[Written by Tania H.]

This is part two of Sweet Cravings (read part one here). In this sweet search, Tania brings our attention to more yummy things that can be found in Resorts World Sentosa. Watch out, as these are places where adults miraculously transform into overgrown kiddoes

With flavours like Cotton Candy, White & Black Sesame, as well as alcoholic numbers such as Black Forest, Dark Cherries & Merlot and Lychee Martini, the second outlet of Seventh Heaven in Resorts World Sentosa is receiving rave reviews (flagship outlet is at Raeburn Park).

The interior of the café-like eatery is decked out in vines, murals of sunflowers and potted plants to bring the outdoor garden theme indoor.

Tucked away on the first floor of the Forum, I like how Seventh Heaven is away from the bustle and hustle of the resort’s main activity hub. Take a breather and savour the hot waffles and brownies, and perhaps if I may recommend the Apples & Chardonnay for a fruity yet slightly tart bite to newbies trying an alcoholic ice-cream for the first time.

The next time you’re in Universal Studios Singapore, make sure to stop by the Studio Snacks food cart parked on Hollywood Boulevard which sells pretzel, chicken pie, and more importantly, my favourite churros. The combination of simple ingredients like flour, water, butter and eggs belies the goodness of this pastry which is my definition of comfort food.

What’s so special about fried dough sprinkled with sugar, you ask. Well firstly, it is freshly made, and you can also choose between the cinnamon-flavoured churros or chocolate filled churros. Can you imagine viscous chocolate oozing out of it? I’m sure I don’t need to say more… Yum!

The first in Singapore, Candylicious expands its reign into this region after its flagship store in Dubai. Standing at 9,000 square feet, it’s a haven for candy lovers, where you’ll find aisles after aisles of mind-boggling flavoured jelly beans and lollies of all forms, shapes and sizes! Control the kids when they enter the store, especially the “manic driving” with the baby-size shopping carts at the entrance. My three-year-old daughter had heaps of fun loading her cart with lollipops aplenty!

With more than 80 percent of sweets new to the local market (including Madelaine Chocolates, Rock Candy from Squire Boone Village, Messori Italian Cones, Peeps Marshmallow and Hot Tamales from Peeps & Co’), even I was bedazzled. But make sure to inspect your cart before checking out, you can never trust those nifty little fingers!

This series is prepared by our very own foodie lady, Tania H. She provides suggestions about where you can go for special occasions.. And some insider tips too.

Tania’s previous posts for this series were suggestions for Power Lunches (Part 1; Part 2).

For more dining options, please check out rwsentosa.com.

[Written by Tania H.]

Sweet Cravings [sweet krey-ving] — Great or eager desire for sweet desserts.

Did you know that “stressed” spelt backwards is “desserts“? Not to be cliché but whenever I’m feeling blue, a little dessert or even just the thought of it makes me smile. Be it a cupcake with pink icing to melt a girl’s heart or the unforgivable “chocolate whatever” to blame for the love handles, there’s always room for sweets. So don’t be shy, find out how you can satisfy your cravings at Resorts World Sentosa.

I’d call this the best sweet spot for a languid afternoon of tea and cakes. Located in Festive Hotel’s lobby, Boulangerie is my kind of place. Reflecting a childlike vibrancy with vivid lanterns and cozy seating, its interior envelopes guests in a certain joie de vivre. Check out the alluring selection of cakes and pastries like the strawberry shortcake (one of my favourites), summer fruits cheesecake, apricot ivoire mousse and yummy-licious choco nut tart. And that’s just to name a few. But I must confess – the main culprit behind my thwarted diet plans is the irresistable gelato.

Topping the chart is the hazelnut gelato which is rich in flavour yet light on the palate and coming in a close second, the tiramisu.

First in Singapore outside of the US, Garrett Popcorn has opened its flagship store in Resorts World Sentosa. Even if you’re geographically challenged, just let you nose do the walking. Strong whiffs of melting, creamy butter infused with caramel easily wafts out of the shop, and anyone who catches its aroma will unwittingly fall prey!

Started in 1949 with a three-generations-old secret family recipe to boot, you really must try the famous Chicago Mix which is produced by combining the CaramelCrisp® with CheeseCorn™ – a marriage made in heaven of seductive sweetness and the savoury cheese flavour. Garrett Popcorn uses freshly melted sharp cheddar cheese and it sticks to a “no artificial flavours” policy. Other options you have are Plain Popcorn, Buttery Popcorn, Pecan CaramelCrisp, Cashews CaramelCrisp, and Almonds CaramelCrisp.

Choose to combine flavours in one of Garrett’s cool tins, like the one with Chicago’s skyline or its signature striped design which comes in blue and pink.

Located in Universal Studios Singapre is a paradise for the sweet-toothed – the Celebrity Café & Bakery. Don’t worry if you’re thinking that you need a day pass to dig into the pastries because the café is open to public during Hollywood After Hours, every Friday and Saturday for an admission charge of S$5 per person.

The alfresco area introduces the café aptly. Fashioned out of a 1950s bakery, I’m in love with the look and feel of the place, from its cane chairs and brass fittings, to wooden menu boards and groovy music played. Key lime pie, Oreo cheesecake, dainty cupcakes, gingerbread man and giant cookies are some of the must tries on the menu.

This series is prepared by our very own foodie lady, Tania H. She provides suggestions about where you can go for special occasions.. And some insider tips too.

Tania’s previous posts for this series were suggestions for Power Lunches (Part 1; Part 2).

For more dining options, please check out rwsentosa.com.

[Written by Chris D.]

Very little things in life is better than a lazy Sunday. Well, perhaps a lazy Sunday with good company and great food. And that’s what I did on a wonderful weekend.

So one Sunday (check!), with good company – a friend, Emma (check!) – we headed to try the great Sunday Brunch (check!) at Starz Restaurant!

I hadn’t seen Emma in a while, but there was no time to chit-chat yet. It was straight to the sushi area. There was an assortment of very fresh sushi, sashimi and rolls – I like sushi – but what I’m really looking forward to are oysters on the half shell. Those served here were still moist, unlike many other buffets in Singapore. As I piled them on my plate, the plump boiled prawns caught my attention. They were of a perfect colour and while I’m not a fan of peeling my own prawns, but the size of these beauties made it well worth the effort. And they were firm to the bite.

They’re yummy, but they don’t come with pearls

In the spirit of trying everything, I had a quick bite of the duck and roast pork that Emma had brought back to the table. The roast pork was exactly what I have gotten used to in Singapore – juicy meat and crunchy skin, crackling with each bite.

On to the soups; what an assortment, all freshly prepared as you order. White radish, laksa and pork rib with corn. As I had never had white radish nor pork rib with corn, I gave both of these a try. The white radish was definitely my favorite.

I’m not a fan of fried potatoes – my friends have labeled me a french fry snob – and despite starting to feel a little full, I just had to grab a small serving of fresh potato wedges on the hotplate. I added that to my plate along with a heaping spoonful of beef stew. The beef was very moist, tender and full of flavor from the rest of the ingredients. I probably could have made a meal of this, but I couldn’t do that with so much fresh Indian food screaming my name.

Next on the hit list is another dish I had been looking forward to since the moment I arrived. I could talk for hours about great Indian food; from the fresh tandoori chicken and fluffy briyani rice to the delicious lamb patties with mint yogurt. But let me shoot straight to my favorite item of the brunch; roti prata.

I say it with a weird mix of both shame and pride, I had three!!! I just couldn’t help myself. They were freshly cooked with a slightly crispy outside and soft inside. Covered with a bit of gravy from the curry chicken and chickpea masala, I think they were about as good as I’ve ever had.

At $45 for brunch or $105 with champagne, I think this is the best brunch value in Singapore. Emma did mention that as it is brunch, she would have liked to see some breakfast favorites, but the quality of the food and the diversity more than made up for the lack of pedestrian eggs and bacon.

Some of the other food choices

With some of the best service I’ve had in Singapore mixed with the great value, this is definitely going on my list of favorites.

My only disappointment was the fact that I had no room to try the desserts. Just look at how enticing it is.. Oh well, there’s always the next (lazy) Sunday!

Chris D, who is working on upcoming projects for Resorts World Sentosa, will be guest blogging about his dining experiences at the resort.

Chris D’s enjoyment of traveling is second only to the love affair with food and luckily for him, his job has allowed him to combine those two passions. Everything from six star, fine dining experiences in Europe and pork lau lau cooked in an underground oven in Tahiti to fried scorpions in China and catfish in the US; he has rarely met a food that he didn’t like.

“I’m forever in search of ‘THE meal’; the one that combines impeccable service, a unique ambiance and that ever-so elusive perfect combination of ingredients, cooking technique and at least a pinch of culinary passion. Be it back street food cart or Michelin rated restaurant, until then, I’ll continue to enjoy the journey.”
- Chris D.

Starz Restaurant is located at Hard Rock Hotel in Resorts World Sentosa.
For more promotional details, please visit www.rwsentosa.com.

This series is prepared by our very own foodie lady, Tania H.  This is part two of the series – read her first post here. In this second part of her Power Lunch blog, she introduces two more restaurants, both Asian but poles apart.

The setting: Aroma-therapy incense, an avant-garde décor, you can choose one of the two private dining rooms seating up to 10 guests for that power lunch. The sense of exclusivity in kunio touoka is palpable; more so when you’re surrounded by precious bonsai plants flown in from Japan to enhance the restaurant’s aesthetics. Before the restaurant opens for service, the plants will be attended to with a fine mist in anticipation of the guests’ arrival.

How to impress: It’s easy with kunio tokouka because every dish is exquisite. Elegantly plated dishes showcase the best of Japan’s seasonal ingredients like the freshest sea urchin with chawanmushi and richly marbled wagyu beef—my equivalent of ambrosia.

The omotenashi which means Japanese hospitality will also ensure your guests are treated with utmost importance. For a swift business meal which will take you less than two hours, order the 4-course kaiseki tasting menu at S$120 which has been customised for such events.

What’s special: Serving up traditional kaiseki cuisine with a modern twist, Chef Kunio Tokuoka’s only eponymous restaurant out of Japan is one of its kind in Singapore. Using katsuo (dried fish) from Kagoshima and konbu (seaweed) from Hokkaido to cook the dashi stock as a basis for many dishes served at the restaurant, here’s the insightful tip to impress your guests. Dining at kunio tokouka is not just about the food, but a multi-sensory experience.

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Chinois by Susur Lee - classic Chinese cuisine with modern interpretation

The setting: Exuding eclectic oriental charm, four private dining rooms are available for reservation. The interior is made up of warm walnut hues and neutral tones, imbued with the ability to set guests at ease.

How to impress: Order the signature dish—braised shredded abalone stuffed in crab claw, awash in sea urchin sauce.

It’s delightfully sweet and the sauce a rich counterpart that gives the dish that savoury umami taste. Besides, one can polish off the crab meat gracefully without worrying about messy fingers. I’m sure your guest will be grateful if he’s a fan of the crustacean. For this signature dish, be sure to pre-order when making reservations because it takes time to be prepared.

Also do try the crispy fried yam basket topped with wok-fried trio of fresh mushrooms with dried shrimp and vermicelli. Despite our familiarity with the dish, it still surprises with the many varied textures and tastes which never fails to perform a little harmony dance on the palate.

What’s special: Chinois by Susur Lee is award-winning Canadian Chef Susur Lee’s latest brainchild. Featuring an extensive array of Chinese dishes with ingenious touches, the dishes are not only unique but delectable. An aperitif or digestif (liquor that aids in digestion) is easily within reach at the restaurant’s bar area, where you can opt for a change of scenery before exchanging final niceties.

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For reservations, please call +65 6686 3633 (kunio tokuoka) & +65 6884 7888 (Chinois by Susur Lee). For the full dining listing at Resorts World Sentosa, please visit www.rwsentosa.com.

Enjoy lunchtime parking rates from 12pm to 2pm on Mondays to Thursdays (excluding PH) at S$1 for the first hour and S$2 thereafter.