Was only there an hour on a stop over but everything was clean, staff were helpfull and facilities were easy to find. Wasn’t much seating, we had to sit on the floor along with a lot of the other passengers so more seating would be great.

It is rare that I give 4 stars to a place, and certainly one found by accident. This one is next to the Fountain of Fortune in Suntec City, and we picked it because so many places were too full and too loud (Chinese New Year) and it had an interesting and intriguing menu with many items we didn’t know.

The restaurant serves Javanese food, and my God, their food is as far away from the nasi goreng in can that my parents went to buy in Holland as possible! We ordered a choice of satays, kang kong (a spinach like vegetable that is popular all through SE Asia) and juices (honeydew and coconut).

Although the place was quite full, we were served in about 15 minutes, and everything was excellent. We were also given an interesting (and delightful) salad of hich I still ponder the composition.

A delightful experience to be repeated.

I am not a shopaholic, although I sometimes have no chocie but to throw myself into the Orchard Road crowd to go to one of my favorite stores like Kinokuniya. Taking me on a trip to view the brand names of this world is the last of my ideas of a nice day out.

All this being said: it is not all that bad at Marina Bay Sands: the shopping mall is quiet, the crowds absent (at least in the morning), the temperature not too cold (a unicum for Singapore shopping malls), there is the beautiful boardwalk with view of the business district and the Fullerton on the other side of the Bay. Yes, this is a well conceived and constructed place.

And there are even a few attractive places to have a drink, breakfast or lunch. My ticket only mentions CS but I remember it stood for California Sushi and something else. Not the cheapest place in town, but OK, you’re not in a Foodcourt after all. I had an interesting combination of guacamole on toast spread with wasabi in a lazy chair (about 10 SGD) and Sue had some sushi with salmon inside. Simply nice.

Thegood weather helped, and maybe the 4 stars are due to it, butit is certainly worth a lunch.

The first shop you see when you arrive on Dempsey Hill, this is equally an excellent but pricey butcher shop and an interesting delicatessen that offers a wide choice ranging from fresh vegetables, cheeses, wines, vintage beers, oils and vinegars and various other items. In any case, their specialty is meat, and that is what they are best at: if you look for osso bucco or veal for schnitzel, or even Nurnberger Wurstel: they have them. There is also a large choice of hams and dried hams.

All this comes at a price, and not a low one. But from time to time, who can resist?

I almost forgot: you can also eat here. We had an excellent breakfast with (not too salty!) back bacon, Nuernberger Wurstel and scambled eggs. Reasonably priced, and on the terrace.

Oh, I had no idea I hadn’t reviewed this place yet! I come here almost once a week, and have never regretted it – although the prices could be lower. In the mean time, all waiters and waitresses know me and even say hello in the airport.

It is a nice relaxed place to have lunch with a varied menu and good juices. The eating is strictly ‘a la carte’, and there is no special lunch menu. Other than that, the quality of the noodle soups is invariably good, and I love the Vietnamese crunchy omelette with chicken and soy sprouts.

Just a small, but not at all bad restaurant. Judging by the opening times, probably the place to find a late dinner (open until 2 am). The menu has dim sum (the classics) and Szechuan inspired cuisine. Service is OK, but English is not exactly the lingua franca here

Found by accident and not great looking from the outside (nor the inside for that matter), this is a quite good Japanese place with an extensive menu – most of it at very reasonable prices. Service was outstanding and the government tax is included.

Nice location, nice looking place, but unfortunately this is about the only positive things to say about this brasserie. I took a steak-frites, about the simplest Belgian fare you can get, and my friend a moules tom-yam. Granted, the steak was big. The French fries were however from a freezer, the mayonnaise from a pot (and not even a good pot) and the salad had been sprinkled with aceto balsamico. Th tom yam was suposed to be with lemon grass, but no lemon grass was to be found.

OK, there are Belgian beers, but even in New York, I only paid half this price for a humble Palm. Service was friendly but the Filippino waitresses had no clue about Belgian food.

The place was empty the whole time when we were there. On a Saturday night, that should have been enough warning..

To be avoided until they find a chef who knows how to cook in an acceptable way.

I was in Singapore on vacation and, after everything was finally unpacked, I was ready to check out the nightlife. Of course I had yet to meet any unattached young women so I decided to hire an escort. Best Singapore Escorts had tons of beauties and, after making my choice, I had the time of the life with a hot and classy lady.

I am really impressed by such a big restaurant! The food is very delicous and the really fresh! You can still see the swimming fish in the aquarium and later on you have them on your plate. ;-)

It’s already a traditional thing to go there and eat! I had my farewell dinner there with my singaporean friends and it was a really good choice to go there! You can taste so many different and new things there!

The location at the beach is incredible! I would love to go there again!!

Char-Grill Bar @ Hougang Block 682
At lunch around 1:30pm on 28 Jan 2012, I first ordered one serving of Fish with Black Pepper Sauce. I asked the cashier/waitress “What type of fish is this?”, and she replied “Dory”, so I paid as I ordered.

Instead of Dory fish, I was served Sutchi (Pangasius hypophthalmus), a freshwater omnivorous catfish, native to the rivers of Southeast Asia. A small mouthful of the meal confirmed, from its “muddy” taste, that I was served Sutchi catfish.

When I refused to eat the Sutchi catfish, because primarily I had ordered fish that was said to be Dory fish (see the web-link below for another reason I do not eat Sutchi catfish), the cooks/chefs still maintained that it was Dory fish. They showed me the uncooked fillets and these were unmistakeably Sutchi catfish.

I decided to give the Char-Grill Bar another chance on delivering what was stated on their menu, so I paid the extra difference in price and ordered Giant Italian Sausage and Spaghetti with Black Pepper Sauce.

To my dismay, they served me Giant Chicken Sausage and Spaghetti with Black Pepper Sauce! I pointed to their menu, and whilst the cooks admitted that it was chicken sausage, they maintained that I was indeed served Giant Italian Sausage and Spaghetti with Black Pepper Sauce.

At that point I asked to speak to their Manager, who was contacted on his mobile phone by one of the cooks.

I complained that I ordered Dory fish, but was served Sutchi catfish. I changed my order, paid extra, ordered Giant Italian Sausage but was served chicken sausage instead. I asked he Manager if he knew the name of that Italian sausage (was that Italian sausage called Biroldo, Ciauscolo, Cotechino, Genoa salami, or Mortadella?). He was clueless, and then, to my utter amazement, blamed his food suppliers for not delivering Italian sausages to the Char-Grill Bar!

At that point, I requested and received a full refund.

My advice to would-be patrons of Char-Grill Bar in Hougang Blk 682, Street 61, ….. make sure that you get served what the menu states.

Here’s another reason I do not eat Sutchi catfish (visit the web-link below):
Don’t Eat this fish: Pangas (Pangasius, Vietnamese River Cobbler, White Catfish, Gray Sole)
http://www.dietmindspirit.org/2008/01/30/why-you-shouldnt...

Russell Miles
Dissatisfied Singaporean