Tag: buona vista

New Menu at Paddy Hills [South Buona Vista Road]

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We were here to try the new ‘Daytime Eats’ selection at Paddy Hills. Here is a disclaimer, the menu at Paddy Hills is different during the day and night, so whatever you see in this post might not be available if you are having dinner.

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From left: Taste Like Purple ($8), Orange Sky ($8) and Bubbly Yuzu ($8). These three quenchers are as pretty as a picture! I did not fancy the Autumn Iced Tea ($8), so it is not pictured here. If you are feeling a bit daring, go for the Beer Slushie ($12)!

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The two sides we had were the Prawn Paste Wings (foreground) and Drunken Pig (background); both cost $15. The wings, which are a zichar staple, were finger licking good. The homemade sambal belachan and calamansi that accompanied the dish helped to intensify the flavours. As for the pork collar dish, it was served with nam jim, which is a Thai dipping sauce, a surprising medley of salty, sweet, spicy and sour.

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The Pink Rigatoni ($25) is one lovely dish. The pasta came with cacio e pepe (which means cheese and pepper), mentaiko, Brazilian sausage and lardo. This may be a trying food item for people with Trypophobia, but this Italian style mac & cheese is worth it!

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Spanish Tapas and Parrilla at UNA @ One Rochester

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Hidden in lush foliage at One Rochester is a beautiful Spanish restaurant called UNA. The restaurant opened its doors in April 2014 and is famous for its Spanish cuisine and aesthetically pleasant al fresco dining area. Executive Chef Antonio Oviedo, who has worked under two Three Michelin-starred chefs, uses only fresh, seasonal ingredients to showcase the best flavours of Spain.

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Tapas and Parrilla

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We tried a variety of the Spanish appetisers and grilled meats. The first two being Croquetas De Jamon Iberico ($14 for four pieces), which translates to creamy Iberico ham croquettes, and Encurtidos ($10). The latter consists of Gordal and Cornicabra olives with Piparra peppers. I enjoyed the classic combination of bechamel sauce with ham, which is then rolled in breadcrumbs and fried. It went well with the peppers, which added a bit of spice to the creaminess.

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Fideua De Calamares ($20). The fideua is seafood dish originally from the coasts of Valencia, which is similar to paella, but it uses vermicelli-like noodles as an alternative to rice. So here we have a pan of squid ink Spanish noodles paella, which is topped with crispy calamari. The noodles is a great substitute for rice as a staple food.

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Next, we had something healthier, which is Ensalada De Verano ($24). The heirloom cherry tomatoes salad is served with charred cucumbers and fresh Burrata cheese. Initially, we had no idea what the smokey and scorched bits were until we read the menu. It is a refreshing topping to the salad! The Burrata was fresh cheese at its best!

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Eyebrow Enliven at HighBrow @ The Star Vista

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I must state up front that eyebrow embroidery had never crossed my mind. The reason why I made a trip down to HighBrow in the first place was actually for their Eye Define ($500, semi-permanent eyeliner) because anyone who knows me know that I can do without any form of makeup but eyeliner, which is what I did for this session.

However, when I got there and talked about how I wanted the eyeliner to be drawn, which was thick with a wing at the end, Creative Director Andy told me that he would not recommend that as he did not want to risk tattooing my eyelids. Another reason he gave why my eyes are not suitable for Eye Define is because I have single eyelids and the the effect would not be as obvious. Similarly, that is the reason why I usually draw my eyeliner thick as anything less would not be visible.

After much discussion, we deliberated about trying out Eyebrow Enliven ($878, inclusive of one touch up and aftercare) instead. He drew on one of my eyebrows to show me how it would look like. The effect was instantaneous!


My natural eyebrows are sparse, as you can see from the picture above. And I really liked how it looked after Andy had drawn it. He also explained about the shape he had chosen for me. He drew it not as arched because my face is on the long side, so a distinct arch would make it look longer and a flatter brow would be more flattering on me.

By the way, not related to my eyebrows at all, but I noticed that my soft rebonding is quickly wearing out and my ends are starting to curl again. Not sure if this is the norm.

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Baba Wins’ Peranakan Cuisine @ Star Vista

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I always knew that there was a Peranakan restaurant in Star Vista. In fact, I had walked past it a few times. However, I was usually alone or with people who were not in the mood for Peranakan, hence I had never tried it. This time around, sis and I specially went there just to try Baba Win’s Peranakan Cuisine to see how it fared.

Do not expect much in terms of scale of the restaurant. It is a small and cozy place, seating less than 20. And in spite of the recommendations on the wall, sis and I ordered what we felt like eating.

Nyonya Chap Chye ($10). For my sis, no Peranakan meal is complete without this dish. This is a popular Nyonya dish of mixed vegetables stewed in a Penang-Peranakan recipe of tauju gravy. It was a harmonious combination of vegetables bringing out the flavour of fermented bean paste.

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[Newly Opened] Tête-à-Tête Cafe @ Biopolis, Buona Vista

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So glad that there are more cafes opening in the west and Biopolis seems to be a hub for cafes! Tête-à-Tête Cafe is located at Nucleos, one of buildings in the cluster, just a few feet away from Curbside Cafe & Wine Bar. The cafe is really spacious and offers great photo-taking opportunities with its full-length windows.

As I entered the cafe, my eyes were first drawn to the beautiful display of desserts at the entrance, then to the classy and timeless black and white decor.

The staff was very patient with us and took some time to explain the individual desserts. Honestly, that made it more difficult for us to decide what to order as everything sounded so good.

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PastAmore Italian Restaurant @ Rochester Mall

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My mum found a hidden gem at Rochester Mall! She loves Italian food and her love deepened after her recent trip to Italy. Hence, she was very happy when she came across PastAmore accidentally.

The restaurant is tucked into a corner at the far side of the mall, right beside Starbucks and diagonally from Pies & Coffee. Honestly, I would not have thought that there would be anything there! That would also explain why the restaurant was pretty quiet.

You can choose from both indoor and al fresco seating. It is actually rather romantic to dine outside during the night as the area is quite breezy and cooling. I really enjoyed the ambiance here.

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Flock Cafe @ Ghim Moh (Media Tasting)

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I knew that Flock Cafe had opened an outlet in Ghim Moh, which is just a stone’s throw away from my house, but I had never paid them a visit. Little did I know that the cafe is just opposite the hawker centre that my parents like to frequent on weekends.

The cafe is spacious and did I mention how much I love white walls and tables? Great for taking pictures and it brightens up the whole interior. The menu is written on a huge chalkboard spanning the wall near the entrance. Flock serves coffee, all-day breakfast, main courses, pastas and desserts.

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