research before heading down as you will definitely be overwhelmed by the amount of pictures pasted everywhere. I will definitely be heading back soon to try out the other competitors.

This was an invited tasting.

 Ramen Champion, Bugis+
201 Victoria Street, #04-10
Singapore 188067
Near Bugis Mrt Station

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