Category: Editor’s Pick

The Ultimate KL Guide Part 1 – How To Get There & Where To Stay

Need an escape from work or planning a shopping trip to Kuala Lumpur (KL) but not too sure where to start from? Don’t worry cause our Ultimate KL Guide will help you manoeuvre around the capital city of Malaysia like a pro!

1. Getting there: Ways to travel to Kuala Lumpur

1. Plane & train

The most common (and my personal favourite) way to get to KL is by flight. The journey takes about an hour from Singapore and upon arrival (KLIA and KLIA 2), you can hop on the: Budget Taxi (buy a coupon from the counter), Metered Taxi (fare calculated by distance), and Premier Taxi (bigger vehicle, more expensive). Alternatively, you can also take the

One popular choice among travellers is Aeroline, a no-stop bus journey that feels like you’re flying to KL. They are equipped with ‘cabin crews’ to attend to your needs. Their Aeroports (bus stops) are located at strategic locations which make it very easy and convenient for travellers. If you find Aeroline a little pricey ($50 for a one way ticket), you can consider other bus operators such as  or by 4. Drive

[caption id="attachment_5761" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Credit: card (Malaysia’s cash card) and a data plan (local or SG) so you can Waze around if you’re lost. Also, stay within the speed limit and obey local rules.

Remember to book an accommodation with parking facilities!

Total driving time without stops is about 4 hours, based on Google Maps.

2. Accommodation in KL

For the shopaholics and hip trendsetters:

 1. Ansa Kuala Lumpur

Smacked in the centre of several top malls and the most happening spots in KL is Ansa. With super chic and comfortable rooms, Ansa is perfect for those who are in town for a shopping spree.

Price starts from RM210++/night ($73++)

Parking facilities: Complimentary parking for in-house guests, limited lots

Website:  For the couples who want to keep it private and intimate:

Built in the 1930s, this iconic colonial heritage landmark is one of KL’s greatest hotels of all time (just like it’s name). The ambience of the hotel is intimate and the rooms are luxurious. While you’re at it, don’t forget to try their famed

Website:

Website: An Underground Bar Event With Complimentary Drinks? Basement Seah Damn Happening Sia!

The Tiramisu Hero Strikes Back With A Brand New Menu!

What do you think of when you hear someone say “Sir Antonio”? If you’re anything like me, you’d probably picture a tall, armour-donning knight with a curly moustache.

Sir Antonio

However, for the patrons of The Tiramisu Hero, what comes to mind is a cat wearing a zorro mask and a flowing cape. Now, that’s majestic.

Sir Antonio is actually the mascot of The Tiramisu Hero, a cosy little cafe located at 121 Tyrwhitt Road. They even made an animated clip of his back story!

Oh, did I mention? Once you step into the cafe, you will be greeted with a really adorable sculpture of Sir Antonio.

13 Tiramisu Flavours

The Tiramisu Hero is known for their selection of delicious tiramisu served in a jar, with flavours ranging from baileys (alcoholic) to speculoos (spiced cinnamon) to durian. You can either order these from their

The Tiramisu Hero’s New Menu!

You’d probably think that they are exclusively a dessert joint. Contrary to its name, The Tiramisu Hero also serves a respectable variety of food and drinks.

In fact, they’ve been working hard at it and have just launched a new menu. (Click on image for clearer view.)

Check out the extensive menu. The food and drinks are to die for!

As much as I wanted to, trying every single thing on the menu is just not possible. I ended up trying two of the dishes that seemed really appealing to me. Here’s how it went!

Truffle Salmon Cold Pasta

The strong flavours of salmon, truffle oil and ebiko, coupled with the neutrality of the cold pasta created a balanced and refreshing taste. It was a pleasant surprise as I did not expect the flavours to mesh so well together.

Furthermore, in our hot and humid Singapore, cold pasta is definitely the perfect dish whenever you need to beat the heat. Go ahead and get some!

Salted Egg Pasta

One of the dishes that we couldn’t resist ordering was their salted egg pasta. Well, that is to be expected since the salted egg craze has been going out of control these days.

When the pasta was served, it was generously coated with a layer of salted egg sauce. They certainly don’t skimp on the good stuff! The rich flavour of salted egg yolks, combined with a slight tinge of spice was so addictive that it kept me going for more. This dish is highly recommended for all salted egg fans because I’m sure you will love it as much as I did!

The quality and variety of their food menu is comparable and better than many other cafes out there. If you ever fancy a place to have a meal AND a dessert, give this place a try! As a bonus, you can even take a photo with the irresistibly cute Sir Antonio as a keepsake! How cool is that?

PS: I have heard rumors that Sir Antonio aspires to be as successful as Hello Kitty. Give him a hand, will ya!

The Tiramisu Hero Cafe
Address: 121 Tyrwhitt Road, Singapore 207548
Telephone: +65 6292 5271
Opening Hours: 11AM-10PM daily

Buses | 13, 23, 64, 65, 66, 67, 130, 133, 139, 141, 147, 857
MRT | Lavender (6-8 mins walk), Farrer Park (8-10 mins walk)

Ample parking space at multi storey carpark facing the cafe.
Free parking available between 7pm to 7am, Sundays and public holidays.

(Featured image credit: The Tiramisu Hero)

Also Read: Forget Salted Egg Croissant, Cheese Tart Coming Through!

Forget Salted Egg Croissant, Cheese Tart Coming Through!

Gone were the days where we had to go all the way to Osaka, Japan to try Pablo’s infamous yakitate cheese tart (baked cheese tarts). Now, we even have our own localised version with salted egg yolk!  So ladies and gentlemen, let’s put salted egg croissants aside and start discovering cheese tarts!

1. Bake Cheese Tart

Originally from Hokkaido, Bake may be the latest tart store in Singapore and they sure know how to bake up a storm. Their signature baked cheese tart is made from two Hokkaido and one French cream cheese variety. The cream cheese, baked to a glorious golden, sits in crispy pastry. This cheese tart has gotten Hong Kong-ers waiting for over two hours just to get a bite of it.

Apparently, it is Bake’s special double-bake method that makes the tart particularly yummy. The process starts in Japan. First, the crust of the tart is baked, and the cheese is poured into it. Then in Singapore, the tart will be baked for a second time at 200 celsius. If the tart is not baked long enough, it won’t be crunchy. And if the cheese is overbaked, it won’t be in a molten state. It’s all about the skills! Bake Cheese Tart will begin operations at the end of April at ION Orchard.

Bake Cheese Tart
Address: 2 Orchard Turn, #B4-33 ION Orchard

2. Prima Deli

For those who enjoyed the salted egg yolk croissant, here is something that will hit you like a crescendo. Local baker Prima Deli has recently launched not one but two types of cheese tarts – Original Lava Cheese Tart and Salted Egg Lava Cheese Tart, at a very reasonable price. It is so popular that their cheese tarts have sold out in an hour.

3. The Icing Room

Also on the cheese tart bandwagon is The Icing Room with their very cheesy, soft like tofu Original, Tiramisu (not available yet) and Golden Lava (salted egg) Cheese Tarts. What we love about these tarts is the consistency of the texture, so velvety and smooth in your mouth, and the cheesiness is not too over the top.

If you think one is never enough, they’re currently having a buy 3 get 1 free promotion with each tart priced at $2 (limited quantities available). The cheese tarts are currently available at The Icing Room Nex@Serangoon outlet and will soon be making a debut at BreadTalk. They will also be dishing out their Tiramisu flavoured cheese tarts in the near future.

The Icing Room
Address: Nex@Serangoon, #B2-58/59
Contact number: +65 6634 4486
Operating Hours: Daily, 10am – 9pm

4. Flor Pâtisserie

You know you can always count on Japanese bakeries for drool worthy and ‘so pretty I don’t have the heart to eat’ desserts. To get your artisanal ice cheese tart fix, we highly recommend FLOR Pâtisserie, a Japanese-styled patisserie serving authentic Japanese-inspired French pastry.

You might want to bring some friends along because their cheese tarts are available in 8 different flavours- Original, Earl Grey, Green Tea, Caramel, Chocolate, Orange and Maple (more friends, more chance to try different flavours). And the best part? FLOR’s cheese tarts are almond cookie based, giving extra flavour.

FLOR Pâtisserie
Click here for the outlets

How do you like your cheese tart? Are you a baked cheese tart person or do you like it chilled? Drop us a comment and let us know!

(Header Image source: Bake Cheese Tart)

Also read: The Best High Tea Spots For All Occasions That Will Leave You Feeling Blissful!

Singapore’s Very First Hello Kitty Cafe Is Opening In Singapore And It’s 24Hrs!

The wait is finally over.

Singapore’s first ever Hello Kitty Cafe, Hello Kitty Orchid Garden, is opening at Changi Airport Terminal 3 this coming May. And superb news, it’s not a temporary pop-up stall. It’s going to be a permanent cafe — and a 24-hour one at that.

According to Lady Iron Chef, the cafe will be adorned with a complementary mix of flowers and greens that will, no doubt, add a splash of pretty colour to the place. The full menu hasn’t been revealed yet, but word is, we can expect an all-day breakfast meals and desserts with a tinge of local flavour.

Besides satisfying our tummies, the cafe will also feature an exciting range of merchandise like postcards, plush toys, DIY plant kits, and tea blends. Is it just me, or does it feel like Changi Airport wants Hello Kitty fanatics to burn a colossal hole in their pocket?

One might wonder, with the launch of the cafe, does this mean that we’re going to have a Hello Kitty-themed hospital in the not too distant future? Only time will tell.

Hello Kitty Orchid Garden
Singapore Changi Airport, Terminal 3
Arrival Hall Central #01-22
Opening hours: 24 Hours

Featured image credit: Wikipedia

Also read: Local Food So Atas That Even The Coffeeshop Uncles Also Cannot Recognise!

How A Russian And A Singaporean Met And Are Building A Multi Million Dollar Business Together

Almost 4 years ago, Alexander Danilov, who started a company called Shopster in Russia, had received a grant from Singapore for his company. On top of just receiving the monetary benefits, Alex flew in to Singapore to connect with mentors to get feedbacks on his idea. Back then, Shopster is a mobile location based shopping service and marketing platform for retailers, and the idea seemed ripe for a country like Singapore.

In a highly competitive business world, network is key – knowing the right people can open doors and new opportunities for you. This was what Alex realised when he came to Singapore, and as luck would have it, he had the chance to meet Michael.

“I spoke to Michael, who was a mentor at Ruvento Ventures. He gave me a lot of feedback, and provided huge support, and as we continued to connect and closely work together throughout the following months, we realised that we not only share the similar business vision, but also want to solve similar problems,” Alex told Vulcan Post.

At that point, Michael is the President Asia of Phicomm, and currently has more than 18 years of consulting experience with businesses throughout Asia. He was also actively mentoring Shopster. While working on Shopster, both Michael and Alex found a bigger problem that they are looking to solve – a problem that perhaps a lot of Singaporeans are facing as well – effective and efficient delivery service.

From there, Alex and Michael became full time partners in running Zap Delivery. As we have previously noted, Zap Delivery, is a newly launched on-demand express courier service, which promises to courier your items anywhere in Singapore within 2 hours.

All Great Ideas Solve A Personal Itch

“The idea came from our own experience – there was once, my wife locked herself out of the house, and she wanted to get a locksmith to unlock the door for her. We realised that it would be way cheaper to get someone to pick up the house key from me and get it delivered to her, but the solution was not available then,” Alex shared with Vulcan Post.

After almost one year of research, preparation and making sure that there are available couriers to help customers island wide with their on demand courier requests, Zap Delivery was launched in December 2015, with a network of more than 800 courier partners, all of whom have passed stringent qualification and background checks.

“With this app, we hope to transform and disrupt the way the traditional logistics industry works,” said Michael Tan, co-founder and chief executive officer of Zap Delivery.

A typical courier request works like this: you launch the app, key in your pick up address, key in your destination, and a courier will be on its way to pick up any items and drop it off for you. The app also calculates the delivery cost as soon as the required details are entered, before payment confirmation.

Splitting the Roles

For now, both Alex and Michael are eyeing the multi million dollar courier delivery service in Singapore, all thanks to the rise of e commerce and the on-demand economy. And the logistics sector is ripe for a disruption too. According to the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index, Singapore is Asia’s top performer when it comes to global freight forwarding and express carriers.

To tap on this multi million dollar industry boom, Michael takes charge of the company’s growth strategy and investor relations, while Alex is in charge of the operations and execution of the strategy. On a typical day, Michael and Alex keep track of customers’ and couriers’ satisfaction level, and that the company is hitting its growth target.

To stand out in technology superiority, Zap Delivery also feature a patent-pending, authentication technology, which replaces the arbitrary signatures that traditional couriers usually use to confirm delivery receipts. This process ensures that items arrive not only safely, but also to the rightful recipients. Additionally, the app features real-time tracking that allows senders to know the exact location of their items, every step of the way.

Further down the road, Zap Delivery has a few new ideas up its sleeve that they choose not to reveal for now, teasing us that it will truly be groundbreaking.

How ground breaking would it be? We will be keeping you updated on that. In the meantime, if you’d like to get anything delivered for or to you, do check out Zap Delivery.

This article originally appeared on Vulcan Post.

A Peek At The Very Beautiful Cherry Blossoms In The Flower Dome, You Won’t Want To Miss This!

You no longer have to visit Japan to catch a sight of the lovely cherry blossoms blooming. You’ve heard the news, for the very first time ever, Gardens By The Bay has decided to bring in a variety of cherry and peach blossoms. Talk about having the best of both worlds!

The flowers are exhibited at the Flower Dome. These flowers last for a very short time – only 1 to 2 weeks. Also, half of the sakura trees have already bloomed. Don’t wait too long to visit, you won’t want to miss the beautiful sight!

There are all in all, 20 varieties of cherry blossoms on display. Special mention goes to the sakura trees with hanging branches, Prunus Fujishidare, those with striking white flowers, Prunus Yedoenis Yoshino, and those with lovely pale pink blooms, Prunus Accolade. As for peach blossoms, there’s the unusual and very special, Prunus Genpei Shidare, that has flowers of two different colours – red and white – on the very same plant.

The whole Flower Dome will be styled after a traditional Japanese garden, complete with a tori gate, Japanese screens and kimono. Perfect for a photo opportunity with your date, parents, children, or anyone whom you’d want to share this special moment with.

Gardens By The Bay has really outdone itself this time. This totally beats the previous hot exhibition – Tulipmania. You don’t have to go to Japan just to catch the cherry blossoms anymore!

We can’t be more proud of our very best garden.

Blossom Beats Floral Display
Date: Now till 27 March
Time: 9am – 9pm (last admission 8:30pm)
Tel: 6420 6848
Location: Flower Dome, Gardens By The Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Dr, 018953
Nearest MRT: Bayfront MRT station
Parking lots available

Admission charges for locals (flower dome only):
Adult: $12
Senior Citizen: $8
Child: $8

We recommend buying your tickets online to avoid the queue. Click here.
For ticket prices and other activities, 

新加坡五大健康饮食餐厅

根据Diabetes Forecast的研究显示，食用色彩鲜艳的新鲜食物对人体健康有很大的帮助。现代人忙碌于工作，下班回到家则继续为家事操劳，自身的健康与饮食逐渐变得不再那么重要，也“没有时间”去使他变得重要了。营养师认为，一天应摄取5种颜色的蔬果（红/紫/蓝、黄/橙、绿、黑、白），营养也较为均衡。在新加坡，其实也有不少饮食业者陆陆续续推出标榜着“有机”、“生机”、“健康”等标签的营养美食，不止好看也好吃，让人吃出美丽。

1. Afterglow

位于Keong Saik路段一家很棒的生机饮食餐厅。如果你喜欢味道丰富又充满创意的餐点，这绝对是享用午餐或晚餐的好去处。这家餐厅拥有温暖质朴的设计，让人感觉舒适如家。午餐时间不妨尝试选择这类健康食品，放下繁忙的脚步，好好品味美食。除了能够利用午餐时间让自己沉淀下来，还能有效率的完成工作，一举两得！小编建议可以点Taco Bowl。

地址：24 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089131
电话：+65 6224 8921
时间：(Mon-Tue)12:00 – 14:30/ 17:30 – 23:00
            (Wed-Thu)17:30 – 23:00
            (Fri-Sat)12:00 – 14:30/ 17:30 – 23:00

2. The Lokal

使用黑白元素打造而成的 The Lokal，位于Neil Road 的角头，不难寻获。The Lokal 是一家带有经典澳洲咖啡馆元素去经营的餐厅，他们提供美味可口的手工自制食品如酸奶、调味酱和腌黄瓜，可说都是现场制作哦！用餐气氛简单大方却充满活力，是小编最喜欢吃早餐的地方之一。在这里，推荐你尝试“Pimp Your Breakfast”早餐！

地址：136 Neil Road, Singapore 088865
电话：+65 6423 9918
时间：(Mon)8:00am ~ 6:00pm
            (Tue-Fri)8:00am ~ 10:30pm
            (Sat)9:00am ~ 10:30pm
            (Sun)9:00am ~ 4:00pm

3. Common Man Coffee Roaster

image credit: pagleepeg

如果你是咖啡爱好者或是cafe hopper，你一定知道这间Common Man Coffee Roaster。当中以自家烹调的咖啡最为出名，是许多咖啡爱好者不能错过的朝圣之地。满满的新鲜时蔬摆放在陶瓷盘上，光看就振奋人心。只要坐上一个10分钟，你就能看见这家店的客人真的络绎不绝啊！如果想在周末光顾，或许你得排队哦！至于餐点，小编强烈推荐去骨辣椒鸡Chilli Chicken。

地址：22 Martin Road #01-00, Singapore 239058
电话：+65 6836 4695
时间：(Mon-Sun)07:30 – 18:00

4. Grain Traders

对新加坡人来说这餐厅可能相对较陌生，但这里菜单上的每一道料理都为我们带来全新的味蕾享受。位于Market Street的Grain Traders，有售卖全天候料理像：早餐、午餐和晚餐，是你绝不能错过的新尝试！每一碗食物都装有五颜六色的新鲜食材，让人看了胃口大开。配料绝不吝啬的给与每一位顾客是小编觉得最value for money的地方。这里服务快，食物非常新鲜，绝对是点睛之笔。

地址：138 Market Street #01-01/02/03, Singapore 048946
时间：(Mon-Fri)8:00am ~ 8:00pm

5. Real Food Cafe

image credit: Ms Skinny Fat

image credit: Zing M Tan

踏入店内，宽敞明亮的空间仿佛像是一间文创书楼，餐桌与餐桌之间不会过于拥挤，让人有一种愉悦的心情。Real Food 的特色在于提供特多选择的有机素食菜单，主厨精巧融合西式和亚洲美食，两者中西合璧创造出的味道十分丰富。此外，咖啡馆还拥有自己的有机食品部，让客人在品尝美食后，可以作简单购物。这也是进行午餐会议的好地方。

地址：10 Sinaran Drive #B1-105/106/129, Singapore 307506
时间：(Mon-Sat)10:00am ~ 9:30pm
            (Sun)10:00am ~ 9:30pm

Source: PurelyB

12 Things People Who Hate Mornings Go Through Every Single Day

Everyone knows the scene in the movies whereby waking up seems to be a dreamy and cheery process. But if you are reading, you probably know that it is far from the truth.

1. The daily struggle to even get out of bed

Image credit: Image credit:

And yet you still managed to snooze through every single one of them without fail.

[caption id="attachment_2767" align="alignnone" width="460"] Image credit: Image credit: Image credit:

Except anything related to coffee or food.

6. The daily battle travelling to work 

Squeezing in the MRT trains in the morning is the second WORST part of every morning for you. (the first is waking up)

When you see this every morning, you ask yourself why you do this to yourself.

[caption id="attachment_2791" align="alignnone" width="600"] Image credit: Image credit:

9. Coffee is your only BFF in the morning 

Nope sorry, not even your mum, best friend or significant other can make you feel better in the morning.

Only coffee will.

“Uncle, one Kopi-O gao!”

[caption id="attachment_2790" align="alignnone" width="480"] Image credit: Image credit: Image credit: tumblr[/caption]

At least you are productive at night right?

12. The happiest part of the day is when you are finally reunited with your bed 

Bedtime! 🙂

Image credit: 

Chomp Chomp Food Centre – 5 Must Try Hawker Stalls Only Insiders Will Know!

Looking to satisfy your late night cravings? This iconic makan place retains much of its old charm.

Supper in the Singaporean context is a late evening meal comprising local fare that’s rustic, gratuitous, unpretentious and never nutritious – usually partaken in the company of compatriots at an outdoor hawker setting.

Chomp Chomp at Serangoon Gardens exists for supper-goers like me. The stores’ opening hours start at 6pm and extend beyond midnight. I was introduced to ‘Chomp’ in 2008 and have found myself returning religiously ever since.

Frequent visitors have a common process: Find a seat, remember your seat number, appoint someone to stay behind to ‘chope’ the seats while the rest split up and order food. In case you are unfamiliar with the iconic food centre, here are some food that you should absolutely order when you are there.

Ah Hock Hokkien Mee

On peak days, Ah Hock will inform you of a 40-minute waiting time so order this first. This drier take on Hokkien Mee pairs yellow noodles with normal bee hoon noodles instead of the popular ‘chu mee fen’ (thick bee hoon) strands. Because the noodles are cooked, or rather less cooked, to a firmer consistency, this pairing works better in this case.

My only gripe about Ah Hock is that on good days, the sauce is rich and flavourful, the prawns are fresh and the chilli is savoury while on other days, one or more elements of the dish will go awry. My tip: order no larger than the $5 serving to hedge your risk.

Chong Pang Huat BBQ Chicken Wings

Head next door and order good ol’ Chicken Wings – the classic supper food! Sure, Chomp Chomp is filled with other stalls selling chix wings, but while competitors have come and gone, this store has stood the test of time which should mean their doing something right. At least I think so.

Traditional Hai Nam Fang Yuan Satay

Facing the chicken wings stall, make an about-turn and you’ll find this Satay stall, but don’t order the Satay. I mean, you can, but that would be beside the point. You want to try their Rojak. The ingredients come in generous crispy chunks and the thick sauce has a nice smoky flavour about it.

Swee Heng Wanton Noodle

My definition of good Wonton Mee: firm but springy strands of thin yellow noodles seasoned with an almost colourless but flavourful sauce, of course embellished with thick cuts of Char Siew pork, blanched veggies and a side of Wonton Soup. This stall delivers just that – most of the time. If you’re a purist lard lover, you may want to look elsewhere because I couldn’t detect any trace of it.

Charlie Corner Healthy Juices

Finally, what better way to cleanse your palate than with a refreshingly healthy glass of fruit juice? For that, I like to go to Charlie (as you can see accompanied with my plate of rojak) if for nothing else than his jovial service.

***

Does Chomp Chomp serve the best food? I dare say, not really. But what’s unique about this place is the atmosphere. The place just comes alive at night and gives off a certain vibe. You have to visit to experience it.