Authentic, Home Cooked Filipino Comfort Food

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





Established in 1994, Kabayan Filipino Restaurant is among the stalwarts of Filipino cuisine in Singapore, having held its own since the beginning. Operating as part of the Kabayan group, which includes Kabayan Travel and Kabayan Remittance, Kabayan Filipino Restaurant is among the best places for Filipino food in Singapore, and the go to place for those yearning for authentic, tasty recipes from home in the Philippines.

Ambience at Kabayan Filipino Restaurant is similar to a casual cafeteria / food court, but cleaner and more well ventilated. The interior is spacious, but tables are packed quite closely together to maximise seating. I like that furniture is comfortable and sturdy, and the smell of food doesn't linger in the air. The main drawback for me is the dim, low lighting, which makes the place look darker than it should.

Service at Kabayan Filipino Restaurant is self-service, cafeteria style. Diners queue up, order from a menu or the large display case, make payment, collect the order, then collect utensils. Still, the staff at Kabayan Filipino Restaurant are very friendly, and most can understand simple English, so ordering isn't a problem. I like that staff are efficient and quick at clearing tables. Kabayan Filipino Restaurant also boasts a small in-house bakery which produces authentic Filipino desserts from various regions in the Philippines.

Prices at Kabayan Filipino Restaurant are very affordable, considering its location in Orchard Road, Lucky Plaza mall. A typical budget meal of rice with 2 dishes costs SGD $4.50 + per person, while a short-order meal from the menu costs about SGD $6.50 + per person. Desserts average about SGD $4 each. Portions sizes for meals are sufficient for 1 person, though desserts portions are large enough to be shared by 2 people.

Food at Kabayan Filipino Restaurant is prepared according to authentic Filipino recipes, by chefs who have worked in various restaurants in the Philippines. The result is rustic, home cooked style Filipino comfort food that is tasty and delicious, with each mouthful packing delightful flavour. The variety of food options at Kabayan Filipino Restaurant is extensive, drawing inspiration from various street food, and regional food around the Philippines.

The thing about cuisine from the Philippines, is the unashamedly intense taste (sweet, sour, salty) and texture (oily, crispy, tender) of each dish. Known for their bold tasting dishes, Filipino food is neither subtle or balanced, thus, may not appeal to everyone. The best way to consume Filipino food is by pairing dishes, such as sweet and salty, or by pairing with plain white rice.





The place doesn't look like much, but fits with the theme of rustic home cooking, casual and comfortable. The majority of diners here are from the Philippines, which lend credibility to their dishes. They also provide catering for events.

Kabayan Filipino Restaurant Signage

Kabayan Filipino Restaurant Seating

Tapsilog (SGD $6.50) is the Philippines portmanteau of Tapa, Sinangag, and Itlog (Fried Sunny Side Up Egg), served with a side of Atchara (Pickled Payapa Salad), and fresh cucumbers and tomato slices. A one-dish meal usually consumed for breakfast in the Philippines, here it's served only for lunch and dinner, with the portion size being rather large. The salad, with its sour tangy taste, makes a nice foil to cut through the savoury taste of the meat.

Tapsilog 01

Tapsilog 02

Tapa refers to Filipino dried meat cured with salt. Beef Tapa (SGD $3) is the most common version of Tapa, typically served fried or grilled. The Beef Tapa here is tasty and flavourful, I daresay among the most intense meaty taste I've ever had, even while I was in Manila! Not overly dry, salty, or stringy, the beef tears apart easily. Very good!

Tapa Beef

The deceptively plain-looking but fragrant Sinangag (SGD $3), or Garlic Fried Rice, has a strong but pleasant aroma that hits you when served. The rice grains are nicely fried with an even coating of the garlic flavour, albeit slightly oily. Rather sinful, but so addictive you can't stop eating it!

Sinangag Garlic Fried Rice

Considered the national dessert of the Philippines, Halo-Halo (SGD $3.90), or 'Mix-Mix', consists of a mixture of shaved ice and coloured sugar syrup, topped with a variety of ingredients. Here, the garnishes include kidney beans, plantains, sweet potato, attap seeds, gulaman seaweed jelly, purple yam / taro ice cream, and coconut milk. The name of this iconic and much loved dessert is pronounced 'Hello-Hello', and it's similar in style to the Chendol dessert of Singapore and Malaysia.

Halo-Halo 01

Halo-Halo 02

The Budget Plate, also called the Turo Turo Plate (SGD $4.50), consists of plain white rice, with 2 dishes of your choice. 'Turo Turo', which means 'Point Point', is similar in concept to an economical rice stall, where you point to indicate which dish you want. Choose from about 20 or so traditional, classic Filipino dishes, with premium items costing slightly more. For an affordably low price of SGD $4.50 per plate, the portion size is sufficient for one, and it's the default option for many diners here!

Turo Turo Plate 01

Turo Turo Plate 02

Adobo Pork (SGD $2) is made by slow braising / stewing pork belly in a sauce of pepper, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce and bay leaves. The result is tender, soft, and fragrant meat, that is both salty and savoury. This national dish of the Philippines is best eaten with plain white rice. The version here is very oily though, I typically allow the oil to drip off first before eating it.

Adobo Pork

A popular and common Filipino Chinese fusion dish, Chop Suey Guisado (SGD $2) consists of a medley of vegetables, stir fried together with either meat or seafood. The version here includes spinach, button mushroom, onions, bell peppers / capsicum, cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage, stir fried in oyster sauce, with prawns, fish cake, and a small amount of pork liver. The vegetables are fresh, tasty, and clean, plus the overall dish isn't too oily. But it's slightly let down by the use of frozen prawns. The use of pork liver though, surprised me, as it lent an earthy taste to the vegetables.

Chop Suey Guisado

Sinigang Pork (SGD $2) is a popular Filipino stew that derives its signature sour flavour from tamarind. Whilst commonly eaten by locals of the Philippines, it's an acquired taste for Singaporeans, being more sour than anything in Singaporean cuisine. I quite like it though! The pork ribs within the soup are soft and tender, with the meat coming off the bone easily. The vegetables, which include tomato, onions, eggplant, string beans, and white daikon radish, are fresh, and super soft. Best eaten with plain white rice!

Sinigang Pork

The people of the Philippines love their pork, with a large majority of their food revolving around it! A hot item with the Filipinos here is the Lechon Kawali Roast Pork Belly (SGD $4), it features a crisp crackling / skin, that shatters when bit. However, I find the meat to be very dry. In a Singaporean context, this dish is average at best, you can easily get better Chinese roast pork from a Cantonese roast meat stall. I've tasted better renditions in Manila too. Probably the weakest dish available here, skip this!

Lechon Kawali Roast Pork Belly

Kalamay Malagkit Ube (SGD $2) is a popular dessert in the Philippines. 'Kalamay Malagkit' refers to a glutinous rice pudding cooked in a banana leaf with sugar and coconut milk, while 'Ube' refers to a purple yam / taro. The yam / taro is grated, and combined with the sweet sticky rice to form a soft, but firm textured cake / pudding. Vanilla is sometimes added to the sticky rice for flavour, and the final dessert is usually garnished with fried coconut flakes.

Kalamay Malagkit Ube 01

Kalamay Malagkit Ube 02

Another one-dish meal usually consumed for breakfast in the Philippines, Tosilog (SGD $6.50) is the Philippines portmanteau of Tocino, Sinangag, and Itlog (Fried Sunny Side Up Egg), served with a side of Atchara (Pickled Payapa Salad), and fresh cucumbers and tomato slices. This dish is a sinful, guilty delight, being rather oily, but also very flavourful.

Tosilog 01

Tosilog 02

Tocino refers to Filipino style bacon, made by curing pork loin meat or pork belly in a mixture of water, salt, sugar, annatto seeds, and aniseed. This results in Tocino Pork (SGD $3) having a slightly sweet and tart flavour, alongside its savoury taste and firm texture. Less salty than regular bacon, it's almost similar to Chinese style Bak Kwa, only with a sweet taste at the front, and a thicker, meaty texture.

Tocino Pork

Atchara Pickled Papaya Salad (SGD $0.50) is usually served as an appetizer or as a side dish to a meal. Made with unripe green papaya, bell peppers / capsicum, onions, carrots and garlic, the mixture of vegetables is then pickled in a solution of vinegar, sugar, and salt. Although every region in the Philippines has its own version, the flavour of this salad is generally tart, sour, and refreshing. Best served when accompanying fried or oily foods, the salad lends a burst of crunchy freshness, and relives the heaviness of the oil.

Atchara Pickled Papaya Salad

Silog is the Philippines portmanteau of Sinangag and Itlog (Fried Sunny Side Up Egg), and can be added on to almost any main dish (meat or seafood), to create a one-dish meal.

Silog

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Good to watch out for these and plan ahead!





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Opening Hours:
Daily 10am - 10pm

Admission Fees (In SGD $):
Free / Ticket Prices Variable

Estimated Visiting Duration:
1 - 3 Hours

List Of Star Attractions (Must See):
But Is The Book Better?
Frame X Frame
Cita
The Alphabet Series
F.ART By J
Modern Day Slavery Film Forum & The Day My God Died
Celebrate Drama! 2014 - YOUth Take On Local Literature

List Of Main Attractions (Good To See):
Print Gallery
Film Gallery
Chamber
Milestone Exhibition
Living With...
World Lit
New Word Order

List Of Other Attractions (For A Complete Experience):
Arts House At The Old Parliament Exterior & Surroundings
Open Gallery
Council Room
Living Room
Box Office
Blue Room
Screening Room








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The former seat of Singapore government in the 1960s to 1990s, the Arts House At The Old Parliament is a literary and visual arts centre that showcases both Singaporean and international writers and artists. Arts House At The Old Parliament was established in 2004, and explores a variety of art disciplines such as dance, film, music, written, and visual art, all via a rotating schedule of programmes. There's always something new at the Arts House At The Old Parliament every month!

Like most other government buildings built in the 1850s, the Arts House At The Old Parliament is designed in the Victorian Revivalism style of architecture. The majority of corridors here have been converted into various galleries / exhibition halls, such as the Open Gallery, Print Gallery, Film Gallery, and Milestone Exhibition. These galleries showcase various artworks, or the history of the Arts House At The Old Parliament, or Singaporeans that helped in the development of the nation.

The Arts House At The Old Parliament has several regular, ongoing series. They include; But Is The Book Better? which debates the merit of print-to-screen adaptations; Cita, which examines Malay literature and art in Singapore; and The Alphabet Series, comprising 26 music recitals over 5 years, each themed around a letter of the alphabet.

During my visit, the ongoing series was the Modern Day Slavery Film Forum, a series of films that give insight into the current state of human trafficking in the modern day slave trade worldwide. One of these films, The Day My God Died, is a sobering, thought provoking documentary into the slave trade in India and Nepal, with several scenes filmed using spy camera technology.

If you're planning a visit to the Arts House At The Old Parliament, do allocate between 1 - 3 hours for viewing if you're attending one or more programmes. General viewing will take less than 1 hour, and admission is free. Ticket prices to the art programmes varies. On weekends, there tend to be more scheduled programmes at the Arts House At The Old Parliament, making it the best time to visit.


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Victoria Theatre And Concert Hall
11 Empress Place

http://www.vtvch.com/


Opening Hours:
Daily 10am - 9pm

Admission Fees (In SGD $):
Free / Ticket Prices Variable

Estimated Visiting Duration:
1 - 2 Hours

List Of Star Attractions (Must See):
Concert Hall Interior
Theatre Interior
Clock Tower & Bell
Singapore Symphony Orchestra

List Of Main Attractions (Good To See):
Atrium
Circle
Busts
Stairwells
Exhibition Gallery

List Of Other Attractions (For A Complete Experience):
Victoria Theatre And Concert Hall Exterior & Surroundings
Dance Studio
Music Studio


Grand Dame Of The Singapore Arts Scene


(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Visited: Jul-2014


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After a 4 year renovation, Victoria Theatre And Concert Hall reopened its doors to the public in July 2014. Home to the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO), the Victoria Theatre And Concert Hall is a complex of 2 buildings, a theatre, and a concert hall, joined by a clock tower in the middle. Named in memory of Queen Victoria, the Victoria Theatre And Concert Hall is an iconic landmark in both Singapore's history, and its skyline.

Unless you're attending a performance here, there's actually very little to do at the Victoria Theatre And Concert Hall, beyond looking at the architecture of the place. The Victoria Theatre And Concert Hall was among the first buildings in Singapore constructed in the Victorian Revivalism style of architecture, giving it a distinctive facade. With high ceilings and wide corridors, framed by pillars, the awe inspiring sense of space if evident. The style is also seen in the use of arches in stairwells, as well as windows which let in natural sunlight.

The Clock Tower & Bell was restored by the original London manufacturer, Gillett & Johnston, and still chimes every 15 minutes. Its 4 face dial is capped by a bell turret and a cupola. The acoustics in both the Theatre, and Concert Hall, have been significantly improved, but at the cost of some seat capacity. The hope is that the reduced capacity and improved acoustics will lead to greater audience satisfaction at performances.

For the time being, a small exhibition on the history of the Victoria Theatre And Concert Hall is held here. It traces the various milestones of the Victoria Theatre And Concert Hall, and its use during the formative years of Singapore. The Atrium is now air-conditioned, and can be used as another arts space of events, performances or simply mingling.

If you're planning a visit to the Victoria Theatre And Concert Hall, do allocate between 1 - 2 hours for performances, and less than 30 minutes for general viewing. Unless it's an open house, the Clock Tower & Bell, Theatre Interior, and Concert Hall Interior are usually off limits to the public, and will be closed off. Admission for general viewing is free, and photography is allowed.


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Creating Memories

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 9
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 9 or 3
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $35 per person.





Operating under the umbrella of the Neo Group Limited, Orange Clove Catering is their mid-range to high end premium catering option. As a Halal certified caterer, Orange Clove Catering is known for their expansive international menu, ability to cater for a small group of 15 to large groups of 10,000, as well as their one chef one dish approach. Furthermore, they are able to provide a theme / ambience of your choice! As a premium caterer, they're not the cheapest option around, but selecting Orange Clove Catering is value for money for the quality you receive!

As a caterer, Orange Clove Catering doesn't have in store ambience. But unlike other caterers, Orange Clove Catering provides a wide range of themes for events, setting up the decor and atmosphere of your choice. They are able to provide themes for weddings, corporate seminars, sit down meals, cocktail receptions, birthdays, themed parties, baby showers, dinner & dance, product launches, and family carnivals. Orange Clove Catering even provides for yatch catering, and live stations!

Service from Orange Clove Catering staff is inconsistent. I had the most impressive service the 1st time, as staff were timely with delivey and clearing, efficient in setting up and tearing down. They were also friendly and professional, and we wrote in a compliment for them. The 2nd time however, we had terrible service, where an understaffed crew took over 1 hour to clear the logistics, kept forgetting items, and worse, broke the drink dispenser, causing it to leak all over their tables, leading us to write in a complaint.

Staff over at Orange Clove Catering headquarters make it easy to decide on the menu with their solid recommendations. Most impressive is their commitment to a one chef one dish approach, which means each chef specialises in only 1 main dish! Depending on your event, prices can vary from SGD $14 - $70 per person, usually with a minimum of 15 - 30 people.

Orange Clove Catering has a wide range of international cuisine on their menu, including Singaporean, American, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Japanese, British, Italian, French, Rotisserie, and more. I find quality of food to be rather consisent across events, though sometimes there is a noticeable drop in quality if you order out of season items. Generally, Orange Clove Catering food is very tasty, well prepared, and delicious, though somewhat oily. Ask staff for recommendations on dishes, you'll notice people tend to go for certain items on their menu!





I feel the they are one of the best mid-range to high end caterers around!

Orange Clove Catering Contact

For each event, there is usually a selection of items catered. A typical full day seminar package may have 18 or so dishes, costing about SGD $35 per person, while a one time meal drop off may have 8 or so dishes, costing about SGD $17 per person.

Selection Of Catered Items 01

Selection Of Catered Items 02

Selection Of Catered Items 03

Selection Of Catered Items 04

In particular, I like their Baked Nonya Chicken, and Yam Ring With Prawn! The Baked Nonya Chicken is meaty and moist, not dry, with the outer layer marinated in a mixture of spices. Very savoury, slightly spicy, totally delicious! The Baked Yam Ring With Prawn is rather interesting, being more like a tube than a ring in shape though. Texture is crisp outside, with a soft inside, full yam flavour, and a few bits of fresh prawns within.

Baked Nonya Chicken & Yam Ring With Prawn

Their Mini Cream Puffs are very good, among some of the best cream puffs I've eaten! The filling is light, not overly sweet, and the pastry is soft and light. Excellent!

Mini Cream Puffs

The Ice Jelly With Cocktail is pretty decent, with a slightly thicker, thus sweeter, syrup, as compared to the watered-down version you might get elsewhere. Can't go too wrong with this, as the fruit cocktail is the canned variety. But the jelly is firm, with the right amount of slippery texture, very good!

Ice Jelly With Cocktail

The interior of the Mini Blueberry Muffins is hollow, containing only 2 blueberries and blueberry sauce / jam. What makes it stand out for me is the vanilla infused muffin exterior, with its perfectly buttered, perfectly crumbled texture.

Mini Blueberry Muffins

Mini Blueberry Muffins Cross Section

I felt the Chicken Ngo Hiang was average, nothing too remarkable about it. But the Deep Fried Gyoza is among the best I've tried in Singapore, with its crisp fried skin, juicy and savoury meat filling that is packed with taste. Highly recommended!

Deep Fried Gyoza & Chicken Ngo Hiang 01

Deep Fried Gyoza & Chicken Ngo Hiang 02

The Crispy Spring Rolls weren't good, as they got soggy and less crisp the longer they were left out. But I loved the Crispy Mini Curry Puffs, these were very well made, with a good amount of filling that has a nice balance of savoury and spicy. Highly recommended as well!

Crispy Mini Curry Puffs & Crispy Spring Rolls