Chatterbox @ Mandarin Orchard Hotel [Singapore]

My last visits to Singapore, I have my meals at ChatterBox...not once but twice. Thanks to my buddy, I get to have my meals here at half price (it can get a bit pricey after converting back to ringgit).

Located on the 5th level, the restaurant is tastefully fashioned with a modern and clean look, with the themed colours of white and green.  

There're various choices to choose from the menu, so deciding what to order can be a headache for me....cause everything seems to look good. Eventually, we have Spring Rolls for starters. Hot and crispy!

Club Sandwich - Triple-decker sandwich with chicken, bacon, tomato, swiss cheese and eggs. Surprising big portion, with generous serving of fries. 

Nasi Goreng Istimewa - Fried rice with chicken, prawns and fried egg, served with shrimp crackers and chicken satay. My all time favourite nasi goreng. 

Lastly, their signature dish - Mandarin Chicken Rice. I've heard so much from my friend and my dad (as well reading from the blog online) commenting that the chicken rice here are good....and a heavy price tag too. Not a fan of chicken rice so I took a picture of the set. Mum tried the chicken rice and felt that it's like any chicken rice that she have tasted since she have tried better (and cheaper) back home. 

Ended our meal with their popular homemade coconut ice-cream. It's really good and the coconut flavour is not too overpowering. Highly recommended!

Open seven days a week, Chatterbox is located at Mandarin Orchard Hotel / Mandarin Gallery.  

15 Creative Ways To Store Your Shoes

Most girls limited space to store their growing collection of shoes. While surfing on the net, I found ideas on storing and organising your shoes. Some require special installation and others use everyday things like wooden crates, ladder and PVC pipes. 

1. Wooden crates

Wooden crates repurposed as shoe racks. 

Instead of mounting them on the wall, they can be stacked them up too. 

2. Clear storage boxes

Clear boxes allows you to see your shoes. 

3. Frames

Who would have thought side of the frames can make such pretty shoe storage for pumps?

4. Coat hanger

This coat hanger from IKEA is installed lower to hang shoes. Genius!

5. Ladder

A ladder rested on the wall can be used not only to store high-heels, but scarves and jewellery. 

6. PVC Pipes

Creative and affordable shoe storage put together using PVC pipes. 

7. Turning shoe tree

A shoe tree to hang your shoes and turn them around.

8. Shoe Wheel

A compact shoe storage which keeps many pairs of shoe in a small space. We like it’s funky design and visible storage.

9. Staircase cum drawers

Hidden shoe storage on the stairs. 

10. Lazy susan shoe cabinet

Installing a lazy susan in a deep cabinet saves space and enable one to access their shoes easily.

11. Industrial pipes

Keeping shoes on industrial pipes is a little tricky. 

Here’s a tutorial.

12. Hang Your Shoes

Learn how to make these hangers here.

13. Hang shoe organizers on a room divider or screen

Source: huffingtonpost.com

14. Implement a slide-out shoe rack.

Possibly easier said than done, but if you’re considering a remodel, it’s certainly a clever idea.

Source: hardcorerenos.com

15.  Cover a shoe rack with a curtain

Source: thedemoiselle.com

Love all the ideas! 

My favourite is #15 cause it's easy and simple for storage. 

Which is your favourite & how do you store your shoes? 

Rakuzen Japanese Restaurant @ Tropicana City Mall

Last weekend my parent and I decided to try out Rakuzen at Tropicana Mall. I've noticed that whenever I go to Tropicana Mall, there'll be people queuing to dine in this restaurant. 

Hoping to beat the crowds, we arrived early (before 7p.m). To my surprise the place was crowded. Seats were available outdoors but wanting to dine indoor, we left our contacts with them so that they can contact us when seats become available. 

We were practically just standing at the entrance and was on a look out for empty seats. Fortunately it wasn't peak hour yet so we were seated after waiting for 10 minutes. 

Dad ordered 'Teppanyaki Zen'. Basically it's diced-cut beef steak set. 

Dad enjoyed this set a lot as the meat was tender and juicy. 

I tried the garlic rice that comes with the set. 

It's really good. I wondered if I can ever fried as good as this. 

Mum ordered Claypot Udon & Califonia Roll Set. 

She enjoyed this set since mum loves anything that is soupy. 

Whenever I go to a Japanese restaurant I must order a soft shell crab hand roll. The reason is that my family do not order anything with crab for dinner....even when we go seafood restaurant >.< This made up for it in a way.  

Finally, Sashimi & Grilled Chicken Set for myself. This set took a while to be served since my dad had finished his meal before my set arrived. But it's worth waiting cos the chicken is grilled to perfection. The skin is crispy and the meat is tender. Yummy!

Overall the dining experience at Rakuzen have been good and the ambience here is comfortable and cozy. It can be a bit pricey, as compared to Pasta Zanmai and Sushi Tei in the same mall. 

Rakuzen
G-41/42 Ground Floor
Tropicana City Mall
3, Jalan SS20/27
47400 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03-7710 7000

Singaporean Lodges Police Report Over Spicy Fried Rice

A Singaporean from Taman Jurong had filed a police report because the nasi goreng kampung (local fried rice) he ate along Jalan Bukit Timbalan, Johor Baru was too spicy.

The matter took social networks by storm last night after a copy of the police report found its way to the Internet. These are excerpts from his police report: “Around 9pm on 30 April, I went to eat at a shop which I can’t recall the name. After I ordered the nasi goreng kampung and warm water, I had my meal, I found that it was extremely hot and too spicy.

“Until today (May 1) I can still taste the spiciness from the rice I ate yesterday. I suspect that they cooked the rice with too much chilli.

“The reason why I am making this report is because I am very unhappy with the rice I ate and wish to go to a hospital for a checkup,” he stated in the report.

Johor Baru (South) deputy police chief Supt Abdul Samad Salleh confirmed the report when contacted, but declined to elaborate on whether or not police would conduct an investigation on the matter.

Source: Rakyat Post

# I'm not sure about you guys but making a police report on petty issue such as this seem to be too exaggerate. If the food is too spicy, he should not even finish it or he could have just inform the owner for refund. =.="