[CLOSED] AquaMarine – Peranakan Delights [MEDIA INVITE]

Stir-fried Marron with Tamarind

This October, AquaMarine’s halal-certified buffet will showcase the hearty Peranakan fare. One of the local cuisines that are close to the heart of many Singaporeans. I always find interesting to see Peranakan Chefs introduced Peranakan flavours into International cuisine.

Nyonya Ayam Merah Shawarma Station

Nyonya Ayam Merah (Nyonya Spiced Chicken Shawarma with Lotus Bun). The boneless chicken is marinated with candlenut, torch ginger, kaffir lime leaf and lemongrass. Cooked in Shawarma (doner kebab) style, you can taste the charred yet succulent flavour in the meat.  Served in the soft lotus bun with condiments and sauces, it can lay claim to Nyonya Ayam Merah Burger.

Nyonya Spiced Chicken Shawarma with Lotus Bun

At “SIGNATURE” station, Salmon Fillet coated with Otah-Otah Mousse. In short, I call it Salmon Otah. As the salmon fillet is coated with otah-otah, the spices from the otah naturally transfer and penetrate into the salmon. It is a creative way to cook the salmon, but there is a risk of overcooking the salmon. Served with pineapple salsa, it helps to balance the fattiness from the salmon.

Salmon Fillet coated with Otah-Otah Mousse

Salmon Fillet coated with Otah-Otah Mousse.

Stir-fried Marron with Tamarind. This signature Peranakan caramelised tamarind sauce cooked with marron. I like the intensity of the sauce, where the twang from the assam really hits your palate. The Marron is only available in the evening, while in the afternoon the replacement is Stir-fried Tiger Prawns with Tamarind.

Stir-fried Marron with Tamarind

Stir-fried Tiger Prawns with Tamarind

Ayam Buah Keluak. The most famous of Peranakan dishes. The chicken is juicy, succulent and absorbs the spices and flavours of buah keluak. The gravy is rich and thick, making it a perfect companion to eat with white rice or Nasi Ulam. The Nasi Ulam here uses basmati rice to mix with the herbs, so it is light and fragrant.

Ayam Buah Keluak. 

Ayam Buah Keluak

Nasi Ulam

Nyonya Braised Duck with Tamarind and Coriander. They are perfectly braised. The flesh just falls off the bone, while the essence of the duck flows into the gravy making it rich and irresistible. Definitely a “Rice Thief” dish and goes well with the Nasi Ulam.

Nyonya Braised Duck with Tamarind and Coriander

Nyonya Braised Duck with Tamarind and Coriander

Nyonya Lam Mee and Itek Tim Soup are available if you are looking for some soupy stuff. Nyonya Lam Mee is also known as Nyonya’s birthday noodle. It reminds me of Loh Mee, the Malaysian version with thick egg gravy.

Nyonya Lam Mee

Peranakan Kuehs. To end the meal, Peranakan kuehs are available in desserts section. They line up includes: Ang Ku Kueh, Kueh Kosui, Kueh Dadar, Kueh Salat, Lemper Udang and many more.

Peranakan Kuehs

Peranakan Kuehs

I personally like their non-peranakan desserts this round, in particular, their Durian cake and Chocolate pudding.

Durian Cake

Chocolate Pudding

Although the theme of the buffet is Peranakan, you can still enjoy their International Buffet spread. Keep some space in the tummy for their chilled seafood, Japanese sections, Indian sections, Salad Bar and desserts.

AquaMarine – Peranakan Delights

When: 1 to 31 October 2018.

Where: AquaMarine at Marina Mandarin Singapore

Time:

Lunch Mon – Fri: 12.00 – 14.30.

Lunch Sat, Sun and PH: 12.00 – 15.00.

Dinner Daily: 18.30 – 22.00.

Price:

Lunch Mon – Sun: $60++ per Adult, $30++ per Child

Dinner Sun – Thu: $72++ per Adult, $36++ per Child

Price: $72++ per Adult, $36++ per Child

For enquiries and reservations, visit www.meritushotels.com/marina, call (65) 6845 1111 or email: aquamarine.marina@meritushotels.com.

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 8/10

Budget per Person: $51 - $80, $81 & Above

AquaMarine

6 Raffles Boulevard

Level 4, Marina Mandarin Hotel

Singapore 039594

T: +65 6845 1111

W: http://bit.ly/cbk-AquaMarine

F: https://www.facebook.com/marinamandarinsg/

IG: @marinamandarinsg

OH:

Breakfast: Daily 06.30 – 10.30

Lunch: Mon to Fri, 12.00 – 14.30

Lunch: Sat, Sun & PH, 12.00 – 15.00

Dinner: Daily 18.30 – 22.00

JW Marriott Singapore South Beach - Premier Room

JW Marriott Singapore South Beach - Premier Room

JW Marriott Singapore South Beach ★★★★★ (5 Stars Hotel)

30 Beach Road

Singapore 189763

T: +65 6818 1888

W: https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sinjw-jw-marriott-hotel-singapore-south-beach/

F: https://www.facebook.com/JWMarriottSG/

IG: @Jwmarriottsg

Room Type: Studio Room, upgraded to Premier Room, 1 King Bed

Stayed: July 2018

Booking: Marriott Rewards

JW Marriott Singapore South Beach is the luxurious brand under the Marriott umbrella, known to incorporate art and contemporary style in its design. JW Marriott South Beach Singapore commence operation in July 2015 and with 2 years under its belt, you can look forward to a memorable experience here.

JW Marriott Singapore South Beach
Image Credit: Booking.com

Location: (10/10)

JW Marriott Singapore South Beach is located in new development South Beach, also known as the heart of Singapore’s art and cultural district. Across the Nicoll Highway is Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre and it is accessible through an overhead bridge.

JW Marriott Singapore South Beach - Main Entrance

Central Business District and Marina Bay Sands are just 5 minutes taxi ride. National Gallery Singapore is located less than 10 minutes’ walk, while 4 shopping centres: Suntec City, Millenia Walk, Marina Square and Raffles City are located a stone throw away from the hotel.

JW Marriott Singapore South Beach - Water Fountain

Room: Overall (9/10)

Cleanliness (8/10). Space (10/10). Room Amenities (9/10). Ambience (8/10)

Premier Room, East Wing - King Size Bed

We decided to use up our Marriott Rewards Points to book the Studio Room, due to the high occupancy during the weekend, we got upgraded to Premier Room however it was on a 3^rd floor in the East Wing, the same section as the SPA.

SPA by JW

From our room, we can directly see the busy junction of Nicoll Highway and Raffles Boulevard, Suntec Convention Centre and One Raffles Link building. There is a portrait of a dancer behind the bed as a centrepiece of the art in the room.

The View from the room

The room is spacious, enough to fit King Size Bed, a huge sofa, working desk, side table and enough space to fit another single bed if needed. The huge sofa is definitely a plus point, where we can laze around on it and watch the TV instead of lying on the bed. Due to the width of the room, I find that the TV looks a bit small if you are sitting on the bed.

Premier Room, East Wing

Soundproofing in this room is not very good. Located on the 3^rd floor, we can actually hear the sounds of the vehicles outside, especially coming from the bus and big truck. As I am very sensitive to sound, I can get distracted in my sleep hearing the truck pass through at night.

The View from the room in the evening

When we first enter the room, we notice that the quilt was stained. Luckily, we found one of the housekeeper cleaning the other room, he helped us change a new quilt.

Wardrobe 

The Bathroom

The bathroom is split into 2 cubicles, one for the toilet and one for the shower. It gives the vibe of modern and luxurious. No bathtub for Premier Room. I was surprised to find remote control in the toilet to manage the functions. Meanwhile, the waterfall shower definitely a plus points here, complimenting the Aromatherapy Associates shower amenities. Shiok!!

Shower

Toilet Cubicle

Remote Control - For the Bidet

The bar in the room is well stock, including Nescafe coffee, TWG tea, snacks, wine and liquors. Sorry folks, no Nespresso or those funky coffee machines.

Coffee and Tea

Mini Bar Stock

Bar Fridge Content

Room Entertainment and WiFi (7/10)

I have a problem connecting to the room WiFi as I used an Android phone. A quick call to service side, I was guided on how to resolve this problem. Alas, the speed of the WiFi is very slow, even the connection to the Youtube was lagging. In the end, I switch back using my data plan.

Premier Room, East Wing

The TV channel offering is good but not extensive. Focused more on Western content including news, sports and movie.

Dining (8.5/10)

Beach Road Kitchen.

This is the main restaurant for the hotel, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Surprisingly, it is located outside the hotel, but within the South Beach complex. We had our dinner there, buffet style. There was a 20% discount for guest staying in the hotel. The spread is very good, we zone in on the seafood and antipasti, which are their speciality.

Buffet Dinner at Beach Road Kitchen

The spread of the cooked food section is limited, but there is ala minute section for grill meat. We ordered grilled whole fish and it was perfectly grilled. The desserts sections are not be missed. You will be spoiled for choices and definitely WOW. Don’t miss out on their homemade ice cream to go with your waffles.

Ala minute gill section

Waffle and Homemade Ice Cream

In-Room Dining – Breakfast

We decided on All American Breakfast and Buttermilk Pancake. The spread is definitely very generous, it can easily fit 3 persons. The pancakes are just humongous. Although the WOW factor is there, the downside of it is the centre area is undercooked. As it is undercooked, we just nibble the sides, which tasted not too bad

In-Room Dining - Breakfast

Blueberry Waffle

Facilities (8.5/10)

Reception

Unlike the traditional design of 5 stars hotels, the space of the reception is very petite. The reception desk and concierge desk located close to each other. The space is very limited and it is prone to congestion during peak check-in and check-out time. The staff definitely got a handle of the situation and manage to limit the waiting time to the minimum and manage the traffic flow. There is an option to download Marriott App to make the check-in process as seamless as possible.

Reception Area

Swimming Pool

We only check out the swimming pool on the East Wing. Size wise is proportionate to the length of the building. Not huge but cosy.

Swimming Pool at East Wing
Image Credit: Booking.com

The View from the East Wing Swimming Pool

Service (10/10)

Overall the service standard in JW Marriott Singapore South Beach is impressive. The friendliness, professionalism and attention to details shine from during the duration of our visit. Reasonable waiting time for check-in and check-out. When you call for assistance, everyone seems to be proficient and know what their stuff. Two Thumbs Up.

Overall: Highly Recommended

JW Marriott Singapore South Beach is definitely an accommodation to consider for a luxurious stay in Singapore or even for a staycation. Room and amenities are very good, while the service and location here are excellent. For 5★ accommodation in Singapore, JW Marriott Singapore is highly recommend. 

PUTIEN at Kitchener Road – Award Winning Fujian Cuisine [MEDIA INVITE]

Deep Fried Pork Trotters with Salt and Pepper

PUTIEN is a Singapore restaurant with its roots traced back to the city of Putian, a coastal suburb in Fujian, CHINA. Currently, one of the most well-known Fujian restaurants in ASIA, it currently has more than 53 outlets and growing.

In Singapore, the jewel of the restaurant is the outlet at Kitchener Road. It has won numerous prestigious awards, including Michelin One-Star Restaurant in 2016, 2017 and 2018.  Personally, I have visited other branch of PUTIEN, however, this is the first time I ever tried the food in Kitchener Road.

PUTIEN Lor Mee ($9.80 for Small, $19.50 for Medium and $28.80 for Large). A must order dish when you dine in PUTIEN. The noodle is cooked in a rich milky stock, together with the fresh clams. You will also find dried shrimp (Hae Bee) and small scallops that gave the broth its umami flavour.

PUTIEN Lor Mee (Individual Serving)

Fried Heng Hwa Bee Hoon ($9.80) is a very popular dish for a Heng Hwa restaurant in Singapore. The bee hoon is smooth with a touch of springiness, bursting with flavours from the broth it is cooked with. Simple looking, yet delicious.

Fried Heng Hwa Bee Hoon (Individual Serving)

PUTIEN Bian Rou Soup ($4.80 per pax). The first time I tried this soup. Looks like a mini wanton, however, the wrapper is made of pork meat. It is good, but pork flavour in the skin is very delicate not recognisable at first. After a few bites, you will notice the uniqueness of the wrapper.

PUTIEN Bian Rou Soup 

Seaweed with Mini Shrimps Dressed with Sauce ($7.90) and Stir-fried Yam ($13.90). The seaweed is an appetizing starter, as the chilled seaweed is tossed mini shrimps and vinegar dressing. While the stir-fried yum, is a fusion between sweet and savoury with crispy and crunchy.

Seaweed with Mini Shrimps Dressed with Sauce 

Stir-fried Yam

‘100-Second’ Stewed Yellow Croaker ($13.80). The yellow croaker fish, butterfly, and steamed in a claypot for 100 seconds. The result is  a perfectly cooked fish with tender and almost boneless flesh. The broth can be drink as a soup as well, without worrying about the fishy aroma. Yum Yum.

‘100-Second’ Stewed Yellow Croaker

Deep Fried Pork Trotters with Salt and Pepper ($6.50 per piece, min order 2 pcs). This dish only uses the front hind trotters. The skin is crispy, while there is not much meat on the hind, you will be sinking your teeth into the tendon and collagen.

Deep Fried Pork Trotters with Salt and Pepper

PUTIEN Sweet & Sour Pork with Lychees ($13.90 for Small, $20.90 for Medium). Tender and succulent sweet and sour pork. The sweetness added a different type of sweetness to this dish.

PUTIEN Sweet & Sour Pork with Lychees

Spinach in Supreme Stock ($13.90 for Small, $20.90 for Medium). Spinach cooked in the egg infused broth with salted egg and century egg. While this is a common dish in most of the restaurant, I have to admit the blend of the egg in the broth gave this dish in PUTIEN a slight edge. A flavour bomb vegetable dish indeed.

Spinach in Supreme Stock

Overall, dining at PUTIEN Kitchener Road is definitely different from other PUTIEN outlet. I visited the outlet at Parkway Parade a few times, however, it seems the dishes at the Kitchener branch is another level higher. Not only the food is delicious, but the price is pocket-friendly as well. If you like PUTIEN, give this branch a try.

Food: 7.75/10

Value: 9/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.75/10

Budget per Person: $11 - $25, $26 - $50

Madam Leng Mooncakes at PUTIEN

During the Mid-Autumn Celebration, PUTIEN sale Madam Leng Mooncakes. Founded by Madam Leng Ah Eng, the longest-serving stalwart in PUTIEN, she has been making her Teochew style mooncakes for almost two decades. It comes in two flavours: Yam and Purple Sweet Potato (with/without single salted egg yolk). The fillings are made using Thailand’s Premium Taro and Japan’s First Grade Purple Sweet Potato respectively.

Madam Leng Mooncakes at PUTIEN

These mooncakes are in demand during the Mid-Autumn Celebration and this year, it sold out one week before the actual day of Mid-Autumn Festival. As no preservative is used in the mooncakes, it is best consumed within 3 days of purchase. So, keep this in mind and try out Madam Leng Ah Leng mooncakes for Mid-Autumn Celebration 2019.

 

Madam Leng Mooncakes

Purple Sweet Potato (with single salted egg yolk)

PUTIEN

127 Kitchener Road

Singapore 208514

T: +65 6295 6358

W: http://www.putien.com/

F: https://www.facebook.com/PUTIEN.RESTAURANT/

IG: @putien_sg

OH: Daily, 11.30 – 15.00 (LO 14.30), 17.30 – 22.00 (LO 21.30)