Hachi Tei Japanese Cuisine

“It does not not charge GST nor service charge. The food is good and cheap."
— Leonard Png, blogger

MEET the talent behind the blog "The Chronicles of Leonard". His name is Leonard Png, 30, and he works as a laboratory executive at NTU.

“I blog almost everything under the sun, mostly about myself, my thoughts, the food I ate, the movie I watched, the places I went to, the events I attended, the countries I went to, the photographs I took, rants, occasionally gossips,” says Leonard.

Here, he recommends his favourite Japanese restaurant in Singapore.

What would you like to recommend today?
Hachi Tei Japanese Cuisine.

When was the last time you visited it?
19 July 2008, wanted to go on National Day but they were closed for business on public holidays.

What's unique about it?
It does not charge GST nor service charge. The food is good and cheap. You'll have a (house) heartwarming meal as the female boss will be walking around to chitchat with you, ask you how's the food. The female boss is super-duper friendly. Like dining in Taiwan.

What else do they offer?
I guess just Japanese food.

Who should we look for?
Cherine, the lady boss. Reason as per mentioned above. Hard to miss her.

Any dish which is your favourite?
My favorite is sashimi, thus i'll recommend the Sashimi Set that I ate. The sashimi is very fresh, it's served as per ordered, not watery at all. My friend said that once you had tried their Chirashi Don, you won't wanna try another place's Chirashi Don, how true, only my friend know as I yet tried it myself. Interview by Sabrina Ong

View original food review on Hachi Tei Japanese Cuisine.

Best Furniture Stores

“Lifestorey carries well-known designer brands like Kartell, Sintesis and Jongform” — Victor Loh, interior designer
By Ronald Wan

TO MOST, home is where the heart is. For interior designer Victor Loh, home is what he conceptualises, designs and believes in. Victor is an interior designer by training and the co-owner of Design Rebirth, an interior design firm. The firm’s projects include mostly residential and show flats (www.designrebirth.com). We asked Victor, who has eight years of experience in interior design, which interior design shops and showrooms he frequents:

Goodrich Global (8 Changi South Lane, #01-01 Goodrich Gallery; Tel. no: 6788 6868): Goodrich Global offers an extensive collection of wallcoverings, fabrics, carpets and laminate floorings to cater to every living space possible. The company has grown to become a leading supplier of interior wall-coverings in Southeast Asia today.Victor says, “All the wallpapers and wall coverings I use for my homes and projects come from Goodrich. They offer a comprehensive range of wallpapers in every style and material. And they are gorgeous.”

Lifestorey (#02-33D Great World City, 1 Kim Seng Promenade; Tel. no: 6732 7362): Homeowners who are design-savvy and pay attention to interior décor magazines will know a thing or two about Lifestorey. It is the go-to shop for snazzy and stylish home furnishings and accessories that help define the designer and mod look in most pretty houses. “Lifestorey carries well-known designer brands like Kartell, Sintesis and Jongform. For the latter, I always get the nice modern lounge sofa sets. You can’t go wrong when you come to Lifestorey.”

Space (9 Raffles Boulevard Millenia Walk Level 2 Tel: 6415 0000): Space specialises in furniture that are strong in design, quality and aesthetics. The company has since become the most progressive retailers of contemporary design in Southeast Asia. The showroom in Singapore carries furniture and accessories from well-known brands like Kartell, Poliform, Louis Poulsen, Fritz Hansen and Flos. In short, Space is synonymous with style and substance. Victor reveals, “I come here for the Kartell chairs and lighting as well. Space is known for famous quality products that are strong in design.”

Plaats (Temporary location on 96A Rangoon Road): Plaats functions like an intellectual movement. Or a graphic design outfit. Either way, check out their website for more abstract information (www.plaats-make.com). Victor says, “Plaats actually consists of three designer friends working together. I know them from school days and they have so much creativity and potential. The objects and products they offer are simply out of the box.”

View original article of the Best Furniture Stores in Singapore.

Kampong Glam

“Hop from one place to another every hour if you actually want to…the entire area is simply unpretentious and you can plan your entire day here…” — Amalina Mohamad, freelance TV producer

By Ronald Wan

TO CHILL out or hang out is not an easy task. Firstly, you got to beat the crowd — or, rather, get away from them. That pretty much rules out your usual malls as well as restaurants and cafes where you can hardly hear yourself or your friend anyway.

So, does getting to a secluded spot in Singapore to unwind mean either you hike in a forested area or get the best tour package out of the country? Save yourself from the jungle mosquito bites and expensive airfares. Surely there is somewhere to hang out — just ask freelance TV producer Amalina Mohamad, who has worked with several production houses such as Free State, Dua M and MediaCorp.

You see, TV producers know the best locations in town because it’s more or less part of their jobs to scour interesting locations. Here, she recommends the hip Kampong Glam neighborhood.

What are you recommending today?
Kampong Glam — a favourite location of mine, and which I visit relatively often. It has many quaint spots to hang out in and the whole vibe here is where the old meets the new.

What’s so special about it?
You can hop from one place to another every hour if you actually want to! And the best part – the entire Kampong Glam area is simply unpretentious. You can plan your entire day there.

What activities do you recommend?
Shop at Haji Lane at favourites like House of Japan (55 Haji Lane Tel: 6396 6657) and Straits Records (43 Haji Lane). Then have lunch at Kampong Café and then scour other lanes and streets like Arab, Bussorah, Baghdad and Kandahar for quirky fashionable finds from lace, stones, silk, textiles, diamantes and everything you need to make a nice dress!

There must be something else to other than shopping?
Check out the gorgeous Sultan Mosque – it’s the one with the golden dome – on Bussorah Street if you have time. Have tea or shisha at one of the many Mediterranean cafes such as Altazzag Restaurant (24 Haji Lane Tel: 6295 5024).

And when the sun sets?
End your day with a nice murtabak dinner at nearby famous eateries New Victory or Zam Zam (697 North Bridge Road Tel: 6298 6230). The atmosphere is superbly relaxing and very much away from the hustle and bustle of Orchard Road or even the nearby Bugis where there is a galaxy of cackling teenagers.

View original article on Kampong Glam.