Thomas D’Esthetique

"I like the place as the owner always give meaningful and genuine advice for my needs.”
— Gabriel Goh, 28, Mister Singapore 2007

“I BELONG to that group they would call metrosexual,” admits Mister Singapore 2007 Gabriel Goh. The 26-year-old engineer, whose interests are swimming, cycling and working out at the gym, says he is “merely keeping up with the trend of looking young and good. In my line of job — in fact, in any — to look better than presentable is quite a norm now.”

And so he goes to Thomas D’Esthetique Urban Homme Salon for his vanity needs, enjoying the detail to attention given by Thomas Tong, who himself established the spa.

What service are you recommending?
“The PPx and VI Peel for facial skin have worked wonders for my complexion. And the VelaSmooth Body Contouring program, go for it; especially if you are concerned about obesity. For me, it's to tone those muscle areas I have problem making obvious (laughs). Of course, not forgetting the famous Brazilian waxing they are popular for ( which 88DB Lifestyle has reviewed ). Pure perfection. Hey, men need it, all the good pleasures of showing nice smooth skin, or refined hair.”

How did you discover Thomas D’Esthetique?
“A close friend recommended it to me. I used to complain to my friend about the lack of establishments truly dedicated to making aesthetic difference to men.”

How often do you go there?
“Let’s just say I am going back for more. True, I may not need some of their services anymore but I like the place as the owner always give meaningful and genuine advice for my needs. “

How good is their service?
Ah, same as previous. That's why I keep going back.

What time is it best to go there?
Always make sure you book beforehand! There's not a perfect time to go. If you don’t work on afternoons, then between 2pm to 4pm would be best.

Any staff you’d like to recommend?
Thomas himself. He's the pioneer and knows all there is to know about men’s and grooming. Go to him, and you will know what I mean.

View original article on Thomas D’Esthetique.

Ambrosia, the Mediterranean Lounge

“I love the fact that there are so many cushions spread out for us to lean back and chill out for hours.” — Georgina Robinson, sales executive

Sales executive Georgina Robinson, in her 20s, is young, single and fabulous in Singapore. She lives on her own and loves going out to enjoy the city that almost never sleeps (at least on weekends). That means shopping, eating and enjoying a night out. It’s become her habit to run to Ambrosia in the Arab Street area once a week to catch up with friends.

Ambrosia first opened in 2004 and is inspired by Southern European dishes like Catalan lamb and escargot marinara, and Middle Eastern cuisines such as khoresh, kebab and pollo Marakesh. It now has two outlets on Baghdad Street: Ambrosia, the Mediterannean Restaurant (for fine dining), and Ambrosia, the Mediterranean Lounge (for drinks).

Georgina loves the restaurant’s unpretentious ambiance that “helps you melt away any tiredness/stress from a long day at work.”

Here she tell us more,

How she discovered it:
My friend took me there a few years ago and I loved its down-to-earth concept!

How she would describe it:
Ambrosia has a very laidback environment; it’s tucked away in a small street, which makes it a quaint and cosy hangout. Upstairs, you can sit on a carpeted floor, around square wooden tables. I love the fact that there are so many cushions spread out for us to lean back and just chill out for hours...helps you melt away any tiredness/stress from a long day at work.

How good is their service:
Once, even though there was only my friends and I occupying one table once at the no-smoking section upstairs, there was always one staff on hand. They served us everything as ordered and were very polite. The food was quite good for a late-night outlet and it was definitely worth the money. Generally it was a very pleasant experience, although some might need patience to understand the waiters' accents.

What time is it best to go there:
As it’s open from early evening till early morning, anytime is good. I've recommended Ambrosia to my friends in audit who work late. I always go there on a weeknight for dinner (time varies) and spend a few hours catching up with friends. It could get busy on weekends though...

How to enjoy a day or night out at Ambrosia:
Grab a table, have some food, follow it with shisha with a bunch of close friends, and have a blast.
Ambrosia, the Mediterranean Restaurant and its annex, Ambrosia, the Mediterranean Lounge, are both open for lunch from 12 noon to 2pm and for dinner from 5pm to 5am.

19 and 25A Baghdad Street, Singapore Tel. No. +65 62927313

View original article for Ambrosia food review.

Trattoria Lafiandra

“The staff at Lafiandra are an experienced, relaxed, and warm bunch.” — Anne Marie Lu, student

Anne Marie Lu, 20, might be familiar with most fine dining places offered in Singapore, but when it comes down to quality Italian food and friendly staff, only Lafiandra pops right into her head.

She recalls one particular dinner at Lafiandra in Singapore Arts Museum, “We were a table of 10, and the waiter patiently stood behind our table even though we kept ignoring him and continued our chitchat while ordering. He didn’t appear annoyed at all, even when it took about 15 minutes for us to finish placing our final orders.”

“The waiters at Lafiandra give professional and honest recommendations and aren’t stiff and formal like those at high-end dining areas.”

What sets it apart from others:
“Lafiandra has earned a reputation for great Italian food by word of mouth, and I heard that chefs from other Italian restaurants choose to dine here, too,” Anne explains.

It's not just the food:
Anne believes that an eating experience isn’t just about the food. Ambience and service are equally important factors. “The waiters at Lafiandra give professional and honest recommendations from their menu, and they aren’t stiff and formal like those at high-end dining areas. They are an experienced, relaxed, and warm bunch, and because of that, their service stands out.”

Exactly how good is there service:
“I’ve been to both outlets at Prinsep Street and the Singapore Arts Museum, but I recommend the latter because of a particular waiter. I’ve yet to find out his name, but he’s a middle-aged man with slightly dark skin tone.”

Piece of advice:
Make a reservation even on non-peak hours, as it’s a pretty popular place. “There are also two reasons you should make their starters your main course: Besides its large portions, their starters are so good, my friends and I often end up ordering six starter dishes and would be too full to have any of the desserts.”

Sets you back by:
Do set aside about $40 per person for a very substantial meal at Lafiandra. Anne feels that the pricing is pretty mid-range considering the high quality food they serve.

She likes it so much that:
“I make a point to go back once or twice a month, and I’ll make a point to fit in their desserts on the next trip.”

Where is it located:
Set up by a Singaporean Brenda Khusnin and her Italian husband Cataldo Lafiandra, Trattoria Lafiandra can be found at 46 Prinsep Street #01-01 and 71 Bras Basah Road, #01-02 Singapore Art Museum. Make your reservations at 6884 4035, for a table between their daily opening hours from 12pm to 3pm and 6pm to 11pm.

View original article of Trattoria Lafiandra food review.