afternoon tea
Showing posts with label afternoon tea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label afternoon tea. Show all posts

[Review] Weekend Teatime Classics at 10 @ Claymore (Pan Pacific Orchard, Singapore)


In Chinese tradition, the Lunar New Year lasts for 15 days. If you are looking for somewhere to catch up with your family and friends this February, why not meet for a casual afternoon high-tea? Not everyone has the same taste, so buffets are usually better in catering different individuals' preferences.

The Weekend Teatime Classics at 10 @ Claymore in Pan Pacific Orchard, Singapore is a brand new afternoon high-tea buffet, and offers a wide variety of dishes. From meat, seafood, vegetables, local delights to desserts, it is sure to please the young and old.

Veggies/ Tofu
For someone like me who likes my veggies, the Yong Tau Foo was certainly one of the highlights of the buffet. I especially loved the clear broth that went with the tofu and eggplant. Did you know that egg plant is super high in antioxidants?

I sometimes over-indulge in desserts at tea buffets and then regret later. But over-indulging in this dish certainly won't make me regret! :)


Noodles
If you have read my reviews before, you will know that while I don't mind having some spices, I just cannot take it. In Chinese, it's called 心有余,而力不足 (in English: the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak).

Hence, I would say that this Singapore Laksa was one of the best I have ever had. The broth was flavourful and the spice level was just right. Of course, if you like your chilli, just splash some on!


Don't miss the award-winning Peddlers' Famous Char Kway Teow either. There is good wok hei in this dish and (don't say I say) feel free to get your extra hums too. :)


Meat & Seafood
I have been to 10 @ Claymore several times, and their meats never disappoint. The USA Lamb is succulent, and one of the must-haves - especially if you are a carnivore.


I have friends who like to take lots of seafood to make their buffet more value-for-money. So if you are one of them, remember to get your Fresh Prawns too.


Dim Sum
Light bites are aplenty here, and it's nice to have a little Har Gao or Spring Roll while chatting with friends. 

I am not sure about you, but I dislike talking with my mouth full. Imagine a friend talking to you, but you cannot reply cos you are still busily chewing through a tough piece of beef. Damn sia suay (embarrassing), I tell you.


Desserts
What's a high-tea buffet without desserts? I would highly recommend the Homemade Charcoal Scones. It's not overly sweet and I love the dense (yet light) and crumbly texture. They certainly went well with the strawberry jam!


Overall
Overall, the Weekend Teatime Classics at 10 @ Claymore offers a good variety. The cosy ambience also makes it a great place for a nice slow catch up with family and friends.

Available on weekends from 12nn to 3pm at $48++ adults/ $24++ for children, it is also one of the most value-for-money high-tea buffets around in town. Go give it a try too and let us know how you rate it! :)
 


PS: We heard that the Chinese New Year Buffet Lunch and Dinner offered at 10 @ Claymore during this festive season is really good too. There are 5 varieties of Freshly-shucked Oysters (symbolising wealth and proseprity), Eight Treasures Lotus Leaf Rice, Fatt Choy with Sea Cucumber and Superior Fish Maw Soup - amongst others.

Buffet Lunch: 
Weekdays: $42++ adults/ $21++ for children; Weekends: $48++ adults/ $24++ for children

Buffet Dinner: 
Daily: $68++ adults/ $34++ for children

The above Buffet High-tea, Lunch and Dinner are available only till 28 February 2017.


10 @ Claymore
Pan Pacific Orchard, Singapore (website here)
Reservations tel: 6831 6686
 

 If you have visited 10 @ Claymore too, share your reviews with us in the Comments below!

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[Recipe] Easy 3-Steps Guacamole Dip with Greek Yogurt


Nowadays, our weekends are usually filled with DVD-watching at home (much cheaper option than going to the cinema!) While we used to snack along with some unhealthy chips and chocolates, we recently decided to get healthier with ready-made baked chips (available from supermarkets) or BoxGreen snacks.

If you can’t get your hands on those, you can try another of our favourite healthy homemade option: Guacamole dip with crackers! We especially love this with Meiji Plain crackers or Olive Oil & Rosemary Crackers from Phoon Huat (S$2, 250g pack, 8 individually-wrapped packs).

Whilst there are various variants of guacamole dip, this one that I usually make is super simple.  Feel free to adapt this recipe with whatever you find in your kitchen. Enjoy!

Guacamole Dip with Greek Yogurt and Onion
Serves 3 to 4 (over 1 movie session)

Ingredients
(A)
2 ripe avocados, deseeded 
1 purple onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
A dash of pepper & salt











(B)
100g Greek yogurt

Directions

1) Blend the ingredients in (A).

2) When almost mashed up, add the Greek yogurt into the mixture. Combine until smooth.

3) Chill slightly. Serve with crackers. Enjoy!
 



P.S.: In caseyou were wondering, I used my Tefal manual handheld chopper to help blend all the ingredients together in Step #1 .
 
 


If you have tried this recipe too, share your photos with us!
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7 Reasons: Why Get BoxGreen Snacks (*with Promo Code!)


Good things come in small packs. 

We recently had the opportunity to try BoxGreen, a local personalised online business cum social enterprise that offers monthly boxes of wholesome and delicious snacks delivered to homes/ offices. Using premium ingredients such as pecans, pistachios, inca golden berries, white mulberries and airfried crispies like shitake mushroom chips and taro chips, they are great alternatives to unhealthy potato chips and Mars bars if you're reaching for a quick snack in between meals.

For us, it was the first time ordering a snack-box online, so to be honest, we were a little apprehensive. How was it different from buying a pack of nuts mix from NTUC, for example? 

As we tried our first box, our views changed. Read on to see how it can change your view too!

7 Reasons: Why Get BoxGreen Snacks?

1. Nutritious. 

For the health-conscious you and me, we know that exercising is key to good health. But as Singaporeans, we sometimes can't help be tempted by good food - chicken rice, laksa, char kway teow and the list goes on. Hence, the important thing here is to Eat Smart.


How many of us are guilty of finishing a whole pack of sour cream and onion potato chips all in 1 seating while watching TV? 

BoxGreen aims to helps us achieve better control of our diets by offering nutrition-packed snacks of nuts, seeds, dried fruits, mixes and granolas. (Of course if you like some indulgence, feel free to order packs under the "A Hint of Chocolate" or "Chips & Pretzels" categories too.) They promise to be wholesome ingredients with no artificial sweeteners, flavours or colors. Importantly, the snacks are reviewed by a nutritionist with careful labels and sourced from trusty local suppliers or the US or Europe.

This was our nutritional list, personalised based on our snack choice.
We chose Banana Pecan Crumble, HeartStrong, Peruvian Power-up and Aprecano.
As you can tell, we especially love our nuts!

2. Yummy.

BoxGreen snacks are hand-picked with different premium ingredients in a pack. 


For instance, we especially loved how our Peruvian Power-Up had those special chewy Mulberry Nibs. Not overwhelmingly sweet, they complemented well with the sour Inca Golden Berries and earthy Baked Almonds. The petite Cacao Nibs also offered a deep chocolate flavour to the snack - small but taste-packed. These ingredients are also certainly not found in usual nut packs sold in neighbourhood supermarkets!


3. Value for Money.

We seldom think twice about spending S$5 for a Starbucks drink because we want to look cool holding that cup with a green head. Now let's say we order it 4 times a week, it's S$20 already!

Use that money (S$19.90 to be exact) to get 12 nutritiously yummy snack packs which will last you over 12 days instead. No extra cost for shipping. Isn't that better and more value for money?

Ditch that fattening sugar-laden coffee. Smart snacking is the new cool!

4. Convenient. 

As you would have noticed, these snacks have been specially designed in cute packs of 30g - 40g each, so we do not eat more than we should.


They are small enough to keep in our handbags. Fit well in the car compartment to satisfy the hungry little-ones during those crucial before-meal moments too!


4. Variety.

As we went through the list of at least 20 varieties, we were seriously spoilt for choice. With quirky names like Nutty Knight and Small Island Pineapples and an option to view the full nutritional information when we moused over each variety, we certainly took a while to decide. How to choose only 4 types for our first box? 

We were thankful for the drop-down category lists which really helped us narrow down our choices!

Screenshot of webpage
We love being a smart consumer!
(Note: This is not the complete nutritional list; just a quick snapshot for illustration)

5. Hassle-free ordering.

In essence, ordering can be done in just 3 simple steps. The webpage was easy to navigate and check-out.  

Designed to fit standard HDB mailboxes, our snack box arrived within 2 days - faster than we expected! 


And who secretly loves that moment of opening your online parcel (even though you know exactly what you have ordered)? 


Btw, we simply adored that personalised greeting note too :)


6. Do good. 

For every box delivered, BoxGreen donates a meal through Willing Hearts to help the underprivileged, the needy and other marginalised members in Singapore. Now, why not?

7. Our Promo Code for You!

Quote THEHEDGEHOGKNOWS in the promotion code, and get 30% off on your first box of these awesome snacks. 

Head over to BoxGreen's webpage, scroll through all the yummy snacks and give it a try today! :)



While we were invited by BoxGreen to share our review, the views are purely our own.

If you have tried BoxGreen too, share your photos with us!
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Why you should visit TBC Cafe @ Hatten Melaka (Terminal Pahlawan)

tbc cafe melaka

With the school holidays coming up and the favourable Ringgit, many of us would be turning to neighbouring Malaysia for the getaway holiday option.

I especially love Malacca, having been there numerous times for the satay celup, chicken rice ball, cendol and of course the knick-knack shopping at Jonkers Street. If you are intending to head there for your next family trip and looking for new places to visit apart from the traditional favourites, do check out TBC Cafe, a new teddy bear themed cafe at the heart of Malacca for a photo stop. Conveniently located within the same building of Hatten Hotel, be prepared to cuddle up with teddies of different sizes at this cozy establishment - a paradise for the kids, a cool place to take selfies with your travel kakis/ capture precious family moments/ add on to your casual pre-wedding photo album, or simply just chill out over an afternoon drink of reverse juice!

We are happy to collaborate with Sycookies of Foodeverywhere to bring you the photos and review. Do share with us how your beary experience turns out too!

XOXO, The Hedgehog


 Probably the first themed cafe in Melaka, TBC cafe at Hatten Melaka (Terminal Pahlawan) is all prepped up to cuddle and welcome their guests with fury friends of all sizes. Approaching this dandy new social gathering place, one cannot help but be distracted by the cozy comfy of chic lounge and hanging pendant lights over teddy bears at almost every corner of the cafe.
1. tbc cafe @ Melaka

2. TBC cafe Melaka
Cafe segregation is obvious with a large panel of light bulbs adorning one side, and the other for merchandising. Marquee letters are quite the rage now, and most people struggle to find art on the larger side. However, this marquee letters fits perfect on the wall.
3. TBC Cafe @ Melaka

4. TBC cafe Melaka

5. TBC cafe @ Melaka
At TBC’s, they like to emphasize the care taken in the mixing of fruits and ice, juice-inspired mocktails. The reverse concept in their beverages has all the freshness of fruit juices packed as ice cubes, served with carbonated water to instantly transform your juices into sparkling drink. The Lychee Soda + Mango Cubes (RM 9.90) serves cubes of frozen fresh mango puree, awaiting to melt into bubbling juice. Lychee Soda + Blackcurrant Cubes (RM 9.90) is equally as fun.
6.MLK TBC (3)

7.MLK TBC (5)

8.MLK TBC (6)
The reversal mixology gradually gives the sweeter finishing as it approaches the end. Considering the lack of flavour in the beginning, the drinks are far from bad. In fact, this fruit juice uses real and actual dragon fruits (instead of commercial concoction) are used in their Dragon Fruit + Lemon Fruit Juice (RM 9.90) .
10. TBC cafe Melaka
With a juice bar dominating most of their workspace, kitchen tasks becomes challenging so expect nothing gourmet. Instead, they still manage to put up a good line up of light bites and quick meals with their own charm. Ham and Cheese (RM 9.90) open face sandwich comes with instant mashed potato and fresh lettuce with Thousand Island dressing.
11.MLK TBC (1)
A popular dish to the younger crowd is this clever dessert. Creatively rolled up slices of bread with chocolate spread and deep fried with bread crumbs coating and topped with fresh strawberries and a drizzle of chocolate, the crunchy texture is indeed addictive.
12.MLK TBC (2)
With so many places to eat in such a small city, restaurateurs and cafe owners need to really step up on the game and stand out from the crowd if they are going to survive in the cutthroat world of Melaka dining. Look out for more of TBC in the near future and expect consistency in the few months to come while allowing some adjusting to take place in this young cafe.
13. Tbc cafe @Melaka
TBC Cafe is located at :
Lot F3-021, F3-022, Level 3,
Terminal Pahlawan,
Bandar Hilir, Jalan Merdeka, 75000 Melaka.
Tel: +60 6-281 9423

GPS: 2.188772,102.25173

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tbcmelaka
Click HERE for more photos on flikr.


PS: TBC Cafe's food has improved since their initial teething issues, so feel free to check out Foodeverywhere's subsequent visit 2 months ago here too. And thank you Sycookies again for sharing your article with us!

If you have visited this cafe too, share your photos with us on Facebook!
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Romantic High-Tea Buffet at Lobby Lounge (Conrad Hotel): A Food Review


We visited the Lobby Lounge for Valentine's Day a few weeks back. Not the cheapest place, but certainly somewhere special for a romantic occasion. If you are looking for a quiet relaxing afternoon high-tea, this is it.

Updates (August 2016): We recently visited with OCBC's 1-for-1 promotion. Do look out for our updates below in brown! :)

 Ambience
Relaxing and quiet, with live piano accompaniment in the background. The Lobby Lounge exudes an elegant sophisticated charm the moment you step in, and is somewhere you could certainly impress your date at. Of course, this is also perfect for a special occasion (birthdays/ anniversaries), nice catch-up with close friends, have a girly session or just people-watching. One thing to note is that there are relatively few tables, so we really love the privacy too! 
Source: Conrad Singapore

For service, something we Singaporeans usually look out for is efficiency. While we have to admit that efficiency is probably not the forte here, it wasn't a high priority at a relaxing environment like this, especially since we were slowly enjoying our high-tea buffets. Let's just say that they did okay at efficiency, but it was made up for by the friendly (and apologetic when needed) service. 

Tea Collection
We were greeted by the wide selection of Ronnefeldt teas. While tea and coffee are served (unlimited) at this buffet, tea is certainly their specialty.

We tried various flavours, including the Ginger & Lemon, Sencha and Strawberry & Crisp, but the Ginger & Lemon was the best. There was a special sweetly fragrant after-taste, something rare amongst the tea brands we usually get nowadays (and I was still recovering from a flu!). Despite being a big fan of TWG, I have to say that this is also another good quality brand to check out.

During our latest visit, the range of teas seemed to have been reduced. But then again, it was a 1-for-1 deal. We were okay with that arrangement as we really liked the Herbs & Ginger blend anyway. Highly recommended! :)

Main Courses
Oysters, cold prawns, roast beef with potatoes and fresh greens, fresh scallops, pasta, mini quiches and quaint canapes - The Lobby Lounge certainly offers high quality items. Quality is of essence and totally fitting with the ambience here.



During our latest visit, the range of main courses was definitely wider. Everyone made a beeline for the oysters and prawns, so don't say we didn't tell you what to start with!

Desserts
Who always has stomach space for a nice ice cream? :) I am a dessert monster, to say the least. 

To test the quality of ice creams, always go to the vanilla flavour. If you see black dots, that's from the vanilla pods (read: real vanilla ice cream). The ice cream here has black dots! :p

The Lobby Lounge offers a wide variety of dessert - from chocolate fondue, cempedak coconut cake, dainty-looking mousse cups, chocolate truffles to the local kuehs. There is certainly something to satisfy the fussiest tastebuds. And yes - the signature Conrad Hazelnut Chocolate cake is a must-try!
Pancake with Ice Cream - my favourite!
Signature Conrad Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
Chocolate Fondue
Assorted Kuehs
During the latest visit,we were similarly enthralled by the range of desserts available! :)

Overall
Overall, The Lobby Lounge's High-Tea Buffet offers quality food in a relaxing elegant setting. I would certainly recommend it for a romantic date, special occasion or girly catch-up.


Variety: 7/10
Quality: 8.5/10
Ambience: 9.5/10
Value for money: 7.5/10
Overall: 8/10


Lobby Lounge, Conrad Hotel (website)
High-Tea Buffet
Weekday: 3pm to 6pm | Weekend: 2pm to 6pm  
$68++ per adult
For reservations, please call +65 6432 7483.


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