The Chocolate Buffet Experience

If there's one thing I wouldn't want to live without in this world, no doubt, it would be CHOCOLATE!  I've been munching on chocolates ever since I can remember to the point that now when I eat too much, my nose bleeds.  I call it my body's allergic reaction to chocolates.  It's how my body warns me that I've had too much already.  It's a sad thing to have but I'm still thankful that my body still allows me to have this guilty pleasure unlike other known allergies there is.   

And so when I heard that we were staying in The Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore, browsing their site revealed that one can have the ultimate chocolate experience at THE CHOCOLATE BAR.  A restaurant at the top of Marina Bay Sands offering a buffet spread of 57 chocolate-themed desserts!  Right away, we put that on our To-Do list.  Just thinking about it already takes my imagination to heavenly places.  I thought after this experience, my life would be semi-complete and I can readily die. Might have exaggerated a bit there, and literally, after trying out the buffet, I really felt like dying!    

Here's what I would recommend you try in the buffet spread.

Chocolate Fondant

This cake is better known as the Lava Cake in our side of the globe.  Warm chocolate oozes out from the center of the cake making this dessert rich, creamy, and extra special.

Cheesecake Lollipops

Creamy Cheesecake filling covered with White Chocolate on a stick! Attractively sweet and playful.

Ganache

67% Chocolate with Sauternes French Dessert Wine and

72% Chocolate with Cockburn Port Wine

Dark chocolate with a burst of fragrant dessert wines perfect for dark chocolate lovers.

Steamed Chocolate "Creme" Banana Chutney

Chocolate steamed with banana leaves and paired with Banana chutney.  A great way to start your buffet experience because the chocolate is quite light and Bananas always go well with chocolate.

Rosemary Milk Chocolate Cappuccino

Rosemary infused foam layered with a rich milk chocolate mousse.  Something unique to try as recommended by their website.  I would prefer it to be served warm.

French Macarons (Macaroons)!

Crunchy bite-size pieces with just the right amount of sweetness and available in three different unique flavors! (Balsamic Macaroons, Pear-Walnut Macaroons,  and Elderflower Macaroons)

Chocolate Fondue

It would be a sin to miss this section!  Candied nuts and fruits with a rich chocolate dipping sauce.  Never fails to impress.

Chocolate Covered Nuts

Simply yummy!  White chocolate pistachios, Orange Dark Chocolate Macadamias, Dark Chocolate Almonds, and Milk Chocolate peanuts!  I wanted to take home a bag of these goodies! 

Chocolate Pistachio and Cherries

After Eight

Light chocolate mousse infused with Mint!  One of my favorite combinations. 

Out of the 57 creations, I was able to try 22!  Not bad, right?  I wouldn't recommend that you follow my footsteps though.  I just realized that chocolate is not meant to be eaten this way.  A good chocolate is best eaten slowly and in small quantities.  It needs to be SAVORED and not DEVOURED.  Hahaha (^o^)v  I literally almost died that night.  I had to sleep propped up to prevent myself from throwing up.     

When you get your chance on a chocolate buffet experience, just choose the best 5 to 10 creations that you would like to try.  Ask the crew for the bestsellers and for those items that are not on display like the Chocolate Fondant and Ice Cream.  Forgo overly inspired creations like chocolates with Tomato, Black pepper, and Green Tea.  They are likely not to taste that great.  Try only one and save the rest for your next visit.  Forgo under inspired creations like Donuts, cookies, and Chocolate Hazelnut spreads.  Do try your childhood favorites like chocolate covered nuts and marshmallows!       

The staff said that they use only the finest chocolate available - Valhrona from France.  It's a good thing also that the restaurant doesn't have a No Leftover Policy.  You can try the creations and just leave them if you don't like the taste.  However, let's not be wasteful please.  Just get and try what you can finish.  Policy or no policy, leftovers are always discouraged.

I can understand the feeling to make "SULIT" the buffet experience.  That's very Filipino.  Instead of eating until you die, why not bring a zip lock bag instead and shove in those chocolate covered nuts from time to time. hahaha (^o^)v  Just jokingly recommending this of course.  Like I said, I wanted to take these goodies home!

Another good thing about the Chocolate Bar is that it's located at the SKY PARK.  Aside from the rich and indulgent treats, you also get treated to the wonderful Marina Bay area skyline.   

THE CHOCOLATE BAR

The Club at Marina Bay Sands, Sands Sky Park (Tower 2)

38 SGD++ per person

Available from 8pm onwards.

Always remember that anything in excess is not a good thing! Take your time and SAVOR good chocolate just like how you'd like to go through your own LIFE.

Check out these articles as well:

Singapore Gourmet

Singapore Gourmet the Sequel

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Gourmet Singapore - The Sequel

This is the second part of my recent gourmet adventures in the city of Singapore!  You can catch the first part of Singapore Gourmet here.  I'm making this quick and short!  And uploading lots of pictures for you to enjoy.

MAKANSUTRA GLUTTONS BAY

First stop is Makansutra Gluttons Bay at the Esplanade!

When dining hawker style, look for the stalls with the longest queue!  These stalls are bound to serve great food.  In this area, that stall will have to be BOON TAT SEAFOOD!  I would recommend you try local favorites like the Fried Baby Squid, BBQ Stingray, and Garlic Prawns!  If you're craving for Crabs, they have them as well.  Depending on the multitude of people, orders can take 20-30 minutes to prepare.  While waiting for your order, try the Fried Hokkien Mee on the adjacent stall (SOON LEE).    

Insider Tips: 

• Go early as stocks are limited.  
• Bring along your friends! One will have to save the table, another to queue for drinks (only the first stall is selling beverages), and another one to order food.
• When in doubt, ask! The queue can get quite confusing.  There's one queue to place orders and another for people waiting for their orders.  Make sure you're on the right one. hehehe (In the BOON TAT stall anyway)

After dinner, you may take a stroll along the Esplanade and enjoy the view.

Walk to the nearby Youth Olympic Park and all the way to Marina Bay Sands through the Double Helix Bridge.

Or go to Esplanade Mall for coffee and desserts.  Don't forget to pass by THE COOKIE MUSEUM, for a taste of Singapore's Best Hand-made cookies.  There are samples you can try for free.  Or you can dine-in and enjoy it with a cup of coffee or tea.

      

If you're lucky, you may just be able to catch an outdoor concert at the Esplanade as well!

THE EQUINOX

For a great view of the Singapore Skyline, dine at the EQUINOX at Swissotel The STAMFORD Hotel.  As you can see in my picture, there are no pictures of food as our buffet spread wasn't good at all.  We were a large group so they had to put us in a function room which was located one floor below the actual restaurant.  I wonder if their usual spread is any better ... but I highly doubt it.  Even the desserts weren't executed well.  You'll have to soak in the view to come close to getting your money's worth.  Now how do you get yourself in the picture? Check out the upper right image in the collage.

GARRETT POPCORN

Unlike dining at the Equinox, you'll never have to worry about getting your money's worth with GARRETT's POPCORN!  Caramel-glazed popcorn are simply delicious!  Try the ones with Macadamia Nuts. (^o^)/  

Located right outside Universal Studios Singapore (Resorts World, Sentosa Island).  

TRAVEL TIP: If you're taking the taxi to Resorts World, ask "Uncle", your elder Chinese taxi driver, to take you directly to the underground entrance of Resorts World to avoid paying the additional $6 SGD fee.   (^o-)v

CHANGI AIRPORT FOOD COURT

And just when you thought you'd have enough already.  Go to the Changi Airport Food Court (I think it was on the 3rd floor -  one level above where the shops are located), and try more local delicacies like Chicken Rice!  To be honest, I try to avoid eating chicken rice because first of all, I hate eating white chicken (steamed).  And secondly, if the cook used a fatty chicken for the dish, the layer of fat that forms just below the skin can be very unappetizing!  In this stall however, I was happy to find out that they also serve ROASTED CHICKEN RICE! (^o^)/ (~$5 SGD).  Yummy!

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Gourmet Singapore (Part 1)

Believe it or not, tourists actually look forward to eating gourmet food in Singapore!  When you've been to all the attractions and have seen all the sites, what can keep you going back for more is the variety of gourmet dishes available in the city!  From the budget-friendly hawker places to Celebrity Chef restaurants, Singapore has got it all!  If you're a foodie and have lots of cash to burn, then Singapore might just be the place for you.    

In my recent trip to Singapore, I got to check out the following places:

DB BISTRO MODERNE by Daniel Boulud

Marina Bay Sands Hotel

One of the celebrity chef restaurants inside Marina Bay Sands!  Daniel Boulud is a french chef that has been awarded the Michelin Star.  I don't exactly know what that is but by the way chefs talk about it, it seems like the most prestigious award a chef can receive. hehehe (^o^)/ 

We tried the POTATO GNOCCHI (26 SGD) and THE ORIGINAL db BURGER (38 SGD).  We ordered the Potato Gnocchi out of my curiosity to try a gnocchi.  As it turns out, it's just like sticky rice balls or dumplings.  The Asparagus sauce was perfectly seasoned!  I liked it but the texture of the gnocchi might not be for everyone.  The stickiness can be off putting for some, like my companion.  It'll remind you of eating Guinataan.    

THE ORIGINAL db BURGER was a Sirloin burger filled with Braised Short Ribs and Foie Gras!  It was also served on a Parmesan Bun and accompanied by French Fries.  Simply put, it was delicious!  Made even more exceptional by the accompanying sauces of Blue Cheese, Tomato, and Wasabi Mayo.  

Bring your date to this restaurant to impress her! (^o-)v

SINGAPORE SEAFOOD MARKET

Resorts World, Sentosa Island.

This restaurant is actually a collaboration between four big names in the restaurant industry: Tung Lok Seafood Restaurant, The Seafood International Market and Restaurant, Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant, and JUMBO seafood restaurant.  

Among the well-known dishes associated with Singapore are the Chilly Crab and Cereal Prawns.  If you have problems with how much sauce there is in a Chilly Crab dish, you might want to try instead the Black Pepper Crab or the White Pepper Crab.  We ordered the White Pepper Crab (47 SGD for 900 grams) which the waiter said was less spicy compared to the Black Pepper Crab.  And the waiter was absolutely right!  The dish just offered the right amount of spiciness and the aroma from the white pepper was delectable.  We also had the Cereal Prawns (22 SGD).   It was good but maybe a little sweet for my taste.  If you prefer sweet dishes, then you will like this.    

A new thing we tried this time was the DEEP FRIED WHOLE SCALLOP with STUFFED  CHINESE PEAR and PLUM WINE GLAZE (20 SGD).  We were surprised to see that the dish didn't look anything like the picture in the menu!  As it turns out, the chef prepared the whole thing upside down! hahaha. Taking that mishap aside though, the dish was creamy and very yummy!  The sweet cream-based sauce made this dish easy to devour. (^o-)v  

RASAPURA MASTERS

Marina Bay Sands Hotel

Rasapura Masters is the air-conditioned food court inside the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.  It is situated beside the Skating Rink made of synthetic ice.  The management has made it a point to serve all kinds of regional dishes from local favorites to even Filipino and Vietnamese cuisines.  Every time I'm in this city, I always look for local favorites the Laksa and Popiah!  Both are classified as Peranakan cuisines, a blend of Malay and Chinese cuisines.  

The LAKSA (~ 8 SGD) was very disappointing.  Although it looks good in the picture, the broth actually tasted bland.  It was just like hot water.  The best one I've tried is still the one I got at Sim Lim City's food court.  I heard that the best LAKSA is suppose to be KATTANG LAKSA which you can get somewhere at East Road.  I'm not really sure how to go there but I'll definitely try that the next time.

The POPIAH (~ 5 SGD) though was good!  Refreshing and very light on the stomach.  

Surprising new discoveries in this food court are the SAGO COCONUT PUDDING (2.40 SGD) and the 8 TREASURE MANGO DELIGHT (4.20 SGD) desserts!  The Sago Coconut Pudding is like a sago-fille jello with a coconut cream frosting on top!  If you love coconut then you will love this.  While the 8 TREASURE MANGO DELIGHT was a fresh mango slush topped with 8 different treasures (toppings)!  Avoid eating the Pomelo topping though as it was a bit bitter and sour and really didn't go too well with the sweet mango.

More to come ....

THE CHOCOLATE BAR @ THE SKY PARK (Marina Bay Sands)
GARRETT POPCORN (Universal Studios Singapore)
THE EQUINOX (Swissotel The Stamford Hotel Singapore)
ROASTED CHICKEN RICE!

GOURMET SINGAPORE THE SEQUEL here!

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FAKE-ation or CLINK-ation!

According to Sandhya Iyer of Goa, a Fake-ation is "a vacation where a large part of your time is spent reading emails and being engaged in other work-related tasks."  In short, it's a Fake vacation!  For the record, I hate doing Fake-ations.  Furthermore, I hate travelling with people who are Fake-ationing!  Don't you?

Recently though, I have been lucky to join two trips which albeit with a little Fake-ationing on the side, were totally CLINK-ationing in the end!  A CLINK-ation is a vacation that will make you CLINK! A vacation that will render you speechless and all you can do is make a CLICKING sound while WINKING.  You may add raising your hands in the air while gesturing the OKAY sign for a totally CLINK-ationing time!    

Both trips were a little work-related as I was just officially tagging along with my sister on her business trips.  According to her though, I'm her "official photographer" as how she jokingly introduced me during one cocktail party.  Which reminds me to remind her to give credit to the photographer on her Facebook page! hahaha (^o^)v *just joking*  

That cocktail party happened in New Delhi, India!  I had to sharpen up my English and conversation skills in front of a multitude of lawyers (not to mention that they are already partners in their respective law firms) coming from the different regions in Asia.  It was highly intimidating but I think I managed the pressure fairly well.

Aside from New Delhi, we also went to this city.  

Simply amazing, right?  The building on the left is the Marina Bay Sands hotel.  This is the view as seen from the Esplanade side.  This city constantly amazes me.  The last time I was here, I was blown away with the structures in Clarke Quay!  Truly an architect's haven.  This is the city of Singapore.

I came back home with a multitude of experiences and thousands of stories to tell.  I look forward to sharing them with you in the coming days.  In the mean time, I still have a hangover from my recent trip.  I still can't stop reading and learning interesting facts about the places we've visited, particularly India!  Now that's the ultimate sign that you have just had a CLINK-ation!        

I wish that everyone who reads this will never have to experience a FAKE-ation!  Except maybe when you're calling in sick, even when you're not, just to take a break from work.  According to the article which I actually found in a local newspaper in India, that still qualifies as one.  And of course, I wish that every vacation will be a CLINK-ation for everyone from now on! CHEERS!

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