New World Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City

After much searching and checking, we finally decided to just go with my cousin's recommendation and booked New World Hotel. Apparently it is considered a 5-star hotel in Vietnam though it is more like a 3-star hotel to me. I think I am spoiled with the better international chain hotel such as Ritz-Carlton, Hyatt, Fairmont etc.

There are many types of accommodations in HCMC and it can be for under S$20/night in the backpackers area to S$300/night in the better hotels. You can also find decent, reasonably priced hotels in the District 1 area for S$30-S$60 range or higher. But they will be smaller rooms, like those found in Hong Kong, and not have its own building in the entire block type. Instead they are narrow spaces, much like a townhouse style.

We were lucky that New World had a promotion when we booked the room. Stay one night and get the next night free, so we paid close to S$300 for the 2 nights. Granted it was for the premier room, and breakfast was not included. The reason to book that room was for the free Wi-Fi in room.

We were kinda upgraded to the Club Room when we checked in. All because they did not have twin beds for us. The only room with twin beds then was on the smoking floor in the Club level. We requested to see both rooms (our original with King size bed and the smoking room) and as the smell was not very obvious, we took the twin beds. The privilege of staying in the Club Room is that breakfast and cocktail/canape are served in the morning and evening. So yay! Free breakfast for us :p

It was interesting to note that when the receptionist took us up to check the rooms, she would knock on the door twice and called out "Room Service" before opening the door. That got me thinking if the place was haunted or it was just common practice in hotels. In any case, we did not feel anything during our stay.

Oh and the toiletries for Club Room is Elemis, I like that.

The room itself is not that big, maybe 30 sqm or so. Quite an average size for the older hotels. I am so used to 40 sqm that anything less than that is small to me. There is a sitting area with armchair and sofa. The bathtub is a disappointment as it is so low and small. No bath for me despite them providing bath salts.

There are many channels available for the TV which is nice. Tap water is not potable and 2 bottles of drinking water are provided. I wonder if some people actually use those bottled water to rinse after brushing their teeth.

We decided to check out the Club Lounge in the evening and see what is served during the cocktail session. I was quite impressed. The food served was actually substantial with a small selection of salad, fried noodles, dim sum items, cold cuts, Vietnamese rolls, fruits, and more. You could also have any cocktail you desire, just tell the staff and she could make it for you.

I had the tequila sunrise as I just could not think of what to have, or what would be sweet. I also had a bit of the roll, fried noodles and siew mai. Pretty good too.

For breakfast, the selection was also decent. I was expecting a continental style of breakfast with only danishe, croissants and toast available. I did not expect a row of fresh juices, fruits, cold meat, cheese, selection of bread, danishes, croissants, miso soup, etc. You could also make your own coffee or latte or cappuccino, espresso etc.

Just as I was thinking why was there no hot food, I realized you could also order from the menu where the hot food were. Duh. There were pho, waffle, big breakfast, omelette...I had the big breakfast on one day. The bacon was not crispy and the poached eggs were so-so. Only one was with runny yolk. The next day I had the pho (yummy) and the omelette which was much better.

If I am going to stay in New World Hotel again, I would take the club room if I know I have time to eat there.

Service is ok, nothing outstanding. Even though Vietnam does not really expect tipping or at least tipping from other Asian tourists, the bellboy did hang around the room after bringing our luggage up, expecting something. And most could understand and do speak Mandarin too.

Open House @ Grand Park Orchard Hotel

There is a new restaurant in town and it is Open House at Grand Park Orchard Hotel at the junction of Orchard Road and Bideford Road, across from Paragon. Their "all you can eat" lunch buffet is a bit different from other places as it is not a place with a wide selection and where food is placed on chafing dishes.

Instead there are 5 stations where you can place your order and the chef will cook the dish and deliver to your table. The only sections where you take what you like are the salad bar and dessert counter.

The greens were crisp and fresh with a variety of dressings. I love the shaved parmesan cheese, and also took 2 macarons as I could not resist them. Unfortunately the macarons were not fantastic, too chewy like biscuits.

There were 4 items at the dim sum station and we ordered them all - har gow (Shrimp dumpling), siew mai, glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaves and char siew bun.

All were pretty good, maybe because they were steamed or prepared only after you placed your order. The har gow was quite big with plenty of prawns. The char siew bun was also yummy with a decent ratio of meat and dough. The glutinous rice was steamed perfectly, tasty and soft. Same for the siew mai.

At the roast meat counter, you could get roast pork belly (also pretty good with crackling skin and a thin layer of fat), char siew (so-so), soya chicken (decent but not fantastic) and roast duck (not very nice). I like the sauces which came with them.

Another winner was the pizza station. Again there were 4 items on the menu. We chose two. The teriyaki chicken pizza was a popular item and it was surprisingly tasty. Maybe it helped that they made the pizza on the spot, including the rolling and stretching of the dough like prata, and then putting the toppings before popping them into a electric grill oven shaped like a wood-fire stove oven.

The other pizza we chose was with parma ham and cheese and topped with rocket leaves. Simple and yet delicious. I love the thin crust. Crispy.

Other stations were claypot and noodles. We tried the bak kut teh, lap cheong claypot rice and chicken mushroom claypot rice. They were not very good at all. Quite a disappointment. There were also assam fish claypot and beef claypot which we did not try.

The noodles choices include beef noodles (pho), wanton noodles, laksa and others which I do not remember. I had a taste of the pho and it was not memorable either.

I would go back there again just for the salad, pizza, dim sum and roast pork belly. The desserts were not fantastic, quite average. Some cakes (chocolate, cheesecake, tarts), local kuehs, petit fours, 2 ice cream flavors and a local soup dessert plus fruits.

Rose Veranda @ Shangri-La Hotel, Peranakan Fare

I have been wanting to take a day off so that I can head to Rose Veranda at Shangri-La to just chill. It is one of my favorite places for an afternoon tea as it is a bit far out and the place is not too stark or noisy (though at times it can be when there are lots of children or big groups).

We got a table by the window with view of the greenery surrounding the hotel. The burgundy velvet deep armchair was quite perfect to relax in with a book and some nibbles.

Rose Veranda has changed its menu and now serves tea by TWG. The downside of it is that we don't get to keep changing the type of drinks (hot tea, iced tea, different types of coffee) unless we pay an additional $10++ for that option. The additional cost is not that much of an issue (though $48++ for tea?) but just that it is different from expectation. Usually I like to start with a glass of iced tea (usually some berry flavored), then a pot of hot tea before ending with the Viennese coffee which I love so much.

I decided on the Emperor's White Garden Tea which was under the White Tea selection. I typically prefer white tea as it is milder and not as acidic as black tea which has a sharp taste to it. The Emperor's White Garden Tea was a bit bitter but still mild enough to enjoy it without any sugar or milk. I am not sure if it is the teacup, but the tea gets cold very quickly so it is best to drink it fast if you do not like cold tea.

There was a Peranakan promotion on the day we were there, so the food was geared towards that. It was still good. I liked the char siew bun a lot. The bun was slightly sweet and soft and the char siew was tender and covered with just enough sauce. The siew mai and shrimp dumpling were equally good. Maybe I was lucky to get them when they were still fresh and had not been sitting in the steamer for ages.

The salmon sashimi was fresh and I could just eat this the whole day. The sushi was not as good as the seaweed wrap was a bit hard and dry by then.

There was the duck soup with kiam chye (salted vegetables) and straw mushrooms which was delightfully tasty. I did not really care for the straw mushrooms which tasted like they were out of a can. I guessed I am used to fresh mushrooms that I really dislike canned mushrooms.

The fried mee tai mak (short or mouse tail noodles) was a bit too oily for my liking and the prawns seemed overcooked. The assam fish was average and the prawns were not too bad. What I really liked was the beef dish. It was slightly sweet and reminded me so much of Indonesia. I could not remember the name but it was a bit dry with coconut shavings? Not beef rendang but something else. It was not a common dish that was usually found in Peranakan restaurants.

At the carving station, there were roast duck which was really good with the plum sauce. I also tried the otak which was not too bad. I do liked the quiche with its flaky crust and eggy filling.

I still loved the chocolate truffle cake and creme brulee. The creme brulee was rich but I liked it that way. The Parisian Beard was interesting with a light peanut filling.

The macaroon which was sticky chewy sweet. I guessed it could be airier and lighter but it was not too bad.

All too soon it was time to go. If you are in a hurry, ask for the bill with at least 30 minutes to spare as they do take a long time to get back to you.

May 5th Dinner at Greenhouse, Ritz Carlton

I think this was my last dinner buffet over at Greenhouse in Ritz Carlton. Mmmm....I just loved the fresh sashimi and appetizers. The sushi could be a bit of a "hit and miss" as sometimes they would be dry and hard. Maybe it depend on the timing?

This was the first time I ever ordered the ramen from the station. It was surprisingly pretty decent. The noodles were al dente and the broth was flavorful without being too overpowering. You could choose what seafood or meat as toppings. The egg could be better, then again I much preferred the semi-hardboiled egg from Marutama Ramen with its semi-solid wobbly egg yolk.

I guessed I kinda overdosed on too much food from previous dinners at Greenhouse, so I did not take the chili crabs during this meal. I had the beef bourguignon which was still very good with its tender meat and "marmite" (maybe it should be "bovril") tasting sauce. The cereal prawns were yummy but the risotto with truffle and cheese was not that fantastic.

The Indian food which I used to like was no longer as nice. It was pretty average now, with nothing that stood out.

Finally the desserts. I fell in love with rum and raisin ice cream after having it a few times at Greenhouse. My two favorite flavors ~ rum and raisin and chocolate. So nice to have them together. The chocolate truffle cake was another of my favorite way to end the meal.

Checkers Brasserie, Hilton Singapore

I had lunch with my ex-colleagues and they chose the Checkers Brasserie over at Hilton Hotel. Somehow I had never dine at Hilton Hotel though I had the pretty well known cheesecake before. It was a lunch/high tea buffet which was from 12noon to 4pm. I must say this was the least crowded place I had ever been to for a buffet. It was probably only half full when I was there from 1230pm to 3pm.

We had a table by the window which was pretty nice with the sunlight streaming in and the greenery out there. I liked that we could have freshly squeezed juices. You just select the fruits/veggies and the staff would juice them. That was a nice touch. I had watermelon with celery and then honeydew with watermelon.

The cold appetizers (grilled zucchini, portobello mushroom, smoked salmon, pumpkin, mozzarella with tomato, mushroom, egg and sushi) which I didn't really like. The sushi was hard. Of what I tried, I only like the portobello mushroom which was woodsy smoky and juicy.

From the small dim sum/Chinese selection, I tried the mushroom rice roll, char siew bun and fried beehoon. The mushroom rice roll was surprisingly good. It was tender and soft. The beehoon was a tad too salty for my palate.

The char siew bun was not too bad. At least the bun was not dry and hard.

More items from the appetizer section. Seared tuna which was ok, portobello mushroom, kueh pie ti (I loved this. It was crispy crunchy and tasty), roast chicken which was pretty standard and roast beef. The roast beef was tender and not too chewy.

Finally the mains ~ pizza slices and potato skin which were hard. The crispy baby squids were very good. The pasta was so-so and the fish was average too. Again the kueh pie ti shone in this plate.

There was a noodle section where you select the type of noodles (kway teow, yellow noodle, tang hoon, bee hoon) and toppings plus the soup (laksa or prawn stock). I chose tang hoon with veggies, prawns, squid, fish and mushroom in prawn stock. The chef would cook the ingredients and then you just top up with the soup of your choice. I should have added more soup as the tang hoon just soaked up the liquid. This was nice as the seafood was fresh and sweet.

Dessert was pretty much hit and miss. I only liked the bread and butter pudding with vanilla sauce. The other nice item was the coffee square. The rest was not as great.

Again only the bread and butter pudding was nice. I totally forgot to try the marble cheesecake as I was not really a big fan of cheesecake. I should have since Checkers is known for its cheesecake.

The place was not big, yet I did not really try everything. I totally missed out on the fruits and chocolate fountain section, as well as the wide selection of cheese and crackers available and the other hot mains like tempura, some Indian food and more Chinese food. Another nice thing was the selection of tea available. You get to choose the type of tea and brew it in a pot.

I would not say Checkers Brasserie is fantastic but there are some dishes which are nice and others which are not really to my taste. It is always good to get out of my usual buffet places (yes, Greenhouse at Ritz Carlton or Rose Verandah at Shangri-La) and try other restaurants for a change.

Brasserie Les Saveurs, St Regis Singapore

This is another overdue post. The company had the annual Christmas dinner over at the Brasserie Les Saveurs in St. Regis Hotel last year.

It was a lovely place at night with dim lighting from the chandeliers and a wall of huge floor to ceiling windows letting in the last visage of the evening sun. The furnishings is stately and has an old world charm and elegance of centuries ago.

Dinner was a semi buffet as we got to choose a main course, with the appetizers and desserts from the buffet table. Sometimes it was good to just have an excellent main and some extras instead of being stuffed to the gills trying to sample everything.

I started with the sashimi and raw oysters which were very fresh and sweet. The only thing to mar the experience was the buffet was not really ready even by 7.15pm or so. The servers were only removing the cling wrap from the platters and I had to chase down someone to request for the soy sauce.

As expected, the selection was not as wide as some other places but I felt it was just nice. It was sufficient and there was fresh ham (not sure if it was parma) where you could just slice off the amount you desired. I was contented with my caesar salad, shrimp, potato salad, smoked salmon and cherries.

The main I chose ~ braised wagyu beef cheeks with white truffle mashed potatoes. The lighting was really not very good for taking pictures with my "point and shoot" camera. It was so hard to get a truly good shot to represent the reality.

Mine was a bit on the too done side. Good thing it was wagyu so it was still tender and melted a little in the mouth. I wondered if they were waited for all our dishes to be ready before bringing them out at the same time. Most of us ordered the beef and one ordered the risotto which looked equally appetizing.
Dessert time. I selected all the chocolate stuff as it was always the safest choice for me. They were good though I had no idea what I had by now.

I did not have room for the cheese platter (quite a good selection of cheese and fruits) and soup.

I would love to go back to Brasserie Les Saveurs again. I like the quiet and elegant ambience which was very soothing and relaxing. Then again, it was not overly crowded when we were there on a weeknight.

April Gathering at Greenhouse, Ritz Carlton

You could probably tell I really do like the Greenhouse over at Ritz Carlton. This was my 3rd time in so many weeks, with a few more to go :p

I requested for 2 portions of salmon and 1 portion of snapper, but somehow the chef gave me 1 portion of each. Maybe that was a good thing too since it could get a bit too much after a while. The sashimi was fresh and sweet. It was pretty crowded last night that there was only 1 pair of chopsticks left and not much wasabi too (and it was only 730pm or so)!

Then it was onto the cold seafood. There were plenty of oysters and I took four for myself. The tabasco sauce was all gone too. 4 different types of bottles and 3 were empty. The only one left was with chipotle and the smoky taste certainly didn't really go well with the oysters. While the oysters were fresh, there were plenty of grits on them too. Not nice to have to keep removing them while eating.

The highlight of the evening was the pate. It was the first time I saw these little pots with different fillings. The cheese stick went very well with it too.
Creamy smooth pate (not sure which liver it was from, but for a non-liver lover person, this was soooo yummy). It was the most sinful rich food of the evening for me.

My main - hokkien noodles which was a bit dry (or maybe I took the top part which was drier) but still delicious. The chicken with porcini sauce was also very good. The porcini added a new dimension with its stronger taste. The butter prawns were awesome with its rich buttery flavor and sweet flesh. I liked the roast potato and beef bourguignon too. The beef was tender and just melted in my mouth.

This time there were lamb and herbal duck too which the others loved. Not a fan of gamy meat, I did not try them.

I was quite enamored by the cheese selection. Somehow I was more keen on the cheese with crackers, grapes and dried fruits than the dessert. Maybe it was the company too which made it all the more nicer. Munching on hard cheese with the sweet grapes and dried mango and figs while chatting away ~ bliss.

My concession to dessert - chocolate mousse cup. This was my chocolate fix for the night. Dark bittersweet chocolate was simply heaven.

I did not try this though we were pretty intrigued by how the liquid was at the bottom with a space in the middle and topped with the custard cream. It was actually coconut and strawberry. It just looked pretty.

I had a tiny half curl scoop of the strawberry and rum & raisin ice cream which was good enough for a taste and not too much to make one feel sick. We shared the crepe which was topped with hazelnuts, pistachios, almond flakes and chocolate and vanilla sauce.

It was always a fun time when the girls get together and we took this time to celebrate Ashley's birthday in advance. Happy birthday!

I am so looking forward to next month gathering where it would be the Sex and the City 2 + Sherie's birthday celebration :)

Greenhouse @ Ritz Carlton, 31 March 2010

Yes, I went back to the Greenhouse to celebrate my cousin's birthday. It was a quiet affair with just the two of us. I saw this bowl of chocolate on the way in and just could not resist it. I needed something chocolaty to boost my mood and started with this. It was not chocolate mousse or pudding as expected. Instead it was a light sponge-like cake underneath the liquid chocolate which was not sweet nor bitter. A chocolate mousse or truffle would have hit the spot.
It was off to the cold section. I decided to skip the Japanese this time and headed for the raw oysters (super fresh) which were plump and juicy. The clams were average to me and the prawns were sweet.

I was tempted by the naan and Indian selection. Unfortunately the naan was a bit tough and not as good as those served in Indian restaurants. The beef rendang was a bit on the sweet side but it was nice, likewise for the fish tikka which was fresh and a bit spicy.

I was super hungry since I only had a light meal for the entire day, so I decided to get a plate of mains ~ greens with wolfberries (yummy), garlic prawns (crunchy), steamed fish, ee mee, mushrooms and roast baby potatoes and sweet potatoes. Carbo overload :p
I decided to try the chili crab again. Unfortunately this batch was not as good as the one I had the week before. The gravy was more watery and lacked the punch of the chili taste. Quite watered down. The spinach cheese gnocchi was good though.

Finally, dessert time. Strangely the spread was mostly filled with chocolate items. My kind of heaven :p The chocolate truffle cake and creme brulee were divine as usual. But the surprise was the small pyramid chocolate.
It was peanut butter inside the chocolate casing. Sublime. Salty peanut butter mixed with the sweet chocolate. It was like Reese's peanut butter cups.
I ended the feast with two scoops of ice cream ~ rum and raisin and chocolate. I'm glad they changed the bowl into a smaller one with smaller scoops as I just could not finish it. I just wanted a few spoonfuls for a taste.