Singapore - To Do 26Jan25 (Mandai Boardwalk)

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Mandai Boardwalk

The Mandai Boardwalk at Mandai Wildlife Reserve in Singapore opened to the public on January 14, 2025 and they did an excellent job with the place. We did not check out Lara Lookout. Reserved for another time. 

ABBATips:
- Go washroom before! There are NO Washrooms along the path or water top-up points along the way.
- The entire stretch is pretty much unsheltered so bear that in mind when picking a time to go.
- Plenty of wonderful lookout spots and sounds of nature along the way. No cycling or scooting on the boardwalk. 

*Long-tailed macaques*

- Certain sections do have Monkeys so keep your belongings and little one safe with you.

You can enter from either way. It's pretty clearly demarcated from the carpark area. Entrance A is to the left of the main zoo entrance whilst B is where the River Wonders Entrance is. We only did the 2700m loop which at a slow casual pace took us about 2hours, a little longer than the projected largely due to the wonderful picture taking opportunities. 

View of the Iconic rocket tower at Upper Seletar Reservoir.

(Click here for full write up) 
A great explorative journey where if you're lucky get to spot wild life like these pictured below. If you're lucky you can spot glimpses of the Giraffes and listen to the bellowing of Lions and animals whilst walking the boardwalk. *Olive winged bulbul*

*Reflections of the sun*

Red Eye Starlings

Its a wonderful addition to the park and best of all FREE Entry to all. Great for walks, hikes and increasing the traffic flow to the otherwise tickets only area of Mandai. There's new dining options which would be opening up in the near future. 

Parking is a little steep though at 7SGD for the total of 2hrs plus we were there. Subsequent hour parking at Bird Paradise (Click for full review) area was another SGD5. The exterior of Bird Paradise is free to enter with plenty of affordable dinning to be enjoyed. 

Click here for ABBA location of Mandai Boardwalk

You maybe interested in these other amazing Boardwalks in Singapore.
- Changi Boardwalk for their stunning views of sunset (Long stretch and has amazing views). 

- Pasir Ris Mangrove boardwalk to explore mangrove life (Good distance but sheltered from the sun). 

- Lower Pierce for a mix of Boardwalks, views and a little forrest exploration (short and easy to complete).

Amsterdam - To Eat 23Jan25 (Davie's Amsterdam)

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Davie's Amsterdam

CLOSED MON AND TUE
Opens 10am-5pm

Finally getting a chance to try this artisanal deli where they cure and age their own meats. A small little sit down joint.

Ordered On:
23Jan25
Lelje *Their signature*  €14-
Pastrami, Mustard, pickle and Marbled Bread

*It a great Pastrami sandwich. The slightly toasted Marbled bread was largely for aesthetics. Katz's Delicatessen in NYC still takes the top spot for me so far!*
The Classic  €14-
Steak tartare, crispy potato, smoked egg yolk and chives
*It could have used with more spices and personally would have preferred a rougher chop. Did not pick up on the smoke though,* 
Ba-Da-Bing €13.5-
Coppa Iberico, ricotta, tomato, baguette
House special - Bali Inspired 
*The Pancake Bakery also had a similar theme and its impressive to say they have it on point in their flavor profiling.*
Total Fed 5 at €14.80 each with cola/beer.

Food 3.5/5
Serivce 3.5/5
Ambience 3.5/5
Value 3.5/5

Looking for a meal that isn't too heavy and offers great Deli eats, one should give Davie's Amsterdam a try. Their breads are spot on and goes fantastic with Heineken. Don't miss out on checking the Heineken experience whilst in Amsterdam. 

Touted to be the best apple pie to be had in Amsterdam is a short 9min walk further down at Winkel 43. Click for full review. 

Click here for ABBA location of Davie's Amsterdam

Singapore - To Eat 17Jan24 (Fico)

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Fico
(located along East Coast Park Car Park F2)

Ordered On:
17Jan25
Focaccina 
Red Onions of Acquaviva, goat milk blue cheese,
fior di latte, fried sage, sulla honey, SGD19

*Excellent starter ideas. They've got quality, bold flavored olive oil and balsamic which was thoroughly enjoyed. A great starter to the meal to come. Will try this combination for future party meals.*
Mafaldine - Ossobuco, almonds, primitivo di Puglia SGD30
*Great depth of flavor.*
Charcoal Grilled Octopus - Chickpeas, gremolata, kale SGD37
*A little pricy but very well executed Octopus. The char and seasonings were amazing over this tender octopus. The fried Kale, though gave a nice textural component but the bitterness wasn't that welcomed. The chickpea puree at the bottom was alright.*

Food 3.5/5

Service 4/5
*On point. Staff were friendly, knowledgeable and very tentative to the guests. It could also be because we were there before the full on dinner crowd.*

Ambience 4.5/5
*What a view especially on the outside. With the gentle sea breeze and catching approaches when runway 02 is in use. The decoration of white 'sails' and well-thought decor on the inside were all on point. A nice addition which opened in 18May2023. 

Value 3.5/5
Fed2 at SGD103.11

There's been a couple of nice bistros popping up along East Coast Park, taking full advantage of the seaside breeze and beautiful sunset views. This place is quiet, and worth checking out with a small fancy-jetty to walk pre/post dinner. Great views and atmosphere and would recommend for the ambience and casual dining. The exterior and views were so inviting that wanted to be seated outside. 
Click here for ABBA location of Fico

Mumbai - To Eat 10Jan25 (Anil)

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Anil

One Stop Shop for Medication and Food.

Will deliver to hotel. You can order anything and he'll pretty much order from a neighboring eatery and delivery food at a slight premium. Credit card reader and delivery time are usually arranged with the majority of orders. 

Overall recommendations so far would be more for their naans and dishes. The Biriyani was so-so only.

Ordered On
10Jan25 and 3 other occasions.

Palak Paneer x1
*Nice Palak Paneer worth. More fragrant than other had.*

Chicken Tika Briyani x1 *Nothing special really. Good spice level. Chicken is okay. Nothing really to scream about.*
Total 10sgd

Lamb briyani tapao with mango lassi. 9sgd.

*Good spice level. The yogurt along side was really refreshing. Could use more meat. Apparently you can order less bone cuts of meat. Would recommend a side order to boost up the bites. Lassi was served cold. Thick and sweet.*

Garlic cheese naan with Butter Chicken. SGD8.75.
Looks like a small serving but it's plenty.
*The Naan is best enjoyed fresh but still enjoyable with the butter chicken. The chicken is more of chicken shreds consistancy and on the spicier side. Still enjoyable and very filling with the garlic cheese naan. Size wise may look small but it is plenty.*
SGD24

*The first time we ordered, we definitely over ordered. A single serving of Naan is good for an individual. The chicken lollipops were reported by others to be on the salty side but does go well with rice.*

Melbourne - To Eat 08Jan25 (Nico's Sandwich Deli, China Bar Docklands, Kumo Desserts Melbourne)

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Nico's Sandwich Deli

Nico's Sandwich Deli in Melbourne is celebrated for its inventive, high-quality sandwiches blending Italian and Japanese flavors. Nico's sandwich deli was trending for their oxtail sandwiches but have since refreshed their menu. Literally a hole in the wall along a side ally. 

Ordered On:
08Jan24
Giardiniera - Roasted Peppers, pickled eggplant, Agrodolce, Fior di Latte, Salsa, pickled onion, rocket on Ciabatta.
AUD18.50

*Very filling. Got a nice kick and strong bold favors. Only wished I'd knew before hand that it was a cold sandwich. They do have hot sandwiches on order as well *

Looking for toasties one can check out Toast Face Grillah which have cheaper offerings for fancy taosties. 

Food 3.5/5

Service na

Ambience na

Value 3/5

It looks like a small portion but it's  very filling and a very well executed sandwich. Airy bread with simple but well balanced ingredients. If in the mood for good, unique fusion sandwiches give Nico's a try. A line quickly formed when Lunch time came around.

Click here forAbbalocation of Nico's Sandwich Deli

China Bar

(Docklands)

The google rating is much to be desired but no complaints at all for the value take away! Will go back and try something else again another time. Most of the poor reviews seem to be from customer service interactions.

Ordered On:
08Jan25
x3Roasts with rice. AUD19.90

Duck - To Standard
Crispy Pork - The skin could be crispier but for a simple take-away meal is good enough!
Roast Pork - Nice thick, juicy cuts of char siew. Not that dry and its a great accompaniment with the chili. 
Food 4/5
Ambience na

Service na
Value 4/5
(Did a take-away)

The rice is a little on the wet side but they made up for it with a hearty drizzle of roast drippings which coated the rice well. You can really enjoy the rice with the fragrance dripping on their own. Its further enhanced with the Chilli oil they provide. A great value joint for a taste of good roasts. Will come back to try their other offerings.

Click here for ABBA location of China Bar Docklands

Kumo Desserts Melbourne 
(Recommended by Alan.H)


Ordered On
01Nov24

About 20AUD

Looking for fluffy pancakes like those in Japan? Would really recommend Kumo Desserts. This was really a treat. Soft, fluffy and very flavorful. An order would serve two just nice. 

Food 4/5

Service 3.5/5

Ambience 4/5

Value 3/5 

Lots of flavor combinations to choose from, would recommend to come here with another party for after meal desserts. Enjoy!

Click here for ABBA location of Kumo Desserts Melbourne.

Singapore - To Do (01Jan25 D'Best Fishing - Sure Catch)

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D'Best Fishing
(Sure catch fishing)

Four Fishes for with the entire experience to boot at SGD118 total. The price includes two fishing poles and a bag of fresh bait. Pretty much seafood for Chinese New Year settled.  

The concept is pretty simple. Everything is provided for. The live bait comes at an additional SGD5 which is plenty. Depending on which pond you choose to fish at, prices range from SGD25 for the first catch to SGD20 for subsequent, and a flat SGD38 for the premium fishes. Don't worry, the ponds are clearly marked with what you are catching. Once caught, you may not return to fish to catch another. 

*SGD38 Premium Grouper*

*Catch was near immediate! Red Snapper on the line.*

*Barramundi. SGD25*

Staff are helpful on-site to make it as fuss-free and enjoyable experience as possible.

They share some unique tips and the peculiarities of fishes, how best to catch them and ways to take pictures to show off the beauty of your prized catch. Fun, easy and would recommend to any amateur who's never experienced fishing. 

They have other ponds catered to more pro anglers and distant casters. 
ABBAtip:

- Bring some ice packs if you are not heading straight home after.
- Fish processing Cleaning & Descaling Services are available daily (except Thursday), 10am to 6pm, $2.50 below 1kg for non-grouper and $3.50 below 1kg for grouper. Toilets are available on-site. 

Click here for official D'Best Fishing Website.