Robert Timms

I have been seeing this name on the shelves of supermarkets for some time now, since I started shopping for my own groceries.

I am not a coffee drinker, so when I do get the occasional cuppa cafe, I want to drink better ones. I have been frequenting Oriole Cafe & Bar that was recommended by ieatishootipost a long time ago, and even attempt to bring friends there if they ask me where I want to go (but they tend to turn the place down because it is more pricey, and has a lack of vegetarian dishes).

However, Oriole seems to have become a bit too popular and noisy for my liking. In addition, the very poor service is just still not making sense to me.

So the other day, I spotted this new cafe a tiny walk away from Oriole, and tadaa! It's my second time in there now, and I intend to go back to try other dishes.

Okay, so the first thing I ordered was my drink. It's Ginger Herbal Tea, at $7.

I was surprised at the way this is being served even though the menu "forewarned" that it comes in a pot. haha. My idea of a pot is well, literally an English teapot.

It makes me want to buy this!

I have been thinking of buying a pot like this for a few years now, but never really saw the point of it in my house, so I've been procrastinating since.

And I love transparent cups.

I realise I didn't photograph the tea in the cup. haha.

The taste of the tea was good, I will not say great because I feel that Chinese tea always have better tastes. Please don't tell me about comparing apples with oranges, because Ginger Herbal tea exists in Chinese tea culture. I can even make my own.

I think the ginger taste here is on the mild side, but nevertheless detectable, because English customers are not into taking really strong ginger flavour. I like the extremely strong and "hot" taste that Indian Teh Halia has.

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Next, it's my food, and I ordered Kangaroo meat.

Yes, it's Kangaroo meat. It's so exotic that I just had to order it.

What can I say? It's nice!

I love the presentation, I love the buttery taste of the biscuits, I love the small caramelised purple onions, I love the soft and tender, yet still springy kangaroo meat.

That's kangaroo meat for you.

It doesn't tastes like lamb, not like deer, not like beef, much less like pork. It's just special, has a different taste from all the other common meats I've eaten before.

So it's definitely worth your trip here should you require a cup of coffee, a different taste, and a place for celebration. Or maybe, like me, just a deserted place to chill. =)

Rating: 10/10
Yes, so far, the service has been great, and so are drinks and food. Read more "Robert Timms..."

Bakerzin The Moon Rabbits Truffle Snow Skin Mooncakes

Food is never just food in modern Singapore. I admit that I am attracted to packaging, provided the food is good. And alas, I found that Bakerzin's Truffle Snow Skin mooncakes are nice!

This year, Bakerzin's mooncake comes in good quality plastic bags of pink, orange and yellow, with beautiful rabbit printed on it. I was so attracted because of the rabbit. I like rabbit signs, because I think they have a special meaning for me.

In addition, the rabbit theme goes down to being embossed on the mooncake itself. What more can I ask for?

The bag that I actually bought.

The silver foil keep-warm bag that is equally attractive.

Oh my gosh! This drawer, I could reuse it to put my makeup or stationery. I am already using it on my study table.

The rabbit-embossed mooncakes in 4 flavours, two of each.

Rabbits, close-up.

The deal is sweeter, because there is discount for all DBS/POSB card members. At $41.75, I really feel as though I am just buying a bag.

I have opened, cut, and eaten the mooncakes, because I was told they would not last more than two weeks. I thought I cannot finish them, but I feel I can, because they are so small! I cut each of them into eighths, and take a small nibble when I need a sweet treat.

Not wanting to overeat these things, I have also used it as an excuse to invite family and friends over for a tea! Love it. (Now that I am living away from my family, I really feel a real need to be socially active. Otherwise, I think I will go crazy from loneliness.)

PS: I am already planning to get the black and gold durian mooncake. On my plans since last year!

Read more "Bakerzin The Moon Rabbits Truffle Snow Skin Mooncakes..."

Cocoa Green Tea

I think this blog may come to a new phase in life, just as I have come to a new phase in my real life. You may not see as much reviews of "outside" food as you like anymore.

Sometimes, reality sets in, and instead of eating out all day and going back when I feel I need a food break (from "outside" food to homecooked), I have to report home everyday, and provide for others in the house. And that's when the place is called home.

Nevertheless, the basis of my blog is still the same, Sweetly Nice. I stand by eating good, eating well, to feel good and look good. Be it "outside" food or homemade, I will not forget that this blog stems from Positively Nice, which is written with the mentality to share anything that makes you feel and look good. Only difference? Sweetly Nice is about food. Food I eat, recipes, all the edibles.

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What I wish to share today is from a book I have been trying to devour, because it is much thicker, and heavier in hard knowledge than Harry Potter 7. I am presenting my concoction of an antioxidant drink from the book, Full Life Repair Kit - How to undo the damage already done, and keep you sailing on for many years to come, published by Reader's Digest.

Cocoa Green Tea

On page 120, under Choice 1, to "Make more than half of your diet beans, fruits, and vegetables", it say, "just 100g serving of dark chocolate significantly inhibited platelet aggregation, a measure of blood-clotting potential -whereas white or milk chocolate had no effect". Then it suggests, "pair your chocolate with the right red wine or a steaming cup of tea for even more phytochemical prowess". Phytochemicals is the collective term given to thousands of beneficial compounds, including antioxidants.



That's how I was inspired to make the following drink for my post-workout drink.

Large enough cup/mug (preferably tall)

1 green tea bag (I use Pokka Sencha.)

1 tsp cocoa powder (I use Vanhoutten.)

1 long enough spoon to stir

Boililng water

The ingredients.

Simply put the tea bag in the cup together with 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder, pour in the boiling water, stir to dissolve cocoa powder, and get the tea taste, wait for it to cool a bit and drink.

The end product.

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PS: I think that I have never posted openly what I have really been doing, so many may not understand my lifestyle, and where I am coming from. As such, I hope to provide some background information that will fill the gap to this article.

My BMI has been at as high as 30 - 32 before. I am now at 20, which for a non-bodybuilder, this does falls perfectly into the healthy range. I am not aiming to be underweight, even though I have dropped to 17.5. I know, I know, it's horrid, it's bad, and I can swear and tell you the story of how bad it is. All I hope for now, at this stage in life, is to achieve what the title of this book advocates, a Full Life. I need my lifestyle to be sustainable, because I also know what it feels like to have BMI way up there. So I am now in the process of building this sustainability. It will involve a lot of changes, and you may find contradiction here and there because of change. I ask for understanding on this.

The routine now, is to basically move around everyday. 20 min strength (weights) training, followed by 30 min aerobic, and 10 min stretching.

On top of that, I have successfully cut all sugared drinks 7 years ago. I have started eating vegeatbles 7 years ago. I have started eating REAL food 3 years ago. I feel I am now in the phase of eating GOOD food, rather than just REAL food. This means superfoods, food that give maximum nutrient in minimum calories. They are things like strawberries, brocolli, almonds/walnuts, wholegrains. Definitely, this goes down to dark chocolate and green tea, which brings us to back to the point of this article. Why Cocoa? Why Green Tea? Why Hot not iced?

Now that I have answered the food part, I will turn to the point of post-workout drink. Basically, this drink can come in anytime of the day. Good for breakfast, good for tea-time. But I'd just like to add that, after a good workout, we need water, water, and more water. (In another book, it says 4 glasses. Personally, I can only swallow 2.) Followed by good protein, like chicken breast, milk, yoghurt.

P/S/S: I am not sure who else out there is on the same page as me right now. I do feel like a lot of things I say is pointless. But if you are in the same phase of life as I am, you would have seen everything I say a dozen times already. In fact, I think I have read 75% of this book elsewhere, but in bits and pieces. The thing about this book, is that it does not only gives me information. It gives me Scientific backing, loads of it (this is the 25% I don't know). And it structures EVERYTHING in one book. I dare say, it's the single most advanced and comprehensive life wellness book, including tests. It builds you from your past to your future. It is idiot-proof.

***I paid for everything I have mentioned here.***

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Sakura International Buffet @ Dhoby Ghuat + My Day Out

This is the second time I am dining at Sakura International, even though I have heard lots of good things about this buffet place.

I had my first time at Safra Tampines's branch, and it wasn't as good enough to make me want to go back. However, this time, it is an invitation by my brother to spend lunch time with him, and is to go to a different branch, at which he thinks will fair well in my books.

I also agreed to give Sakura another chance, because I have not eaten Japanese, nono, I mean I have not eaten LOADS of Japanese food for a while now. hahaha. I really, really like Japanese cuisine, and will always be game for a day out to go Jap.

I am not a buffet person though, as I can never make the amount of food I eat quite match up to the cost. LOL.

I am so glad I took time and calories on this as Dhoby Ghuat branch really changed my impression of the Sakura Internation Buffet! Read on to find out... ... (invitation by bro to spend lunch with him, but I paid my share alright. haha. We are both students... ...)

Sakura International Buffet @ Dhoby Ghuat

Picture courtesy of Suki Group of Restaurants

Location
One other reason I agreed to go out for lunch was because I find that this particular branch of Sakura is exceptionally accessible. The others I know of are all at some far flung places not within reach from school or home. This Dhoby Ghaut one is centralized and looks like a city garden, reminding me of Fish & Co. glasshouse branch. =) I like the tranquil there.

Mode of Operation
At Sakura, all the diners will pay first, then be led to a table, where you get 4 tiny number clips. The number clips are for clipping onto a stand, to indicate which cooked food you'd like to be served, like Shishamo, Skewered Squid, Grilled Squid etc.

As buffets are, the rest are all self-service, with tissue and cutlery pre-arranged on the tables.

The bill for two was a standard $51.60 for two adults.

Food

Scallops, mussels and kueh pie tee.

I went for this first, which were found at the back of the restaurant, opposite the Sakura Desserts shelves. I really love mussels! haha. And the kueh pie tee is DIY, so you can choose to load your tiny cup full of fresh prawns, or do it the standard way of filling the bottom with bang guang, then eggs, a bit of chili and the prawn on top to make it look nice, like I did. =)

The scallops are not as fresh as I'd like them, but the mussels are pretty good, and the kueh pie tee is worth your calorie and stomach space too! That prawn on the kueh pie tee is really tender and fresh. =)

Mentai sauce (salmon eggs & mayo mix) mussels, crab, oyster, yakitori, and tempura prawns.

I like the mentai sauce from Sakura! The crab meat and oyster are both mixed with flour batter and placed back into the shells. The crab tastes good, but I don't like the oyster. The flour will make you fill full faster, and waste your calories, so I'd say limit your intake of things like these and the tempura... ...

The prawn of the tempura is good, but the tempura batter is tasteless.

The yakitori is not bad! My brother likes it.

Salmon sashimi!

This is what we really came for! hahaha. Yup, both of us really like salmon sashimi a lot, and wanted to "kill" this. The other one, the swordfish sashimi is not that good.

At Safra Tampines, the sashimi wasn't really fresh. But I am glad to say that this is good! This one we got yesterday is pretty much as good as it gets in Singapore for the normal price. So eat more!

Lotus slices, mentai scallop, egg mayo, meat, mentai salmon and black fish egg sushi, seaweed.

I love the seaweed! The rest are okay. I think for the sushi, just choose those that you can't eat the meat separately, as the rice will be filling. And the rice here is not particularly delicious... ... It also doesn't has vinegar which I like.

Desserts and Fruits! Skewered mochi balls with azuki topping, mochi, white chocolate, kueh lapis, orange, pineapple, guava, longan and dragonfruit.

I like the spread of fruits that they have. I took the fruits before starting on the other foods, to aid digestion and try not to eat so much. hahaha.

Of the desserts, I don't think it's very worth it, except for the white chocolates! LOVE that. And go for the konyaku too, because konyaku jellies are zero calories food, but they do make you fill full. The cakes are nice. Go for the durian green tea one and the cheesecakes. Surprisingly, their cheesecake passes my standards.

Skewered squid.

Nice! This is really worth it. And having more of it will make your buffet very, very worth the $26.15. hahaha.

I like squids anyway. =)

Jing Yu.

I have forgotten the name of this fish in English. But this is good! It's one of those cooked foods where you clip the clips for.

Shishamo (Pregnant Fish)

GOod! You can eat the whole thing! This is my first time trying something like that out. My bro says that this is not the best, but I am satisfied that it is crispy, tasty, and reminds me of Kuning fish in Nasi Lemak.

Chicken Satay

This is good! The chicken is very tender, and definitely much much nicer than all the standard coffeeshops ones! Eat more, eat more.

Green Tea ice cream with peanuts chips.

I love this. My brother thinks it's nice too. Of all the ice creams, I think the durian is not bad, the sherbets are good. The rest are nice too, but you can get it outside.

Yoghurt Jelly

There are many of these packed jellies, or konyaku, as the Japanese know it, and I like them all! Feast on konyaku if you are a fan as well. These are not cheap outside, so it is another thing to make your buffet worth the money.

Drinks
There are hot drinks from the Nescafe vending machine, so you can get your hot cappaucino, milo, plain green tea, plain hot water there.

The cold drinks are pretty good too! With options such as Sjora in Mango Peach, Nestle Green Tea, Blackcurrent, Sakura's own Soya Bean Milk.

Not bad at all. I ended off the meal with the plain hot green tea. =)

Overall Rating: 8/10
I love the place, tranquil and good for a warm talk, sit down, relax, discussions. Plus really not bad food at such a great price. Can go back!

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We went to Comex for about 3-4 hours after food stroll, and then walked to Esplanade to take the bus home. Below are some pictures along the way.

Art display at Esplanade

Stage lights.

These are really working, but I thought they make good art in a photo. haha. Not sure if anyone appreciates my sense of style.

Digital boy skating.

Digital Lady Ballet.

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Just want to share with you a bit of hip hop dressing. haha, I went to watch Step Up 3 in 3D, and I must say, it's good! Real good in 3D. It's my best 3D movie so far. Up was rubbish. So was Avatar.

Step Up 3 is made for the 3D, so the director uses the effect and deliberately put in scenes that can be played up by 3D, making it a really good experience for viewers.

Hip hop. Baggy clothes, designer canvas shoes, a cap.

Read more "Sakura International Buffet @ Dhoby Ghuat + My Day Out..."

Mr Bean Singapore Swirl: Happy National Day!

I am quite a fan of Mr Bean's food because I find them all very reasonably priced for the quality. I even think that the best tang yuan comes from there, and also the best soya ice cream, and one of the best pineapple tarts, and best honeydew soy milk, best pancake (cheese, tuna and red bean), most balanced etc. haha, look how long my list is.

Recently, Mr Bean seemed to have realized that it has a loyal fan base of not just mature customers, but also young adults like myself. And to keep young people going, amidst competition from cafes like Starbucks and Coffee Bean, they also started doing periodic marketing, which is to churn out limited edition items one after another. Yes, VERY gimmicky. But we like it. haha.

So the latest, after I tried things like Rum & Raisin (OMG, this is sooooo good it should be added to the standard menu), next up is Singapore Swirl and Chocolate Coated Ice Cream.

Singapore Swirl

hahaha, for those of you who have seen the promotion card on the counters of Mr Bean, you'd exclaim that this totally doesn't looks like that in the picture at all! How very true!

I myself felt a little bit cheated as this is obviously just bandung water with something like two servings of the standard soya ice cream on top!

But okay. If you take this as a meal, it's still arguable okay. Since I really love that soya ice cream a lot.

Rating: 3.5/5
Not bad, not too sweet, and really, that ice cream is one of my favourite. And I hand it to the creator for thinking of such a simple way to celebrate National Day. Literally red and white. But feels a little bit cheated, you know, Mr Bean.

Chocolate Coated Ice Cream

Looks mad yummy right!

But the chocolate is not nice... so yup, still the normal one better. Skip the calories too.

Rating: 3.5/5
Don't like the chocolate.


Overall rating: 7/10
Sorry Mr Bean, I still love you, but really, the Singapore promo items are not nice. :( Total waste of calories you know... ... haha. Read more "Mr Bean Singapore Swirl: Happy National Day!..."

Ah Hock Fried Oyster Hougang - Sorry, I can't help writing this.

haha, this post is pretty simple... just a few liners... ...

Fried Oyster, $5.

The oyster is small and only counted 4. Not very well cook. Flour was also not of good taste.

I find that the or jian at Kopitiam are better... So no excuses for this.

Please don't bother about the accolades on the signboard. Probably just some gimmick because business has been going down, according to comments at ieatishootipost, over the years, from 2007.

Anyway, I learned something that day... ... Go for food with old signboards. These people are less commercialized and truly have been there for as long as I've lived, probably.

One example of the old signboard is a duck rice... ... But I didn't take photo of that duck... It's in the front row, right side.

BUT BUT BUT, please, that duck rice is still not nice. It's probably one of the better foods at Whompoa FC as my father says that it's quite impossible to battle the queue and get it during lunch time. But I swear that You Ji's one at every Koufu is BETTER! WOW, I really love You Kee's one... super good. The soup, to the yam rice, to the duck itself, and service at the stalls I visit often (Tampines, Toa Payoh).

Oyster rating: 3/10.
Sorry, FAIL. Don't waste your hard earned money on this so called extra, so called treat, as I understand that most people eat or jian on top of another main dish, or just order it as a "share-share" one. Go get a cheesecake, chocolate cake or muffin from McCafe! Read more "Ah Hock Fried Oyster Hougang - Sorry, I can't help writing this...."

DOME

Recently, I have grown a bit obsessed with the cakes from a cafe in Subang Parade called DOME. Found the best cheesecake ever there. =)

Here are just some of the food that I've tried:


Espreski RM18++

Honeycomb

Espreski is a range of drinks at DOME that is made of milk and ice cream, with shaved ice made of mineral water, and having cute chocolate things on top, such as Crunche Honeycomb, Nestle Chocolate frogs and such.

This, to my disappointment, isn't much to rave about. For its price, one can easily get ice cream-blended drinks of the same taste elsewhere. The part that I don't like about this range of drinks is the fact that whatever is placed on the dome of cream can be bought at supermarket at a much lower price.

Rating: 2.5/5
Overly-priced drink without a wow.

Chicken Foccacia with Avocado sauce RM22++

This is an extremely disappointing food, given that my hopes about the quality and taste of their main course grew so much over the week, after tasting their bakery products.

The bread is rather hard, although it tastes pretty good. I think it may be the type of bread (flat bread, foccacia, etc), rather than bad baking. I like the wedges, really crispy and tasty without being overly salted, in fact, I think they make their own wedges, because it feels rather bland.

However, the main part, the chicken, was so dry and hard, it tasted like cardboard, and I just couldn't finish it. I could find much wow in the avocado sauce spread on the bread as well.

Rating: 2.5/5
Kind of just liked the wedges. I would fail everything else, apart from the fact that this is a most healthy meal. Extremely healthy.

Meanwhile (while my handphone is down, and no pictures), I must say their Marble Cheesecake IS a clear winner in my pursuit of the best cheesecake. I swear it beats Hilton Hotel's, Bakerzin's, Ippudo's Japanese, McCafe, and light Cedele's one, ALL hands down. The way there is thought put into every corner of Dome's cheesecake is clear as crystal, and it not only made me want to take a second mouth, but want to try every single cake out of their bakery. The gap between Dome's bakery and others is so large that I'd gladly pay some RM13 for a slice. Superbly satisfying yet feels healthy. Strange. But no, don't trust my blinded judgment. Cake, by any measure can never be all that healthy, especially not if you eat one after a full meal everyday. Dome's is just too nice that I am blinded. haha. If you are a cheesecake fanatic like me, must try should you spot DOME in Malaysia.

And the other thing is the Heavenly Scones. Yes, they are heavenly. Extreme good since I first tasted scones at Nanyang Cafe. This must be the taste ieat talks about when he visited Europe. I am sure. This one, yes, I can say that it's a value for money, healthy and tasteful breakfast. Read more "DOME..."