Ippin Cafe Bar @ Mohamed Sultan - Casual Japanese Home Style Dining [Sponsored Review]

First off, apologies for the recent absence! The last leg of my pregnancy has not been as breezy so I've unfortunately spent a fair amount of time feeling kinda bleagh. But let's not go there lol XD 

Back in April, I was pleasantly surprised to receive an invite for food tasting at a fairly new Japanese cafe bar that labeled itself a Japanese Makan & Drinks Place~ I rarely blog about lifestyle stuff so I was initially quite baffled why I was included in the mix ^^;; But the press kit was enticing and you know how I love Japan so naturally, I accepted.

Abit of background info:

Ippin Cafe Bar only just opened late last year and, being situated along Mohamed Sultan Rd, is across the road from En Dining Bar at UE Square and thus just a short walk from Liang Court. 

They boast their very own certified sake sommelier Ayumi, who is also the owner, and naturally offer a wide variety of premium sake (Prices range $35 - $95 for 720ml), shochu and craft beers. Ippin's head chef Naomi used to be a culinary teacher in Hong Kong, teaching home style Japanese cooking to the domestic helpers of Japanese expats missing the taste of home and I also heard from my Japanese colleague that she used to teach at a very popular cooking school in Japan too!

Aside from food and drink, Ippin also offers a wide range of Japanese home and food products so you can browse while kicking back after a nice meal that incidentally may have been made using a few in-store products! This cafe bar also holds the occasional cooking workshop, flea market and other little projects so be sure to check with the staff if they have anything coming up~

Oh and may I mention that all the menu prices are NETT? I love not having to factor in taxes and all plus there's free Wifi too!

Let's take a look at the place now shall we~

 Lots of natural sunlight =)

Casual atmosphere all set up for the tasting session

I liked the general feel of the place, lots of wood and white with smatterings of colour....abit of Scandinavian and Japanese...kind of like how I would like my own home to be y'know?

Digging this sofa and table set.....

A look at the simple non-alcoholic drinks menu:

Due to the pregnancy I was unable to try the alcohol and much of the tea selection but from the reactions of my fellow diners it seems to be favourable all around! I had the Hojicha since it had the lowest caffeine content, nice!

Most of the food here comes in a set but they've since expanded the menu to include smaller bites like sandwiches and other appetizers. Sets generally come with salad, Japanese rice (with barley so it's healthier!), Hatcho miso soup, a small side of Nikujaga (pork & potato stew) and dessert so talk about a full meal!

The AWESOME Nikujaga up there that should have a set of its own. Seriously I swear the stew is really really good!

On the food tasting menu that day were:

Grilled Oyster & Veggies in Ponzu Butter Sauce Set $20 NETT

Said oysters hail from Hiroshima, famous for their clean tasting oysters. This was surprisingly light, which sort of set the tone for the rest of the session. The oysters were had a very clean taste but I wish the ponzu taste was stronger. I wouldn't have known that ponzu was in the mix if not for the menu description.

Deep Fried Oyster Set $24 NETT

Here's a closer look at the oysters & the dip (tasting size):

I liked the dip (a light but chunky wasabi mayo I think) very much, it was nice & chunky and not any sort of in-your-face taste so it didn't overwhelm the lightly battered/breaded oysters nicely~ I rarely eat oysters because I'm terribly afraid of any sort of overwhelming sea or fishy taste but these oysters (both the fried and grilled versions) tasted nice and clean. 

Oyakodon Set $15 NETT (this set comes with Miso soup and dessert)

Again, the taste is on the light side so you don't feel overloaded with a whole lot of seasoning and sauce. It's really up to personal preference if you'd like this over the usual heavier versions though. I really like the Japanese rice mixed with barley, it makes the dish less heavy and that much healthier! Also available for purchase in-store if you like ^..^ 

Miso Udon Noodle with Oyster Set $15 NETT

Yes, oysters again!!

This is Aichi Prefecture soul food and uses naturally produced red miso that takes 2 whole years to ferment. This set comes with kobachi (small side dish) and dessert.

This was....ok for me. I prefer my soups thinner so this wasn't really my thing since the soup was on the thick side. Pretty rich overall.

And lastly, the Yakisoba Set $12 NETT (comes with a small side dish and dessert)

For some reason I've never been a fan of this daily Japanese fare but some of the diners liked it very much and even bought the noodles which were available in-store.

Last look at some of the sets that were plated to show the usual serving sizes~

Background - Miso Udon Set, Foreground - Grilled Oysters & Veggie Set

Oyakodon set

I noticed this little note on free rice refills on the menu:

Furikake for the rice refills

I think it's nice that they also provide a small selection of furikake (rice seasonings) to accompany your rice refills =)

Poking around the shopping area:

Some of the food & drink selections

A selection of Washi fiber goods

Curetex Washi fiber from the Fukui Prefecture, a natural fabric with a very high fiber count, is supposedly able to absorb odour, is anti-bacterial and block UV rays while providing coolness. Items made from this fabric range from $11 for a dual-side face mitten to $82 for a T-shirt. 

It started to rain before I left so I hung back to chat and the friendly staff at Ippin let me just sit around while waiting out the rain. So I got to see how the cafe is usually arranged and it really is very cosy and casual.

Looking a tad dim due to the rain

And here's what I brought home at the end of my visit:

Clockwise from top left: Wasabi Dressing, Sudachi Honey juice ($3/280ml), Plum Chazuke (tea rice) mix,
Koji Amazake (Sweet rice juice $18/500ml) and Curetex Washi fiber face mitt ($11).

Items without prices were part of our goodie bag for the day (^__^)v

So at the end of my rather long visit to Ippin, I would say that this cafe bar: 

• is a nice place to spend an afternoon with the girlfriends or relaxing dinner and drinks after work. 
• has a nice casual vibe and if you enjoy unpretentious home-style fare cooked with a light touch then Ippin's menu is definately up your alley.
• boasts a wide range of both non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks plus even a sake tasting where one can try 3 types of sake from their selection for just $15.
• has friendly staff who're up for a chat if you feel like it.

Would I go back? Yes~~~ For the Nikujaga and the Fried Oysters!! ( ´͈ ॢꇴ `͈ॢ)♡ 

IPPIN CAFE BAR - Japanese Makan & Drinks Place

18 Mohamed Sultan Rd (Just across the road from En Dining Bar at UE Square)

Tel: 6733 4794

Hours: Mon - Sat 11am - 11pm

NETT prices and FreeWiFi

@IPPINCAFEBAR

#BetterThanMom

Last but not least, a big Thank You to Ippin and Hazel for the invite and setting up the tasting session! ♡´･ᴗ･`♡ And thank you too for reading another lengthy post! Hope you've had a good long weekend!

The Heat & Eat Petite Potato - Quick & Easy Eats for 1!

I made a half-hearted attempt to eat less rice-based meals after the onslaught of "Don't eat so much~", "I didn't say it, the doctor said so~ so you better watch it." and "Don't blame me when you get fat and can't lose the baby weight." so I threw together a tub of salad and went shopping for something to keep it company whilst I demolish it hurhur =D

So, it's been awhile since I browsed the range of potatoes available in the supermarkets but the last last last time I definitely didn't see this brand (Kangaringa Station) of Heat & Eat Petite Potato packs. Quick & easy, why not?

S$3.90 for 500g (about 10 potatoes)

Got these at NTUC by the way. Available in all white, all red or mixed packets~ I've never noticed them before, hopefully they'll be stocked often!

Comes with instructions and a quick recipe on the back.

The nifty thing is this is one of those packs that you can throw straight into the microwave (in the sealed pack) if you're preparing a meal for the family, so convenient right? But I was only preparing for myself so I had to skip testing that method..

Used my trusty kitty collapsible steamer thingy from Japan~

The instructions said 6 - 8min in a 1100-watt microwave, I put my 3 potatoes on a 600-watt setting at 8min and set about plating my salad and frying the paprika & garlic mixture in a bit of butter~ Added a dash of dried peppers & seasalt to taste~

8min later...tadah!

Salad with cucumber, tomato & egg with a side of garlic butter potatoes for 1! Ok maybe 1 1/2 haha~ I feel the potatoes were just a tad overdone though so I'd bring it down to 7min next time. Oh and the red potatoes were delish! Sweeter than the white, oh-so-good!! =)

As my luck would have it, my mom then comes after inspecting the fridge and tells me not to eat too much salad cos it's too 'cooling', not advisable for pregnancy =_____=

(；￣д￣）/  "but...but....but salad's my favourite diet food!!!!"

(一。一;;）"too bad"

(✖╭╮✖) 
TSK.

New In Town - Inglot Cosmetics & the Freedom System lipstick swatches!

A couple of days ago, Polish brand Inglot Cosmetics's first store in Singapore opened its doors in Wisma Atria B1! I don't get out much but like it was meant to be, I had to run some errands yesterday so I popped in for a look! Located along the same row as Lush, facing CottonOn Body, you can't miss it. Oh and also, 10% storewide till Sunday! =D

Once in, a friendly makeup artist (a pretty Malay girl rocking the Inglot blue lipstick, envious much!) came up, introduced the brand to me and escorted me over to the lipstick wall as I was hoping to get a nice pigmented nude (brown, not pink) lippie like my beloved Edward Bess Ultra Slick in Sundown. She was friendly, patient and not too attached to me if you know what I mean so I felt quite comfortable.

Look at all those lippie shades~


Lipstick prices range from S$22 - S$26

Unfortunately, the lipsticks didn't have what I wanted (the nudes were either too sheer for my lips or too frosty sigh) so we tried the Freedom System individual lip squares and found a very nice match in No. 25! =D Yay!! Since they were really cheap (only $12 each), I decided to put together a day to night palette~ Armed with a magnetic board, I set about picking my colours...

Sooooo many shades!!

Inglot also has face powders and concealers ranging from S$22 - 26 as well as a wide variety of shades in the eye and lip colour dept for your Freedom System palettes at S$12 apiece!

So anyway, I ended up with these 3 shades and after adding the Freedom System magnetic case (Starts at S$10 for a single, S$12 for double, S$13 for the trio case...etc) my total was S$44.10 after the 10% discount! CHEAP!!

My Custom Day to Night Freedom System Palette!

After all that excitement (cheap thrills or what lol), I was pretty hungry so I popped over to Domani Cafe at Takashimaya for some brunch (my first and only meal that day) before heading home ^_^ I don't care what people say, I like the food here. Can't remember what the item was named....Sunny something? But it's the only brunch item with the egg, bacon, smoked salmon (which I replaced with more bacon) on toasted muffins ^_^

Explored my purchase while waiting for the food to come:

Simply packaged individual colours and the sleek magnet casing

I really like the case. It's reusable, feels sturdy and the magnet is strong enough to keep that nice frosted lid in place yet not so strong that you need to struggle to open it. Swiveling from either end (as below) is the easiest way =)

Freedom System 3 case - S$13

From Top to Bottom - Lipstick Shade No 30, 25 and 11

The lip colours clip in firmly to the magnetized casing.

From Left - Lipstick Shade No. 30, 25 and 11.

No. 30 looks like it might be a natural sheer red but swatches a slightly coral red-pink. Really pretty!
No. 25 is a nice and pigmented brownish nude, close enough to my Edward Bess Sundown shade!
No. 11 is a lovely warm red that had impact but wasn't too in-your-face. Love!


From Left - Lipstick Shade No. 30, 25 and 11.

Inglot really has a sh!tload of colours for you to pick from so if standard palettes are not your thing, you should definitely try Inglot! The fact that it's so budget-friendly doesn't hurt either!

I lip-swatched No.30 last and left it on while I went in search of brunch. It stayed on through my shopping and then my drink but there was only a stain left after my meal so touchups are required after eating.

Why should you pop by Inglot?

• Loads of colours for all your eyeshadow and lipstick needs, pigment powders, gel liners, don't forget their new (huge) range of breathable nail enamel!
• All lip, eye and nail colours come in a variety of finishes; matte, normal, glossy, shimmery, sheer, you get the idea!
• Definitely swatch, both on hands and lips, as pigmentation & finish differs quite abit from colour to colour. Inglot has disposable applicators at the displays so it's easy to do a quick lip swatch!
• Budget friendly with lipsticks and face powders at S$22 - S$26, eyeshadow and lip colours for the Freedom System palettes at S$12 each and Freedom System cases sold separately starting at S$10.
• 10% off storewide till 5 Oct 2014, my 3 lip colours + case only cost S$44.10!
• Freedom System cases feel sturdy, come in 2 styles (magnet with frosted lid or regular closure with mirror) and different combinations depending on your choice of products.
• No.30 stayed on for shopping and drink but required touchup after a meal. Does leave a stain though so you're not left with a totally naked lip.
• Formulated with castor seed oil, shea butter, beeswax and apricot kernel oil, it's fairly decent in the moisturising department. No SPF though =(
• My selection of colours were more of a gloss finish so didn't emphasise the lines on my lips and were not drying.
• Only 1 outlet at the moment, kinda cramped, wish it was bigger~ Show 'em some support so they can open more branches!

I wanna hit pan soon just so that I can go back for more hahahaha hopeless shopaholic I know! Hope you guys enjoyed this quick review! Did you get anything on your visit? I'd love to know if I missed anything good! =D

♥ Valentine's Day Baking - Hidden Heart Cake ♥

A week and a half after Valentine's Day, this post is rather belated~ Please excuse my tardiness~ (>_<) I've been a tad more social recently so it takes me out of the home quite often (^__^);; But anyway, I wanted to share this cake that I made for Valentine's Day~ It's quite easy and lovely to look at. Got it from Boulder Locavore's beautiful Hidden Heart Valentine's Pound Cake post...(｡♥‿♥｡)

From the local baking supplies store and supermarket I got my ingredients:

Cocoa chips + walnuts + eggs + loaf baking pan (approx. 7'' long 4'' deep)
+ edible colouring + strawberry flavoring + cake mix

Ok so I know using cake mix is quite a short cut here but I figured I might have my hands full with the technique and didn't want to have to worry about the cake recipe so I settled for something safe! Thank you Betty Crocker~

Chose Rose Pink instead of straight pink or red for a nicer colour~

Using the yellow cake mix, I put in about 15 - 20  drops of the colour paste and about 2 teaspoons of the strawberry flavoring. The flavoring intensity is of course subject to individual taste so test as you go~

My cake mix was this shade when I put it in to bake:

 

And came out looking like this:

 

 

Waited for the cake to cool completely before taking a knife to it. Sliced the cake into about 1'' wide pieces and used an approx. 2'' wide heart-shaped cookie cutter from Daiso to make the hidden heart slices~

 

Poured a small amount of the chocolate cake mix into the pan and left it for a few min to pull itself together before lining up the heart slices together and pouring the rest of the chocolate cake mix over them. This part was a little bit difficult to do on my own because there was a constant worry of the hearts slipping all over the place while I was pouring the chocolate mix in...

 

Scattered cocoa chips and walnuts over the top and into the oven it went:

 

 

It'll rise higher than usual because of the extra volume from the heart slices, so no worries there.

 

And then the moment of truth! Ｏ(≧▽≦)Ｏ

 

 

It's not as pretty as I was hoping was still pretty decent I think! Served this with some Dreyer's Roasted Almond ice cream and it was omg yum~~~~ (｡-_-｡ )人( ｡-_-｡) The Husband was also quite wow-ed and wanted to know how it was made hehe..

 



The only thing I would change the next time round is the choice of cake mix. Super Moist was not a good idea as the cake took much longer to bake thoroughly the 2nd round due to the already-baked heart slices that were probably in the way of the dissipating heat? The cakes had to be kept in the fridge too because they were too moist to be simply boxed and left on the dining table... (^_^;;;)

 

Hope you enjoyed this post~ Next time there's an occasion I'm gonna try a Hidden Rainbow cake! 

Eating in Singapore - Arteastiq Lovin'

I've recently taken to Arteastiq, a boutique tea lounge, after a friend's recommendation. It'd piqued my interest before but I got distracted =P Being a tea person, the fact that the drinks and desserts menu revolves around tea made it totally up my alley~

Situated at the end of Mandarin Gallery's 4th floor~

They also have an art studio sectioned off for customers to oil paint and show off some artistic flair~ You can check out session prices at Arteastiq.com!

I really dig the concept and though I've only been there just to dine & chill out, I'm really keen to give the painting a go sometime!

The place seats about 85, so it isn't huge. My favourite spot is along the windows so I can people-watch and bask in the sun while having my tea & eats ^___^

Ahh~~ the life~~ ヽ(○´∀`)ﾉ♪

My favourite Mint & Lemongrass Tea~ ( ^ - ^ )

And hehe =P some random photos of our meal... ლ(´ڡ`ლ)

The atmosphere is pretty yet relaxing and the staff are mostly friendly so I usually end up spending quite a few hours there especially if I'm with girlfriends~ Prices are reasonable too, a drink and brunch item will probably set you back about S$30+?

And lastly, my happy self with the pretty wallpaper! (─‿‿─)

 

I have eyebags the size of my eyes here ლ(>__< ლ) arrrhhhhh~~~

Random end note: I love my new wedges from H&M~ =D