Get pampared like a princess at Le Spa!

I go for massages very very frequently till the extent that I think I might probably be addicted to massages. And due to this, I am actually quite aware of the good and bad massage therapists after having being massaged by so many therapists from all over Asia before. (Haven't had the chance of getting massaged by a Caucasian though :p)

Last week, i got the chance to get pampared by Le Spa! A soothing and enchanting oriental arena for relaxation spa therapy, body and foot massages as well as rejuvenation of your bodies. The word 'oriental' got me very very excited as I personally feel that the best therapists that ever laid hands on me were from China.

Upon arrival, I was asked to sign in and choose the kind of therapy which i would like to have. They offered 3 kinds of body massages (90 minutes) and they were -

- Le Urban Fushion (LUF)

- Le Royal Balinese

- Le Classic Swedish Retreats

I enquired about all of them to get a better understanding and was told by the very friendly and knowledgeable receptionist (i think it's ultra important to know your services well so that customers will know and understand what they will be getting). 

The receptionist explained that Le Urban Fushion is for tired people who needs massages with strong pressure, Le Royal Balinese performs massages of long strokes (medium strength) and Le Classic Swedish Retreats is a kind of relaxation massage performed with lighter pressure.

I chose the Le Urban Fushion as i personally preferred very strong therapists to ease my forever aching and tired neck and shoulders. (Sometimes back and feet too, i think i quite problematic, haha)

I was then led to the room where I was supposed to receive my therapy. 

Decorated with oriental lightings, ornaments and decorations, surrounded by soothing spa music and aromatherapy, the ambience was so tranquil and perfect for people looking for relaxation after a super tired and stressful day at work.

 They gave me a spacious and luxurious couple room even though i came alone.Tastefully decorated with comfortable massage beds and a cup of nice warm tea awaits me at the table.

And so, the Le Urban Fushion massage begins!!!

The therapist I had was soooooooooo FANTASTIC!!! You may think i am exaggerating so let me explain in more details.

First and most important for me, she was really skillful, she knew exactly the points to put pressure on and applied the RIGHT amount of pressure, hence, it wasn't painful but yet, I felt something which is the very SHIOK feeling when you get pressed at the correct place with the correct amount of strength.

Secondly, i specifically told her to focus and spend more time on my aching neck and shoulders and she did just that, i LOVE massages on my neck especially, the muscles there were completely loosened and relaxed by the end of the session, very good job! (A lot of times when i made this request at other places, the therapists sometimes either forget or they don't do a good job even if they remembered).

Thirdly, well, how do i say this? For some unknown reasons, this therapist seems to have a pair of MAGIC hands, they were WARM and fuzzy, it's like she just immersed her hands in warm water before touching me, i have never came across any therapist like that, I guess it should be her natural body temperature (i came across another person who's body temperatures were slightly higher than normal people and the funny thing is they were not running a fever). and i LOVED the warmness emitted naturally from her hands. Where to find another therapist like this? I think she's like one in a million.

Last but not least, the therapist was very attentive to my needs, she asked a couple of times if the aircon temperature was ok and if the amount of strength she exerted was fine (i told her to go ahead and use more strength and she said she was afraid to hurt me cuz i was so petite!)

After the therapy, i was led outside where i sat and enjoyed another cup of warm ginger tea.

On my way out, i passed by the modern furnished bath rooms where you can take a shower.

Also passed by the big and comfy leather chairs for foot reflexology. I so wanna try this next time, looks like i can fall into sweet slumber in this big chair.

More pics before signing off!

The massage was EXTREMELY good, i felt that i could FLOAT right after the therapy, so relaxed and very very rejuvenated!!!

For more information, do visit them or give them a call for reservations.

http://www.lespa.com.sg/

Facebook Page: 

https://www.facebook.com/lespasingapore

LE SPA Location Address:

14 Gemmill Lane, Singapore 069253

Contact 6222 6803 

[Food Review] 6 Prawns and a Beer

Conveniently located along Bukit Timah Road, 6 Prawns and a Beer is a newly opened specialty concept that combines the love of seafood and beer. They focus on the excellent pairing of prawns with beer and a wide variety of top-notch food as well as unusual brews in their menu.

Darts machines within the restaurant serve as another form of entertainment too.

Beer lovers can take pleasure in their wide selection of beers, from the exotic Archipelago Summer Ale on tap to the stronger Brewdog Punk IPA or the wickedly decadent Libertine Black Ale. They even have the tantalizing Wells Banana Bread Beer and the refreshing Rekorderlig Wild Berries Cider for the sweet-toothed.

We also had La Trappe White Beer (highly recommended by Chef Steven), and were told that it is brewed by the Trappist monks of Koningshoeven using traditional methods, and from a recipe developed using only natural ingredients.

Let's get started on the food!!! The first to arrive at our table was the 6 grilled prawns in white wine cream ($12.90). My favourite dish here and i was totally impressed with this. Not only were the prawns extremely succulent and fresh, the white wine cream was extremely robust and complimented the prawns so well without being too overwhelming.

 Grilled prawns in spicy szechuan sauce ($12.90). If you're in the mood for something spicy, do go for this. Prawns were equally succulent and fresh.

 These were served with their signature sauces. So cute that each dish really had 6 jumbo prawns inside!

 Their home made signature 'Shiok Sauce', dip in this sauce for that ultimate 'Shiokness' you can't find anywhere else but here.

Here comes their Ultimate Prawn Pizza ($19.90). Thin and crispy, generously topped with chunks of prawns, tomatoes,  lots of cheese and their Shiok Sauce for that tangy and punchy edge.

6 Prawns and a pasta ($15.90). Yummy spaghetti cooked till al dente in their home made spicy pasta sauce. This is the perfect choice if you love the mild spicy kick that comes with fresh prawns on spaghetti.

Salted fish truffle fried rice ($13.90). I've tried many variations of fried rice and also dishes infused with truffle but this is the first time I am trying truffle fried rice. Fluffy, fragrant and grainy rice is portioned out nicely with generous bits of fish, eggs and then the glaze of truffle oil all about. Every grain of rice is coated with truffle goodness making the whole dish very aromatic and tasty.

6 Prawns and a Beer is not just your normal pub serving beer, it is a unique restaurant with a very innovative chef that puts in tremendous effort to whip up these fantastic dishes.

Address: 557 Bukit Timah Road, Crown Centre #01-03

Opening Hours: 5pm - 12am (Sunday - Thursday), 5pm - 1am (Friday - Saturday)

Phone: 9679 0004

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/6prawnsandabeer

[Food Review] Tonkatsu by Ma Maison Westgate

Finally got the chance to try Tonkatsu by Ma Maison after hearing all the raves about it. Visited their new outlet at Westgate a few days back and the dining experience is really worth recommending!

Tonkatsu (豚カツ, とんかつ or トンカツ, pork cutlet), is a Japanese food which consists of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. There are two main types, hire (pork fillet) and rosu (pork loin). It is often served with shredded cabbage.

Tonkatsu originated in Japan in the 19th century. As well as being served as a single dish, it is also used as a sandwich filling or in combination with curry.

A set of sauces were placed on every table. Sweet, spicy, sesame sauce, rock salt, sesame seeds and soya sauce were available. Mustard and tar-tar sauce will be accompanied with some of the dishes too.

Finely grated radish were served to cleanse our palettes and to get us started on the meal.

I prefer to drizzle it with a little soya sauce or sesame sauce for some taste.

Freshly grated cabbages are refillable and they go incredibly well with their tangy roasted sesame sauce.

The first main dish on our table was the "Crab Croquette Set". 2 wholesome pieces or croquette fried to golden brown perfection were served. Rich and flavourful crab mayo oozed out as I sank my teeth into the light and crispy batter. I LOVE this especially with tar-tar sauce and a squeeze of the lemon wedge for that citrusy punch.

"Mameton Set" consists of deep fried prawn and pork loin, served with rice, miso soup and Nyumen. 

Nyumen is actually Somen (wheat noodles), served in dashi (stock infused with bonito flakes, dried kelp and shiitake mushroom), topped with chopped leek. Served in a small cup, it tastes light and extremely smooth. 

Miso soup is a dark brown broth intense and rich in flavour unlike many other restaurants i went to and was packed with slices of thick slices of mushroom, pork, radish and daikon, this is refillable. 2 thumbs up!

The prawns were extremely fresh and most importantly, not overcooked, which gave the prawns their deserving springy textures. Pork loins were very tender and absolutely tasty. Again, the batter was light and crisp, making fried food all the more addictive! 

We also tried the "Kurobuta Rosu Set" (pork loin). Normal pork loin is tougher but Ma Maison’s proprietary ageing process made the loin more tender. You can choose Rosu Katsu (160g) or a bigger size portion, Jumbo Rosu Katsu (250g).

Here, pork loin is kept in a special chiller (with different timed preset temperatures)  and the slabs of loin are checked daily. 

The fats seem to retained the moisture in the meat, the loin is crispy on the outside and juicy within and i love the fact that the food is so skillfully fried to perfection and yet not oily.

Kurobuta is to pork as Kobe beef is to beef. It comes from an ancient breed of pig known as Black Berkshire. Said to be Britain’s oldest pigs, the pure oriental strain in Japan is considered the best in the world. Apparently, the pigs were brought to Japan as a gift from the royals. Oozing goodness, as tender as quiet moment, heavily marbled and pink hued, this is not pork – this is pork deity.

Last but not least, refreshing jelly was served as dessert to end the delicious and hearty meal.

Tonkatsu By Ma Maison (Westgate)

Address: Westgate, 3 Gateway Drive #04-06 s608532 (Jurong East)

Mon to Fri: 1100 - 1500, 1700 - 2200

Sat to Sun & PH: 1100 - 2200

SCAPE SG (Almost 50)

Singapore turns 49, almost 50 this year!!

Let's all celebrate National Day music performances by our local bands, limited edition Singapore-themed goodie bags, promotions and more at SCAPE SG!

This August SCAPE SG will be bringing 2-dimensional exhibitions to a whole new level! 

From 4-17 Aug 2014, you will be able to watch stories of community leaders come to life at our augmented reality exhibition! 

Here's a short preview:

Do come down to SCAPE LEVEL 4 for an awesome CELEBRATION!!!

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@SCAPESG) for sneak previews of the event!

Numi Tea

I first chanced upon Numi tea while having my hair treatment at Dadaluxe a few weeks ago and was pretty amazed by the 'Chocolate Pu'er' flavour they had. The perfect harmony for tea and chocolate lovers looking for a guilt free indulgence. Many other enticing flavours are available too!

All of Numi's teas are USDA Certified Organic and many are certified Fair Trade. In 2010, Numi was recognized as the largest brand purchaser of Fair Trade Certified teas in the U.S.

Numi blends organic and fair trade certified tea leaves and herbs exclusively with real ingredients leaving out the use of artificial flavorings, "natural" flavorings, and/or fragrances commonly used in food & beverage products.

And now, to commemorate Singapore's 49th birthday, Dadaluxe is offering a promotion for Numi Tea-  Just $49 for a mix of any 3 flavours from their savoury range. Locate them at Takashimaya Booth 2 from 6 Aug- 10 Aug!

Dadaluxe's Facebook page

 Dadaluxe Website

[Food Review] Yoogane

When i first head that Yoogane anchored itself on the shores of Singapore, I was super excited!!! What got my adrenaline rushed was that Yoogane was one of the BEST restaurants i visited in Korea a few months back.

I searched high and low in the cold (it was Winter when i was in Seoul) in Myeong Dong for Yoogane because i heard about how deeeelicious their food was. Now, it's right here in Singapore, don't have to travel all the way to Korea for Yoogane anymore. Yippy!

Here's a brief introduction to Yoogane:

Established in 1981, we pride ourselves as one of the most popular and best Chicken Galbi Restaurants in Korea - all this is made possible through the continuous support and love from our customers.

Yoogane is extremely well received in Busan , Korea - where it all started. Despite fierce competition from other restaurants specializing in chicken galbi, we were able to achieve tremendous success. The unique blend of sauces and seasoning that we have developed using top and fresh ingredients is what sets us apart from others. 

Click here to read reviews on Yoogane in Seoul

Restaurant was very full and a queue was snaking outside, be prepared to wait, otherwise, it's advised to come earlier.

1. Kalbi or galbi generally refers to a variety of gui or grilled dishes in Korean cuisine that are made with marinated beef (or pork) short ribs in a ganjang-based sauce (Korean soy sauce). In the Korean language, galbi literally means "rib" and can refer to cooked or uncooked ribs.
2. All ingredients are imported from Korea and everything is same as the Yoogane in Singapore.
3. 
   
   
   
   Salad bar available for customers to help themselves to the side dishes offered.
4. 
   Must try their authentic Kim Chee and their shredded cabbages and drizzle them with their strawberry sauce.
5. 
6. This sauce tastes like sweet strawberries and goes very well with their very crunchy veggies.

Popular fruit sodas from Korea. Fizzy and refreshing, not too sweet, just what i like. It reminds me a little bit of Fanta.

Korean Rice Wine aka Makgeolli. It contains alcohol but it's very easy to drink, this one is plum flavoured and tastes slightly sweet and milky with some flavours of rice grain. Makgeolli has some health benefits as it contains lactobacillus bacteria and dietary fiber which helps aid digestion and improve immune function.

Yoogane also provides unique services like the charging of your mobile phones!

Our set of Seafood and Chicken Galbi arrived! We added sticky noodles and Ramyeon noodles to the set.

The marinated food and vegetables are thrown into the pan and stir fried together at our table. The staff will be helping out with this.

The pan is HUGE!!! This can serve up to 3-4 people. Very good for sharing.

The marinated squids were added later on so as to prevent them from being overcooked if added too early.

The noodles were the last to be added and finally, food is ready to go into our stomachs!!!

Yoogane's unique and super flavourful marinated tender chicken thigh meat, prawns, baby squids, mussels, veggies, rice cakes and noodles altogether in this pan. Very tasty indeed! I went back to Seoul again while eating this...

I personally liked the Ram yeon noodles very much as they were very springy in texture and absorbed the flavours of the sauce very well.

Next was the Chicken Galbi Cheese fried Rice. This was the exact dish i had in Seoul and it tastes EXACTLY the same. Melted mozerella cheese sort of neutralizes the spiciness in this dish and together, this made a wonderful, exotic combination.

Seafood Pancake came next. Unlike pancakes from many other Korean restaurants i've tried, this was executed pretty well. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the pancake contains a generous amount of prawns and veggies. Must dip with their sauce to bring its taste to a further height.

Hope Yoogane can open more branches all over Singapore so that we can enjoy our favourite Korean food anywhere :)

YOOGANE Bugis Junction #02-47/48 Mon - Sun: 11am - 10pm (No reservations so be early to avoid disappointment!)  

https://www.facebook.com/yoogane.singapore