The Lawn Cafe Tasting Session
31 Biopolis Way
#01-07 Nanos
Opening Hours (Biopolis):
Mon - Fri: 11:15am - 9pm
Sun: 10am - 4pm

8 Shenton Way
#B1-11 AXA Tower
Opening Hours (Shenton):
Mon - Fri: 10:30am - 9pm

http://www.thelawn.com.sg/
https://www.facebook.com/thelawncafe

This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session, but I did pay the standard price during subsequent visits.


More Than Just Salads

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 6
Value for Money: 9
Budget about SGD $10 ++ per person.


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I'm not much of a salad person... Think I love meat too much! But if there was one place that could possibly change my mind, it would be The Lawn Cafe. This 2 plus years old hidden gem of a cafe is unlike any other. Casual, comfortable ambience? Check. Great tasting yet balanced food? Check. Premium ingredients? Check. Affordable price? Check. Flavours of both East and West? Check. Add in a brand new delivery service and The Lawn Cafe has a lot going for it!

I loved the ambience at The Lawn Cafe. The faux grass acts like a comfy carpet under your feet, and the furniture is casual and functional. Choose from either indoor seating or outdoor seating at The Lawn Cafe Biopolis. Personally, I prefer outdoor, as the Nanos building here is specifically designed to act like a wind tunnel, channelling cooling breeze along the exterior of the The Lawn Cafe.

The open kitchen and prep area provide interesting distractions while waiting to order, and I like the olden looking gas lamps hanging in a bunch. There was a blackboard near the cashier counter, and I noticed several diners accidentally knocking into it while ordering / making payment. Might be better if they moved it elsewhere.

The Lawn Cafe Interior

The Lawn Cafe Kitchen & Carrot

The Lawn Cafe Lights

The Lawn Cafe Prep Area

The Lawn Cafe is largely self-service. Indicate your order on an order chit, then queue and make payment at the counter. Collect a buzzer, which will signal you to collect your order when ready.

Order Sheet & Prices March 2014

But the real question is, what should you order at The Lawn Cafe? The base is either a Salad or Olive Rice, but there is a near endless combination of items to add on, including 13 grilled meats / seafood, 30 different salad toppings, and 12 types of salad dressing / sauces. This mind boggling variety means you could eat everyday at The Lawn Cafe and not get bored!

The basic Salad Bowl (SGD $7.90) comes with a base of fresh, crunchy lettuce and arugula, plus a choice of 5 different salad toppings, and 1 type of salad dressing sauce. The 30 salad toppings include a variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, and others such as egg or tofu. You may then choose to add on 1 or 2 types of grilled meats or seafood.

The first combination I sampled was the Mesclun Salad With Couscous, Pineapples, Corn Kernels, Alfalfa Sprouts, Chestnuts, Grilled Teriyaki Chicken. The chicken was juicy and nicely grilled, with a slight sweetness, complementing the pineapples and soft chestnuts. The corn kernels added a nice flavour and slight crunch, while the couscous and alfalfa sprouts made it fun and playful.

Create Your Own Salad - Mesclun Salad With Couscous, Pineapples, Corn Kernels, Alfalfa Sprouts, Chestnuts, Grilled Teriyaki Chicken 01

Create Your Own Salad - Mesclun Salad With Couscous, Pineapples, Corn Kernels, Alfalfa Sprouts, Chestnuts, Grilled Teriyaki Chicken 02

Create Your Own Salad - Mesclun Salad With Couscous, Pineapples, Corn Kernels, Alfalfa Sprouts, Chestnuts, Grilled Teriyaki Chicken 03

The second combination I sampled was the Mesclun Salad With Egg, Green Apples, Olives, Beetroot, Granola, Aceto Balsamico Beef Cuts. The beef was tender and moist, with a rounded savouriness, complementing the olives and egg. The granola added a textural crunch, while the beetroot and green apples added a little sweetness.

Create Your Own Salad - Mesclun Salad With Egg, Green Apples, Olives, Beetroot, Granola, Aceto Balsamico Beef Cuts 01

Create Your Own Salad - Mesclun Salad With Egg, Green Apples, Olives, Beetroot, Granola, Aceto Balsamico Beef Cuts 02

Create Your Own Salad - Mesclun Salad With Egg, Green Apples, Olives, Beetroot, Granola, Aceto Balsamico Beef Cuts 03

Alternatively, choose the Olive Rice & Side Salad (SGD $7.90). Unlike the Thai or Greek Olive Rice, the version of Olive Rice at The Lawn Cafe is a Teochew recipe from the founder's grandmother. Each mouthful is a distinctly Asian flavour of spices. Lovely.

Olive Rice & Side Salad 01

Olive Rice & Side Salad 02

Sampled 10 of the 12 different salad dressing / sauces available at The Lawn Cafe. My personal favourites include Me So Spicy, a potent kick of fresh chili, sambal belachan and fresh mint; the Wasahoney, a sharp yet sweet combination of wasabi, honey and mayonnaise; and the Perky Sesame Ginger, a combination of sesame seed, coriander root and grated ginger that tastes like Chicken Rice. The variety of sauces is well balanced, having both Western and Asian flavours, light and heavy sauces, and sweet, sour, bitter, salty and spicy flavours.

Sauce Manly Mango, Wasahoney, Honeyball, Maple Peanut, Citrus, Apple Cider Vinaigrette, Red Island, Wafu, Me So Spicy, Perky Sesame Ginger 01

Sauce Manly Mango, Wasahoney, Honeyball, Maple Peanut, Citrus, Apple Cider Vinaigrette, Red Island, Wafu, Me So Spicy, Perky Sesame Ginger 02

Ben's Beef Rub, so named for the friend of the founder who gave him this recipe, features tender beef with a peppery, savoury dry rub, that is grilled well. Choose a sauce that is sweet, sour or spicy to complement this.

Ben's Beef Rub

Perfectly grilled, premium dory fish is used for the Butter-Seared Pacific Dory With Parsley Rub. Meaty, flaky and juicy all at once, a sour, bitter or spicy sauce would complement this.

Butter-Seared Pacific Dory With Parsley Rub

The 2nd most popular grill addition, the Char-Grilled Prawns With Garlic features fresh and plump deshelled prawns / shrimp. Juicy with a nice savoury char from grilling, with a satisfying bite, pair this with a salty or bitter sauce with maximum taste.

Char-Grilled Prawns With Garlic

The Chicken Breast With Maple Infusion is the 1st most popular grill addition at The Lawn Cafe. The moist and tender premium quality chicken breast is infused with sweet maple syrup, making it both savoury and sweet at once. Pair with a sweet or salty sauce for best results.

Chicken Breast With Maple Infusion

The Lawn Cafe now also offers delivery service throughout Singapore, for corporate events and 1 day advance orders. I think this is especially useful for corporate catering or events throughout Singapore, as you'll be getting a good meal at reasonably low prices. Or you could choose to do self-pickup advance order instead. Beat the long queues snacking out the doors at lunch hour!

Meal

Overall, I find The Lawn Cafe be excellent value for money. Where else can you get tasty, flavourful food, have creative input, yet enjoy a healthy balanced meal? The Lawn Cafe makes a good case for healthy living!





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Authentic And Traditional Taste Of Korean Cuisine

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 6
Food & Beverage: 9
Service: 8
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $27 per person.





For over a decade, Auntie Kim's Korean Restaurant has been quietly serving authentic and great tasting Korean food at affordable prices. Because of this, their loyal following has grown tremendously, and the small parking area outside their location is normally packed with their diners.

Ambience at Auntie Kim's Korean Restaurant is simple, with wooden panelling and few decorative items. Floor area is small and rather cramped, and both indoor and outdoor seating is limited. Prepare to wait up to 30 - 40 minutes during peak periods! Reservations are highly recommended to avoid disappointment.

Service at Auntie Kim's Korean Restaurant is fast, efficient, and friendly. Staff will do their best to help you get a seat, and are relatively able to advise on menu items. Some staff are more friendly than others though.

Food at Auntie Kim's Korean Restaurant is excellent. Dishes are tasty, and prepared from scratch, which means some waiting time before you're served. Their banchan / side dishes are rather limited as compared to other Korean restaurants, and just decent in taste. Prices per dish average about SGD $18 - $25, quite affordable. For the most value for money, visit with at least 3 - 4 people, as the portions are meant for sharing.





The rather simple exterior and interior doesn't distract from the great food here. I liked the savoury roast taste of the Brown Rice Tea, but the White Rice is less sticky than typical Korean rice.

Auntie Kim's Korean Restaurant Signage

Brown Rice Tea

White Rice

The limited variety of Banchan / Side Dishes helps them to focus on the quality of each. Taste is generally strong and flavourful, and ingredients used are fresh and tasty. The worst was the Potato Balls which was relatively tasteless.

Sigeumchi Namul / Boiled Spinach

Kongnamul / Cold Soy Bean Sprouts

Kimchi Baechu / Kimchi Pickled Cabbage

Miyeok Muchim / Boiled Seaweed And Cucumber

Kimchi Kkakdugi / Kimchi Pickled Daikon Radish

Potato Balls

The Bulgogi / Marinated Beef (SGD $16) is very savoury and flavourful, with the marinade coating the meat well. Absolutely fragrant when it arrives at the table, the portion looks small but is sufficient for 3 - 4 people. The meat is a tad dry though, perhaps a slightly thicker cut would prevent this.

Bulgogi / Marinated Beef

The Samgae-Tang / Ginseng Chicken Soup (SGD $25) has tender, fall of the bone chicken meat in a flavourful and fragrant, yet light and thin chicken soup. The broth is enhanced with goji wolfberries and ginseng, and there is a small amount of glutinous sticky rice within. Excellent hangover remedy, or for cold and rainy days.

Samgae-Tang / Ginseng Chicken Soup

The Haemul Pajeon / Seafood And Scallion Omelette Pancake (SGD $18) here is hands down, the best Korean Pancake I've ever eaten in Singapore. With fresh prawns, squid and scallions, the entire pancake packs a well balanced taste without being too greasy.

Haemul Pajeon / Seafood And Scallion Omelette Pancake

The Mool Naeng Myun / Cold Buckwheat Noodles (SGD $18) is supposed to be an after meal palate cleanser, but it was served first! The broth is slightly sour, slightly tangy, with a clean, refreshing taste. Love the healthy and tasty noodles too!

Mool Naeng Myun / Cold Buckwheat Noodles

The Godeungeo-Gui / Fried Saba Fish (SGD $19) is among the best grilled mackeral I've had. Fresh, meaty and well grilled, with a slight char outside but tender and tasty meat within, that just pulls off the bones. Really excellent!

Godeungeo-Gui / Fried Saba Fish

Watsons
Over 110 Outlets / Stores Islandwide In Singapore

http://www.watsons.com.sg/







The largest heath care and beauty care franchise throughout Asia, Watsons Personal Care Store, also known simply as Watsons, operates under the umbrella of the A. S. Watson Group / ASW, headquartered in Hong Kong. Today, Watsons has over 700 stores in 13 countries, with over 110 stores in Singapore alone.

Watsons was founded by Dr. Thomas Boswell Watson, and later managed by Dr. Alexander Skirving Watson, after whom the company is named. Watsons is known for the wide and varied range of unisex health and beauty products, including products for skin care, hair care, body care, grooming, oral care and make up.

Watsons also doubles up as a convienence store, due to its many locations across Singapore, especially in the heartlands. No matter where you live, there is likely a Watsons store nearby. Thus, they also carry a small range of snacks, drinks and accessories, including some small household cleaning products.

In particular, Watsons is known for their pharmacy services, and wide range of traditional and modern medicine. I find their pharmaceutical services to be excellent, spanning a broad range such as first aid, travel medication advisory, weight management, home diagnostic services, general medical information and knowledge, health screenings and rehabilitation advisory services.

Prices at Watsons are rather competitive, and a person may spend an average of SGD $10 - $100 per visit, depending on your needs. Having a Watsons membership card is very beneficial, as you regularly get offers, discounts, and invitations for special events.

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I like that they are not only current with property market trends, but can also provide good advice on buying and selling of property in Singapore.

They've also helpfully supplied useful contact numbers below. Just as a disclaimer, yes they are my friends. No, they did not pay me to advertise for them. But you won't regret choosing them.

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Benson Fong Interview With Straits Times

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Ramada Hotel Singapore
16 Ah Hood Road

http://www.ramadasingapore.com/


Excellent Service During Events, Average Rooms

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Location: 7
Service: 9
Room: 6
Facilities: 7
Visited: Mar-2014








Operating under the Wyndham Hotel Group, Ramada Hotel Singapore is casual and modern, while still acknowledging the traditional Chinese heritage of the Zhong Shan Park and surrounding area. Since its opening in 2013, Ramada Hotel Singapore has quickly made a name for itself as an affordable venue for both short stays, as well as events.

Ambience at Ramada Hotel Singapore is a mix of modern and quirky, and traditional Chinese decor. Colour themes of red, gold and white are prevalent throughout the hotel, while whimsical artwork are present in the main lobby and ballroom / conference room areas. Ramada Hotel Singapore also benefits from having the scenie Zhong Shan Park just outside, and the view is pretty nice.

Service at Ramada Hotel Singapore is very good. I particular, the banquet and events team is excellent, very experienced at handling all manner of situations, unexpected or not. Furthermore, they are able to accomodate various requests. The room service and hotel reception staff are also good, professional, efficient and helpful. However, really out of the normal sort of requests may take them some time to sort out, if at all. Wifi connection in the hotel is decent, and guests have complimentary 24 hours internet access.

The room and facilities at Ramada Hotel Singapore are excellent. The rooms themselves are comfortable, though rather small, and the bathroom is functional at best. There isn't any kitchen or cooking equipment in the rooms. However, the roof garden is scenic, and the swimming pool is sufficiently large. The gymnasium is well equipped and of a decent size. Conference rooms offer a scenic view, and projectors and equipment function well. But the main ballroom is small compared to other hotels.

It also helps that Ramada Hotel Singapore is directly next to Zhong Shan Mall, which is very convienent. They also offer regular shuttle services to Novena MRT and Orchard Road throughout each day, which makes commuting for guests much easier. I must also commend Tasneem Banu Yunos, the banquet service manager, and her number 2 man, Zap, for their excellent assistance and recommendations throughout our event!

Paris Baguette Cafe
435 Orchard Road
#02-48 Wisma Atria

50 Jurong Gateway Road
#02-20 Jem

4 Tampines Central 5
#01-32 Tampines Mall

http://www.paris.co.kr/main/


Korean Bakery Adapts French Baking Techniques Well

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 5
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $10 per person.


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Despite its name and appearence, Paris Baguette Cafe is actually a Korean bakery / patisserie, using French pastry making techniques. Thus, you won't find Paris Baguette Cafe in the city of its name in Paris, or even throughout France. Still, Paris Baguette Cafe is an international franchise known for its creative and unique breads, pastries and desserts.

Paris Baguette Cafe is mostly a takeaway joint, although they do have some limited indoor seating. Furniture and layout is styled after the French street cafes, casual, comfortable, and brightly lit, with elegant flourishes as finishings. Decor of bread and images of France adorn the interior, and part of the attraction is the large display of their wares.

Paris Baguette Cafe is mostly a self-service place, though staff do serve orders to your table if preparation is required. In general, I find the senior staff to be patient, and rather knowledgable on the various items in the bakery, able to make sound recommendations. The junior staff however, can be a little 'blur'.

The menu at Paris Baguette Cafe is large and varied, with over 100 items available daily. The majority consists of breads, pastries, and cakes, all made using French baking / patisserie techniques. Some items are classic and traditional, while others are a modern fusion of Korean and French ingredients. Names at Paris Baguette Cafe at whimsical and playful, invoking the idea of fun. However, this premium quality also means prices here at more expensive than your average bakery.


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Actual main courses are limited, and mostly revolve around all day breakfast or desserts. Still, you can purchase items from the bakery and consume them in-house.

Paris Baguette Cafe Bakery

Paris Baguette Cafe Signage

Takeaway Cup

The famous classic French Baguette, in the traditional Plain style, and the unique Korean Garlic style. The Baguette Plain (SGD $3.30) is properly crisp outside, and soft inside, though it requires some effort to tear. The Baguette Korean Garlic (SGD $4.30) is incredibly fragrant and tasty. Very good!

Baguette Plain And Baguette Korean Garlic

Named after the sunny island, the Singapore Choco Twist (SGD $5.50) is sweet with a flaky pastry crust. But I fail to see how this represents Singapore.

Singapore Choco Twist

The When Sweet Potato Met Garlic (SGD $3.40) is a crisp flaky pastry block, stuffed with sweet potato mash infused with garlic within. The combination of sweet and tangy flavours of the filling, and the contrasting textures of smooth and crisp make this a winner.

When Sweet Potato Met Garlic

When Sweet Potato Met Garlic Inside

Despite the name, the One Lovely Bite Cheesecake (SGD $7) took me 4 bites to finish. What? I must savour it! Creamy, smooth and rich, it's quite difficult to actually finish this in 1 bite because of its size.

One Lovely Bite Cheesecake

The Caramel Macchiato (SGD $6.70) is decent, fragrant, but not too strong. The Latte Adagio (SGD $6) is fragrant as well, but has a more complex flavour from the blend of 4 types of coffee beans.

Caramel Macchiato

Latte Adagio

The aptly named Cheese Omelette With A Difference (SGD $18) is really unique. I liked the soft, fluffy eggs and the fresh salad and spinach. The potato wedges were well cooked and slightly enhanced with herbs. But the use of feta cheese gave the overall dish a pungent odor, and unless you really like stinky cheese, stay away from this. Even though I like stinky cheese, the smell made the whole dish rather unappetizing.

Cheese Omelette With A Difference 01

Cheese Omelette With A Difference 02

The traditional French pastry known as a Dacquoise, here called the French Kiss Dacquoise (SGD $3.50), is a very sweet and rich dessert pastry. It consists of almond and hazelnut meringue with buttercream, between crisp wafers.

French Kiss Dacquoise

Almost similar in style to other cinnamon buns, however, the Sweet Cinnamon Bun (SGD $3.20) has flaky buttery pastry instead of chewy bread dough. The cinnamon is layered in swirls within the pastry, making each bite a sweet mouthful.

Sweet Cinnamon Bun

The Milky Almond Cubic (SGD $3.80) has a hollow center, and all its walls are layered with a smooth, sweet almond infused milk spread.

Milky Almond Cubic

The Korean Bulgogi Sandwich (SGD $6) features tender strips of beef bulgogi, marinated in a savoury sweet sauce, along with lettuce, king trumpet mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes, sandwiched between 2 round, soft, fluffy buns, like a burger. As the flavour is slightly more sweet, instead of being savoury salty, I find this be decent at best.

Korean Bulgogi Sandwich 01

Korean Bulgogi Sandwich 02

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