Marina Bay Sands and Singapore Flyer

34.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

Whenever we visit Singapore, we have the luxury to live at S’s aunt’s home so we never have to worry about the high cost of hotels in Singapore. This time around, we did the same, but I also wanted to check off something on my bucket list. Since the last time we visited Singapore, one of my regrets was not staying at the Marina Bay Sands. This time around, I made it a goal that we stay just one night! I think everyone should try to stay here one night during their trip in Singapore despite the high prices because it’s quite worth it!

 

35.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

The hotel is architecturally amazing to look at from both the outside and inside. It is connected to a casino and the shopping mall, and also has a variety of restaurants inside. It’s also famous for the infinity pool which is now only open to hotel guests. In the past, you could pay a price to use the pool even if you didn’t stay at the hotel. Another reason why it’s worth the price!

 

40.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

We decided to go with the Premier Room which I believe the only difference from the Deluxe Room is that it comes with an additional deep-soaking bathtub. After some price comparisons on different booking sites, I believe we booked it directly through Marina Bay Sand’s reservation system for $540 CAD for one night. Upon entering the room, there is a small hallway with lots of closet space. I was surprised at how spacious the room was!

 

47.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

To the right was the bathroom. I loved the bathroom as it was so spacious with great lighting. Plus, the double sink is perfect for couples! The deep-soaking bathtub turned out to be great and I got to enjoy a bubble bath!

 

43.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

As you can see, the room had plenty of space. There was no problem opening our two large suitcases and still having plenty of room to walk around.

 

41.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

We opted for the King bed but you can also choose two single beds.

 

46.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

Bedding and pillows were comfy and clean. No complaints!

 

49.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

They also left a cute animal towel on our table.

 

42.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

The room also came with a small desk with two sofa chairs. We enjoyed sitting here enjoying the view.

 

45.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

We had requested for a higher level and they ended up giving us a city view which are available from the 19th to 39th floor. I was not disappointed in this view at all!

 

44.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

We were also able to see the Esplanade and Art Science Museum from our room. The other side of the hotel would face the gardens.

 

48.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

Look at the view during sunset! Just amazing!

 

31.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

On our way to check out the Sands Skypark Infinity Pool, there is an area where you can see the view of Gardens by the Bay.

 

30.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

You’ll need your hotel pass to get to this area because otherwise, you’ll need to pay to go to the Skypark Observation Deck. This costs $23 SGD and we did this the last time we visited. However, on the day we visited, it had a haze from a nearby fire so we could barely see anything. This time around, we could enjoy the views even without heading to the paid area since we had our hotel pass.

 

33.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

Finally, we checked out the infinity pool to our left! Remember to bring your hotel pass to get in as each guest needs to bring their own. Honestly, the pool was breathtaking! It definitely tops one of the nicest pools I have ever been to. And I think the most impressive part is how long the pool is. It just stretched on for so long! I also liked how they had sections where it was adults only so we didn’t have to worry about kids.

 

32.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

Up on the 57th floor, the view of the city is stunning. You can get the famous infinity pool picture here with the backdrop of the city. Towels are complimentary so it’s super hassle free to dry off or lounge around on the chairs. We’ve been to Sparkling Hill in Kelowna which also features an infinity pool, but the way this one is designed gives a much better infinity feel. It really looks like there is no ledge to the pool! I suggest using the pool both day and night to enjoy both views. It’s really a different experience although it can get a bit more busy during the evening. You can also order food and drinks here, but be warned that the prices are not cheap.

 

36.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

After enjoying the pool in the afternoon, we decided to head to the Singapore Flyer. You can easily access it from a short walk from the hotel on this bridge. You can enjoy some scenic views of the Helix Bridge and Art Science Museum here!

 

37.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

The Singapore Flyer is an observation wheel near the Marina Bay Sands which provides a 360 degree view of the city. The wheel will take you 165 metres above ground and takes around 30 minutes for a full cycle.

 

38.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

The capsules are fully air conditioned which is a must in this heat! We were lucky because the Flyer was not very busy that day so we actually got to enjoy the capsule alone! Loved how we had the privacy to take as many pictures as we wanted. There are also benches in the middle for you to sit down and enjoy the view.

 

39.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

Adult admission tickets are $33 SGD and despite the high price, I think it’s quite worth it on a sunny day. The views are quite spectacular from the city view to the gardens and the ocean. If you haven’t been to Gardens by the Bay, then I suggest purchasing the dual ticket on KLOOK as the two tickets only come to $52.50 SGD which is more than $10 SGD in discount.

 

29.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

The view of the gardens from up top is truly magical! I can imagine the night time view to be just as good!

 

50.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

Looking for a quick dinner, we decided to head over to The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands which is connected to the hotel. Here, you will find all the top designer and luxury brands. Even if you don’t plan on spending here, it’s a nice mall to chcek out as the architecture and design is quite nice. You’ll even find a section that looks like Venice and you can take a gondola on the fake river.

 

n by ukijojo on 500px.com

Unfortunately, most of the restaurants at the mall are also high end. You’ll find international brands here, but they also have a food court which sells a variety of cuisines. The food court is called Rasapura Masters and is in the basement floor. S got some Hainanese chicken, but since I hadn’t had any Indian food this time in Singapore, I decided to go for some Indian food at Indian Express. What a mistake… The food was honestly a bit underwhelming with the curries just sitting in the heat warmer and served lukewarm. Honestly, the taste didn’t even annoy me that much that night, but I ended up getting mild food poisoning that night. And that’s not what I anticipated for my stay at Marina Bay Sands. Also, food at this food court is definitely not as cheap as the hawker centres. It’s still cheap, but given the price for the quality of food, I’d much rather go to a hawker centre if it wasn’t for the convenience of being close to the hotel.

 

55.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

After dinner, we rushed out of the mall towards the water as we wanted to watch the light and water show. As we walked out, we turned around to catch a glimpse of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. It was all lit up and looked gorgeous!

 

53.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

Towards the water, we saw the cool looking Louis Vuitton store and Art Science Museum. Also all lit up!

 

54.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

And the city view all lit up night is truly breathtaking.

 

52.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

Finally, Spectra – a Marina Bay Sands Light and Water Show began. The show features choreographed fountains, lava and mist effects and an orchestral soundtrack. It also features a 12 metre-high glass prism centerpiece that forms really interesting laser illusions! The show is free for the public so a must see!

 

51.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

The show is at the Event Plaza on the first floor of The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands and lasts 15 minutes. It happens twice every night at 8pm and 9pm with an additional 10pm show on Fridays and Saturdays.

 

56.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

We then quickly hurried over to the Gardens by the Bay to catch the Garden Rhapsody which happens every night at 7:45pm and 8:45pm for free. The supertrees are all lit up and it changes based on some live music. However, we had a hard time finding the right exit from the hotel to the gardens, so we ended up watching it from this observation deck that leads to the gardens. We found the music to be too quiet from this area and the view to be a bit underwhelming. After further research after the event, I learned that the best view to enjoy this show is actually right under the trees at the garden. Just find a spot to sit down and lean back a bit. Will have to try that next time!

 

57.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

After all the shows, we headed back to the infinity pool for our last dip. Then we headed back to our room to enjoy the night view.

 

58.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

Really can’t complain about the price with all the views and amenities this hotel offers. This was probably one of the highlights of the trip and I can’t wait to find an excuse to stay here again! A must try when you visit Singapore, even if it’s just a night! The perfect way to end our trip in Singapore as well.

 

60.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

The next morning, we headed to the Changi Airport as we were flying out to our next destination, Taipei, Taiwan! The Changi Airport is a world class airport with many amenities and attractions. There are now 4 terminals in total, so if you arrive early or have a layover at the airport, it is definitely worth checking out all the different attractions!

 

61.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

We decided to have some chicken rice at the airport as our last meal. I can’t quite remember the name of the stall but it is in the basement floor.

 

62.jpeg by ukijojo on 500px.com

Chicken was smooth and tender. Not bad for an airport stall but portions were a bit small. And that ended our trip in Singapore! Until next time! But now we move on to Taiwan!

 

 

Copper Chimney

14.jpg by info9813 on 500px.com

Disclosure: All food and beverages were complimentary as part of a media event, but all opinions are my own.

Last week, I was invited to check out the happy hour menu which has relaunched at Copper Chimney. The Indian restaurant is located inside Hotel Le Soleil.

 

13.jpg by info9813 on 500px.com

The happy hour menu has a variety of appetizers and drinks on special. Most of the appetizers are around $7 and drinks at around $5-$8. The happy hour menu is available everyday from 3pm-6pm.

 

16.jpg by info9813 on 500px.com

Gin and Tonics

We got to try some Gin and Tonics. The restaurant carries gin from the local distillery, Long Table Distillery.

 

12.jpg by info9813 on 500px.com

Garlic Naan and Cheddar Cheese Kulcha Stuffed Bread

Not part of the happy hour menu, but who can say no to naan bread at an Indian restaurant? We were able to try both the Garlic Naan (left) and the Cheddar Cheese Kulcha Stuffed Bread (right). The naan are made fresh in their clay ovens to order. You can choose to have them with some chutney toppings such as mango, tamarind, mint-cilantro, or cucumber raita. I absolutely loved the cheese stuffed bread. The melted cheese was so stringy! I couldn’t stop eating this!

 

11.jpg by info9813 on 500px.com

Spiced Chips and Dip

Moving along to a happy hour item were the Spiced Chips and Dip. The chips are thick cut with a crispy exterior and served with a jalapeno and cumin raita dip. A great sharing dish!

 

03.jpg by info9813 on 500px.com

Minced Lamb Kebabs
I love skewers, so the Minced Lamb Kebabs were perfect for me! They had a nice char and were well seasoned.

06.jpg by info9813 on 500px.com

Tandoori Salmon

 

One of my favourites was the Tandoori Salmon. The salmon was extremely moist in the inside and the tandoori flavour was not overpowering. Highly recommend this!

07.jpg by info9813 on 500px.com

Vegetable Flatbread

For vegetarians, they have the Vegetable Flatbread which is topped with basil, goat cheese, and balsamic.

 

01.jpg by info9813 on 500px.com

Tiger Prawn Tandoori
Probably my favourite dish of the night was the Tiger Prawn Tandoori! Wow, these prawns were large and bouncy and seasoned with sambal, garlic, lemon juice, cilantro, sea salt. Extremely flavourful!

 

 

05.jpg by info9813 on 500px.com

Manchurian Cauliflower

Another item on the happy hour menu is the Manchurian Cauliflower. The cauliflower has a crispy batter and comes with a sweet and sour sauce.

 

08.jpg by info9813 on 500px.com

Non Vegetable Thali
They also have both vegetable and non-vegetable thali on their regular menu. The non-vegetable thali comes with indian pickles, courgette curry, lamb curry, butter chicken, Manchurian cauliflower, saffron basmati rice, and papadum.

 

09.jpg by info9813 on 500px.com

Tiffin Box Meal
During weekdays, they also offer Tiffin Box Meals. The initial tiffin box is $15, but after that, each meal is $9. Each day, there is a different curry and the box also includes rice, naan, and a kachumber slaw. This is a great deal for those working around the area!

 

15.jpg by info9813 on 500px.com

After trying some of the food, we got to take a tour in the kitchen. Here, we were shown how the naan is made. They have two tandoor ovens which are extremely high heat. Therefore, making the naan only takes a few minutes before it’s full of these air pockets. The chef gave us the freshly made naan and wow, that was good! I don’t think I have ever had such fresh naan before. So light and fluffy!

 

04.jpg by info9813 on 500px.com

The restaurant has both lower and upper level seating. It also has a small patio on the ground level just outside of the restaurant. But if you want to throw a private party, you can also book a dining area upstairs which connects to this outdoor patio! I love how intimate and secluded this area is while getting the patio feel because it’s not covered. Super cool design!

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the food at Copper Chimney. I’m no expert with Indian food so I can’t comment on authenticity, but the food tastes great! Will definitely be back for happy hour as it is so close to work!

 

Copper Chimney Restaurant - Indian Grill & Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Ember Indian Kitchen

IMG by ukijojo on 500px.com

Ember Indian Kitchen opened up just a few months ago. It’s located near the dyke in Steveston in the same area as Diplomat Bakery. The restaurant faces the water and has a small patio perfect in the summer months. I was really impressed with the interior of the restaurant though. With high ceilings and modern decor, this restaurant is beautiful!

 

IMG by ukijojo on 500px.com

Butter Chicken

T got the Butter Chicken and for the entrees, you can choose either rice or naan to go with it. The butter chicken was creamy and rich and the chicken was tender. They asked what level of spice we wanted and we got medium, but I honestly didn’t think it tasted spicy at all. I guess butter chicken is not usually spicy anyways, so found it odd that they asked.

 

IMG by ukijojo on 500px.com

Curry Chicken

For myself, I chose the Curry Chicken and got it with a side of naan. The naan was buttery and perfect for dipping in the curries! I really liked how the curry chicken here is boneless because the last thing I want to worry about is deboning the meat. The chicken again was very tender and the spices in the curry were very fragrant. Not too spicy as I got mild, but really loved the flavours!

 

IMG by ukijojo on 500px.com

Overall, we were really satisfied with our meal at Ember. The prices are on the higher end with both our meals costing $18 each but the food itself is good, so I can’t complain. Plus, the ambiance inside is really nice! I can’t wait to be back with more friends so we can try more dishes!

 

Pros:
– Delicious curries
– Great ambiance and decor

Cons:
– Location is pretty out of the way unless you live in Richmond

Price Range: $20-30

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 4 Service: 3.5 Ambiance: 4 Parking: 3 Overall: 4

Ember Indian Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Singapore & Taiwan Trip (Day 3)

017622f29a84502df95dadf1c259959df7331e0a6e

On Day 3, we looked out the windows and saw it wouldn’t be raining. Gardens by the Bay was our must see on the trip, so even though the haze was still pretty bad, we decided to check this off the list in the daytime just in case it rained again. I’d highly recommend checking it out at night though since I hear it’s absolutely beautiful with the lights up. Since it was around Mid-Autumn Festival, there were lots of decorations up.

018bf311f5bfaf4e919755d29a5cfa895aafebbd30

Get off at the Bayfront MRT station, and take Exit B, following the signs. You’ll go through a beautiful long linkway. There are tons of directions so you’ll be sure you won’t get lost.

01679c1eeb9001d69ef26ef93255cfd32550f9743b

Entrance inside the park is free. This will allow you to see the magical Supertree Grove from the ground. They offer a shuttle bus for unlimited rides around the garden with a cost of around $3 SG, but honestly, it’s quite a short walk so I would skip this service.

IMG_6165

We did however pay for the OCBC Skyway which is pretty awesome. Admission is $5 SG for adults so pretty affordable.

01e2340843d74f0db0b250dd65f1e6a68ee4e6d471

You get to take an elevator up 22 meters above the ground and stroll along the OCBC skyway. You can also catch panoramic views of the Gardens and Marina Bay skyline.

IMG_6256

As it was quite hazy throughout the trip, our pictures weren’t the most amazing. I imagine this to be beautiful at night. There are also various other areas to walk around in the park for free. Two conservatories: The Flower Dome and Cloud Forest, required admission and would take up quite some time so we skipped them.

013d24e3090ee17234e6abecd16cd972cdc22821db

Instead of the observatories, we headed inside the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. Visitors are allowed to wander around the ground floor of which you can see the quirky architecture.

IMG_6284

S suggested we visit the Sands Skypark Observation Deck of which you enter from the hotel and are taken onto the 57th floor. This came with a bit of price at $23 SG for adults.

011c252b93f9712dcf89ec702d63c4bf76d572e420

We were warned that it would be a hazy view, and they didn’t lie. Wasn’t worth our money with this weather in my opinion. However, on a clear day, this would allow a pretty great view. You can see the Gardens, observatories, the Flyer and the Singapore skyline from here. Sadly, they block off the view of the hotel’s Infinity Pool and have also denied access for those who are not hotel guests. Will need to pay that hefty hotel room price next time to try out the pool…

01e8dab776f96c5e20fe75c5b67ff4b845ec738d25

As lunch neared, we decided to dine at Din Tai Fung inside The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.

IMG_6298

We’ve been to the one in Seattle before so we knew what to expect. Must order is of course the Steamed Pork Dumplings. I thought these were better than the ones in Seattle.

IMG_6302

We also got the Steamed Shrimp & Pork Shao-Mai. Also another one of my favourites.

IMG_6299

The Dry Noodle in Special Sauce was a bit of a disappointment. The special sauce was more just like soy sauce. Noodles were pretty good though. Overall, a good meal although it will cost quite a lot more compared to if you dine at a hawker center. It costed probably around $20-30 for the two of us which is what you would expect in Vancouver for a meal.

IMG_6311

After lunch, we walked out of The Shoppes and found that there is a beautiful boardwalk that showcases the Singapore skyline. Great spot to take pictures if not for the haze.

01e2187e648bea1ac17dc056e87e2b51197eddf88a

We kept walking and ended up at the Art Science Museum which is architecturally pretty cool.

IMG_6345

During the time we went, they showcased the Singapore Stories for free. Since it was blazing hot outside, we decided to check it out for a bit and enjoy some air conditioning. It turned out to be very interesting and I learned a lot about Singapore. I believe they always put on one free exhibit, so check online before heading there to see if it interests you.

IMG_6354

Upon exiting the Art Science Museum, continue on and you will find the famous Helix Bridge. You will find amazing photo opportunities along the bridge and can also spot the the Flyer. Since it was still hazy, we didn’t think it would be worth it to go on the Flyer.

IMG_7161

Continue walking, and you will find the Soccer Pitches and continue on completing your circle, you will find the Merlion and Esplanade . The Esplanade is a theater for performing arts and is known to look like a durian. Great photo opportunities here! This can be quite a bit of a walk from the Marina Bay Sands, but a great way to see all the spots in my opinion without needing to get on and off the MRT.

image

We found a roadside uncle while walking to the Merlion with his ice cream truck and found the famous ice cream wafers. We tried the durian flavoured ice cream wafer and this was awesome! Strong in flavour and cheap!

image

If you cross the street from the Merlion, you will find the Fullerton Hotel. The hotel is a five-star luxury hotel and used to be named the Fullerton Building back in the 1900s, serving for many purposes including the General Post Office, Singapore Club, and Chamber of Commerce. You’ll also find Fort Fullerton in the northern end of the building. A building filled with lots of history, it is now a national monument of Singapore. If you’re into architecture, another hotel worth checking out is Raffles Hotel was built back in the 1800s.

image

We continued wandering the streets and found the Singapore Parliament. This is basically the Downtown core of Singapore and you’ll find many business buildings around this area. We then continued to foot and headed to Raffles City Shopping Centre which is extremely busy and has a good mix of brands, both high and low.

IMG_6409

After exploring S’s aunt picked us up and we headed to Casuarina Curry  Restaurant for dinner which is highly recommended by locals.

IMG_6392

They are known for the best roti prata. The chef was so happy to see me take pictures that he showcased all the spinning of the roti prata.

IMG_6398

We started off with some lychee drinks and the famous Teh Tarik, which is translated as pulled tea. It is a hot milk tea where the pouring process is a pulling of the drink. So delicious! Must try in Singapore!

IMG_6408

S got the Banana Chocolate Prata which is perfect for kids. It came with chocolate syrup and sprinkles on top. Too sweet in my opinion.

IMG_6402

For myself, I had the Plain Prata which was crispy and delicious when dipped in the curry. We also tried the Egg Prata which is mixed with egg. A great deal with the plain prata being only $1 SG which is so much cheaper than Vancouver!

IMG_6404

This is the curry that the prata comes with. From what I understand, the prata comes with curry for free. So good! The curry isn’t very spicy so great for all.

IMG_6399

We also tried the Mutton Briyani but the aunt told us that this did not seem very fresh so we didn’t end up eating it. She said it was old… Guess we should stick with the prata!

And that ended our third day in Singapore.

Details:

Gardens by the Bay: (Bayfront MRT station Exit B) 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953

Marina Bay Sands Hotel: (Bayfront MRT station Exit B, C, D, or E)  10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956

Marina Bay Sands Skypark: Purchase at the concierge of the hotel

Din Tai Fung Marina Bay Sands: 2 Bayfront Avenue #B2-63 Singapore 018972

Art Science Museum: 6 Bayfront Avenue Singapore 018974

Helix Bridge: (Promenade MRT Station or short walk from The Shoppes at the Marina Bay) Bayfront Avenue, Linking between Marina Bay and Marina Centre, Singapore 038981

Esplanade: 1 Esplanade Dr, Singapore 038981

Merlion Park: One Fullerton | Fullerton Road, Singapore 049213

Fullerton Hotel: 1 Fullerton Square, Singapore 049178

Parliament of Singapore: 1 Parliament Pl, Singapore 178880

Raffles City: 252 North Bridge Road, Singapore 179103

Casuarina Curry Restaurant: 138 Casuarina Rd, Singapore 579526

Maurya Indian Cuisine

1222

For our first and second year lunch, E suggested we go to Maurya Indian Cuisine for their lunch buffet. I came here last year when I first started work, but it was never a spot that I would crave for during lunch time since I find Indian food to be rather heavy.

1223

When you enter, you will be surprised how beautiful the interior of the restaurant is. High ceilings and beautiful decor. I can imagine this to be a great place to host parties.

1224

I believe the buffet lunch has increased their prices because it is now $15.49 before tax. In the first section, there are some salads, fruits and Indian appies.

1225

Next up are some spring rolls and vegetable pakoras.

1226

Moving on, you have your tandoori chicken, fish pakoras, two choices of rice and then your curries.

1227

This was my first plate and I have to say I would stick with the butter chicken. The tandoori chicken is rather dry and I’m just not a huge fan of their other curries. You also get baskets of naan which are very good. They also have some desserts such as their rice pudding and gulab jamun but I find Indian desserts to be way too sweet for my liking.

Overall, Maurya Indian Cuisine is average. Nothing amazes me but it’s a convenient option for me since it’s near work. However, I feel that I don’t eat enough to make my money’s worth during their lunch buffet, so I would probably stick to ordering a la carte next time. We also had an issue near the end when they ran out of most of their food and we had to wait a long time to have them refill it. Guess they weren’t expecting so many diners during a Thursday lunch.

Pros:
– Good variety of options during lunch buffet
– Ambiance is very nice

Cons:
– A tad pricey for lunch buffet
– Ran out of food during lunch service

Price Range: $15-20

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 3 Service: 3 Ambiance: 4 Parking: 3 Overall: 3

Maurya Indian Cuisine Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Tandoori Kona

931

Looking for a new place to try, MH (pictured above as he wanted to be featured) suggested I try Tandoori Kona in Richmond near Cambie and No. 5. I’ve heard great things about the restaurant, but I just never made the effort to try since it’s sort of out of the way. The restaurant doesn’t look very nice from the outside, but I was surprised that the interior is actually pretty nice and well decorated. It’s fairly small inside and on a Saturday night, we were lucky to find seats without reservations.

922

Vegetable Samosas

We ended up inviting MW, S and J along and that was perfect since we could try more dishes! We started off with Vegetable Samosas (although we had wanted meat samosas, but they had sold out). It came with two sauces – one being slightly spicy.

923

For $1.50, you get two samosas, which is a pretty good deal. The samosas were crispy on the outside and stuffed with peas, potatoes, and spices.

924

Lamb Vindaloo

MW suggested we try the Lamb Vindaloo. The boneless lamb is cooked in ginger, coconut, vinegar and cream mixed with potatoes. For all the curries, they will ask you how spicy and you can choose from mild, medium, or spicy. We went with medium, but I was surprised it wasn’t too spicy. MH commented that this was surprisingly very good. The lamb was tender and the sauce was a nice change from your typical masala or butter chicken.

925

Butter Chicken

Well we had to get the typical Butter Chicken as well. MH and MW had told me that this was very good at Tandoori Kona. The boneless chicken is marinated in their special buttery sauce, cooked in garlic ginger, and cream. Chicken was well tenderized and the sauce was creamy yet flavourful.

926

Naan

All the dishes came with Naan as well, which is baked in a Tandoor oven. I really liked this leavened bread because it didn’t feel oily at all! It was much different from the naan I’ve tried at other restaurants, which are usually drenched in oil. Very fluffy and perfect to pair with all that sauce!

928

I think you get a bowl of rice for each dish you order, so we got 4 bowls of basmati rice. Rice was fluffy and seasoned with some vegetables. The curries may look small in the bowl, but along with the naan, rice and all the cream that’s in it, you actually get really full!

927

Chicken Tikka

The Chicken Tikka featured boneless chicken marinated in yoghurt ginger, cooked in a Tandoor and served with butter sauce. This was slightly more spicy and the chicken was very tender. I thought the sauce was not really necessary since the chicken is already well flavoured.

930

Mixed Grill

We also got the Mixed Grill (I think it was called a different name on the menu), but the platter featured BBQ chicken, chicken tikka, lamb tikka, fish tikka, and was served with butter sauce. This is great if you haven’t tried a lot of their grilled dishes and want a bit of everything. I found that the fish wasn’t that great since it didn’t seem very fresh.

Overall, Tandoori Kona is definitely a hidden gem in Richmond. Prices are reasonable since Indian food is very buttery and you will get very full with the rice and naan. Good idea to come here with a small group of friends so you can share a variety of dishes. However, the restaurant is fairly small, so larger groups may need reservations.

Pros:
– Great food at reasonable prices
– Ambiance is surprisingly quite nice inside

Cons:
– Service is a bit slow (seems to be run by husband and wife)

Price Range: $15-20

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 4 Service: 3 Ambiance: 3.5 Parking: 4 Overall: 4

Click to add a blog post for Tandoori Kona Restaurant on Zomato

The Bombay

288 (640x413)

Looking for places to eat in Coquitlam, J suggested we go to The Bombay, since he’s been telling me how good their butter chicken is. However, everytime I try to go there, it’s closed. Finally, we arrived at lunch, and service was sort of sparse. We stood there waiting around and no one acknowledged us. Finally, we were seated, but no menus were given. Apparently during lunch time, they offer a lunch buffet for $9.99, so everyone goes for that. Taking a look in the menu, it seemed like that was a better deal, so we went for it as well. The buffet itself is really small, just like any other Indian buffets. There were an assortment of curries and tandoori chicken.

289 (640x409)

There’s also a salad bar, but it did not look appealing at all. Nan and rice is available, but as per buffets, they were not fresh and hence not as good.

290 (575x640)

The Butter Chicken was probably the best, but even so, J said that it’s usually better when you order off the menu. That’s probably because you’ll know your food will come hot and fresh. Lots of chicken and the sauce was creamy and flavourful. My other favourite was the Chicken Tikka Masala, which was boneless chicken breast in onion sauce with fresh tomatoes, ginger and garlic. I liked how it had some heat to it, whereas the butter chicken was not spicy at all.

291 (640x569)

Roti – whole wheat flour, unleavened bread, baked in a tandoor

We decided to try their Roti, which came sizzling hot, so much better than the nan at the buffet that had been sitting around. However, my complaint would be how oily it was. There was a layer of oil glistening.

Overall, The Bombay’s lunch buffet was average. It’s a good deal if you fill yourself up with the curries, but I wouldn’t say the quality is amazing. Service is also really lacking, but the place was still filled up during lunch hours. Plus, there really aren’t that many other Indian restaurants in Coquitlam, so I guess it’s to their advantage. I’d still like to come back and try their regular menu and see how it compares.

The Bombay on Urbanspoon

MyLahore – Manchester

IMG_7425

On my last night in Manchester, the girls took me to Curry Mile. This one street is just full of restaurants and kebab houses specializing in South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines. Apparently there are at least seventy restaurants. They said that there’s so many restaurants that they never really know which one to go to. N had gone to MyLahore before, so off we went.

IMG_7427

Both the interior and exterior are quite modern-looking. The decor is very family-style with booths on the side and everything is very colourful. Friendly service as well.

IMG_7428

Sizzling Combo Platter – Chicken Seekh, Lamb Seekh, Lamp Chop, Chicken Pakora, and Samosa

N had been here before and suggested we get two sets of the Sizzling Combo Platter between the four us to share. This was a good platter since you get to try a variety of Indian appetizers. The Chicken Seekh was my favourite as they flavoured it really well. The Samosa was alright as I wish the wrapping was more flaky. This one was the type of samosas which had a thick outer layer that was more doughy.

IMG_7429

Chicken Karahi

For my main, I went for the Chicken Karahi. The Karahi is a curry made with mainly onions, tomatoes and peppers. The curry was a thin consistency rather than something like butter chicken. An intersesting note is that a karahi actually means the pot or wok that they use to cook this Indian dish. Anyways, the curry wasn’t too spicy as I asked for mild I believe. There were quite a lot of pieces of chicken and I wasn’t even able to finish most of it. I ended up having to wrap it up.

IMG_7430

Roti

None of the curries come with a side of rice so we had to order this ourselves. We ended up getting one Roti, which was huge. This was thin and crisp, but I missed the Malaysian rotis which were flakier.

IMG_7437

Naan

We also ordered one Naan. The naan was a bit oily, but I liked how it was very fluffy inside. I preferred the naan over the roti actually. It’s unusual how you actually need to pay for the naan, since most Indian restaurants provide unlimited naan. I guess their curries were priced a little cheaper, so they didn’t offer this.

IMG_7438

Pilaf Rice

We also got some Pilaf Rice, which we probably shouldn’t have… We had so much rice leftover and it was seriously so filling with all the roti and naan. I guess all of these sides were the right amount to the amount of curry we had, but we just weren’t able to finish most of it!

IMG_7439

And here was our meal! S got the Biryani which is something I wasn’t so familiar with. It’s pilau rice with onions, garlic cardamom, cinnamon and this rice is dry, but already flavoured with those ingredients. Then they give you a side of curry which is very thin in consistency, and you can pour this onto your rice. Pretty good! I believe N got the Masala, which is a curry sauce made from tomatoes, garlic and ginger. This is a common curry we find at most Indian restaurants as well. As for K, she got the Vegetable Karahi, which was also really good and spicy! You can choose how spicy you want the curries, so no worries if you can’t take spice. All in all, MyLahore didn’t disappoint. It was filled with people, and of Indian ethnicity, so that’s always a good sign! A bit of a wait, but not too long. Prices are also quite reasonable.

Lahore Cafe Bar Manchester on Urbanspoon