Ride the Movies at Universal Studios Singapore

See my previous post on USS from 2011 here.

Part of the package the school availed is the one-day tour at Universal Studios. An hour after our call time for breakfast, the group was already en route to Singapore's premiere theme park. I guess everyone was looking forward for some adventure after three days of seminar and company tours.

Universal Studios Singapore is divided into seven zones: Hollywood, New York, Sci-Fi City, Ancient Egypt, Lost World, Far Far Away and Madagascar, where you can experience cutting-edge rides, watch amazing shows and enjoy the attractions based on the zone's theme.

We were lucky that we went on a weekday this time so there's less queuing especially on the more popular rides like in Transformers The Ride: The Ultimate 3D Battle and Revenge of the Mummy.

Whenever I am in Singapore, I try to eat as much Hainanese Chicken Rice as I possibly can. The one that they serve in Discovery Food Court, along with other must-try local food, was a steal for the quality and taste of my favorite dish. Looking back now, I think I ate the same thing in 2011.

If you ever got tired of the rides, you can head to New York and Hollywood Boulevard for some street entertainment and line up to meet Universal cast characters like Marilyn Monroe, Betty Boop, Po of Kung Fu Panda and the super huggable Minions from Despicable Me.

Universal Studios Singapore is open everyday from 10am to 7pm. Ticket prices are:

• Adult (ages 13 to 59) SGD74 for one-day pass, SGD118 for two-day pass
• Child (ages 4 to 12) SGD54 for one-day pass, SGD88 for two-day pass
• Senior (ages 60 and above) SGD36 for one-day pass, SGD58 for two-day pass

Bite into Lia's Famous Avocado Cake

Mobile phones come in handy if you're looking for a restaurant in some place you're not quite familiar with. So upon searching for "desserts in Kapitolyo", a number of establishments have popped into my screen but there's one particular commonality on the various desserts in Lia's Cakes in Season that intrigued my curious mind and taste buds -- Avocado!

Avocado Cheesecake - Php95.00 per slice

While I like my Avocado in the blended form with extra chunks, Lia's Avocado Cheesecake was a refreshing take on the famous sweet treat. It may not topple Uno's version on my list of the Top Cheesecakes in the Metro in terms of consistency and perfect amount of sweetness, the thought of having an Avocado-flavored cake all year round certainly brings joy to my sweet tooth.

~o~o~o~

Lia's Cakes in Season
East Capitol Drive
Kapitolyo, Pasig City, Philippines 

Tel.: (632) 377-4808

Ye Dang: Meat Lover's Haven

This always comes to mind whenever my friends ask for suggestions on the best Korean barbecue. The last time I went here was about a year ago when a friend came to Manila for vacation and asked me to meet her in the Ortigas area. Fast forward to last week, my cravings for grilled ribs was finally appeased with a visit to Ye Dang Korean Restaurant along Meralco Avenue.

The abundance of Banchan is common to all Korean restaurants but what sets Ye Dang apart is the uniqueness and quality of the side dishes that they offer. Unfortunately, not all of them are unlimited and can only be refilled once like the Spicy Fish Cake and Sweet Baby Potatoes.

What we ordered

US Beef Rib Fingers - Php400.00

Sweet Beef Ribs - Php350.00

Ye Dang's offerings has been consistently good ever since I can remember and the years it has been in operation can attest to that. Their prices may increase (change is inevitable, that's a fact) but I would still willingly pay for the difference as long as I am served with quality and delicious meat.

~o~o~o~

Ye Dang Korean Restaurant

Meralco Avenue, Ortigas

Mandaluyong City, Philippines

Tel.: (632) 636-1461

A Crisp Night at Yabu

My love for Japanese food rarely extends beyond Salmon, Tuna, Saba and Uni as I always equate it with raw and fresh seafood. As much as I would love to try out other dishes, I always end up ordering the same thing. So it really came as a surprise that we both agreed on having dinner at Yabu that night where no sushi or sashimi can be ordered off the menu.

It had always been a race on who gets to grind the sesame seeds faster on those rare occasions that we get to eat Tonkatsu. The winner gets to pay for our meals and maybe dessert, depends on how full we are afterwards. And yes, I always lose the battle. *wink*

On the table

Hire (Pork Tenderloin) Set 150g - Php405.00

Eversince Yabu was born, the standard for breaded pork chop was never the same. People began lining up and paying premium for moist and tender katsu. Such is the case of Yabu's Pork Tenderloin Set which is served with a 3/4 inch thick juicy pork with no fat, unlimited Japanese rice, miso soup, unlimited cabbage with your choice of dressing and fresh fruits for dessert.

Menchi Katsu Set - Php350.00

All I could remember was seeing the phrase "stuffed with cream cheese" on the standee by the entrance and moments later, this mouth-watering goodness was placed on my side of the table. Overexcitement can really lead to low EQ that I never bothered flipping the menu to read the rest of the description when the staff was asking for our orders.

On the contrary, this would not be my first choice had I opened the menu since I usually order the Seafood or Salmon Katsu. So I'm ecstatic to have discovered this delicious dish of authentic Japanese ground beef and pork combination that I only learned after taking a bite.

Life is really full of surprises! And mine just came with extra cream cheese.

~o~o~o~

Yabu: House of Katsu

2/F Main Mall Atrium, SM Mall of Asia
Macapagal Blvd., Pasay City
Metro Manila, Philippines

Tel.: (632) 511-7202

Silantro Fil-Mex Cantina

The food strip along Kapitolyo in Pasig City has been creating a lot of buzz lately with the rise of new restaurants with exciting concepts and homegrown comfort food. The first time I went to the then sleepy residential area, Cafe Juanita is the sole and popular choice of foodies who frequent the neighborhood. But today, you can just drive along Kapitolyo and take your pick to whatever cuisine you fancy, from Japanese to Filipino, Chinese and Korean, lined up from left to right.

Or in Silantro's case, a fusion of Filipino and Mexican.

We passed by Silantro the night before and saw a lot of people waiting outside. I am usually very patient when it comes to queuing, especially if I really like to try the restaurant, but seeing the thickening crowd that night steered us away. The following day, we dropped by again and maybe because I'm wearing my lucky shirt, we were ushered to a table immediately.

What we ordered

Ligero (Lamb) - Php75.00

Their guacamole is so delish!

If you're craving for Taco, Silantro has a number of options you can choose from. Decide whether you want a soft or hard taco then the kind of meat to go with it like beef, lamb, chicken, pork, oxtail, lengua and even fish in single, double or triple variations. The taco was delicious but there's too much sauce dripping from it making it hard and messy to bite.

Silantro's Pork Ribs - Php250.00

While I like my ribs fall-off-the-bones soft, Silantro's Pork Ribs needed a little more push to cut but well worth the effort. The meat was grilled to perfection, not tough to chew but still have resilience when biting off the bones, which they say is the proper way of cooking ribs. The cilantro, as with all their other dishes, gave it a distinct refreshing taste. 

My only complain was that it took more than 40 minutes before this order came out and nobody gave us a heads up on the length of time it will take to cook the ribs, certainly not for people on the go and just dropped by Silantro for a quick meal.

The pork ribs also came with a  bowl of rice that's too buttery for my taste. 

Silantro is the best place for your barkada bondings with its homey ambiance and value for money dishes that will absolutely give a punch to your Mexican food cravings.

~o~o~o~

Silantro Fil-Mex Cantina
75 East Capitol Drive
Kapitolyo, Pasig City, Philippines 

Tel.: (632) 654-9657

Savor Singapore: Delectable Food Finds

Fact No. 23: I love Hainanese Chicken Rice. 

Back in Manila, Boon Tong Kee is my go-to place whenever I'm craving for Hainanese Chicken Rice, Singapore's national dish. There was even a time when we would eat there at least once a week because before the franchise came to the Philippines, finding a decent Hainanese chicken was as hard as getting out of bed on a chilly Monday morning. 

I remember eating this delicious meal in one of the hawker stalls near Bugis Junction during one of my previous trips in Singapore so you can just imagine how happy I was finding it again! For about SGD3.54, I was treated to a plateful of fragrant chicken rice with their very addicting chilli sauce to complement the succulent chicken meat. No wonder a lot of people line up for this.

On another day, my friend Z brought me to this amazing hawker in Satay by the Bay (located in Gardens by the Bay) on our last night in Singapore. I forgot to take a photo of the stall's name but I can vividly recall the awesome conversation and the sumptuous feast laid on our table.

Salted Egg Yolk Prawns

Chili Wings

Mee Goreng -- This is soooo good!

Chicken and Beef Satay

It's crazy how people, myself included, will travel anywhere for good food but its even more incredible when your friends share the same passion as you do. Glad to have you guys in my life!

Relax Aboard the Singapore River Cruise

Another great way to explore the city and learn about Singapore's history is aboard the Singapore River Cruise (SGD13). After two company visits, our tour guide brought the group to the Clarke Quay area where we boarded a bumboat for a 40-minute cruise along the Singapore River.

The cruise showed the beautiful architecture of the city's historical landmarks like The Fullerton Hotel, the Merlion and Marina Bay Sands in a different perspective. It was a relaxing activity that we all enjoyed while resting our feet from an afternoon of walking!

Mitsuyado Sei-Men: The House of Tsukemen

Did you say just say ramen with cheese?

I just needed to hear the friendly staff say it again as my ears couldn't believe such an ingenious creation exists. We are indeed very lucky to have the first international franchise of the well-loved Tsukemen by Mitsuyado Sei-Men brought in by the UCC Group, hence the neighboring UCC Cafe.

Once seated, customers will feel like they've been transported to the old streets of Japan with traditional crafts, vintage posters, lanterns and even a noodle cart surrounded with seats that you can request for a more authentic feel while eating your ramen.

What we ordered

Ebi Tempura - Php290.00

The Tempura and Gyoza were so good that both plates were almost wiped clean moments after it arrived. Unlike before that everyone's too shy to get the "shame piece", we had to play a little game we call "Who's had the worst day?" for the last Gyoza on the table.

Gyoza - Php180.00

Double Cheese Tsukemen - Php370.00

My order of Double Cheese Tsukemen came with a bowl of cold thin noodles (as I requested) topped with parmesan, a separate cheese sauce and a bowl of tonkotsu broth to dip it to. Since it was my first time to try the dipping ramen, the staff taught me how to eat it right: pour the cheese sauce to the ramen, dip it to the broth then slurp away! 

You can just imagine how rich the broth will become after all the dipping, so if you're craving for something sweet to balance the saltiness, you can either order from Mitsuyado's menu or head to Yamato Bakery next door for more awesome choices. That is if you still have room for dessert.

~o~o~o~

Mitsuyado Sei-Men
Blue Bay Walk, Macapagal Avenue
Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines 

Tel.: (632) 847-9514