The Coconut Club, Singapore…terrible waste of time and money

As you may make out of the title of this post, The Coconut Club isn´t good – or rather a terrible waste of money and everybody´s time. They’ve put effort into the décor. Obviously you know it’s going to be nose-bleedingly expensive. That doesn’t mean it can’t also be good.

A plate of nasi lemak with coconut rice, chicken leg, ikan bilis, peanuts, cucumber, fried egg and sambal set me back SGD12.80. And this was before adding on the otak-otak which was another SGD10.50. Sorely lacking were the things that make nasi lemak great: the flavour and fragrance. This is a restaurant predicated on one idea: that a single really expensive ingredient – specially brought in from Malaysia – will make your life better.

I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but it won’t. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Dao Spa, Shanghai…head back to your room and take a nap instead

We’ve all been there. Going into a spa with great anticipation, only to find that the massage room is falling apart or the masseur has brute strength but zero technique. Yes, a bad spa can ruin anyone’s mood, but when you are aching all over looking forward to a good rub-down, the stakes are even higher.

If your body is aching after a long day, and the nearest spa to you is Dao Spa, you might just want to head back to your room and take a nap instead.

Another option: Have a friend rub your shoulders. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

EN Washoku-sake, Tokyo…pork is the thing

Tonkatsu is one of the most popular meat dishes in Japan although a dish like deep-fried pork may not seem to fit the Japanese reputation for clean, healthful foods.

Mugifuji-pork cutlet dish which comes with three kinds of small dishes, salad, rice, pickles and miso soup. The cutlet is crispy, incredibly light, not oily and absolutely appetising

There might be better examples of classic pork katsu around town.  But if you want to experience the bustling intimacy of a populist Tokyo meal, then this is the place for you. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Dragon Hill Spa, Seoul…get naked with the locals

Sauna culture is common around the world — including the Japanese onsen and Turkish hammam — but the South Korean variety, a jjimjilbang, is an entire industry unto itself. These 24-hour spas are everywhere in Seoul – like starbucks.

You pay a flat fee for entrance and given a jjimjilbang uniform and a bracelet with your locker keys. But calling the jjimjilbang a bathhouse hardly begins to describe its attractions. Sure, you can take a bath and a sauna. You can sit in a steam room or in or around large, sex-segregated baths filled with extremely hot water. There are professional body scrubbers and masseurs. You can lie on a heated floor (a feature of traditional houses). You can also eat, sleep, date, watch television, read, play computer games.

For all kinds of good, clean fun. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Fa So La Tax free Akihabara, Tokyo…top stop to shop for Japanese specialties

Few globetrotters set off for an overseas trip without a shopping list either for themselves or usually for friends, family and work colleagues.

Tokyo Banana is probably the most common snack most people will buy back from Japan. Choose either the banana caramel or strawberry cake. Royce, Kit Kats, Matcha cookies, the lot. Let’s not forget Calbee Jaga Pokkuru, the combination of french fries and potato chips, but much much better!

But where to buy?

Many frequent flyers to Tokyo will agree with me that Fa So La Tax free Akihabara remains one of the favourite airport shops when it comes to sheer availability of all the Japanese specialties under one roof. Moreover, with the short expiry dates on those Tokyo Bananas, it’s best to grab them last minute at the airport on the way out of the country.

stop by if you didn’t have a chance to stop by the electronics area, Akihabara in Tokyo or if you’re looking for TOKYO BANANA! This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

All Day Fresh Kitchen, Seoul… exceptional panoramas but food fairly forgettable

The view from All Day Fresh Kitchen is mesmerising. That’s if you get a window table, of course; diners within the restaurant’s interior will see little but open sky.

As for the menu, it’s  competent rather than exciting. I had the Han-U Sirloin Steak – sirloin steak, eggplant, baby carrot, garlic, sunchoke, shitake mushroom. I thought the food fairly forgettable; more safe than interesting

However, one caveat is that with terrific view, this place doesn’t offer tremendous value for money. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Atlantic Fish Co, Boston…(not) the best in Boston

When it comes to lobsters, Boston leads the way. Now for the hard part.  Who has the best lobster in Boston?

A Boston staple, Atlantic Fish Company is an upscale seafood centric restaurant that focuses on traditional preparations.

No prizes for guessing the main attraction – it’s all about the lobster. I enjoyed the lobster, corn on the cob, potatoes 1/4 lbs and have never felt happier. A well-matched accompaniment is the award winning new England clam chowder cup. Overall, this was a good find. It’s still better than most seafood restaurants I’ve tried in the USA but I don’t think it’s the best in Boston.

The way I see it as a layman, a steamed or boiled lobster is not some fine art of cooking.  Even my seven-year-old niece can cook you up a great steamed lobster.  All you are doing is dropping the poor bastard(s) in a pot of water for about ten minutes and that is it.

Unless it is some crazy lobster pie dish, then it doesn’t really matter where you get it if you just want it steamed or boiled. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

ATV Tour, Phuket…escape the boring 9-5

Visiting a Thai massage barely sounds like the place to grab a quick adrenaline fix – but there are still plenty of knuckle-shredding activities to indulge in within Phuket.

August is the rainy season in Phuket and the ATV was a muddy ride for sure! They provide crocs sandals and I definitely recommend using them. They provided ponchos to wear over your clothes when it started raining , but expect to be sweaty under than poncho. A couple of colleagues purposely wore old clothes  that they were willing to throw away.

With the flying fox, you can let out your inner baboon and go through the 100m Adventure bridge comprising various obstacles. Clamber up two flights of steps and whizz along 110m zipwires.

The crew were friendly and informative.  Everyone in our group felt so safe, even those who were not huge adrenaline junkies.

A great way to escape the boring 9-5. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Machida Shoten, Singapore…this ramen is a joke

No one ever makes good decisions on an empty stomach, which explains why a lot about my dinner here. If Machida Shoten has something actually worth eating, I’d honestly like to know what it is. I’m sorry to report that the ramen here was absolutely dreadful.

The soup was exceptionally bland, it might as well have been boiled water. The soft, limp noodles, forgettable egg and a light scattering of spring onions did little to cheer me up. You’d have to be a very drunk clubber to even consider eating this bowl of meh. I didn’t want to waste my money by refusing to eat it. In retrospect, I wish I had.

Nevertheless, I hope this restaurant stays open long enough to be featured on the next series of Gordon’s Kitchen Nightmares. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Bund’s secret, Shanghai…DO NOT GO IN THERE

Some restaurants get it wrong, others are for outrageous pricing, some have disastrous experiences and then there’s the ones that, well, just don’t serve very good food. This one is all of the above.

We ordered braised pork with sweet soy sauce, sautéed Australian scallop with wild mushroom and braised tofu with hairy crab meat. All impressive sounding names on the menu. I can’t report any of the flavours at all: there was nothing for me to swallow during this worst restaurant meal.

DO NOT GO IN THERE. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…