Brunei Restaurant Review

Seaworld Neptune Restaurant & Catering

2010-01-08T20:30:00.004+08:00

Feel like having seafood? I've heard of this place before and my media friends were raving about this restaurant before Ramadhan.. But I never actually tried this joint before until 1st of January 2010.. This was where I had my so called late lunch or hi-tea for that matter at Seaworld Neptune Restaurant & Catering.. I didn't realise that the restaurant is behind the fish market at Jerudong. So I suppose word of mouth is very important for this establishment because it's pretty remote compared to other restaurants.. Anyway, let's cut to the chase... I'm gonna give my pros and cons about my experience at Neptune.

Pros: The food served are quite fresh and my theory is that everything served is straight from the fish market or from the sea. I like the concept of having it indoors and outdoors depending on your mood. Staff are friendly and food wise, it's not bad for a start.. Winnie like the butter milk crab but my preference is chilli =p The kailan was nice and so were the mussels (huge too!!)

Cons: Hmmmm... quite a few.. Service was slightly slow considering they were only two or three tables. So imagine if it was a full house.. I'm disappointed they didn't have stingray... I love to eat it with sambal... like the one at TK restaurant.. And lastly, it's expensive.. The four of us were there and we spent like $150.. I'm pretty sure the crab took the bigger chunk of our bill..

LOL, so what were they implying before?

Sophia and Gladys were into their coconut drink

The Butter Milk Crab I was talking about

The fish was not bad at all

The mussels were huge but a bit chewy

We were $150 less richer after this LOL

Review by: Ranoadidas

Shikkai Restaurant

2009-09-17T22:17:00.000+08:00

Shikai boasts one of the best roasted duck in Brunei and the best thing is that it's halal so everyone in Brunei can enjoy their famous roasted duck. They also have a variety of other tasty dishes.

Usually it's common to order crispy deep fried noodles with sauce (cantonese style fried noodles or crispy noodles) but this is something new to me, crispy deep fried kway teow - I really liked the texture of the rice noodles(kway teow) and this is one thing you must try in this restaurant.

Of course - how can you eat at Shikai without trying their roasted duck? We ordered half a Pi Par Duck and they did not disappoint. Crispy skin and succulent duck meat. Hmm....

This is the Kwai Fei Tofu, which translates to Empress Bean Curd. It's tofu that's home made (or restaurant made by them), fried to a crisp on the outside yet has a nice firm jelly texture inside. It's served with minced chicken and salted fish sauce.

The next is a vegetarian dish called Lo Han Chai (Lo Han's vegetarian dish).

We also ordered their black pepper beef. Nicely done - good texture that is not seen in many restaurants who tend to have tough texture.

I like crispy stuff (in fact I used the word a lot of times in this post). Deep fried sotong is one of my favourite things to eat and Shikai's one is good as well.

Overall, it was a pleasant experience and the food was satisfying. Of course, be prepared to wait for your food as during the rush hour, food can be quite slow to arrive but your patience will be rewarded. Give this restaurant a try! You won't be disappointed.

Savy's Brasserie

2009-09-15T22:11:00.000+08:00

Savy's is located opposite Standard Chartered Bank and on top of the old KFC(now an abandoned restaurant) at Bandar. If my friends did not tell me about it, I probably would never get the chance to try it. It's renowned for having great steaks and after my disappointment with Charcoal - I hoped this place would impress me.

The atmosphere at Savy's has this old style European look with brick red walls.

Seating and ready to order

Took two photos without flash. It's not too dark but dim enough to give you the old fashioned romantic candlelight feel.

The fruit in wine glass gives a nice touch as well.

I like their cosy looking white theme for their tablecloth and their lit candles re-enforces the European style settings. The waiters were very polite and greeted us warmly while handing us their red coloured menus.

The menus

Ah... What to order ah? So much choice

The complimentary breads

Balsamic vinegar and spicy oil dip. Slightly sweet, spicy and sour flavoured oil.

The breads were given after we ordered our food. It tasted fresh from the oven warm and the dip has a nice sweet and tangy flavour that goes well with the bread. We ordered three appetizers. I should had used flash when taking the photos, they did not come out very well.

The first appetizer was watercress salad, with sliced red beets, apricots, oranges and almonds. The salad tasted fresh with the citrus flavours and the almonds gave a nice crunch to this appetizer. Thumbs up.

Next comes the chicken liver pate terrine. I must say I was never a fan of livers but decided to give it a try. The bloody aftertaste of liver was not present but instead I was greeted with a strong sesame like flavour of the liver pate - kind of like tasting chicken with peanut butter. Yummy! Thumbs up for this dish as well.

Our final appetizer was stir fried mushrooms sandwiched between two crackers. This one gets my thumbs up as well. Overall the appetizers were pleasant and made me look forward to the steaks we ordered.

I ordered the rib eye with bernaise sauce. The rib eye is properly seasoned and cooked to my liking, I ordered medium. I really like the buttery bernaise sauce.

Beef T-bone Steak. Now that's a huge chunk of cow.

Rib eye with black pepper sauce. Overall the steaks did not disappoint. All cooked to our liking with a slight pink inside. Thumbs up for the steaks.

Beef shanks. The beef shanks were soft and tender, the sauce that comes with it is simply gorgeous. I would definitely order this if I come next time. Thumbs up. Now on to dessert.

Creme Brule. Taste ok but the small portion for such a pricey dessert? Don't think it justifies it. Thumbs down.

Crepes with caramelized bananas and served with chocolate sauce. An alright dessert. No complaints but no praises either. I wouldn't order this again for this price. Thumbs down.

Italian ricotta cheesecake. This I did not really like. It was slightly dry and on the cakey side, rather than the rich custardy texture of a cheesecake. Perhaps this is the way the Italians like it but I certainly did not. Thumbs down.

The wall setting makes a good background for photos

Overall service was pretty good. Waiters would constantly refill our water and made sure we had enough sauce for our steaks. After every course, they would change a new plate for us. The waiters were all very friendly, making the evening enjoyable. Of course, bear in mind that we pay 10% service charge so the service must be good, or they'll piss off the fussy customers like me.

It was quite a pricey dinner but I would certainly come here again. The atmosphere and warm service definitely scores big points for those who want to have a special evening with their loved ones or friends. I will probably spend more on their appetizers and main courses. Their desserts are alright but more on the pricey side and I can't seem to justify that price for their desserts.

Jin Chiew Kopitiam

2009-09-10T22:10:00.000+08:00

You can never be truly Bruneian if you never eaten at Jin Chiew Kopitiam. It is so popular that parking is hard to find. I really like their Roti kahwin kuning. Basically it's fresh baked yellow bread, with a slice of butter and kaya in the centre.

Very rich and tasty breakfast or tea, though not good for your arteries!

They also have freshly baked buttermilk buns and peanut buns which is usually sold out if you are late. I usually go around 2pm to enjoy them.

What you see here is their version of french toast, where they dip their yellow bread and then pan fry them. You can also request to have a sunny side up egg on top of your french toast. Then you put your choice of chili sauce or tomato sauce. Yum~

Last but not least, recently, my friend recommended me to order this, roti kahwin kacang. Instead of only the traditional butter and kaya, they put their chunky peanut filling as well. This is officially one of my favourite things to eat for tea. Too bad it's too fattening but you can always indulge once in a while~

Jin Chiew, always a good place to hang around with friends and chill. Have a nice cup of Teh Tarik India and chew one of those tasty buns, while chatting and laughing with your mates. Good food at cheap prices. A truly special place in the hearts of many Bruneians.

Edited: For those who live overseas and miss those buttermilk buns, one of our very own Bruneian blogger Ihsan has attempted to make some. Here's the link to her buttermilk buns recipe. Give hers a shot!

Kimchi Restaurant All You Can Eat BBQ

2009-09-08T11:48:00.001+08:00

Korean food has not caught up in popularity yet in Brunei but in Australia, it's a big hit! People have yet to actually understand and appreciate Korean food. Recently, I decided to try out Kimchi's All You Can Eat BBQ, their Ramadhan Promotion.

Kimchi restaurant is located at Regency Qlap. If you don't know where that is, it's the same area as Deseo, National Insurance Branch and also the new Excapade Sushi Branch in Qlap.

Kimchi uses nontick hotplates so your food's not likely to stick to the plate while you're cooking.

They also got exhaust on top of all bbq tables to absorb all the smoke and smell from the bbq so you won't walk out of the restaurant smelling like smoked beef.

For appetizers, they have assorted kimchis for you to savour and also two soups

Seaweed Soup

Kimchi Soup

Korean Style Seafood Pancake which goes very well rolled with cabbage kimchi, sliced bbq meats or on it's own. One of my fav things about Korean cuisine!

Place your choice of kimchi or meat on top of pancake

Grab one end with chopsticks

Roll roll~~

Simply sensational! You can be creative and throw in bbq squid or sliced sweet potatoes topped with Korean hot bean paste~ be creative! Create your own pancake roll.

Now on to the stuff to BBQ. They come in 3 different sets. The meat, seafood and vegetables sets. It's all you can eat so you can ask for refill everytime you finish each set.

The first set is the assorted meat set which includes marinated lamb, beef and chicken (in two flavours - spicy and non spicy)

The seafood set consists of marinated squid, prawns, scallops and mussels topped with a cube of butter and lime slices. Hmm...

The vegetables set consists of sliced pumpkins and sweet potatoes, sweet corn and enoki mushrooms.

I like to grill my seafood shell side down

You can eat the BBQ meats on their own but koreans like to wrap their meats with fresh lettuce leaves, sliced onions, shallots or garlic and a little bit (or a lot) of Korean hot bean paste.

Assemble your wrap healthy delicious wrap~

Roll and eat~~ it's really enjoyable. And same with rolling pancakes, you can create your own lettuce wraps! This makes it an enjoyable dinner with family and friends.

They also have an array of desserts for this buffet.

Fresh rockmelon, honeydew and watermelon slices

Patbingsu, which is Korean's version of ABC. Give this a try!

I especially like their smooth Soy Bean Pudding which makes a refreshing ending to all the spicy and tasty Korean BBQ.

If you like Shabu shabu at Ice Bar, you will absolutely love the Korean BBQ experience. The cooking and wrapping of bbq meats with lettuce leaves and seafood pancake is simply enjoyable and fun!

Korean BBQ is $19.80 for adults and $11.80 for children under the age of 12.

For reservations please call:
2222233/7122283

House of Curry

2009-09-03T21:57:00.000+08:00

Roti Canai , Roti Prata or Murtabak; it is one of the staples in Brunei foods you must try. Everytime I have friends coming from overseas, I will surely bring them to my favourite Murtabak store.

The most basic Roti Kosong is probably my favourite. Crispy Croissant like textures and pleasant buttery smell. You won't find this in any other place in Brunei.

R0ti BOM is filled with Susu Manis (Sweetened Condensed Milk). Most of my friends preferred this type. It's Da BOMB! They'll say ;)

Roti Pisang is roti filled with bananas. Ask for the sweetened condensed milk to dip this with. It's simply delish!

Roti Tissue is a thin crepe like roti that is sweet and crispy. You simply 'peel' this mountain and eat the thin crispy sweet roti.

I usually order lamb kurma to dip my roti kosong with. One of my favourite kurma dishes. So next time give this place a try. It is House of Curry which is in the same row as WYWY Lambak, and right next to the KFC. My vote for best murtabak in Brunei.

Ice Bar & Cafe Shabu Shabu

2009-08-31T21:55:00.000+08:00

At the streets of Qlap, a new restaurant called Icebar & Cafe appeared on the first floor at the hotel where Funwok, the hongkong restaurant was located. The restaurant's name showed no hint of what type the restaurant would be. One would wonder if it's a cafe for eating ice like Charmy snow ice or some fancy fine dining restaurant. Instead, it's actually a Shabu Shabu place.

Shabu Shabu means you have your own soup (there are a variety of soups to choose from) and then you cook your food hot pot style. As you can see from the tables, each person has their own individual hot pot. The last time I went to a Shabu Shabu place was in Miri, so let's see how this places does. I did hear many complains that service was quite slow especially when it's packed, so if you're on a rush, definitely not a good place to visit. Fortunately, for me though, the service was not as slow as I expected. My drinks did take some time to arrive though.

You can choose the type of soup you want and then choose your set of food you want to cook with your hotpot.

This is the economy one which is around $8.80. You can choose to have beef slices instead of chicken. I definitely prefer the beef. Basically like a typical price for a steamboat dish per person.

This is the $13.50 beef set, which has more slices of beef. I personally preferred this as I like to quickly cook them slice by slice in the hotpot, dip into the sauce I personally mixed, then eat~ hmm...

You can mix and match from the many ingredients and sauces they have available like a buffet style.

This is my special mix: black bean sauce, sar char sauce, sesame oil, garlic, chives and coriander(daun sup). Mixed well. Great dip!

This is the normal seafood soup. Although the flavours are not strong at first, and I feel that it tastes more like chicken soup than seafood soup, once you cooked a variety of your food in it, it get's better and better! The other soups tend to be overpowering. This soup is only $1.50, and refills are free of charge.

This is the miso soup base. I really liked the flavours of this soup. Would definitely pick this one next time. $2.00 for the soup and $1.00 to refill.

The hot and sour soup is for those who can really take spicy food! One sip of this made my lips and tongue really numb! That's why in Taiwan they call this "MA LA Hotpot" which translates to Numbing Spicy Hot Pot. Definitely an experience for the adventurous ones. $2.00 to order, $1.00 to refill.

I did not take pictures of other types of soups but the Tom Yum and Tomato based soups ($2.00 ) are worth a try as well. I personally tried all of them and if I could rank them, I would prefer the miso followed by tom yum, then seafood soup base. The others are good as well but that's just my preference.

You can separately order your side dishes, such as this lamb here which is $6.00 per plate. I personally felt that this is too expensive for just 8 slices. I hope the management would adjust the pricing. 15 slices would be more appropriate.

The drink Green Tea Calamansi is pretty good and I highly recommend it. However, I wish they would give us complimentary cold water, especially if we're eating the hot and spicy soup bases. If they can give us complimentary sauces, I am sure they should give the customers complimentary iced water, if we order a few drinks from the table. This would greatly improve our overall experience.

Overall, I was impressed that they offer competitive value for most of their menu items. The complimentary sauces and green bean desserts were thumbs up and I hope they will keep this up. What I would suggest is

1) Include wontons and dumplings, or other possible additions to their hotpot menus.
2) Complimentary iced or warm water if the customers order drinks already at the table, to act as a fire hydrant for those spicy soup bases or sauces.
3) Be more generous on the lamb and beef slices when we order separate sets. $6.00 for simply 8 thin slices of lamb is simply ridiculous.
4) I saw some nice ice desserts on their menus which they had not started serving yet but I hope we will get to see these desserts in future. Imagine the sensation of a spoonful of ice cold dessert after all that hot and spicy food. Hmmm....

Once again. Thumbs up for Ice Bar's Shabu shabu and I am sure you will enjoy your experience there. Remember to book beforehand to avoid disappointment!

Tarindak d Seni Restaurant @ Kota Batu

2009-08-31T21:53:00.000+08:00

As a Bruneian, I am very proud of Tarindak restaurant. It is a restaurant that I can proudly recommend to fellow Bruneians and visiting tourists.

Located at the Brunei Handicrafts centre at Kota Batu, this restaurant offers both traditional Malay and International Cuisine but also to showcase local handicrafts and traditional costumes, followed by the great view of Kampung Ayer.

As you can see, the restaurant is spacious and classy. A good place for fine dining or family special occasions. I'll showcase only some of their food, which is a wide variety.

They have an open kitchen which showcases their grilled meats

Their lamb satay is really good. Tender and juicy. Grilled to perfection.

Ah! Gotta be proud of our Ambuyat!

There are also various traditional Malaysian Salads~

Gotta be proud of our local malay kuehs! And you can also see various traditional handicrafts on display too! If only they have Tapak Kuda!

Good food, good ambience and not to mention the great view. After dinner, you can even take a romantic walk with your loved ones at the riverside. My friends who went there said the view's even better during the day where you can see speedboats and the view of the Water Village. Breakfast $8, Lunch $15 and Dinner $22. Ala Carte Menu also available for those on diet.

For more pictures, please visit my facebook album of Tarindak Restaurant
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=99669&id=581271416&l=ffeea6f22f

Nur Wanita Restaurant & Catering Services

2009-04-08T18:26:00.007+08:00

One lunch time, colleagues were talking about this new Thai-Malaysian cuisine Restaurant and we decided to have lunch there. Nur Wanita is located at Kiarung, two blocks behind Baiduri Kiarung.

The entrance is pretty grand, and makes you feel like you're walking into an upscale restaurant.

As you can see, they have quite good ambiance from their decor. It feel's quite comfy albeit a little cramp during lunch hour.

Saw this 'Thai style coffee' and decided to try, it has a unique burnt coffee taste. Not bad, good for the experience but I probably would try something else next time but if you never tried it, be adventurous and give this a shot.

The typical soup of Thai cuisine, Tom Yum soup. Their version is not too spicy and is just right for our palette. Nothing too special to mention though. Just Tom Yum Soup.

Thai style Fried Kway Teow. Slightly spicier than the usual char kway teow we have. Good flavour and taste but not as caramelized as how we would liked.

Mango Chicken Rice. You can't go wrong with Thai style Mango Chicken or Fish in Thai restaurants. Spicy, Sour and Sweet flavours with the crispy texture of fried chicken. Yum!

Chiang Mai Curry Noodles, this is quite a heartening dish as the noodles are crispy and the curry sauce is thick and spicy. I liked this dish and would certainly order it again. It might be too spicy for those who can't take spicy food, so be sure to tell the chef to adjust according to your tastebuds.

Green Curry Spaghetti is one of their Thai-Western Fusion dishes and it's actually pretty good but the heat factor of this dish is "Oh god It's Spicy!" so order this if you love green curries and enjoy the kick, otherwise ask the chef to make it not so spicy, though the taste might be compromised.

This dish would be my favourite in the restaurant. Deep fried kangkong with meat gravy. The kangkong is fried till a very crisp texture and seasoned very well. I really enjoyed this dish and as I am typing this post, my mouth is already salivating from the memories of wolfing down mouthfuls of the deep fried morsels. Hmm.... Anyone up for Nur Wanita?

Review by Thanis.

Unacceptable

2009-01-29T00:00:00.000+08:00

Rat Droppings in dim sum. Read more here...

Warning: link contained a photo of the spoiled food item.

Dunes Café

2009-01-03T11:11:00.006+08:00

Dunes Café is one of the newly-opened eatery located in one of the buildings near the big roundabout in Gadong. It is just opposite the soon-to-be-opened Excapade Sushi branch. This part of "new" Kiulap is called Regent Square, which somehow reminds me of Regent Street in London. So anyway, my friend and I decided to give the place a try at lunch time.

The menu was just quite mediocre, the usual kind a café had to offer. The interior of the café was quite small but cosy, the concept you envisaged yourself lounging about or surfing on your laptop (yes there's WiFi) whilst waiting for your meal to be served. And boy, we sure did wait for our food, try 45 minutes later! The service was extremely slow. Not the place to go if you have an hour for lunch break. I ordered the Fried Bee Hoon and Iced Lemon Tea while my friend had the Fettucine Carbonara and Iced Latte. I’m no expert in cooking, but surely our order shouldn't take that long to prepare?

Even the drinks took awhile to arrive at our table. Had the cafe been full house at that time, we would have been quite understandable, but the place wasn’t even fully packed. It was only us and a few other customers. And that is not the worst part yet, both of our food tasted rather bland. I reckon the chef had gone a little too far with the adding of MSG, either that or the chef couldn’t be bothered tasting it at all before serving it. Both our food was salty, Bee Hoon too oily and the Pasta too creamy. I couldn’t even bring myself to finish half of it.

With the slow service and bad cooking, my appetite was completely gone by then. I’m sorry to say Dunes Café is certainly not to my liking. I'm guessing they only have one chef to handle the orders. But that is still no excuse. So perhaps we came at the wrong time or day but for sure, our dining experience was very disappointing. The only benefit of the doubt I could give to the lousy service is that they are still new, but again that is no excuse for customers to leave unhappy, when you're new, you need to leave a good impression. The café obviously could use a big uplift in the service quality (hire another chef?) and food department. Perhaps your take could be different from ours, who knows.

Submitted by: FNAN

Li Gong

2008-11-21T07:04:00.004+08:00

In order: Bok choy, squids and Braised Tofu

Every Wednesday and Thursday Nights, its 'Eat All You Can' Promotion at the Empire Hotel and Country Club. Many choices from the menu. Adults $25, Children $12.50 plus 10 % service charge.

Here are a sample of the many dishes offered.

Prawn with Szechuan sauce

Chicken with lemon sauce - my fave

Beef with BBQ sauce

We like the food so much that we forgot to take photos of others. Prawn mayonaise, Fried Chicken with Thousand Island sauce and Beef with black pepper sauce.

Breaking Fast at Restoran Kaka

2008-09-19T17:13:00.000+08:00

Two nights ago, the AB gang trooped over to Restoran Kaka which introduced its sungkai buffet on Monday. Famous for its nasi katok, the owners decided to open the restaurant to offer its clientele additional choices above the staple nasi katok.

Located at Kg Rimba, the interior decor of the restaurant is cosy and modern with a touch of homeliness. Nice work by the owners, the husband and wife team who did the design.

The buffet was quite a refreshing change from the 167++ dish buffets of the bigger establishments. It was a simple buffet made up of not more than 20 items and this meant you don't over-indulge from wanting to try everything. The highlight of the meal for me was the beef rendang, and the bubur durian. Sedap sekali!

At only B$6.90 for adults and B$4 per child, this buffet represents one of the better value for money meals this ramadhan, especially for families on tight budgets. Thoroughly recommended. As da gangsta puts it, do call 8778330 for reservations as this place can get pretty packed.

The corner unit location makes the small unit feel spacious

Patrons getting food before the sound of the bedok

Round one...

I like the lights :)

The bubur durian on the right ROCKS!

The little man enjoying his noodles

The night crowd :)

Sri Patik Brasserie

2008-09-18T21:00:00.012+08:00

Following his lead, a couple of us ventured to sungkai at the rather royal name brasserie. We had a long table of 13 adults plus some kids and that showed our enthusiastic feelings in trying out this new place. When she and her, two nominees from Simpur Bloggies Award of the Specialty Blog category, gives their thumbs-up for their food, you can be sure the chefs are doing something right with their dishes.

The moment that you arrived at the restaurant, you must wonder where you are exactly in Brunei. It gives that 'out of the country' feeling, not because it was located close to the Airport but the decor and ambiance created gives it a more international setting. I definitely loved it!!

The open concept of the restaurant is very much welcomed by all of us as it gives a relaxing and casual atmosphere for you to catch up with family and friends while enjoying the good food. First stop for sungkai definitely is the cakes corner that are full of Malay cakes.

Last night, most of the food presented were of Asian cuisine with a kampung theme. Speaking to one of the Chef, meat carveries are normally showcased during weekends. I was looking forward to the carvery but it was not available last night. Definitely need to find an excuse to come back again during one of the weekends.

The open kitchen concept reminds me much of Straits Kitchen in Grand Hyatt Singapore.
Mee Bandung station. - got my thumbs up!

Chefs cooking away which is great cos the food that you take is constantly warm.
Good point - not a long wait.

Assam Pedas Fish Curry

Ayam Masak Merah

Nasi Goreng Kampung.

Starters. From Potato Salads to Sambal Belacan dips to Kerabu
to Thai Salad - just the right variety. I think this is his favorite section.

There was a variety of veggies too.

My favorite dessert, the Bubur Kacang Merah was just right.

So yes, we did have a good time at Sri Patik. The ambiance was comfortable, tables not too close, the staff attentive and of course the food was beyond our expectations. Sungkai Buffet is B$15 (adults) and B$10 (children). Everyday they have a different menu, so best to call them at 2335477 for inquiries and reservations. Their address is;

Sri Patik Brasserie
No.1 & 2, Jaya Setia Square,
Simpang 13, Jalan Berakas,
Bandar Seri Begawan.

The place looks promising although fairly new. I'm actually looking forward to try out their Breakfast Buffet hehehe... Till then, Selamat Berpuasa ;)

Japanese Sungkai Buffet? Go Takara!

2008-09-09T14:34:00.013+08:00

I'm sure you're thinking "I bet it cost a bomb!". Maybe in the $30ish range I hear you guessing. Nope, you're too far off! The ones at Takara only cost $12.80. Yes. Not kidding. Let me repeat again. B$12.80!!!

Ok. Still unconvinced? You must be saying like, "oh maybe they don't have nice things on the menu, just the unpopular dishes". Well, feast your eyes on this...

Appetizer - Gyoza

Appetizer - Salmon Sashimi (and they're not stingy on the slices too!)

Appetizer - California Maki (5 varieties)

Chicken Teriyaki on a stick! Yummy!

Fish... errmm fried. I think it's Tuna.

Japanese Noodles

Tempura Prawn!

The buffet spread (trust me, a visit or two ain't enough!)

My plate (round one).

So how did I like it? It was awesome! I don't know how much Sashimi and Ebi Tempura I had but I know that if I were to order it normally, it'll at least cost me $30 or so. To go with the meal, there's also a free flow of drink, good ole Manisan which goes well with the dishes. Not in the picture are the fried squids and garlic rice. For desserts, they also have assorted Malay kuehs and fruits. Crazy deal right?

Yes again I repeat, it's only B$12.80 (adult), B$8.80 (child) & under 6 years old, no charge at all. One not so good news though is that it's only available till the 15th of Sept! So you better hurry and make your reservations now. Check here for their contact numbers.

/edit 120908: They've extended the Buffet offer until the 24th of Sept! Also you get 20% discount when you order ala carte! Excellent deal I must say!

Restaurant Khaz Corner

2008-09-03T22:33:00.009+08:00

My beloved nephew is currently on a study break from the U.K. After a month stint in Spain, he was craving for local kampung cuisine. He asked me for a recommendation where should he go for his sungkai, a place where he can eat Ambuyat, kampung food, roti john, soto, buffet spread, local cakes, free flow of manisan, puspa and teh tarik.......for a measly $5 per person.

I told him....'no fear son! Restoran Khaz Corner is the place!'. Zim was delighted when we had our sungkai treat with the rest of the family at place that I have recommended. We were definitely spoilt for choice and I personally didn't try all of the food because it was too much for me to eat.

staff getting the place ready

The busy crowd during sungkai

puspa corner

my sungkai plate.... just the beginning..

kari tulang daging, roti john, spaghetti

sambal udang, ayam masak kunyit, nasi goreng

dessert spread with variety of cakes, dates and fresh cut fruits
soto corner.. a must!

If the buffet is not your preference, you can order a la carte meals from the menu... like kolo mee, nasi paprik, nasi ayam and ayam penyet.

I forgot to take photo of the Ambuyat and kampung corner. So , if you are looking for a place to take the family, Restoran Khaz corner is a good choice. Great value for money, At a price of $5, all in the family can enjoy their dinner.

Khaz Corner can be found at two branches:

Senkurong Branch
No.2 Bangunan Hj Abdullah
Tel: 2670600 / 8729425 / 8627962

Kg Rimba Branch
No. 4, Ground Floor, Rimba Complex,
Jalan Tungku Link.
Tel:: 2426600 / 2670600

Khaz Corner also does home catering for all your function needs.

Villa Mauri

2008-08-28T19:06:00.007+08:00

The exquisite taste of Italy
by Farah HA

Food lovers can now indulge and savour in the delectable taste of Italian cuisine at the new Italian eatery, Villa Mauri.

The restaurant specialises in rich southern Italian flavours, spearheaded by Chef Maurizio Intrigila, hailing from Reggio Calabria, Italy, who acquired his "Diploma Di Cucina (kitchen)" from his homeland.

"Villa Mauri aims to provide quality and value for money dishes. We intend to uphold our motto of being 'Simply the best' in our field of work," said Chef Intrigila while explicating the ideas and concepts behind his restaurant during an interview with the Weekend.

"My family and I have been in Brunei for 12 years and although I travelled to other countries, my heart will always remain in Brunei, which I consider to be my second home and am well familiar with the market here."

This prompted him to set up his own local Italian restaurant with the vision of promoting only healthy authentic Italian food using a "low-fat" cooking method. The menu offers a wide selection of Italian dishes, Asian cuisine as well as desserts that will leave your taste buds demanding for more.

Healthy conscious individuals can relish in the fact that no butter or cream is used in any of the dishes offered. The chef also assured that all ingredients used are 100 per cent halal.

Customers can dine-in at the eatery to feel the delicious and mouth-watering cuisine from 10am to 2pm and 5pm to 10pm.

++++++++++++++

Bulimic: Ok so that came out a few weeks ago in the Weekend Bulletin. I've been to Villa Mauri before it came out though and I must say I liked the place and more importantly the food too. Now I haven't been to Italy, let alone taste authentic Italian dishes, so I can't really give an expert comparison, for all I know I might not even like it, but I find the dishes at Villa Mauri to my liking. I have only had the lamb shank (pic below) so far and I think it's the best one I've tasted served in any restaurant here.

The talk amongst my friends though is the Tiramisu. It's the type that makes you go speechless. One described it as gastronomically orgasmic! Then there is the Fantasia di Maria, another chocolate based dessert that you should have to complete your meal. The prices are quite reasonable and they also a set lunch menu of $11 which includes a soup or salad for starters and pasta or pizza for the main course. For dinner there is a $22 and $25 set meal too.

During the coming month of Ramadhan, Chef Intrigila said they will be having an all-you-can-eat promotion, so that is one to look out for!

You can read some positive reviews about Villa Mauri here, here and here.

Villa Mauri
Italian Restaurant & Asian Delight
Spg. 368, Jln. Muara
Kg. Sungai Tilong
For reservations, call: 233 5585.

The Italian Promotion at Spaghettini.

2008-07-24T23:57:00.006+08:00

Wow! The Italian Promotion at Spaghettini is back again at The Empire Hotel and Country Club. Having missed it last year, I made a point to try it this time. Two traditional Italian Chefs : Chef Grassi and Chef Ettore are here.. all the way from the Acanto Ristorante at the Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan, Italy, to brew up an Italian gastronomic treat to all Spaghettini patrons.

The promotion is on from 17-27 July 2008. If you remember the Italian promotion last year, this year the chefs have come prepared with an excellent menu that will definitely whet your appetite for more. One of the passion of Italian cooking can be seen from the usage of fresh herbs and produce in their cooking and the lovely taste of olive oil.

So, what have the chefs prepared for this year promotion? Please make sure you do not view the following photos with an empty stomach as I will not be responsible for any growling noises that it makes. But seriously, the selection that we have tried are superb and first class. Chefs Grassi and Ettore who are working at the Hotel Principe di Savoia which is a luxury five star hotel that has been the natural home for international travelers and cosmopolitan society since the 1920’s. No doubt the chefs' cooking captured our hearts and appetite with the delectable cuisine that makes us desire for more....

Let’s start the drum roll with the following dishes...

The a la carte menu has been specially designed for this Italian food promotion to showcase some of Italy’s best loved traditional family inspired recipes and ingredients. You can opt for the Antipasi Trolley - an array of goodies ranging from grilled asparagus, smoked salmon, anchovies, Italian cheese, grilled aubergines, olives and many more.

For starters, we opted for Pizza Napoletana - with ingredients consisting of anchovies, capers, olives, tomatoes and basil leaves. The freshly oven-baked pizza tastes good and the light salty taste of the achovies bring out the flavour of the pizza.

Next, I opted for an antipasto ( starter) of Panzanella - a tomato salad with large croutons with grilled red snapper added to the salad. The large croutons gave a wholesome meal to the soft tomato and olive oil drizzled salad. The grilled red snapper gave the salad a full overall taste.

We were offered a chance to see the Chefs in action preparing our Mains. Here is someone's beef steak being prepared.... and here is the final result...

Fantastic.. I described this.... The Tiara...when actually in Italian it is called Rossini di manzo or beef Rossini with shallot confit and truffle oil.

Before having my main, I tried a Primi (Warm Starter) - Rissoto alla Milanese or Milanese Risotto with saffron and gold leaf. yes! Real gold leaf! Oh! What a delight to see how the chef add the delicate gold leaf as a the final touch of the dish. Delicate but astounding procedure!! The taste of the Risotto is superb with a tinge of saffron and Mediterranean flavours.

Since I had fish for my starter, I opted for a chicken dish for my main- Galletto Biscottato or Cripsy baby chicken with "sorrento" lemon sauce and thyme flavoured potato flan. One of the signature of Italian dishes that I really like is the infused flavourings from the stock and herbs that provide a simple delectable but distinctive taste to the cooking. The potato flan is light but taste beautiful!

Do I have room for desserts after all the food? I'm afraid.. I do. Since Tiramisu or 'pick me up' in Italian, is on the menu... I will never miss it for the world! Instead of having a bowl of dessert, it came in three little cups of wonderfully taste desserts of classic tiramisu, strawberry and bitter chocolate.

The above is just part of an array of ala carte dishes created for Spaghettini by the two chefs. Salute to both of them for their great creations. It has been a great experience to see them in action, whipping out the dishes for the patrons. Gratzee!!

So, what are you waiting for? Definitely a worth while treat for loved ones and family. Why go to Italy when Italy is here for you to savour!!! To everyone especially Italian food lovers...it is best that you don't miss this opportunity!!

You can read AnakBrunei's post here.

Le`Stadium Restaurant

2008-05-19T14:01:00.009+08:00

With all the mixed reviews from friends that dined in at the newly opened Le’ Stadium, Jean-T and I decided to try it out. We parked our cars and admired the unique structure of the building. All in positive minds, hoping we would be up for a great treat, due to the extensive coverage on Ranoadidas. Le’ Stadium, what we had in mind were sports illustrated themes but when we got in, it was just like any other ordinary restaurant except their tables had sporty pictures in them.

Looks good eh? But as they always say, looks can be deceiving.
Photo from Ranoadidas.

They could have done more with the interior really, I think naturally when we hear the word "stadium" we would think of sports. Having a locker room or an indoor arena feel would've been nice. Badminton/Squash/Tennis rackets on the wall or jerseys/posters of local sports celebrities would've really made the place more sport-ish and compliments the exterior nicely.

Our orders:
Me: Lamb with mushroom sauce and buttered vegetables + banana delight
Jean-T: Lasagne + lce lemon tea

Here goes my critic: The food I should say is, ok, it’s not good nor is it any bad. Good presentation but with the allocated price on the non-sporty-menu, I expected more. Maybe in terms of quality. The lamb was well done, it was tender but the sauce was just really not working for me. To me, sauce is the most important element in the dish. It either works or it doesn’t. In this case, it just didn’t work for me.

Jean-T wasn’t pleased with her Lasagne either. They have inserted Macaroni into the Lasagne, I guess that they wanted it to be special. It would have been better if they stuck to the classic Lasagne. Lets not talk about the ice lemon tea…I give up. Heehee…On a positive note, service was quick and sweet, that’s what we like. The waiters and waitresses were at their best behavior and they really cleaned up well. Even the billing was quick. No hassle but seriously, I do hope they will upgrade their quality of food and more funky decos that are more welcoming and relaxing.

Review by C

WYWY explains.

2008-04-20T12:21:00.003+08:00

(click to enlarge)

Ok that is from WYWY. Can we see an endorsement by the relevant authorities to certify that all this ture? I think if there is such endorsement, at least it will help clear the doubts of many. I think it's only fair that the authorities make a public clarification and explain what exactly happened that led to this issue.

I'm sure everyone is wondering, if WYWY did use local halal ingredients (as stated above), why was pork contamination detected in some of the lab test done? I hope we'll get some answers, but then again at the way that this issue is being handled, I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you...

WYWY serves pork?!

2008-04-04T10:03:00.008+08:00

I don't think I need to say much, here is the proof...

Click on image to enlarge. Images from KB Happening.

Rano said in his initial post that you can sue WYWY if you have proof you've eaten it (but now has re-edited the entry). Makes you wish you kept that receipt right? Maurina is obviously outraged. And for an in-depth coverage, go to the ever reliable KB Happening.

Its a pity that only when such things happen that the relevant authorities instantly announced that a New Halal Certification For Restaurants will be implemented sometime this year. I guess our typical Bruneian reply would be, "udah aaatu!"

The Other Office

2008-03-18T10:05:00.006+08:00

It was my first time being there. It was the second time for my friend. So we were relatively new to the place. On first impression, it felt somewhat odd to me that some restaurant would have that kinda deco. I would've played it to the name, make it office like, filling cabinets at the corner, seats divided into cubicles and so on. But then again some might not want to go there because it'll remind them of their office hehe...

Anyway, the menu I would say is visually boring, too much to read. I like pictures, its more appealing and gives a better representation of the food you serve. After going though the menu from cover to cover for about 5 mins, I decided on the Nasi Ayam Special while my friend ordered a muffin (couldn't recall which one it was).

They had a high-tea set which cost about $12+ and has loads dishes that comes with it, from starters to desserts. I was hungry but not that hungry. The deal looks pretty good though, maybe next time. As we waited for our order, we saw the guy next to our table having his Roti Kawin with two half-boiled eggs, which made me regret my order abit. My friend's muffin came first, not sure what it was but she said it tasted like lumps of flour in colorings. It gives that sticky feeling in your mouth kinda thing, not the soft almost melts in-your-mouth one. For $3 it was sure ain't worth it, I think I'll stick to hers when it comes to muffins. Not happy with the muffin, my friend ordered the Mee Rebus.

My food finally came after about 10mins or so. And I must say I was pretty surprised on how big the portions were. Generous but somehow it kinda crushed my expectations of what a chicken rice meal is, which usually either come with roasted or steamed chicken. Well at The Other Office its been deep fried, as you can see from the photo below. You also get a Rendang chicken on your main plate. So altogether you get four piece of chicken. See this where the picture of the food item on the menu would help, at least the customer won't be surprised. Anyway, despite the big serving, the problem I had was that I don't like the meaty part of the chicken i.e. breast part and also the chicken doesn't look/taste fresh too. I didn't finish my meal, I had two more of the fried ones untouched. I'm giving this $7+ meal a 5/10.

As for my friend's Mee Rebus, she said it's spicy but a little bit bland. I had a taste of it and I have to agree. I have tasted better at the Kianggeh stalls in town. So it was kind of a disappointing meal although it does look good.

All the while we were there, I felt like we were being monitored. My friend joked that maybe they have my picture in the kitchen with a big warning, "watch out for this food blogger!" hahaha. And I guess me snapping away at the food made it obvious too. I thought at one point they were gonna tell me to stop taking pictures like one of the quite well known restaurant in Jalan Tutong.

So will I go there again? Yes I will. I'm a strong believer in second chances, plus I like to try some other dishes on their menu. And hopefully the next time around it won't be as disappointing as this one was.

WyWy Chicken Rice (Kuala Belait)

2008-03-09T12:12:00.002+08:00

This is isn't so much of a review but a very unhappy account of a dining experience. So my friends and I were there at 2pm, most of the lunch crowd is gone and the restaurant was half empty. We ordered our food; honey chicken with rice, coconut prawn with rice, another chicken dish, fried eggs and I ordered the crispy szechuan noodles. On the order receipt our order was taken at 2:10pm.

Our drinks came a few minutes later. The chicken dish came 15mins after the order. The coconut prawn 5 mins later (2:30pm). The honey chicken came 2:45pm and its only during this time the waitress who took our order came back to check with us which order is missing! She panics and ran to the kitchen and I finally got my food at 3pm! And the fried egg came just about 5mins close to an hour when she took the order down!

So I ask you, wouldn't you be pissed off if your order took 50mins to get to you?! A simple fried eggs took almost an hour!? Especially when you see the restaurant is not full! I think WyWy has been known about how slow and bad their service is. I have been to a couple of their branches and never once did I ever enjoyed it. I remember one time I was seated for more than 5 mins before someone came to me to give the menu and take my order! Food is nothing to rave about, I dislike how there is so much items on the menu too, what is the use when your service is just lousy?

Above is the food I ordered. Doesn't look appealing and especially doesn't taste nice when you've been waiting 50mins for it, 'nuhun nafsu' as we Bruneians say or simply put appetite gone. So if any of you who are affiliated to the WyWy outlets, please pass the this message, "Shape Up! Your service is just horrendous. Please give your staff proper training and ensure orders doesn't take more than 15mins to reach to the customer. I see all your branches have a big kitchen, do you only have once chef/cook to run it?"

Your waitress should constantly check the table she took the order from. Don't just take the order, walk away and then came back half an hour later to check on it! Maybe some people can tolerate it but I can't. I guess it goes without saying I will never set foot in any of your dining outlets anymore.

I bet I'm not the only one with this bad experience. I'm sure you readers have encountered it too.

TWELV Café and Restaurant

2008-02-20T18:14:00.001+08:00

What a great night it was! The restaurant’s ambiance, delicious food, cocktails, relaxed company, flowing conversation interrupted by moments of appreciative nods and mmmmm’s during eating all contributed to a thoroughly enjoyable evening for us at TWELV Café and Restaurant.

We started off with their Signature Mojitos and Peach Melba Smoothie. The former is highly recommended, a refreshing mix of lime juice, lemonade and mint leaves, for a scorching day or when you simply need a drink with a kick in it!

Appetizers came in the form of Baked Scallops with a Teriyaki Sauce served on Half Shells, Crispy (breadcrumb coated) Calamari Rings served with a choice of tartar and sweet chilli sauces, Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls filled with chicken pieces or prawns and fresh crunchy carrot and cucumber strips served with a peanut hoisin sauce, and believe it or not by unanimous agreement, a serving of Crispy Chicken Skin which proved very moreish!

Read the rest of this review here.

Blue Eden Restaurant

2007-12-04T14:36:00.000+08:00

Review of Blue Eden Restaurant by AnakBrunei

Click here to read more.

And CONGRATULATIONS too for being the Best Photo Blog on the
Simpur Bloggies!

The Empire Hotel - Spaghettini's new menu

2007-11-01T13:44:00.000+08:00

The Empire Hotel has done it again. Not to be complacent and rest on their laurels, Spaghettini and new Chef Thomas Walter has launched a new menu made up of sumptous, carb laden Italian dishes with a range of traditional antipasti, zuppa , insalata, primi and dolce.

Traditional Italian carpaccios, risottos, pizzas and pastas feature alongside creamy desserts like the cream filled cannoli, melt in your mouth tiramisu and to die for panna cotta. This is what was happily digested in my tummy earlier this week.

Pepata di Cozze
New Zealand mussels cooked in garlic-herb and butter broth - so rich and buttery I wolfed them down and refused to share.

Insalata Caprese
Tomato & mozarella with balsamic dressing - leaves a nice tangy aftertaste.

Penne Pasta with sundried tomatoes, artichokes, olives, raisins, rocket and roasted pine seeds.
Beautifully light flavour with none of the heaviness of a cream sauce.

Risotto with mushrooms & duck - creamy comfort food.

Cannoli Siciliana.
Flaky pastry shell filled with sweetened ricotta cheese & chocolate chips, served with raspberry sauce - the pastry was a little heavy and sat in my tummy for a little longer than comfortable but that could just be because of the copious amounts of food consumed.

Panna Cotta.
Jellied cream with strawberry compote - nice and light tasting. The perfect hot day dessert.

More pictures here, here, here, here and here.

Shikai Restaurant

2007-10-26T01:55:00.000+08:00

Undoubtedly, Shikai Restaurant is my top pick when I have the cravings for some duck rice. But that is not the only thing you can order, they have quite a thick menu that can simply wet your appetite just by looking at them. You will be spoilt for choices as the all of them looks good and the real taste of it does justify the price. Below is a review shared by Cookie Monster a.k.a. Thanis.

Read the full review here.

You can also read what other foodies had to say about Shikai here & here.

(click on image to visit their website)

Also known as Pondok Empat Laut or Four Sea Hut.
Location: Unit 1 & 2, Block E, Ground Floor, Sempurna Complex, Jalan Batu Bersurat, Gadong.
Tel: 245 6222

Salam Aidil Fitri

2007-10-12T23:23:00.000+08:00

To all our Muslim visitors, we wish you
a happy & blessed Aidil Firtri.

A Costly Interview?

2007-10-08T08:13:00.000+08:00

Talk about this issue is still buzzing. To clarify what really went down, she went with him to meet the owners for an interview to give them a chance to voice out their side of the story. Before the start of the interview, she had informed the owners that she will be recording the session on video, to which they said yes to.

But somehow, after a few hours of the video being posted, the owners text messaged Maurina to take it down as they said that they have reminded her not to record the interview on video!? Did they just realized the statements they made were rather more damaging rather than helping to clear their name?

Well whatever their reasons might be, it has ignited more speculations. To read some commentaries about the interview and initial reaction from the public, goto this thread. I think everyone has formed their own idea about the place, good or bad, only the restaurant owners will know in the next few months to come.

Absolutely Shocking!

2007-10-03T14:49:00.000+08:00

So I assume most of you have been trying out various places for your Sungkai during this Ramadhan month. I would assume too that some places are really disappointing, maybe the food wasn't nice, the place is over-crowded or maybe service was slow.

But have you ever been kicked out and then told the food that you've eaten "inda di halalkan" by the owners of the establishment which is proving the Sungkai buffet? Sounds a lil bit too much right? But sad to say its a true story.

Maybe its best that stories like this don't go out to the public, in the interest of not jeopardizing the business of the restaurant. But then again, it is even a bigger injustice if behaviors like this is not exposed to the public. We as the consumers have the right to be treated fairly, instead of being bullied. No matter how exclusive the restaurant is, it should always respect its customers at all time. So here

Originally posted here but since we also receive an email from the group of people who actually experienced this appalling ordeal, we will also repost it again here. So read on...

Disappointed!!!

We felt so disappointed and unsatisfied with one of the restaurants at Gadong. The story began like this; we booked the sungkai’s buffet for 14 persons ($9 / person),but there were only 10 of us that could attend the buffet. The tables that was accommodating the remaining four people were given off to other customers.

After we had our sungkai, we asked for the bill from the waiter but then we were so shocked to see that the total amount for our buffet was $126 when in fact we were actually supposed to pay only $90.

One of us went to the waiter asking for the explanation. The waiter said that we booked for 14 persons sowe had to pay the $126 but it wasn’t fair. The waiter again said that it was their policy to do such thing and it is their system to be like that!! Come on… isn’t that called RIBA?? Who knows Brunei had such a restaurant!! We just had to pay for what we had eaten, no more and no less!! It was also not fair that we had to pay for other customers.

The only reason why those customers who took our table did not stay and eat was because there was not enough food. Is that justice on our part? We gave up our table to other customers and yet we had to pay for the seatings because the restaurant did not have enough food for them. We just cannot find the logic in this whole situation.

The very disappointing thing was the owners of that restaurant. We already tried talking to them in a nice, POLITE and sensible manner “Minta maafkami ah….” and that was replied with; “Apa lagi masalah kamu ani…??? Besedakah bah bulan puasa ani, tu pun kamu inda mau bayar untuk 14 orang”.

We did not mind paying for the place IF we did not give the tables up but we did. They asked us why we wanted to pick a fight during this holy month but we weren’t the ones who raised our voices and started throwing tantrums first.

Then the other owner came to us and said to one of us who actually gave a complaint on our behalf, saying “Kanyang dah parut atu..ahh?? Haram tu yang kamu makan ahh.. kuar kamu dari sini!! Haram kamu masuk kadaiku lagi!!” That was it?? Is that how our Bruneian people are?? There was no sense of politeness at all. They did not even let us explain! They just came and started yelling at us! Mana budi bahasa atu..??

All that we wanted is the ‘why?’ but they threw us out of the place as if we were ANIMALS!! Moreover, the male owner of the restaurant is very sexist. He did not even bother about what our female friends were saying. His exact words were “Kamu perempuan nda tau papa..” How are we supposed to talk to these sorts of people? This is the fasting month and we just wanted to come to some sort of agreement and yet we were treated this way.

We assure you that your business would not be going far IF you do such thing to your own customers. Without customers, your business will go down. Don’t you think that they will spread these things about your attitude being that restaurant’s owner?? Think twice!! We would like to thank the securities that were there to help us get our point across to those hard-headed owners!

Banyak lagi restoran di Brunei ani yang nyaman-nyaman dan membayar untuk orang yang hadir saja, sebab makanannya untuk semua orang dan lebih mencukupi. Sekali kami kena haramkan masuk, seratus kali lagi kami haram kan datang ke restoran atu. Orang Brunei terkenal dengan budi bahasa dan sopan santunnya tapi kenapa orang Brunei yang punya restoran ani nada langsungkan besopan bahasa?

So I bet you're wondering which restaurant is this? Well originally posted here where some readers has correctly identify the name of the place, so we see no reason why we shouldn't mention the name of the establishment here. Besides, on this blog, we tell you the truth, be it a good or bad experience.

The place is Wecan Elite Restaurant, located at Unit 3 & 4, Ground Floor, Wisma Siti Hamidah, Abdul Razak Complex (behind Pizza Hut). It certainly doesn't live up to its name huh?

You can also go here & here to read some reactions to this incident.

/edit 04/10/07
Of course there is two sides of the story, so we would like to request that the management/owners of Wecan to tell us their version of the incident. Please simply email us at whatiate2day@gmail.com.

Sungkai @ I-Lotus Restaurant

2007-10-01T01:13:00.000+08:00

Had the chance to experience the sungkai scene at I-Lotus Restaurant over the weekend thanks to the invitation by Sai & Pat. Also at the table was Ranz, Reeds and 3 other photogs whom I didn't get a chance to be introduced to.

Anyway, one good thing to remember when going to a sungkai buffet venue is to come early. Otherwise you'd be having trouble finding parking, be in a queue to be seated and even a long queue to take the food. And I-Lotus is no exception, the place was simply packed.

I think its all because of the generous spread, on their leaflet (below) they claimed over 100 varieties to choose from. There was the normal asian dishes plus also stalls serving hot of the cooking stove. The hotplate section was probably the most visited, you can pick prawns, sting rays, fish amongst others to have it freshly cooked by these two guys below. Tip: Remember your table number, because you need to put a clip according to your table number. So put on a wrong number, some lucky table is gonna have your portion! Which is what happened to me hehe...

This is one above is definately my favourite. The Mee Rebus stall is always crowded, so you gotta have patience for this one. You can choose from 3 types of soup to go with your noodles, chicken, beef or the tom yam soup. I went for the Tom Yam and boy, it got my taste buds buzzing.

The Rojak stall is also not to be missed. They steam those squid bits fresh so its all very tasty.

And to top it all off, try this one for dessert. Its Ubi Kayu with some condensed milk and Gula Melaka. Its simply delish. There is two other station serving fried items and also some local kueh and cakes.

Overall it was a full filing sungkai. The buffet is available from $15.80 (adults) & $9.80 (child) and for Baiduri Bank Cardholders and I-Lotus Privillage Cardholders, for every 10 diners, you get one person to dine for free. They also serve Sahur (10:30pm - 01:00am) eat-all-you-can steamboat & hot plate grill buffet at $11.80 (adult) & $7.80 (child). One good thing is also that prayer rooms are also available.

(click to enlarge)

For bookings call 2422 466 or visit here to see where they are located.

Sungkai @ Deli Nutreesh

2007-09-28T00:34:00.000+08:00

Yesterday we had sungkai at a restaurant with my office mates, except the bosses! Haha! I’m sure you all heard about this place which serves grilled food buffet for $10.90, don’t know the place? It’s just behind the QAF Plaza in Beribi. Now here’s my review and comments, or more to critic.

First of all, the food was good. I helped myself with the grilled lamb chop which made me kinda warm and restless this morning, but yea I love it! Now here’s the down part. Towards the course of the buffet, they did not refill some of the food especially the grilled items. Once all was grilled, then that’s it, you couldn’t ask for more, especially when you had to go through a big flock of hungry piranhas to get your share. I didn’t get to scoop the grilled prawn and when I asked for it, they were about to cool the coal already. And whats worst, they accepted customers’ reservations when they have a limited food preparation. Even before I could speak up, I heard some diners complained already.

But yea, I managed to eat what I wanted to eat, even though I had to share some of them with my friends, especially the grilled prawn. They didn’t even refill the tea and coffee, with that crowd, they just used a small pot for it!!! I’d say poor management on the buffet despite the good food.

Another thing, the place was cramped and packed. I found myself having to squeeze through my way amidst the crowd just to get around. I don’t know if I had to brush against breasts and butts with people in such crowd. The location of the restaurant was the biggest put-off to the experience, unless you’re early enough to secure a table indoors, like we did. Basically located on a sidewalk, the place did not provide a cozy environment to dine. Outdoors, it smell like drain water and they were lots of flies. Flies on food, that’s a major irritation for me, big time, especially for someone with weak immune system like me. Lucky us, we managed to get a table indoors, even that, they were one or two rogue flies flying around. Any health inspectors reading my blog? I think this place needs a spot check!

I guess that will be my last time visiting this restaurant. I don’t mean to destroy your reputation though nor I meant any harm. This is just my personal experience for your own improvement. Your food are delicious, it’s just that there are other factors you might need to look at.

Reviewed by Cintaislove.

Sungkai Buffet - Sheraton Utama Hotel

2007-09-26T19:24:00.001+08:00

Ambience - Nicely lit food stations, the fairy lights and water trickle into the pool were nice touches.

Drinks - Free flow teh tarik & orange cordial & water

Food - Kambing bakar was blue rare and had to finished off in the bbq - thereby toughening the meat. Personally I think it should have been cooked earlier and longer with no raw parts (look at the legs). I am sure the meat will be more tender this way.

I can see why it was so popular as it was nicely marinated and very tasty and it was a shame about the texture of the meat. (Perhaps the tender parts have all been taken earlier.....)...

Rest of food was not bad -some good and some forgettable. Of particular mention would be the deep fried curry leaf battered prawns. They were of a good size and freshly fried, so was not hard (as all deep fried food left for long periods will become). The beef rendang was tasty and flavourful, but again the meat was tough. Shame. Perhaps longer cooking or a different cut of meat?

Desserts - Not a good idea to leave desserts (cream cakes, fruits - uncovered/unchilled) out for hours in the hot humid weather we are experiencing. I didn't have any.

Staff - Excellent as usual from Zul & Johannes and a big hello to Chef Nova. There were a number of new staff who appear enthusiastic and who were practicing the Sheraton 'touch'.

Value for money - At $22.00 + 10%, pretty good. The ambience and excellent service gather high points for me.

Worth a second visit? - Yes, but I will be go earlier (than 7.30 pm) to get the choice cuts of lamb and if the choice and display / storage of desserts is improved.

p.s The sambal belachan was excellent - very pedas with that delicious aromatic shrimpy smell/taste.

Andaman Sungkai Buffet

2007-09-25T02:56:00.000+08:00

A couple of us bloggers got invited to try out the B$9.99 Sungkai Buffet recently. Overall we enjoyed the dishes and the choices offered are really value for money.

Click here for Maurina's review, here for Reeda's and here by Ranz.

Ramadhan Sungkai Guide

2007-09-23T22:26:00.000+08:00

This guide has been making its rounds. Emailed, printed and photocopied nationwide I assume. Originally compiled by Maurina. Good job babe!

1. The Empire Hotel & Country Club (Atrium Cafe)
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$25 per adult and BND$12.50 per child
- Prayer rooms available, $1 off every meal for charity
- Win Umrah packages as well
- For reservations: +673 2 418888

2. Charcoal Restaurant & Grill
- Skewer Buffet (whatever that means) @ BND$28.50 per person
- For reservations: 2221228

3. The Airport Restaurant
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$23.50 per adult and BND$12.50 per child
- Don’t forget extra cash for parking, especially if you tend to linger around after a meal.
- For reservations: 2331853

4. Seasons
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$20.90 per adult and BND$12.50 per child
- Gadong area: come early so you don’t need to fight for parking
- For reservations: 2422291/2/3

5. Dynasty Restaurant
- Set menu per table (Menu A: BND$140 per table, Menu B: BND$200)
- Sahur Dim Sum @ BND$13.90 per adult and BND$9.90 per child
- For Reservations: 2430185/6

6. Rizqun Coffee House
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$19.50 per adult and BND$10.00 per child
- For Reservations: 2423000 ext 7811

7. Orchid Garden Hotel
- Sungkai Buffet (Vanda Restaurant & Goldiana Cafe) @ BND$19.80 per adult
BND$12.80 per child
- Sahur Dim Sum Buffet @ $12.80 per adult and BND$6.80 per child
- For Reservations: 2335544

8. Misato
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$12.90 per adult and BND$7.90 per child
- For Reservations: 2239159

9. Zaika
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$17.00 per adult and BND$8.80 per child
- Bring extra cash for parking if you like to linger
- For Reservations: 2231133/2231155

10. Fratini’s
- 50% Discount on all Pastas & Pizzas
- For Reservations: 2451200/2451300 (Centrepoint), 2334520/2334530 (Piccolo)

11. RMS Diner
- 50% Discount on all Burgers
- For Reservations: 2423555/2452555

12. Restoran Nyonya
- Gadong: Nyonya Sungkai Buffet @ BND$9.80 per person
- Sahur Dimsum at Nyonya Restaurant @ 0.99cents per basket.
- Serusop: International & Halal Dim Sum Sungkai Buffet @ $12.80 per person
- Yayasan: Value Sungkai Buffet @ BND$6.80 per person
- For Reservations: 2231236 (Yayasan), 2447090 (Gadong), 2340038 (Serusop)

13. Pondok Sari Wangi
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$10.99 per adult and BND$5.00 per child
- For Reservations: 2445043 (Gadong), 2661893 (Sengkurong)

14. La Mee Restaurant
- Delima: Sungkai Buffet @ BND$6.00 per adult and $3.50 per child
- Gadong: Sungkai Set Meal @ BND$5.00
- For Reservations: 2430113 (Gadong), 2340112 (Delima)

15. Sheraton Utama Hotel (Poolside)
- Tamu Sungkai Buffet @ BND$22.00 per person
- For Reservations: 2244272

16. Swensen’s
- Exotic Seafood Kebabs @ BND$14.50
- Tropical Chicken Delight @ BND$14.20
- Texan Chicken & Lamb Kebab @ BND$18.90
- For Reservations: 2451864

17. Seafood Paradise
- Ramadhan Sungkai Seafood Buffet Promotion @ BND$14.50 per adult and $6.80 per child
- Free flow soft drink or air bandung and kurma
- For Reservations: 2231788, 8788934

18. Big Papa’s
- BP’s Buffet Sungkai @ BND$7.00 per adult and BND$4.00 per child
- For Reservations: 2233333

19. Millennium Restaurant
- Middle Eastern Sungkai Buffet @ BND$16.80 per adult and $10.80 per child
- For Reservations: 2424168

[added: 16/9/07 @ 11.09pm]

20. Tandoor.com (located behind The Arch building in Gadong)
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$19.90
- For Reservations: 2450182

21. I-Lotus Restaurant
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$15.80 per adult and BND$9.80 per child
- For Reservations: 2422466

[added: 17/9/07 @ 5.11pm]

22. Deli Nutreesh
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$10.90 per adult
- For Reservations: 2651740

23. Jerudong Park Polo Club (Polo Restaurant)
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$19.90 per person
- For Reservations: 2612500

24. The Holiday Lodge (Mills Coffee House)
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$10.90 per person
- For Reservations: 2611618

[added: 17/9/07 @ 10.00pm]

25. Asma Hotel
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$12.90 per person
- For Reservations: 2612218

26. Mister Pizza
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$9.90 per person
- For Reservations: 2452277

27. Pizza Hut
- Promotion: Buy one, free one pizza for takeaway/pickup.
- You get a free large pan pizza when you buy one Cheesy Bites pizza (BND$24.90). Choices are either Honey Garlic, Tuna Delight or Hawaiian Lovers.
- Call 222-6111.

28. Arthini Cafe & Catering (Nasi Kandar Penang)
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$12.00 per adult and BND$6.00 per child
- For Reservations: 2652699/8733397

29. D’anggerek Hotel (Aranda Cafe)
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$10.00 per adult and BND$5.00 per child
- For Reservations: 2345222 ext 815

30. Saffron
- Ramadhan Sungkai @ BND$22.00 per adult and BND$12.00 per child
- Dessert Ramadhan Buffet @ BND$10.50 per adult and BND$6.00 per child
- For Reservations: 2235888

[added: 17/9/07 @ 10.47pm *maju eh*]

31. Capers
- Ramadhan Promotion: All You Can Eat @ BND$12.90 per person
- There will also be a buffet spread
- For Reservations: 2234000

[added: 18/9/07 @ 2.55pm]

32. Restoran Amanah Harith
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$6.90 per adult and BND$4.00 per child
- For Reservations: 2612140/8750292/8884546

[added: 18/9/07 @ 3.28pm]

33. Brunei Hotel (Mawar Coffee Garden)
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$9.90 per adult and BND$5.50 per child
- Guests in a group of 6 people will only have to pay for 5
- For Reservations: 2242372/3/4/5/6/7/8/9

[added: 19/9/07 @ 5.39pm]

34. Andaman Restaurant
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$9.99 per person
- For Reservations: 2653355
- Review by Turquoise and Roses

35. Coffee Zone Kiulap
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$12.90 per adult and BND$6.00 per child
- For Reservations: 2239333

[added: 20/9/07 @ 3.43pm]

36. Seri J.S Restaurant (Kg Kilanas)
- BBQ Sungkai Buffet @ BND$11.90 for adults and BND$6.90 for child
- For Reservations: 2670367, 8981322

37. KTM Thai Seafood Restaurant
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$6.00 per adult and BND$3.00 per child
- For Reservations: 2619140, 8875530

38. Takara
- 30% off on all Makis & items from the Ala Carte menu
- For Reservations: 2450180

39. Sushi Tei
- 30% off on all dishes
- For Reservations: 2447471

40. De Royalle Cafe
- Lontong Ramadhan @ BND$7.90
- Lontong: beef rendang, ketupat, papadam, sayur and salads wrapped in banana leaf
- For Reservations: 2220257

[added: 20/9/07 @4.15pm]

41. Fun Bread Cafe
- Ramadhan Special Set Meals @ BND$7.90
- Pick any rice dish and that will come with dessert and a choice of coffee or tea (hot or iced)
- For Reservations: 2451028

42. Seri Anjung Restaurant & Catering
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$8.00 per person
- For Reservations: 2222776, 8989766

[added: 20/9/07 @4.15pm]

43. TT Blues
- Sungkai Buffet @ BND$8.88 (nice!)
- For Reservations: 2424527

Sungkai Buffet @ Atrium Cafe, Empire Hotel

2007-09-14T22:42:00.000+08:00

The kind folks at The Empire Hotel & Country Club have extended again an invite to the blogging team to experience their Sungkai Buffet at the Atrium Cafe. And boy, aren't we all delighted! Amongst us were the press people, all looking very happy to be there too.

I'll get to the prices later because I wanna talk about the food first! Oh, the Sungkai buffet line has daily-changing dishes which mostly focus on local delights, so varieties is ensured. I started with some belutak with pita bread, smoked salmon and pulut with some serunding on top. talk about east meet west huh? I forgot to try the lalap which I heard was yummy.

After that I had some Mee Rebus. It was simply da'bomb! The best meal of the evening for me and for most people too. I had mine with just prawns and mussels, no veggies as usual. The sauce is just rich with flavors. Ok I'm not good at this description thing like E, so I'll just say it again, its da'bomb! Hehe...

For the main course, I had the roast chicken, cinnamon sauce chicken, buttered fresh veggies, lamb something, that big fish.... man I should learn to write down those stuff I eat hehe... Well lets just say my plate was full. Oooh, I had some poppadoms too. I forgot to try the Sup Ekor which Reeda and Ranz said was really good. Btw boys, did it give some extra kick later in the eveing? Kekeke....

Last as usual was dessert, my favourite part of any meal. And at the Atrium, there is just a lot to choose from. Just look at the photos, you will be spoiled for choices. I had the yummy bread pudding and some local cakes. I also took one big plate of cucur (fried) tarap, pisang, ubi manis and nangka! All freshly fried on the spot. It was the first time for some of us to try the the cucur nangka and the overall verdict was good. Pity they didn't serve cucur durian, that would've been awesome!

To cool all of us down, we had some tea and coffee. I was so full and happy, alhamdulillah. I would very much recommend everyone to visit the Sungkai buffet at the Atrium Cafe. Its B$25 nett per adult and B12.50 nett per child inclusive of free flow Air Bandung, Soya Bean, Sugar Cane and Teh Tarik. More photos of the buffet can be found here. You cane read Reeda's review here.

Also every diner will have a chance of winning one of the 12 Umrah Pacjages or exquisitely hand crafted "Tasbih" - in Black Onyx & White Gold 18k finishings worth B780, in Pearls & White Gold 18k furnishings worth B$680 or in Jade & White Gold finishings worth B$880. All of these hand crafted Tasbih are sponsored by TAKA Jewellery.

The Sungkai buffet is open until 10:30pm. For convenience of all Muslim guest, a Surau and a special praying room are available from the Main Atrium of the Hotel. If Sahur is your cup of tea, the Sahur Buffet is served at the Lobby Lounge form 10pm to midnight-ish at B$15 nett per adult and B$7.50 nett per child.

They are also special discounts for Baiduri Bank cardholders, best call the Hotel at 2418888 for details. This year also, B$1 off every meal for Ramadhan dining at Atrium Cafe will be donated towards DANA Pengiran Muda Mahkota Al-Muhtadee Billah untuk Anak-Anak Yatim.

Oh one more thing, there is also a live performance of religious malay, english and arabic song as you dine. The guy did really well. I crack a lil smile though as we left the place, he was singing Eric Clapton's Wonderful Tonight. In his outfit, as you can see above, that song sounded kinda weird hehe...

A special thanks to Jen, Hafiza & Danny of The Empire's PR & Marketing Comms for being such a wonderful host again.

Fusion Restaurant

2007-09-13T06:33:00.001+08:00

Tried Fusion at The Mall (located at Kura). Here’s my review…

Place : Décor and ambience reminds me of an indon restaurant kind of thing. Serving staff all in uniforms – waistcoats and kebayas. Not immediately attractive.

Service : Plates and glasses were sort of thumped on the table. Busboys were attentive though. Orders did get mixed up. We were a party of 10.

Menu : Wide range of choices under category of noodles & pasta, seafood & choice cuts. No vegetarian. All dishes accompanied with an explanation of what’s in it and a picture. Pictures were pretty flash so it gets you very excited about ordering. Beverage choices not so fantastic but then I’m the type who just opts for water cos I don’t like fizzy drinks, coffee or mocktails. I wouldn’t exactly say it was very “fusion”. Prices were tempting cos everything seemed reasonably priced.

Food : Nice presentation with nice chinaware. Seafood not fresh. I am very fussy about fishy smells and this was definitely fishy. Thank goodness I didn’t order the fish on its own. I had the seafood mix (fish slices, prawn, calamari & mussels) with rice. Rice was a bit mushy. Seafood was strangely marinated with a herb. I think it was thyme or fennel. Didn’t go very well but provided some flavour. Since the seafood was not at all fresh, I had to ask for chilli padi and soy sauce for cover up. There was not enough seafood portion to accompany the rice so I did not get to finish my rice. So I ended up still a bit hungry and not at all satiated. Generally, portions were small. Not very filling – but then I’m a big eater.

Dessert : No choices on the menu. You will have to check out the cake counter which had pretty looking tiramisu, oreo cheesecake, cherry cheesecake, cappuccino cheesecake and blueberry cheesecake. I tried a bite of each. Not worth the calories. I definitely make better tiramisu than what they were serving. Skip altogether - unless you don't know how real tiramisu should vaguely taste like and you can't be bothered.

Conclusion : Not going back no matter what. Not worth looking for parking and taking a gamble on which dish might turn out right.

This post is written by a friend of mine who went to the restaurant last month with her friends. If the owners are reading this, I hope you will accept this as constructive feedback and really look seriously into the source/storage of your ingredients. I can't think of anything worse than dubious ingredients - especially seafood - not only off-putting but downright dangerous. People do notice immediately and most will not tell you but just go away, tell their friends and never come back again.

And I have noticed in some restaurants, when you comment negatively on their food (even in the nicest possible way) to their service staff, they will look bewildered, bothered and give you that 'why are you telling me, I didn't cook it' look. It's really sad. So restaurant owners, if you're reading this, train your staff well, they are not there just to present the menu, take orders and serve. They are actually your restaurant ambassadors who play a very important part in a diner's experience in your establishment.

There are a few places I would not return to after just one awful experience with their food and service, and with the choice of restaurants we have in Brunei nowadays, you cannot afford to have anybody leaving your restaurant unhappy, dissatisfied and upset with their encounter.

Posted by Eleanor

Selamat Berpuasa

2007-09-13T04:35:00.000+08:00

Ramadhan at The Empire

2007-09-11T16:52:00.000+08:00

(click on image for a clearer view)

Savy's Restaurant

2007-09-03T21:51:00.000+08:00

JKP and I had lunch at this newish restaurant in town. I think by now, everyone knows where this is located as they finally have a temporary signage put up. For those who don't, look out for the white tiled building opposite the Standard Chartered Bank. Just go up the stairs and it's located on the first floor.

When we walked in, who did we see, giving us big smiles and the warmest welcome? Oggy and Sam, two of our favourite service staff who used to work at the Sheraton Hotel. Both of them led us to our table by the windows, told us how nice we looked, pulled our chairs and sat us down, and neatly placed the napkins on our laps, presented the menu, recited the specials, took our drink orders and left us for a minute while we looked at the menu. (Doesn't that sound so professional? - excellent training from their ex-employer truly pays). A refreshing change from some restaurants where their service staff stare at you resentfully when you walk in.

This is their menu in a plastic folder which I'm sure is just a temporary measure.

Oggy came back with a leaf-shaped wooden boat heaped with warm homemade bread and a dip which is his Chef's special. By the way, he told us that his Chef hails from the Philippines where he was one of the chefs working in the Malacañang Palace for President Arroyo.

We detected some olives/peppers, herbs, and spices and something teeny bit sweet and spicy in the dip. It looks and tastes like harissa. Could it be? This was very nice - JKP and I ate 3 pieces of bread EACH.

Oggy made his recommendations and led us to the salad station so we could inspect the condiments/ingredients and to have a look at the soup of the day which was Potato and Leek Soup.

JKP chose a mixed green salad with vinagrette dressing. She said it was very good.

Here it my Chicken Caesar Salad - I was very pleased to learn and taste that the chicken was freshly grilled on order and NOT pre-grilled and heated up and sliced upon order. So it was still very tender, juicy with a mild marinade. And what a generous portion it was too, and yes, that's Cos and 'real' shaved parmesan.

Oggy told me their dressing is made without eggs yolks. It was very mild and 'dijony' but lacked the distinct taste of garlic and lemon juice. Now I love my Caesar Salad dressing oozing with TASTE so I asked Sam for a teensy bit more anchovies and dressing and heaps of black pepper. Those little touches made it perfect for me.

One thing I think they lacked was the sprinkling of bacon (beef bacon is fine of course to remain halal) on the salad and I think the croutons could be crispier and tastier. Roll the bread cubes in extra virgin olive oil and some garlic/rosemary before toasting and they would be absolute MAGIC!

For desserts, we shared a portion of crepes with apple (they also do pear or banana) which is served with vanilla ice-cream and chocolate sauce. Sounds good? My camera failed me at this point and the ice-cream was starting to melt so we had to start.

The apples were sweet and tender, but JKP and I, being the wonderful food critics we imagine ourselves to be, wished that they could have added a tiny sprinkling of cinnamon or mixed spice to cook the apples with and serve the apples and crepes warm instead of cold. (I had a fantasy of pouring calvados slowly over the crepes and igniting the whole concoction over a flame, creating a syrupy river of apple liqueur - *shivers with excitement*).

Got the camera working after a while. Sorry about the mess!

With 2 diet cokes, our meal came up to B$47 with a 10% service charge included. Slightly pricy for me so I don't think I can indulge everyday. However we were very happy with the quality of our food so it was worth paying the price.

The restaurant certainly is very cosy, with interesting nooks and corners.

Hi Sam, thanks for looking after us. And Oggy too of course. Thank you for introducing us to the owner, Mr Chua, I was quite amazed he did not bat an eyelid at me taking pictures of his restaurant, menu and food, seeing that his was a fairly new restaurant and I could have been a 'competitor' sent in to check his prices, staff, and menu out.

No worries, I am not, JKP and I are just two women who love to lunch together. She never fails to make me laugh and I her. We enjoyed your restaurant ambience, and the food and excellent service will see us back again.

Posted by Eleanor

Nasi Lemak

2007-09-03T21:24:00.001+08:00

I'm always on the search for a good nasi lemak and this one scores a 7 out of 10 for me. The rice was particularly good, very lemak and "coconutty" and hot (as in temperature), the fried chicken was freshly fried and lightly marinated (it was piping hot and juicy inside), the egg too. The cucumber slices were cold, which could only mean that it had been kept refrigerated (read - proper storage).

If the sambal had been more pedas, and the ikan billis crispier, and the peanuts had a tiny sprinkling of salt on them, it would have scored a perfect 10. Use freshly fried shallots (instead of readymade) and I would have scored it 10 star!

I've been back twice already, each time having the nasi lemak and a pot of green tea. (Total cost - under $10).

The place is pretty, the menu pretty extensive and very reasonably priced. There are many women's magazines on a shelf (Oprah, Martha Stewart, Vogue Entertaining and more) and although not the latest issues, it's enough for me to while away an hour and half, waiting for my kids to finish their swimming training at the National Sports Centre pool, just 2 minutes away.

Yes, you guessed it, I am at D'Anggerek. Extra features are free wifi and it's smoke-free in the restaurant, with a verandah nearby to cater for smokers.

Here is a pretty picture of the hotel taken from here.

Solitude Cafe

2007-08-24T08:14:00.000+08:00

I wonder how many people know that the Solitude bookstore (3rd floor) at The Mall has a nice little cosy cafe tucked behind all those shelfs of books? Not many I think. Only those who dares to venture into the shop which is walled-up with Islamic religious books will know.

The cafe has a nice modern deco and a wonderful view too of Gadong, Jame`Asr mosque and also a little bit of Kiulap. It is a pretty quiet place, even at lunch time. Recently I was there with Saz and Jd for a light lunch. Well I guess 'light' ain't the right word for it considering what I oredered. I had a heavy breakfast earlier in the morning, so I only ordered the Chocolate Fudge Cake with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup. Overkill? Probably, but that's how I like'em. The cake was a little frozen (I guess I should've asked them to reheat it first?) but it was quite tasty and rich. It's not cheap, a little over B$5+, typical "cafe cake pricing". Oh, the ice cream you pay extra.

Saz had the Hot Pot Potato (or is that Potato Hot Pot?) which was kinda yummy. I guess its that cheesy topping that got me hooked and eventually helped her finished it. My petite little friend Saz also ordered the Corned Beef Toast Sandwich, which I really liked because the beef is just different, I'm guessing its home made. For drinks I had a mineral water (no freebie), Saz & JD had the Ice Lemon Tea.

Overall, we liked our food. My "i'm just gonna have a bit" plan didn't work as I ended up finishing most of what Saz ordered. Well Jd had some too, so it wasn't that bad hehe... The only thing I wasn't happy about was that when I asked for the password to their WiFi, I was told that I need to pay for it, $5 I think because its only for members! Now that's not nice right? I'm already sitting there, spending money on food and they still wanna charge me for WiFi? I was only planning to use a few minutes really. Its not like I'm just sitting there and having a glass of water right? I hope the management could ease-up on this and offer it complimentary once you order something form the menu.

Oh also, I think the waitresses need to be friendly and to speak-up a bit and know whats on the menu. It's not nice making the customer repeat their order a couple of times. So my first time there was just so so. I certainly will come and visit again though, and hopefully this time it will be a much more pleasant experience.

Here is another Solitude review by Ihsan, she reviewed it like over a year ago. Only found it after I posted this review.

RMS Diner, Gadong

2007-08-18T15:29:00.000+08:00

An unedited review sent in via email from someone who wishes to remain anonymous.

A friend and I decided to visit RMS Diner in hopes of catching the 'Happy Hour' promotion, where selected meals were given a 50% discount.

As soon as we stepped inside the restaurant, we already felt unwelcome. The waiters and waitresses were hanging around ('lepak-ing') on the stools near the bar, looking lazy and just plain not bothered. Nobody came to greet us, not even a 'Welcome' or 'Hi' was said. None of them got off the stools to seat us. All they did was stare at us.

My friend decided to order Chicken Caesar Salad and Blue Moon, by far the best mocktail I've ever tasted. I ordered Cajun Chicken Pasta and Chocolate Milkshake.

When we gave our orders to the waitress, she seemed like she had no clue about anything inside the menu. In the end we had to point out which meal we wanted and she had to take a second and third look at it with the other waitresses. (She even pronounced Blue Moon, Blue 'Noon').

Luckily for me, my meal turned out to be alright, and only that. The pasta was not as satisfying as the last time I tried it.

As for my friend, she claimed her Caesar Salad was much too salty. And when the waitresses were about to make the Blue Moon drink, they had a little discussion in Tagalog about how to make the drink. They were obviously clueless. (Perhaps the bartender wasn't in?) We witnessed two waitresses combining anything liquid and green into the blender. When they served the drink, it was avocado-green in colour, extremely frothy with a soggy slice of lemon on top, almost like a vegetable milkshake. What the Blue Moon is suppose to look like, is clear (clearly made from Sprite), with a tint of blue at the bottom and a fresh slice of lemon on the rim. We were astonished. I quickly said, "That's not it." The waitress hurriedly took the drink back to the bar, had another discussion (one of them said, 'You try it!' in Tagalog) and came back with something that looked much closer to the actual drink.

While we ate our meal, the waiters and waitresses had a loud conversation over the bar. As it was only me and my friend, we ended up having to speak much more quietly. The waitress that served us was lazing around on a stool, playing with her phone. The male workers dressed in maroon Fratini's uniforms watched the TV in a loud volume.

All in all, the ambiance was distracting, their ignorance was intolerable, and their hospitability terrible.

RMS, you serve one of the best burgers in Brunei. Your interior is unique and modern. Please live up to that image of a trendy, welcoming restaurant. Please do not neglect customers, no matter how young they are or how much money they seem to have. Treat all customers with respect and treat them equally. Can't help but think if I was an older middle-class male, I would get better service.

Ayam Penyet Rules!

2007-08-17T11:30:00.000+08:00

Probably the best Ayam Penyet meal in Brunei is served at Syarikat Perusahaan Haji Sulaiman Bin Haji Abu Bakar. I've tasted quite a few Ayam Penyet places but nothing beats this little roadside stall. The place is nothing fancy but the home-cooking style dishes of mostly Indonesian origins are very tasty and cheap too! I always frequent this place for its Ayam Penyet, most of the time for lunch.

Now as you've probably noticed from the photo of the above, the roof is the old-skool zinc ones. And that is it. So when your sitting under the roof under the hot midday sun, it feels like you're in a sauna! Actually the walls are not wood or concrete too, its roofing material too! But thank god for the many standing fans they have. So with the wind blowing in your face, it feels like your dining at the beach! Boys, don't forget to take off your tie, ladies loosen up your tudung.

The Ayam Penyet meal you see is just $3.50, which part of the chicken you want, just tell them. The chicken is roasted and I always go for the thigh because I think it's simply juicy. It is served with rice and plain soup. Now the most important thing to tell them is which paste/sauce (sambal) do you want. The normal one is just nice but for those who wants tears in their eyes, sweat flowing down their temple/nostrils and temporary swelling of the lips, I dare you try the extra hot sambal. At about 12:30pm in the afternoon!

So yeah, do visit the place. They have other items on the menu, like Bebek Goreng (Fried Duck) and Bakso (Indonesian "Soto") amongst others but I've never tried them. I'm simply a slave for their Ayam Penyet and also their Cincau (original not the Yeos canned one). Service is prompt and they even provide free mineral water! Best $5 you'll ever spend I guarantee ya! Well actually you'll have change to buy some ice cream to cool your flaming lips! Hehe...

Oh, one more thing, they're gonna install WiFi soon too! How cool is that?!

Italian Culinary Promotion

2007-08-12T13:02:00.000+08:00

This is an occasion not to be missed. The authentic Italian cuisine is really value for money and best of all, diners will be entered into a lucky draw for a 4-night stay at Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan. A couple of us food bloggers got invited by The Empire to try out some of the dishes offered on the A La Carte menu. It was simply mind-blowing! You can read our reviews here.

Matadoe Cafe & Restaurant

2007-08-08T15:28:00.001+08:00

Having been to Matadoe at least a dozen times, I headed there today for lunch with 5 others fully expecting to enjoy my food as I had my heart set on the signature Matadoe spicy fried rice. Service was competent enough by a waiter who seemed to be new. We ordered 2 sets of the abovementioned dish, American Fried Rice, Wet Fried Kway Teow with beef, Lasagna and Baked Macaroni.

Lunch took more than half an hour to arrive, which was rather long but it wasn’t too big a deal as we were all enjoying our conversation with each other. The Matadoe Fried Rice was the first to arrive and was looking good! But as soon as the waiter put the plate down in front of me, I had a whiff of ‘bangas’/’basi’ rice. I thought I was mistaken and bent down closer to smell the rice – I wasn’t wrong. Wanting to give the benefit of the doubt to the chef, I gingerly ate a bit of it. There was something that wasn’t quite right. The taste of the rice was pretty much ‘off’ and the dish just wasn’t palatable at all. I’ve had this dish quite a number of times previously and have always enjoyed its tangy and spicy taste from the lime and chillies. The other person in my group who ordered the same dish was having a problem eating it as well. So we called the waiter and I explained the problem.

He brought my plate into the kitchen and upon coming out conveyed the message from the chef that the rice was freshly cooked and that the taste could have come from the combination of lime and santan. I didn’t really agree with this. If it wasn’t the rice that was at fault, then it must have been something else that was used. But the waiter very graciously offered us the option of ordering an alternative dish, so we chose the Light ‘Nudel’ Soup and the Matadoe Noodles with Curry Gravy.

In the meantime, the Wet Fried Kway Teow ordered turned out to be Wet Fried Noodles and the chef had used soya sauce in the cooking process resulting in a dark brown gravy and noodles. So off it went back into the kitchen to be replaced by Kway Teow as originally ordered and strict instructions not to use soya sauce. The American Fried Rice and Lasagna turned out fine, which was a relief. The Baked Macaroni on the other hand, although visually looked really nice and was well presented with a sprinkling of herbs and sprig of parsley, was a disappointment tastewise. There was just too much flour used for the white sauce making it way too stodgy plus it was pretty tasteless as well. More than half was left uneaten.

Fast forward to another half an hour later, our new orders arrived. The ‘Nudel’ Soup I ordered smelled great in contrast to my first dish and I started tucking in. A mixture of meehoon and Angel Hair Pasta was used, with 2 small chicken balls, a bit of green veggies and a few chunks of chopped boiled chicken breast thrown in; and some fried shallots as garnish. It would have been a lovely light dish if not for the super salty soup/broth. I was really put off by now but just couldn’t bring myself to complain again for fear of the chef storming out of the kitchen to throttle me, so I just made myself eat as much as I could of the meehoon and pasta. The Wet Fried Kway Teow was okay but the beef slices were as tough as leather – totally unchewable. The noodles with curry gravy wasn’t too bad BUT the fish cake slices were not fresh and had a strange sour taste to it.

By this time we had already been there for around 1½ hours and really couldn’t wait to leave our nightmare lunch. It really just wasn’t our day today. The bill came to $40ish dollars, which was money NOT well spent.

Verdict: Please spend as much effort on maintaining the quality of your food as on what you have already done on the restaurant. The décor is impressive and has character, which sets it apart from other local set-ups.

Disclaimer: The opinions I’ve expressed are my own based on what I experienced at your restaurant. Take any criticisms as constructive and I mean no malice. Don’t sue me.

Food Zone (Yayasan)

2007-08-06T01:14:00.000+08:00

Review by Ihsan. Read it after the jump.

Seafood Paradise

2007-07-31T16:46:00.000+08:00

From Accordingtosize:

I realise that I'm stepping into food blog territory here now but I sooo have to recommend you guys this resturant called Seafood Paradise. This little restaurant is tucked away in Kiulap next to the famed Sugar and Spice and it is certainty holding its own next to neighbouring competition.

Seafood Paradise seems to be a family oriented restaurant with customers ranging from senior citizens to little toddlers. Their speciality is their nightly Yen Yang Steamboat at $12 per person, available from 7.30-11pm. Nyaman I tell you! For the steamboat I had a choice of two soups; tom yam and chicken in addition to an assortment of seafood, meat, veggies and noodles to choose from the generous platter.

The staff were very friendly and will honestly recommend to you the best dishes on the menu instead of telling you the usual "everything you order is nice at our restaurant ma'am." Lol. I also wanted some hot dishes in addition to the steamboat and when asked what their specialties were, I was recommended the Thai yellow bean crab and the honey chicken. WOW. Best crab I've had in ages. The crabs were fresh and the sauce it was paired with was absolutely succulent. Also, the honey chicken certainly did not dissapoint and was to die for!

A well deserved thumbs up for food quality and service! Some minuses though, the music from the adjacent restaurants were blaring so I found it hard to talk and have a little peace and quiet. But aside from that, everything was certainly top notch and at a reasonable price too.

Well, there's my two cents. You should go there and have a look for yourself and tell us what you think :)

Seafood Paradise
A-2 Ground Floor

Seri Purnama Complex, Kiulap
Tel: 2231788

Seri Kamayan Restaurant

2007-07-27T12:00:00.000+08:00

Kamayan is an interesting word in Tagalog. It can mean eat with hands, but it also means having fun as its more literal meaning is shaking hands or getting acquainted. I'm not sure if the current owners knew this before they took over Seri Kamayan Restaurant all those years ago. The Gadong branch was one of my favorite haunts pre-1997 and I suspect it was a favorite of many others as the place seemed to be always packed whenever I went.

I hadn't been to Seri Kamayan in years and last night da missus and I were invited to dinner at their remaining branch at Utama Bowling. The restaurant overlooks the bowling alley which means you can watch the bowlers in action while you eat :) The food we ordered was based on the recommendation of the friendly and helpful staff, and it did not disappoint! It was a bonza meal eaten in great company. What more could one ask for?

The first course was the fish maw soup. The seafood and sizeable chunks of lovely fish maw swirling in a delightful thick, tasty broth was sure to open up our appetites for what lay ahead.

Next up was the home-made tofu and pakchoy in oyster sauce. The home-made tofu was refreshingly different from the ones you buy at the supermarket both taste and texture-wise. It was stuffed with tasty morsels of seafood and chicken. The pakchoy was crisp and fresh. Lovely stuff. Me likey...

While we were enjoying the tofu, the Crystal Duck was served. This dish is not on the menu so you have to ask for it (I think ordering in advance is encouraged). I've never seen duck served this way before. I think the (cooked) duck meat was combined with prawn meat and fried in a batter. The end result is a crispy, tasty treat which when eaten, one can't help but to try and differentiate the flavor of the duck meat and the prawn meat... delightfully confusing!

Our last course was the steamed seabass thai-style. Again this was different from any I've had previously. The fresh seabass was infused with the flavours of the finely chopped garlic and salted vegetables and soy (or could it be fish) sauce. I loved the edge that the salted veg gave to the final flavour. It was quite spicy as well, so I think some fresh chili might have been used. Definitely a dish I'd order again! Nyaman kali ah!

We topped off the meal with a platter of fresh fruit. Overall a thoroughly satisfying meal, like I said, in great company. Two thumbs up! If you haven't tried Seri Kamayan out before, I fully recommend you go have meal there! Like me, you'll come back for sure!

Check out my other reviews:

Dining Delights

2007-07-25T10:10:00.000+08:00

His Majesty’s 61st Birthday Weekend at The Empire Hotel & Country Club 28 to 29 July 2007

(click to enlarge)

Saturday, 28 July

Spectacular Fireworks Display
At East and West Headlands starts at 10pm

Majestic Weekend Package
B$253nett per Superior Room per night inclusive of Dinner at Atrium or Li Gong, breakfast at Atrium Café and Sunday Splash tickets on 29 July for 2 adults and 2 children

Dinner at Atrium Café at B$45nett per person
from 6.30pm to 10.30pm

Dinner at Li Gong at B$35nett per person
from 6.30pm – 11.30pm

Dinner at Pantai at B$45nett per person
from 6.30pm to 10.30pm

Sunday, 29 July

Brunch at Li Gong B$45nett per person
from 11.30am to 2.30pm

Brunch at Atrium Café B$40nett per person inclusive of Splash tickets for 2 adults and 2 children from 11.30am to 2.30pm.

*Come in and join our Treasure Hunts Splash to win great prizes. Splash packages available.

For more inquiries and booking, please call 241 8888

Show Your Support For SMARTER Brunei

2007-07-23T10:01:00.000+08:00

A minimum of $20 donation per participant would be very appreciated.
Places are limited, do reserve your spot as soon as possible.
More info on SMARTER Brunei here.

Have Your Say

2007-07-09T16:59:00.000+08:00

Ok I'm sure you guys have been hearing the promotions by Arthini Cafe & Catering lately on Kristal FM. For the past few weeks they've been giving away free meal vouchers to listeners of Kristal FM to celebrate their 1st anniversary on 1st July 2007.

Official website here.

Some of you might have been winners of the meal vouchers or have probably visited the restaurant recently, so we're inviting you to share your experience with us. I'm sure loads of people are very curious if it is really that good. One thing we've always heard is that the price is value for money, so we are really wondering if that price is also value for taste?

Just some of the dishes on their menu.

So c'mon people, we wanna hear what you have to say about the restaurant. And we thank you in advance for your kind comment(s).

Not To Be Missed

2007-07-03T13:02:00.000+08:00

(click on image to enlarge)

Read more about it here.

YA NUR

2007-06-25T22:35:00.001+08:00

Another restaurant for you to choose and sample the food. Mostly Asian food in nature as well as famous for its banana leaf cuisine. Ya Nur is the place in Gadong if you want privacy and simple place to dine. You can also book the place for small private family gathering that can fit up to 30 people. Also, you can ask them for their catering services for weddings and thanksgivings functions at your place. For more info, please can SANTOS at 8719986, for menu list and quotations. Here are a sample of food being catered:

sambal udang

rendang daging

sambal kerang

chili crab

kai lan with mushroom

Oh! That night.. we had mee rebus as well and rojak singapore.. Yumm Yum!!

Fusion Restaurant, The Mall, Gadong.

2007-06-25T01:30:00.000+08:00

Apparently, a new restaurant opened up in the Mall, taking over the spot that used to belonged to KURA. It's called Fusion and I am always a fan of fusion cuisine, where east meets west, the global cuisine where you mix different styles and ingredients from different genres of cooking. Needless to say, I was interested and decided to have a try.

The initial impression was good for their furniture and outlook. Furtheremore, got promotion - 30% discount. When I received their menu, I was appalled. Poorly designed, no description for each food and the pictures were scattered around. I had to ask the waiter what picture is which and what is actually the food I am ordering. One pasta dish's name was the God Father but when I asked the waiter what type of pasta it was, his reply was - it's pasta sir. My god, does he think I am an idiot? I asked him what kind of sauce it is and he can't even answer.

I decided to order Truffle chicken and my friend ordered the beef straganoff pasta. My other friend ordered the cherry cheesecake. The beef straganoff pasta was normal - nothing special, I would had rathered eat all I can at Capers, to be honest. The cheesecake was well .... to be honest .... disappointing, I would be ultra disappointed if there wasn't a 30% discount.

Now the chicken meat , it was UNDERCOOKED! IT HAD PINK BITS! My gosh! Their excuse was, it's grilled chicken, so it has pink bits. My gosh. Frankly, my dear readers, I am appalled and decided to ask the food to be sent back to the kitchen - I had already eaten part of it anyway and had to pay the bloody $7 for possible food poisoning.

Quote: From Good Medicine

"And you don’t want to eat chicken undercooked. At retail stores, salmonella and campylobacter are commonly found on chicken products. These live bacteria easily transfer to cooking surfaces, utensils, and hands and can cause a serious intestinal illness."

Frankly, the foods average and gives the WRONG impression on fusion cuisine. I don't see any FUSION at all. As my friend Wan says, it's more CONFUSION than fusion, since they first got our orders wrong, then our bill came and it was very wrong - from $25 increase till $48. So big difference meh?

My other friend Sasha thought their motto : East Meets West was pathetic. It should had been East Meets Ass. I would honestly not eat at this restaurant again.

Verdict: Avoid it. Spend your hard earned money elsewhere.

Advice to restaurant: Change your menu design, train your staff about the food, menu needs to actually be FUSION cuisine as I don't see only western cuisines in the restaurant, staff needs to be more professional when dealing with ordering and billing. Chef needs something up his arse as well for serving undercooked grilled chicken and then claimed grilled chicken has pink undercooked bits as normal.

Note: I didn't take any photos as I did not bring my camera with me, but thank god I didn't, would had been a waste of battery energy.

Unedited review by Thanis

Lemongrass Restaurant

2007-06-19T16:01:00.001+08:00

The other day I went to Lemongrass Restaurant in Kiulap for dinner. My friends were surprised to hear that I didn't know about Lemongrass. They claimed every Chinese in Brunei should know about Lemongrass: a thai restaurant. I usually eat at the Thai restaurant in Jerudong and I'm a known lover of green curries and tom yams.

This is the seafood tomyam soup presented on a nice claypot bowl. It's hot and sour flavour has a nice kick and not too spicy so most people should enjoy this soup but personally I prefer my favourite Jerudong Thai Restaurant.

This panang curry would be suitable for those who can't eat really spicy. Spicy curries lover should avoid this and order the green curry.

The fishcakes were alright but I find them lacking texture and greasy. Could had done better.

My friends highly recommend their pandan chicken. You need to get your hands greasy for this as you unwrap the pandan chicken. Inside the parcel is marinated mince chicken that tastes awesome. This is one of the reasons I would come back here again.

Thanks to Thanis for the review.

This satay got no stick one...

2007-06-06T13:49:00.000+08:00

Night before last, Da missus and I ventured a little outside of our usual dinner haunts in search of some out of the way gems and find one we did. Zar Zar Cafe is located among a row of newly built shophouses at Simpang 173 along Jalan Mulaut on the way to KL (Kuala Lurah).

It was a pleasant surprise to find the area quite happening when we turned into the simpang. It was bustling with activity and the carpark was quite full. Anyways, the interior decor of the cafe is classic kopitiam style with a modern touch. You can see paraphernalia lying around from the fifites and sixties including an old radio and a bicycle. There was even a huge poster of Jesselton which reminded me of my dad's hometown.

The owner, Zainal, is a splendidly charming retired police officer who is realizing his long time dream of setting up an eatery together with his wonderful missus. He talked to us about the challenges he faced while starting up his business and how his special honeyed beverages have become quite a hit among the regulars. So da missus ordered a honey lemon tea and I ordered honey coffee, a first for me. Zainal explained that the honey he used is all natural and contains some extra herbs which give it an extra kick.

Foodwise, the specialty at Zar Zar Cafe is the Satay Alloha and the tumpi. We decided to try both. The tumpi was nice and crispy on the outside and soft and doughy on the inside. It is accompanied by chicken or beef curry. Da missus and I liked the chicken better. It was a nice appetizer to start with.

Next was the Satay Alloha. It comes in two preparations, the usual charcoal grilled, and the other, less commonly served at restaurants, pan-fried variety. I personally loved the pan-fried satay. Another difference to the satay is that it is served in "sets" rather than the usual dollar value worth of satays. So you would order small medium or large depending on the size of your group and appetite. The satay itself is just right with a perfect blend of spices, none over-powering the other in the final flavour. The gravy was peanuty rich and thick, just the way I like it. Thumbs up from me.

For mains, both of us ordered the black pepper beef with rice. Interesting preparation jua on this dish. It looks like thin slices of roast beef with black pepper sauce over it. It was delicious and the beef was succulent without the tenderizer taste of typical chinese stir-fries.

Overall, the portions were generous and the prices very reasonable. It was an enjoyable and satisfying meal washed down with the special honeyed beverages, the effects of which I shall not get into in this particular post ;)

If you'd like to try a slightly different dining experience away from the mainstream, give Zar Zar a try. Contact Zainal on 8881575 for reservations.

Check out my other reviews:

The Capers Caper...

2007-06-06T12:10:00.000+08:00

Capers Restaurant in Kiulap has been around for some time but on Monday night, to celebrate rugrat number 1's birthday, I finally went to try the joint with da missus and da rugrats. This of course was after having read several accounts of the place by Eleanor and Bulimic.

The restaurant itself is situated in Kiulap just above Jungle Gym. I've been to Le'Taj several times but never ventured beyond it where Capers is located. The place itself is quite spacious with a central pizza kitchen and drinks counter. There were some private booths on the side and a raised area similar to Le'Taj where you can sit facing the window.
Capers is currently having an all-you-can-eat promo at B$12.80 for adults and B$6.00 for kids. I think it ROCKS cos it covers all the pizza and pasta on the menu. We ordered a couple of pizzas to start with. The margherita for the kids and the seafood pizza for the grown-ups. For the pasta, we had:

Beef bacon penne with spicy barbecue sauce. This was a spicy dish with a nice kick. I liked it and so did da missus. Very original and tasty.
Beef-rib with fetuccini. I loved this dish. Very rustic and beefy sauce which left me wanting seconds heheh. And I did!
Lamb-shank penne. Da missus loved it but I found the lamb a little tasteless. But it was definitely melt-in-your-mouth tender.
We also had the fetuccini carbonara, and the spaghetti bolognaise which are not pictured here. The carbonara was very rich and the rugrats liked it a lot. Same goes for the bolognaise which rugrat number 2 cannot resist! We had seconds for both!

Overall an excellent dining experience in a comfortable environment served by friendly staff very promptly. Like I said, for a nice pizza and pasta meal, come hungry, and you wont go wrong :) 4 out of 5.

Check out my other reviews:

Cafe Au Lait

2007-06-02T21:48:00.000+08:00

This afternoon, me and some friends went to try out the new cafe on the ground floor of the Seri QLap Mall, called Cafe Au Lait ( french for on milk but it can be pronounce as Ole). It was a great treat as we were hungry and there was much choice in terms of menu ranging from pasta, salad, burgers, chicken wings, cheesy fries, desserts , mocktails and coffee, of course.The coffee is brewed by a trained barista.

The following are some of the pics of the food we tried today. I love the ambience, choice of furniture. There is wireless access for Internet and it's a great place to meet up with friends especially before or after watching movies upstairs.

Price is reasonable. Go ahead and give it a try! For pics of the cafe, you can view it here!

Salmon and asparagus salad. I had this and I love the taste of it!

Rigatonni pasta with spicy beef rashers. Yumm!

Succulent beef Burger with big fries. Beef so good and I felt like in Heaven!

Fish Burger with Big Fries

T-Bone Steak with Vegetables and mushroom or spicy BBQ sauce. Suits any rugby player!

Hazel nut latte. Great taste coffe and I love the design on top!

Andaman Restaurant & Catering

2007-03-22T16:56:00.000+08:00

By AnakBrunei

Last night, da missus and I decided to immerse ourselves into the Andaman experience after reading all the good things that have been said here, here and here.

The restaurant is indeed very cosy with less than ten tables inside and a few more outside for those preferring to dine with marlboro man. We didnt have marlboro man with us, so we chose to dine inside.

The menu was a clean and simple affair, with probably 5 to 10 items per category. Good for the indecisive among us. We ordered the Rojak Ayam, Andaman Lamb Stew, Butter Chicken, and Sayur Pakis masak belacan.

The rojak reminded me of the one they used to serve at the triple-K roadhouse. Crispy fried chicken pieces served on a bed of fresh crisp lettuce and topped with a nice tangy sauce. Tastewise it was good, but I think some crushed peanuts would have given it an extra oomph.

The lamb stew came highly recommended and it was lovely cos I'm a sucker for lamb! I think however, that if they used bigger chunks of proper stewing lamb it would have been even better heheh... and I wouldnt have minded paying slightly more for that.

The butter chicken was delightful and I really enjoyed the rustic flavours of the herbs and spices infused into the tomato and butter sauce. This is one dish I'd order again.

But the highlight of the night had to be the sayur pakis. Very, very nice and da missus agreed! Just the right flavour, i.e. not too belacany (heheh) and just nicely cooked, not overdone. This dish definitely makes our local vegetables look good!

All the above food enjoyed in a nice cosy environment with pretty good service (I think the waiters need to speak up and be a tad more bubbly, i.e. not to be confused with campy!) for just under 20 bucks? I say good value for money! Perhaps one suggestion guys... stock up on Coke Light please? (",)

Check out my other reviews:

Saffron Restaurant

2007-03-18T12:20:00.000+08:00

By AnakBrunei

Last night, da missus and I dined at Saffron, a well-known upmarket eatery with a pan-asian menu ranging from the mughal inspired kurmas and koftas to the nachos with an asian twist to the middle-eastern grilled meats served with pita and refreshing salad. The specialty however, is the desserts, among them, pavlova, cheese cakes, chocolate cakes and a chocolate torte to die for!

The owners, A and F were kind enough to dine with us and with four of us dining, we embarked upon our gastronomic journey...

For mezzos, we had hummus, followed by the nachos which were served with cheese and a lightly spiced sauce. We also tried the kibbeh, lamb balls served with garlic sauce. Finally, we had the rice crisps with a special sauce which you eat with a basil leaf on top... simply delicious.

Click here for the rest of the review.

Check out my other reviews:

Featured Blog of the Week!

2007-03-16T23:35:00.000+08:00

As highlighted on Simpur's Blogging Nation.

Ever wondered which restaurants are really worth going to? Which ones serve the best dishes you crave for? Look no further than the Brunei Restaurant Review, your definitive guide to eating out in Brunei. A team of 5 local bloggers contribute to this well written blog which reviews restaurants old and new all over Brunei. They all give their honest opinion on the dishes served at local eateries which range from fine dining, Japanese, Italian and even ‘gerai’ stalls. The tasty pictures will surely make your mouths water!

Thanks Simpur Webmasters for those kind words. More power to you guys!

Another First!

2007-03-15T00:15:00.000+08:00

Check out our new venture....

(click!)

Andaman = Andang Nyaman?

2007-03-10T00:47:00.000+08:00

A few weeks back, Blackdiamonds made a review on Andaman Restaurant & Catering. She rated the place to be an A+ establishment and MSG free too. Just earlier this evening, I was at the official launching of the restaurant. It was quite a grand opening, rarely seen for a restaurant. This is how it went...

By the time I got there, the place was already busy as the guest starts arriving. Some huge tents were erected outside the restaurant to seat the invited guest, approximately about 250 people were expected. The atmosphere was very lively with the sounds of Gulingtangan performed by UBD students.

I can see Bruneian already busy snapping away and also Mr.BR seated close to the stage. The event started at 07:45pm, 30mins earlier than planned, which is very rare indeed especially for big functions.

Shortly after the arrival of the guest of honour, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa Mejar General (Rld) Dato Seri Pahlawan Awg Hj Mohammad Bin Hj Daud, Minister of Culture Youth and Sports, the recital of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat was led by Imam Hj Ali Yusof bin Hj Arsad.

After the recital, the Chairman of Koperasi Belia Kita Berhad (KBK), Awg Rahimi Bin Perdi made his welcoming speech. In his speech he highlighted the KBK objectives, which was to ;

To provide employment opportunities for the youth.

To nurture the youth to be entrepreneurs.

To instil the sense of ownership among the youth and shareholders.

To establish a reputable corporate governance internally and other supporting agency.

Andaman Restaurant & Catering is just one of the many ventures that KBK has planned, other services such as Wedding Planning, Facilities Management & Housekeeping, and Event Management are just some of them. More info about KBK activities can be found on their website here.

The guest of honour was then escorted on stage by the KBK Chairman to deliver a speech and then officiate the launching of the restaurant by lighting a mock-up of a "flaming" wok. And with that, its makan time!

On the menu was;

APPETIZER
Prawn & Papaya Salad

MAIN COURSE
Rendang Betawi
Andaman Lamb Stew (Highly Recommended!)
Chicken Percik
Fiery Fish (Love this!)
Broccoli & Mushroom with Oyster Sauce
Steamed Rice
Nasi Hujan Panas

REFRESHMENT
Fruitpunch
Coffee & Tea

DESSERT
Mixed Fruits & Malay Kueh

While the guest were enjoying the delicious food, various entertaiment were presented. There was a cultural dance performance by the Youth of Brunei, Theatre performance by UBD students, Acoustic Guitar & Bass performance, Magic Tricks, Songs by Ak Hj Mohd Khairul Amilin and finally a Poem recital.

The event ended just before 10pm and I must say it was a successful one. It was entertaining and ofcourse the food was again A+. Congratulations to the KBK committee for organising such a wonderful event and the launching of Andaman Restaurant & Catering. I wish you all the best for the future.

For enquiries & reservations call 2653355.

Capers Italian Pasta Restaurant

2007-03-07T23:16:00.000+08:00

We went to Capers for lunch today. They still had their 'Eat all you can' promo which is at $6 per child and $12.80 per adult. Hazel & Mark both had their usual Fettucine Carbonara, and they shared a small pizza between the two of them.

After a very very long debate with myself, I decided to have their set lunch at $6.50 per head and I chose Penne with Beef Bacon, served with Caesar Salad and a soft drink. I asked for sparkling apple juice which Hazel wanted.

I must say I didn't like my pasta much as I thought the sauce was too sweet, but this is purely a personal preference as I do not like sweet sauces on savoury dishes. The Caesar Salad was good - the mixed lettuce was crispy and cold (and Cos would have been better) and it came with the very important ingredients of a good Caesar Salad; anchovies, croutons, chopped beef bacon and shaved parmesan. Dressing was a very simple lemon juice and olive oil combination (add some mashed garlic, dijon mustard, salt and black pepper and the dressing would be magic). I would have liked it if they had served the salad on a separate plate which I promptly did as soon as the plate was served.

I think Capers serves pretty good food (their Carbonara was lovely) and their staff are always very polite and pleasant. Ambience is terrific with their tall glass windows which you can look out of, at the busy Kiulap junction. Their prices are insanely cheap too without too much sacrifice on quality & portion control. It's one of the children's favourite places to eat at and I like it too, for the location and ambience.

Capers Italian Pasta Restaurant is located on 2nd floor, Seri Kiulap Complex, Kiulap. For reservations, call 2234000.

Original post by Foodie Tales.

Alhamdulillah

2007-03-05T08:41:00.000+08:00

Read all about it at the fashion blog, Have Shoes, Will Mingle.

MISATO

2007-02-15T22:35:00.000+08:00

MISATO @ Qlap has to be my favourite Japanese Restaurant! I know we have several choices in terms of Japanese Restaurant but MISATO is my favourite haunt! I guess the place is not so crowded compared to others and also the price is all right.

I know.. you will say.. all Japanese joints are the same.. sushi, tempura, train, green-tea and wasabi. I agree with you.. But at Misato, they are the only place to have Volcano Roll. It 's a fusion dish of California Maki and Red Snapper cooked with chili and mayonnaise as a sauce on the top. It does look like a Volcano with its overflowing lava. Oh! it tasted awesome and this is my favourite dish.

If I go to have Japanese food, it's a must for me to have agadeshi tofu. Its fried silken tofu. So, its slightly crispy from the outside and soft on the inside.. hmmm

Here is another fusion dish called Bombay Roll. Basically, its cooked lamb made into sushi and served with a mint sauce.. hmmm.. interesting combo.

Oh Well! I can go on and on.. But you should try it out for your self. The menu list that I have mentioned is just tip of the iceberg. You have to go there to se it for your self.

Yee Sang @ Emperor's Court Hua Ho Mall

2007-02-15T22:17:00.000+08:00

Recently I took my korean friends to lunch at Emperor's Court Hua Ho Mall. Since the days are close to Chinese New Year, I thought it would be a good idea to get them to try Yee Sang. He used to live in Beijing and I thought he would be familiar to this dish. Apparently he told me that in Beijing, they served dumplings for good luck during the Chinese New Year. So, this was a new experience for him.

So, what is Yee Sang? It's a cold salad dish with smoked salmon and salad. Lemon juice are squeezed all over it and five spice powder are poured on top, together with some light oil and plum sauce.

As a matter of tradition, the diners have to tossed the salad together for goodwill and prosperity. The higher you toss it, the better prosperity you will get. Oh well! some of us will believe that. For me, it was out of fun and knowing it as part of my knowledge.

If you are interested to try, go and bring the whole family and try it out. I think the promotion is for a limited period only. Good luck!

Andaman Restaurant

2007-02-14T14:06:00.000+08:00

Dinner with princess and the Keasberrys at the newly opened (soft opening) Andaman Restaurant & Catering last night. Andaman is located between Thompson Furniture and PAD Motors in Bangunan Haji Luidin.

They opened their doors to the the tired, weary and hungry masses just last week. It's a cosy little place with ample seating outdoors for those who enjoy the great outdoors. Not to worry! There are fans outside and a very nice breeze flowing between the buildings.

The great outdoors

To echo princess - compliments to the chef! The food was delish with nary a trace of MSG which is so common in restaurant food nowadays. This is what we partook of...

Pakis cooked in belacan

Chicken rojak

Chicken wings

Chicken percik

We also had a lamb stew which was rich and meaty. I was so hungry I screwed up the photo of the lanb stew :p

To sum up, Andaman is an A+ restaurant. Bonus points for being MSG free! It's a lovely place for an intimate meal for 2 if you sit inside. For a more rowdy i.e. LOUD crowd, please don't ruin the romance for couples inside :p Sit outside!

Blogging Nation

2007-02-10T21:06:00.000+08:00

A Brunei Blog Directory is starting soon as stated by the Simpur Admins;

Hi Emma & other fellow bloggers,

Thanks for your post on our new Simpur Blogging Nation page. As you might have noticed, our new site is still under construction and will be online in a few weeks time. Due to licensing and legal issues, we've taken the temporary site off the web for the time being until it's officially launched. We greatly appreciate what you've posted and we too are excited about the Bruneian Blogs Directory, especially dedicated to all the hard work the Bruneian bloggers have put into creating their great blogs. We'll be having competitions for all bloggers and blog readers too, so stay tuned!

As always, we need permission from all the bloggers to link and list their blogs on Simpur. Therefore, any Bruneian bloggers interested in listing their blog sites on the Bruneian Blogs Directory, and in turn be entitled to win great prizes in all our future blogging competitions, please email your site's address to us at dstmm.content@simpur.net.bn. (Your real names and contact details will remain anonymous. Thank You.

Simpur Webmaster,
Content Unit,
DST Multimedia Sdn Bhd.

So what are you waiting for people, email them now! Source: Emma

LaMee - Noodle place

2007-01-26T20:44:00.000+08:00

I love them Noodles.. But what better way to eat than having fresh noodles made on the spot and cooked for your eating pleasure. Yes! It's one of the kind cafe/restaurant. LaMee situated at Serusop Shopping area. The have a chef from China to make the noodles and cook them. If you are in the restaurant, you can see how wondeful the chef hand-made the noodles. I took the family today to try them and everyone seemed to enjoy it very much. Bunny had the wet style dried noodle while I tried the fresh made noodles cooked in chicken soup with herbs.. hmmm
Fejj had the kolomee chinese style and seemed to enjoy it...very much.. from the look of the pic. Actually the menu does not confine to noodles only.. but also rice dishes and western style menu. But we only tried the noodles menu as we wanted to try the freshly made noodles.

For desserts, there are chinese pancakes for you to try. Some are plain or you can ordered the red bean pancakes. Funboy seemed to love them with swettened milk and he took the initiative in showing you how to eat them.

To wash down the meal, I would recommend you to try the Teh-C Ping! You can drink it cold or hot. There is a flavour of grass jelly (chin-chow) to give the extra zing!.. hmmm. I'm loving it! However, there are many other drinks such as your favourites teh tarik or lemon honey drinks.
So, go head to Serusop this weekend and bring the family and try this authentic chinese cuisine..

Exposed!

2007-01-26T09:03:00.000+08:00

As featured on Rano's;

The joke is on us? I think not. I see this as a very positive thing. When a well known cartoonist makes a sketch out of the thing you do and highlighting it to the public via print media, it seems that we've somehow hit it big time! As they always say, "any publicity is good publicity" because "the only bad publicity is when there's no publicity" *hehehe*

Thank you for your support folks!

Kedai Kopi Chop Hup Hin, Sungai Liang

2007-01-20T17:14:00.000+08:00

Jewelle's take on a Sungai Liang institution, Kedai Kopi Chop Hup Hin:

This shop is proof that with even without frills or fancy decor, as long as you have an efficient service, decent enough food, the customers will continue to flock in.

Chop Hup Hin : Just your basic, no frills coffee shop

This morning, we had breakfast at this open air Sg. Liang kopi tiam at the Seria-Bandar-Labi intersection. This shop, according to hubby has been around for decades and it is still doing brisk business. In fact, when we arrived, the spacious area in the front is full of cars and we got lucky that someone vacated their table just as we went in.

Full of cars

Food wise, they have the usual kopi tiam fare, fried noodles and kueh tiaw being their speciality. They supposedly have a similar style to the famous Seria mee so I guess that is why they are as popular. But then again, which Chinese kopi tiam is not popular if, as I said earlier, is fast and edible?

When we were there, the customers kept coming in and leaving, it was any shopkeeper's dream come true. I noticed that most of them men, simply sat at vacant chairs (with strangers), ate their noodles and leave. Of course, there are also the usual bunch of small-town contractors or retirees who sat in big group and basically gossiped and scrutinised every new customers.

The only thing I have against this place is that despite the "No Smoking" sign, nearly every table has someone puffing away. Thankfully the place was open air so the smoke was actually not noticeable.

I could see that this place is family run as the whole family seems to be on duty, from the old grandmother to the elderly son down to the children. Despite raking in probably thousands of dollars every day, the family still lives behind the coffee shop and from where I was sitting, I could even see the door to their living room.

I'm sure this is the kind of shop that will last on for many more years to go.

Singing Waitress - Nyonya Delima Satu

2007-01-18T07:09:00.000+08:00

Original post by Rezafaizal on What to do?

The singing waitress

I had an overseas guest today and I decided to bring him out for dinner tonight. While on the way to fetch him, I was thinking “where to go?”. I felt like wanting to be entertained, perhaps seeing someone singing tonight to relax my mind. Can only think of 2 places i.e. Nyonya Delima Satu and the Empire Hotel. Decided to go to Nyonya instead as I know that the entertainment there is more fun. I also invited Bruneian to join me for the dinner.

About Nyonya Restaurant

As far as I know they have 2 branches, Gadong and Delima Satu. The one at Gadong don’t have singing entertainment, only the Delima Satu branch has it. The performance starts around 8:30pm on 1st floor. Monday and Thursday is an off day for their singers. The singers are actually the waiters and waitress. Delima Satu branch also offer Dim Sum for breakfast and lunch. Gadong branch don’t offer Dim Sum (I think so). Foods there are not that cheap but affordable. It’s a good place to bring guests or having special occasions dinner.

The performers

I would recommend anyone to try out having dinner there at least once. Remember not to choose Monday or Thursday night if you want to see the singing performance. 10% discount on HSBC credit card.

The address

No. 26 & 27, Ground & 1st Floor
Block D, Kg. Delima Satu
Mukim Berakas BB4713 B.S.B, Brunei Darussalam
Tel : 2340038
Fax : 2340039

Check out this video

YANUR Nasi Talam / Mandi Rice

2007-01-15T22:10:00.000+08:00

This is a post of some difference. Instead of going to a restaurant...why don't have a function at your home with much comfort and pleasure of good company of your family and friends.

I tried YANUR Nasi Talam catering service and what a trip it was. I only prepared the venue while YANUR's staff came with the 'saprah' cloth and such. Rice with lamb were distributed into large pans that can feed 8 people. This is a communal dinner service that gather everyone. With the rice, come condiments of yogurt cucumber, chutney and sauce. You can taste various flavours when you eat your rice.

If your choice is not to serve communal, you can also order it and serve it part of a buffet. The choice is yours.

Interested parties can call SANTOS, the manager at YANUR at 8719986. Enjoy the food!!

Gila, Kanyang Ku Eh! : A Poklen’s Eating Place Review

2007-01-11T11:42:00.000+08:00

Original post here.

Sugar Bun, Gadong Location

The only thing you need to know about the location is that it’s on the ‘G-Town Strip’… albeit at the very edge. It is however a stone’s throw away from the purple-bus stop. Silver lining in every cloud and all that.

Menu

The classic western fast food menu has always been a personal preference for most Sugar Bun customers. A bite of their ‘broasted’ chicken almost feels as good as having a smoke outside the front entrance of the mall. Adding some savoury rice and pickles would make you forget about the mall altogether.

Their range of burgers is also guaranteed to flood your underwear with joy… and don’t even think about adding their delicious chilli sauce to the meals. It’d have you screaming so much you’d be arrested for indecent exposure. They also recently added Asian & Italian dishes to the mix… with the great Sambal Eco-Fish being the standout. It doesn’t get too much more poklen than that.

Staff

Well like all fast food place workers in Brunei, they’re pretty slow. They’re really friendly though… but then again I look like an albino ogre.

As a poklen, the appearance of the staff members is a vital part of my final judgment. Fortunately for them, the tasty dishes aren’t only laid out on the plates… Yummm… and I swear I’m not gay… I just enjoy talking like one… and dressing like one… and the Venga Boys are my musical religion.

Price (Essential)

None of the dishes cost double figures… so jaws won’t be dropped. You don’t have to hurt your brain counting past 10… believe me I know how hard that is. Don’t miss out. If you have extra cash lying round and you want to make that step up from Nasi Katok, turn to Sugar Bun for your next exotic dining experience.

Extras

If you’re lucky you get to witness the ‘Sugar Bunny’ in action. Its awesome cause bunnies are associated to playboy when it comes to poklens (even if it looks nothing like one). Cool kali ah.

Verdict

If Sugar Bun was a piece of bling, it’d be a dog tag. That’s how tight it is yo. This place is worth sacrificing some of that CoffeeZone / Coffee Bean time… but not too much. Whoring yourself around outside when it’s clearly too hot or rainy is still a must in poklen culture.

Pizza Hut Primo - The Mall, Gadong.

2007-01-10T17:30:00.000+08:00

I've always liked the layout and design of Pizza Hut Primo. Very modern and comfy. I visited the place recently, was supposed to meet up with a friend but she cant make it. I was hungry but I think I ordered just a little too much for a one person meal hehehe...

First, I had the Mushroom Soup, nothing spectacular but its really just nice for a place that is considered as a fast-food restaurant.

Ordered some Onion Rings. Ain't so good but just nice again.

The mini Tuna Pizza. I think this is about $6+ inclusive of the Mushroom Soup & my Orange Crush drink below. Or was it just the drink hmmm... can't quite recall.

The main course, Mushroom Swiss Steak. I kinda like this. The mushroom all covered in cheese was really nice! The steak was not tough and the fries crispy just the way I like it. I think this cost $9.90 on its on.

My Orange Crush. Very refreshing.

So overall I had a good meal, got my moneys' worth. The setting was good and the staff were courteous and attentive. The only downside was that the WiFi wasn't working when I tried to get online, even after that staff said he already rebooted the router. Hehehe... But otherwise it was all good. I'm probably gonna pop-by there again soon because I wanna have their Apple Crumble dessert which I find so yummy.

p.s. sorry if the pics looks blurry. it was all taken using a mobile phone camera.

Nadj Restaurant

2007-01-07T22:58:00.000+08:00

Another Indian food outlet worth visitting. Nadj Restaurant, located just behind Hua Ho Sengkurong (not Hua Ho Tanjong Bunut), is one of my favourites.

The restaurant seems to be just another ordinary Indian restaurant, but no! It has the authenticity of Indian and tandoori cooking. Try out the Nasi Beriyani. The Mee Goreng Mamak (pictured) is the best I have tasted so far, and also the Garlic Nan (pictured) is a must have!

Sent in by UcingItam

Gerai Soto Haji Tuah - Tutong

2007-01-05T17:38:00.000+08:00

Went to Tutong this morning to get my fix of Soto Hj Tuah. For those who don't know, Soto Hj Tuah is an institution among Tutongites and I do not know anyone from Tutong who hasn't had Soto Hj Tuah before.

Soto Hj Tuah has been around for as long as I can remember and it is famous not only for the unique flavour created by a combination of the soup, meat, noodles, "kuchai", and of course, the hot chili paste or "lada rindu" which can burn your tastebuds to oblivion if you're not careful!

Sagar Restaurant

2007-01-04T00:27:00.000+08:00

Feast your eyes.

Nothing out of the extraordinary but my latest rave is the North Indian dishes they serve up at Sagar over at Jalan Aman, just opposite Fratinis in Jalan Muara.

Pictured are cheese nan, chicken curry, wet kuay tiaw and some teh tarik.

I ordered the soupy dish but ended up harassing beau and stole off his cheese nan that was just yummy.

Sagar also lay out buffet dishes @ 9.90 per adult every thursday and saturday nights. Varieties too. Beau was impressed. And me? im just too easy to please. Hehe.

Sent in by Nora A.R.

An afternoon at i-Lotus, Rimba

2006-12-25T16:15:00.000+08:00

Went to i-Lotus Restaurant for a so-called "xmas lunch" and we were in for a disappointment. The fact that there was only one other table occupied was an ominous sign we should have heeded. But we decided to give it a go anyway. So the set lunch consisted of:

Fried oysters and baked turkey. I was so taken aback with this dish I forgot to photograph it. It was a couple of pieces of breaded fried oysters, and a few chunks of what was supposed to be turkey but tasted more like duck. Let's just say the dipping sauce was quite nice.

Next up was the Lobster and scallop soup. Ok this was quite decent actually. Very tasty tomato based broth with one piece of scallop and half a tiny tail of lobster.

Next we had the baked prawns with butter which was actually just butter milk prawns in a different guise. It was as delicious as buttermilk prawns should be.

After that came the steamed pomfret. I personally love white pomfret, and while appreciating the cost of said fish, I think it was a rather small specimen for the four of us. Taste wise, satisfactory lah.

Then it was the turn of mushrooms and broccoli with chopped chicken ham, which tasted ok, but nothing spectacular. The fried rice was pretty good actually. I think it was fried with the turkey/duck meat. Tasty.

Dessert was some kind of a local delicacy made out of yam and wrapped in banana leaf. It was quite delicious. The green stuff with the coconut however was bland and not good at all.

So disappointed were we that we decided to order an additional dish of curry coconut prawns and fried mantou buns. I think these two dishes alone salvaged the entire meal by themselves and made the whole lunch worthwhile, along with the great company of course!

Our only regret was having to endure the so-called "xmas set lunch" before we decided to enjoy the prawns and buns.

Total spent: B$186.++ for four souls (money NOT well spent I'm afraid)
Overall experience: 4 out of 10

i-Lotus needs to re-think their festive meal strategies. If you're not going to serve up a proper festive set meal, then why bother? Misrepresentation (if indeed what we were served was duck and not turkey) is a big no-no too!

Lesson learnt: Always stick to the restaurant's specialties...