Interrupting the Japan: Kyushu posts for a local restaurant review. Haven't been writing such reviews on the blog for quite a while. Since there's a place I enjoyed, it seemed like a pretty good time for one.

Bincho at Hua Bee

Bincho at Hua Bee probably needs no introduction. When I checked in with my best friend Google, there was a whole slew of reviews done about it and mostly positive. Many established bloggers have also already written sonnets about it. I'm probably just being repetitive and I'm nowhere as established as some of these people are. (But Heck It!)

So you probably already know that Bincho is located in hipster Tiong Bahru area, at Moh Guan Terrace. It's a pretty short walk from Tiong Bahru MRT and near other cafés such as Forty Hands, where you could drop by for a cuppa.

 

 

 

 

Bincho is hidden inside a nostalgic "kopitiam" (coffeeshop), near a road junction. In the day, Hua Bee Restaurant still sells their bah chor mee (minced meat noodles), coffee and toast. This was also the venue where they filmed Eric Khoo's "Mee Pok Man". In the day, you can still reach Bincho through Hua Bee. However, by night, Hua Bee becomes closed and you'll have to get to Bincho through their back door. Back door's via the carpark, just watch for the sign.
 

But then again, you probably knew this already. I'm just being repetitive.

 

 

 

 

Once in, Bincho impresses with its exposed pipes and metal wire hipster café/bistro feel. Unfortunately, the place is pretty small and doesn't hold many people. We were a party of six and had to squash ourselves at the long table you see in the photo above.

My advice to you: Call ahead for reservations and go in a smaller party. Four should just be cozy enough.
Oh and if you can, ask to sit on this end of the restaurant. Apparently the other side's warmer with all the cooking going on.

Again, perhaps you already know this...

 

 

Anyway, my party of six was the office bunch, hence we were there for lunch. The lunch deals were also a lot more affordable than their dinner menu. For example, the yakitori don is 25 bucks and comes with a salad, appetizer, side dish and dessert.

 

Let's just say the reason for this blog post was because I fell in love with the nosh. At the very least, I felt like I was almost back in Japan. Damn good food. And deserving of the online accolades I've read.

 

But of course, you guys already know that.

 

Photo above was that of my appetizer and salad that day. A couple of my friends didn't take beef, and when their replacement appetizer came, they didn't take roe either. So happy me ended up with both versions of appetizers. It was the start of a very happy introduction to Bincho. That's fried chicken skin on the salad by the way. Cholesterol and diet be damned.

Actually, I was quite surprised when they put the chicken drumlets in front of us. I honestly thought that the salad was the side dish until then. But hey! Who am I to reject damn good drumlets? Cleaned them to the bone.

 

 

Friends ordered the tsukune don (chicken patty bowl in front) and the yakitori don (grilled chicken meat bowl at the back).

 

My bird-eater cum scavenger-eater of a friend (basically she just eats tiny portions) finished that entire bowl of tsukune don. Yup, inhaled it. A feat for someone who can be full on apples only. That's the power of that tsukune don. Impressive magic.

My Kurobuta Aburi Pork Don.

That egg was simply divine, I could go back just for that. The aburi pork itself was generally ok. Yummy but there were some parts that I personally felt were too charred.

 

 

Another friend's oyako don (chicken with onions and egg bowl). According to her, it was good. And she had a mini taste of the tsukune don, and still prefers her oyako don. This time, its power of the egg.

 

 

By the time we hit dessert, it was a choice between matcha ice-cream, or fresh strawberries. No prizes for guessing which one we went for. Actually, don't even need to guess if you have eyes for the pic below.

 

 



In all, great food that's within walking distance of my not-so-new-anymore office. Which means, I'm definitely going back there to try their other dons. I'm also excited to bring my other foodie friends there for lunch if they ever drop by.


Bincho at Hua Bee
Address: 78 Moh Guan Terrace, #01-19 S(162078)
DID: +65 64384567

 

Swissotel The Stamford

Ok, so I haven't been posting for almost 3 weeks. My bad. Well, that's what happens when you get a new kindle, have a birthday week and get caught up in the Pokémon Go fever. But ok, the birthday celebrations are over and the kindle and Pokémon addiction has abated a little. So here I am, back with a review from a recent staycation.

(The Kyushu posts will resume after this)

 

 

In recent years, I've been making it a point to pamper myself with at least a couple of staycations a year, especially so on my birthday. I'm an introvert by nature and given my occupation and surroundings, I often look forward to a staycation by myself.

 

Yes, I love staying on my own. I need the peace and solitude to recharge.

And no, it doesn't feel strange to be alone.

 

So anyway, given this indulgence of mine, I subscribe to quite a number of hotels' Facebook pages. This allows me to stay updated should there be any promotions or good deals. A particular one popped right up on a day when I was feeling supremely exhausted and my birthday staycation was hence decided.

 

 

Swissotel The Stamford

 

 

 

 

I had booked the Swiss Advantage Room (with a King bed) for a total of 2 nights (12 to 14 August). Interestingly, while completing the online booking, I noted that the hotel did not immediately charge my credit card. Instead, I was sent a confirmation email which also stated that payment was due.

 

However, as I subsequently did not hear from anyone, and my card was not charged (by their stipulated due date), I had to send an email myself to confirm my room booking. While the response was immediate, it was only then that I received confirmation and my card charged for the stay.

 

Yay. At least I know I have my peace and solitude.

 

Checking in on the day itself was efficient. I was early and the young guy at reception let me know what time to be back. He was polite and professional. In fact, I found it a little too professional. Well, I personally thought he could add a bit of personal touch. At least the older fella when I returned did so, and that made me feel more welcomed.

 

 

 

 

 

My allocated room was on the 25th floor, with the balcony facing inwards towards the pool. Unfortunately, it was raining quite a bit during my stay, so I didn't get to enjoy the balcony view as much as I would have liked.

 

While the room itself was pretty spacious, I think the hotel itself could probably do with a little renovation and maintenance. The furniture and décor looked tired and worn out. In fact, the small side cupboard holding the wine glasses and cups couldn't close properly at all. It stuck out like a sore thumb no matter how much effort I tried and I had to be careful not to knock myself onto it.

 

Otherwise, it was clean and quite comfortable. I slept really well on that king bed and that's a plus since I don't always do well on hotel beds. Oh, and my nose didn't react (I'm pretty "allergic" to dust) and that's my usual standard to measure room cleanliness.

 

 

 

 

What made me squeal though (yes, I really did and it's ok since I was alone) was that there was a nespresso machine in the room! Awesome! For someone who loves her caffine, this was an awesome plus for me. Heh. I also enjoyed their TWG tea packets. Really decent stuff set out.

 

 

 

 

Heh. I only got a picture of the exterior of the mini-bar because I was amused by the automated billing. At least they left the bottom shelf empty for guest's use. I encountered an automated one previously (in another hotel) which was fully stocked and got into a bit of a hassle trying to sort out the bill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bathroom itself was adequate and decently stocked with amenities. They even included shaving kits and sewing kits. However, instead of shower curtains, there was only a partial glass panel. Not exactly helpful since I still managed to get quite a bit of water all over the floor when showering but it did contain most of the damage.

 

 

 

 

What did irk me a little though was that the pipes and shower heads were leaky. Plus I had a bit of trouble with the sink; it got jammed when I stoppered the sink. Took some effort to unplug it and I didn't fool around with it thereafter.

 

Like I mentioned earlier, the hotel is probably overdue for some maintenance works. But since those defects were relatively minor and didn't really bother me, I did not ask for a room change.

 

However, such issues/defects even if small, do contribute to the overall presentation and image of a hotel. After this, it definitely would not surprise me if I were to hear of a complaint about the state of the rooms. Plus, if location was not a priority, then this would not be a place I'd immediately think of recommending to someone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The above 3 photos were taken from my room balcony. If you're afraid of heights, then avoid the high floors. Otherwise the views are pretty decent. I figure it would be a lot better still if you had a room on the higher floors. It'd be great to wake up to Singapore's city skyline!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since the pools looked tantalizing from the balcony, I made a trip down the next morning to check it out.

 

Up close, it looked even better. There was a kiddy-pool and a second 1.8 metre deep pool for adults. There's also a pool side café in case you get hungry or thirsty after doing your (abet short) laps. Do note however, that there's a sign that prominently announces that there's no life guard on duty, so parents please do mind your kids.

 

 

 

 

The hotel also boasts of a tennis court. I hate racquet games. I have major hand-eye coordination issues, so I didn't bother with that.

 

 

 

 

 

If anything, the selling point of Swissotel The Stamford is definitely it's location. It located right on top of a central train station (City Hall) and is linked to a shopping mall. So if you're staying here, you're guaranteed easy access to transport, food and most amenities.

 

Since it's so central and public transport is so easily accessible, it's also easy for you to move around. During my short stay, I made trips down to Orchard and Bugis for errands and always returned within an hour. Apart from that, I got my meals at Raffles City Shopping Centre (that's the mall linked to the hotel) and did all my birthday shopping there!

 

Yeah. I kind of over-spent since I got carried away with all the shopping.

 

Oh and by the way, there's quite a few pokestops  around the hotel if you're into Pokémon Go. I definitely made use of them  ;)

 

 

Swissotel The Stamford

 

Website: http://www.swissotel.com/hotels/singapore-stamford/

Address: 2 Stamford Road, Singapore 178882

DID: +65 6338 8585

Fax: +65 6338 2862

Email: singapore-stamford@swissotel.com

 

 

Resorts World Sentosa S.E.A. Aquarium

Interrupting the Kyushu travelogue for something local. Anyway, I can't keep writing about Japan, I've got to mix it up a bit right?

 

Anyway, a couple of friends and I managed to get our hands on some corporate tickets to the S.E.A Aquarium recently. To be honest, if not for the heavily discounted tickets, this was not an attraction I would otherwise have visited on my own. It's too pricey in my opinion. Plus, I have a friend who would probably lecture me on the evils of this place.

 

 

 

S.E.A Aquarium

 

The S.E.A Aquarium is home to more than 100,000 marine animals (over 800 species). It is located within the huge Resorts World complex, right next to Universal Studios Singapore. While it's not exactly difficult to locate the aquarium, the throngs of crowds does make it less visible. You've just got to get past those hustling for photos at the iconic Universal Studios globe.

 

 

 

 

Getting to the aquarium requires you to first pass through The Maritime Experiential Museum. The museum and the aquarium are apparently "separate" attractions but located within the same building. Technically, admission to the museum is free. It's included in the admission to the S.E.A Aquarium and they only scan your tickets later.

 

However, if you are interested in the 4D multi-media experiential Typhoon Theatre, you'll have to pay an additional SGD$3. The Typhoon Theatre allows you to board a 9th century vessel replica where you will experience a storm and shipwreck simulation.

 

 

 

 

My friends and I gave the Typhoon Theatre a miss. I wasn't particularly interested in paying for the potential of getting myself sea-sick even before I hit the aquariums.

 

Asia’s rich maritime history, Admiral Zheng He and Singapore’s past as a trading port feature as main themes of The Maritime Experiential Museum. There was a life-sized replica of the bow of Zheng He's treasure ship, exhibits of various ports along the Maritime Silk Route, a shipwreck collection as well as replica of the Jewel of Muscat (a 9th century Arabian ship).

 

There were also interactive displays scattered around the museum. A lot more engaging than just peering at exhibits. There were many kids and their grandparents who clustered around these interactive mediums. My friend tried one of the games that was probably based off one of those Sonic run types.

 

 

 

 

 

To be honest, we just breezed through the museum. I was not particularly interested in maritime history. Just not my cup of tea. Instead, I was eager to get to the S.E.A Aquarium itself.

 

As you can see from the map below, the S.E.A Aquarium is a rectangular area that's been divided into a few zones. Some zones seem to attract a lot more crowds than others, and likewise, some exhibits more than others. Information boards and signs were posted around many of the aquariums. However, in some spots, the crowds were so unforgiving, I barely had any chance to skim what was written.  

 

 

Source: Resorts World Sentosa

 

I'll divide my photos and paragraphs according to the zones as well. But honestly, you'll probably get more details out of the official website (which I will include at the end of the post).

 

Oh, a photography tip. There's no need for flash photography when in S.E.A Aquarium. Apparently, the zones have been built with adequate lighting for photography. In fact, if you use flash, you're very likely to get one of those glare spots marring the photos. Plus, it's going to irritate the sea animals and those around you.

 

Shark Seas:

 

Or what I personally think of as the Sharks' Tunnel. While it was definitely cool to watch those predators above you (yes, even with the noisy horde in the tunnel), I wonder if the sharks were looking at us from the other side as food. Particularly when I found out that hammerheads have 360 degree vision. Man... no sneaking up from behind yah?

 

 

 

 

Live Coral Habitat:

 

This is my favourite zone. Those of you who love colours and rainbows like I do, you'll appreciate this zone as it'll look like you've entered a neon underwater world.

 

Unfortunately, this was one zone that really attracted the crowds. Expect to fight for space to grab pictures (watch out for photo-bombing fingers and heads!), especially if there are groups of loud, inconsiderate tourists.

 

 

 

 

 

Don't miss out on the moray eels while being captivated chasing the rainbows though. These predators are mean-looking but they might oblige for a really cool photo. I was hoping that it'll give a demonstration of its second jaw as well but this was the best shot I had.

 

Did you know that moray eels have "Alien" jaws? It's a second jaw that launches forward to grab at prey, really like in those "Alien" movies.

 

 

African Lake:

 

My photos from this zone mostly bombed.

 

 

 

Conversation I happened to overhear while scouting for a position to grab more pictures of Nemo (i.e. clownfishes):

 

Boy to Mom: Mummy! Mummy! Look! Nemo! Many Nemo!

Mom back to Boy: Yah! Nemo so cute! So many!

Dad comes up from behind: Eh! Got more clownfish hiding in the "branches"

Mom to Dad: Where got clownfish? I only see Nemo leh.

 

I failed miserably trying to get a shot thereafter. Too busy gaping and shaking my head.

 

There was also a discovery pool. This was possibly the only area that I totally did not agree with. There were tons of screaming kids fondling and molesting the poor sea creatures (star fishes and what not). I figured if I didn't like being manhandled, other creatures might feel the same.

 

 

Open Ocean Habitat:

 

 

No pictures of the huge-assed aquarium that's in all the S.E.A Aquarium's advertisements. Primarily because I only had heads and bodies in the pics. However, this zone is majestic. It's a huge, open panoramic display. You can sit around the amphitheatre-like area just staring at the underwater cinema in front of you. I regretted not bringing my wide-angle lens then, but judging from the number of heads and bodies in my photos, not so much now.

 

 

 

 

What did completely captivate me (and my camera) were the sea nettles and sea jellies displays. This was my next favourite area. Again like-wise, possibly for many. I hung around as long as I could to grab these pictures and yet, there were still many others that I missed.

 

Those sea nettles and jellies look so harmless floating around. Some even looked downright darn cute (well, at least to me). However, many of these carry stingers on their tentacles. The kind where you really wouldn't want to be close by if you're floating around in the ocean.

 

 

 

 

My friend insisted that I had to grab photos of the Giant Pacific Octopus. I'm known among my group of foodie friends as "Sotong" (Malay for Squid or Octopus) simply because to them, I was always 'blur like sotong' (local slang for not being very alert).

 

However, Mr Octopus seemed very camera shy that day. It kept hiding behind its many tentacles.

 

 

Schooling Fish Habitat:

 

Another zone where photo-taking failed. Nevertheless, it was surreal watching those almost transparent fishes. And they look deadly too. Kinda like the angry ghosts of the underwater world. Definitely not to be trifled with.

 

 

 

 

Coral Garden:

 

Another coral zone, except this one's a huge cylindrical aquarium. The amount of colourful fishes swimming around was dazzling.

 

 

 

Shipwreck Habitat:

 

 

 

By then, I had enough of fishes. So thankfully, other creatures started popping up. Blue lobsters, spider crabs, lion fishes, and even weird-looking leafy seahorses! Those seahorses looked like they would be right at home in the Narnia books!

 

 

 

 

By the time you hit shipwreck habitat, you would know that you're at the end of the S.E.A Aquarium. And perhaps, you might have had enough of jostling crowds (especially on weekends) and the blue-lighted environment. 

 

While S.E.A Aquarium is billed as one of the bigger aquariums around, you should be able to comfortably complete the entire aquarium in 2 hours. If you're a photography enthusiast, perhaps a bit more time will be needed. Those of you who aren't exactly into that many fishes, then significantly less, you might even be able to complete the entire circuit in an hour.

 

 

 

 

Personally, I found that I enjoyed myself, even with the crowds around (and I'm not the crowd or child friendly type). The young and the old should also have a ball of a time touring the place. Parents would also likely appreciate the educational aspects that the S.E.A. Aquarium has attempted to build in.

 

Possibly the only set-back would be the price of admission. Local Singaporean adults pay an admission price of SGD$28 while foreign visitors have to fork out SGD$32. That sort of admission price might be considered hefty to some, particularly when you might be in there for only 2 hours or less. This was the main reason why I never got around to visiting until the discounted tickets.

 

However, do note that there are other programmes available should you choose to visit. The S.E.A Aquarium has options such as a Shark Dive, A PADI dive, etc that you may wish to sign up for.

Details are all listed in their website, and I've provided the link below.

 

There is also a underwater restaurant within the aquarium grounds. You may also choose to have a meal there while gazing at the underwater display. Pretty sure that would have upped your experience a notch. Likewise, details are also available in the website.

 

 

 

 

Tourist Information

 

S.E.A Aquarium

Website: http://www.rwsentosa.com/language/en-US/Homepage/Attractions/SEAAquarium

Address: 8 Sentosa Gateway. Sentosa Island, Singapore 098269

DID: +65 6577 8888

Email: enquiries@rwsentosa.com

Opening hours: Usually 10 am to 7 pm. However, please check website in case there are selected closing dates.

Admission Fees: