Brown Sugar Café Bistro and Hamoru Japanese Restaurant

“My favourite outlet for Western comfort food burger and fish ‘n chip is Brown Sugar Café Bistro; the bento sets of Hamoru are superb and value-for-money.”
— Raymond Lim, Les Amis Group

THOSE in the food and beverage industry — especially chefs, food connoisseurs and wine sommeliers — know Raymond Lim, Group Corporate Communications manager for The Les Amis Group, which owns a gamut of award-winning restaurants and bistros like Au Jardin, Les Amis and Canele Patisserie-Chocolaterie.

Raymond, who loves “Japanese and well-executed simple Western fare” is suave, totally on the ball, and possesses a depth of knowledge about the restaurant and fine-dining scene in Singapore. And so we decided to check in with him to divulge some of his favourite dining eateries. If the man says it’s good, then it ought to be.

Among his recommendations are Brown Sugar Café Bistro, a casual and chic café that serves modern bistro fare like lobster bisque and wagyu burger. Their tantalising desserts, like the tarte tartin of pears, will warm the heart. There is a private dining room with limited seating capacity of 24 so we recommend you make reservations. Raymond also mentions Hamoru, the Japanese restaurant at Suntec’s Food Republic food court. Interview and text by Ronald Wan

What is your best comfort food place?
“My favourite outlet for Western comfort food like burger and fish ‘n chip is Brown Sugar Café Bistro along River Valley road because the owner, chef Oeiji Yuan, does a wonderful job of training his team to churn out consistently good food.”

Where can you get the best Japanese food?
“I like Koh Japanese Food’s branch in Suntec City's Food Republic [called Hamoru Japanese Restaurant]. The bento sets are superb value-for-money. You get chicken teriyaki that is grilled over a real charcoal fire, tempura that are fried upon order…all these for less than $15! Lastly, the chef helming the counter, Patrick, is the friendliest chef I have known!”

Brown Sugar Café Bistro
277 River Valley Road
Telephone no. 6333 6612

Hamoru Japanese Restaurant
Food Republic, Suntec City Convention Centre Level One
Telephone no. 6820 8569

View original article on this food review of Brown Sugar Café Bistro and Hamoru Japanese Restaurant.

Makeup Artist Liren Neo

“During our overseas shoot, she helped us in more ways than just putting on make-up…she made our experience pain-free and enjoyable.”
— Karen Liew, future bride

SOON-to-be-bride Karen Liew has done the rounds of suppliers for her upcoming wedding, and one of her finds is professional makeup artist Liren Neo. “I have found her not only a good make-up artist but also a very helpful, knowledgeable and IT-oriented person,” says Karen, who also notes Liren’s punctuality and helpfulness. “She’s an artist who never fails in her service.”

Who are you recommending today and why?
Professional makeup artist Liren Neo. She's a professional at what she does, makes recommendations to suit the client and never makes you feel obligated.

How did you discover her services?
Through bridal magazines and the Internet.

When did you deal with her?
We chose Liren for our overseas shoot in Bali. We will also hire her for the actual wedding day, as well as for the hair and make-up of three bridesmaids and the mother of the bride.

How would you describe her service?
First of all, I was impressed by Liren’s website, especially the before-and-after shots. When I met her in person for the trial, she was lovely and easy to get along with. I was after a natural but different look ─ she did just that, and also brought out the positive features of my face. Plus, she provided me with accessories to go with my gowns.

Who would you recommend her to?
If you’re doing an overseas shoot, I'd recommend Liren Neo. During our overseas shoot, she helped us in more ways than just putting on make-up. Because we're a generally camera-shy couple, she made our experience pain-free and enjoyable.

What is her price range?
Comparable to most other professional make-up artists.

Blk 58 Stirling Road (Conveniently located near Queenstown MRT Station)
#01-306
Singapore 141058
Mobile: +65 9768 6075

Find out more about Liren Neo and her makeup services.

View original article on Liren Neo.

Beijing 101 Hair Consultants

“I am very satisfied with Beijing 101. I have responsed well to the treatments as my bald patches have disappeared. I would recommend Beijing 101 to anyone suffering from the same problem.”
— Ryan Tan

RYAN TAN, 28, started losing hair two years ago. His hair loss pattern is called Alopecia Areata; people who suffer from it have one or more round bald patches, the size of a large coin on the scalp.

When Ryan was studying in England, he lost considerable hair due to heavy schoolwork load. His condition worsened when he returned to Singapore. He found it hard to re-adapt and faced difficulties in securing a job. The change in environment and increased stress caused two large bald spots to appear on his scalp.

Concerned about his hair problems, Ryan did some research for possible hair specialists and clinics. When he saw a photo of Beijing 101 celebrity endorser Ben Yeo and his thick full head of hair, he knew that was it. Beijing 101’s history of 33 years combined with the usage of 100% Chinese herbs gave Ryan the confidence to visit Beijing 101 for a free consultation.

At Beijing 101, the friendly and professional hair specialist did a thorough analysis of Ryan’s hair and scalp. A customised herbal treatment plan, combined with high-pressure oxygen therapy, was formulated for Ryan based on the result of the analysis.

The herbal treatment used premium ingredients such were Ginseng, Ling Zhi, He Shou Wu and Dang Gui. These natural herbs are effective yet gently in nature to ensure no adverse side effects. High dosage of oxygen was delivered to the scalp and injected into the hair follicles under pressure. The deeper layers of the scalp readily absorb the oxygen. Pure oxygen help to repair damaged hair follicles, increase rate of herbal absorption by the hair roots, and stimulate hair growth.

Overall appearance of Ryan’s hair improved after regular treatments. The two bald patches also grow back gradually.

“I am very satisfied with Beijing 101. I have responsed well to the treatments as my bald patches have disappeared. I would recommend Beijing 101 to anyone suffering from the same problem,” says Ryan.

Beijing 101 is available in over 60 countries including USA, England and Japan, and has won international recognition for its treatments. The ingredients used are extracted from Chinese herbs and are free chemicals. In addition, each Beijing 101 Hair Consultant is professionally trained to ensure customers can receive the best hair care.

You may contact Beijing 101 Hair Consultants via email at info@beijing101hair.com or visit any of their five branches in Singapore:

Funan Mall #B1-03A, 109 North Bridge Road (near City Hall MRT)
East Point Mall #04-01, 3 Simei St 6 (near Simei MRT)
Jurong East St 13 , Blk 135 #02-315 (near Jurong East MRT)
Hougang St 21, Blk 204 #01-97 (near Kovan MRT)
North Point #03-09, 930 Yishun Ave 2 (near Yishun MRT)

View original article on Beijing 101 Hair Consultants.