Category: Eat

[CLOSED] Pompompurin Cafe @ Orchard Central – Singapore’s First Sanrio Character Cafe

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Update June 2020: Pompompurin Cafe has closed.

There’s just something about character cafes that makes them so darned irresistible, even to us grown-ups. Hot on the heels of Japan, the mecca of kawaii-themed eateries and pop ups, Singapore is now home to not one, but two permanent Sanrio character cafes, including the Pompompurin Cafe at Orchard Central!

Voted as Sanrio’s most popular character in 2015, Pompompurin is a lovable golden retriever whose cream coloured skin and trademark brown beret make him resemble a pudding, hence his name.

As my first character cafe experience at the Gudetama Cafe in Osaka had left me eager for more, there was no way I could miss out on this.

Pompompurin Cafe Singapore

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Konnichiwa, Kansai! Kobegyu Steak Land @ Kobe – Affordable Kobe Beef Lunch

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If there’s one thing that puts Kansai on the culinary world map, it’s Kobe beef. Tender and succulent, this mouth-watering dish is the reason why tourists flock to Kobe on a gastronomic pilgrimage.

The significance of beef dates back to the 2nd century, when cattle was first used for rice cultivation and grown in small, isolated herds between the mountainous terrains of Japan. This led to unique types of beef throughout the archipelago. Back then, though, beef was not widely consumed.

Fast forward to post World War II,  and Japan’s consumption of beef has spiked.

Only Taijima cattle (a breed from the Japanese Black family) that are born and raised in Hyogo –  and meet a strict set of standards – can be considered Kobe beef by the Kobe Beef Marketing and Distribution Promotion Association 神戸肉流通推進協議会. So prominent is it that not only has it become a registered landmark, but it has also been cross bred with local cattle in the US to meet the high demand.  

Kobegyu Steakland

Now that that little history lesson is out of the way, let’s get down to business… KOBE BEEF AT KOBEGYU STEAK LAND!

Check out my other travel posts!

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Konnichiwa, Kansai! Eating Your Way Around Nara

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While often overshadowed by her more prolific neighbours, Nara is by no means lacking in culinary specialties.

Looking back at my travel photos, I realise that I walked – and ate – a hell lot on my Nara day trip. Talk about your metabolism fluctuating during your travels.

Soooo, I thought I would relieve some of my post holiday guilt by compiling everything I ate into a mini food guide! Hey, sharing is caring, right? 😉

(Or maybe I’m just looking for any reason to look through my food pictures again…)

All of these food stops are located within central Nara or Nara Park, and pretty friendly on the wallet (about 1000¥ per person).

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Read my other Kansai posts!

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5 Ways to Travel Savvy with Cashback & Agoda Discounts (Shopback)

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Travel plans can be a stressful affair, especially when it comes to finding accommodation and activities that will satisfy everyone’s tastes. After all, we want nothing but the best when it comes to fulfilling our wanderlust fantasies, don’t we?

Thankfully, with online travel and shopping sites bringing anything and everything to our fingertips, we don’t have to look that far to plan the ultimate getaway, whether it’s a trip halfway around the world or a simple weekend staycation.

And here’s an added bonus: with ShopBack, you get to pick the best of the best from over 500 merchants and earn your money back. Hey, who knew that it was possible to have your cake and eat it?

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Konnichiwa, Kansai! Gudetama Cafe @ HEP FIVE, Osaka – Sanrio’s Laziest Egg Gets Its Own Cafe

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So… if you’ve noticed, I did not write at all last month, which I’ve never done before as I’ve always intended to keep this blog busy with new reviews, lists and so on since I started. Well, that’s because I was busy planning for my trip to Kansai, Japan!

This trip is a first in many ways for me – the first time I’ve travelled solo for the entire leg, and the first time I abandoned the tried and tested hotels and stayed all by my lonesome in an Airbnb apartment.

I was super duper excited planning my itinerary and looking up all the places I wanted to go (in Sakura season, no less!), and now I’m even more thrilled to share my solo adventures in the Land of the Rising Sun here. Starting with my very first stop  – Gudetama Cafe at HEP FIVE!

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Lethargic, unmotivated, and all around lazy – Gudetama was the perfect embodiment of me physically and mentally given that I started the day right after a red-eye flight. And what better way to celebrate my making it through in one piece than with dinner with everyone’s favourite lazy egg ?

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[MOVED] Angelina @ Capitol Piazza – Historic Parisian Tea House in Singapore

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Update June 2020: Angelina has moved to The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. 

There are few things quite as charming as tea houses – the elegant furniture, the relaxed atmosphere, the attentive staff in quaint uniforms. And yes, the food. Let’s not forget the food.

Established in 1903 by Austrian confectioner Antoine Rumpelmayer and named after his daughter in law, Angelina is a Parisian tea house that is renowned for its signature hot chocolate and mont blanc. And just last year, the culinary icon made its way to Singapore, as one of the most highly anticipated F&B openings in the newly refurbished Capitol Piazza.

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As I was pretty impressed at the Valentines Day tasting, I decided to return for my birthday lunch last weekend. It also helped that Angelina was one of the few places open during the Chinese New Year long weekend, which was when my birthday fell this year! #firstworldproblems.

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Animal Themed Manju by Namikoshiken @ Aichi, Nagoya – Too Cute to be Eaten

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If life is like a box of chocolates, cute is a box of these manju from Nagoya.

Founded in 1927, Japanese confectionery Namikoshiken 浪越軒 has been producing tons of traditional sweets – but none of them have come close to winning the Internet over like their animal themed buns!

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When I read about them on RocketNews24, one of my go-to sources for all things Japanese, I absolutely had to get my hands on them. Thanks to a friend who was travelling to Singapore, I managed to snag a 12-pc Handmade Zoo (“Tetzukuri Dobutsuen”) box from their online store on Rakuten!

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