ci gusta! @ Anchorpoint

Ice cream! Or rather, gelato! Located at Level 1 of Anchorpoint, this is one bright and cheery ice-cream parlour. Like many other artisanal ice-cream places, one can try/taste as many flavours as one likes before deciding on the final few.

Available sizes are Picolo (S) $3.90, Medio (M) $5.40 and Grande (L) $6.90. Can choose up to 2 flavours for Picolo while the Medio and Grande allows up to 3 flavours.

colourful and enticing

there are other things to order as well

seats

Tough time deciding which flavours but eventually, settled for Rum and Raisin (for the alcoholic in us), Salted Caramel (for me) and Peach Mango (anyhow choose because the colour looked nice!) at Medio size. Note that there will be an extra 50cents charge for Rum and Raisin.

Left: Peach Mango, Bottom: Salted Caramel and Top: Rum & Raisin

closer view of Salted Caramel

Personal favourite? Salted Caramel gelato! Tasted like a creamy cross between peanut butter and toffee. The Peach Mango was like a sweet breath of fresh air, with pleasantly subtle yet distinguishable mango and peach flavours. Reminds me of sorbet.

Peach Mango bursting out of the cup!

The Rum and Raisin was more watery and can definitely taste the alcohol. Liked this one better than Vanilla Whisky. But, still like the Salted Caramel more!

This mash of flavours worked. Get heady on Rum and Raisin, indulge in Salted Caramel and then refresh via Peach Mango. Hahaha!

Asian Kitchen Lu Gang Xiao Zhen (鹿港小鎮) @ ION Orchard

Located at B3 of ION Orchard. Small and compact place but still managed to walk-in without reservations despite the other restaurants at B2 needing to queue for at least half hour.

menu

Was in a group of four, so we ordered some dishes to go along with steamed rice. Ordered a medium portion of 'guitar' duck (original flavour). What's a 'guitar' duck? Apparently, it meant 'pipa' (琵琶). Anyway, it's roasted duck. Other dishes that we called were the four season beans with salted egg, deep fried beancurd with some vegetables, a'reunion' omelette and sweet and sour pork. All the rest of the dishes (except the duck) came in small portion.

This place serves ice water. To order, just write it down on the order chit, and pass it to the service staff. Someone will then come over and recite the order once again for confirmation.

chili condiments (not very spicy)

guitar duck (medium)

tender meat

The duck was nicely tender and not gamey. The medium portion is good for four pax.

french beans with salted egg

tiny chili padi's lurking, so be careful

tofu with some vege

looks healthy

sweet and sour pork

closer view

reunion omelette

got prawns and taiwanese sausages underneath

The dishes were enjoyable. The 'reunion' omelette were really thin and it had fresh prawns (just slightly cooked) hidden inside. Seasoning was agreeable to our tastebuds, and somehow the portion worked for the four of us (three ladies and one guy). But then, our guy friend needed an extra bowl of rice.

It's fuss free dinner (without having to queue too long for seats), pleasant tasting food and quick service.

Paid about $76 for all the above (inclusive taxes and drinks: 2 evians, and iced milk tea and soya bean).

Akashi @ Vivocity (Part II)

Located at B2 of Vivocity, this is a restaurant that I've visited quite often and mostly for lunch. Most of the lunch sets have increased its prices by a dollar since first visit (sometime in May). What used to be $15++ is now $16++, previously $12++ is now $13++.

Recent visit saw my friends ordering appetisers from the ala-carte menu. We tried the deep fried white bait, and a pork dish.

whitebait

very crispy whitebaits

pork with miso sauce

tasty thin slivers

As usual, the ala-carte prices are on the higher side. For vegetarians, there is not much choice here. We were informed that the sauce for soba and tempura has cuttlefish mixed in it. So, in the end, one of my friend who is a vegetarian, took the yasai tempura (ala-carte order) and one white rice. Thank you to the friendly service staff who explained to us which dishes that might work for diners with special dietary needs.

udon set lunch (quite a big pot, with poached egg that still has runny yolk!)

For me, I'd take either the gyu teriyaki or the chicken wakadori set lunch. Noticed that the gyu (beef) teriyaki doneness seem inconsistent. Sometimes, it was nicely medium rare, other times it was done medium or medium well.

chicken wakadori set (@$16++)

clear soup

yummy juicy chicken

Liked the copious amount of shredded cabbage (drizzled lightly with plum sauce) that came with most of the sets.