Ho Ho Ho…Merry Christmas!

A lovely Christmassy centerpiece that illuminates our Yuletide Party and whets everyone’s appetite!

(Designed by Beng Hwa, a freelance floral & fruit artist; for sales enquiries, pls contact her directly @ angeldesignsg@gmail.com )

Taiwan Fruit Beer

As I was browsing the Vino & Beer Section at Fairprice Finest to gear up for Christmas, I chanced upon these Taiwan Fruit Beer Cans.

 

Creamy mouthfeel teeming with tropical fruity notes!

(My preferred choice)

“The Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corp (TTL, 台灣菸酒公司) launched pineapple and mango beer in early April 2012 and the two products have become so popular that “the supply was unable to meet the demand,” the company said.

 

It was not the first time the company had launched fruit beer. Last year, it released white grape, green apple and lychee flavors under a different name, “Sweet Touch,” but they were not as big a hit as the pineapple and mango flavors.” (http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2012/06/18/2003535585)

 

 

An effervescing mouthfeel with a tang of bitter aftertaste that smack of fruit juice!

 

 

In my humble opinion, Taiwan Fruit Beer is an ideal low-alcoholic refresher to chime with your festive grub; especially grilled dishes. So, Booze up since “In Heaven there is no beer”!  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Heaven_There_Is_No_Beer)

 

 

*SGD3.90 per can @ Fairprice Finest, Singapore

“Spread the Cheer” – F&N

 

During lunch Today, I came across these freebies – “Wet Tissue Collectibles”! If you purchase a can of F&N Outrageous Orange or F&N Groovy Grape, you will receive a miniature F&N can of wet tissues for free. (A total of four designs to choose) I like the way they push the envelope in their advertising and promotion; what a bracing concept!

 

 

 

If you too have a mania for miniature stuff, do check it out at your nearest store or eatery!

 

"Mad For Garlic", a Food-Themed Restaurant

 

A crony knowing that I am a hardcore garlic lover, brought me to Mad for Garlic Italian Wine Bistro for dinner. Located at Clarke Quay, a well-known pub hub in Singapore and upon entering the restaurant, you might have mistaken you have walked into a tavern. From interior to drinks & food; all are garlic-inspired, even their dessert!

 

(Menu)

 

 

 

I paired up Coke with the 2 main dishes and they chimed perfectly. The piquant smell & taste of garlic goes very well with the effervescence of Coke.

 

 

Garlic Sizzling Rice

“Garlic Fried Rice with Garlic Pickles, Bacon and Fish Roe”

 

 

Triple Garlic Pasta

“Spicy Seafood Pasta served with Fresh Mussels, Shrimps, Cuttlefish and Garlic Sprouts”

 

 

Garlic Sprinkle Gelato

“Special Garlic Ice-cream served in Chocolate-covered glass with Garlic Cookie”

 

The downside of operating a food-themed restaurant is that your customers must like your ‘main star’; it is either a love or hate relationship. For example, if I don’t like garlic, most probably I wouldn’t step into Mad for Garlic even it’s for free!

 

However, if you are also a garlic aficionado, do visit this dining establishment to satiate your garlicky lust!

 

 

(For more info, please go to http://www.madforgarlic.com.sg/)

 

Bizarre Menu & Ambience across the globe that give you an offbeat vibe!

Game for “A Terrorist Meal” in Lebanon?

Spooning Sushi & Sashimi out from a ‘Naked Female Body’?

Spicy condom salad, anyone?

Feasting with your legs hanging in the air or eat with the dead at Graveyard Restaurant, India…?

Posing as a ‘Patient’, ‘Jailbird’, ‘Princess’ or ‘Devil’ instead of being a conventional diner in the midst of the genius loci!

Here’s the clue:

http://weburbanist.com/2009/08/09/12-more-bizarre-theme-restaurants/

http://weburbanist.com/2008/08/10/15-of-the-strangest-themed-restaurants-from-buns-and-guns-to-cannabalistic-sushi/

Dining On Restaurants That Float … or Pop-up From Nowhere…!

 

BBQ Donut’s Floating Dining Tables, Germany

 

 

The Plastic Dining Room, Vancouver

 

 

Fancy operating a floating cafe / restaurant, check out this fabulous website:

http://weburbanist.com/2012/02/03/sea-food-14-floating-restaurants-around-the-world/

 

 

Or if you aspire to open a temporary-cum-mobile dining establishment, suss out these examples:

http://weburbanist.com/2011/12/26/a-moveable-feast-14-mobile-pop-up-restaurants/

 

 

The Cardboard Café

 

 

Electrolux Pop-Up Restaurant

 

 

Dining will never be the same if you walk the extra mile! 

 

 

 

*Images from the abovementioned websites.

Dear Folks, Happy Halloween!

 

 

(Self-crafted Jack-o'-lantern)

Customer Service…

“Customer service can either ramp up or ruin your business which I believe sane restaurateurs will nod their heads.”

A recent luncheon buffet at Basilico has bowled me over with its impeccable service. Other than the usual fastidious customer service such as changing of cutlery and tableware when necessary, topping up our glasses or making sure we are snugly ensconced at our designated seats…what impresses me the most is when I approached the Restaurant Manager for directions to the restroom, he offered hospitably to walk me all the way to the privy even though I am no celebrity diner! Later I learnt that he is called Nicholas and also a Frenchman. Kudos!

In this incident, I am won over more by the customer service than the fare. But I would still highly recommend this fine dining establishment to those who want to try bona fide Italian cuisine but yet pay one price only to relish.  (http://www.regenthotels.com/EN/Singapore/Cuisine/Basilico)

 

Just when there’s a good example, there is also a bad example which left me feeling embarrassed and sored about my dining experience to date:

 

It has always been my regular habit to arrive slightly earlier than the reservation’s time to explore the milieu. On a fine Saturday evening, my special dining companion and I arrived 5.50pm (reservation was 6pm) at a Peranakan restaurant@ Katong, Singapore. To our dismay, we were been turned away curtly by the restaurant manager who commented that ‘it’s not 6pm, we are not open’! Not even an apology was offered or words of affirmation with a smile.

“Please Mr Manager, only 10mins to go, can’t you just let us in and take a seat or speak nicely since we come all the way to patronize. Also, it is not as though we will start ordering and eating punctually!” That’s it! I won’t be coming back again, only to be embarrassed; especially when I bring my guest/s along for food tasting. What a poor model in customer service!

 

Nonetheless, I shall sign off with another excellent example of customer service which I encountered lately. On a Friday evening after work, I rushed over to 40 Duxton Hill to meet a chum for dinner. Having been disorientated about the bearing, I ended up at 40 Duxton Road instead which happens to be adjacent to the actual location. My poor chum got to abandon her scored table and come out to fetch me. But Mr Daniele Fiore, the GM of Latteria Mozzarella Bar kept the table intact and not only that, he waited outside the entrance out of concern. “Good to see you!” he warmly greeted us.

 

The wait staff who served us were well-informed of the courses we had. They liltingly explained the ingredients involved as well as the cooking methods executed for each dish. It is uncommon nowadays to find wait staff so enthusiastic and passionate in serving.

 

Next, during our last course, we decided to request to move to the patio due to the overwhelming air-con even though business was brisk at that time. The waiter feed backed to the GM promptly and not very long, our request was granted the moment a table was released once its guests had departed. We continued shooting the breeze with more drinks thereafter. That night, I went home grinning from ear to ear feeling very fulfilled. “I will return, for sure!”  (http://www.latteriamb.com/)
 

The Clever Moves of J-Pot

J-Pot is a dining concept from Jumbo which means ‘Hotpot Singapore Style’!  

 

And why do I say this concept is brilliant? 

 

I have tried variation of hotpot (Chinese steamboat) and here is my two cents worth:

 

 

Each diner owns an individual hotpot which is hygienic and fuss-free; no worry of other diners scooping that coveted tiger prawn! Furthermore, you can select your own soup from their extended list. (My favorite is ‘Herbal’)

 

Their menu is an I-pad fixated on a retractable drawer of each table. You need not raise your hand to signal the waiter to take down your order; just DIY! You can either choose their À la carte or set menus.

 

We chose the latter as we couldn’t really decide on the variety of ingredients. I prefer this selling strategy compared to buffet, which usually you will find copious ‘Ball Stuff’ such as chicken balls, fish balls, octopus balls, beef balls and other ‘balls’. We want to savor real meat, fresh seafood and not ‘fake balls’!

 

Having also tried À la carte Buffet before which you can order unceasingly from the menu for one price. The peeve is you will feel very disturbed if the next table ‘keeps ordering’ and the waiter ‘keeps adding dishes’ non-stop to their table!

 

Same thing applies to the beverages. We ordered J-Pot’s free-flow home-made barley for one price and the diners just have to refill themselves at the beverage counter. We would not want the wait staff to ‘keep checking on our glasses and topping-up’, especially at the moments when we are so engaged in bantering.

 

 

Another local dining trend that I have been observing lately is the provision of foldable racks for diners to store their bags so that we can sit and dine comfortably. Quite a thoughtful customer service!

 

The only ‘buffet-style’ you can find here is a long sideboard offering free-flow of condiments and relishes for you to mix and muddle. (For e.g. roasted sesame seeds, chili oil, minced garlic bits, sesame oil et al.) Feel free to unleash your creativity but don’t create a mess like I did!

 

It is best to book in advance to avoid the hassle of queuing and waiting which we encountered on a Tuesday evening after work. (For more info, pls visit http://www.jpot.com.sg/) The tab amounted to SGD80plus for two, despite choosing the cheapest set menu and beverages. Hence, my only reservation in returning is the premium pricing!

 

Bottle Design

 

 

If you are into F&B bottle design, you might be interested to explore this website for inspiration:

(http://www.beautifullife.info/industrial-design/smirnoff-caipiroska-bottle-by-jwt/)

 

Somehow or other, this Heineken Cube brings to mind, the square watermelon*! Don't they bear some resemblance?

 

* http://pn-box.blogspot.sg/2010_07_01_archive.html

Packaging...

What is the first thought that comes to your mind when you see this pack?

 

A friend thought it is a pack of condoms…I think it looks like a pack of facial oil blotters. Even though the packaging is befuddling, I still like it as it is pocketbook-friendly; flat& lightweight!

Talking about packaging, another friend just emailed me some pics of European shopping bags and here are 3 which are related to F&B:

Shumensko Beer Crate

 

Wheaties Shopping Bag

 

“City Harvest” – Empty Stomach Bag

 

If you are into this thingy, check out other sassy shopping bags @ http://www.boredpanda.com/30-creative-bag-advertisements/

 

Also, from the same website, here’s some extraordinary F&B packaging:

Gnome Bread Packaging

 

Fit Buns High Protein: Bread

 

Colgate Max Night: Pizza Box

 

 

Coca-Cola Cups

 

Cole & Weber United: Holiday Log

 

Green Berry Tea

 

Parmesan Pencils

 

 

Kohberg, “Support the Breasts” Bread Packaging

 

Fruit-Shaped Jam Bottles

 

Hanger Tea Bags

 

 

Black Melon Bread

 

Smirnoff Caipiroska (Vodka Cocktail bottle)

 

 

NYC Spaghetti

 

Butter! Better!

 

Scanwood

 

The Tulip (Wine)

 

 

Gloji Juice

 

Medicom Pharma: Target Heavy Food

 

Break Fast

 

'

 

Caffeinated Energy Drink

 

Anti-Theft Lunch Bags

 

Fresh Label

 

Expiry Date Milk Cartons

 

Flower Pills

 

Royal Tea Bags

 

Packaging is, after all, just as important as advertising,

don’t you agree?