Sugisawa Japanese Restaurant

Name: Sugisawa Japanese Restaurant

Address: 30 Robertson Quay #01-16

Tel: 6235 0212 [Advise to make reservation if you intend to dine there]

Operating Hours: 1130am-3pm; 6pm-10pm (Mon-Sun)

Speciality: Bento sets / Sushis / Sashimi

Things I ate: Bento set #7 - Grilled Cod Fish, Pork Cutlet with Egg Rice, Shrimp Roe Sushi

Comments: This place is run by a Japanese sushi chef with his Singaporean wife. They have plenty of regulars, mostly authentic Japanese expats and businessman who lives nearby. This gives me the confidence that their food is pretty close to the authentic Japanese cuisines, a cozy queit place tucked away in the midst of the Robertson Quay fine dining culture...

The menu is mainly in Japanese and English. There is a great variety of Japanese food to choose, ranging from affordable bento sets (S$15-22), high quality sushi maki sets (S$5-10), and unique types of sashimi (S$10-40). I will highly advise you to choose their bento set as the portion is huge, the appetiser consists of many different kind of authentic Japanese food like fish cake, Japanese mash potato etc that you don't get often in other Japanese restaurants. The rice usually come separately with sesame and other seasoning sprinkled on it.

Its ambience is very typical of any Japanese restaurant with a sushi bar and cloth curtain at the entrance. The space inside the shop is very small although it is air conditioned, it feels a little stuffy and quite noisy as it gets crowded. So I was seated outside along the corridor most of the time and it feels pretty good as you get to enjoy the view of the other pubs and restaurant around. So far, it has been pretty windy for me as I sat ouside. =)

The food is fantastic, very fresh and the seasoning used is just nice. The portion is really big, so ladies you can consider sharing with another partner. Love their sashimis and appetiser the most so far! *wink* If you are going there for the first time, you should just take the bento set as it will only cost about S$20 after all the GST and service charge...very very worth the value! =D

The only negative issue is that the staff is not very friendly...or they only treat you well if you dress up and look rich. For all the times I went there so far, they hardly smile at all and the lady, I supposedly the female boss, give you a rather strict and aggresive face when you ask for water or change of your seat or stuff. Well, hopefully she just happens to be on a bad day on those days I went...or else I think no matter how great her food is, it will not be as satisfying after all!

Marvelous Cream!

The toppings to be mixed in the ice-cream...quite a variety!The staff will make your ice-cream on the spot after you have placed and paid for your order. You can choose to customise your own ice-cream too...starting from S$4.30 per cup...

All is mixed and ready to be served! (Picture: #10 Saison de Fruit)

Shop: Marvelous Cream

Address: 1 Raffles Link #B1-04 Citylink Mall

Operating Hours: 10am - 10pm

Tel: 6238 1683

Specialty: Japanese-French ice-cream & parfaits

Average price: Starting from S$4.90 (ice-cream junior cup) and S$5.90 (parfait)

Flavour I tried: #10 Saison de Fruit

Comment: The shop is girlishly decorated with pink and black wordings...very classy and french-feel. The staffs are quite friendly, greet the customers with wide smiles, and ready to recommend you to the popular flavours and according to you likings.

Saison de Fruit is the flavour recommended by the staff and I give it a try. It is ice-cream consist of strawberry and apple ice-cream, and stirred together with fresh cream. Added and mixed to the product are fresh berries and apple bits and some maracon biscuit pieces. Just the presentation of the ice-cream looks very delicious.

The ice-cream melts very fast so you gotta finish it quick. The fruit aroma is strong and very sweet. I feel refreshed after eating it. The fruit bits and biscuits make it taste like a fruitty sundae without the syrup. Must try!

Highly recommend to those ice-cream lovers who love sweet stuffs yet want a slightly 'healthier' diet for ice-creams! *wink* =)

Island Creamery

Shop: Island Creamery

Address: Bukit Timah Serene Centre (2 shops away from the MacDonald)

Speciality: Customised and unique flavours of ice-cream such as Puluo Hitam, Apple Pie, Tiger Sorbet (Tiger Beer!)

Flavour I order: Apple Pie & Puluo Hitam, and a Mudpie

Comments: The shop's wall is decorated with numberous photographs taken by the customers who had been there. There is a photo printing machine at the counter where you can print your photos instantly, decorate it with the marker provided and leave it in the box placed next to the machine, and the staff will help you paste it on the wall eventually so you can see it next time you patronised the shop! Very friendly and sweet idea for you to remember the good times you have there ya? *wink* =)

I love my Puluo Hitam ice-cream the most. It taste like the local dessert...but in the form of ice-cream. Not too sweet, very fresh and chewy. Apple-pie flavour, however, I find it a little too sweet. But still the apple smell and taste is very strong. You are sure to fall in love with them!

Mudpie is the disappointment I had so far. Unless you are so crazy about chocolate, you will find the chocolate taste is very strong. In fact, TOO strong. Though I love chocolate a lot too but still after some time, it becomes too sweet and strong and just a bit sick of it. The oreo biscuits are alright, make it more crunchy.

Highly recommend to those ice-cream lovers who dare to try out new flavours and those who are already bored with the common flavours around here. This is certainly a good place with its really special flavours that they should be proud of! *thumbs up for the great inventions* =D