Neon Pigeon @ Kheong Saik Road, Singapore

Cool Izakaya with modern Asian small plates...

"What a cute name", I thought, as I walked around looking for the Neon Pigeon to meet my friends.

It wasn't far from Outram Park MRT (about 6 minutes walk), but was a little hard to find as it didn't have a clear sign - Look out for the (literal) small neon pigeon so that you won't accidentally walk past it like I did:

Very discreet sign
Inside, it's quirky and cool, with the typical(?) hipster style mix of exposed brick, warm wood furnishings and cool graffiti style wall art.

It was also dark and noisy (music volume as well as fellow diners), which may suit younger folk. Conversely, not so young folk like me may find it a bit uncomfortable to have to shout conversations when trying to catch up with friends.
(Ok lah - I can see that this could be a good date spot because of its romantic lighting, and "oh, you don't want to but you just have to move closer to hear each other" kinda thing but that's not the life stage I'm in right now...)

Velly lomantic lighting inside
There was a decent selection of interesting fusion Japanese dishes on the menu, and we started the night with the Soft Shell Crab Bao (S$14/ $26). Really enjoyed this as there was a generous amount of fresh, crispy soft shell crab which went well with the moist bao, creamy avocado and seared corn kernels:

Crabby buns...
We also tried the Chicken Tsukune Bahn Mi (S$ ?) which wasn't bad - chicken was moist and there was nice "punch" from the pickled veg, all nestled in a crusty bun. Unfortunately, as I have been spoilt with AMAZING freshly made bahn mi made by my dear Vietnamese colleagues, the one at Neon Pigeon paled in comparison.

Mini Bahn mi
The Roasted Bone Marrow (S$19/ $36) fared better - although just a bit too greasy, it was well roasted (still jiggly, but with a nice char), and enjoyably decadent, pairing well with the crunchy bits of garlic and umami furikake seasoning:

Sinful to the core...
The Crispy Brussels Sprouts (S$15/ $28) were also nice - moist texture with a bit of char/smoky fragrance, pairing well with the large chunks of not too salty mirin glazed bacon.
(Would have preferred the sprouts to be a bit more crunchy though, but I do tend to prefer my veggies underdone)
Lovely sprouts...
Some at the table were a little taken aback by the lifelike presentation of the Charcoal Grilled Barracuda ($ ?), as it looked like it was ready to swim away (Lol).

Taste-wise, while the skin was moist and the flesh conveniently bone free, I didn't find it particularly memorable.
(Not sure if I'd order this again)

Looks like a wiggly eel...
Sorry I didn't have all the exact prices by the way - I'll be more careful with the receipt next time.
(It also doesn't help that the restaurant doesn't post up prices on their website so I couldn't check the ones I missed)

Overall, it added up to an expensive but enjoyable meal... Wouldn't mind going back again at some point to try out some of the other menu items, once my wallet recovers.
(Note: There were also a lot of interesting cocktails available but it was a "school night" so I didn't have any)

Pigeonus Giganticus Onna Wallus

So, it's: Cool ambience, good variety of fusion Japanese dishes and cocktails, convenient location, friendly service BUT some hits and misses on the menu, a bit too loud inside and gosh, it's pretty pricey as the small plates add up very quickly....

Summary Information:
Neon Pigeon @ Kheong Saik Road, Singapore
Website: CLICK HERE

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat 6pm-midnight

Phone: +65 6222 3623

Address: 1A Keong Saik Road, #01-03, Singapore 089109
Map: CLICK HERE

NOT HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Daniel Food Diary
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- Gourmet Adventures
- Sara Ann K

Island Creamery @ Serene Centre, Singapore

Serving up yummy ice cream with a local spin since 2004...

Recent events in the news have got me thinking about random (and unfair) life can be...

I never would have expected such a tragedy to happen in the Singapore Botanical Gardens. :(
My heart breaks when I think of how sudden it would have been, and how it happened in front of her twins and husband.  :( :(
(RIP)
....
..
.
So, reminder to self:
Life is short, and the only thing certain is that you will never know for sure when bad things will happen. Therefore: Be kind, be happy, cherish family and friends. Spend quality time with the baby and husband. Work hard, but not at the detriment of everything else. Plan, but don't worry too much/ overthink. Balance. Breathe.
.
..
....
Now, I'll start on the actual food related post, shall I?:
A few weeks ago, we went for a walk in the Botanical Gardens, and it was getting too hot. This inspired us to head over to the Island Creamery at Serene Centre, to cool off with some ice cream.
(It's just about 5 minutes walk from the Botanic Garden MRT).

Exterior of Island Creamery, Serene Center
While there is a decent variety of their fixed classic flavours (eg. Cookies & Cream), local flavours (eg. Pulut Hitam, Teh Tarik), and new seasonal flavors (eg. Pineapple Tart), I tend to stick to my favourites: The Reverso and the Burnt Caramel (Single scoop $3.80, Double scoop $5.8) - these 2 flavours just go well together, with the slightly too sweet chocolaty Reverso balanced by the slightly smoky Burnt Caramel ice cream.

Double happiness
We also decided to try one of the signature ice cream pies there, the S'Mores pie ($6.50).

Um. What can I say?

I didn't enjoy this at all: While it was an interesting mix of flavours and textures (crispy Graham cracker base, and ice cream topped with marshmallows), it was frozen solid and hard as a rock.
(I think next time I'll stick to the ice cream scoops)

Smores ice cream pie
Feels like it hasn't changed much over all these years - not that it's run down (although it has seen better days), but it does bring a feeling of nostalgia.

Looking up at the wall of polaroids (which you can add on to, using the in house camera): So many happy faces, mostly young/ school kids, teens and families. It definitely got me reminiscing to days gone past.

Wall of photos
So, it's: Good selection of ice creams with a local spin, decent pricing, friendly service BUT hits and misses on the menu (didn't like the ice cream pie)....

Summary Information:
Island Creamery @ Serene Centre, Singapore
Website: CLICK HERE

Opening Hours:
Sunday to Thursday: 11am to 10pm
Fri, Sat, Eve and Public holiday: 11am to 11pm

Phone: +65 6468 8859

Address: 10 Jalan Serene #01-03, Serene Centre, S258748
Map: CLICK HERE

NO PORK (but some of the ice creams have alcohol)

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Foodie FC
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Tanjong Beach Club @ Sentosa, Singapore

Fun, sunny family day out at the beach...

I have been going Tanjong Beach Club (TBC) on and off for years; was introduced to it by friends, and we went there for people watching, drinking and general partying.
(Love the Truffle fries there! It does seem a bit funny though, stuffing my face with sinful carbs, while some of the best exhibits of eye candy flounce around... but oh well!)

I hadn't been there for quite a while (my partying days are long, LONG over lah), but it was a beautiful day, and we decided to drag the baby (and about 10kg of baby stuff) out of the house, for a family day out.
(Basically: The Baby is in her "learning her voice" stage right now, and our ear drums needed a break - she behaves so much better outdoors, because there are enough distractions)

Beautiful, sunny day
We finally got to Tanjong Beach, and proceeded to our table.
(Note: Best to book ahead if you want to dine there... If the weather is good, it can get packed pretty quickly - it's not as hard to get a table as during it's peak popularity years ago, but you don't want to have trekked all the way to the far end of Sentosa Island and find out there's nowhere to sit)

We started our meal with the Barbecued Octopus Salad ($24). The octopus was perfectly cooked and had a nice smokiness, served atop a bed of fresh baby spinach, quinoa, fennel, pomegranate, and orange segments. I didn't like the dressing, a sherry vinaigrette which I found the sweet, but my husband thought it was ok.

Overall, an enjoyable salad which I would order again (but next time, will tell them to put the dressing on the side).

Octopus salad
Next, we had the Chorizo Orecchiette Pasta ($33). The minced Spanish Iberian chorizo was spicy without being overpowering, and went really well with the perfectly cooked Hokkaido scallops and al dente pasta.

Delicious pasta
To me, a day at the beach is synonymous with Fish & Chips ($28). The one at TBC was delightful - moist fish (snapper) encased in a crispy batter that wasn't too heavy, served with pickled cucumber and fries.

Classic western dish
We were pretty stuffed at that point, and proceeded to swimming pool to splash around with the baby.
(Note: While we didn't drink (alcohol) that day, I've had the cocktails there before and they're good)

It's not a very a big pool, but no complaints! - nice view, all the facilities you need close by, and as much good cocktails and foods as your wallet can afford just right there. In the morning/ early afternoon, it's a very different vibe, with families and kids having fun VS. the young, fun, partayyyyy! shenanigan-y vibe in the evenings/ night.
(Note: There is only a changing room (no shower) at TBC, and they charge $10 for towel rental. So, remember to come equipped with everything you need and just proceed to the public showers which are just a few steps away from the restaurant)

Cheeky sign near the pool: "Unattended children will be given Red Bull and Super Soakers"
While it wasn't a cheap and cheerful day out, we thoroughly enjoyed it - felt like quite the treat, and gave us a vacation feeling without leaving Singapore.

Small pool, but it works

So, it's: Good food (although a bit expensive), convenient facilities (changing room, showers nearby), friendly service BUT a bit hard to get to if you are not taking a taxi/ driving directly....

Summary Information:
Tanjong Beach Club @ Sentosa, Singapore
Website: CLICK HERE

Opening Hours:
Tue-Fri 11am-10pm
Sat-Sun 10am-10pm

Phone: +65 6270 1355

Address: 120 Tanjong Beach Walk, Sentosa, Singapore 098942
Map: CLICK HERE

NOT HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Seth Lui.com
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- Lady Iron Chef