Who says no money cannot eat?

Hmmm....it's been 3 months now since my last pay! What the heck... & Always in the last week, we try to scrimp and save. But who says no money cannot eat?

In times of need, we were so glad to have my Sakae Card around!

..with $55 Sakae Dollars from the e-journalists program. Just in time to celebrate wx's birthday too! Hehe

3 colored plates, $2.29 each + 1 red plate, $5.59

Nabeyaki Udon, $11.99

Tempura with Yuzu Soba, $13.99
Totals to $46.50. We paid only 50 cents!!

The yuzu soba was quite interesting. We were given this raw quail egg (poked with a small hole) and for a while we weren't sure what to do with it.


Do you know the correct way to eat your yuzu soba?

Rating: ★★★

我叫MT!? LOLOL

wx and I recently fell in love with this World of Warcraft animation done by 核桃 in China, titled I'M MT (ch: 我叫MT). The animation is awesome - the characters and scenes are very well portrayed, plus the opening and ending themes are nicely written too!

The story is funny and cute (& of course based on the game wow). It started out as 5 lowbies (ie. low level toons) who met each other and decided to group up to explore their first instance (ie. dungeon). Each of them are of a different class (warrior, shaman, hunter, rogue & mage). But being the lowbies and the noobs (ie. new and unskilled - stupid) they are, they are met with great dangers (& great laughters) both inside and outside of instances - eg. being ganked by a higher level enemy player. The main character is called MT (warrior) who aspires to become the best MT - MT stands for "main tank", who is to hold the overall aggression of a boss in a fight. Pay attention to the opening theme lyrics, the role of MT is well portrayed there. What's also interesting for us is learning how to use the chinese equivalent game terms. Really hilarious!

Jokes are primarily for wow players, you need a basic understanding of the game to appreciate things. But watch it anyhow, they are cutee!!

Here's the 1st episode (total 4 as of 10/2):


Check out I'M MT's official website for more goodies.

Sashimi Buffet @ Atrium

note: check out all the Sakae bloggers here! and err sorry no photos this time round lah. :\

Remember that I won a $50 Sakae Sushi voucher sometime early August? Well, I am now also officially part of the Sakae e-Journalist programme where I get to eat and blog at the same time.

So here is my first post of my eat-n-blog venture! (2nd if you count my entry blog post on Sakae Teppanyaki)

A few weeks back wx and I decided to use our $50 Sakae Sushi voucher. The idea was to eat well and still save money. So wx suggested that we try the Sashimi Buffet at The Atrium @ Orchard. Ehh we sort of did our calculations beforehand: if we just had the normal sushi buffet, it would cost us $18.90 per person ($37.80++ total) - ie. we lose out on $12.20 voucher value and we are only entitled to only 2 'red plates' (sashimi) total; sashimi buffet costs $24.90 per person ($49.80++ total) and we get unlimited 'red plates'!

3 Reasons Why Sakae's Sashimi Buffet Is Better Than The Sushi Buffet
1) 'Red plates' are more than just sashimi! Though I don't fancy them all, it's always good to bring along someone who loves them. *points at wx*
2) Sushi buffet has more limitations. For example, 1 'red plate' per person and 1 'mini udon' per person. Most of items (except a few) are unlimited in sashimi buffet.
3) To be charged at the sushi buffet value, you need to finish your food within an hour! Anything beyond that time period is charged additionally. Whereas for the sashimi buffet, no need to rush - you can just eat at your own slow pace and eat MORE! muahahaha

In the end, we realized we couldn't use the $50 voucher because buffets are considered as promotions (T&C states that voucher is not valid with other discounts or promotions). Okay, that's what I didn't quite expected. The buffets have been on-going for so long that I thought it was a part of the usual menu. >< Quite a wasted trip in that sense, but I've decided to bring my family to Sakae Sushi instead! Planning for sometime next month (Oct), in time just before the voucher expires. And that would be the highlight of my Oct's Sakae blog post. Good idea eh?

Lastly - a shoutout to Sakae Sushi - wx and I suggest to have the Sashimi buffet across more Sakae Sushi outlets in Singapore. Currently only available at The Atrium, which is kind of out of the way for us. :p

The Sushi & Teppanyaki buffet ($24.90 per person) sounds cool. Eager to try it someday - Funan DigitaLife Mall only.

Sashimi Buffet
Rating: ★★★★

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More Sakae Sushi's promotions at sakaesushi.com.sg.

Singapore Toy, Games & Comic Convention

Seeing @claudia's photos @ STGCC just made me want to go there so badly!

I finally persuaded wx to bring me there last night. :)

We were at The Padang (for a some reason), then walked over to Suntec to have dinner. By the time we reached the exhibition hall it was already close to 9pm. Rather late, but not bad at all considering that most crowds were already dismissed.

Specially taken for my sister, who bought me two Uglydolls back in the States :) Look! So many Uglydolls! Big and small. Didn't seem like they have any Uglydoll freebies for me though :p

I read in Claudia's post that there is a Play Imaginative (pi.) membership for $20 + free Baby To-fu & a Strawberry To-Fu notebook. For sure I started looking around for the PI booth, where I found this cho kawaii Strawberry To-fu figurine! Too bad, was trying to cut down on expenses these days so I didn't get the membership. Still got chance in the future right? :x

Not a fan of Gundam, but I thought these super big toy figures are meant for photo taking. So I took one anyhow. And it's a robot! And Transformers are robots too! OK. They look very different, but that was how this photo ended up here. I thought Wah Transformers!

We wondered off to the toy capsule machines! Hey another *mini* Gundam! There were lots of selections - Hello Kitty, To-fu (again) just to name a couple. And my favorite is...

Ta-da! Doraemon!! Aww so cute~ $3 per capsule. I didn't get :(

Playmobil! My favorite toy as a kid :) I had a schooling set - with lots of little tables and chairs, and a writable blackboard - and a kitchen set - mini ladles, pots and pans and cabinets that can open too! (Life-size Playmobil model!)

But nothing like that at the exhibition. (Meh) The focus is on an exclusive collection of Egyptian Playmobils!

And look, a mummification ceremony! :p

Nevertheless, I did not go home empty-handed!

#1. A keychain/cellphone accessory from Dooodolls booth! Just lost my SanDisk one earlier that evening (at The Padang) :( This one not cheap but it's rather big for a cellphone and cute! wx buy me de :) $9

#2. 2 boggling pens from mymailmoment.com! Do surveys and reviews to earn points for gift vouchers and freebies. Service by Sing-Post, so.. don't think is spam lah.

#3. Hello Kitty Online game poster and DVD client installer! Hello Kitty Online (HKO) is a free MMO game, much like Maple Story and Angels Online. Just sign up there to get these freebies. Will write up a detailed post on the game later.

That's all for now :)

Read more at TOYSREVIL, official blogger for STGCC.
STGCC is at Suntec Convention Centre Hall 401 and 402, 14-16 August.

Cute toothbrush holders

Kawaii cartoon toothbrush holders selling at $1 in Toa Payoh Central!!

wx bought me 5 today XD

These two are for me (left) and wx (right).

& Three for my three kawaii niece - qiqi, xiaomin and xiaoyu :D

Look! I've already put up mine and wx's in my bathroom. But too bad wx doesn't have a toothbrush at my house. :(

Then I realized something was wrong with the packaging. Can you see it in the image above? Not surprisingly, these toothbrush holders are "made in China".

(Cartoon was spelt with an "h" :p)

P.S: Wanted to get the Garfield one for qiqi, but no more stock! Later, I saw someone bought the display set. Sobs, perhaps I should have done so. :(

Magic of garlic - Sakae Teppanyaki

update:
Sakae is awesome~ Not only did I win the $50 Sakae Sushi Cash Vouchers, they are also offering me free Sakae card, topped up with $30 monthly!! :D All I got to do is blog about my Sakae experience every month. Haha so nice, I can save up on my food expenses :)


You would be surprised that my favorite foodie places would most seldom appear on my blog. Well, 1) because I eat there very often, sometimes 2-3 times a week and 2) because each time I'm there, I just want to EAT. But ultimately, being my favorites will have to make their way to my blog some time. Here, you get to hear about the first. :)

Sakae. The Sakae chain has a very cute froggie mascot. In their sushi bars, they even have froggie mouses hooked up to a monitors that display promotions and a navigable menu (possibly click-to-order as well?). I wondered, do they actually sell those froggie products? The fact is, they do! I think you would have to ask them at their counter if you're interested in purchasing any of the Sakae mascot merchandise. I've seen a number of them displayed in glass windows of some branches, though haven't seen the mouse in display before. I hope they sell that too. I should ask that next time. :p (Am a keen collector of cute computer mouse..)

Less presence of the froggie mascot at Sakae Teppanyaki, but the better of the two imo! It is where wx and I would always complain about my garlic breath the day after. But as always, rather inevitable as garlic is what makes the best of Sakae Teppanyaki. :)

(I used to ask for an extra dishful of really-spicy-garlic, but wx has forbidden me so because of the aftereffects :\)




A Teppanyaki Night

wx and I have our standard menu :)
1 Beef and 1 seafood set. Change both rice to garlic rice. Change assorted vegetables (for seafood set) to assorted mushrooms (add $2). 1 hot and 1 cold green tea. Each set comes with a salad, miso soup, and a dessert (ice-cream). - Total $52++

For starters, I would eat 2 servings of salad! Why 2? Because wx never liked veggies and tomatoes, so I get to eat his share too.

If you know me, I hate salads. All that Caesar's dressing, Ranch and Thousand Island just makes me puke. The only kind I would eat is the Japanese style salad dressing, with a unique sweet and sour taste. The first time I had it was in a Jap restaurant in Atlanta.

& While finishing up my salad, we would watch our teppanyaki chef cook..

Garlic rice!! Sprinkled with Japanese dried shrimps. (I like to top mine with extra scoop of fresh garlic!)

Next up, squuiiidd! (Dip dip, more garlic!)
Hmmm, I eat the seafood set because of this..

Bamboo clams!! (Tastes even better with extra garlic!) :D

Oooh, jumbo prawns.. (Moree gaarrrrlicc!!)

Original seafood set comes with assorted vegetables. But mushrooms is just much better, don't you think!!? (& I need more garlic!)
By this time, my tongue's usually scalded by the spiciness of the garlic. I could almost taste nothing else! Now, a hot miso soup really helps to soothe my taste buds.

Oooh ahhh~

Finally gulping down a cup of warm green tea or two to neutralize the overwhelming taste left in my mouth.
But that is not all!

A scoop of cookies & cream ice-cream served in an iced bowl. Usually good to have another cup of green tea at this point.

:)

Rating: ★★★★


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Dedicating this blog post to Sakae's Monthly Bloggers Affair :p chance to win $50 Sakae voucher!!

NEW Cheap eat near HDB Hub

Lunched out today with wx at Toa Payoh Central, and found a new Chinese food store called Origins (aka 元庄). It's right behind the row of shophouses facing the HDB Hub/SPH Buzz pod. Features Laksa, Curry/Vegetable Rice, soups and desserts! Not bad and is cheap.

We ordered:

Hainanese Curry Rice - curry chicken, cabbage, bean sprouts plus a sunny-side-up. This is so-so.

Katong Laksa - Tastes quite good, my favorite. :)

Watercress Soup - Okay. A good amount of ingredients used, but I would prefer using ribs than chicken feet as the soup base. :x

Beancurd with Ginko Nuts - The beancurd is not bad, but ginko nuts were a bit "old" (not soft enough) and not fresh.

Almond-flavored Soya Milk - Not too sweet, which is good. A little bit dilute, but still much better than what we can get at most hawker centers these days.

All for under $15!

Rating: ★★★ for the laksa!

Feifei Wanton Mee @ 72 Joo Chiat Place

I think no Singaporean who enjoys good (& not necessarily expensive) food would not know about FeiFei Wanton's Mee (aka. 飛飛雲吞麵). But beware, because like other food chains, not all Fei Fei outlets taste the same or as good.

I was highly recommended by wx to this particular 24-hour outlet at 72 Joo Chiat Place. I finally went with rather high expectations. :)

Rating: ★★★ to ★★★★

This was my type of noodles :) and FeiFei takes pride on that being handmade. The wonton was superb! Soft, thin and smooth skin, and makes a *slurping* sound when you eat it!

Disappointment #1: Noodles were not as QQ as I thought. :x

Soup! wx was telling me how you need to finish your noodles before going to the stall front personally to get your soup. The case here is, soup is not served with noodles by default. You need to ask for your soup. Wow (so dao), I thought the soup must be DA LEET!

Disappointment #2: And a rather big one. The soup was...tasteLESS. :o

Well, at least this side dish (prawn roll) was pretty good. I would visit again for their silky wonton skins but skipping the soup part hehe :D

Personally, I think I'm quite picky with the type of wonton noodles that I eat. The HK style (noodles and sauce) is just not my type! My favorite wonton noodles still remains - after my visit to FeiFei - to be in Malacca. :p & The closest version found in Singapore so far is either FeiFei's or Pontian's. But I'm not a fan of Pontian's fried wontons. Well, rather subjective pertaining to the style of wontons, noodles and sauces for different individuals.

PS: Not sure of the location in Malacca, will update later once I ask my parents. Photo first!

Last eaten: Jan '09

Just Noodles @ Suntec

Simply cheap and yummy :)

Rating: ★★★

[prologue]
So I thought I could grab some ice-cream waffles at Gelare (Tuesday's 1/2 price offer) then head to a Singtel store to fix my mobile plan upgrades...

Happily cabbed to Suntec (bearing $2 ERP cost), found out that Gelare is closed from June 16-18, and realized that the Singtel stores there are only "dealers" NOT "Hello Singtel". Change of plans. So what's for dinner instead?
[/prologue]

Came to Just Noodles in B1 - the fountain area. If you've never heard of this name, Just Acia might just ring a bell to you. (There's a huge chain at the Dhoby Ghaut MRT station..) The food may not look very appetizing at first, but don't run! If you are not so picky, this restaurant will serve you the best food at the best bargain!

1) Great value.
Free Flows!! If you love free flow drinks, how about some free flow ice-cream!? XD It's self-service, like the drinks, with 6 flavors to choose from. Definitely try mango and vanilla! Be surprised, they don't taste as cheap as they appear to be. Set meals include both free flow drinks & ice-cream. For ala-carte, you can also add $2.75 for the free flow offer. Entrees range from $6-$18 approx; side dishes from $1-$6 approx.

2) Decent food.
If the ice-cream is good, the entrees can't be too bad right? A mixture of korean, japanese, and some chinese style, their kimchi soup is actually much better than those you can get at food courts. Although not the highest quality, it's definitely good enough considering how much you are paying for. Also try their Unagi Kabayaki and prawn rolls!

3) Fast service.
It's really a come, eat, and go place. Well maybe stay longer for the ice-cream :p but guaranteed low waiting times. Since drinks and desserts are self-served, it helps with reduced serving time too. You can change to a different drink and a different flavor of ice-cream anytime you want.

I would definitely go there again. :)

Read more reviews here.

Dinner @ Manhattan Fish Market

(Another overdue post. ><; Actual day: June 2 - the night I bought my Monopoly Deal.)

Rating: ★★★★

This was my first time at Manhattan Fish Market. Not bad!

Soup of the day was Seafood Chowder. My only complain was too much of tomato taste (bit sour) for my preference. I would try their Cream of Mushroom or Clam Chowder on next visit.

I ordered black pepper grilled salmon with chips. Salmon was fresh and the fries were tasty too. Anyways, I felt this was a little too expensive or "not worth it" (~$18) when I saw wx's platter for 1 below...

His plate was that much fuller than mine - 2 jumbo prawns and a catch of the day, dora fish, plus both fries and baked rice! Only $3 more (~$21)

On second thought, I should have ordered baked rice - which tasted a bit like the garlic rice from Sakae Teppanyaki. I even DIY-ed and added more garlic to make it "asian"! :D

Monopoly Deal

Ever since krisandro blogged about this card game, it has been my #1 wishlist item! (I'll talk about why this variation of the classic Monopoly is so great later.)

And what a great opportunity it was last night when I went to J8 for dinner...

A Monopoly Party!

Hmm, seemed like there was going to be a public game play or something. Just look at that big Monopoly board on the floor.. & the huge dice too!! It got me really excited, like a child in a dreamland. :D

The event (sponsored by BHG) actually featured a number of Hasbro's all-time favorite "family" games: Risk Reinvention, Jenga, Cluedo, and Game of Life, just to name a few. Monopoly seemed to be the star of the show :)

Around the human-sized Monopoly floorboard were 4 mini booths, showcasing Connect 4, Pictureka, Jenga, and Monopoly Deal. You could actually join in and have a game right on the spot!

No doubt, I took this chance (dinner first) to get my hands on my own Monopoly Deal card game. There were 2 options: 1) the "traveling" version - compact, all-you-need for S$11.90 and 2) the "shuffler" version - complete with a Shuffle Shaker to help you shuffle your cards easily!

The Big Game

The Monopoly Deal card game is essentially a super-condensed version of the classic Monopoly board game. And I meant it in a good way! I've always loved to play classic Monopoly: I think it's fun and very engaging - lots of laughter in the process! But people whom I approach to play with often complain that it's "too long" "never-ending" or "not fun with just 2 of us". Monopoly Deal is a perfect counter to these blatant comments! It's never too long - you can win (or lose) a game in 10 mins - certainly not never-ending, and it is great fun even with just 2 players! Definitely a must try.

Woohoo~ at last!

*Shake shake shake* The Shuffle Shaker!!

I played 10 games straight with wx, and *doh* I lost 9-1! I feel it's my luck. T_T He always drew good cards. So to prove my hypothesis... (that he won by luck not by skill)

I set up a game experiment where I will play his cards and he will play mine. We had our own rules too: loser will shuffle and winner gets to start first.

Independent variable: I shuffle the cards, assuming that I had lost the previous game.
Dependent variable: When dealing, what was supposed to be wx's cards were now mine, and vice versa. While playing, what was supposed to be drawn into wx's hand were now drawn into mine. So theoretically, I should have wx's "luck".
Hypothesis: If I win, "luck" played a key role in wx's triumph. If I lose, wx did probably perhaps could be possibly by chance had better skills and strategy than me.

And I won. :) Case closed, it really is the "luck". LOL

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More coming on game play and rules...